He Lost Control

Today's review is on "Control" based on lead singer, Ian Curtis' (Joy Division) life.

Brief Summary:

Control is the biography of Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis, taking his story from schoolboy days of 1973 to his suicide on the eve of the band's first American tour in 1980.In this time we see Curtis grow from David Bowie-infatuated teen to Sex Pistols-inspired punk, and eventually to rising new wave star.

The movie explores the pressures he felt, from his epilepsy, a failing marriage, his new lover, and a band that relied on him - all in an attempt to explain his decision to hang himself at the age of 23.

The movie is based on Deborah Curtis's biography "Touching from a Distance"

(Taken from imdb.com)

Random Quote: "So this is permanence; love-shattered pride. What once was innocence, has turned on its side."

My Review:

The movie begins when Ian is about 17-18 years old. This is the time when he first met his wife. As you read earlier, the movie was based on her autobiography. The movie is filmed in black and white, as the director thought it should be, as to follow the way that Joy Division had been photographed in their short time as a band.
There are very few videos of Joy Division but the gentleman who played Ian Curtis in the film did an excellent job portraying Ian based on what I have heard and seen. He even mastered the funny little dance that Ian did.
It was interesting to find all of the things that Ian went through. It was really quite sad. Kind of messed up as well.

The soundtrack was good. Sam Riley, the man who played Ian, was the actual singer for the film and he also did an excellent job with that.

There were also a lot of fun special features which included music videos, promotional materials, an interview with the director and much more.

As a whole the movie was pretty good.

4 out of 5 stars

Fauns and Fairies and Blood- Oh My!

I'm excited about this one here. Took me forever to see it, but I finally did.

"Pan's Labyrinth"
Brief Summary:
In 1944 fascist Spain, a girl, fascinated with fairy-tales, is sent along with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the center of the labyrinth. He tells her she's a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again. (Taken from imdb.com)

Random quote: "You're getting older, and you'll see that life isn't like your fairy tales. The world is a cruel place. And you'll learn that, even if it hurts."

My Review:

Gosh, I don't even know where to start with this one. I feel like all I can really say is that it was great. I won't leave you with that though. :c)

It was a dark drama. Subtitled. Had amazingly (is that a word?) imaginative creatures in it. My favorite was the freaky guy with his eye-balls in his hands. Here's a picture:

I tried to find one of his whole body, but couldn't find a decent one. His body was cool and his eyes had to be popped into his hands. Very freaky. This was the second task. This part kind of reminded me of Alice and Wonderland. So did the first task because of the outfit she was wearing among other things.

There were some gross parts. Gross meaning bloody. I'm not really a squeamish person, but there some parts that made me cringe. It was also a sad movie though. Sad because of the war, the death, the things that people had to give up in order live, the things that a child had to create in order to escape the real world (that is... if you don't believe that fairies and such don't really exist).
This is definitely a movie I would recommend, expecially if you're into dark tales and don't mind reading subtitles.

5 out of 5 stars

The Doctor Is In

Before I begin this next review I want to make note of a tv show that I just watched. It's called "Neverwhere". It's based off of Neil Gaiman's book. It was a lot of fun to watch. If you're into sci-fi British television... check it out. :o) Neil is the best!
Moving on...


Teenage psychiatrist?
Charlie Bartlett thinks he is in this next review.

Brief Summary:

Wealthy teenager Charlie Bartlett is failing miserably at fitting in at a new public high school run by the world-weary Principal Gardner. As he begins to better understand the social hierarchy, Charlie's honest charm and likability positions him as the resident "psychiatrist" dishing out advice, and the occasional prescription with his partner and fellow student, Murphy Bivens, to other students in need. Along the way, he decides to take some of his own advice, find romance, and learn to accept who he is, thus wielding a witty dark comedy about the angst-filled years before college. (Taken from imdb.com)

Random Quote: "I'll see you in the sequel, bitch!"

My Review:

This movie looked like a lot of fun from the previews. The actor who played Charlie was also in Alpha Dog (check it out if you haven't). He did a good job acting in both of these movies. I must admit though, that the movie was not what it seemed it would be. It was one of those movies that they use all the funny lines in the previews and you've got nothing left to laugh at during the movie.
It was kind of interesting to see Robert Downey Jr. play an alcoholic in the film.
The movie seemed like a teenage angst film. If that's what you're looking for, then this is the one for you. If not, I'd say, "Skip it." There's better stuff out there to waste your time on.

