Hello and welcome to another blog entry to add to the million already littering the internet, expressing a fickle thing that everyone has (especially when it comes to the US government!): an opinion. This entry will document the feelings and emotions I had when watching the new film directed and staring Ben Affleck (who is the bomb in Phantoms!), along with his other Hollywood Pal (maybe?) turned director Leonardo DiCaprio.
Image from cinemablend.com and rights of Warner Bro's
Live by Night is a movie set back in the early 20's where flapper culture was thriving and gangsters were poppin' glocks all over the place.... We see a [very handsome] Joe Coughlin (Affleck) fall in love with an Irish immigrant turned lady mobster Emma Gould (Sienna Miller), who loves a little bit of love triangle related qurrels, and sneaking behind the big Irish mobs boss' back to have a little weekend canoodle with Joe. This true love obviously crashes down, like all Movie love triangles that involve a big bad person, when Albert White (Robert Glenister) catches onto what is happening and literally gives a swift, but accurate kick to Joe's unmentionables (a scene that made me half laugh (I know, I'm a sadist) and cringe due to the, I think, unjustified reaction of audible intense intakes of breath from the male cinema go-ers around me.) Of course Joe goes to jail, and is released over time, and seeks revenge. Typical mob flick right? Wrong... Sort of. Live by Night then goes on to become a capsule for a range of differing themes that I simply (although looking back on it, stupidly...) didn't see coming. Themes of racism, gender and mixed race relationships come into play, which all of you who know me in real life know I am a sucker for. We see scenes of the KKK and how lovely, heart throb (okay, Jessiefer, be calm, we all know you like Affleck!) Joe 'takes care of them' along side taking over a large part of the south of the US with his imports and exports of prohibited liquid from Cuba. Joe then goes on to fall in love with the beautiful Graciela ( Zoe Saldana) whom recovers the parts of his heart lost when Emma was taken away by Albert.
From IGN.com.
The film, without giving away much else, is very interesting, and I really do recommend you all go and see it, It has a varied mix of action, romance and race themes whichI thinkwill keep all types of film go-ers happy and entertained throughout the majority of the flick. I loved the twists and turns, the (I believe) very accurate history of the time periods expressed (1920's - 1950's) was also very interesting to see, and the cherry on the top? The film just easthetically looks amazing! Live by Night is, to me, a little understated gem of unexpected film narrative, which although may not be on the top of your 'I need to see these films, especially now all the good ones have come out!' list, but is very much well worth the viewing. Please check it out and maybe leave your own thoughts on it down below, I'd love to hear from somebody else (I'm very lonely...... hgahahaha... no, really) and please do not forget to fall in love with Ben Affleck a little more . Until next time, Jessiefer. PS, here is a close up of the man himself.... Wit Woo
Taken from:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Crittersposter.jpg
Ah, the month of October. The
leaves are flinging themselves off the trees, the roads are clogged with rain,
and I’m needing a hot cups of tea more often. It’s a great month!
Halloween is just around the
corner, and you know what that means… Yep, Horror films galore! So to celebrate
this beautiful time of year, I have decided to start a new (hopefully
progressional) blog series where just like those totally hip and trendy people
on that photo showing website (Instagram for those of you who don’t get my
arty-farty language) where they throw back to past Thursdays. What film better
to throw back to than my favourite film of all time, the first horror film I
can vividly being terrified of, but needing to re-watch it like 832883 times…
Critters!
Critters is a sci-fi horror
that takes place in a secluded rural town in Kansas (we unfortunately don’t see
any links to Dorothy here, though), where the residence look like butter
wouldn’t melt and it’s strange to see that most of the town’s inhabitants
pro-created. We are introduced to the
Brown family, consisting of a loving Mother, bowling mad handy man Father, and
two teenage kids. The Brown residence is the normal TV stereotype family, where
Brad teases April about a fancy guy she’s dating, and Harv, being the
protective Father he is, scrunches his dusty face about it… My point being they
are normal, have a huge farm and life is hunky-dory, until later in the evening
the Brown family encounters creatures of a third kind (or something…) The
Critters.
As most space monsters do,
they eat the Brown’s cattle, make loud noises that startle the Mother, Helen,
where we get our first glimpse at their blood red eyes. Terrifying. The Crites
go on to half eat Aprils Jonny Depp looking man, and trap her in the barn.
Meanwhile, Charlie, the resident town joker and alien believer repeatedly
reports that space critters (get it) will be making their way down to our
beloved planet anytime soon. Charlie, played by Don Opper, is the first to
experience the Crites outside of the Brown residence and calls it into his
local jail house.
