Impressions of a Cinematic Life

Instant Crush by Daft Punk will be the fucking death of me…

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:25:25 -0400

Instant Crush by Daft Punk will be the fucking death of me…

Within by Daft Punk. Sometimes people forget that Daft Punk...

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:19:54 -0400

Within by Daft Punk.

Sometimes people forget that Daft Punk isn’t always up-beat energetic awesomeness. Sometimes they can go the mellow, longing and contemplative route and similar to basically everything they do, songs like that work beautifully. Just like “Instant Crush,” “Within” is melancholically majestic and by far one of my favorite tracks of Random Access Memories.

inushige: 「無題」/「so-bin」の作品 [pixiv] #pixitail.

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:19:47 -0400

inushige:

「無題」/「so-bin」の作品 [pixiv] #pixitail.

Started reading “You” by Austin Grossman last night...

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:05:39 -0400

Started reading “You” by Austin Grossman last night and without noticing it, I didn’t stop reading until I was pass chapter 10. So far it’s a really fun book that is touching on a lot of stuff that I’m going through now that I’m close to graduating university. Plus it’s one of those perfect books for people who love video games.

Baltar’s Dream by Bear McCreary. Even though I trying to...

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:49 -0400

Baltar’s Dream by Bear McCreary.

Even though I trying to get caught up with Top of the Lake, Bates Motel, The Vampire Diaries, The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Carnival, for some reason I’ve started re-watching Battlestar Galactica. I just love it so much and now that I have it on blu-ray, it’s like watching it anew and it is badass.

New Stills from Bong Joon-Ho’s Snowpiercer.

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:10:27 -0400

New Stills from Bong Joon-Ho’s Snowpiercer.

Poster for Michael Kohlhaas starring Mads Mikkelsen.

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:06:50 -0400

Poster for Michael Kohlhaas starring Mads Mikkelsen.

pea-outside-the-pod: Let’s take a journey to worlds...

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:38:01 -0400

pea-outside-the-pod:

Let’s take a journey to worlds unknown
Parallel worlds portfolio by Polish artist Michal Karcz
Michal’s FB page
Michal’s deviantart
Michal’s website

Film Review: Wong Kar Wai's 'The Grandmaster' is a Flawed yet Visually Majestic and Affecting Film.

Sat, 18 May 2013 20:02:00 -0400

My introduction to Wong Kar Wai came in the form of his english language debut My Blueberry Nights. While a lot of fans of him view that film as somewhat of a failure, I personally consider it to be an amazing film. Besides the breathtaking visuals and remarkable soundtrack, Wong Kar Wai is able to represent love and all of its flaws and powers in a very specific and fresh manner. Since then I’ve watched his other films and while the only other I truly love is In The Mood For Love, I can’t deny that each film yields an interesting and at times cathartic experience. So is The Grandmaster another masterpiece? Or merely a good film?

The Grandmaster traces the lives of martial arts master Ip Man (Tony Leung). How he rose to fame, then to obscurity during the war and back again. It also explores his friendship with the daughter, Gong Er (Ziyi Zhang), of one of the great master who herself is on a path of vengeance against those who would destroy her family’s legacy.

Prior to watching this film I made the mistake of actually formulating certain expectations for the film. As a result of the fighting sequences shown in the trailers, I thought the film would have a lot of action sequences. But just like Wong Kar Wai proved that he could re-conceptualize science-fiction with 2046, he does the same with the action genre in The Grandmaster. This is not to say that there aren’t too many action scenes, but just that the action film formula is morphed into something different. Usually with action film, the end has a climatic showdown between rivals but that’s not the case here. All the action happens within the first half and after that there is none. Now how you take that depends entirely on your sensibilities and familiarity to Wong Kar Wai’s work. I liked it, but first lets take action.

The famous rain action sequences seen in the trailers delivers, but oddly enough it is not the best action sequence. There’s another rain fighting duel that’s also quite good and as a parallel to the first I mentioned, becomes even cooler. And the train station fight is also pretty awesome. But the best one happens between Ip Man and Gong Er indoors. Because that fights has some specific rules, there is an added intensity and creativity at play. Plus it marks the genesis of the strong bond between the film’s two protagonists. The fighting choreography is outstanding from start to finish, and Wong Kar Wai’s treatment of action fluctuates to be honest. In some parts his unique style renders the fights incredibly beautiful and poetic, but other times it feels somewhat intrusive. Sometimes he just doesn’t let the fight breathe and it makes them feel a bit disjointed, especially when it is ten men against one. But when it is one on one they work brilliantly.

