The Cinema Corner
Here is where you will find the Random Movie Reviews. It is a collection of obscure reviews of movies, both old and new, foreign and american born. They will usually contain spoilers but I'm not going to give you a play by play of each scene including the hot and steamy ones. This is more of a guideline to allow you to explore the depths of the movie world.
I'm not too entirely sure how to begin this post. Wow. That movie touched the strings that keep my heart floating in my chest. It tickled the nerves that display emotions. This movie was one of those gem's hidden under layers of cinematic junk. This movie was selected in the Sundance, Venice, and Toronto Film Festivals. It was directed by Gregg Araki and released in 2004.
"Mysterious Skin" is the name of this movie and my reason for watching this film was to see our boy JGL in his earlier years. That's Joseph Gordon-Levitt for those of you who have never seen "Inception", "The Dark Knight Rises", "Looper" and the unromantic comedy "(500) Days of Summer". Either way JGL is proving to the world that he is a versatile and prominent actor. He stars as Neil McCormick, a teenager living out in Kansas. Neil is almost your average punk-rock kid, except he's gay. How he became that way is explained in the beginning of the movie. (I'm not here to debate whether you're born gay or you become it. My opinions are my own and if you don't see eye to eye with them then move your mouse northwestward and click HOME). The other main character in this movie is a boy named Brian (played by Brady Corbet) who explains that when he was a child, he was susceptible to nose bleeds and frequent episodes of fainting. Brian is your average goody-two shoes, who has a slight fascination with extra-terrestrial life.Wendy (played by Michelle Trachtenberg who starred in "The Ice Princess" and "EuroTrip"), is something like Neil's best friend/girlfriend if he were straight. One can easily tell however that she is indeed in love with him, by the way she touches his face and gives him the long stares. Typical teenage love.
The movie revolves around Neil's downward spiral into a life of promiscuity, drug usage and the eventual realization of how cruel and fucked up life is; whereas Brian's world being unraveled by re-occurring nightmares and aliens. Brian grows up believing that he was abducted by aliens and that is the reason his memory from certain moments are awash. The two share a strange and traumatic secret that will eventually bring the two boys back together in an effort to find consolation. An interesting feature that the movie makes frequent use of is flashbacks, telling the story of how the boys met and what exactly links the two together. JGL's performance is epic, it is my belief that to play a homosexual character as a straight man takes courage and extreme focus, especially during suggestive scenes. Neil is best described by Wendy when she warned Eric, their other queer friend. "Where normal people have a heart, Neil McCormick has a bottomless black hole. And if you don't watch out, you can fall in and get lost forever." - Wendy. His devil may care personality is invasive and intoxicating. He subconsciously finds his way to your core and rests his head there, staying under your skin. Credit also goes to the actor who played Neil as a child, he was quite the bad ass and helped shape the character. Overall he sells the character so well that we eventually begin to wonder if we had a friend like Neil or if we were in fact Neil.
As far as the soundtrack of this movie goes, it incorporates a great deal of instrumental pieces. I particularly liked how the song "Samskeyti" by Sigur Ros would abruptly cut off during the final scene where Brian is remembering the past. The constant on and off aspect of the music made you feel time shifting back and forth while the boys realized how the past can be so defining. Aside from the music the other outstanding feature was the camera placement during the key scenes. One particular shot is at night where Wendy and Neil are standing at a Drive In theater and snow begins to fall on them. The giant screen can be seen and the two shadows are cast on it. This scene is where the movie begins to wear away at your superficial layers, much like how skin can be easily removed. Wendy and Neil begin to marvel at the giant screen wishing their life could be like a movie and end with them standing together in front of the screen. The atmospheric music places the two in a dark world that has yet to be touched by the goddess, Hope.
