tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71332000042921294952011-08-01T11:56:25.931-07:00The place where cinema is your addiction and we're your fix.El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.comBlogger3241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-21935311346163511432010-03-01T18:20:00.000-08:002010-03-01T18:24:31.220-08:00

This will be my last post at blogger. Goodbye for now blogger, you were great but it's time to move on to my very own url.You can now check my own by just checking out www.sicknesscinema.comThat's it. THAT SIMPLE! Come check out our newer, sleeker, sexier design with all the great content you love.http://sicknesscinema.comBoomAnd now to say goodbye:

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-91917293126006763582010-02-28T21:42:00.000-08:002010-02-28T21:55:15.308-08:00

Episode 3: Is He the Chumba or the Wumba? The Cave 76 PodcastIt's our biggest episode yet clocking in at over an hour and a half of Oscar-y goodness. Perfect for long road trips or an exhausting work out. This episode brings out the Oscar fever part of the Sickness and venerable co-host Frank.It's a long episode but I think it's also our best one yet. The organization of episode 2, but with

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-40969825009217927482010-02-25T21:35:00.000-08:002010-02-25T21:47:02.122-08:00

Big news. One of my co-workers in my day job is a pretty solid web-designer and all around creative type, so he's in the process in helping me radically renovate the site. This design will be smoother, more user-friendly and easier on the eyes. It's very, very exciting. We'll be looking into owning my domain name as well. Which, you know, all respect to blogspot, but it'll be way nicer to

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-32515027203767755672010-02-24T21:41:00.000-08:002010-02-24T23:08:23.667-08:00

This White Ribbon review continues to vex me. Hopefully inspiration will strike some time in the next 48 hours. In the mean time, normally I'd save this for Friday but it's such a strange list I just had to share my thoughts on it.Entertainment Weekly online put up a list of their 50 greatest living directors (though they've only posted 25 so far) and you can check it out here. My thoughts are

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-75120611829962578452010-02-23T23:04:00.000-08:002010-02-24T01:41:36.224-08:00

Woo!Now a special treat. My amazing co-host has quickly edited together a newer, tighter (yet somehow LONGER) episode of Cave 76. We also aren't going to deal with any penny ante hosting site anymore. Frank got us on podomatic, which you can check out here. And hey if you click subscribe to iTunes on that page we'll show up in your iTunes podcast feed right next to Bill Simmons, Dan Savage

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-54049626065221318762010-02-21T21:15:00.000-08:002010-02-23T18:29:48.325-08:00

Warning: The following article contains polarizing political views in addition to spoilers for Shutter Island. If you wish to avoid both, I suggest you not read the article. I am by my nature not a political writer and if you want two far more insightful and cogent arguments about the nature of torture and Cheney's admission you'd do well to look here and here.Last week former Vice President

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-25926401932807442002010-02-20T10:20:00.000-08:002010-02-20T10:51:14.072-08:00

Wow, where did THAT week go? So it was a wonderful week full of all kinds of people saying nice things about the podcast. Let me tell you guys, my co-host and I are in constant communication about what we can do to make it even better. We will be recording on Sundays and it's looking like we'll be focusing more on movie and tv rather than music and some of the other minutia in pop-culture.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-52932804843065340042010-02-14T09:37:00.001-08:002010-02-14T12:45:21.701-08:00

Attention fans of things that are AWESOME!You can download our first ever podcast by clicking below. Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io Save File: Cave76Ep1.mp3 You can also stream it here:Hey everyone, this post marks a very special occasion for the blog where we move to a new way to inform and present our content. This is our first podcast, which we've decided to call "

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-60405247756693871572010-02-13T16:17:00.000-08:002010-02-13T16:17:49.333-08:00

There is rarely a more satisfying experience for me as a reviewer then stepping into a theater with next to no knowledge about the film and walking out amazed. I went into Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank aware of only two things, one that the film contains some very difficult to watch moments and that it contains wonderful performances from Michael Fassbender and Katie Jarvis. While both statements

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-26249004576309194242010-02-12T08:39:00.000-08:002010-02-12T09:07:14.802-08:00

Analysis: Devin from CHUD talks about the deserving and undeserving snubs of this year's Oscars.The AV Club also takes a look at one of my favorites from this decade, Let the Right One In. The truly GREAT vampire love flick from the aughts.A solid primer for Buster Keaton. Don't know who that is? Read this article and FIX THAT!Interviews: All around great actor Kevin Corrigan expounds on some

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-11329526073559760052010-02-11T00:55:00.000-08:002010-02-11T01:08:45.342-08:00

Ok so I've been busy. My day job took me to a conference in Conneticut (which was lovely by the way) but, well, the timing was not good. You know that storm you've been hearing about ever and been seeing on the news? Yeah, I got caught in THAT! So now I'm stuck here on the East Coast. No worries, I'm making the best of a bad situation and will try to squeeze in some writing. So what's

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-87343306806589009492010-02-04T20:48:00.000-08:002010-02-04T21:09:06.868-08:00

So this little tidbit showed up in Variety today.Now obviously I'm not going to freak out and get over-excited about the mascot film of this site getting a sequel. It's tempting but lets proceed with cautious optimism.As of now Anne Fletcher, who brought us the mega-hit The Proposal and 27 Dresses is attached to direct. Fletcher, a former choreographer certainly knows how to bring in a wide

