Trailer Mashup of the Week

Ok, I planned on posting a trailer mashup a week, but I got real sick last week and it obviously didn't happen. So this week you get a double dose.

First up, Reservior Dogs and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Yeah, you read that right.

This next one is so weird I just had to share it. Star Wars and The Departed.

~Lauren

The Films Of Series

Some of you may have seen Kees van Dijkhuizen's nicely edited montage of 2010 cinema. What you may not know is that he has been using his editing talents to create what he calls "The Films Of [ ]" series. Each month he focuses on a different director. Thus far his montage of David Fincher's films has been my favorite.

This friday he's unleashing "The Films of [Baz Luhrmann]." I'll continue to post the montages as they come.

~Lauren

Last Night Review

I recently saw Last Night staring Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes, and Keira Knightley. Here's the trailer in case you haven't seen or heard anything about this film.

The acting surprised me. I tend to be rather hesitant when it comes to Keira Knightley, but I thought she was turned out a honest and heartbreaking performance as Jo, a woman torn between her husband and the old flame with whom she never got a chance to have a relationship. Eva Mendes is an actress I generally see as a window dresser or relegated to poorly scripted and badly acted parts. It was refreshing to see her here. I was surprised by how well she turned out a decent, solid performance as the other woman in Michael and Jo's marriage. Sam Worthington also holds his own, possibly for the first time in his acting career, as Michael, a faithful husband facing the temptation to stray. Guillaume Canet steals the spotlight from Worthington, and this is unsurprising as he's clearly the superior actor. Canet and Knightley work well together.

Perhaps most intriguing is the way the film cuts back and forth between the two story lines. The editing between Michael's night and Jo's night is seamless, perfectly executed in all ways. When switching between story lines like this there can sometimes be an issue of balance, but the film never stumbles over this problem as it strikes a perfect balance between the two series of events.

Overall I liked the film and hope to see more from the film's first time director, Massy Tadjedin. The film lacks the dazzle and effects of a lot of films coming out these days, but there is something enjoyable about it's simplicity. Even the score, the work of Clint Mansell, was regulated to simple piano, a sharp contrast from Mansell's famous works for the films of Aronofsky. I highly recommend seeing this film if you get the chance.

~Lauren

Thoughts on Thor (WARNING SPOILERS)

Thor. I know it's been out for a few weeks now and has been lording over the box office. It is summer movie season after all. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the hell out of Thor. But honestly, there are a few linger thoughts I have every time I see a trailer on TV or hear about how much another friend enjoyed it.

Basically, I've come to the conclusion that it is a deeply flawed film that I have little desire to watch again. And yes, I know I'm going to be burned at the stake by some friends for everything I'm about to say. So what exactly is my beef with the god of thunder?

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Editing

I love the Bourne movies, but unfortunately so does everyone else. As a result, filmmakers look at the Bourne films and somehow come out with the assumption that what the audience loved was the shaky camera and quickly editing action scenes. These deluded filmmakers try to copy this effect, and in some cases they up the ante and make the camera shake more and dare their editors to make faster cuts. The result is the recent trend of action films with fight scenes that no one in the audience can see or understanding. We're left with the vague notion that the hero is fighting someone and that something cool probably happens, but before we can process that there is even a fight going on our hero is standing victoriously over his fallen foe. And it sucks. Thor does exactly this. Kenneth Branagh, who'd never directed a movie like this before, took this popular approach to his fight scenes, harassed his editor to make the cuts even faster, and viola. One of my friends had no idea what the hell was going on in the climatic battle scene. She was not alone.

The film's editor, Paul Rubell, is on my bad side not just for the fight scenes, but for the whole film. The man has edited some solid action films in the past (Blade, Transformers, Public Enemies, Collateral). The point is, he should know better. He should not be pulling out editing reminiscent of a Uwe Boll film. The editing was to quick, even on simple dialogue interactions. As a result, it took constant effort to process what was going on onscreen.

To give credit where credit is due, I don't blame Rubell entirely for the Asgard editing botch. The man was clearly trying to mask the sub par CGI. Still, he doesn't get a pass for making walking and talking difficult to understand.

Acute lack of and/or nonsensical character development

You know how sometimes you wonder what got left on the cutting room floor? Thor is one of those films that I'd love to hear got loads cut out. I'd love to hear that someone cut out lots of character development scenes that explained some gaping plot holes. Unfortunately, I doubt this happened.

First up, let's discuss Jane. Natalie Portman has proved she's worth her salt in the last year, so why is she so wasted in this movie. Black Swan marked her out as a talented actress, not a pretty face only to be used as window dressing (see Megan Fox in Transformers for an example of an actress being used as window dressing). Still, she's wasted in this role. Jane's sole purpose is to convince us that she's some paragon of goodness that Thor falls in love with instantly, or so I guess. The film lost me as to the nature of his interest in her. Sure, she's cute, and the film tells me she's supposed to be smart, but why does Thor, who clearly has banged every babe in his home world and then some, go all mushy for Jane? It feels like there is something missing here, because I honestly find Darcy a more interesting character than Jane.