"Mysterious Skin" is more than just a film about a homosexual teenager and his reckless lifestyle. What this movie does is reach into your soul, it fishes in the deep for any memories that are worth catching. We were all lost children at one point in time, and during our wandering our souls occasionally stumble upon a path to a new area. An area that they would eventually call home. Within each of us lies secrets, sometimes epic and others traumatic, that the world is not ready to hear. In fact often times we ourselves are not ready to experience what has already been experienced. It may be Freudian in concept, but some areas in our lives will always remain blank even though we lived through it exactly like we are living now. I sometimes wonder if that is God warning us not to worry about where we came from and focus on where we are headed. Other times He may be trying to free us from the hidden chains that prevent us from moving on with life.
Overall I would rate this movie a 4/5 for an outstanding performance by the actors, the emotional message it conveys to the audience and the portrayal of the conflicting life of teenagers. I also am impressed how it handled the homosexual aspect of the movie. In conclusion, "Mysterious Skin" is definitely a movie that should be watched with a spare towel and a phone to call your childhood friends and question the past. I wouldn't recommend it for a Friday night gathering with your friends but if you have a moment to yourself then find it on Hulu.
Skin is the largest organ in the body but is only two layers deep; underneath the layers is where we find out what we really are. We are all empty husks ready to be filled with countless memories.
~Mad Hatter
Random Movie Review: Mysterious Skin
at movie touched the strings that keep my heart floating in my chest. It tickled the nerves that display emotions. This movie was one of those gem's hidden under layers of cinematic junk. This movie was selected in the Sundance, Venice, and Toronto Film Festivals. It was directed by Gregg Araki and released in 2004.
The movie revolves around Neil's downward spiral into a life of promiscuity, drug usage and the eventual realization of how cruel and fucked up life is; whereas Brian's world being unraveled by re-occurring nightmares and aliens. Brian grows up believing that he was abducted by aliens and that is the reason his memory from certain moments are awash. The two share a strange and traumatic secret that will eventually bring the two boys back together in an effort to find consolation. An interesting feature that the movie makes frequent use of is flashbacks, telling the story of how the boys met and what exactly links the two together. JGL's performance is epic, it is my belief that to play a homosexual character as a straight man takes courage and extreme focus, especially during suggestive scenes. Neil is best described by Wendy when she warned Eric, their other queer friend. "Where normal people have a heart, Neil McCormick has a bottomless black hole. And if you don't watch out, you can fall in and get lost forever." - Wendy. His devil may care personality is invasive and intoxicating. He subconsciously finds his way to your core and rests his head there, staying under your skin. Credit also goes to the actor who played Neil as a child, he was quite the bad ass and helped shape the character. Overall he sells the character so well that we eventually begin to wonder if we had a friend like Neil or if we were in fact Neil.
| "I hear something, it's the voice of God." |
As far as the soundtrack of this movie goes, it incorporates a great deal of instrumental pieces. I particularly liked how the song "Samskeyti" by Sigur Ros would abruptly cut off during the final scene where Brian is remembering the past. The constant on and off aspect of the music made you feel time shifting back and forth while the boys realized how the past can be so defining. Aside from the music the other outstanding feature was the camera placement during the key scenes. One particular shot is at night where Wendy and Neil are standing at a Drive In theater and snow begins to fall on them. The giant screen can be seen and the two shadows are cast on it. This scene is where the movie begins to wear away at your superficial layers, much like how skin can be easily removed. Wendy and Neil begin to marvel at the giant screen wishing their life could be like a movie and end with them standing together in front of the screen. The atmospheric music places the two in a dark world that has yet to be touched by the goddess, Hope.
"Mysterious Skin" is more than just a film about a homosexual teenager and his reckless lifestyle. What this movie does is reach into your soul, it fishes in the deep for any memories that are worth catching. We were all lost children at one point in time, and during our wandering our souls occasionally stumble upon a path to a new area. An area that they would eventually call home. Within each of us lies secrets, sometimes epic and others traumatic, that the world is not ready to hear. In fact often times we ourselves are not ready to experience what has already been experienced. It may be Freudian in concept, but some areas in our lives will always remain blank even though we lived through it exactly like we are living now. I sometimes wonder if that is God warning us not to worry about where we came from and focus on where we are headed. Other times He may be trying to free us from the hidden chains that prevent us from moving on with life.
