Category: movie

Fantastic Mr. Fox – 10/10

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I’ve been meaning to put up a review of this movie. But there’s really nothing to say. Except

  • It was perfect

  • I can’t think of any way to improve any part of it

  • I didn’t have time to stop and think about the movie, because I was constantly whisked along by it’s roller coaster plot and adorable details.

The perfect incredible achievement movie of the year. (i’d have to knock Moon down to 9.9/10 for it’s maybe sorta cheesy global warming fuel commercial thing/moments. It was handled fine, sure, but I wouldn’t have done it that way. Whereas, again, in Fantastic Mr. Fox – I never had a chance to stop and second guess any part of the movie.)

truly incredible.

SPOILER:
(the Rat was my favorite character. each movement and dialog delivery had me giggling maniacally. I was thrilled to see that Willem DaFoe had done the voice, whilst reviewing the credits. I hadn’t recognized the voice. It raises him up a bit, in my book).
(jason Schwartzman also floored me with his great voice acting. I wonder if i would have enjoyed it as much knowing he and DaFoe were lending voice ahead of time. hmm. this is why i post a “spoiler” alert).
(I thought the whole thing felt like the DVD art for Rushmore and Royal Tennebaums come to life. My pal Jonason noted that the director didn’t draw that art. soo. I dunno what that means. but this review feels too short. so i jot it down.).

Ninja Assassin – 9/10

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I really enjoyed this movie. It is a gore fest Ninja movie through and through (which I haven’t seen in years).
It’s possible the things i thought were mistakes (watery blood. verses wounds that weren’t bleeding. shots with inconsistent lighting), were actually nods to old Ninja movies. It really did feel like someone’s attempt to do for Ninja movies what kill bill did for … every shaw brothers movie ever made? hmm. Continue reading “Ninja Assassin – 9/10” →

review: The Box – 4/5

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Watched The Box tonight, and really enjoyed it. While I don’t like camaroon diaz much at all, I loved pretty much everyone else. Also, I should probably disclose that I’m inexplicably a huge James Marsden fan (ever since Gossip), so I was quietly thrilled that he was getting his shot. I remember seeing frank langella in Body Of Evidence and thinking “Oh how the mighty have fallen.” And I didn’t really believe or respect his recent Nixon performance. but He totally fucking owns every moment he’s onscreen in this movie, methinks. It was like christopher lee or patrick stewart – you just find youself thinking this guy is dripping with presence. Continue reading “review: The Box – 4/5” →

Sorta Review: Surveillance (movie) & Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (game)

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It’s hard to review a movie made for incomprehensible reasons. It’s like wanting to review food from a restaurant, but you’re not sure if they wanted to make an italian dish, or some sushi. They probably just failed. but since it isn’t clear what they wanted to do, it’s hard to say how they fucked up.

Surveillance is Jennifer Lynch’s second film. I watched it because I want to (unfairly) compare her to her father. See if anything rubbed off. And yet, whenever I saw anything that resembled a lynch moment, i found myself cringing. (like: a slow shimmering push-in on a police station with a bricked up window, covered by a droning industrial noise).

Uh. i don’t really have the patience to try and review this movie properly. … why am i writing this? Continue reading “Sorta Review: Surveillance (movie) & Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (game)” →

Psychological Archetypey typey

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watching “joseph Campbell Mythos 1” a series of lectures, that will supposedly present the entirety of his unique perspective (on the unities through all cultures, outside of time, instead of the usual focus on differences at certain times). Blah blah, you have to seek it. I can’t summarize. a summary would be “mythologies serve us in 4 ways: mystical, cosmological, socialogical and pedagogical. it’s so boiled down it’s useless. blah blah. look it up if you’re interested.

The video so far has me thinking of a few things that i wanted to jot down. (and where better than this creative pursuits journal?) Continue reading “Psychological Archetypey typey” →

in the rhyme of sickness

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been pretty damned sick for several days now. i seem to have covered the entire spectrum of sick activities and unhappinesses. do we all go through this? why does it seem like “i can’t think straight for all the dizziness and congestion” is just a stage before “its in my chest now, so I’m tired and my throat hurts.” with possible side roads through vomit and bowels and such. i’m frustrated by the lack of anything new. and the time wasted.

thursday was spent out of my mind, festering and aching in a ball. Friday was clear headed but 8 kinds of gross, with elements of extreme nausea. today seems to backslide to congestion town and dizziness. hmm. the feeling of backwards progress is the worst part.
so blah blah. i bought some junk food and mailed a letter, and blah blah, it seemed to break the endless cycle of “drink water, nap, wake up 20 minutes later desperate for the bathroom – repeat”. yay. i don’t know why i’m still babbling about this.

too personal!

i just finished watching TheMatrixReloaded, while chowing some Wendy’s. This is the first time i’ve watched the flic with the “critics who hate it” commentary track. it was kind of fascinating. to see how they were oh-so-wrong, but also sometimes very right. and that’s what i wanted to rant about, before it slipped my sickened mind. Continue reading “in the rhyme of sickness” →

al.mo.mind

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just watched “the mindscape of alan moore” with my parents.
my dad seemed to snooze in and out, and my mom seemed to get notably antsy (but paid close attention).

I greatly enjoyed it. It’s kind of embarassing. it’s still very powerful.

It’s another one of these “idea polemics”. a seemingly random rambling rant from an important smart person, laced with pretentious imagery and excessively dramatic editing (as if the filmmaker wants you to stop every 5 minutes and “PONDER THAT SHIT, PEASANT! OOOOOOH!!!!”). Continue reading “al.mo.mind” →

checkup: hoo ha

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nothing much new really. Feels like I’ve placed my whole life on hold for over a month, while pining for a paying job with friends. Should be resolved soon. i hope. good lord.

Daniel Waters, the writer of Heathers (and helper on scripts of hudson hawk, Demolition Man, and Batman Returns), recommends the work of PAddy Chayefsky and Billy Wilder. I just mention as a note to self, so i can throw away a scrap of paper. He also recommends “The Second Sex” by Simon de Beauvoir, to anyone hoping to write women characters. Continue reading “checkup: hoo ha” →