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-31115932977273838222010-02-03T22:23:00.001-08:002010-02-04T13:43:34.063-08:00

I've been planning a Rohmer retrospective for a long time on the site, but unfortunately his films have been in high demand on netflix since the great director's passing.So instead I rented the Insane Clown Posse movie "Big Money Hustlas."Alongside two brave companions and a six-pack of Firestone Pale Walker (thanks Ter) we set about to watch this jug-sterpiece and let me tell you, I don't know

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-84702865213383618942010-02-02T12:46:00.001-08:002010-02-03T21:12:28.610-08:00

We come once again to the time of yelps for joy and nerdy hand-wringing-Oscar Nominations. Below you will find a list of the nominees and below each individual list my thoughts on who belongs, who doesn't and who was snubbed. Just a quick FYI I took out Documentary short subject as well as the shorts category as I've seen none of the films nominated and can't really speak with any authority on

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-36435991930521231172010-02-01T11:48:00.000-08:002010-02-02T07:48:50.336-08:00

Empire Magazine posted a list of the "50 Worst Movies of All Time" and my friend Joel asked if I'd be interested on commenting on the list on the blog. I'm always happy to take requests (especially since they relieve me of the burden of original content) so lets do this.50. Spider-Man 3-WRONG! While overstuffed and a bit too much helplessness from the protagonist the film is hardly a wash.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-38663575739336146232010-01-30T11:21:00.000-08:002010-01-30T11:39:27.524-08:00

The best soundtracks and scores of 2009. Great picks.The always clever and crotchety Devin Faraci just returned from Sundance and boy did he see a lot of movies. Many of them sound great. Can't wait.Kim Morgan delivers a sharp, well written look at the influence of the late JD Salinger on film.Miramax is folding, it's inevitable but sad. Here are several different tributes to the finest the

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-24070458695652339792010-01-28T21:20:00.000-08:002010-01-28T21:36:19.288-08:00

It's been said but...When I was a little kid the horror movie that scared me the most (even though i didn't atually watch it) was Child's Play. Ugh, creepy ass doll.But the first movie that scared the bejeezum out of me was Hooper and Speilberg's Poltergeist.I've since come to respect the film for it's ability to both terrify and yet still create a sense of awe in the unknown. Also cause of

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-46189402505917684492010-01-27T23:11:00.001-08:002010-02-01T15:09:52.473-08:00

Fidelity to character. Whenever a major property is adapted to the big screen the internet seems to go up in arms or embrace whole-heartedly depending on how close to the source material the movie hews. When it was announced that stylist Guy Ritchie was going to be directing an action-packed remake of Sherlock Holmes with (gasp) American Robert Downey Jr as Holmes tongues clicked and message

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-73790544956036021012010-01-26T23:32:00.001-08:002010-01-28T00:38:26.482-08:00

In a splash of autumnal browns and golds the weathered visage of Jeff Bridges steps into some dive-bar spotlight, picks up his guitar and sings, barely out of a drunken stupor about how "fallin' feels like flyin'." It's an apt description for rookie director Scott Cooper's Crazy Heart. The film, which at its core about an alcoholic hitting rock bottom and pulling his life together, is never

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-51210228160071680962010-01-22T11:29:00.000-08:002010-01-22T11:43:20.921-08:00

Do you have netflix? If you don't you should, ESPECIALLY because God's special gift to film lovers, Criterion, has put a huge chunk of their film archive online for instant streaming. These are spectacular films and they're available to you to watch RIGHT NOW. Here is a list of but a few of the new great films they've added. The AV Club was on fire this week with several fantastic articles.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-54805720530079787622010-01-21T19:53:00.001-08:002010-01-21T19:58:35.763-08:00

Anything I post today could not POSSIBLY compete with this bundle of greatness. I believe it is from the folks who brought us the 100 Best Quotes from the Wire. Here, without any additional commentary is the 100 Cheesiest Movie Lines of All Time.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-44436615678292420372010-01-20T21:57:00.000-08:002010-02-04T15:56:04.527-08:00

Some quick thoughts on what's been going through my q lately.Public Enemies: Now I am a big Michael Mann fan. I think he belongs right next to, or maybe a foot down from, Scorsese as a great modern American auteur with a deep passion for film. In his latest film he makes a rather bold decision to shoot with a new digital camera and the choice doesn't really work. You can read a lot more about

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-76372093771483154812010-01-19T23:47:00.000-08:002010-01-19T23:47:00.501-08:00

A memes, the lazy bloggers mana.As taken from Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule1) Second-favorite Coen Brothers movie.Raising Arizona (following a Miller's Crossing, Big Lebowski tie)2) Movie seen only on home format that you would pay to see on the biggest movie screen possible? (Question submitted by Peter Nellhaus)Easy, Lawrence of Arabia. I got the itch when I saw a trailer for the

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-66669823432719273192010-01-18T14:30:00.000-08:002010-01-18T16:29:05.171-08:00

You know what it is, I know what it is. I decided that I'll twitter the Oscars and not bother my legion of followers on a regular Sunday.Ok so we start off with Gervais who is typically snarky and off the cuff and I like it even if it isn't barn burning material.Mo'nique wins best supporting, not surprising. Thanks God, EQUALLY non-surprising. Frankly I think she should have won for Beerfest.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-37764351066734261762010-01-15T17:42:00.000-08:002010-01-15T18:33:08.212-08:00