| "And as we sat there listening to the carolers, I wanted to tell Brian it was over now and everything would be okay. But that was a lie, plus, I couldn't speak anyway. I wish there was some way for us to go back and undo the past. But there wasn't. There was nothing we could do. So I just stayed silent and trying to telepathically communicate how sorry I was about what had happened. And I thought of all the grief and sadness and fucked up suffering in the world, and it made me want to escape. I wished with all my heart that we could just leave this world behind. Rise like two angels in the night and magically... disappear." - Neil's Monologue Neil's Monologue YouTube |
Overall I would rate this movie a 4/5 for an outstanding performance by the actors, the emotional message it conveys to the audience and the portrayal of the conflicting life of teenagers. I also am impressed how it handled the homosexual aspect of the movie. In conclusion, "Mysterious Skin" is definitely a movie that should be watched with a spare towel and a phone to call your childhood friends and question the past. I wouldn't recommend it for a Friday night gathering with your friends but if you have a moment to yourself then find it on Hulu.
~Mad Hatter
Random Movie Review: The Conjuring
In the midst of busting my brain studying for finals I came
across a gem in the cinema world. A rather fresh gem at that. This afternoon I
became one of the many matinee movie goers who paid ridiculous amounts of money
for cheap seats and cheaper popcorn. So much high blood pressure in one bag.
Regardless I went to go see the new horror movie “The Conjuring.” Reviews on
this movie were actually quality which is quite strange seeing as we live in a
world where horror consists of haunted houses in abandoned locations, and
creepy children. Well in fact this contains all of that and literally fits the
mold in the “21st century horror”. However what this movie does is
actually develop a movie, full of emotions feeling (mostly fear) and a plot
that doesn’t involve a million plot twists (no shade to M. Night Shalyman.) Also this is based on a true story so let that sink in...
From the beginning of the film I could already tell it was
different. The movie opened with a fanfare and scrolling yellow words, one
would think this was Star Wars VII. The camera angles. Oh god, the camera
angles in this film were amazing. The constant flipping, close ins, shifting
camera and long panning shots definitely added to the suspense and buildup. In
one particular scene “Mrs. Warren (played by Vera Faminga) is running to grab a
bible and the camera is positioned on the ceiling and follows her and literally
flips once she walks by. Angles don’t make a movie but they damn sure make a
good movie into a great one.
The plot, typical shit really. Dead folks, witches, demonic
spirits and a family that is just so typical. However the movie definitely
makes you look at the family aspect in a different manner. There is a strong
bond between the two families and it often comes in conflict with the spirits
of the house. Blood is thicker than water, but what about ectoplasm? The demonologist Warren family is paid
supernatural surveyors. THEY ARE NOT EXORCISTS.
The scares of this film are not the jump out of your seat
frights that happen when someone stares in a hallway for too long. What this
movie does (that other’s don’t) is create such a prolonged buildup that you
can’t not sit on the edge of your seat or grab the hand of the stranger next to
you. It rides on level one for a few
minutes then shoots up to OVER 9000 then it drops back down to one for awhile.
The witch is nothing special, other movies have used scarier characters but it
was the way that she was presented that terrified the audience. She’s not
always waiting around the corner, contrary to what we are accustomed to. The horror and terror are sheer as well,
whether it’s the constant banging of a head on the wardrobe, the dark and
cramped corridors, or the careful stopping of the clock at a certain time.
These small and subtle scares ultimately draws you in unconsciously and when
the moment of terror arises you freak because the whole time you know it’s
coming but yet it finds a way to trick you. It’s mad clever.
