Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Review: X-Men: First Class

X-Men: First Class
Dir. Matthew Vaughn
Year: 2011
Aus Rating: M
Running Time: 132mins

After The Last Stand and Wolverine failed to recapture the X-Men franchise’s excellence, Marvel have decided to go back in time and show us the groovy beginnings of what would eventually become the “X-Men”. Or, as the case may be, not so groovy. Set in 1962, men and women of all creeds have begun to develop super-human powers. As the changing tides of the world’s social and political landscape take hold, these so-called mutants must discover their place in the world. They must choose either good or evil.

Read the rest at Trespass Magazine

In the review I call this movie X-Men: Muppet Babies, X-Men: Groovy Mutants and X-Men: Born This Way amongst others. Lady Gaga is an unofficial sponsor of this movie, I'm sure of it!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 22 of Scream 2 (1:06:11-1:09:15)

In this project I attempt to review the entire Scream trilogy scene by scene in chronological order. Heavy spoilers and gore throughout!



SCENE 22 of Scream 2
Length: 3min 4secs
Primary Characters: Sidney Prescott, Cotton Weary, Officer Andrews and Officer Richards
Pop Culture References:
  • Diane Sawyer (Cotton spoke to her)


I have wondered during the process of doing this project whether Williamson and/or Craven were trying to say something with the repeated use of latin texts. Setting your movie on a college campus filled with fraternities and sororities doesn't help, but just shots like this or the "Cassandra" aria from a couple of scenes ago... what are they pointing out. That Sidney's tale is like some fabled tragedy that could be told for centuries before and after? Hmmm... if anyone has anything to say about it, please do so in the comments!


So dated! Look at those computer monitors! Yowza. I love how when "Library Guy" (an uncredited Corey Mendell Parker) tells her she has an instant message to "hit Alt + M" it sounds like she's pressing about five different keys on the keyboard.


I guess that's one of those "that's her" looks Sidney mentioned earlier.


I know this bit is meant to be all "ooh scary", but I can't help by laugh at the hilarious computer graphics. I haven't the foggiest idea what Sidney is doing on that computer. That program looks like a technicolour cousin to MS DOS.


I like that the IM says "[cancel]".

Also, the way one of Sidney's guard's says "get away from the computer." Where do they move her to?


An empty doorway, of course!


All the better for someone to sneak up behind her I guess. See how they've decided to make Cotton the film's red herring. He likes to pop up behind people, you see! Just like Randy and Cici. JUST LIKE RANDY AND CICI!


Yet again there are some really good compositions going on here.


I just really liked this shot.


Not only does he snuck up behind young ingenues and intimidate them with thinly veils threats, he also wears chunky black shoes. Who else wears chunky black shoes? GHOSTFACE, that's who! I can't recall who I thought the killer was in Scream 2, but they really do try and make a good argument for Cotton, don't they?


"Sid, I'm not Billy Loomis - you killed him, he's he's dead. Remember?"

Yes, Cotton, I am sure she remembers killing the boyfriend who killed her mother and her friends and who has inspired a new killer to kill her new friends. Yes. I don't like this line, it just sounds so silly. What do you think?

Scream:
Intro, Scene 1 Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14, Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20, Scene 21, Scene 22, Scene 23, Scene 24, Scene 25, Scene 26, Scene 27, Scene 28, Scene 29, Scene 30, Scene 31 Scene 32, Scene 33, End Credits

Scream 2
Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14. Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20, Scene 21

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Review: Meek's Cutoff (+ Kelly Reichardt at ACMI Giveaway!)

Meek's Cutoff
Dir. Kelly Reichardt
Year: 2011
Aus Rating: PG
Running Time: 104mins

You can tell a lot from a film’s opening credits. Kelly Reichardt’s latest begins with its title embroidered on a piece of material, it’s an enchanting moment that speaks to the rather simple, sweetly homespun story that Reichardt is about to unfold. Best described as a minimalist western, Meek’s Cutoff’s big moments are not gun-wielding standoffs between heroes and villains, but the breaking of an ox-cart axel, the devastating realisation that much needed water is toxic and the passing of food from a white woman to a Native American “Indian”.

Read the rest at Trespass Magazine.

If you click that link you can also find mini reviews of Reichardt's Old Joy and Wendy & Lucy (another with an incredible Michelle Williams performance at its centre). Trespass are also giving away a double pass to Meek's Cutoff for anybody who lives in Melbourne. Meek's Cutoff really affected me so I hope people seek it out. A

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 21 of Scream 2 (1:00:19-1:06:10)

In this project I attempt to review the entire Scream trilogy scene by scene in chronological order. Heavy spoilers and gore throughout!



