Twists and Turns

I have my own list of must-watch movies that are added on to each week. I’ve now crossed two off my list, both of which were great films with the occasional plot twists. These are the kinds of plots that take unforeseen twists and turns, and manipulates the way a viewer follows the story, with the occasional squealing in their seats.

I have never read the book by Dan Brown, but through the recommendations from friends, Angels and Demons was then added on my list. I have just recently viewed the film, directed by Ron Howard, and I thought that it was a successfully  suspenseful and enthralling watch. Someone told me that the book was better than the movie, but then again, who hasn’t said that? For those who don’t know what the story is about:

Directed by Ron Howard

“Angels and Demons re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of Dan Brown‘s novel The Da Vinci Code. Although the book Angels and Demons was written before the novel The Da Vinci Code, the movie transpires after the events of the earlier movie. Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church. Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer also star in the Sony Pictures production.” – synopsis by Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide ~ http://www.fandango.com

The movie definitely manipulated the way I thought, shocking me with every surprise. For a fictitious plot, I’d say it was a story well-written and if I didn’t know that this was fictional, I’d believe it to be a real event in history.

Directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea

Next on my list was Big Nothing, a movie that was created in 2007 and directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea. I’ve laughed numerous times in this movie, as it definitely falls under the category of black humor. Besides the plot, they have interesting cinematography at times as well. In the beginning of the movie, the song Theme from Blinking Lights by the Eels playing and a shot of the suburbs upside down and then turn right side up, and it made me wonder why. I learn later on that this shot is because it’s the POV of a little girl on the swings, which I thought was a great way to make the audience think. Click here and watch at 1:25 to see what I’m talking about. The movie soundtracks I thought also matched the quirkiness of the movie, a lot of their music was by the Eels. I’d say that this movie is a very sweet and eccentric murder-blackmail story, a movie I most definitely enjoyed watching. Starring David Schwimmer (Ross Geller from Friends) and Simon Pegg (Dennis from Run Fatboy Run) this movie is, as their tag-line says, “A comedy that gets away with murder.”

“Director Jean-Baptiste Andrea’s wicked, jet-black comic thriller Big Nothing stars Friends mainstay David Schwimmer as Charlie Wood, a onetime American professor … As the story opens, Charlie takes a job as a telephone operator at an Information Technology call support center, but is promptly fired for making offensive comments to a customer. One of Charlie’s shadier co-workers, Gus Dickinson (Simon Pegg) wheedles him into his plan to blackmail a priest, Rev. Smalls (Mitchell Mullen) by using “inside” information from the company that demonstrates the minister’s obsession with Internet porn. Thus begins an endless series of Mametian twists and turns involving double-cross, mistaken identity, forced drownings, poisonings, infidelities and cold-blooded mariticide, as the men attempt to collect on the money but run head-first into one outrageous conflict after another…” -synopsis by Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide ~ http://www.fandango.com

I’d list down the twists I’ve found in the plot, but then I’d have to spoil parts of the movie, and if there’s one thing I don’t like doing, it’s spoiling a movie for others. I’ve decided to just review these movies and recommend them for anybody that enjoy surprises and the love unexpected.

Cameras & Lenses

During class, our film teacher showed us a wonderfully sweet film by Keith Loutit entitled Bathtub IV. He used shift lens used mostly for architectural photography as well as using stop motion to develop this video. What I think is amazing with this video is that Loutit manages to make life in this video seem like miniature toys and it reflects on how magnificent and vast our earth is. The video has the power to make an individual feel small.

As I was looking through Keith Loutit’s Vimeo page, I stumbled upon a video by William Castleman, a video that also has the same effect of Loutit’s which is to illustrate that human life on this planet is just a small part of God’s glorious earth. This video shows a beautiful transition of night to day, showcasing the galaxy’s Milky Way using 15mm fisheye lens and a Canon EOS-5D.

I remember walking down the road and looking up to see a billboard of the new Canon EOS-5D Mark II. I was intrigued by it and researched different cameras on YouTube and Google, as I was planning on buying a new camera for myself. I had a liking for different cameras, most of which are far from a reasonable price range. Here are just some of the cameras that I’ve wanted or seen:

• The
  

  Canon EOS-5D Mark II

  is the world’s first DSLR (Digital single-lens Rexflex camera) that can capture film in High Definition, as well as Standard, it can capture pictures while filming, it has a wide LCD monitor that enables a live view mode to capture film and pictures, and so much more. But as I went to the Canon store, there were shortages and the prices for these cameras were 6 digits! Click here for sample footage.

• There is the
  

  Panasonic AG-HVX200

  as well; click this link to see sample footage of this video cam. This camera costs about $4,199 or P205,000.

• 

  Casio Exilim Pro Ex-f1

  Another is the Casio Exilim Pro EX-f1, which is a camera that can take 300-1200 fps (frames per second) videos in slow-motion. Click here for a view of normal speed to 300fps to 1200fps.

• 

  Sanyo Xacti E2

  The Sanyo Xacti E2 is a handy cam that can take videos under 5 feet of water. Click this link to watch how it looks like underwater.