The director of this film clearly did his research on the
occult because there was information presented on the subject that blew my
mind. We all know there are difference between ghosts, goblins, witches and
what not but in the film they broke down the three stages of demonic attacks,
got the official ruling on performing exorcisms via the Catholic church, and
even the possession method of demonic spirits. This film is based on a true
story so…yeah careful research needed to be taken as well in order to prevent
the film from straying too far in a wrong direction (Hello, A Haunting In
Connecticut). The character creation from the original information was
fantastic, I could visualize the family actually going through these traumatic
events.
| The Real Perron Family |
Honestly in retrospect this movie is actually one of the
best horror movies of the “haunted house” genre. It creates a realistic story
that involves people you could see in the real world and takes real horror to
create a truly terrifying film. I’d even go as far as to compare it to the
modern day “The Exorcist”. A shift in the typical horror, so movies definitely
have a great deal of work to do in order to top this film.
Random Movie Review: Chiller Thrillers “The Thing"
Tis the season for snow, the color red and warm fires to keep you warm, the movie I am about to review has all three of those as well as you’ll come to find out. Tonight I am dropping my review of the classic horror film known as “The Thing", both the original 1982 version and the 2007 remake.
Before I get started I really think that this movie has the most usage of fire and flamethrowers ever. Everything in this movie is set on fire, I’m not lying. Burn, baby Burn. Both films revolve around a similar plot, an alien life form (never explained) is found frozen deep within the ice of Antarctica and is uncovered by a group of scientists or workers and the creature wrecks havoc in the most unconventional way. Stealth. The 1982 version focuses on a group of workers and in my opinion this movie is truly terrifying in a unique way. It employs a type of horror this generation has been lacking and that is the suspense and atmospheric horror. There are no jump or fright scenes within this movie, just the slow build-up and then climatic act and it falls back into another suspenseful buildup. Helicopter Pilot MacReady (Kurt Russell) does a great job of being a totalitarian leader during this movie, he thinks quickly and focuses solely on the eradication of this life-form rather than survival. The Thing itself is grotesque, there is a certain type of gore, blood and malformation that the 1980’s employed in their monster movies and this is no different. I’m talking this thing is ugly as ____. Fuck. And it is never seen the same way which I personally liked. As I said earlier the atmosphere plays a major role in the fear factor, the dark blue tint that is seen mostly throughout the movie is chilling and the only light seems to be from the flamethrowers and flares. The soundtrack as well…horrifying. Who knew two beats could create a symphony of fear and death. It is played in the right moments as well, so when you hear it you know that shit is about to pop off.(Disclaimer: This next part contains spoilers.)
What I found amazing after watching both of these movies in the same sitting is how they are intertwined. The entire time I’m watching the remake I’m thinking like “Shit, another classic movie messed up by these trashy directors these days" until the end and my mind is blown. They set up the remake to serve as a direct sequel to the original. At the end of the remake the leftovers from the carnage caused by The Thing is seen and the remaining survivors are seen chasing after a dog (which is the creature) that escaped the hell. The beginning of the 1982 version opens with a dog being chased by a helicopter by two Dutch men. Crazy, but it goes deeper than that. The block of ice, that the creature was found in, the spaceship site already explored and destroyed, the death of one of the individuals but what I found the most interesting was how one of the creatures remains was found. One scene in the remake, an individual is attacked by the monster and their faces and bodies begin to mold into one being, and the creature is shortly burned and killed. Now in the original, when MacReady and his partner venture to this camp they find this same creature and take it back to their base…It’s amazing how these movies were made 25 years apart and yet they take place only a few hours…if that after each other. Genius.Word on the internet is that this is based on a novel by a Mr. John Campbell called “Who Goes There", I’ll have to check it out in my spare time. But if there’s one thing I learned from The Thing is to "Trust No One"Cheers.
~Mad Hatter
RMR: “Shame"
| -We’re not bad people. We just come from a bad place. |
Fassbender portrays “Brandon" a clean
cut, and cultured New York business man with a terrible secret; Brandon is a
sex addict. When I use that term I mean it to the fullest degree, just from the
opening scene the viewer can tell his desire for sexual release is
exponential. Regardless Brandon is a firm believer in
immediate gratification, not searching for any long term pleasure or
commitment. He is a true addict, until his sister “Sissy" comes
to move in for awhile. She’s got plenty of issues on her plate as well, which
makes one wonder what their childhood was like. Instead of using sex as her
ploy she develops other coping mechanisms that include a human wrist and
razors. The overall theme of the movie is the search for feeling…human. The
main characters are detached from the norms of society and yet they live and
thrive as any average citizen in the public eye. What amazed me is how even
though each of them know that there is something seriously wrong with them,
neither of them pretend to want to change it. They Just Accept It.