Now the biggest surprise for me came at the halfway mark where the film takes a considerable shift. The action is replaced with straight up drama and character dialogue. If the first half was about martial-arts masters proving their greatness and building their legacy, the second half is about how their devotion to honour and technique gradually damages their personal lives. This is also the moment where the war occurs and all of the characters way of life is put into disarray. But more significantly, the film opts to finally explore in depth the relationship between it’s two protagonists. In a way, The Grandmaster turns into In The Mood For Love in its last half and I for one think that was a perfect move to make. This is the moment where Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang’s performances truly shine as they recreate but to greater effect the intense chemistry they had in 2046. There is a strong bond between their characters, an unspoken love and admiration that can never be acted on, only subtlety expressed. It is quite affecting and heart-breaking.

During the last half I also got the feeling that this was the aspect of this story Wong Kar Wai was really interested in. The previous stuff with the action felt like a director trying to emulate an idea, but with this last part when love is the focus the film finally takes flight. As any fan of his knows, love is his strong suite and I’m still surprised that he is able to show us new aspects of it. You’d think he had said all that could be said about love, but you’d be wrong. A downside to this shift is that it also makes The Grandmaster feel like two films in one. Yes, they both work but it adds a lack of focus that you usually don’t see in Wong Kar Wai. Furthermore, the introduction to a third “protagonist” feels incredibly misguided and forced. That, I believe, is the film’s greatness flaw. Chen Chang’s presence isn’t explained and after the film spends 20-30 minutes on him, it totally drops him never to be seen again. What was the point of that? Besides some cool action, that character added nothing to the film.

Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster was not the film I expected. All of the action scenes are amazing to watch and while they lack the sense of danger, they still manage to be awe-inspiring. Wong Kar Wai tries to infuse them with something new and different, and like many experiments sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Nevertheless, the sheer majestic beautify of the visuals is enough to turn them into one of the coolest action scenes in years. The film’s strength lies in the performances and more specifically in the relationship between Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang’s characters. They are the heart of the film and even though separate they are able to effortlessly carry their respective plot-lines, when they converge is when The Grandmaster reaches it’s precipice. It is the immensely affecting relationship between this two character that will make you forget about the film missteps and flaws. At least the music is consistently perfect throughout the film.

Rating:

London Calling by Michael Giacchino. Even though Star Trek Into...

Sat, 18 May 2013 20:01:00 -0400

London Calling by Michael Giacchino.

Even though Star Trek Into Darkness has some major flaws, somehow it all seems to work. Giacchino score wasn’t as operatic as in the first one, but with a track as amazing as this one who honestly cares.

Entering zero gravity…

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:33:48 -0400

Entering zero gravity…

Photo

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:33:36 -0400

Museum (Extra Track From Promo) by Asche & Spencer. The only...

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:01:03 -0400

Museum (Extra Track From Promo) by Asche & Spencer.

The only thing I remember about this film is thinking at the end that it all a waste of time. But a couple of months ago I randomly downloaded the soundtrack and I’ve been gradually falling in love with it. It is quite honestly one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard. It kinda makes me want to watch the film again to see if perhaps this second time around I’ll enjoy with a new perspective.

Film Review: Great Performances and Thrilling Action Overshadow the Predictability of 'Star Trek Into Darkness'.

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:01:00 -0400

Up until 2009 I had no knowledge of Star Trek. Like most people I thought of Star Trek as the poor’s man Star Wars. But then I saw J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek and instantly fell in love with it. That film was immensely exciting with an operatically awesome score and even greater performances. It proved to me that Star Trek is not only on par with Star Wars, it could also arguably be better. Having said all that, my love for Star Trek is exclusively for J.J. Abrams’ new iteration and not the previous films and TV shows. So as you can imagine, I’ve waited since I came out of the theatre that awesome day in 2009 for a sequel and the sequel does not disappoint.

When a Starfleet archive is bombarded by rogue agent John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), a special council is called to determine what the next course of action will be. Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) alongside Spock (Zachary Quinto) and their crew are tasked with eliminating this new threat. However, as they go deeper into their manhunt for John Harrison they uncover a series of secrets and cover ups that could potentially annihilate all humanity.

Because I really, really liked Star Trek Into Darkness I think it’s only fair that I start off with what didn’t work. The film is exceedingly predictable and even with someone with very little knowledge about Star Trek lore could see pretty much everything coming a mile away. This is the film’s biggest downside and prime aspect that will most likely hinder people’s enjoinment of it. Furthermore, the predictability takes away the sense of danger or the perceived high risk stakes the film presents. Most notably though it undermines one of the film’s most emotional scenes. There are also some major plot-holes near the end that honestly felt a bit insulting and rushed. There is a very odd shift in the third act that doesn’t really work.