• 

  Canon EOS-500D

  Lastly, the Canon EOS-500D I think is a good digital camera- as it is a Canon, which I think is the best brand for cameras – the price is around 5 digits for a professional camera, it’s not as big as the 5D Mark II and the specifications are about the same. This camera has 15 megapixels, can capture film in HD, has a clear LCD screen that can also capture in a Live View mode, can change focus, has an internal Sensor Cleaning system (helps clear off the dust that may affect the pictures) and more. Click here to watch sample footage.

Special Sleeper

I have a list, kept in a drawer, of movies that I want to watch. It’s otherwise known as my “To Watch” list and on it there are numerous films I have to yet enjoy/dislike. I add a title of a film on it about about every week, so I’d like to mention two films I’ve randomly picked to share.

Directed by Hal Haberman

The first one was released in November of last year, and I’ve already told myself last year to watch it, but it’s still on my list – uncrossed. The film, directed by Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore, is called Special. It tells a story about the boring life of a meter-maid, Les Franken, until he volunteers to be a test subject for an experimental anti-depressant drug. The side-effect of this drug causes Les to become – as said in the movie – “crazy”. I am attracted to simple, crazy, quirky, eccentric and all kinds of the unusual films. I like how their use of POV, where they would manipulate back and forth on how the audience perceives Les’s point of view and the reality of the situation. Like how in one shot we see Les floating, then in the next shot we see him on the ground lifting his limbs, trying to gravitate. I also like the message it tries to convey, that there are so many people on this earth and that it becomes more difficult to stay unique and special. This movie is reality’s hard slap on the face.

For this movie, my father recommended this to me. He told me he watched this when he was about 5 years old. Sleeper is a film made in 1973 by a well-renowned director, Woody Allen. People know Woody Allen as a director who uses his verbal wit and comedy in most of his films, but with this movie, Woody Allen shakes it up. Based on the trailer, it is reminiscent of a Charlie Chaplin comedy, but the story is original and not to mention completely random. Here is a synopsis from the 20th Century Fox webpage:

A slapstick comedy starring and directed by Woody Allen

“Drawing on the great tradition of silent comedy, Sleeper is Woody Allen’s first film to tame his verbal wit and showcase his emerging skill with visual and physical comedy. Starring Diane Keaton (directed by Allen for the first time).
When cryogenically preserved Miles Monroe (Allen) is awakened 200 years after a hospital mishap, he discovers the future’s not so bright: all women are frigid, all men are impotent, and the world is ruled by an evil dictator… a disembodies nose! Pursued by the secret police and recruited by anti-government rebels with a plan to kidnap the dictator’s snout before it can be cloned, Miles falls for the beautiful but untalented poet Luna (Diane Keaton). But when Miles is captured and reprogrammed by the government (to believe he’s Miss America!), it’s up to Luna to save Miles, lead the rebels, and cut off the nose just to spite its face!”

Away We Go

In theatres: June, 2009

Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes – director of  “American Beauty”, this movie, Away We Go, is a quirky comedy of a couple that travel around the States to find the perfect place where they would be able to raise their unborn child. They experience twists and turns with a variety of eccentric family members that might help them find a place they can call “home”. With wonderful acting by a personal favorite actor, John Krasinki (The Office US) and Saturday Night Live’s Maya Rudolph, you can expect  a couple of laughs when watching this movie.

The movie gives the impression of an indie scene and is somewhat nostalgic, as well as heart-warming, in a sense. The cinematography and mise-en-scene is simple, but shown in an atristic sense like with some shots being symmetrical. The film almost reminds me of Juno, because of the simple warm colors and sketchy design of the poster/cover of the film.

It will show in theatres in June, so until then, it will be included onto my “Must Watch” list.  To check out the trailer, click here!

“Luggage” – Mockumentary

Our group did have some bumps on the road in terms of brainstorming. When we began brainstorming for ideas, we thought the genre should either be a dramedy or a mockumentary. Dramedies, I think, are more flexible than mockumentaries. However, we thought that a genre like dramedy has already been used so much that it has almost become cliche. So we decided to stick with a mockumentary, keeping in mind examples from The Office and Spinal Tap.

Devising a story that could only revolve around the title “Luggage”, and after minutes of staring into space, we thought that we could incorporate “Luggage” into IASAS Culcon. For this, our main character, Kav, would be representing Singapore and be participating in Culcon, having to be housed in a crazy Filipino home (Bernice and her family). He arrives and has to put up with this family. But before he leaves, he learns to appreciate them, despite of their oddball-ish culture and ways.  In a way, it shows a relationship between two different cultures and two different parties that had to be together under one roof. We will also focus on the luggage itself, still including it.

So far, we have finished the script – even though we were having problems trimming and cramming the whole story into a 3 min max script. We also completed the storyboard and are still working on the shot log. Our concern is that even as we managed to cut out bits and pieces from our script, it might not portray a sense of authenticity and possibly seem as if the film was rushed, since parts were cut out, the audience may not have enough time to see the development of the character properly. A downside to making mockumentaries is that they are usually longer, but in our case, our time limit was capped. Hopefully we can pull it off!