Fassbender does an amazing job at playing
“Brandon", truly a one-of-a-kind performance. What set him apart from
conventional actors was the use of his eyes; ranging from cold merciless and
lusty stares to saddened and hollow tears of regret. The eye contact is key.
Each sexual act that Brandon is involved in gets seemingly more intense
dramatic and gratifying. His character possesses a sociopathic behavior;
charming and selfish with a complete disconnect from normal society. From
rage-filled outburst at Sissy to blatant lying in his boss’s face Brandon
has no heart. The only aspect of emotion we are shown is his date/renzeveous
with his co-worker. The atmosphere of the movie is gray and mellow to mimic the
seriousness and depravity of the characters. The soundtrack is impeccable as
well, the main theme “Unraveling" played at the climax of the scene, draws
out the hollow and almost sadistic nature of Brandon. Steve McQueen did an
excellent job of tying up the movie and showing the character development, or
lack thereof, from beginning to end. The conclusion leaves one thinking…did
anything really change? Can they put their shame to rest and live normal lives?
Or will he continue to hunger for immediate gratification?
~Mad Hatter
RMR: Drive
Every once in awhile a movie comes out that
flies completely under the radar of the mainstream media. This is that movie.
Drive is that movie.
Drive is unlike anything we have seen in
recent years as far as movies go, a relatively simple plot and dialogue create
a captivating film that will have you wanting to life that life for a day. Ryan
Gosling the actor, really branches away from his usual lover-boy role and
becomes a total badass. In retrospect I believe he spoke maybe 100 words or
less throughout the entire movie. The director clearly wasn’t using a script
with this one. I bet you’re wondering how exactly this movie could be so damn
good without a deep interlacing plot and no conversation.
The atmosphere used to create Drive is epic.
Using a soundtrack that features mellow-techno beats and intense instruments
makes every moment behind the wheel feel like a lifetime. These songs could be
played at a 80’s rave they’re so retro. Sound effects play a major role as
well, the sound of the ticking clocks, clenching gloves and knife slits add to
the flavor. I must also give credit to the cameraman, for their work in this
movie is one of a kind. Taking on new angles and viewpoints to take a regular
night drive feel like a voyage through a starry twilight sky. As usual Gosling
is a phenomenal actor, he plays a character completely devoid of most emotions
except care and anger. What I think is most impressive is how he doesn’t even
have a name for the character. Throughout the entire movie he is called many
things including “Kid" and “Driver" but no name ever was placed
to him. This helped set the atmosphere up as well, creating a character who is
just living his life day by day underneath the hood of an Chevy Impala.
| Can I get a number 5? |
I’d say on a scale from 0-60 this movie is rated at a 50 mph. Definitely recommended. It hits home and the action/driving scenes are beautifully crafted. Gosling’s nameless driver is honestly a boy who gets swept up into unnecessary trouble and he does whatever necessary to clear it. The soundtrack is phenomenal.
Also be on the look out for Gosling’s new
movie "The Place Beyond The Pines" also starring “The
Hangover’s" Bradley Cooper and Goslings new lady Eva Mendes.
Cheers,
~Mad Hatter
RMR: Romeo + Juliet
"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it
sight!/For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night"
.