Screw links, if you're a nerd and you love movies today is a huge HUGE day.Edgar Rice Buroughs is a name some of you may know, he created Tarzan after all (and if you're one of my many L.A. readers you know he lived in what is now Tarzana and the area is subsequently named after his creation). But Tarzan isn't his only famous creation. The other is John Carter of Mars who starred in a series of

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-75598883450763614822010-01-13T18:27:00.000-08:002010-01-13T18:35:04.997-08:00

I would not characterize this season of SNL as exceptional. I like Nasim Pedrad but the show has been going more for silly than sharp lately. That's not to say that there isn't good work coming from the likes of Jason Sudekis, Will Forte and the great Bill Hader. Heck even Kristen Wiig gets in a solid moment. Still the last two hosts; James Franco and Charles Barkley seemed to invigorate the

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-13397725901869146892010-01-12T18:25:00.000-08:002010-01-12T18:32:35.926-08:00

Had a big presentation for work today which required a good sized drive so I'm pretty tired.So in lieu of snark, reviewing or editorializing let me make some recommendations.Some of the best movies of the past year are coming out on DVD and Blu-Ray today and you owe it to yourself to at least check them out. Among the titles available are:The Hurt Locker-Team Bigelow's outstanding, tense yet

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-39877712559980093222010-01-11T15:02:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:21:00.199-08:00

Today Mike Fleming, who has just recently joined Nikki Finke's army, broke this story that Sam Raimi and Toby Maguire are done with Spider-Man franchise (not surprising considering the rumors of Raimi's arguing over the script) and that Sony has plans to reboot the franchise.Granted there are many ways this scenario could have played out but this is, to paraphrase Voltaire, the worst of all

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-84309594395322735442010-01-10T14:09:00.001-08:002010-01-10T14:24:46.677-08:00

If you've been living under a rock (or for some reason have some sort of ability to selectively tune out absolute crap) you're aware of the recently released Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. The film introduces the Chipettes to the live-action world of Alvin and his brothers (much to the delight of perverts and David Cross' real estate portfolio). Perhaps the most notable thing about

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-49033124355232919162010-01-08T22:28:00.001-08:002010-01-09T12:39:08.347-08:00

I also toyed with Link in Revolt. Also Link Year.Lists:The film-experience is doing a ton of decade related lists. Here are the best male and female performers of the decade. Also a run-down of the hundred best films of the decade here, here and here.Kim Morgan put together a best of the year list. Clever and thoughtful as always.Analysis:The House Next Door continues to crank out wonderful

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-30227974913067076722010-01-07T18:55:00.000-08:002010-01-07T19:37:33.809-08:00

At the strong recommendation of my friend Cary I saw the Messengers a new film by Oren Moverman. I was reluctant because of the film's premise, which follows a young soldier who after his field duty he is drafted to be part of a two-man team who are given the supremely unenviable task of informing families of deceased soldier's of their passing. Rough material to say the least. The film

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-65318162337178101332010-01-06T20:25:00.000-08:002010-01-07T10:08:19.122-08:00

In the buzz and critical fervor that passes through with each new Eastwood film it would be easy for film fans to dismiss his work as deliberate, discardable award-bait as opposed to the well constructed story-telling pieces they are.Eastwood remains a talented story-teller who keeps his destination insight at all times. He uses the story of the South African Springbokks rugby team as an

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-47125683945814438482010-01-05T20:10:00.000-08:002010-01-05T20:14:46.290-08:00

Oh Nine. Nine, Nine, Nine. What happened?Long time readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of musicals and if you know The Sickness as a film student you know I love me my Fellini. So what happened? How did Rob Marshall who just a few years ago looked like he was ready to re-introduce the movie musical to the mainstream assemble such a total mess?I have some theories. For one,

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-76474254247973933212010-01-04T19:04:00.000-08:002010-01-05T20:10:22.967-08:00

Coming into the next decade we'll no doubt be seeing both filmmakers and exhibitors trying a variety of ways to keep the increasingly fractured audience in theaters. Right now, Cameron's Avatar unquestionably dominates the landscape with it's innovations in 3D, facial motion-capture and CGI texture and shading. The film looks goregous and it can rest quite comfortably on its spectacle. However

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-74891457908578551932009-12-20T22:28:00.000-08:002009-12-20T22:36:00.935-08:00

Ok so work is completely kicking my bum. Totally busy and the blog is going to have to go dark until after day job relaxes. Figure I'll grab onto a computer and blog it up after the 27th. I haven't even had time to see any movies. Wait, scratch that, I did see ONE movie. I want to cool down a bit and get it in my rear-view lest I bust out something I regret later. That being said the sheer

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-15040365154083633602009-12-15T15:54:00.000-08:002009-12-16T10:44:36.977-08:00

Ah yes, the Hollywood Foreign Press. Once every year the poke their heads out of a hole and try to predict whether we're bound to several more months of winter (or something like that).No, actually its time for my Golden Globe nomination reactions.First off I am very excited that Ricky Gervais is hosting as a Gervais appearance is inevitably a (if not THE) highlight of any given awards program

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-90117899570669282752009-12-14T13:00:00.000-08:002009-12-14T13:00:01.878-08:00

Can an old dog learn new tricks? Scratch that, can Pluto learn new tricks? Disney's first hand-drawn animated film in almost six years, The Princess and the Frog, makes a herculean effort to return to the glory days of the late 80's and early 90's and largely succeeds. Whats particularly fascinating about the film is it that in addition to replicating the feel of past successes (as well as the