From there we see that the
Crites are pretty smart, can work as a team and will use their porcupine like
hairs to send the wary recipient into a debilitating state. They become more
scary than the feasible fluff balls they appear, and thus become really rather
scary (well, they were to the 5 year old me.)
The end comes nye for the
Crites as our great saviours, the bounty hunters, come to planet Earth’s
rescue. They transform into pop stars and dead people (seriously, watch below
for how cool they look transforming) and blow shit UPPP! After a huge
explosion, and many tears the Brown family is save…. Or are they?
Re-watching the film that
made me become a horror horder, I am still quite enamoured with Critters,
without it being loved due to my childish lust for scary stuff and the turmoil
it left me in for years to come, it does have a certain b-horror charm about
it. The wonderful animatronics of the Crites powered by the ever amazing Chiodo
Brothers is simply breath taking, and the writing of the film in general is
pretty great too.
I love this film, and it’s
sequels so much so, that when I took a trip to Seattle’s EMP Museum I took
about 1,000 selfies with the Critter on display, and nearly cried (sort of…)
when I had to leave it.
Love it or hate it, Critters
is a great little film to show your young ones if you want them to catch the
horror bug young, like my Father, or to just see if you want something cool
looking without psychological plot twists blocking your brain’s eye. Long live
the Crites!
The Warriors, a cult 70’s film turn video game, that just
happened to take up a chunk of my teenage years in both a digital form (video
game) as well as in its original film form. The game was great, and was
actually the first introduction that my nephew and I had to The Warrior World. After
many months of playing the game, my older nephews decided to get the film so we
could see the differences between the EA game and the cult classic. We were
astounded, the game actually stuck to the plot rather well, (apart from one
huge thing that happens at the beginning of the film, but it’s just like the
screen adaptation of A Street Car Named Desire, it was changed for the
audiences sanity… or something) and we loved both. Ever since then, I wanted to
see Cony Island, and the wonderful touristy surroundings of New York.
As you all may have guessed, I have been gone for a few
months… Mostly because writing was just not fulfilling for a time, and also I
just happened to be on a life changing trip to America to work with kids at a
Summer Camp. Camp is over now, and I had a chance to get on over to NY with
some fantastically, wonderful friends I made there! (Do you see where this
review is going?) The usual questions came up: Where would you like to go?
After several suggestions, guess what huge wheel popped into my head? You
guessed it.
Reliving the film’s steps through Manhattan to Coney, and
back, let me tell you, was amazing. Being the film fan girl that I am, I had a
huge lady boner over thinking about that close up map that happens in both the
opening intro’s to the film and game when going past all the stations they
would have to pass through to get home after the traumatic gang meeting.
Approaching Coney Island/ Stillwell Ave on the subway, being greeted by the
smell and sight of the crashing waves and that big, bulbous wheel…. I felt all
the adrenaline that the fighters gave off in their magnificent roles before each
fight.
My own photo, good annit?
After re-watching the film, I noticed a lot of interesting
themes in the story. I never noticed how females were represented in the flick
(Oh Jessie, not a feminist rant over the female role, the gaze* and how women
were poorly represented in action films before the 80’s… Don’t worry readers, I
am not doing a Tumblr rant!). Take for instance the wonderful genre of
Blaxploitation, it showed in countless films the struggle of the Afro-caribbean
woman. In The Warriors, we can see the struggle of one racially different
woman, Mercy.
Mercy is a very complex character to me, she is a strong
independent lady, that is very fragile and dainty at the same time. This
mishmash of ‘roles’ may be an indication of the uprising of Women’s
independence and the big ‘up yours’ to those stuffy men who think that ladies
should just be there to look sexy, but not actually do anything in a film role,
and the obvious favouritism of a strong lady fucking shit up (like Ms Pam Grier
did in most of her Blaxploitation roles of her carrier.) This aspect might just
be to keep the cinema goers happy, since it was a radical movement to make a
female role like this one of the main antagonist features. However, the dainty-ness
of Mercy may express those stereotypical roles of those women who are in a
minority in the uptown Manhattan area (the Bronx) and downtown Brooklyn areas,
who usually was dominated by ‘the man’ and who didn’t have much to do apart
from look after kids and be good to her man. Yuck. Either or, Mercy’s role
really makes you think about suburban life for a minority, and how cinema
represented these young, fighting ladies through film.
I also realised the cultural differences between all the
gangs more than I did whilst watching the film in my younger years. The Warrior
gang just by itself shows you all different cultures from white to black,
Italian to mixed, how they all work together, even when they have different
outlooks on life. It really shows you the multicultural-ness of NYC as a whole,
which I really dig. All the gangs in The Warriors show this to some extent too,
especially in the first scene where all cultures, body types, ideals E.T.C are
displayed. Although this shows us the union of cultures the 60’s and 70’s
brought along, I just thought that this early expression of cultural bonding
was just wonderful, and adds a timeless mark on the film.
