So's Reel Thoughts: August 2008

I dont know about you but thinking about seeing de niro and pacino in the same screen gives me the chills and the fever. i know they were in heat (1995) together but their legacy has grown since then and they're actually on the same side this time (or so they say). Righteous Kill is coming out next week (Sept. 12) at the same time burn after reading and i hear a movie hop session calling me... i won't go into details till later but i just wanted to share my excitement with you guys...

and im starting my netflicks on monday even though im utterly broke and burning holes in my pocket. im going to start watching films from the 60s and 70s which include titles such as blow up, bullit, dirty harry, soylent green, the odd couple and on and on and on... man, 68' was a good year for film. movies of the 60s and 70s allowed more freedom to directors who took risks and inevitably became influenced by the political and social generation of their time. they say that when one watches a film, one should immediately tell which time period and generation the story is about. and in those times, thats what directors did. like the way we were (1973), it wasnt just a love story, but a story that dealt with love during that time which intertwined relationship problems with politics. it's strange but it worked. it got me thinking that if i were to make a film, i would certainly incorporate the period and events and possibly strengthen the story. i completely went off from rambling on about righteous kill to the 60s, odd.

p.s. and in no way was it my intention to relate the title to the film.. hahah but very interesting that i unconsciously did...

Japaneses' most controversial director Takashi Miike is coming out with a new film this week by the name of Sukiyaki Western Django, starring none other than the spit-firing and king of kick-ass films, Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino plays a very minor character as Ringo. Miike has made the most outrageous movies in the past like audition and ichi the killer; it wouldnt be a complete surprise if Django was a disgusting blood bath. i imagine it'll be something like...the good, bad, and the ugly with a kick of kill bill. i havent watched many samurai films nor westerns so i dont know if i can make any critique about how this western will be compared to the classics. but i know just by watching the trailer that it's going to be one hell of a ride...

or go here...

i just dont like it how its is dubbed in english. i really wouldnt mind watching it with subtitles as i have have for many foreign and american films already. i just know the public will dread watching something where they'll be required to read the dialogue. it used to irritate me but it's ok now. what irritates me now is tarantino's acting. i dont think he should allow himself to act. at first in pulp fiction, it was quite entertaining but it just became old and annoying..

and what i just realized is that i have Django in my computer right now. my friend let me borrow his black box and i didnt realize i had it until this moment. so what i will do is tell you if its good or not after i watch it. but honestly, you dont need me to tell you if itll be good or bad. the trailer was enough to know that miike has the abilities and vision to make any film of any genre look effortlessly stylized and entertaining...

edit: im watching a portion of it right now and i guess it wasnt dubbed in english considering how the actor's struggling and slurring speech is disconnected at times.. and honestly, what i really need now is subtitles... cause i cannot understand a single word...

my obsession with brad pitt is rapidly increasing these days with his new film, burn after reading, coming out in merely weeks. and i have said time and time again that i would actually sit down and watch all his films. well, that time has come again and i will now set another mission for myself that i may or may not finish once again. (the whole harry potter mission ain't going to work out.) and my obsession with brad isn't due to his digustingly good looks or the media's obsession with his ever growing family. but because after years of hating him for being such an idolized pretty boy by both men and women, i finally decided to sit down and watch one of his films. and now, i can't really say ANYTHING bad about him. every one of his character has such originality and versatility because of pitt's abilities to wholly envelope himself in his roles. now, let's list how many more films i have to view to complete his filmography.

What i have watched:

1) Quentin Tarantino's True Romance. (1993) minor role as lazy pot-head, floyd.

2) Annie Rice's infamous book, Interview with a Vampire, adapted into a film. (1994) Tom Cruise's sidekick vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac.

3) His first partnership with David Fincher for Se7en. (1995) Detective David Mills

4) Terry Gillaim's Twelve Monkeys!!! (1995) Psychotic Mental Patient and Leader of Twelve Monkeys, Jeffrey Goines. This is when he really caught my eye. and the eye of the Golden Globes when he won his first nomination.