SCENE 21 of Scream 2
Length: 5min 51secs
Primary Characters: Gale Weathers, Randy Meeks, Dewey Riley, Joel the Cameraman and Ghostface
Pop Culture References:
  • Jennifer Aniston (A joke is made about Aniston and Gale Weathers)
  • Saved by the Bell (Joel wishes they'd discuss something more "Saved by the Bell-ish")
  • Malcolm X (Joel references him)
  • Showgirls (Randy's "favourite scary movie")
  • The House on Sorority Row, The Dorm that Dripped Blood, Splatter University, Graduation Day and Final Exam (Randy's suggestions for the killer's favourite movie)
  • OJ Simpson, Ted Bundy and Charles Manson (Randy suggests these as other killers worth copycatting)


And so we come to this scene. We all knew we'd have to look at it eventually, but it's always sad when it comes around and it's all "but... but... RANDY!" Let's push through, okay? Let's navigate our way through this traumatic scene together.


"Sidney wasn't killed in Woodsboro."
"Wasn't for a lack of trying. The killer's trying to finish what was started."

Here it is folks! The very dead centre of the entire Scream trilogy! This very shot is, if I have my maths correct, the dead centre and it's quite fitting that it's in one of the entire franchise's greatest scenes and features three of everyone's favourite characters.

While this is indeed quite cool, it's also depressing because I'd intended on having this project finished months ago and yet we're still only at the half way point. I just... ugh.


"When did she start smoking?"


"Ever since those nude pictures on the internet."


"It was just my head... it was Jennifer Aniston's body."

Teehee. I love that Gale Weathers lives in the same world as Courteney Cox. It still bugs me that only Aniston and David Schwimmer of her Friends co-stars got references. Although what could you say about Matt LeBlanc?


"Time out! See, now I don't need to be hearing about no dead cameraman, all right? Now I'm warning you guys, I am a verb away from vacating these premises. I'm gonna get me some coffee, donuts, prozac, see if I can find some crack, special k, x - not Malcolm - and I'll be back when you're talking about something a little bit more Saved by the Bell-ish, all right?"

Joel the Cameraman goes off on this little spiel when Gale says there were more victims "before the home stretch", two of which include Tatum and Kenny the Cameraman. I would've thought their deaths were indeed part of the home stretch, but as we've already established Gale's recollection of the events of "the Woodsboro murders" is a bit, shall we say, off.

I accidentally paused on this next shot:


"LOL"


"Not interrupting anything, am I? You three look deep in thought."

Uh-oh! I love this line reading by the way. Not so much the "knife scraping bone" line that was re-used in Scream 4 (although I like that even in Stab 7 Gale was still able to take inspiration from real life!) There's a playfulness that is so sick and twisted without being overtly grisly. I love it.


So much of what typifies the Scream films (or, at least, the first two and some of the fourth) is evident here. The little chuckles that come about from stuff like this where all three look around like they're lost, and yet its juxtaposed against the very real threat. I think it works particularly well here since that creeping thought that "oh no, one of them will die!" is such a terrifying one since we love these characters so much. And then to have it play out in broad daylight? That was a stroke of genius.


I've spoken at length about Wes Craven's use of space in these films. Framing his shots with optimum levels of uneasiness and tension. Always making sure the viewer is aware of what's around the target like Casey standing in front of those patio glass doors or Tatum being shot walking into the garage from the living room location of the party so we know how close she was to everyone else.


"What's your favourite scary movie?"
"Showgirls - absolutely frightening.

This line disappoints me. I would have thought Randy would be able to see the inherent greatness within Showgirls! Although, I guess, the two years between Showgirls and Scream 2 wasn't enough time for it to have accrued the good will that it has today. The line works well as a funny way to cap a Scream 2 trailer, but my love of Showgirls means the line irks me.


"What's yours? Wait, let me guess: The House on Sorority Row? The Dorm that Dripped Blood? Splatter University? Graduation Day? Final Exam?

I like how once the telephone call comes though, the point of view of the scene becomes much more voyeuristic and a bit dizzying as it rotates around Randy and uses slight "Steadicam" style filmmaking as we follow Randy around and being very conscious of where he is amongst his surroundings.

The only one of the films Randy mentions that I have seen is The House on Sorority Row, which I discussed just last week! I've tried to see the others but they're unavailable here. Very disappointing.


"Who's this?"
"Who's this?"
"Gale Weathers, author of The Woodsboro Murders!"

Behold the best line reading in all of Scream 2! Love it! I hope that at some point in my life I write a book called The Woodsboro Murders just so I can quote this line like I do others in the films. "Glenn Dunks, author of The Woodsboro Murders!" Amazing.


"FUUUUCCCKK YOOOOUUUU!"

