Archive for August, 2009
Top 5 films of 2001
Time to jump a year to 2001!! Let’s see what Joel thinks should have been nominated best Picture..
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Top 5 films of the year 2000
Well it’s nearing the end of the new milennium, so I thought it would be a great idea to create a top 5 of each year, my top 5s. Theses would be the films that I would place as Best Picture nominees in my own award system. So let’s start at the year 2000.
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MARVEL COMICS BOUGHT BY DISNEY
Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters including “Iron Man,” “Spider-Man,” “X-Men,” “Captain America,” “Fantastic Four,” “Thor,” “Hulk,” “Sub-Mariner” and of course “The Avengers”
Marvel shareholders will get $30 per share in cash plus 0.745 Disney shares for every Marvel share owned. The boards of Disney and Marvel have both approved the deal, which now needs the backing of Marvel shareholders and competition authorities.
So how will this affect the film franchises? Existing franchises made before the formation of Marvel Studios will almost certainly remain where they are – namely “Daredevil,” “Fantastic Four” and all “X-Men” properties at Fox and “Spider-Man” at Sony.
Marvel’s deal with Paramount must legally continue for at least five more films – this will include “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “The First Avenger: Captain America,” “The Avengers” and another project.
With this deal any films made after that, and any new Marvel character properties developed, looks likely to be exclusive to Disney. Over time when the contracts expire, the studio aims to eventually be the sole distributor of Marvel properties (ala Warner Bros. and DC). Marvel Studios in Manhattan Beach will likely remain operating as is.
VIA: DARKHORIZONS.COM
Top Ten Films of Summer 09
The Summer is finally over and after seeing so many films, i’ve decided it would be in your best interest and mine to list off my top 10 favorite films of this summer…that I’ve seen, because there are a lot of films i’ve heared great things about (Drag Me To Hell, Moon, etc.) that haven’t come to my local movie theatre. I will link to my reviews so you can see what I thought of the film. So let’s start at Number 10.
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Inglorious Basterds
Posted by Joel in Movie Review on August 24th, 2009
“Each and every man, under my command, owes me 100 Nazi scalps…and I want my scalps”
Tarantino hasn’t made a bad film, will the Basterds be his first? Also, my film goeing has been on a streak with District 9 and (500) Days of Summer, will it be a lucky 3, or will this be another disapointment like a lot of other films this summer?
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT INGLORIOUS BASTERDS
-Acting: Brad Pitt is only one of the amazing actors in this film, but a lot of the supporting characters overtake him. Two of the actors I have to praise: Melanie Laurent and Christopher Waltz. They seriously brought their A game and deserve a lot of recognition. Laurent plays a jewish woman who escapes persicution by “The Jew Hunter” who is played bt Waltz. Waltz destroys expectations with his menace. He really creeped me out, he’s intelligent but fierce, amazing villain. The Basterds are soo funny and intense, I have to give the casting agent credit for such a great job casting this film.
-Takes chances: Let’s just say it’s a A-movie Grindhouse picture with soul. It completly a Tarantino film, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If you love the randomness which is Tarantino, you’ll LOVE this.
-Dialogue: Smart, funny, just overall a great screenplay and i’m glad it translates soo well on screen.
-Violence: This film is vicious with it’s body count and violence. The Basterds aren’t kind, they are what their called: Bastards. Very inventive ways of killing people in this film.
-Comedy: It’s really funny, especially Pitt. He’s just balls to the wall funny, coming up with funny as lines at every turn.
-Cameos: Just a heads up, look out for a lot of Tarantino cameos!! They are awesome, they obviously put a smile on my face.
WHAT I HATED ABOUT INGLORIOUS BASTERDS
…well…….
OVERALL
Quentin Tarantino has made a classic War film for the people who wanna see something drastic and something truly aspiring. Like a lot of Tarantino flick, it pulls it’s punches and nails them. I totally recommend this film.
RATING: 5 OUT OF 5
(500) Days Of Summer
Posted by Joel in Movie Review on August 20th, 2009
“This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know up front, this is not a love story.”
Fox Searchlight has been on a role in the past 3 years. Three major hits all resulting in Best Picture Nominations (2006’s Little Miss Sunshine, 2007’s Juno, and 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire). So how does 2009’s film (500) Days of Summer fair?
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
-Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschannel: They are really believable, I mean in the sense of chemistry, they are really believable. Their acting is spectacular and they just resonate on screen. If you didn’t already know, I LOVE ZOOEY DESCHANNEL, and she does a spectacular job in this film. Joseph Gordon Levitt is the one to watch tho, as we follow his character, Tom, going through the 500 days, we grow with him, we experience the ups and downs of his relationship and his challenges. Great acting!!
-Writing: Just spectacular, it seems like it hits the spot on every relationship I’ve had and i’m sure a lot of other people have had. Thats the sense of a good writer, when they can make you think back on your own experience, which ultimatly sucks you into the world as well. It speaks levels.
-Style: Like LMS, Juno, and Slumdog, this film has a style of it’s own, and it’s beautiful. Vibrant blue and pencil drawings surround the film and ultimately just intrigue the senses. We follow Tom as he falls in love and accepts that he can never really be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t believe in fate. We follow his feelings through sequences varying from his thoughts to a dance sequence (which isn’t that random when you watch it)
-Direction: We jump back from day 351 to day 167 and you know what, it works. We jump back and forth through a time line and it feels like it should be there, to help the narrative. Marc Webb, a former Music Video director, has done an amazing job on this film, and if he’s not recognized for it, i’ll be surprised.
WHAT I…..
OVERALL
God must like me this week, because i’ve seen two masterpieces! Fox Searchlight is my favorite company now…after Pixar. Not only do they create such great independent films, but they are growing to be an award winning force worth recognizing for their triumphant challenge in film theses days! Only if their parent company would learn from them! Looking back on my list of top rom-coms, i’d put this at number 2, right before Annie Hall, but only right before!! If anything this film is this generations Annie Hall. Such an amazing drama/rom-com. Loved every second of it.
RATING: 5 OUT OF 5
TV
Hello avid readers, I’m sure you may ask yourself: Joel, for such a movie buff, do you enjoy any other mediums. While I applaud you’re question and pat you’re head in acceptance of said question before an untimely demise befalls you, I answer with: Yes, Television. I obviously grew up loving the visual medium, so it’s not really a shock that I love tv as well. I am actually taking television as a profession, and attempting to go towards film. So for the people out there who may be asking themselves what are some good television shows on the air nowadays, i’ll inform you on some of the shows i’ve been watching and why they are great! One per category!!
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Top Ten Romantic Comedies (for guys)
I hate rom-coms….it’s my least favorite genre of film. They are predictable, or boring and a lot of them aren’t even funny or endearing. So, being a movie buff, I really need something amazing to truly captivate me when it comes to theses types of movies. Half of rom-coms are made for date nights, or for girls. As film goers tho, there’s usually not much out there in the line of a GREAT rom-com. Since i’m going to go see (500) Days of Summer, I thought i’d make a list of my top ten Rom-Com’s that guys like me, can enjoy. All theses films are a must watch!
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