Category: Films

  • What I Like about Hollywood Movies

    Following AM’s advise on better blogging, I thought it’d be cool to follow through with my post on “What I Like about Japanese Cinema” which I wrote for the J-Film blog-a-thon last year.

    So now I’m going to be talking about Hollywood movies! And by “Hollywood” I mean American films. Since I’m more familiar with commercial Hollywood stuff, while I’ve only begun catching indie flicks online (or when I was in Canada) for the past few years.

    My current Facebook Flixster movie count says that I’ve rated 2431 films. Of course, that’s only counting the films that I’ve been able to find in their database (american, foreign, commercial, or indie), and I’m far too lazy to send them stuff now. My MUBI account states I’ve rated 1450, so that should give you a proper average… I think.

    So what do I like about Hollywood Movies?

    1. Ah… the Hollywood Golden Era.
    I’m familiar enough with Garbo and Crawford to know that I loved their films. And it’s fact, LOL, Hollywood created movie stars, and actors went to Hollywood to become movie stars… and I love movie stars. I always complain now that they don’t make them like that anymore.

    Sure, sure… people who aren’t into “old films” keep telling me that films in the era didn’t look as great as they do now, or that acting was weird, and that subject matter in films have improved since then. To them I tell them… well, 1986 is not that old. Try a film from 1929. ;P

    2. No matter how Indie they are, they still look sharp and clear.
    There’s something my mom always tells me when we, for some odd reason, end up catching a clip of any local – hint: non-American – film, “Why do films here look like they’re stuck in the 70s?”. It isn’t that the local cinema shows the great quality of films in the 70s, here they just look like they’re stuck with the technology.

    It happens in American film, but not as often… and if it does, it’s because they’re really REALLY low-budget. But even really-low-budget filmmakers manage to bring a great DP on board. I mean, have you seen some of the stuff posted online? It’s amazing what people are doing with “I shot this with my Canon” LOL

    3. You guys have mastered the art of pseudo-indie.
    Right? I mean, you have also begun to call these films Hipster… in a mocking kinda way, but alright – I admit it, I tend to like them because well, to me, these films can only be American. I cannot imagine an Asian hipster film, I cannot imagine a European hipster film. Little Miss Sunshine, Juno – people say Juno reminded them of me, LOL – they can only be American.

    But you guys have also mastered the art of making big budget films, and call them independent. I mean how on earth do you call Inglourious Basterds an independent film but spend $70M USD in making it. To me, that’s a big Hollywood movie – and I like it. LOL

    4. Don Bluth, Disney, and Pixar
    I grew up with Don Bluth’s and Disney animation. Now, I’m growing old with Pixar (oh, gawd… I’m growing old). I mean, anyone my generation who hasn’t grown up with Disney animation and Don Bluth’s work, they might not have had a childhood – unless, of course you’ve grown up with Studio Ghibli… in which case, hate you.

    5. I love when you support World Premiere… even if it’s for sucky huge blockbuster films.
    I’m an impatient gal, if I want to watch a new film over the weekend, it needs to open locally over the weekend, otherwise my enthusiasm for the film will wane, and I’ll just end up catching it on dvd – or worse, on cable.

    Most major studios have offices in most major cities in countries, so now it’s easier to get a film to open on the same weekend as in the States. It just happened with that new Drew Barrymore rom-com, which opened one week after the US, and I’m pretty sure we’re getting Narnia and Harry Potter (not that HP is American, but it’s being distributed by Warner so…) the same day, or one day ahead. Now, if that could also happen with flicks like Black Swan, and other Award season flicks, I’d be a happy gal.

    So… how about you guys? What do you guys like about Hollywood Movies/American Cinema? Or why do you hate it? I know some of you hate anything American with a passion. Such a tiring task. LOL

  • Polanski to Direct Foster, Winslet, Waltz and Dillon for God of Carnage

    Wow, can you imagine Foster and Winslet playing opposite, neck to neck?

    an adaptation of Yazmina Reza’s acclaimed play ‘God of Carnage’, about two sets of parents who meet for a civilized confrontation after their kids get into a fight on the playground. As the evening proceeds, though, the conversation devolves into rage, prejudice, and homophobia.

    via Cinematical

    No, not gonna credit Moviefone. Hate it.

  • More Liv Tyler by Marcus Mam

    That’s two recent photoshoots? Is Liv promoting something? I’m totally out of the loop – googles – Oh, I see! Super! With Ellen Page… wow, Ellen Page is on something too? With Kevin Tocino (that’s what my mom calls Bacon all the time). Recently picked by IFC – looks promising already!

    Anyway, here’s Liv~ in Black & White

    A bigger version over at Fashiontography.

  • Masaki Okada and Yu Aoi for MAIKA’s Kokoro – Raiou MV

    It’s supposed to be the short version – remember this? – Well, it’s here.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu2aVWvP__o

    Have I told you that MAIKA reminds me a LOT of old school Shakira in her Donde Estas Corazon and Donde Estan los Ladrones days? You know, before she turned blonde on me and began doing that thing she calls Shakira music in English? Kind of like Alanis when she became happy. Shakira was the Latin American Alanis.

    So I approve of Maika. Must now find if she’s got an album – hmm… kinda reluctant to get a single. But, anyway… remember Masaki and Yu were going to lip-sync? OMG, it’s the cutest thing ever. I hope there’s a long version of just the two of them lip-syncing because that was the highlight of the video.

  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 – Trailer 2

    Oh gosh~ what are you doing to me, Harmony. Even in that short scene, you know the one? It just… it doesn’t compare. LOL I hate to love you. It’ll never be the same.