Awards & Slumdog Millionaire

Are awards important?

It has been a long known tradition – from generation to generation, to award those for their work in the film industry, and so like the Oscars, award ceremonies were held. I think that film awards recognize movies for the way they are artistically and uniquely exhibited, and also merits a talent for screenwriting, directing, acting, musical score, etc. The way these ceremonies are glamorized and include people who are idolized, catch the attention of viewers and possibly encourage or inspire young filmmakers to make it big. However, as these awards are entertaining to watch, it does not necessarily does justice to other undiscovered films out there that have yet to be known. So there are different ways to look at it.

~***~

How does Slumdog Millionaire’s Oscar win affect the Indian Film Industry?

The Slumdog Millionaire Oscar win affects the Indian Film Industry by giving hope to filmmakers in the area.  They interviewed simple civilians, with lifestyles not similar to those who make the film, and were captivated by their charm and exuberant personalities. So if they believe that they can make film even with a simple budget, then it could inspire those in the Indian Film Industry to make even better movies, to shine and get their chance, as Slumdog Millionaire was shot in their very own country.

Golden Globe Winners

66th Golden Globe Awards

The winner for Best Motion Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score is Slumdog Millionaire, which is a story about an 18 year old boy that gets closer to making the biggest win in his life, and gets closer to finding the woman he is destined to be with. Watching the trailer made me feel that I have watch it. It’s colorful, has an interesting plot, and great cinematography. Not to mention the fact that the director, Danny Boyle (who won Best Director for Motion Picture) also directed Trainspotting. It’s definitely on my must-watch list.

Next is a no-brainer, which is Heath Ledger winning the Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role, in the movie adored by many – The Dark Knight. His acting was unique and truly captured the Joker’s character. The award will be given to his daughter, as said from The Insider.

For the Best Television Series (Musical/Comedy), I was praying for The Office or 30 Rock to win, and the award goes to 30 Rock. Not only do they have a great location to shoot (NYC), but they won mainly for their flexible acting skills, witty lines, and awkward situations which make the viewers give out a hearty laugh.

Reviews for Movies Seen in 2008

I have to say, it is not easy picking only the three best movies that I’ve seen for this year, so here are just some of the ones I found interesting.  🙂

.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Whether it be a DC fanatic or a regular

viewer, Dark Night has captured the

minds of the young and old. Exhibiting

worldly morals (evil vs good), plot

twists, and Heath’s impeccable Joker

impersonation made this movie bring

the pages of a DC comic to

life.

.

.

.

.

.

.Iron Man (2008)

Composed of CGI effects and super-hero

stunts, Robert Downey Jr. has effectively

reenacted the Marvel made of iron. It has

themes that society has an interest for

currently, such as technology, political

aspects (war and weaponry), and super-

heroes.

.

.

. . Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Be Kind Rewind is a quirky, idiosyncratic

film that is based on a plot that is not

amazing, but has a  charismatic feel, and

kooky wit that I adore. The way they

executed a radioactive Jack

Black (co-starring Mos Def) who was

trying to save a run-down film shop

by reenacting every movie requested

in an everybody-knows-everybody

ghetto, was amusing.

“Rewind” – Autobiography Pitch Presentation Assignment

This autobiography is called “Rewind” and it represents a simple time line and my direction in life. It’s meant to depict a vintage theme (possibly earthy colors), as it reveals moments in my history and the people in it. The time period is current. I want it to look and have almost the same feel as the opening credits of ‘How I Met Your Mother’.

It should render flashbacks of a carefree childhood. It also illustrates a mood of simplicity then gradually leads on to (along with music) a sense of adventure and escaping.

The setting is put up in various places around school, a place where the character routinely goes. There would also be pictures of the character growing up in the Philippines, her birthplace.

The character is in a life story where she has to comply with the uniformed conformity of of her environment, occasionally reminded and conflicted with her blithe childhood memories. She struggles to follow what society has planned or expected of her, and at the same time, is reminded of the past.

The character is at first, listening to music, which is like a substance that provides the character to get to a place she feels comfortable with.

The story then just leads the audience through the main characters’ everyday tasks, all the while maintaining the recurring memories of the “good ol’ days”. The narration is not energetic or perky, but sounds more like the narrator is telling an old tale solemnly.

The character skips class, something she doesn’t ever do, to clear her head.  The memories are now suddenly flooding. There are pictures that appear, picture after picture, and all are recollections of her happy-go-lucky past.

As she skips class, she walks for awhile at a slow pace, but then her feet swiftly pace up to run. The music intensifies. The pictures are non-stop and the narration explains the pictures and the moments in her life that has made her grow to what she is now.

The story ends as she lies down on the field and closes her eyes. Everything goes black, and then she wakes up to hear the sound of her alarm clock. The music from her headphones are still playing but is now muffled and diegetic, like it was in the beginning. She sighs but immediately notices that she is wearing shoes. There is a beeping sound on her alarm clock. It reads 6 am, Monday.

Was it really all a dream?