Film: American Pie: Reunion

Trailer for the new American Pie that comes out in 2012. Looks like its going to be back to old times with these guys (maybe they're strapped for cash!)! My guess: it'll be a crappy film but have entertainment value meaning the 16-28 age range will go and see it. I'm looking forward to it, but not sure it's one I'm going to be forking out money to see at the cinema!

Film Quick Review: Another Earth

A cool film. Watched it this morning, really enjoyed it, but as ever have a few criticisms. While expecting to see most of the story unfold on the 'other' Earth, the film focuses much more on the emotional turmoil a young girl is going through, with the other Earth almost as a side story.

What I liked most about this film though was how it was shot. Experimental methods of shooting that makes the most emotional scenes very powerful. It was easy to tell it was going to be an inventively shot film right from the start when we see a car accident happen, shot from above. The acting, especially from the beautiful Brit Marling (above), and the directing, Mike Cahill (keep an eye on him in the future), are both great and full of promise for furthering their careers.

Howwwever, while these two (Marling and Cahill) may do their respective parts in the film well, they were also the screenwriters. The film is a very cool concept - a parallel universe available for people to travel to - but is badly done. 'Badly' is a little harsh maybe, but it has so much potential as an idea. A side story of an old Indian caretaker is somewhat confusing and unnecessary. Also an unnecessarily confusing final scene, that I guess is there to provoke the viewer. All a little confusing really.

Regardless, it is original, powerful (through acting + camera techniques) and is entertaining! Definitely worth a watch!

Film: The Dictator

THIS CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH!!!

Film Trailer: Madagascar 3

This looks amazing, I know it's not coming out until summer 2012, but I am a big fan of the Madagascar series. There are too many quotable lines to ignore it. If you've been living under a rock for the last few years and haven't watched either of the first two yet...do it now. I also recommend watching with friends so that others actually get the lines you are quoting.

Film Throwback: Blow

Blow is a film based on the true story of drug dealer George Jung, the man who made the cocaine boom of the '80s possible. This film is a secret gem. Starring Johnny Depp and the delectable Penelope Cruz, we witness the ups and downs of Jung's life. We feel elated when his deals go off, when he has so much cash that his apartment is filled with it and when he sweeps Cruz off her feet and makes it look easy. We share in Jung's misery when he is caught, when we finally realize that although his life may have seemed perfect and exhilarating, he loses the one thing he truly values...his family. Blow is touching because it is about a boy who vowed that he would never suffer in poverty like his father, only to grow up realizing that money doesn't matter.

8/10

N.B.

Depp's hair here is awesome too, there's definitely a good reason for why long hair is coming back into the fold (case in point brad pitt, ashton kutcher currently...oh and me).

Film: Another Earth

I am so completely wired right now. In the library. Crushing papers (kind of). Bumped into some friends (Haley Fuller & Teresa Skelly) and they were saying how much they liked a video I posted on my facebook. It is shot very well, which therefore creates a very powerful short video (on London 2012 Olympics). Because of this they recommended I watch a trailer for a film they saw earlier this year, so I did right away! Not only did they say it was one of the best films they have seen, they said it was shot very well - and you really get this sense from the trailer. The concept of another Earth is really cool and tonight I'm going to take a "study-break" to watch it I think.

Thank you H and T for the suggestion!

Music: Tim Berg - Before This Night Is Through

New Tim Berg (a.k.a Avicii) officially out today. A classic fist pumping tune different from the Avicci style feel-good electronic dance music. "I want to do bad things to you" at 2.18 is a catchy phrase that has its darker side. It is funny because I was talking about this the other day. I was saying we need more songs that give a simple message to someone when you are dancing with them, such as "Tonight I'm (loving) You".

I like the song, you should too.

Art: A "pompous" article taken from The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/02/saatchi-hideousness-art-world

Here is an article by Charles Saatchi. He sounds as if he has taken a quick break from his Occupy Wall Street tent to write this crass article. I would never put it is a simple as "enjoy[ing] having easily recognised, big-brand name pictures, bought ostentatiously in auction rooms at eye-catching prices, to decorate their several homes, floating and otherwise, in an instant demonstration of drop-dead coolth and wealth."

"Do any of these people actually enjoy looking at art?"

"I don't actually believe many people in the art world have much feeling for art and simply cannot tell a good artist from a weak one, until the artist has enjoyed the validation of others."

Here he suggests that art dealers/collectors basically have no opinion on the art in front of them but instead only go of what the public think.

This article has annoyed me, and now my breakfast has gone cold.

Give it a read. It is interesting, but "pompous".