2 1/2 stars out of 5

Prince of Hell

Got to go to the real movie theater tonight and see Hellboy: The Golden Army.
I was pretty excited about it 'cause I enjoyed the first Hellboy.

Brief Summary:
The mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so as Hellboy and his team returns they must save the world from the rebellious creatures. Now, as the creatures who inhabit the spiritual realm gear-up for an all out attack on the human plane, the only one capable of saving the Earth is a tough-talking hellspawn rejected by both worlds. Written by Anthony Pereyra

Random Quote:
Abe: "My body is a temple."
Hellboy: "Well, now it's an amusement park. Drink."

My Review:
I really liked the new addition to the Hellboy collection. There was a lot of action and although you know how it's ultimately going to end (the good guy always wins...at least the majority of the time) there was still a lot of unpredictability in it. The action scenes were fun because the Elf guy was all slick with his spear. Reminded me of some Blade (Wesley Snipes) action.
It was nice to have all the same actors back, it wouldn't have been the same without them. It was also very cool to see all of the creatures that were created by Guillermo Del Toro. He's the same guy that did Pan's Labyrinth (among many other things) which is a movie I have yet to see.
I guess I like Hellboy because although he is a "freak" he's more human than some other comic book heros. Maybe it's just because he likes cats too. I don't know.
If you liked the first Hellboy, you will definitely enjoy the 2nd.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride

*Chick Flick Alert* :o)
27 Dressess is up for review.

Brief Summary:
Two things about Jane: she never says no to her friends (she's been a bridesmaid 27 times and selflessly plans friends' weddings), and she's in love with her boss, George, nurturing dreams of a lovely, romantic wedding of her own. She meets Kevin, a cynical writer who finds her attractive, and that same week, her younger, flirtatious sister Tess comes to town. Jane silently watches George fall for Tess, a manipulative pretender. Worse, Jane may be called upon to plan their wedding. Meanwhile, Kevin tries to get Jane's attention and has an idea that may advance his career. Can Jane uncork her feelings? (Taken from imdb.com)

Random Quote:
"I feel like I just found out my favorite love song was written about a sandwich."

My Review:
I rather enjoyed this movie. Katherine Heigl is a good actor and seems to chose pretty good scripts. Although the movie was predictable, there was still a lot of humor and fun in the movie. The dresses were a lot of fun to see. Most of them were horrible and looked like they belonged in the 80s. I kept thinking about how glad I was that my sister picked out pretty dresses for her bridesmaids.
In the movie there is so much talk about weddings that by the end of the movie I felt like I wanted to get married. I had a reality check though; you need a boyfriend (someone you "love") before all that can happen. :cp

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Making Beautiful Music

I suppose you could call this one a musical.
The next movie for review is Once.

Brief Summary:
An (unnamed) Guy is a Dublin guitarist/singer-songwriter who makes a living by fixing vacuum cleaners in his Dad's Hoover repair shop by day, and singing and playing for money on the Dublin streets by night. An (unnamed) Girl is a Czech who plays piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day and takes care of her mom and her daughter by night. Guy meets Girl, and they get to know each other as the Girl helps the Guy to put together a demo disc that he can take to London in hope of landing a music contract. During the same several day period, the Guy and the Girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for one another, through their songs. Written by Charles Delacroix

Random Quote: "Fuck you, batteries!"

My Review:
To begin, the music in the film was fantastic. It reminded me slightly of Damien Rice (another great singer). Much of the movie was watching Guy and Girl sing. Their relationship grew through the music that they wrote together. It was nice to see people slowly growing into a partnership. Girl supports Guy to finally get his life in check and talks him into getting back with his ex. That's where I started getting confused. There was an obvious attraction on both their parts, but they both pushed each other into someone elses arms.
Either way, it was a cute and lighthearted movie although at times it seemed to movie a little slow. The film quality is not very high and the camera was sometimes shaky (which was kind of distracting).

3 1/2 stars out of 5

Getting an Eye-Full

Throwing a horror movie into the mix.
Next movie up for review is The Eye (not the original, but the remake).

Brief Summary:
Sydney Wells is an accomplished concert violinist who has been blind since a childhood tragedy. Sydney undergoes a double corneal transplant, and her sight is restored. But Sydney's happiness is short-lived as unexplainable shadowy and frightening images start to haunt her. Are they a passing aftermath of her surgery, Sydney's mind adjusting to sight, a product of her imagination, or something horrifyingly real? As Sydney's family and friends begin to doubt her sanity, Sydney is soon convinced that her anonymous eye donor has somehow opened the door to a terrifying world only she can now see.