I kinda love that Mrs Loomis aka Debbie Salt - who we know is the one who gets "knife happy" with Randy since she admits it in the climax - knows all this stuff about how Randy will "never be the leading man" and "never get the girl" because I like to imagine that Billy and his mum used to sit around and talk about his friends and what cinematic archetypes they fill. Well, until she skipped town like the exceptional mother that she is :/


So sneaky with the composition of those frames. It's Gale's van, it must be innocuous, right? Nope. Think again "dead boy."


Yeah, I'd make that face too if some random stranger tackled me from behind. O_O


Silly Randy, you should be trying to be around people! Ghostface can't exactly attack you around others. Love this shot though, don't you?


"Why copycat to high school loser ass dickheads? Stu was a pussy-assed wet rag and Billy Loomis - Billy Loomis? What the fuck? Jesus! What a rat-lookin', homo-repressed mama's boy. Why not set your goals higher, huh?

And I like the casual inclusion of "Loomis" and "mama's boy" into the conversation. Stu doesn't get a last name, but Billy does. We need to remember that name, that's why. And the "mama's boy" is yet another slight reference to Billy's mother that would go otherwise unnoticed unless you knew who the killer was. I keep quite dialogue from this scene because I think it's so well written and structured, don't you? Such rhythm.


:(

Meanwhile, there's symmetry once against between Scream and Scream 2 in the way that Randy nearly died first time around by not paying attention behind him and here goes and does it again, but isn't quite as lucky.


Love this shot! In fact, it's not just my favourite shot in this scene, but it's definitely one of my favourite shots in the entire movie. No particular reasoning behind it, I just think it looks nifty, although it does give us that great van opening van door reveal a few moments later. Plus, the idea of Ghostface looking around after having just smashed in the window of a news van is humourous.


Arty shot alert!

I find it interesting - and it goes on to that theory about this scene being directed in such a voyeuristic manner - that we're never inside the van. Not for one second. Filming Randy's murder from the outside of the van adds an even bigger dollop of tragedy to it because we can see how close he is to help with that group of hip-hoppers walking by.

And, furthermore, by filming from the outside we miss seeing someone so beloved getting - to quote Maureen Evans - "cut the fuck up". We don't need to see it in order to recognise the terror of it unlike, say, Cici. The scene is vital and a bit heartbreaking all on its own without having to actually witness the knife going in and out of his flesh.


What have we learnt from all of this? If Gale Weathers shows up in a news van, you best not get near it, because eventually blood is going to be dripping out of it. Probably YOURS!

...or maybe not.


Gale head title of "oh no..." when they realise they can't see Randy.





And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the best scream in the Screams. Casey's mum sure had a doozy, but there's something about this one of Gale screaming for Randy that kills it (er, pun unintended).

For a movie franchise that is called Scream, Craven refreshingly didn't use many moments like this where it's like there's a drum roll and a "here it comes!" announcement in neon. Like when movies use their title in the dialogue and sometimes it just sounds silly! We don't need every character belting out a scream that could shatter glass.


I'd scream like Gale too if I'd just discovered that. Poor Randy. :(

On one hand I'm sad that Randy had to die, but I'm glad they had the balls to do it. In Scream 3 they say "all bets are off" and that "anyone can die", and yet it's Scream 2 that adheres to those rules more than Scream 3.

Over at Scream-Trilogy.net many people discussed the trailers and ads of Scream 4 to such a degree that they figured they knew who died in what order and how. Many said the Weinsteins were releasing too many clips and all that, but many of them seem to be unaware that the trailers for the first three were equally spoiler-filled. Looking at the trailer for Scream 2 now and it's quite obvious that Randy dies and, hell, they even show Cici being thrown off the roof of the sorority house! Silly people have no memories. <-this had nothing to do with anything, I just felt like mentioning it.
I love that this scene ends on such a sombre note with some sort of sad, lonely gong note playing over this shot of an empty college campus. Almost like a moment of reflection for Randy, letting us calm our nerves after the jolt of electricity that this scene is. This brief overhead shot of the campus is like the dot at the bottom of this scene's exclamation point. "This shit is real, you guys!" And I love the way it completes the eventual diminishing of people from the campus as each of these overhead shots has included fewer and fewer people. The ranks are thinning!