Even though this is classed as a sort of b-movie, I really
think it deserves to be clumped along with the likes of Leprechaun in the Hood,
it is an outstanding film demonstrating the urban life of young, men of all races,
their relationship with their surroundings and each other, and the fight
between starting at the bottom, wanting something better, and the struggles
that comes with this. Even after about
10 years (god, I’m old) of knowing about the film and viewing it, I’m still in
love with it. I am also so grateful that I was lucky enough to go on that big
wheel, walk along that beach front, see those people and hear the sounds of
Coney Island with a couple of the best people I know. Until we meet next time
Coney, I will be fightin’ for ya.
Being the totally mature 23 year old ‘adult’ I went to see
Into the Woods this week just gone. Not being the usual suspect for a film of this nature, I can
only imagine my readers are perplexed and crying out for humanity whilst
reading the previous sentence. What can I say, I was suckered into it by the
trailers because of how eerie and different it seemed to the rest of the recent
barrage of kids films (Plus, Johnny Depp is always a winner).The trailer I saw displayed a sort of
Brothers Grimm sort of vibe, which is very different for kids films in general,
and just generally seemed more interesting than a singing snowman with a buck
tooth.
So I go into the picture house without any expectations, and
I am greated with a full blown sing out, something I really did not expect!
Maybe I should have researched before I decided this should be the film we saw,
as I am really not one for musicals (My favourite one being Tenascious D and
the Pick of destiny) but none the less I didn’t lose all hope in the film. The
singing was good and bad in parts, of course the rhymes were pretty good, but
sometimes it seemed so off key and just needless. I understand this is a kids
film, and kids easily forget things, so singing (apparently?) may help them
understand the message better as well as sell a fair few more pieces of merch,
but really, monologues were being sung out, unfunny monologues at that! Maybe
this is why musicals just don’t do it for me, in my mind if they don’t make you
laugh or are silly, then it just turns me into a bitter lemon slice of a person
who hates happiness. I just don’t see the point.
The cinematography was great for a CGI film, there were
really funny points and the acting was phenomenal, but there was something
missing from it which just made me miss the days of watching Snow White in my
youth, guffawing at the turtle falling down the stairs, and admiring the story
as well as the imagry it created. I think the subjects it brings up, like how
it is okay for Mummy and Daddy not to be together now because Daddy is a serial
kisser, was quite interesting to watch, and I did like how this could possibly
make a child/children feel better if they are in the midst of a parental melt
down. At one point, though, the story could have ended with the traditional
‘happy ending’ but decided to show how a utopian setting can go dystopian at
the drop of a brick from a kingdom. This was something I was a little unsettled
by mainly because I personally believe that kids should enjoy things without
the burden of thinking ahead/worrying about the future (ohhh my deranged
outlook on life!!! I blame Disney!).
All in all, I’m not sure if I liked Into the Woods, and I’m
not really sure of why this is. Due to this, I’m not sure if I would recommend
or not, and to whom. If I was a parent, I can only imagine I would be getting
bombarded by questions that the child may have had due to the non-traditional story
lines and themes, which depending on how old they are, may be a little bit hard
to figure out how to answer. Thankfully I am not the birther of a little human,
so I don’t have to worry about possible repercussions and possibly non stop
medleys of the sometimes irritating songs displayed in the film. Due to this I
recommend any parents that go/are forced to see Into the Woods to prepare their
ears and souls for the next few weeks and pray that the DVD/BluRay release
doesn’t come for a considerable time there after.
So a New Year is upon us, and my dear was it a year of film, excitement over watching and creating new film as well as seeing some movies that made me laugh with embarrassment. I thought I would right a little 'Happy New Year' post to all my readers (which is probably, at it's maximum, 5 people) so that you can all look forward to the year of an odd number and all the (hopefully) great stuff that it will bring along with it. Also, I would like to thank you for reading my here, there, and everywhere posts, and trying to understand my more than likely dodgy sentence structure and get over the bad punctuation and grammar that I probably use, you guys are well nice. I hope to do my first video review of the new collectors edition version of Nekromantik by Arrow films some when in the next week or so, which will be an interesting adventure into the World of video reviews. Hopefully my first go at video reviewing will go well, and if not, any feed back (constructive would be best) would be muchly appreciated. Until then, have a great weekend of cool, chilling times, and don't forget to binge watch all the cool DVD's or Blu Rays that you got over Jesus' Birthday. Jessiefer.
