30 Day Movie TV Meme

I heard about this via Ryan T, and since I'm trying to recuperate the TV in my Encore's World I'm interested. Look later tonight for entry #1.

Day 01 - A show that should have never been canceled
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show ( aired this t.v season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite t.v show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite t.v show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you’ve watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series TV movie
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best t.v show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First t.v show obsession
Day 29 - Current t.v show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

Love During Wartime

ometimes, even I’m confused as to why I call some directors my favourites. Case in point – David Lean. Sometimes, I think I’m more besotted with the idea of David Lean that David Lean himself. Granted, I’ve never seen The Bridge on the River Kwai (which is loathsome, I know - stop judging me). Lawrence of Arabia is a technical marvel – but one which I do not love. A Passage to India is an excellent adaptation, but both it and its source leave me confused and Ryan’s Daughter is better left unremembered. It is only the oft forgotten Summertime (the Kate H. vehicle) and his other tale of lost love that I cite as necessities of my cinematic favourites. And yet, even though I would readily mention Doctor Zhivago as a favourite of mine I never feel particularly happy as I watch. Sure, it’s a tragedy – but perhaps it’s the fact that despite its length Doctor Zhivago is steadily on its way to a tragic ending that cannot be averted.

I love the foreshadowing in this shot, it looks as if Christie is looking at the couple...but she hasn't even met them yet

                       

On the DVD for Doctor Zhivago Omar Sharif (what a talented man) spoke of it being one of the last epics from MGM, and it sure is a good way to go out because it certainly is epic. The film is based on Boris Pasternak's novel of the same name about a tale of tragic love in Russia. The scope of the film is daunting and the pace is definitely not rushed. Yet, there is nothing in Doctor Zhivago I’d call extraneous. David Lean is such a personal director; every shot is filled with such intimacy – the man knew how to excel in technicalities. But Doctor Zhivago is not devoid of emotion. In fact, the story’s emotional appeal is probably its ace. True, the basic story is rather simple – a love triangle between Sharif, Julie Christie and Geraldine Chaplin. But it’s not typical in the least. It’s less concerned with the machinations of the triangle and more interested in the fate of the other characters. And it’s a strongpoint of the film. In addition to the excellent threesome, we have Tom Courtenay, Alec Guinness, Rod Steiger and Ralph Richardson. True, with the most screen time Sharif comes across as strongest (what a shame he was ignored by the Academy) but Lean wants everyone to have their time to shine – and with so much time on his hands, he manages to do so.

Most people probably know of Doctor Zhivago through its score, arguably the most popular film score – and really it is that good. It accents the film with a bittersweet tone that runs throughout, and it’s the same way with the actual film. If I really sit down and ponder on it, Doctor Zhivago is really quite depressing – two important deaths occur within the space of five minutes (one is not even on screen) and the thing we love called closure is never really forthcoming. In fact, after three hours of waiting I can understand why some would be less than pleased at the outcome of the "romance". But Lean is not as interested in giving us a “movie” as much as he wants to give us glimpses into the lives of people he treats with such honesty I wouldn’t deny them as authentic humans despite their obvious artificiality (they are literary characters, alone). I’m rarely moved to watch it in its entirety (though doing so last Friday was quite satisfying). But, like I remember it in spots, I think of lovely moments within the tragedy of Doctor Zhivago and I’m content. Like Julie Christie’s loveliness in a red dress, Omar Sharif’s son in a small role, an adlibbed slap from Rod Steiger, or a look of happiness as Sharif spots someone important while on a train. True – everything is leading up to that inevitable decisive tragedy – but I still think of Doctor Zhivago as a near perfect piece of art. It’s not any less worthy because it’s not pleasing on first glance. Below the surface there’s much to appreciate. It appears at #25 on my list of favourite films, for though it confuses me at the end of the day I know "...it is a gift..."

Listen to a sample of the score...

Guillermo Del Toro Won't Direct The Hobbit

More bad news on the production set of The Hobbit. After months of funding problems and shooting delays and casting issues, Guillermo Del Toro, has announced that he is leaving the series and will not be directing the two movies.

The Mexican director, who has been in heavy development and prep for the Lord of the Rings prequel for the past couple of years, announced the news in a joint statement with producer Peter Jackson.

“In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming “The Hobbit,” I am faced with the hardest decision of my life”, says del Toro. “After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien’s Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures. I remain grateful to Peter, Fran and Philippa Boyens, New Line and Warner Brothers and to all my crew in New Zealand. I’ve been privileged to work in one of the greatest countries on earth with some of the best people ever in our craft and my life will be forever changed. The blessings have been plenty, but the mounting pressures of conflicting schedules have overwhelmed the time slot originally allocated for the project. Both as a co-writer and as a director, I wish the production nothing but the very best of luck and I will be first in line to see the finished product. I remain an ally to it and its makers, present and future, and fully support a smooth transition to a new director”.