5) Sleepers. (1996) Michael Sullivan

6) Meet Joe Black. (1998) This is the only role of his i would not want to watch over again. im sure he only took this role cause anthony hopkins was in it...or that's what i'm going to keep telling myself...

7) FIGHT CLUB (1999) Tyler Durden. Two is the magic number here. the second time pitt is working with fincher. my second favorite role of his next to jeffrey goines. and possibly my first or second favorite film.. EVER.

8) Snatch (2000) a boxer with a killer punch with an irish? accent, Mickey O'Neil.

9) That Friends' Episode. As Ross' friend from high school. HILARIOUS.

10) Ocean's Eleven. Rusty Ryan. this is more of what i thought i would see him playing, the goofy and cocky playa.

11) Mr. and Mrs. Smith. (2005) John Smith. i watched this because of the hype of the whole Aniston-Pitt-Jolie scandal. and was pleasantly surprised that the story and action was very good due to most studios reason to combine these two superstar actors to generate buzz and mula. well it did both! and now, everyones happy. (except, maybe aniston)

12) Babel (2006) Richard Jones. This was heartbreaking and touchingly good to see pitt in this kind of state as his wife, Cate Blanchett, is dying after being shot.

13) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. (2007) i really thought his role of jesse james would've won him an oscar nomination. he was so convincing and was unbelievably good in a very subtle way. casey affleck was also good in a cringe-worthy way.

now, i didnt expect to have watched so many brad pitt films but every one of them was so different: in their story, roles, and direction.

What i haven't watch:

1) Thelma and Louise. (1991) as the hunk J.D. and it was this debut that got him noticed in hollywood.

2) Johnny Suede. (1991) & Cool World. (1992) these two, he just reallllly needed money. and im shocked. cool world has a 4.2 on imdb. wow..

3) A River Runs Through It. (1992) Paul Maclean.

4) Kalifornia (1993). Early Garyce. I'm actually going to watch this today. HAHA. supposedly its a gangsta fick with David Duchovny as the bad guy. i just dont think that believable. but we'll see.

5) Legends of the Fall. (1994) Tristan Ludlow. i always see this at target but looks incredibly boring so i never even bother to pick it up..

6) The Devil's Own. (1997) Alongside Harrison Ford as sdgkjhsldghsjg (too long, but he has two roles)

7) Seven Years in Tibet. (1997) Heinrich Harrer.

8) The Mexican and Spy Games (2001) Both with big names: Julia Roberts and Robert Redford respectively.

9) Troy. (2004) NOOOoOoOOoOOooo. i would only watch this out of sheer boredom cause i already know he's kind of bad in this. there i said it.

10) The Oceans' Trilogy. Twelve (2004) and Thirteen (2007).

What he's doing next!!:

1) Burn After Reading (2008) as a energetic gym worker, Chad Feldheimer

2) His third David Fincher film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. (2008) as who else but Benjamin Button. and i'm planning on reading both the book and the script before i watch this in Dec.

3) Tree of Life. (2009) i heard that Aronofsky wanted this but made the fountain instead. but it basically has the same kind of concept.

4) Tarantino's Inglorious Bastard!!! (2009) i love how tarantino is tackling every genre. now, its WAR! with pitt as Aldo Raine.

5) The Fighter. (2009) as what else but the fighter.

6) Chad Schmidt. (2010) i love this one. he is playing Chad Schmidt, who moves to hollywood to pursue his acting career but because of his uncanny resemblance to brad pitt, he becomes a punchline instead of a star.

7) Dirty Tricks (2010) John Dean.

he has a lot of films coming out next year and i cant wait! and he has such a variety of roles coming his way from an army sergeant to a boxer to himself. i'm all very giddy right now.