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-48781525848014565712009-12-12T16:33:00.000-08:002009-12-13T22:20:08.764-08:00

Since the blog has been resurrected one of my most fervent and enthusiastic supporters of the blog has been Football Chick. As a special holiday gift I asked if there was a particular film she'd like me to look at and after pursuing the list she gave me I thought it would be appropriate to look at the much beloved X-mas favorite White Christmas.The film is directed by Michael Curtiz, a reliable

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-82139928783426564592009-12-11T21:53:00.000-08:002009-12-11T22:18:59.947-08:00

Links HO!Lists: Mr. Breaks continues his excellent list of the Best of the Decade here, here and here.Cinematical provides a pretty thorough look at the best action films of the decade. This would be an excellent launching point for someone interested in this particular genre of the decade.Here is a look at 100 Greatest Films outside the standard cannon, worth a look.Time Magazine has posted its

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-37771658559082640912009-12-10T20:42:00.000-08:002009-12-10T21:05:38.233-08:00

Samuraifrog brought this meme to my attention.Here we go.01. If you went to Hogwarts, which house would you be sorted in?Alexis and I would be in Hufflepuff and we'd make it COOL!02. Have you ever been to a Harry Potter midnight book release?Nope, though I know people who have.03. What did you think of Deathly Hallows?You could've saved a lot of tress and about 150 pages if she just wrote "Harry,

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-71277985226441318432009-12-09T14:20:00.000-08:002009-12-09T19:28:50.442-08:00

Paper Heart is twee, but not so twee as to be unwatchable. Cute, but no so cute as to be lovable and clever, but not nearly as clever as it think it is. The film plays around with reality by having the film be a faux documentary; intermingling actual interview sections with Charlene Yi (who was less cloying and obnoxious then I thought she'd be), staged and improvised sections where Yi is

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-66363292947491184032009-12-08T00:03:00.000-08:002009-12-08T00:33:41.072-08:00

Every once in a while I like to map out what's coming on the blog to give me goals to hit and something for readers to expect and look forward to. Work is going to keep me pretty busy from December 21-27 but before and after that expect lots of bloggy goodness.In the week to come you'll see:A plea to see The RoomRed Envelope Reviews for Gomorrah and Paper HeartA special thank you post/reviewIn

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-43897058266636209032009-12-07T08:45:00.000-08:002009-12-07T21:26:18.521-08:00

How deep do you want to go? This is the question that faces all discerning film-goers as they sit down in their seats. When one begins to analyze and critique a film does one examine its success in being an example of formalism? Will you look at plotting and structure? At mise-en-scene? How the film's style informs its content? In these arenas Up In the Air is an unqualified success and for

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-67239434300038466392009-12-05T14:26:00.000-08:002009-12-05T14:32:27.834-08:00

What a phenomenal challenge for a director it must be to adapt a very distinct voice while adding your own particular voice to it. What a delight it must be one succeeds at it so spectacularly. Such is the case with Wes Anderson's adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox. Despite reports of a very tumultuous work environment Anderson and his masterful collabrators in the field of

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-91145354139019856872009-12-04T17:57:00.000-08:002009-12-04T18:21:04.077-08:00

End of the year, end of the decade, that means a butt-load of links. How much of a butt-load? If one were to quantify it into a unit of measurement I'd call it a Kardashian.Lists:Anyway lots of lists. Which you gotta love. Especially from my beloved AV Club.The AV Club produced several phenomenal, thoughtful lists. Of the main list of the 50 best of the decade I've seen 42. This is nice

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-14403328093020294562009-12-03T23:16:00.000-08:002009-12-03T23:26:30.076-08:00

Ugh. Just...ahhhhhhhhhhhh!1. You can't spoof comedy, especially if it was originally funny.2. Jokes require punchlines, especially if you're modifying pre-existing jokes.3. A reference to a commercial is not clever...basically ever.4. RESPECT THE APATOW YOU ASSHOLES! If this fecal-matter spread on celluloid even made an attempt to say something REMOTELY insightful about this trend in comedy

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-55322011448945937482009-12-01T00:06:00.001-08:002009-12-01T00:12:24.435-08:00

I won't be the first one and I won't be the last to note that the blocking is similar to Gyllenhaal and Ledger in the Brokeback poster. Though I bet if you did some digging you'd find that its pretty standard poster composition.You can see it in hi-res on yahoo.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-77449910824958971462009-11-30T20:40:00.000-08:002009-12-02T20:17:04.059-08:00

In 1922 German director F.W. Murnau brought the first vampire to screens in his partial adaptation of Dracula in the film Nosferatu. However, it is another Murnau film that informs Korean director Chan Wook-Park's newest film Thirst, this being Murnau's Sunrise. That older film, which looks at a relationship made fragile by the grim specter of lies and death is given a jolt of the extreme shock

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-15525348821003170302009-11-28T14:49:00.000-08:002009-11-30T20:26:30.822-08:00

How comforting to know that at a time when the vacuous victim Bella Swan dominates the box office, the multiplex has room for a legitimate three-dimensional young woman. She may not be perfect, but she provides wonderful food for thought for the discerning film-goer. Meet Jenny Mellor, a young British girl growing up in an English suburb shortly before the Beatles made their first appearance and

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-30325208865945395472009-11-28T14:30:00.000-08:002009-11-28T14:47:02.437-08:00

