Review/Analysis: After the Dark (aka The Philosophers)

I had come to believe that I’d never get to see The PhilosophersThe trailer came out almost a year ago and I quickly became obsessed with it, but it seemed like the film itself would never materialize.  It made the film festival rounds in 2013 but after that I heard no more about it.  On a whim last week I decided to dig through the internet to see if there was any news about the movie and discovered two surprising pieces of information.  First, The Philosophers had received a new name and was now called After the Dark.  Second, After the Dark had actually received a limited release in theaters last month and was right this second available on demand on my TV.  Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to watch the film that had hung steadily at the back of my mind for a year, like an itch I couldn’t scratch, and what I found was something unique and beautiful, that both lived up to my every expectation while subverting them at the same time.

After the Dark tells the story of a philosophy class at an international school in Jakarta, on the seniors’ last day before heading to college.  Continue reading

Trailer Tuesday: Annie

Welcome to “Trailer Tuesday” where I talk about trailers for upcoming movies, since I’ve always found them to be fascinating.

It’s funny how you might have an initial reaction to a trailer the first time you see it, but after several viewings you start to change your mind.  Sometimes a trailer will knock your socks off, but you see it so often that you start to become bored with it.  Or, as is the case with the remake of Annie coming this Christmas, I was underwhelmed by the trailer the first time I watched it, only to be won over a bit more with each viewing.  I’m still not 100% sold on it, and I still have some concerns, but it’s growing on me.  Take a look below and read on for my thoughts:

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Guess the Movie!

I’m going to try something a little different today.  I’ve always liked movies that appear to fit into a particular genre on the surface but in reality the stories are actually from a completely different genre.  Sometimes this is intentional, as one setting can be used as an allegory for another, but sometimes it’s just that the trappings of a film hide the fact that the movie isn’t actually about what you think it’s about.  One of my favorite films in particular seems to fit this mold, in that it’s nominally about one thing and fits in one particular drama, but the story we’re watching is actually about something completely different that would fit into a different genre.  So in the spirit of that idea, I’ve rewritten the story for a particular film in the genre and setting in which I feel it best fits, and your challenge is to guess the movie!  I’ve changed the character names and some genders, as well as deleting some subplots or details that would have too easily have given it away.  Hopefully this will make you look at the movie (and others if this proves popular) in a different way.  So see if you can figure it out:

No, it’s not Dragonslayer… the whole point is that this is a different setting and genre than the film is actually in.

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Review: The Lego Movie

Emmet is an ordinary guy.  There’s nothing distinctive about him at all, in fact.  He gets up in the morning, does his exercises, watches the popular shows on TV, drops his laundry off at the cleaners, buys overpriced coffee, and goes to work at his construction job, all while listening to the most popular song on the radio, “Everything Is Awesome!!!”.  He lives his life by following the instructions, quite literally in this case as he’s a Lego man (minifigure).  His whole life is about following the instructions provided by President Business, whose corporation controls the entire city of Bricksburg, whether they’re instructions on how to make friends and fit in or on how to demolish anything “weird” at his construction job and build bland and “perfect” office buildings in their place.

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Review: The Monuments Men

The Monuments Men had a bit of a rocky road to the theaters.  The film, produced, written and directed by George Clooney and featuring an all-star cast, was set for release at the height of Oscar-bait season in mid-December, and audiences had begun to expect big things from it.  Then, news broke that it was being pushed back to a February release, due to difficulty finding the right balance of tone in the editing room (or, depending on who you ask, because they needed more time for the visual effects).  Making a PG-13 World War II movie that focuses not on the war directly but on countless works of art that most audiences have never heard of was always a dicey prospect, and from that perspective The Monuments Men is definitely a success, if perhaps not as much as might have been hoped.

In 1943, as the Allies advance into Europe and the Germans retreat it becomes clear to Frank Stokes (George Clooney) that the cost of the war will be greater than the loss of millions of lives.  Continue reading

Idina Menzel sings “Let It Go” with classroom instruments and Jimmy Fallon

You’re welcome.

Trailer Tuesday: Transcendence

Welcome to “Trailer Tuesday” where I talk about trailers for upcoming movies, since I’ve always found them to be fascinating.

Usually, Trailer Tuesday features a film that I was either excited about before I ever saw the trailer, or a film which gained my interest because of the trailer.  Rarely does it feature one that makes me as ambivalent as Transcendence.  Take a look, and then read on as I debate with myself (like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof) about this movie:

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Friday Favorites: Favorite Montage – The Great Movie Ride

Welcome to “Friday Favorites” which highlight some of my favorite movie-related things.

I haven’t done a Friday Favorite in a while, mostly because no one read them, but I was in the mood to revive it for at least today.  Whenever the Oscars roll around, I always find myself thinking back to go the great films throughout 100 years of movie history.  And whenever I find myself contemplating the power and history of film, I always turn to one, 3 minute montage that completely embodies film for me.  Take a look:

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Trailer Tuesday: Veronica Mars

Welcome to “Trailer Tuesday” where I talk about trailers for upcoming movies, since I’ve always found them to be fascinating.

I have to say I’m intrigued by the Veronica Mars film coming out next month.  I’ve never watched the show, although I’m familiar with its premise of a high school girl who works as a private investigator with the help of her detective father.  And I’ve heard great things about the show, and I know lots of people love it, as is evidenced by the film’s success at using Kickstarter for funding.  Kristen Bell seems like a fun and likable actress, and I’ve enjoyed her in the few things I’ve seen her in.  So suffice to say I’m at least curious about going to see a film adaptation of a tv series I’ve never watched.  Take a look at the trailer below and read on for my thoughts.

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86th Academy Awards Picks and Predictions (2014)

Once again, it’s time for Oscar predictions.  I did pretty well last year, getting 16 correct, but this year will be more of a challenge.  Not only is this year one of the most up in the air group of nominees in recent memory, but I’ve seen very few of the major nominees. (There are a variety of reasons for that.) So this year’s predictions might be way off.

Best Short Film, Live Action:
Prediction: Aquel no era yo (That Wasn’t Me)
My Pick: N/A

Best Short Film, Animated:
Prediction: Get a Horse!
My Pick: Get a Horse!
Get a Horse! may not have been the most beautiful or deep or meaningful or profound animated short in recent years, but it was fun, clever and creative, and being attached to Frozen probably doesn’t hurt.

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