Of course there would be some sort of
Shakespearan play that I would have to review, and of course it would be Romeo
and Juliet. But in the movie that I’m about to describe, the producers and
directors decided to throw in a modern day twist to this classic tale of love
and tragedy. The official title for this movie is Romeo + Juliet (What they
equal…I don’t know) but you will not find it on google if you do romeo and
juliet or Romeo & Juliet. The movie is set in a modern day era with guns,
convertible whips and lavish costume parties. I doubt I really need to go into
the plot simply because anybody with a GED or 8th grade completion
certificate would know what happened to our two timeless lovers. But what I do
want to discuss is how this movie adapted the dialogue and script from
Shakespeare’s original play and put it with the movie. Either they were feeling
extremely creative or the script writers were lazy as shit! Who knows but I
will say it worked quite well. It makes me wish that we still used Old English
dialogue in our daily lives instead of our crude slang. It’s so well done that
the actors and actresses should have received much more credit, I know
personally I would have burst out laughing if someone was talking about biting
their thumb at meBut Leonardo DiCaprio plays our young hero Romeo and he does a damn good job at it too (Not surprising) but some other notable roles include John Leguizamo who plays the Prince of Cats, Tybalt ,Paul Sorvino (better known for his role in Goodfellas ) who plays Father Capulet and even Paul Rudd was in this movie…before he was funny. Regardless this was a great display of modern day Shaksepeare and I wish this movie would get much more credit. Also the soundtrack is quite well but there is one song in particular that blew my mind and I probably want sang at my wedding and that is "Kissin You" by Des’ree. Seriously it’s truly beautiful. The placement in the movie is so well done too, it drops once Romeo first meets Juliet in the costume party. And they even have the artist, Des’ree put on a small concert in the movie as well. As I conclude I will post a music video with this song and some clips from the movie as well, courtesy of YouTube.
Oh hither my fellow countryman and I pray that
thee has welst enjoyed the lenghty session of criticism that I have bestowed
upon this scroll. Farethewell,
Cheers,
~Mad Hatter
RMR: Prometheus
Greetings from Planet Earth. Once again I am
back as an explorer of all things deep and mysterious, and for today’s RMR I
will be traveling to space, LV_224 to be exact. “Prometheus" was launched
this summer and proved to be one of the best movies of the year in my opinion
(maybe it’s because I’m a Sci-fi geek). Regardless of that Ridley Scott the
director created a masterpiece of a film by using one simple question… "Who created us?" The plot is
straightforward from the get-go, a couple of scientists are all called upon on
a journey to a planet which is thought to contain answers to this age old
question, and potentially whatever it was that created us. The ship
“Prometheus" arrives on a desolate plane where they discover a hollow
structure that they begin to explore, however after spending some time in there
the crew realizes that it is more than just an empty building. The plot
continues to develop and spin out of control as we watch our main heroine Dr.
Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) find the answers to her questions and deal with
internal struggles as well. Ridley Scott must have a soft spot for tough
short-haired brunettes because Dr. Shaw kicks almost as much ass as his other
heroine Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) did in the original space survival horror
“Alien" (A movie of sheer importance to this one). Eventually all hell
breaks loose and the pace of the movie is heightened to a severe degree.
"In order to create one must first destroy."
My favorite character out of the film however would be David (Michael Fassbender), the android. His complete lack of human emotion makes him the perfect explorer for he has no morals or ethics to hold him back; and his utter curiosity about the scientists, specifically Dr. Shaw is naive but creepy. It's as if the mind of a child was placed in the body of a grown man and allowed to thrive without fear of consequences. “Weylands” matches up perfectly with him and his mischievous and almost deadly measures. Janek (Idris Ilba) provides the comedic relief every once in awhile but proves to be a solid actor in this genre of film. Another interesting aspect about this movie is the other ways that social media presented the film. On the internet were placed various "Viral Videos" that actually related to the movie, the video above is an example. Having more than one way to promote a movie is rare in this day and age. Overall Prometheus has strong religious ties and throughout the movie we essentially learn that we shouldn’t search for the answers to all of life’s questions.