Lots of cool stuff this week. Enjoy these links as you unbuckle your pants and sink into your food coma.Funny: Kevin Smith's merits as a director are certainly debatable (he'd be the first to knock himself, no question). But as an emissary for the Geek world, well, few are as eloquent and hilarious. Check out this recently dug up clip of him breaking down why Twilight is invaluable to the

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-51715853072965047682009-11-25T11:04:00.001-08:002009-11-26T11:00:06.898-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving I've come to realize that whats great about this holiday is the opportunity it grants us to stop and realize all the little, subtle things we should be thankful for that we often overlook. Here is a list of cinematic delights that I'm thankful for in 2009. Warning VERY LIGHT SPOILERS to follow.The dance number in (500) Days of SummerI'm all for graphic, intimate sex in

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-32675483009852979052009-11-24T14:11:00.001-08:002009-11-24T18:51:42.017-08:00

I have been remiss in my duties readers. I like to think when a new trend or movement in cinema comes up I at least have a handle on it. I'll see one or two films to get a feel for it or do some research in its origins, or try to consider the context from which it sprang forth. However, in regards to the mumblecore movement which began a few years ago in 2002 I have been shamefully uninvolved

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-76581905828580353642009-11-21T17:49:00.000-08:002009-11-23T23:50:04.590-08:00

The days of the anthology horror film seem to have gone the way of the musical and the western. A once much beloved genre that takes a gasp of fresh air every couple of years and then sinks to the bottom of the forgotten pop-cultural consciousness. Just because its not popular doesn't mean its not worthwhile. Trick R Treat is raucous fun thats jokey enough for horror fans who will be whooping

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-32951116690459798022009-11-21T16:47:00.000-08:002009-11-21T17:33:40.081-08:00

What is Richard Curtis driving at? Where is this body of work going? Curtis, when motivated can write deep, thoughtful grown-up characters with complex relationship dynamics. Hell, he can even make Julia Roberts basically playing herself seem down to Earth and relate-able. But his last couple of projects have been scatter shot and not particular whole. By which I mean Love, Actually and his

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-46504246663311195372009-11-21T14:04:00.000-08:002009-11-21T14:28:28.146-08:00

Ugh, craaaazy week you guys.Reviews are a comin', promise.Interviews: Michael Chabon talks about genre. Not that first time he's done it, but its good to know that one of the best living writers of fiction loves comics and crap.Videos: Every death from Total Recall. To which I say "GAR NOT QUAID!"For those of you who haven't seen it yet Jason Segel performed with the Swell Season.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-25380449430122363162009-11-16T22:38:00.000-08:002009-11-16T22:42:05.107-08:00

Ok so I have a conference and this means the following: No new posts until Wednesday night (at the earliest).Reviews will be forthcoming of Pirate Radio and Trick R Treat. Also the Last Waltz and should things go according to plan Fantastic Mr. Fox.You can make fun of me in the comments.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-38962628605376241582009-11-14T11:26:00.000-08:002009-11-14T12:19:54.134-08:00

Netflix served up a double helping of exploitation related material and like last time really dug one, didn't dig the other.The Haunted World of Superbeasto: I'd long anticipated Rob Zombie's return to original material. I enjoyed The House of 1,000 Corpses though deemed it a bit too frenetic and reverential to prior films for its own good. I LOVED The Devil's Rejects in which Zombie

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-51981053400170859282009-11-13T20:00:00.000-08:002009-11-13T20:14:45.213-08:00

Lots of cool stuff worth sharing this week.Great vids: One of the best trends that have been developing virally is the use of classic footage to represent modern films. This use of Chaplin footage to replicate the Matrix is awesome, check it here. Star Wars and I have been on a rocky road for a LONG time. The bulk of internet material produced on this franchise is by-in-large dreck. However,

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-46965688703598956942009-11-12T14:40:00.001-08:002009-11-12T14:47:32.848-08:00

So I can't review or praise or snark about anything tonight because I will be chilling in the green room at Jimmy Kimmel Live because my good friend, Amir, is going to be a guest. Y'all should tune in 12:06/11:06 central. Who knows, last time the put me in the audience for the band and you could kind of see me, tonight, who knows? Also if the thought of seeing Amir and maybe seeing me wasn't

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-72280115105424303492009-11-11T21:21:00.000-08:002009-11-11T21:33:01.330-08:00

Tomorrow will be better but I just can't muster up the strength after watching the Extraordinary Measures, Clash of the Titans and Date Night previews all in one sitting.A couple quick words on each:Extraordinary Measures: I like Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford and I'm sure this film will get a little juice from their names but what on Earth makes this film cinematic as opposed to a Lifetime

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-32063310323767772892009-11-10T19:24:00.000-08:002009-11-10T21:18:47.225-08:00

In this new feature I'll be writing short (well, relatively short) capsule reviews of what I've been wtaching on netflix. Todays films have two things in the common. One, they're both 2009 releases and the other is that they're both road trip films. From the charming adventures of Bing and Bob to the hopeless ambling of Fonda and Hopper, the road trip has long been a staple of the American

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-48477255609262850572009-11-09T22:30:00.000-08:002009-11-10T13:19:31.347-08:00

