So what have I been doing. I actually need to go back and look at my last post just to see what the last movie I watched was.
BRB.
Mk, Videodrom and Wall-E.
So since Tuesday I have written my paper on Vertigo. After the 50th time it's still an awesome movie. I like how the more I watch it, the more things I catch. For example: Hitchcock distinctly focuses on Kim Novak's profile and then the message is made clear why the profile was so important. (When she's sitting in the green light and says "It's because I remind you of her.")
Then on Friday, I ended up working 13 hours and watched a plethora of movies! And by plethora I mean 5. I finished watching Bell, Book, and Candle with Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. Just go to the end of this post to find out what it's about.
I then moved on to 2001: A Space Odyssey. I had actually received this movie when I was 13 years old and watched it once and thought it was the most messed up movie. However, watching it again 12 years later, I am amazed at the camera tricks Kubrick used, especially the revolving space station/shuttle thing. I'm not sure, and I haven't looked this up (even though I'm sure it's simple to find), but I'm pretty sure N'Sync used the same tricks to film the music video to Bye Bye Bye. Ohhhh I miss JT with the highlights (not). I am also pretty sure Fred Astair used the same effect in Royal Wedding.
yup.
Actually before I watched 2001, I watched The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Heath Ledger's last movie). Talk about weird movies. At first I couldn't understand why Ledger's character kept changing in the imaginarium while no one else did... but then it made sense after I read Wikipedia. He had died during production. So anyway, the movie kind of messes with your perception a little. It starts out with a sort of turn of the century traveling show and you think "oh, it's a period movie" but then you see other modern day things like the Eye of London and cars and modern magazines and then you think "What kind of weirdos willingly travel around like this?!" It's like watching a Salvador Dali painting come to life and move.
So other than the weird psyche of the movie, it was more alluring to watch Ledger knowing that this was his last film. I felt the whole time I watched the little things he did. His mannerisms, his gazes, what he touches and how he does it... etc. It was actually kind of amazing what I felt watching him... especially knowing that this film came pretty much after Batman. I had a little talk with my mom about young artists who died young (this started after seeing the cover of People magazine with Amy Winehouse on it). It got me thinking about things like, "What if someone like Orson Welles or Audrey Hepburn had died young?" Or I guess for younger people today, "What if Tom Hanks or Johnny Depp died 15-20 years ago?"
OTHER than Heath Ledger, I thought that Christopher Plummer did an AMAZING job. I just felt so bad for him the whole time. I kept thinking "Awww.... poor Captain Von Trapp." What can you do? However, it makes me want to see The Beginners even more now. (To do list.)
Ok so... Doctor Parnassus and 2001. Which reminds me... what the heck does the last part of 2001 mean?!?! I've read different theories but I just want someone to say "Here it is."
Then I took out The Boondock Saints. I know... watching the super artsy-fartsy ones on Friday.
(For time continuity sake, what's written above was done on Tuesday... it's not Friday... a week after watching Boondocks.)
I had watched the movie when I first came to college (7 years ago) because it was the "it" thing to do. Pretty much, if you hadn't seen Boondock Saints or Supertroops you were a freak (as well as not being Liberal and a Cubs fan). So anyway, watching it again made me convinced that I would totally to do what they do if I could get away from it... I know, that sounds a little psycho and demonic... but c'mon, after watching Oceans 11 you didn't think about robbing a bank?
I want these tattoos on my hands
After finishing Boondocks, I moved back into my Kim Novak collection and started watching Middle of the Night... which was fitting because by the time I started it, it was 1am. It's just basically about an old man and a young woman who fall in love and in the 1950's that's not cool with anyone. So this and and yada yada... you get the point... she's hot.
Mk... so moving on to Tuesday. Checking out my movies for the day at the library, the clerk (who looked a little punkish like to me) commented, "Getting into the deep stuff eh? I dig it..." Anyway, not only did I work a long ass day, but I watched a pretty weird ass (but beautiful!) movie. I decided to take a stab at Raise the Red Lantern, which is a Chinese movie from 1991 (got nominated for Best Foreign Film). It has that super simple but awesome cinematography quality to it. All the pictures and shots were beautiful. The storyline is a little crazy and spooky... but I guess you'll get that when you have 4 turn of the century concubines and a servant girl fighting over the Master.
Apparently, also, the movie, which was adapted from a book, is also a ballet. I'm sure it would be beautiful to see.
Going on my Asian kick, I also got Seven Samurai!!!!!!! I know, the film makers mecca. I had seen the movie in my very last ever history class before I graduated and didn't pay much attention to the movie. All I could think about was getting at least a B in the class and getting the hell out of Dodge. So what would I care if some farmers need some samurai to save their village?!
Watching it again with a critical eye was really fun the second time around. The use of slow motion, the angles and the panning action shots are pretty cool. Also for a black and white, the use of the lighting was definitely noticeable. I liked finding the conscious choices Kurosawa used in his direction. It was just a lot of fun. Especially when I constantly have people asking me if my A/C works in my parking booth... I really hate that question.
I really love this scene. I wish I could find a better picture of it though.
Ohhhh, I just love Kikuchiyo. He's so well written.
I had also checked out The Aviator (I know Tron won the poll, but it's unavailable at the library :/). I was interested in watching it after Raise the Red Lantern but the disk kept skipping in my player. You bet the library will be hearing about this one!!!! :p
So tonight I watched Good Will Hunting. Another that I had seen before but didn't really invest myself into it. I'm pretty sure every time Robin Williams spoke I cried. A well deserved Oscar win for him. I also felt that Matt Damon should have gotten Best Actor, but I have never seen As Good As It Gets (which Jack Nicholson won the award that year). If I haven't said it before, I am in love with Matt Damon. I also thought Minne Driver was cute as hell in the movie. And, even though I should try to limit my judgments when watching movies, I couldn't really buy Ben Affleck's performance... probably due to the other crappy performances from movies coming after Good Will Hunting.
yup, you bet I cried at this scene
And so after I finished crying to the patrons coming through my line, I moved onto Bridge over the River Kwai. I just love that, even though he doesn't really look like Obi-Wan Kenobi, you can tell it's Alec Guinness because of his speech. I love the old hard-ass English man role! But the American, William Holden, (so far) makes the Americans look like a bunch of pussies. However, I can't cast any stones, seeing as I've never escaped from an enemy prison camp and ran through a jungle. But compared to other Americans in other war movies.... I guess David Lean was just trying to make it more realistic, which in truth, I'm sure anyone who survives a war doesn't do it with marked grace.
SO that's what I've been doing for this past week! Phew!!
PS - thanks to whoever voted that I would only make the Women's National Soccer Team if the whole league died out! :D
Thanks for reading!
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