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Horror – round 3 Apple Trailers style
The secret stash of horror trailers, perfect for a rainy day or quite moment at the office. I must admit I spend a little too much time surfing Apple Trailers – but its just so hard not to. You can check out all kinds of gems on there, and sure even though you cant embed the trailers into a blog post like you can say with youtube:
Compare the trailer for Diary of the Dead that is on Apple Trailers to the one I embedded into this post – its not even close. Speaking of high quality if you want more high quality horror videos make sure to check out ‘The Horror!’ film contest currently running on Super U. We’re getting new entries all the time and its shaping up to be quite the contest.
The Horror!
Continuing with the October horror theme I decided to discuss a mainstream horror movie I’m actually quite excited about. If you have read this blog for any length of time you’re probably well aware I have a slight bias towards indie films when compared to major studio motion pictures. Well although this is slightly true, it does not mean I do not like major studio films. For example, opening this Friday is Quarantine.
Trailer One
Trailer Two
This film definitely has a Cloverfield, meets Saw II, meets 30 Days Of Night feel. Sometimes when you try to mix up a couple hits and a miss in a blender like that it comes out all wrong. However every now and then it turns out great and I think this is going to be one of those cases. That said keep in mind what this film is not – it is not a instant classic or a genre bender like Let The Right One In (That I saw at VIFF and it was everything I expected). It is a popcorn flick through and through, and there is nothing wrong with that. Make sure to check out Quarantine this Friday, and make sure to check out Super U’s ‘The Horror!’ contest that opened earlier this week for all your quick fix horror needs.
October – a month of horror
Its now October and thus begins the month of horror around my house. I’ve always loved horror movies, and recall watching every Friday The 13th back to back one halloween. This October seems to have the ball rolling with selections like Splinter, Shiver, and a film that received a third screening at VIFF because it was received so well – Let The Right One In. Of these Let The Right One In in is without question the best, I can say that confidently having only seen it and not the other two. The reason Let The Right One In is such a genre bending film that it will cross over to the mainstream and not just have the label of another horror film.
Speaking of horror films, Super U has just opened its The Horror! film contest that will run through the month of October. There already a number of great submissions so make sure to go check them out and vote on your favorite. Also if you’re a filmmaker and have a horror classic waiting in the wings then make sure to submit an entry as they will be accepted until October 26th!
VIFF: When Life Was Good – review
Yesterday I mentioned I was going to attend When Life Was Good, a no budget Canadian feature film that has been getting a lot of buzz on the festival circuit this year. I’m proud to say that the screening more then lived up to expectations and the hype is justified. Although lacking big budget production values When Life Was Good manages to hook you in with an excellent story, laughter from natural dialog, and impressive performances from the two lead characters played by Kristine Cofsky & Casey Manderson.
That is not to say this movie is without its flaws. The supporting cast has both a mix of hilarious and well acted characters, as well as dismal group of people who seemed to be pulled off the street. Also the guided improv style of filmmaking has its pros and cons. On the plus side some of the funniest moments would have not developed if it were not for this direction. However at the same time it resulted in some sketchy editing techniques that reminded me a lot of a bad MTV special. Scenes were pieced together from multiple takes and then shuffled together like a deck of cards making for an arty, all be it annoying, flow.
For what its worth I consider When Life Was Good an excellent example of where the Canadian film industry is going. Its nice to see what someone can do when they ignore the rules of traditional filmmaking and delve into a project without a budget, big name actors, or high end equipment. There is still one more screening of When Life Was Good at VIFF this year, make sure to go get your tickets soon.
VIFF: When Life Was Good
Tonight I am attending When Life Was Good at VIFF. I mentioned this movie a few times so far, even as recently as yesterday. Needless to say I am quite excited about it. My reasoning has a lot to do with the fact it appears as if someone managed to pull off a great Canadian film (not an easy thing to do) with no budget, no lights, no high end camera, no actors (even harder to do). I am in the process of doing the same thing with my passion project Play With Fire, and its fantastic seeing a film like this get into festivals such as TIFF and VIFF. If you’re in the Vancouver area I suggest you go on over to the VIFF website and get yourself tickets to When Life Was Good. If not for tonight’s showing at the Ridge Theater, then at least for the second screening later in the week.
Make sure to check out the Super U exclusive When Life Was Good VIFF video blog!
Check out the tailer for When Life Was Good
VIFF: Canadian must watch list
Previously I gave my international choices for films to see at the Vancouver International Film Festival in VIFF: the must watch list. As good as those films could end up being I’d be hard pressed to ignore the great home grown Canadian talent at this years festival. Thus I am proud to give you version 2.0 of the VIFF must watch list, Canadian films edition.
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Control ALT Delete – It’s 1999 and loveable computer geek Lewis Henderson is dumped by his longtime girlfriend Sarah. So he does what any young urban slacker would: work less and beat off more to internet porn. But with the added pressures of his buggy Y2K software and repeated romantic rejection, Lewis discovers that the website images no longer turn him on… and thus begins his strangely satisfying sexual relationship with the machine itself.