My biggest issue with character development actually concerns Loki. Why was the whole he's an ice giant plot necessary? I could have totally bought him as evil/jealous of Thor without it. This sub plot was just not necessary, and as a result these scenes just ate up time that could have been spent looking at Thor or perhaps explaining the whole love affair between Thor and Jane.

Girl Porn

There is a lot made about the subjection of women in film for the male viewers gaze. TO be honest, this entire film felt like porn for girls. I'll be the first to admit that I spent every second of this movie drooling over Thor. Good lord that man's eyes....anyways, I suspect that all my female friends liked this movie simply because of how attractive Thor was. Of course, none of them will admit that this was the sole reason why they liked the movie, although they'll admit that it's part of their love for it. Of course, Natalie Portman seemed to have a similar reaction every time Thor touched her. There was a look on her face that seemed to say, "Oh my God this sex god of a man is actually touching me! Don't faint, keep it under control, remember my line!" Yeah, I suspect it wasn't difficult to act as though she was in love/lust with him. It certainly wasn't for any of the female audience.

I'm not saying there was anything wrong with the movie basically being about how attractive this man was, but I cannot allow an actor's hotness to solely determine how good a movie is. If that was the way Hollywood worked, Shoot Em Up would have been a great movie because of Clive Owen's good looks.

~Lauren

Trailer Mashups

For the record, I love trailer mashups. They can be immensely entertaining, and oftentimes surprisingly creative. My friends are tired of me showing them these mashups as I come across them, so I've decided to start posting a series of them. They'll come as I find them.

Up first is this gem. Home Alone and I Am Legend. This combination works suprisingly well.The editing of the clips results in some hilarious moments while still keeping true to the threatening nature of the world of I Am Legend.

~Lauren

And we're back, sort of

I know we've been spotty in the past, our posts popping up randomly without any warning, sort of like UFO sightings. I apologize.

The good news is that (1) it's summer movie season and (2) I've got a lot of time on my hands in the foreseeable future. As for Katie, you'll have to pressure her into writing more. She's about to be employed. My future has less certainty.

~Lauren

Oscar Picks

Here's my predictions for Oscars this year.

Best Picture: The Social Network

Best Director: David Fincher

Best Actor: Colin Firth

Best Actress: Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo

Best Animated Film: Toy Story 3

Best Art Direction: Inception

Cinematography: Black Swan

Costume Design: The King's Speech

Documentary Awards: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Documentary Short Subject: The Warriors of Qiugang

Film Editing: Black Swan

Foreign Language Film: Dogtooth

Makeup: Wolfman

Score: Social Network

Original Song: Toy Story 3

Short Film Animate: Night & Day

Short Film Live Action: God of Love

Sound Editing: Inception

Sound Mixing: Inception

Visual Effects: Inception

Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network

Original Screenplay: The King's Speech

~Lauren

Twigman Awards

We are proud to announce the winners of this years Twigman Awards. This year we had some interesting films put out, and we were delightfully surprised by some we'd initially written off. To be honest, most of my favorite films were too obscure to qualify for the Twigmans, but this year we did have some of the better animated films in recent years.

Best Picture How To Train Your Dragon

I know that Toy Story 3 has gotten most of the attention this year in terms of best animated film, but I think that How To Train Your Dragon is every bit as magical. This film was a sheer delight. The dynamic dialogue, the well written characters, and the stunning animation set this film apart. Even the Academy was smart enough to recognize this film's brilliance in their nominations this year. I think it's fair to say that it doesn't stand a chance at the Oscars, but here we salute this film's excellence.

Best Director Christopher Nolan, Inception

Nolan's vision in Inception was breathtaking. He transported us into a new world. He brought together some of the most talented actors and actresses in the business and dazzled us with his vision. We watched Paris get folded onto itself, a man redefine his life, and a widower come to terms with his grief. Without Nolan this film would have never worked.

Best Actor Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Eisenberg nailed his performance of computer wiz Mark Zuckerberg. He was the socially awkward genius we all loved to hate, but he also managed to make something about Zuckerberg pitiable, and for that I say we should salute him.

Best Actress Emma Stone, Easy A

Emma Stone's performance in Easy A was an unexpected delight. Her turn as Olive was refreshing and enjoyable. I was ready to write this film off, but Emma Stone made Easy A fantastic. Her Olive was relatable and lovable, something rare in the days of High School Musical.

Best Supporting Actor Nicolas Cage, Kick Ass/The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Runner's up: John Malkovich in RED, Sharlto Copley in The A-Team

This was a particularly difficult choice this year, but no one is going to deny this was a good year for Nick Cage in supporting roles. His Big Daddy in Kick Ass was one of the greatest action heroes of the year, and his turn as a wizard in The Sorcerer's Apprentice was the best part of that film. While both Malkovich and Copley did great supporting roles, Cage did it twice.