Random Quote: "I know you're scared. Don't be. 'Cause the world really is beautiful."

My Review:
This is a remake of a Japanese movie that was also called The Eye. Unfortunately, us Americans didn't feel like keeping it in Japan. The hole idea behind the movie is that Jessica Alba's character gets eye transplants from a "bruja" that recently killed herself in Mexico. The donor was able to see death and the ability was transfered over Alba's character during the operation.
It was not scary. At all. Was disappointing to say the least. The actors did well but the plot was not compelling and the previews were misleading.

1 1/2 stars out of 5

Burn any books lately?

Next review is of Fahrenheit 451.

I chose this movie because I enjoyed the book and because the movie was made in 1966. What does the year have to do with a movie? Everything! Mostly the special effects and the acting. :c)

Summary:
Based on the 1951 Ray Bradbury novel of the same name. Guy Montag is a firefighter who lives in a lonely, isolated society where books have been outlawed by a government fearing an independent-thinking public. It is the duty of firefighters to burn any books on sight or said collections that have been reported by informants. People in this society including Montag's wife are drugged into compliancy and get their information from wall-length television screens. After Montag falls in love with book-hoarding Clarisse, he begins to read confiscated books. It is through this relationship that he begins to question the government's motives behind book-burning. Montag is soon found out, and he must decide whether to return to his job or run away knowing full well the consequences that he could face if captured
(Taken from imdb.com)


Random Quote:
"Trouble between you and the Pole, Montag?"


My Review:
Well, as earlier stated, the movie was made in 1966 and the plan was to make the movie kind of futuristic. For the most part the special effects weren't too bad. The only place they went wrong was when the firemen were using jet packs to fly through the air. Enough said.
The gentlemen who played Montag did a great job at playing his character. The other characters tended to over-act, but I think that has to do with the time period that the movie was made.
The movie was kind of heart wrenching because I'm a book lover. Watching the books burn and to think of a society where people think that books make you unhappy is unthinkable. Ray Bradbury's book was trying to send a message out there. Books really have an affect on society. I feel that the book as well as the movie both got that message across.
If you haven't read the book, you should. If you're not a book lover than you should watch the movie. It might help you appreciate them more.


3 out of 5 stars

Happenstance

Being my first post, I suppose I should tell you what I plan on doing here. I've signed up for Netflix and plan on watching a lot of movies. I'll give you a summary of the movie, a quote from the movie, and my review.

Feel free to comment on anything included in the blog. Agree or disagree, either works for me. Let me know if there is something I should add as well!! :c)


First movie up is Happenstance.



Brief Summary:
Chance, volition, and the large effects of tiny causes swirl through Paris on a single day. A clerk born 11 March 1977 hears her horoscope on the way to work: today she'll meet her true love, but she must be patient. Before the day ends under a full moon, twenty lives intersect time and again in unpredictable, connected ways: a jilted lover holds a souvenir pebble, a stolen coffee maker looks suspicious at a Metro stop, a yellow rain slicker is passed on as a gift, lettuce causes a bicycle accident, a leaf betrays an habitual liar who's just told the truth, and an Algerian waiter, also born 11 March 1977, sees a bug cross a tablecloth. Magical sand from the Sahara is in the air. (Taken from imdb.com)



Random Quote:
"So feel free sometimes to do something stupid,random and ludicrous. That stupid, random and ludicrous act can upset the order of the world."


My Review:
I didn't know exactly what I was going into when I selected this movie. To be honest, I selected it based on the fact that Audrey Tautou was in it. I didn't even read the description first.

The movie is based on the idea that one single event can effect the world, regardless of how small the event is. With that in mind, we follow several people around France. Most of these people are feeling lost, depressed, or are in search for love. The movie was slow moving and did not create much of a connection between the characters and the audience. The only character I found myself routing for was Audrey's character because she was the only character that made a connection.

As a whole, the movie was pretty good. The ending made me feel a little better about the whole thing and was true to the main idea of the movie. (Don't worry, I won't spoil it!)

Pay attention to what the movie is telling you rather than try to create some sort of connection with the characters. Is more of a watch alone or watch with your partner movie.

As a side note, I looked up "happenstance" in the dictionary. It is a noun that means : "a fortuitous happening."




3 1/2 out of 5 stars