    [iframe width=”560″ height=”349″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/YzfEH0UPEBo?rel=0″]

    Also, is it me or is Grint having a little more acting umph? Never been a fan of Ron… or Grint. I don’t know if it’s the character, or the acting… maybe a bit of both. But Ron being mad, I kinda bought it.

  • Your 20 to Watch Between 25-30 Picks!

    You’ve named them… some of you voted multiple times, I know. And some of you only voted for one actress instead of one actor and one actress. But the votes are in. And winning, with a boost from the running of Inception on theaters, with 23% of the votes is none other than dear Joseph Gordon Levitt. Despite leading the poll at the beginning, Natalie Portman ended up with 19% of the votes with a late boost from the screenings from Black Swan… but I guess the people that saw Black Swan don’t visit the site, thus that didn’t translate into votes.

    Your Favorite Top20 to Watch Between 25-30

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  • La plus grande actrice: Nicole Kidman?

    The blog C’est la Gene had an article posted a while back during the release of Nine, titled La Plus Grande Actrice du Monde. That’s a big name to uphold… but you know, in honor of the positives reviews that Kidman’s Rabbit Hole has received, and for getting picked up by Lionsgate for distribution and entering the Award race, I decided to take some time to “translate” and dust off on my French.

    (more…)

  • Bjork for Moomins – The Comet Song

    Okay, I really must admit posting directly to Twitter is easier and faster. I decided there are some things I must post twice… or maybe more, and Bjork is one of them.

    I met Moomins on my trip to Sweden! Those hippo-looking like creatures, my cousin said “they’re Moomins!” – Oh, how lucky little kids are in Scandinavia to grow up with a children song (?) from Bjork. xD Did I tell you all my niece used to only sing Los Pollitos Dicen? She was like Marylin singing Los Pollitos Dicen. xD

    Anyway… this song is for the Moomins movie xD There’s going to be a Moomins movie!!!

  • The Girls – Sappho Goes to Hollywood – Diana McLellan

    My fascination with Greta Garbo made me pick up this book. Author Diana McLellan – a writer of the Washington Post, hence… journalist? – tells me she’s written the book with accounts of stars’ memoirs, FBI and CIA documents and everything in between and around the people involved in this book. However, I decided to read this from the point of view of a fanfiction reader.

    Now, I have never read (or written) fiction based on real people, but I’m aware it exists. In The Girls, there’s so much stuff going on – let’s say “so many characters” – that you’ll get confused of who’s who from time to time. If you’re already familiar with the names — besides Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich — you’ll be more than fine probably.

    In it, McLellan says that Garbo and Dietrich met on set of The Joyless Street, which goes uncredited on Dietrich’s filmography even to date on IMDB even as the author states that there’s an interview in which Marlene talks about a crucial scene that was eventually cut from the film, and that they had a fling that ended so bad that would define the rest of their lives. Then, throughout the whole book, they begin explaining how was Hollywood during the 20s and early 30s, and what events began changing the perceived morality of that era… bringing on the Hays Code. It deals with Marlene’s supposed husband, a spy named Otto, who worked for the Communist Party as the Nazis were taking over Europe. And just like in movies, war, spy stories, people using each other and so on… the book also deals with loads of sex. It talks about how gay Hollywood was. Or I guess… how lesbian it was or how bisexual. It turns out everyone I watched on old films was not completely straight. LOL

    The book contains so much drama, and recounts anecdotes of so many celebrities of the time, that’s when I began thinking that it might be a little too adorned to be completely true. Of course, there’s that bit about what truth hides behind the lies they tell you on official biographies or approved releases. Or something about the lies hidden behind the “truth” they give you. It was just a little too much fun to read all these encounters. My favorite being that of Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford – how these details are known, not entirely sure – because I love the both of them.

    During Grand Hotel, she [Crawford] said later, the two passed on the stairs one day, and Joan was so overcome that she lowered her eyes. Garbo blocked her way with an arm, gazed directly in her eyes, and crooned, “I am glad we are working in the same picture.” Joan reported that Garbo “took my face in her hands and said, “What a pity! Our first picture together, and we don’t work with each other. I am so sorry. You have a marvelous face.” Her knees went weak, Joan related. “She was breathtaking. If ever I thought of becoming a lesbian, that was it.”

    Chp. 24 – Flirting – “Her Knees Went Weak”
    pg. 152-153

    That’s from that famous Garbo/Crawford not-getting-along report I’ve so much read about. I mean, I really REALLY loved Crawford when I saw Grand Hotel — included in the Garbo Collection — that I ended up buying the Crawford Collection. LOL So I pretty much agree with Garbo’s possible comments on her marvelous face. xD

    As for Marlene Dietrich… Wow~ her chapters, I thought I was reading one of those cheesy romantic novels that grown married women read. LOL She really REALLY got around. With a lot… and I really mean A LOT of people. It’s like… she was older than any of my parents, and she was still getting some. Disturbing, but true. LOL

    Marlene tore down Edith’s panties backstage in a Berlin theater and, using just her mouth, brought Edith’s to orgasm.

    Chp. 9 – A Swede Steams In – “Using Just Her Mouth”
    pg. 62

    Even her daughter Maria was afraid her mom would sleep with her fiancé. xD

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  • Remembering Swing Girls – What a Wonderful World

    Ahh… this still makes me laughs. Specially the 180/360 degree shot of Juri’s frozen-falling snot and the face of Shihori Kanjiya as she sees the impending snot falling on her. LOL

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHnaP88VYS0

    Where are they now?

    Juri was in S.Korea promoting Nodame Cantabile, of course. However, I’m getting excited for her turn on her first NHK Taiga drama — I thought about it today as I watched Ryomaden xD which brings me to… Shihori Kanjiya who was also on Ryomaden… and Yuta Hiraoka who still can be seen on Ryomaden xD