But all honeymoons must end and Lewis’ eye starts to wander from his dependable home desktop. His desire for newer, sexier models grows until he finds himself copulating with co-workers’ CPUs. When his boss, Angela, vows to identify the “computer rapist”, Lewis tries to throw off suspicion by dating the company’s mousey receptionist, Jane. But there’s more to Jane than meets the eye — with the new millennium fast approaching and a massive motherboard calling, it seems he has to choose between his freaky fetish and the challenge of real love. Or does he?
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Crime – Tom Scholte’s gripping and powerful directorial debut is the story of four people trying to make some sense of their lives. Rick (Evan Frayne) is a university hockey player and dorm advisor. He’s doing his best to be a good guy, but he has some pretty serious blind spots. He befriends Crystal (Andrea Whitburn), an emotionally fragile young art student who is coping with the suicide of her older brother. Not far away, Tula (Frida Betrani) works at a deli to support her boyfriend, while she struggles to keep sober. The boyfriend, Brent (Tom Scholte) spends his days holed up in their apartment, smoking pot and playing his electric guitar. The two stories eventually intersect, setting off a chain of events that affects everyone in unexpected ways.
Compliant with the Dogme 95 manifesto and shot locally with a hand-held camera, Crime is an intimate look at flawed people trying to do what they believe is the right thing. More often than not, their actions result in further damage to themselves and to their loved ones. This is a heartbreakingly honest film about failed attempts at connection and healing, but there is also a sense of tenderness and hope at the heart of the film: a yearning for something better. Crime is gritty and intense, and hopefully the first of many in Scholte’s directorial career.
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When Life Was Good – A sly comedic drama about quasi-bohemians struggling (emotionally, romantically and professionally) to find their way in the world, When Life Was Good is driven by a clear-eyed affection for its characters that is rare for any filmmaker, never mind one as young as Terry Miles. The film has a hazy, slightly stoned look, and is edited elliptically, as if the director, though obviously charmed by his principals’ numerous foibles, is aware that his characters talk a lot of crap, and thought eavesdropping a more appropriate, kinder introduction. It feels like a Cassavetes movie minus the rancour.
The film centres on Brooklyn (Kristine Cofsky), a would-be actress who has returned from studying abroad to celebrate her boyfriend Ben’s birthday; her long-time friend Faith (Keri Horton), an aspiring dancer who has put her career on hold to save her relationship; and budding screenwriter Casey (Casey Manderson), Faith’s boyfriend. Right from the start there are signs that something is amiss. Casey and Faith are goofy in love. Theirs is the kind of claustrophobic, exclusive relationship that is usually doomed when the outside world impinges. But it is Brooklyn who is the most divided and confused of the group. She slips into Ben’s apartment in an attempt to surprise him but, for reasons unknown even to her, becomes unhappy with what she sees and quickly slinks out, covering her tracks. She moves in with Faith and Casey, just as Faith’s mother, a truly determined stage mom, re-enters the picture.
As the characters struggle with conflicting emotions, unexpected intimacy and the demands of the real world, what emerges feels like an updated J.D. Salinger text. Miles adores his characters because of their naïveté, their confusion and their refusal to put on a front merely to make their way in the world. And by the end, we feel the same way about them. Though the film is constantly, surprisingly funny, there is a forlorn, elegiac feel to the proceedings. When Life Was Good is a paean to inevitably lost innocence – and signals the arrival of a distinctive new voice in Canadian cinema.
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For the sake of full disclosure Super U is a sponsoring When Life Was Good at the Vancouver International Film Festival
Paul Newman’s 5 best
As we all know by now Paul Newman has passed away. I didn’t feel the need to hop on the story like many movie bloggers, mostly because I want to be able to write something of substance when someone passes away, not just report on it in order to get blog hits. There are bigger movie blogs out there more appropriate for the ‘reporting’ aspect of things. However Paul Newman is one of my favorite actors, his body of work is impressive to say the least and thus in order to honor him I have gathered my 5 favorite Paul Newman movies.
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1.) Cool Hand Luke: Easily Paul’s best film, Lucas “Luke” Jackson (Paul Newman) is incarcerated for a petty crime and sentenced to a chain gang. Luke is a sullen and laconic young man whose cool defiance of the sadistic warden and bullying inmates earns him the title “Cool Hand Luke.” But as the prisoners’ respect for Luke grows into hero worship, he finds that he must risk everything in order to live up to their expectations.
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2.) The Hustler: The precursor to Paul’s Academy Award win over 20 years later, The Hustler is the story of “Fast” Eddie Felson is a small-time pool hustler with a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude. His bravado causes him to challenge the legendary “Minnesota Fats” to a high-stakes match, but he loses in a heartbreaking marathon. Now broke and without his long-time manager, Felson faces an uphill battle to regain his confidence and his game. It isn’t until he hits rock bottom that he agrees to join up with ruthless and cutthroat manager Bert Gordon. Gordon agrees to take him on the road to learn the ropes. But Felson soon realizes that making it to the top could cost him his soul, and perhaps his girlfriend. Will he decide that this is too steep a price to pay in time to save himself? I personally think this is better then the film he later won the Academy Award for, but more on that later.