Who was Michael Jackson? Consummate entertainer? Creepy pedophile weirdo? Emotionally stunted recluse? If the answers are out there, This Is It doesn't provide them. What This is It does convey is brief glimpses of a Jackson kept hidden from the public. The visionary showman who was something of an affable taskmaster. Make no mistake, This Is It is a film that reaffirms Jackson as a talented

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-64222718288115956612009-11-06T09:22:00.000-08:002009-11-06T14:31:00.112-08:00

Hey new and returning viewers, its Friday and that means time for my weekly link round-up.No time to waste, here are the links.Fans of 80's cartoons (surely thats a good chunk of my readership), would do well to check out jaroo.com, which is hulu for people who woke up early to watch Nickelodeon, old school Fox Kids and KCOP. Come on people, Super Mario Brother Super Show (AND Link).slashfilm.com

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-81261198230661236862009-11-04T22:14:00.000-08:002009-11-05T23:18:59.877-08:00

What if you made an instant connection with someone? An instant chemistry unlike you'd had with any other person ever? What if you met the love of your life only through speaking to that person and then, before ever having met them they died? This is the question that the lovers in the superb A Matter of Life and Death. The film by the collective duo known as the Archers (Michael Powell and Emric

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-82934777182709215542009-11-03T22:20:00.000-08:002009-11-04T22:07:00.836-08:00

A preface: This blog isn't about to get populist or mainstream, but I want to foster a dialogue and be accessible to new readers so here we go.In a recent discussion with a friend I was asked to name my top five movies. I did my usual hemming and hawing about how it was like choosing a favorite child and blah, blah, blah. Then I named my five and perhaps not so surprisingly, she'd seen none of

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-11961038230526598472009-11-03T19:25:00.000-08:002009-11-03T19:46:04.626-08:00

Don't call it a comeback. Ok, call it a comeback. After a year of hard-work and career re-shaping the Sickness cinema has dug its way up out of the more of internet inertia and has sprung back to life. I am your host, the Sickness, and I will be here reviewing, critiquing, commenting, snarking and most importantly LOVING the world of film. So much has gone on since that fateful last post in

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-88419813980677989302008-09-04T20:44:00.000-07:002008-09-04T21:59:13.615-07:00

The Bataan death march of summer listing (this was a horrible HORRIBLE idea and I regret doing it) continues again. I'm envious of Peter (and to a lesser extent Rob) and his free form listing. Oh well, here I go.Favorite scene that made me laughPhillip Petit explains the benefits of having crutches in America in Man on Wire. Have you seen this yet? You really, REALLY should.Wall-E finds a

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-80866962777446610262008-09-02T23:10:00.001-07:002008-09-03T00:09:07.613-07:00

First off I'd like to acknowledge the passing of the voice of movie trailers Don LaFontaine (aka "In a world..." guy). There have been many solid tributes all over the internet and I'm not going to endorse any one in particular, but if you check out MOST of the sites to the right you should find something. Oh what the heck, here's a quick one.On to happier things. Now I don't want to out and

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-31627747771387051312008-09-01T13:30:00.000-07:002008-09-01T13:42:15.985-07:00

Tomorrow school begins once again which will most certainly put a crimp in my daily blogging (it already has) and while this time I'll be in front of the class it's still a nerve wracking. I'm saddened by the end of summer but a bit mixed on the end of the summer season. Quieter, more thoughtful movies will slowly be marching into cinemas and I can't wait. So how about a little perspective on

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-55834029237671439752008-08-26T22:45:00.000-07:002008-08-27T19:50:15.031-07:00

A Meme courtesy of the fine folks at Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule. 1) Your favorite musical moment in a movie Start me with a tough one huh? Do they mean from a musical? For non-musical A music cue? A performance? Arghhhh!Ok for musical moment from a musical I will say "Make 'Em Laugh" from Singin' In the Rain, cause it is pretty definitively perfection.For a non-musical film nothing

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-76259596722030855162008-08-25T16:55:00.001-07:002008-08-26T20:57:05.142-07:00

A young injured French boy sits in a doctor's office reading a magazine and sees an article about architects and designers creating what will become the World Trade Center towers. So excited by this discovery the boy neglects his injury and races home with excitement. At this moment tumbler/sidewalk entertainer/juggler and high-wire walker Phillippe Petit knew his life's dream, to walk a

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-16422766618127977012008-08-24T15:52:00.000-07:002008-08-24T15:58:26.093-07:00

GOB everybody! GOB IS BACK! Or was briefly on public television. He can call himself "Max" but you can't fool me, that is George Oscar Bluth clear as day. The delivery, the stage craft, the slight of hand, all that's missing is the glorious bombast of Europe's "The Final Countdown." You know who'd be a great addition to Sesame Street? Franklin. He'd put Oscar the Grouch's green-ass in line

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-81995706241088269032008-08-23T13:15:00.000-07:002008-08-23T14:03:07.683-07:00

Went to an amazing Italian restaurant in North Hollywood last night to say goodbye to a friend of mine who is moving to New York (very jealous). The restaurant was hit by a major case of the 90's as other tables were filled by such luminaries as James "Dawson" Van DerBeek and not one, not two, but three Lawrence brothers. I know, I know, hardly a Clive Owen sighting but still good times, good

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-18728230641201473292008-08-22T12:32:00.000-07:002008-08-22T12:36:48.416-07:00