This is a post that was written out as soon as I got home from the Cinema after watching Gone Girl, for this reason my thoughts may be a little scattered and also a little muddled due to me not fully digesting my thoughts and analysis of the film. None the less, you should still get a good.... decent.... okay... read out of it.
Gone Girl, directed by the talented Mr Fincher, who also directed the awe inspiring Fight Club (which was pretty much already a god sent novel), Se7en, The Social Network and many more beautifully cinematic pictures, is, simply put, a tale of two people and their changes after wedlock. 'Ohhh one of those flicks, eh? Better leave it to the missus...' I hear some of you cry. 'Hell no, brotha' I reply. If you get past the succulent, fleshy story, the juicy twists and turns of narrative and action, it is about marriage and how much that one action between two people who love each other can change the two people who said I do. However, I wouldn't say in particular that it is a love story at all, at least, not one like what we all usually think of when we hear the word love or marriage. It is about the struggle of a flame burning low, the resentment that you feel towards another people that is stupidly perplexing because of the bewildering passion you once had for them, and most of all it's a look at the dumbfounding unraveling of the deep emotional and mental chaos/bliss that goes on inside ones brain due to, or over another person. I cannot find a way of summarising the plot in a way that you will understand the outter levels of the film, and make you ravenous to devour the flesh that Gone Girl literally hands you on a plate, because, simply put, my brain doesn't function like that (Damn you art school! Damn you Freud!). But I will say this, if you love a plot twist (ohmigawd, Jessie you dun did a spoiler!), your subconscious subtexts to films, to be utterly distraught over how a person could possibly fathom an action and then suddenly laughing at a sick joke the next, then you NEED to see Gone Girl. It is like an unknown sibling of Fight Club, who is now willing and able to finally expose itself to a shocked but not entirely surprised family.... On another note, the cinematics of Gone Girl, like all of Fincher's pictures, are stunningly magnificent. The story never gets boring, which is a big, golden star for a 2hr 20 film in my book, the action is literally beautiful, and had made me truly realise that I really bleedin' like Ben Affleck as an actor. So all in all, if you are a fan of Fincher, love films that well and truly baffle your mind with twists and turns that you never see coming, that has witty black humor and a frightingly believeable story, then Gone Girl is for you. P.s maybe reading the novel will be interesting too, I know that's what I will be doing next. Until next time, Jessiefer.
Thanks to Cineworld for giving us unemployed tight arses a
chance to go and see a film they think look half decent in the trailers (No sponsorship,
I assure you). Because of the half price Tuesday deal I went along to the
cinema with my best friend and her other BF's to see thisfilm as a late birthday treat for her.
So the film began with a more than entertaining start of
gunshots, scary men and Scarlett Johansson's erect nipples (the thing that put a
cherry on top of the metaphorical ice cream of the beginning of the film)... The plot was viable, the visuals were fucking
stunning! Seeing Johansson turn from a mousy student to a bad ass father fu*ker
was great and sort of inspiring.
About half way though, the plot, visuals and action sort
of... How can I put it? Goes kaput. It all actually disintegrates when half of
Johansson's face slides around, which inturn started the roller coaster ride of
trying not to laugh at random odd visuals in a packed out Cinema.
This is sooo not a bad version of Johansson's eye falling action in the film. NOPE.
I can't say that the random visuals of her slidy face, slow
motion killing and uncanny visual effects didn't keep me entertained, because
it did, I just can't believe how the raring, action packed first half turned
into such a surreal and almost boring end that it did. The weird but wonderful
thing is that even though the plot/visual dwindle, unlike other half way bad
films, the plot still makes sense! However, the ending really just leaves you
wanting more, in fact it was such an anticlimax for me and my friends that I
just had to laugh.I must also express that throughout the film the acting was brilliant, and just for that I think this film will no doubt be awarded at least one award then the film award season rolls around.
So if you love Johansson, Morgan Freeman, girls kicking male
arses and sci-fi cinema you'll love Lucy, just remember to revel in action that
is in the first 50 mins of the film, and change your action hats to science
ones for the more brainy side of the last 40 mins of the film. Also, if you
don't laugh at her eye socket falling down her face, then you are a better
person than I am.
Until next time,
Jessiefer.
BORING DISCLAIMER:
*I say this now, I put these reviews on
here firstly for a log for my cinema outings/film watches so I can keep a visual
bank of everything I have seen this year. Secondly, my reviews should only aid
you and your choices when you decide to watch a film, and should not make you
believe that a film will not be good or bad just because I say so (This
disclaimer is here as I have been recently reading Kevin Smith's 'Tough Sh*t'
and there is a bit in there that made me realise how much my words could potentially harm film/film
makers/future film people.... Or something.) If you have a dream to make a
film/direct/screenwrite, in the words of Arnie: DO EITTTTT!
