Train Journey Movies.

So, today I took my usual train journey back home from Cornwall after being at Uni for a month. Happy to announce that I've just finished my first year of being a full-on film scholar and, man, it's been a good year. I've met alot of cool people and been involved in some projects that were really worthwhile.
Anyway, on the way back I regularly watch about 2 or 3 films on my laptops and I usually spend a good amount of time beforehand picking the right ones. My choices for the journey were 500 Days of Summer and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

500 Days of Summer:
When I first heard about this film I thought it would be ridden with cliche, dull and 'a bit lovey'. Fortunately, this is actually a really clever, quirky, indie spin on the conventional rom-com. It replaces soppy-sentimentalism for a more stylistic approach, using an almost hyper-real aesthetic in some parts. The narrative is intelligently crafted, thus displaying a unique way of watching these events unfold.
It's funny in a ironic and down-to-earth way, these are aspects of a relationship we can all relate to. A refreshingly pleasant indie flick.


Fantastic Mr.Fox
I watched this film for the first time today and had no preconceptions about it, just that it was an animated film with George Clooney doing a voiceover. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this film (directed by none other than Wes Anderson) was really funny, superbly animated and had some awesome voice talent. I particularly liked the character Rat who was voiced so very brilliantly by the sinister Willem Dafoe.
Having worked on stopmotion animation before, I know how terribly long and monotonous the process is. This, in my opinion, is a masterpiece of stopframe. The way the camera moves around the space and how the character interact so subtly is amazing. A must-see film that will probably appeal more to adults than it will to kids.

Driving Emotions in Documentary. TT3D, more than just a Motorbike Film.

The annual Tourist Trophy race which takes place on the picturesque Isle of Man provides the backdrop for the recent documentary film by Richard de Aragues, TT3D: Closer to the Edge. With superbikes hauling 1000cc engines and reaching speeds of over 170mph, you are undoubtedly in for a adrenaline-pumped and hair-raising experience. Focusing on the lives of the most skilled and seasoned racers in the world, the film is a tragic but inspiring story of break-neck speeds, spectacular crashes and what it means to be alive. And it's all shot in breathtaking 3D.

The account of the infamous 2010 race week revolves around the charismatic, rugged-sideburns Guy Martin, the racer which 'every man and his dog wants to win'. Martin is a likeable rogue, lorry mechanic by trade and superbike racer by obsession; the perfect character for the film. TT3D does an excellent job of evoking the sense of passion felt by these people who go to extreme lengths to follow their love of racing, even if it means paying the ultimate price. With emotional accounts from families, friends and other racers who have experienced the loss of someone, TT3D isn't just a high-octane film for petrol-heads. At its heart, it deals with a story of human emotion, something anyone can relate to.

Aragues uses the documentary medium expertly to portray this powerful and poignant tale. The coverage of the race switches between intense close-up shots of racers and stunning arial shots to display the fine line between the beauty and the perilous nature of racing. The race scenes are cleverly intertwined with anecdotal narratives which give the film a compelling and heartwarming edge. TT3D can seem a little slow at times, but this is only because the there is such a substantial contrast between the fast-paced brutality of the races and more protracted background stories. Ultimately though, it is the emotive factor that drives this film onwards not, ironically, the actual driving itself.

An uplifting film, the story ofCloser to the Edge can relate itself to anyone's personal journey. It follows the lives of people who watch their friends lose their lives to the notorious race, only to continue competing the very next day. It is a captivating insight into one of the most dangerous sports in the world and into the lives of the dedicated, impassioned racers.

Say Anything - ...is a real boy.

...Is a Real Boy is one of my favourite albums of all time, like seriously. I was first recommended the band Say Anything by my old guitar teacher when I was about 14. I wanted to get some cool new music for Christmas and asked him about what bands he liked and he immediately said, 'Get Say Anything's new album, it's amazing'.
He was right. This is one of the only albums I can listen to all the way through and enjoy every single song, it's a beautifully constructed album. Perhaps 'beautiful' isn't exactly the right word for this record but, overall, the songwriting, style and technical intensity is what makes it one of my favourites.

The album starts with explosively with the track 'Belt', a fast-paced, catchy, guitar-driven tune with a really awesome outing which includes the lyrics 'Let's say you, and all your friends, in the alley tonight'. As my first ever taster of the band, I was taken aback. My first thought was that I would never ever get into this band, it was all too raw and rugged (I had never really been into the Grunge or low-fi rock). After a few listens though, I was hooked. The songs are intricately designed, Max Bemis being a master of guitar and vocal hooks, with clever, witty lyrics smothered in a helpful dosage of biting, sardonic humour.
The raw production values make this album stand out from any of Say Anything's other material. Muddy mixes and crude guitar tones are an abundance, giving the record a stylistic, harsh character which is awesome. Bemis's voice has such a angsty, raucous edge to it, reflecting the tales of drug use and social anxiety of which the subject matter of the album covers.

A powerfully emotive record. Fierce at times with songs like 'An Orgy of Critics' but gentle and mellow in moments like 'I want to know your Plans'. Say Anything at their peak in my opinion, not to say I dislike their new albums. One of the albums of my early teenage years.

Essay Exert.