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3.) The Sting: In the Chicago of the 1930s, Johnny Hooker’s partner, Luther, is fatally wounded by a victim of one of their scams who turns out to be powerful syndicate boss Doyle Lonnegan. Eager for revenge, Johnny seeks out mutual friend Henry Gondorffn (Paul Newman), a consummate master of the long con. Gondorff rouses himself from his alcoholic inertia and agrees to help Johnny take down the despicable Lonnegan, conscripting an army of grifters ready to avenge their friend’s death.
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4.) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) is the smart, savvy leader of The Hole in the Wall Gang, and his sidekick the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) ranks among the best shooters the West has known. This combination of brains and menace allows the duo to roam unchallenged, staging petty robberies when needed and otherwise kicking back at the local brothel. But when a six-pack of the best cowboys in nearby states gather to bring down the rebels, using a Native American tracker to follow them across rivers, over mountains, and through deserts; Butch and Sundance decide to flee. Gathering Sundance’s girlfriend (Katherine Ross), they make their way to Bolivia via New York City. Unfortunately, old habits die hard, and before they know it, the charismatic criminals find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation, this time facing South American enemies.
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5.) Color of Money: Martin Scorsese’s THE COLOR OF MONEY picks up where Robert Rossen’s 1961 film THE HUSTLER left off. Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman), now middle-aged, finds the image of his youthful self in a pool hustler named Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise). Trying to relive his past days of glory through the cocky but inexperienced youngster, Fast Eddie takes on the role of Vincent’s manager and mentor. But Fast Eddie didn’t count on having to contend with Vincent’s smart, sexy, and extremely ambitious girlfriend. The three characters become engaged in an emotionally complicated power struggle as they make their way to Atlantic City, where Vincent plans to compete in his first pool tournament. Scorsese’s, as well as Newman’s, love for the character of Fast Eddie shines through in every frame of this sequel, something that didn’t go unnoticed by the academy earning Newman the Best Actor Oscar.
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6.) Slap Shot: Although not his best film, this is by far my favorite Paul Newman flick. In Slap Shot Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman), the venerable player-coach of the Charlestown Chiefs, a fifth-rate minor league hockey team. When their blue-collar town falls prey to Rust Belt ills of the 1970s, attendance drops, and the greedy owner starts looking for a buyer, anxious to cash out. Dunlop is informed that the players need to crank up the box office to keep their jobs in what will likely be their last season. To the coach’s dismay, general manager Joe McGrath (Strother Martin) imports the Hanson brothers, a hockey Three Stooges who like to assault soda machines and play with toys. But once Dunlop turns them loose, they’re a Panzer division on ice, and the team starts winning by adopting their bone-crushing style. Although the team is on the upswing, Dunlop’s wife, Francine (Jennifer Warren), seems to be through with him, and the isolated wives of the other players aren’t much happier with their fate.
Thanks Paul, you will be missed…
VIFF: First weekend down, JCVD delivers
If you have read this blog for anytime now you’ll know that JCVD has been THE movie for me to see at the Vancouver International Film Festival this year. Last night I saw it thanks to my Super U sponsor passes and I must say, it was even better then I was expecting. Now given that statement says a lot, and trust me this film is not without its flaws, but all in all this has been the most fun I have had at the movies all year.
I will premiss this by saying I have always been a big fan of Jean Claude Van Dam so there is bias on my part. That said bias or not it turns out Jean Claude can act. I’ll be the first to tell you that is something I never knew. His acting is fantastic in this movie and his range impresses going from drama to comedy with little visible effort. The actual story itself starts off well but cops out a little at the end, however I won’t go into detail about that in order not to ruin the ending. Other then that all I have to say is that the the filmmaker Mabrouk El Mechri should be getting some calls very soon form major studios because this was one hell of a coming out party for him. Look no further then the jaw dropping opening tracking shot for proof of this. I’ll leave you all with the trailer one last time, now that I have seen the film odds are I’ll stop rambling on about it so much – but please trust me when i say if you get the chance you have to go see JCVD, you will not be disappointed…
VIFF: Blindness, and more…
Its official, VIFF is underway. Last night the opening gala kicked off with a screening of Blindness and an all inclusive party at the Vancouver Aquarium. Those who know me well know I like to drink like a fish so drinking with fish is a great way to go about that, these VIFF people sure have the right idea. Anyway…
Blindness is from The Constant Gardener director Fernando Meirelles. He joins forces with Canadian writer/director/actor Don McKellar to bring Portuguese Nobel Prize winner José Saramago’s 1995 novel to the big screen in this large-scale philosophical thriller. An epidemic of blindness pushes society to the breaking point after sweeping through a modern metropolis and crossing borders into the outside world.
So far the film is not receiving favorable reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it an average of 36%. That said one of our staff members attended the gala last night as had favorable things to say about the film. The Coles Notes version of her review is that the film holds up well, all be it mostly because Julianne Moore’s performance. Parts of the film were hard to watch and she had trouble telling if it was due to empathy for the Julianne’s character or if the scenes just made her feel uncomfortable. Based on this information I think I’ll skip seeing Blindness until it comes out on DVD, in the mean time there are tons of other great films to check out at this years VIFF as I have covered in other blog posts.