My favorite character out of the film however would be David (Michael Fassbender), the android. His complete lack of human emotion makes him the perfect explorer for he has no morals or ethics to hold him back; and his utter curiosity about the scientists, specifically Dr. Shaw is naive but creepy. It's as if the mind of a child was placed in the body of a grown man and allowed to thrive without fear of consequences. “Weylands” matches up perfectly with him and his mischievous and almost deadly measures. Janek (Idris Ilba) provides the comedic relief every once in awhile but proves to be a solid actor in this genre of film. Another interesting aspect about this movie is the other ways that social media presented the film. On the internet were placed various "Viral Videos" that actually related to the movie, the video above is an example. Having more than one way to promote a movie is rare in this day and age. Overall Prometheus has strong religious ties and throughout the movie we essentially learn that we shouldn’t search for the answers to all of life’s questions.
 |
| The trick William Potter... |
Now for those “Alien" fans who watched
this movie because they heard it was the prequel to the series, this part is
for you. To me Prometheus does a great job at telling the back-story on the
creation of the xenomorph, through a planned (or unplanned) series of events.
There will be some small connections that diehard fans will make between both
movies (i.e. Space Jockey) and it will ultimately lay the groundwork for the
Alien saga. What I should say is that this movie is not directly tied into the
movie Alien, it’s not a direct prequel but moreso a prologue to a story or
flashback. Regardless I believe that every fan should partake in enjoying this
movie. However, there is a degree of criticism that the movie is not like Alien
at all but in an interview Ridley Scott stated that this movie would not follow
the story-line directly.
As far as the theatrics are concerned
Prometheus is at the height of digital imaging, visual and special effects. One
impressive feature is the technology of the ship. Finally the soundtrack of the
movie can be described in two words: Beautiful and Haunting. The background
score matches up with the empty spacious environment. When the plot increases
the pace so does the soundtrack but the composer does a great job at not
straying too far from the original sounds."Weyland’s Theme"is one of my
favorite.
"God's and Monsters"
In Greek mythology PROMETHEUS was the titan of forethought and crafty counsel who was entrusted with the task of moulding mankind out of clay. His attempts to better the lives of his creation brought him into direct conflict with Zeus. When Zeus withheld fire, he stole it from heaven and delivered it to mortal kind hidden inside a fennel-stalk. As punishment for these rebellious acts Prometheus was arrested and bound to a stake on Mount Kaukasos where an eagle was set to feed upon his ever-regenerating heart. Prometheus is synonymous with the creation of man.
And with that I leave you with a memorable
quote:
David: How far would you go to get what you
came all this way for, your answers, what are you willing to do?
Charlie: Anything and everything
Mission Log Terminated.
RMR: The Oxford Murders
So it’s 5:19 on a normal Wednesday afternoon
in Chapel Hill and I just finished serving as a test dummy for my partner in
dental hygiene today. After coming home from long days of class I like to settle
down and watch whatever pops up on my television screen. Well today I was in
for a rare treat as a movie unbeknownst to me appeared before my very eyes.
| The only perfect crime that exists is not the one that remains unsolved, but the one which is solved with the wrong culprit - Arthur Seldom |
This week’s movie was “The Oxford Murders" directed by Alex de la Iglesia (whom I’ve never heard of). But what got my attention was the main character, Martin, played by Mr. Frodo Baggins himself; Elijah Wood. Alongside of him was John Hurt and Leonor Watling. The Oxford Murders is a thriller unlike any I have watched before, a movie that ties in logical sequences, mathematics, romance and a serial murderer. Sounds a lot like my 11th grade Algebra II class. Apparently it’s also based on a book by Guillemaro Martinez (The Movie, not my class) Anyways a great movie that I would recommend to someone who is searching for a movie that will make them think, but not too hard (Like Inception, or Shutter Island or any Leo movie basically). The story is set in present day London at Cambridge University, and the newest transfer student who firmly believes that mathematics rules the world is eager to quarrel with the famous professor of logical sequences during one lecture. Eventually the two become tied together by fate when a friend to both is found murdered in their home. The movie then becomes an elaborate episode of Scooby-Doo except there’s no talking dogs, hippies with munchies or mismatched ascots. In fact the London scenery allows the characters to wear more dark and chilly clothing, which is fitting for the thriller. However the movie goes on and Martin finds himself becoming obsessed with the case, or is he in fact obsessed with Professor Seldom. Either way like any movie within the suspense genre, there are plot twists and turns but in this case I’d probably say that these twists are more obtuse angles which causes you to open your mind up to what is the truth, are numbers everything and infiinte, or is the only truth in the world, fakeness?
