Monday, November 26, 2012

Hitchock

Behind the scenes are always been a treat for audience, but never are the actual information behind the creation of a piece of work. Film that explore the making of a movie represents an interesting documentation, that shows the creator and the collaborators. Many films have been made to show the story behind the story of a important film. Clint Eastwood made "White Hunter Black Heart", which tells the story of John Huston making of "The African Queen", Tim Burton made "Edwood" the story of the worst filmmaker in history and how he made Planet 9 of Out of Space, Elias Merhigue "Shadow of the Vampire" about the making of "Nosferatu" by F.W.Murnau even Federico Fellini made "8 1/2" about the filmmaker Guido Anselmi and his 8 and a half films.

Sacha Gervasi brings the film "Hitchock" the story of this famous filmmaker and the creation of his masterpiece "Psycho" Honestly the movie is Anthony Hopkins persona and character, perhaps Hellen Mirren as Alma Reville have a good performance, as Hitchcock wife. Gervasi creates a great environment for the film, but it doesn't bring something new to the table, even the amazing ensemble cast that goes from Scarlet Johannson playing Janet Leigh, Toni Collette playing Hitch secretary, Jessica Biel playing Viera Miles and James D'Arcy playing Anthony Perkins is enough to impress. This is the kind of experiment about the making of a film, that is entertaining but doesn't work all the time.

The movie entertain and show you interesting passage of the story behind Psycho, but is not strong enough to connects with all the audiences and become a great film, some scenes that doesn't make sense and you end up with strange flavor in your mouth.

Skyfall

The exploration of tales stories behind stories, so called Prequels it's been the new gimmick of Hollywood to continue producing franchise and keep them alive, but sometimes works as a perfect excuse to refine the tale of a hero in the process of becoming one. Sam Mendes perform a great job doing something out of the ordinary, making a sequel that literally ends to continue with the actual story. Skyfall is to me the last episode of the prequel created with the film Casino Royale in 2005. Daniel Craig star as James Bond setting the foundation of the most important secret service agent of our time. Skyfall is the story on another chapter of the agent 007 fighting again a evil character who is looking for destruction, chaos and most of all eliminate MI-6. This time the thread is beyond everyone expectation, including James Bond boss "M". The film Skyfall is one of the best ever made. Whithout been compared to films such as Dr No, Goldfinger, Moonraker or Live and Let Die. This new movie reshapes the franchise creating a new breed of characters and new stories that will continue as the ending credits of the film said: James Bond 50th Anniversary. James Bond will return.

I have to say that you end up totally breathless after the film concludes, Javier Bardem to a fantastic job as a Bond villain, Ben Whishaw is great as Q, another great treats for this film is Thomas Newman music score which explores new sounds for this movie, besides his traditional and melancholic tunes, Roger Deakins cinematography, which creates a fantastic environment in the China sequence and last but not least Adele singing the opening credits for the film.


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

absurdist

Killers and assassins are very interesting characters to present in films. Sometimes are too cliché, is a matter of writing, perhaps you can find them in films like Die Hard, Silence of the Lambs, Scarface, M or White Heat. But at the end of the day, they have a cause, something really meaningful to do in the story.

When I think about "Seven Psychopaths" I can only think in films by Guy Ritchie, like "Snatch" or "Lock Stock to Smoking Barrels". A story of a bunch of killers, psychos or wanna be who just want to get rid of the bad apples in this world.

"Seven Psychopaths" is the story or Marty (Colin Farrell) a struggling writer trying to find a good script to create. His friend Billy a dog kidnapper and his partner Hans (Christopher Walken) kidnap a Shih Tzu dog owned by a Mafia guy Charlie. Marty becomes entangled to the haunt for Charlie's dog and continue with killings of most of the characters on the film, all this is happening while Marty developed a screenplay for a film named : "Seven Psychopaths" The film is hilarious is cynical. The combination Rockwell, Walken Farrell is perfect. The film is absurd but full of entertainment.

Looper

So many movies about time travel have explore the possibility of time travel. Could be about stopping a tragic event in the present, that could affect human beings or just a single person. Back to The Future, TimeCop, Freejack, Primer, Bill and Ted, Twelve Monkeys are among some of the fewest exploring that, but Terminator is the one who took the experience to a whole different level. Nowadays is difficult to not been compared of been influence by this story. Besides that Ryan Johnson director of "Brick" create this futuristic tale about killers of the future who eliminate people from the past by paying in silver bars. in LOOPER Johnson bring back his main actor Joseph Gordon Levitt as the best in town to get rid of this people from the past. The film is interesting and fun, the fact of having Bruce Willis as Gordon Levitt old version creates this atmosphere with action, but reminds so much to any of Bruce Wills films. Ironically the fact of having yourself as a sidekick establishes an interesting combination and tension, who is going to be killed first or hurt, is this situation will hurt the one from the past or the future?

One of my favorite things of the film is the original score by Nathan Johnson, who works again with Ryan, after his fantastic work in the score of Brick

80's in 2012

Since the 80's is been really hard to find compelling stories about students who struggle to fit in into the system. Directors decided to focus on comedies and other approach about kids and their issues in the classroom. Finally after a long wait I witness something out of the ordinary, a film that look like a chick flick but end been something more like an statement of kids who not fit in.
"The Perks of Been a Wallflower" is the story of Charlie a kid who is facing the loss of his best friend who commit suicide, his mental illness and the finding of his first love.
The film explore most of the same issues about kids in school but also find it's own way describing characters and situations from the point of view of Charlie. Emma Watson is astonishing, she bright the screen all over with her acting and beauty. But the scene stealer is Ezra Miller as Patrick a gay teenager who is having a secret relationship with a popular kid.

What makes the film special to me is the reference of music and mix tapes, something that in the 80's and 90's was the best way to share music...