As expected, the action sequences here are awesome from top to bottom. This is why I love the summer season, you get a real sense of spectacle in films and Star Trek Into Darkness delivers them in droves. The space sequences of battling ships are cool, the opening action set piece of eye-poopingly thrilling but best of all is a gun fight in Kronos, the Klingon home planet. That whole sequence is where the film reaches its true greatness. It is incredibly tense, the special effects astound and then the action itself is unnaturally badass. There is a good sense of control and direction in that scene and you’d hoped the film spend more time there.

But much in like the previous film, all the action is easily overshadowed by great performances from the whole cast. Karl Urban is hilarious as expected, John Cho has a very badass moment that totally gives me a new perspective on him and his character, and Zoe Saldana is given much more to do and she delivers it all with intelligence and awesomeness. But the core performances here belong to Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. This film really explores their friendship and demonstrates that sometimes having contradictory forms of behaving can not only end in success, but also enhance a relationship. Pine and Quinto have an impeccable chemistry that sells their struggle beautifully. And it’s very refreshing to see some actual character growth.

Having said all that, you all know who was by far the best thing about the film: Benedict Cumberbatch. Ever since he was announced as the film I was just dying of excitement and then seeing him in trailers increased that excitement tenfold. Cumberbatch is literally the best thing about this film and for me the prime reason you will overlook some of the film’s flaws. He brings such a palpable sense of danger and terror to his character. His stillness and silence are incredibly threatening and endearing. Similar to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki but to much, much, much, much greater effect you kinda want to be ruled by Cumberbatch’s John Harrison. Moreover, the way his speaks is sinister and awesome. He pronounces each word with such gusto and subtext that I genuinely felt like making love to his mouth. I loved him so much to I wished he had been the protagonist of the film. I do hope they bring him back somehow.

Compared to the first film, Star Trek Into Darkness is much more focused and cohesive. Now that all characters are established, time is spent more on examining their relationships. Perhaps some people expected it to explore more characters in the crew, but I think reinforcing the main relationship which is that of Captain Kirk and Spock is a necessary thing do in order to move forward. The film might be mighty predictable, but everything else works so well that you’ll either not notice the flaws or simply ignore them. The action and special effects deliver, and the performances are all great across the board. But like I said, this Benedict Cumberbatch show and he proves that yes, he is easily one of the best actors working right now.

Rating:

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Thu, 16 May 2013 21:00:35 -0400

New Poster for Vin Diesel’s Riddick.

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:37:13 -0400

New Poster for Vin Diesel’s Riddick.

Film Review: Conspiracy Theory and Madness Abound in the Interesting Yet Ridiculous 'Room 237'.

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:36:03 -0400

I’ve always been very passionate about films and that passion continues to grow with time. Studying films in university has taught me a lot of things and in turn made into one of those people who really analyzes certain aspects in film. One of the lessons I always remember is about what you see in the frame. The professor said that everything within the frame is there for a purpose much like every camera movement or edit has a purpose. While this is all cool and understandable, even I can admit that sometimes people go on crazy tangents with their interpretation of things. Case in point: Room 237.

In this documentary, director Rodney Ascher interviews a collection of critics and all around film specialists/geeks about the various theories surrounding Stanley Kubrick’s classic horror film The Shinning. They explore not only the making of the film, but also Stanley Kubrick’s persona and how knowledge of his particular backstory can yield new interpretations about The Shinning.

The first thing I thought while watching this film was “holy shit and I thought I was a film geek.” I have nothing next to the people in this film as their theories range from the plausible to the outright insane. But that’s what makes this film so entertaining to watch. It speaks to the abundant love for films that these people have spend years outlining and examining their stories. In here we’re told how The Shinning is about the holocaust, the death of the Native Americans, and an exemplification of how the landing on the moon was a hoax. Character wardrobes are spotlighted as well as impossibly constructed set pieces and so forth. But as cool as this documentary is, sometimes it feels like people are reaching a bi too far. Some of the theories are just too implausible and make Stanley Kubrick look like a genius God. Nevertheless, Room 237 is still a very interesting film to watch and if anything at least you’ll hear some crazy conspiracy theories, which I believe are always lots of fun.

Rating:

gq: Random Access Memories.

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:08:07 -0400

gq:

Random Access Memories.

Don’t Lie by Vampire Weekend. Ever since Contra I’ve...

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:08:01 -0400

Don’t Lie by Vampire Weekend.

Ever since Contra I’ve been a fan of Vampire Weekend. While that album was a sploosh of up-beat tracks, Modern Vampires of the City feels much more melancholic and contemplative. There’s a serenity to it, but dressed up in an almost lullaby-like manner.

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Sun, 12 May 2013 10:23:51 -0400