Source: Empire Movies

May, A Look Back: How Was It?

I'm not usually in the habit of recapping months, but May seemed like it needed its own post.It easily takes the prize for the most hectic month this year (thus far). It came and went in a blur and yet I feel like it lasted forever, moreover I still feel like I’ve been hit by a hurricane. The end of May signals three things – final exams (ugh), heating up with the release of “prestige flicks” (The Kid Are All Right – I cannot, Inception - Marion and Leo, yum) and my birthday (in six days – sigh, getting older). Movie wise, May has been fairly good. I mean, Nanny McPhee was an all around delight and much more satisfying than the other sequel that was getting all the buzz. I’m still split on Chloe and Fish Tank (confused about both, though the latter is “better” - a word I use looesley) and How To Train Your Dragon was enjoyable – though I sincerely hope that this isn’t the best animated film we’ll be getting this year.

Of course, May had to end with a scorcher – the controversial release of Sex & the City . I’m really nonplussed about the controversy. I don’t particularly worship Ebert so I’m not wholly distressed by his rantings – it’s been done before. But I’m not sure why so many found it to be so offensive. To each his own I suppose, but Jose's word are quite sage.

             
Blogging wise: the nominees for the LAMMY’s have been announced. Congrats to all the nominees – especially those I voted for (Movies Kick Ass, M. Carter at the Movies, Movie Mobsters, Anomalous Material - Movies, A Life in Equinox, The Dark of the Matinee, Ross v Ross, He Shot Cyrus, Reel Whore) and a shoutout to all the great blogs (especially those I voted for) that weren’t nominated (Journalistic Skepticism, The Kid in the Front Row, The Floating Red Couch, The M0vie Blog, Four of Them).
               

I've been so loopy LAMB Casting is only now in its voting stages. I hope you've cast your votes.

        
I’m not particularly looking forward to what June brings, but I sure am glad to be done with May. Here’s to hoping June is a little more…peaceful.
          
How was your May? Looking forward to June?

Strangely, this month was so hectic and yet I've meted out 56 posts. Strange.

Music Break [...With A Couple of Lifeguards]

Good God, this brings back some memories. Doesn't it make you nostalgic?

The Human Centipede (First Sequence): Review

......... Wow. The Human Centipede. Take this title very literally. And if you know what's good for your soul. Do not watch this movie.

But I'm not saying this because the film was bad. Far from it. The Human Centipede is by far one of the most original, soul provoking, groundbreaking horror films I have seen in a long time. The film came out last year and by word of mouth from fellow movie reviewers,  have been searching all over for this film. And let me tell you, it completely blew my mind.

The Human Centipede is about two American tourists who are captured by Doctor Heiter, a renowned German surgeon who has this sick fantasy to create a human centipede by joining the digestive tracts of three human beings via the mouth and anus to create a living human centipede. So how it works is that the first person eats and then he'll shit into the mouth of the person behind him and then that person will shit into the mouth of the one behind her and then that person will shit all their shit out. Ugghh.

My God where do I even begin to talk about this movie.. It's just different, you know. The Human Centipede is going to gain the same notoriety as The Blair Witch Project because of the level of human cruelty and psychological hell it puts it's audience through. But don't think that this was a really bloody, disgusting gore movie. Matter of fact, there's barely any blood in this. And yet the movie still sent chills down my spine just thinking about these people and the things they are going through as the human centipede.

There is one scene.. one goddamn scene, where the head of the centipede has to shit, and he begins defecating into the mouth of the girl behind him whose attached to his anus. And the girl is all like, trying to scream and the guy is like, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" And Doctor Heiter is just going, "Yes... feed her! Feed her!"

But as I was saying, we weren't shown any of these scenes literally. The film finds a nice middle ground with the disgusting scenes and bloody gore and chooses to let the audience's mind fuck with them. I have heard stories that most people walked out of the cinema when the film was playing. And to be honest, i don't fucking blame them.

Dieter Laser is spine chilling as Doctor Heiter.  mean, this man is just so bloody cruel and messed up inside... Jesus Christ man. There is a scene where he is explaining to the three people how he is going to perform the operation to make the human centipede, and it will just make your skin crawl. The three actors of the human centipede are great to. Their mostly whimpering and crying throughout the film, which was great cause it made it harder for me to watch them. I particularly like Akihiro Kitamura who's the head of the human centipede, who has a really great monologue towards the end of the film.

If you think your stomach and nerves can handle this movie. Message me and I'll give you a copy of the film. I fucking dare you.Just be prepare for the mind fuck of your life.

RATING: 7/10