An exert from an essay I'm writing at the moment about the effects of the internet on Cinema:

In 1999, the 'mocumentary' horror film The Blair Witch Project was released. In the build up to its launch, a website was created containing clues in the form of documents, and posters to slowly form the elaborate hoax behind the film, generating a large amount of interest surrounding its production. It could be argued that the success of The Blair Witch Project is entirely based on its online marketing, causing it to have a cult following even before its release. Not only did the website have seventy-five million hits in its first week, according to Jane Roscoe, the website “created a community of The Blair Witch Project fans, who used the websites to communicate with each other and participate more broadly in virtual networks”(ROSCOE, 2000:1). This shows that as well as advertising the film, the website created a sense collective interest which was a fundamental part of the film's success. From this website, individuals began making dedicated fan sites in order to piece together the 'mystery' of the Blair Witch, display trailers of the movie and to communicate with other enthusiasts. The film is one of the first examples of the movie industry making use of the internet as a way of promotion and, in the case of The Blair Witch Project in particular, to create a whole world of interaction outside of the film itself.

Another notable film to use viral internet marketing tactics was J.J Abrams Cloverfield (2008) which, like The Blair Witch Project, created an interactive collection of clues and information on the internet, regarding the content of the film. The production and release of Cloverfield itself was shrouded in mystery from the beginning with an ambiguous teaser shown during the trailers to select viewings of the film Transformers (2007). After this, fake websites, companies and products began to emerge on the web that all linked somehow to the mysterious, unnamed film. For example, a iced drink product called Slusho appeared with a full website (www.slusho.jp) that gave clues about the content of reality surrounding Cloverfield. Slusho has since turned up in other productions connected to Abrams such as TV Series Fringe. This type of promotion using fake entities to send the audience on a trail is commonly called an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) because people are encouraged to delve into fabricated set of events.

Monsters DVD

Yay, just came in the post. Has a snazzy 3D coversheet as well :)

Late Night Rambling: Fringe

So, i've just finished watching the last episode of the first series of Fringe. Oh my, it's good! The characters are well written and beautifully interesting, the plot is rich and unique and some of the dialogue is brilliant too. Anna Torv is sexy also.

The series itself took me back to around this time last year when I was chain-watching the Lost series, it's got that same sort of loaded mystery, deep-rooted conspiracy and 'what the fuck is going on' sort of feel to it and I love it. They are made by almost the same people after all, but I really recognised the similar aesthetics, they even used some of the same bits of music.

My favourite thing about Lost, and Fringe so far, is the sense of yearning for more information. With other TV series I've seen, yes there are cliffhangers, but the suspense isnt anything near that of Lost and Fringe. Lost, for instance, brought ideas to the table in series one that weren't even explained till the very end of series 6, you had to piece together all the little clues they gave you. I loved how the series escalated on a noticeable level in each series of Lost. In the first series they were just in a small remote part of the island, they had no idea what was outside their little camp. Series 2, bam, they open the hatch, their world gets a little bigger. Series 3, 'the others come along', more exposure for the Losties.
I'm guessing it's going to be the same for Fringe, this first series only feels like the start of something.

Anyway, this got me thinking about what it means to be an active audience. I for one, when watching Lost, toiled away online, trying to work out what was happening before it did. Call me a nerd, i just enjoy that sort of thing xD This idea of Lost becoming something outside of just a TV series. It was a catalyst for discussion, and meaningful, philosophical discussion. Not the kind of discussion about jokes on Friends or what's what in Desperate Housewives. Lost made you think outside of the box. Say a shot lingered on something a bit out of the ordinary, you'd be like 'Shit, what does it mean? Is this some sort of complex plot device?'. No, most of the time it wasn't, but the way it was made presented an extremely active viewing experience for me.

In my opinion, this is the way forward for long-form television writing. Narratives should be engaging and spark analytical conversation between people, whether it be face-to-face or online. Plotlines should be rich and full of enigma. We see it in film, but they're only 120mins long, we need to see it more in TV.
Okay, i've ended up talking more about Lost than Fringe, but hey, Lost is awesome. Poo you Haters.

LO-FI SCI-FI

LO-FI SCI-FI

I am a massive Science Fiction fan. No, I have never really got into Star Trek, Battlestar Galatica or even Doctor Who, among other generic scifi gubbins, but I've always had a love for the imagination and magic behind it. Ever since i was a kid I loved reading scifi books and watching the films, Star Wars and the like, ect, ect. Blah Blah. For me, I tend to just love certain aspects of things, but with this specific genre, I love it all.




Anyway, the purpose of this post is to talk about Low-Budget Sci-Fi films. I am thinking about this currently because I have just purchased the dvd Monsters (2010) a low-budget movie made last year. There was some hype surrounding its release because alot of it was said to be made pretty much 'out of the back of a van'. I'm super excited to see this and, typically, I love monster movies but something tells me this might be different.

I also wanna talk about Moon (2009) which is one of my favourite sci-fi movies ever. It imagery has such a stillness and eerie flair about it that just makes me think of 2001: Space Odyssey and the original Solaris. Everything in this film seems to be masterfully designed, from the clinical-feeling set to the truly epic and inspiring soundtrack. Also made on a relatively low budget, Moon didn't rely on the laser-zapping, space-swashbuckling conventions of alot of modern scifi, but instead displayed a story of human emotion and capitalism gone crazy.

Also, District 9, another Sci-fi on a small budget(ish) was adapted from a short film by the same director. This was a whole new spin on Hollywood-style sci-fi and was in a frankly unfamiliar setting of Johannesburg, South Africa. Now, District 9 had alot of outside help from American corporate shiz but it still had a homegrown feeling, it felt like something new. Another sci-fi, Pumzi, also recently came out of Africa. I haven't seen this yet but, from the trailer, it looks pretty frickin' cool, I hope more Africans start making Science-Fiction.