I’ll let you decide if you choose to watch
this movie which I would recommend. Plus it has a nice set of boobs to equalize
out on all the algorithms and theorums. And the soundtrack is hauntingly
beautiful, created by the Spanish composer Roque Banos
I’d give this movie a solid 4/5
Cheers,
~Mad Hatter
RMR: “28" Series
It’s currently 9:44 on a Saturday night and my
desk is covered with notes for my upcoming radiology exam. Luckily enough I
have yet to be exposed in clinic. Anyways this upcoming RMR is a double feature
of sorts. Today’s RMR is the survival horror movies “28 Days Later" and
“28 Weeks Later". Lets start with “28 Days Later". This is like Night of the Living Dead except on steroids. There are no “zombies" (reanimated corpses) but the “infected" exhibit similar qualities like our brain craving buddies. It’s funny how this entire movie could have been avoided if PETA wouldn’t have tried to save the infected chimpanzees (no spoilers, this is the opening scene) but whatever. Anyways we have our main character Jim, played by Cillian Murphey (one of my favorite actors) and he’s literally the definition of average, no special skills, perks or abilities were added into his character. The one thing he does have is the will to survive, at any costs. He eventually joins up with Selena, another survivor and the two of them travel across deserted London in search of…life in the most general sense. Of course their travels are usually halted by the infected but what makes this movie so great is how it psychoanalyzes the mind of a survivor, it reverts humans back to their most original and primal states, only caring for companionship, food and protection. It is survival of the fittest. This movie was like taking the children from "Lord Of The Flies" and putting them in the cabin from "Night Of The Living Dead". The characters struggle to overcome the external obstacles but in reality its their mindsets that must be overcame for them to truly survive. A great movie for a night full of terror and thunder. However it has a somewhat bland ending.
Truth be told I have a slight fear that one
day the world will be overrun by a zombie apocalypse, however thanks to
watching movies like these I know what to do to survive. And that is to not act
like white people in movies. (No racism intended)
~Cheers, Mad Hatter
RMR: I Saw The Devil
Nothing says Asian horror like pasty faced little girls running around with tangled black hair appearing out of shadows. Or does it? Here in America we’ve become accustomed to a certain genre of cinema that we all love to watch and its Asian horror.
Most movies that are played here are cheap and horrible remakes of their original versions usually hailing from Japan, Thailand, Korea and China on occasions. By the time we view them here they are censored and altered that in some cases the plot isn’t even the same. Thats why I stick to the original versions.
Anyways “I Saw The Devil (Korea)" may be one of the most uniquely crafted horror/psychological thrillers I have ever watched. It’s like a combination between Hostel and Law Abiding Citizens. It’s that crazy. What makes it better is that it is a cut from the ordinary movie that we are used to in America, there are no real supernatural forces except the force of pure evil. Throughout the movie it even becomes hard to tell who is the real devil. I loved it, not only did it keep me on my toes, the gore and violence was relentless but somehow kept realistic.
The plot is very straightforward, a tale of revenge. Revenge might be an understatement, more like a desire to pay back the pain and suffering caused. I found myself questioning my own spirit as I watched on as Soohyeon Kim continued his pursuit of the psycho Kyung-Chul. Both men are masters of the game they play, although their styles and prey are very different. Some live for the thrill of the chase. A must watch for any person, just make sure you have a tough stomach as some scenes can be a bit…gruesome. All in all this movie redefines what us Americans believe to be asian horror, so next time you’re watching a ghostly girl crawl up a wall, remind yourself that this is just a cheap stereotype.
Some other notable movies to watch are Noroi: The Curse (Horrifying, Japan), Abnormal Beauty (Psychological, China), Body #19 (My Favorite, Thailand)
~Cheers, Mad Hatter
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