Woody Allen is undeniably one of the most cynical writer/director i have come across. but inside every cynic, secretly there is a hopeless romantic inside. and thats just what woody allen is. almost all his films deal with relationships of some sort (annie hall, manhattan, match point). whether it is the mishaps, chances, or the downfalls of relationships, its all there...and really, vicky cristina barcelona is no different.

vicky (rebecca hall) and cristina (scarlett johansson) go on a trip to barcelona and become infatuated by a spanish painter (javier bardem), unaware of his ex wife (penelope cruz) who is about to re-enter the picture.

Allen shows true depictions of the hardships that come with each relationship. What is so unusually appealing about Bardem and Cruz’s relationship is that, through their undying love, Johanssan is the medium they need in order to create a healthy relationship. Threesomes are not considered "traditional" but when i saw this, it made sense. Vicky on the other hand, is realistic and plans to marry a guy back at home and inevitably falls for someone else who becomes a bigger problem than she ever thought would be.

woody allen consistently deals with regret, guilt, chance, and the behavior of people and while his recent films have been a let down to allen fans, this film never ceases to please. it is a classic woody allen film. it has everything any fan needs: cynicism, relationships, and some new york! (sorry no classic woody acting) so for all cynics out there, it will be an enjoyable film and will make one rethink about that standards of love. some may feel dissatisfied but thats what one has to expect when watching a woody film. he talks and lives about truth and thats what he reflects in his films: that life is not always picture perfect.

p.s. i thought it was cleaver how they made the title... hence three is the magic number...

it turns out that due to the writers' strike, the sixth installment of the harry potter franchise, will be postponed till july of 2009. Half Blood Prince was suppose to be released this November but warner bros thinks that due to the strike and lack of writers, 2009 films will not be prepared till later on, which will leave the harry potter film to fill that gap...

i guess we're all just going to have to go see twilight instead....

this is a complete dream come true. my favorite actor and director are coming together and making a uberviolent WWII film called inglorious basstards, with pitt as protagonist Lieut. Aldo Raine. Simon Pegg (hot fuzz), eli roth (dir: hostel), and b.j. novak (the office) has joined the cast as im assuming, as part of pitt's army. it is due out june 2009.

Tim Burton has decided to recreate the classic Lewis Carroll fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland in 3-D. and who else would burton cast as of one the characters none other than depp? depp will possibly star as the mad hatter which does sound like a complete trip. the 1999 tv debut version of wonderland, as i can recall seemed imaginative and well cast. but i have no doubt that burton will really capture the imagery and story of carroll's story. i wonder who will be the cheshire cat because i can vaguely remember whoopi goldberg being pretty fitting for that part. regardless of the cast, i know with burtons name on any project, itll result in dark (yet colorful) imagery and induce a trip on the audience when the film comes out in 2010. (and duuh, its going to be in 3-D!!!!)

every two years we have the pleasure of watching the olympics or the world cup, and i could not be happier. im not that into sports but something about these worldly events get me so riled up. day four of the olympics: which is why, i havent been updating as much as i would like to. my apologies. im completely enthralled and enveloped with the swim competitions as i was once a swimmer myself in my golden years. but really, back to the subject, i shall update soon. bear with me...

the 400 meter freestyle relay was just unbelievable to watch. if you havent watched it, then go to nbc.com and do because that single moment went down in history. phelps now has two gold medals. two down and six more to go!

but in all seriousness, i have so much to talk about. so i will try not being a laziass and write.

Douglas Haddow wrote an article in the august/sept? issue of adbusters about the new generation of hipsters and this is what he said...