Scream:
Intro, Scene 1 Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14, Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20, Scene 21, Scene 22, Scene 23, Scene 24, Scene 25, Scene 26, Scene 27, Scene 28, Scene 29, Scene 30, Scene 31 Scene 32, Scene 33, End Credits

Scream 2
Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14. Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20

Monday, May 23, 2011

Review: Oceans

Oceans
Dir. Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud
Year: 2011
Aus Rating: G
Running Time: 84mins

The latest documentary from Disneynature – they also brought us Earth (2007) – begins with a daunting series of ocean photography; waves crashing on top of themselves, an army of jellyfish floating as if without a care in the world, a pack of dolphins skipping across the water and marine iguanas sunbaking on the Galapagos Islands amongst others. This film by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud – the team behind Oscar-nominated Winged Migration – is nothing if not a beautiful 84 minute clip reel of the nature’s very own CGI. While it is visually stunning, Oceans is hampered by Pierce Brosnan’s naff narration and a saccharine, albeit thankfully brief, framing device of an adorable blonde-haired boy precociously asking “what is the ocean?”

Read the rest at Trespass Magazine

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 20 of Scream 2 (0:54:09-1:00:18)

In this project I attempt to review the entire Scream trilogy scene by scene in chronological order. Heavy spoilers and gore throughout!



SCENE 20 of Scream 2
Length: 6min 9secs
Primary Characters: Sidney Prescott, Gus Gold (David Warner) and Derek
Pop Culture References:
  • None


Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it: This is the worst scene in the entire trilogy. THE ENTIRE TRILOGY!

Unless I'm forgetting some scene in Scream 3 - which is possible, Steven Stone's scene in the trailer comes to mind, but still... - I feel quite confident in saying so. Scream 2 is the longest film of the trilogy and it I think if it's too long the blame lies in some of these sequences around the middle. Scene 17 could have easily have been cut and one in a little bit where Sidney receives a death threat via computer (using the "intranet"?) could've been nixed as well. This one though is just the worst. I honestly can't find a single moment in it that I like and I skip it each and every time I watch Scream 2.


A lot of the blame goes on this guy, Gus Gold, Sidney's drama teacher. Ugh. Worst character of the trilogy, too! And I'm including Tyson from Scream 3 in that wide net! None of the fun or menace that was found in Henry Winkler's Himbry, nor is there any weathered bravura that can be found in the likes of Lance Henrikson's Milton or Joseph Whipp's Sheriff Burke. It's just overblown silliness. This scene between he and Sidney in which they discuss her strength as a "fighter" is just bollocks. WE GET IT! Why couldn't she have gotten that pep from Dewey or even Derek in her cafeteria serenade?


"The battle for the soul is fought in the form of art; you're a fighter, Sid, that's why you're here..."

Oh for heaven's sake, can it you armchair psychiatrist. You're a drama teacher not the Dean of Psychology. Ugh. HATE!!

Sorry, I just can't contain my contempt for this scene. I get what the scene is trying to do; set up the location of the climax, show that Sidney did indeed have a life there at school, and I also like that they position the idea of Sidney being an actress when in fact Maureen Prescott was one two and Sidney just didn't know. Still, I just really don't like the way they put all that stuff into the movie when it could've been some so much easier and with less pomp.


And then there's the show itself. See, this is just cruel. Surround Sidney with a bunch of scary people in masks? Yikes. This drama teacher is an arsehole.



"Fate's vengeful eye is set... on me!"

Heavy handed much?



Again with the scary people with masks! And now they're attacking Sidney with knives? You'd think the drama teacher - the awful prick that he is - would maybe choose a play with less obvious parallels to his star's life. But, then, Kevin Williamson isn't exactly the subtlest of writers at times, you know?


Yawn.

See, it just comes off as silly. Why would the killer actually risk this? So, right from the get go we know it's not an actual attack on Sidney. So taking that into consideration, we must conclude that it's just Sidney's imagination getting the better of her, but it feels so unnecessary. We are well aware that Sidney is tortured by the crimes and terrified of what could happen, so we don't need this bit to show us this. Hmmm.


This shot is cool. It'd be cooler if it was in an actual chase sequence that was actually scary and actually Ghostface.


Oh wait, my mistake: GREATEST SCENE OF THE ENTIRE TRILOGY!!!

Actually, no, it's still shit. Portia de Rossi's eyebrows don't quite have that level of power unfortunately.


My my, what nice eerie foreboding you're giving us there, Wes. I do like the shot though. It's all very arty.


Derek gets sappier and more and more like a personal poodle with each passing scene. I really kinda wish Joshua Jackson, who we saw back in scene 3 had been cast as Derek instead of the wet Jerry O'Connell. Don't you agree?

Oh look! The scene's over and it's directly followed by one of the top five scenes of the trilogy. It's like they knew this scene was a dud and needed to wake everyone up again!

Scream:
Intro, Scene 1 Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14, Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20, Scene 21, Scene 22, Scene 23, Scene 24, Scene 25, Scene 26, Scene 27, Scene 28, Scene 29, Scene 30, Scene 31 Scene 32, Scene 33, End Credits

Scream 2
Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14. Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19