The Muppets
Neil Patrick Harris: No, I… I don’t know why I’m not hosting this.
Quote of the Day
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Tag Archives: Film
Friday Favorites: Favorite Sequence – The Hunt for Red October
Welcome to “Friday Favorites” which highlight some of my favorite movie-related things.
The death of Tom Clancy this week at age 66 has brought to mind many of his works over the years, which were immensely popular. He wrote many books, but he was more than just a writer, he was a brand. His name was attached not only to his own novels and their four film adaptations (with another reboot of his most famous character, Jack Ryan, coming out later this year), but to several other book series he produced and seemingly countless videogames. For many years he was the most popular name in military/espionage stories, and while I may not have personally enjoyed his writing (I read half of The Hunt for Red October before I quit from boredom. My father once said that he thought Clancy must have been paid by the word for some of his later books.), I will be forever grateful to him for the existence of the film version of The Hunt for Red October, which I consider a masterpiece. Continue reading
Trailer Tuesday: Frozen
Welcome to “Trailer Tuesday” where I talk about trailers for upcoming movies.
We have a new trailer for Frozen, which gives us a much bigger look at the film than we got from the teaser trailer from a few months ago. The question, however, is whether this bigger look is an accurate representation of the final film. Take a look below and read on for my comments:
Not Exactly a Review: The Princess Bride
It’s a bit funny for me to write a review of The Princess Bride, considering it’s a favorite film in our household, one which gets watched often and can be quoted in large chunks. But until this past weekend I had never seen it in the theaters, unless my parents took me as a three year old when it originally came out (which I doubt). It’s obviously a cult classic, and I watched it for years on TV before ever purchasing a copy of it. I’ve read the book, and I have a tendency to take name tags which say “Hello, my name is…” at the top and filling in the rest of the tag with “Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” So how can I even possibly review a film I adore, which I’ve seen countless times? Instead, you’re going to get some scattered thoughts about the film, particularly what it was like seeing it on the screen for the first time.
Quote of the Day
The Muppets
Miss Piggy: All right, listen up you freaks!
Friday Favorite: Favorite Scene – The King’s Speech
Do you ever get the impression that a movie gets all of its acclaim and awards because of one scene? One good moment can elevate a movie from ordinary to extraordinary, and can make the rest of the film shine with reflected glow. And while I don’t think The King’s Speech was such a hit because of this one scene, I still could see how someone could make that argument. It’s rare that I wish while watching a film in the theater that I could rewind a scene and watch it over, but that was definitely the case with this scene. Take a look:
This is one of those great scenes that remains funny no matter how many times I watch it, and in some ways it’s almost funnier and more random without context. Continue reading
Quote of the Day
The Muppets
Lew: We all agreed: a celebrity is not a people!
Trailer Tuesday: Gravity
Welcome to “Trailer Tuesday” where I talk about trailers for upcoming movies.
When my wife and I see a new movie trailer, either in the theater or at home, we almost always look at each other afterwards to get an sense of each other’s quick reaction to the trailer. Usually they’re in sync, as we typically like the same sorts of films. “Stupid” comedies get an eye roll, horror films usually get a sarcastic yes followed by a determined no, big, loud action movies typically get an indulgent smile and a shake of the head, while many others get a noncommittal shrug or head bob indicating that we need to see more before deciding. Even when we don’t agree, we usually know what reaction the other one will have before we look, so I wasn’t surprised to see her emphatic no following the first trailer we saw for Gravity. Take a look at the latest one below, and read on for my comments:
Review/Analysis: In a World…
Review
In a World… is funny, random, charmingly sweet, a little romantic and an impressive feature length writing, producing and directing debut by star Lake Bell. It’s also strongly feminist, but in a way that feels realistic while still sending a clear message. The film, which was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival, tells the story of Carol Solomon, a struggling vocal coach whose father, Sam Soto, is one of the famous kings of the movie trailer voice-over industry. You would think with a father who is a legend in the industry that Carol would have an easy way into the business, too, but her father not only is uninterested in giving her handouts (which his therapist tells him is just enabling Carol) but also doesn’t think women have any place in the industry. It’s a boy’s only club, with Sam spending his time and energy promoting sleazeball Guztav Warner as the next generation of voice over powerhouse instead of his own daughter. Sam makes his opinions clear to Carol before kicking her out of the house so that Sam’s groupie girlfriend can move in instead (nevermind the fact that she’s a year younger than his daughter.)
So Carol moves in with her sister and brother-in-law, Continue reading
Friday Favorites: Favorite Character – Babe
Welcome to “Friday Favorites” which highlight some of my favorite movie-related things.
Babe is one of my favorite movies. And while I love all of the things that everyone else praises, the story of an “unprejudiced heart” who challenges preconceptions, the fantastic music (which will be a post of its own one day soon) and the Oscar-winning effects, my favorite part of the movie is one that is often overlooked: Arthur Hoggett. Though James Cromwell was nominated for an Oscar for the role, losing to Kevin Spacey for his deserving role in The Usual Suspects, his performance in this Best Picture nominee has been mostly ignored in the 18 years since Babe’s release. So today, I’d like to highlight one of my favorite characters/performances, who turns out to be deeper than he might seem on one viewing.
The Love Pirate 