"...have become shameless clichés of a class of individuals that seek to escape their own wealth and privilege by immersing themselves in the aesthetic of the working class."
"Hipsterdom is the first “counterculture” to be born under the advertising industry’s microscope, leaving it open to constant manipulation but also forcing its participants to continually shift their interests and affiliations. Less a subculture, the hipster is a consumer group – using their capital to purchase empty authenticity and rebellion. But the moment a trend, band, sound, style or feeling gains too much exposure, it is suddenly looked upon with disdain. Hipsters cannot afford to maintain any cultural loyalties or affiliations for fear they will lose relevance. An amalgamation of its own history, the youth of the West are left with consuming cool rather that creating it. "
"We are a lost generation, desperately clinging to anything that feels real, but too afraid to become it ourselves. We are a defeated generation, resigned to the hypocrisy of those before us, who once sang songs of rebellion and now sell them back to us. We are the last generation, a culmination of all previous things, destroyed by the vapidity that surrounds us. The hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture so detached and disconnected that it has stopped giving birth to anything new."

to read the entire go here....

i must agree with most of his points on how this generation is pretty much a copy of a copy of a copy [of one another.] and reading this, i thought of thousands of faces that fit into this "hipster" category (& im sure you can to.) i mean, there are some others that just like to chill and hang out at clubs who just happen to possess attire that are considered "in." but despite that fact, we cannot dismiss the reality of this generation all becoming clones of one another... or rather shall i say army? as haddow was explaining... and let me quote..

"Take a stroll down the street in any major North American or European city and you’ll be sure to see a speckle of fashion-conscious twentysomethings hanging about and sporting a number of predictable stylistic trademarks: skinny jeans, cotton spandex leggings, fixed-gear bikes, vintage flannel, fake eyeglasses and a keffiyeh"

and as im reading this, i look down and i began to realize that this article applies to me as i was there reading an article from adbusters and wearing the epitome of what is deemed as total hipster wear: a vintage flannel and black skinny jeans. sure, i will admit that i might be a perfect example of this epidemic but im not as bad as others, you have to admit. most people would never even admit to being a product of hipsterdom but thats because they are self-absorbed with taking pictures at every kickback they go to, wear unappealing headbands, and have faux glasses attached to their "how-to-be-cool" faces. and as i feel ashamed and retarded for subconsciously following a trend, i dont regret dressing the way i do because really, i wear the same thing everyday and shouldnt be judged by my lack of originality and laziness. i wanted to say more things but... i cant think of anything. all i can do is claim that i dont have originality and style, but at the same time admit that i am not like those girls who say this to seem like a "know-it-all" or "insightful" or be "faux cool." (haha, wouldnt they really though?) really, there is no way winning this argument...

p.s. sorry if i offended anybody who is like this. i was actually thinking of two particular people that are the epitome of fake-hipsters.

ive decided that i should stop blabbing about films that are mainstream and just stick to the independent ones. initially, i wasnt going to talk about mainstream cinema cause there are an abundance of film magazines out there that can give you the same information that i will. so, from now on, i solemnly swear that i will try to talk indie and foreign films around the globe.

and i got a new job at forever 21, which is both exciting and awkwardly painful. but im going to try to update at least everyday. *and if you guys want me to talk about anything, let me know...

p.s. best buy is having (not a HUGE, but!) a decently big sale right now. i want to get...

1) planet terror

2) death proof

3) im not there

4) stranger than fiction

5) darjeeling limited

6) across the universe

7) live free or die hard?

8) transformers?

p.p.s. im insanely tired. i woke up at 7 today, which is just simply insane, considering how i usually wake up at 12:30 in the afternoon... so i shall update with real news tomorrow...

Cheesy much? what are they going to do now, make sailor moon? James Wong--the director of final destination 1&3--is actually going to attempt to make the classic japanese anime, Dragonball Z. its not even going to be titled dragonball Z, its just dragonball. though i shouldnt say much because i didnt watch the series as a child. but! unless, wong uses incredible CG and the same techniques as the comic/series, its just going to be downright bad.