Best Supporting Actress Chloe Moretz, Kick Ass

Watching Hit Girl kick ass to "Bad Reputation" was one of the most enjoyable moments of cinema in 2010. Her highly watchable performance was one of the most memorable roles of the year, if not one of the most controversial. While this year included several other roles for her in films such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, it was Kick Ass she'll be remembered most for.

Best Use of a Previously Written Song in a Movie "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien," Inception

I love Edith Piaf. I was a little hesitant when I first heard this song played in Inception, but I quickly got on board. Most people don't think much about this musical indicator that the dream is about to end, but the song adds a deeper meaning to the film that I'm not sure most people realize at first viewing. Next time you watch this film, keep in mind that Edith is saying that after a tumultuous and tragic life she has no regrets, and her life is starting anew.

Best Screenplay Toy Story 3

This script was brilliant. It had one of the best openings ever, and it stayed true to the tone of the previous two movies. We were introduced to a whole host of new characters, each more marvelous than the last. I was worried that this sequel would go the way of so many others and suck, but by the time we got to Buzz Lightyear's spanish mode no one had any doubts that this film surpassed Toy Story 2.

Best Costuming The Sorcerer's Apprentice

This year's costuming was kind of weak, but Nick Cage's getup in this film is worth remembering, if only for the importance of the pointy shoes.

Best Visual Effects Inception

Tron did a great job creating a new tech world for us to enjoy, but Inception turned a city onto itself. Besides, the zero gravity scenes were amazing in their simplicity.

Best Technical Explosion The Expendables

Sadly, the mushroom cloud of monkeys in Toy Story 3 does not count as a technical explosion, so I can't give that the Twigman this year, even if it was awesome. Still, we had several explosions this year in films ranging from Inception to Kick Ass. But let's face it, this clip is just awesome.

Best Pyrotechnics (The "Cody" Award) The Losers

Let's face it, fire is sexy. The Losers reminded us of this in this scene.

Best Drop of the F-Bomb Kick Ass

~Lauren

When trailer music goes bad

I've been trying to resist posting about the horrific second Red Ridding Hood trailer. Now, I know in the past I've talked about how the right choice of music in a trailer can make the trailer. The example I've cited before was the use of "The Day The World Went Away" by Nine Inch Nails in the Terminator: Salvation trailer. So you understand, given my love of NIN, how it pains me to witness its abhorrent use in Red Ridding Hood. The music selection in the first trailer, especially the use of Soulsavers as the opener, was well done. This one it's a hot mess. It turns the movie from feeling like a thriller into a campy mess. It completely destroys the tone. It left me with the same bitter taste in my mouth as when I watch a trailer that uses yet another Clint Mansell or John Murphy score.

~Lauren

The Eagle

Last night I went with some friends to catch The Eagle. I was actually kind of excited to see this film. I love Jamie Bell's career, and the trailer looked decent. To be fair, I went in realizing I'd probably be unable to keep myself from comparing it with 2010's highly watchable Centurion. That said, my overall impression is, on a scale of one to five, it's a 2 1/2 in terms of a well made film. In terms of watchablity on that same scale, it's a seven.

This film is nothing if not entertaining. Unfortunately, I can't really decide how much of the humor was intentional. What was supposed to be a story of male camaraderie in the face of certain death came off as a campy, thinly veiled homoerotic love story. The plot isn't terrible strong, nor is it historically accurate, not that we can expect movies to be terribly historically accurate in this day and age. Still, this movie does a lot of things right. The armor, the costuming on a whole, the tidbits of Roman culture, Jaime Bell's stellar performance...

Unfortunately, as an action movie, it falls short. I don't ask for much from an action movie. Granted, I'm a woman, so all I want are hot men and fabulous, gratuitously violent fight scenes. Something blowing up is always a bonus. There is a reason I lobbied for one of the categories in the Twigmans to be best technical explosion. Still, The Eagle fails to stand up to my standard. The editing on the fight scenes was atrocious. It was nearly impossible to follow what was going on. Indeed, I wasn't even sure who won the battles until it cut to the survivors laying out the dead. I knew there was a problem when my roommate leaned over and asked if Uwe Boll edited the fight scenes. The camera work throughout the movie continued to be nonsensical, as was it's bizarre use of eagle cries as sound effects. My favorite nonsensical moment was when an eagle cry sounded whilst the camera focused on a barn owl. Yeah, it was a lot of that.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

As for the ending, it felt a bit contrived, to the extent that it became a completely different movie altogether. Honestly, someone should have died. Preferably Channing Tatum. Also, I'd like to know who told the filmmakers that the Scottish Picts used to be Aztecs.

~Lauren