Is there a greater purveyor and advocate of whimsy then my friend Frank? I consulted the Oracle at Delphi about this and instead of her usual mumbo-jumbo about Croesus and the Spartans and what not, she simply said "no." Well Frank was first to point me to the below video (way before all the nerd sites). It's chalk full of magical movie moments. I'll grant that it's a touch fanboy heavy but

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-16580308018327785962008-08-20T16:01:00.000-07:002008-08-20T16:30:06.340-07:00

Post-Tropic Thunder I'm feeling pretty good about Ben Stiller. Who knows? Maybe evenNight at the Museum 2 won't be the soulless, albeit well-intentioned, silly children's film the first one was. Why my optimism? Who oh who could be possibly make this film worthwhile to me where Dick Van-Dyke, Ricky Gervais, Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan failed?Booya Baby! Amy Adams is back on the blog and

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-10450567620256513802008-08-19T21:22:00.001-07:002008-08-19T21:58:10.838-07:00

The definition of the word idiot can be found in the dictionary (also, it does't feature a picture of Harry Lockhart).-from Kiss Kiss Bang BangThe Bat-signal is not a beeper.*-Batman ForeverApparently, he's my Huckleberry.-TombstoneThis may be the only chance I have in my whole life...to have sex.-Real GeniusLet them be low. We are getting *high*. We're not getting fucked down. We're getting

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-82711346586865416552008-08-16T18:13:00.000-07:002008-08-19T21:02:18.079-07:00

I am happy to say Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a welcome addition to the Woody Allen canon and his best film since Match Point. Allen's film is about the complicated nature of relationships and the difficulty of romance. It also works as a sharp character study wrought with instances of contradiction and self-delusion.The titular Vicky and Cristina, a pair of friends vacationing in Barcelona have

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-30170718622190813642008-08-16T00:02:00.000-07:002008-08-16T11:58:31.586-07:00

Tropic Thunder presents a problem as thorny and twisty as the Vietnamese jungles it finds it's characters lost in. The problem being, whether one should settle on the film as an exceptional spoof and sublime mainstream comedy, or should one expect and demand more and wish that the filmmakers had pushed to make an out-and-out satire? Should we as viewers expect that a very good film push itself

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-71545046211751853902008-08-12T22:22:00.000-07:002008-08-13T01:02:00.305-07:00

Taken from the most excellent (and quite prolific blogger) Electronic Cerebrectomy.So, get the American Film Institutes's 100 Years... 100 Movies list and answer the following questions1) Your favorite 5 movies that are on the list:This was hard, I went with my gut. The Third Man, Harold and Maude, Double Indemnity and Annie Hall got SO close.The GodfatherThe ApartmentSingin' in the RainRaiders

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-21774494457250623602008-08-12T17:23:00.000-07:002008-08-12T18:16:08.344-07:00

I finally, FINALLY saw Jules et Jim one of the biggies from the never shrinking list of classic foreign films I haven't seen. Within about one minute of screen-time it was IMMEDIATELY apparent that this was going to be an outstanding film and I gave myself a good mental kick to the bottom for waiting so long to see it. Right off the bat is the lovely restoration that Criterion has given the

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-16812989469864598192008-08-11T19:55:00.000-07:002008-08-11T20:09:26.092-07:00

To be a cinephile is to be a lover of lists. They're fun, they're utterly arbitrary and endlessly debatable. We love to rank, categorize, order, it's part of the fun. Well I say to you sickness fans that lovers of lists should drop everything they're doing (excluding my readers who are airline pilots or surgeons) and proceed immediately to the charmingly fun Peter and Rob Make Lists of Things

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-66556910856082593342008-08-09T23:26:00.000-07:002008-08-10T00:19:08.985-07:00

After being so sorely disappointed by Step Brothers, Pineapple Express feels like a breath of fresh air. Or, well, a breath of fresh something. The action-comedy (there's stoners in it, but the film's creative team has been loathe to call it a stoner comedy in interviews) is an incredibly enjoyable romp through urban Los Angeles sprawl that deftly bounces from action to comedy in a beat and

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-47516264012500510192008-08-04T23:01:00.000-07:002008-08-04T23:04:19.056-07:00

I loved the original Crank. It's a ridiculous, over-the-over-the-top (yes the double "over the's" are intentional) action thrill-ride. Though I have my doubts for a sequel, they have been assuaged by THIS. Behold: ASS-VERTISING!As seen at the San Deigo Comic and photographed by joblo.com

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-50874427089699952102008-08-03T17:37:00.000-07:002008-08-03T18:05:04.921-07:00

Step Brothers should work, it comes frustratingly close to working, but it doesn't. There's brief flashes of maniacal brilliance where you can see some of the Anchorman greatness (a one-two punch fantasy sequence involving a centaur and a lumber-jack comes to mind) but it just doesn't add up. The ingredients are there but the writing and directing and performances are all too indulgent. The

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-43585081365901034492008-08-01T00:56:00.001-07:002008-08-01T01:01:15.231-07:00

No it's not the way you think, behold:Couple of things:I love the way Batman says "The sun gets everywhere."I wish the Joker sounded more like Heath Joker, though I understand why they went the way they did.A very, very thin line is being walked here and I LOVE it.Oh man do I wish they actually produced an episode where the Joker is dancing with that sombrero (as seen in the opening credits).