Justin Chatwin who was in 2007's the invisible--that no one seemed to have seen--is going to star as Goku. and the unrecognizable emmy rossum is bulma. and of course, in a hollywood blockbuster, the lead actors are almost always going to be caucasian. other than those two, wong tried to get every asian actor/actresses as possible for the other roles. Yun-Fat Chow Gasp! as master rochi. (im surprised that michelle yeoh isnt in it.) Jamie Chung, that asian girl that was on real world: san diego is chichi. do you guys remember her? apparently she turned into an actress. and even Joon Park, who was just in speed racer and part of the korean r&b? band g.o.d. is in it as yamcha.

i can't say much about it, so you guys discuss...

i was watching Charlie Bartlett the other day and i kept thinking about teen flicks. in these kinds of films, theres always a simple concept but behind it, underlies the themes of trouble teenage life. (ie: drugs, pregnancy, psychological problems.) films such as saved, breakfast club and many others seem like a pretty corny teenage movie that unexpectedly turn out to be a story with some truth and heart. and i still think it couldve been darker but then again, it is just a teenage movie aimed at tweens.

anton yelchin stars as charlie bartlett--who's the next big thing next to shia lebeouf--with upcoming roles in 'terminator salvation' 'star trek', 'new york, i love you'. i became in instant fan when he was in alpha dog in 2006. Nick Cassavetes' alpha dog was based on a true story of the kidnapping and events of nicholas markowitz (yelchin's character). so check it out.

in bartlett, yelchin's love interest--kat dennings--is starring in a new teen comedy coming out soon called nick and norah's infinite playlist (oct. 3) and house bunny (aug.22). playlist is based on a book by david levithan and rachel cohn. the movie seems cute and all but by no comparison will it deal with the serious problems of teenage life (and no, love and relationships don't count in this) kat dennings seem to play the same character is all her roles. (ie: the whiny, constantly irritated, rebellious daughter) she doesn't shine to me, she seems like the typical wannabe actress in hollywood. and as much as her upcoming film looks like an indie flick, it certainly does not have the feel to it. possibly because the voice of movie-fone is narrating it.

or go here...

regardless of its typical boy meets girl story line, playlist seems like its going to be fun. and i always love watching aaron yoo act.

ive been listening to the dark knight soundtrack and it reassured my theory that when making a movie, if the music isn't good, the entire film can be a hit or a miss. im not saying that having bad music will make a film necessarily bad, but it won't evoke the same kind of emotions that the director intended the audience to have. there are so many great soundtracks but these are the only ones that come into mind right now...

1) garden state. while i was watching the movie, i knew it was good. but didnt know how good it was till magazines after magazines kept lauding it. so i sat down and listened to the music alone without the visuals and it was very... liberating and calming in many ways. zach braff has a knack for these things. he also picked the songs for the last kiss and it was amazing as well..

( listen to: coldplay - dont panic, zero 7 - in the waiting line, frou frou - let go, theres so many other ones, just dl the whole soundtrack)

2) once. sweeny todd. hairspray. moulin rouge. but theyre all musicals so enough said.

3) she's the man. yeah, i know it's not one that comes to mind when thinking of great soundtracks but it has really catchy tunes. im not going to lie, it's a guilty pleasure...(listen to: the faders - no sleep tonight, dave lichens - let go)

4) there will be blood. anything jonny greenwood does is mesmerizing. it was like i was in heaven--i was watching d-day but also listening to radiohead, it really cant get better than that!

5) juno. jason reitman must really like the folk genre because he picks similar songs for all his movies. in thank you for smoking, the music was folkish and in juno, it was folk/acoustic.

6) all quentin tarantino films. he picks the most unique songs that get stuck in your head and makes sure that you dont visualize anything but his films when you hear the songs elsewhere. for kill bill, RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan produced and orchestrated it and you can hear it.

7) THE DARK KNIGHT. im so impressed its crazy. its like requeim for a dream, if it wasnt for the music, the whole film wouldnt have the right mood to it. Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard who worked on Kung-Fu Panda and The Happening, respectively--before collaborating together to create the dark knight soundtrack--formulated a marvelous and almost disgustingly impressing series of songs for the film. (listen to: like a dog chasing cars, the dark knight)