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-5854415619232062142008-07-31T23:29:00.000-07:002008-07-31T23:43:45.629-07:00

I won't be seeing Swing Vote this weekend, or any other weekend for that matter. No imitation Capra-corn for me at full price thank you very much. But it does put me in a certain frame of mind thinking about Kevin Costner. Man what happened to 80's Kevin Costner. Probably the same thing that happened to 80's Harrison Ford. Those men don't exist anymore just pale imitations, shades of the fun

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-29074563082878714342008-07-30T19:02:00.000-07:002008-07-30T20:22:44.536-07:00

One of the more fascinating things about films is how we interact with them. Sometimes we wrestle with them, take my ever changing feelings on No Country for Old Men as an example, sometimes we are secret defenders like with the Wachowski's Speed Racer (oh it WILL have its day) and sometimes there are films that we feel compelled to care for. Something in our mind is triggered and we want to

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-7187208982859538052008-07-29T21:09:00.000-07:002008-08-01T10:43:09.640-07:00

Yeah that's right I saw Mama Mia! I sat through it all the way to the credits so I could see the part where Samuel L. Jackson invites Meryl Streep to join the Avengers (holy crap has THAT joke not gotten old yet). Let me say this for the film, it is not the worst movie I've ever seen, it's not even the worst movie I've seen this summer (what up Wanted) but I will say that the movie does no

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-49019479042642501822008-07-29T20:27:00.001-07:002008-07-29T22:23:18.521-07:00

You've seen it, I've seen it (twice), everyone has seen it. Is there really anything I can say about Dark Knight that hasn't been seen or observed a hundred thousand times before in the last month or so? I doubt it. It's just too late, sorry, no full review. Here's just a couple of personal highlights from me. We're riding my ego here like the Bat-pod. Which leads me to-The Bat-Pod-I don't

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-70155721293913361682008-07-29T20:16:00.000-07:002008-07-29T20:26:59.622-07:00

I’ve often found the best films, the one’s that touch us the most are surprises, the one’s you don’t see coming. I went to The Wackness, writer/director Jonathan Levine’s opus to the New York summer of 1994 aware of the decidedly mixed reviews that had accompanied it’s quiet release into theaters at the start of July. Its only noted champion had been CHUD.com’s Devin Faraci and once again I

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-49194517118994265762008-07-16T21:59:00.000-07:002008-07-16T22:01:19.076-07:00

Is this what the Count watches in lieu of pornography?Wackness review is on it's way as well as the aforementioned Wall-E article.

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-41946903928435793172008-07-16T09:03:00.000-07:002008-07-30T20:30:01.966-07:00

There’s been many superhero films this summer; some may boast spectacular performances, some may drip with prestige and take the genre down new avenues of legitimacy, but when all is tallied up I doubt any of them will be able to compete with the sense of wonder and creativity on display in Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Having broken from the restrictions of the now seemingly obligatory origin

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-32807203649379028942008-07-09T12:46:00.000-07:002008-07-09T12:55:47.605-07:00

That's right gang, something is coming. With my program winding down (giving me time to work on my NEXT life project) and a few weeks before the big exciting job starts I'll have a few precious moments to give you a direct line into the 24 frames per second part of my brain. Coming up on the blog a take on Wall-E I don't think ANYONE on the interwebs have touched on, a review of Hellboy 2 (

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-81642641174708548052008-07-06T22:13:00.000-07:002008-07-07T12:51:01.951-07:00

In addition to the silliness that was Wanted, last night's screening filled me with severe irritation because of the previews. First off was the increasingly impressive looking Eagle Eye. I'll grant that DJ Carusso's re-working of North by Northwest the way he re-worked Rear Window into Disturbia looks fun, but it's what followed that raised the bile in my throat. The Mummy Three Hollywood?

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-68133410016095385712008-07-05T23:08:00.000-07:002008-07-05T23:55:20.825-07:00

Russian director Timur Bembakmatov's adaptation of Mark Millar and J.G. Jones comic series Wanted is relatively high on spectacle and low on just about everything else you'd want in a movie. In sanitizing this story (which begs the question why put a movie about a ruthless asshole hitman who self-actualizes through ultra-violence into production in the first place if you're going TO sanitize it?

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-55274675855736608982008-06-30T20:50:00.000-07:002008-07-06T18:37:19.398-07:00

Andrew Stanton's Wall-E is, like the bulk of its Pixar brethren (Cars aside) an exquisite, gorgeous, thoughtful piece of art that helps elevate its genre and continues to demonstrate that its studio is one of the most progressive in the entire entertainment industry. Yet there is a part of the film that gnaws on me and halts me from declaring Wall-E an absolute perfect film or the best that

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-46402197833413242282008-06-22T19:26:00.000-07:002008-06-30T20:48:30.786-07:00

For a long time I've attempted to maintain a post a day (or at least an average of a post a day) but since my fellowship program is starting officially tomorrow I really want to focus the bulk of my time and concentration there.I will still be seeing movies, reviewing movies, bitching about movies, advocating on behalf of movies and my favorite just plain old referencing movies right here on the

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-68231516923695992072008-06-21T12:37:00.000-07:002008-06-21T13:16:27.270-07:00

The above line perfectly encapsulates Peter Segal's recent modernizing of the Mel Brooks and Buck Henry collaboration Get Smart. I liked Get Smart but I wanted to love it. The film pitches itself too broad, too mainstream. It does physical comedy well, even very well at times, but the editing often feels disjointed. The film zings in its character humor but I would've enjoyed more satire on

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-64704307338737743202008-06-20T16:40:00.000-07:002008-06-21T12:37:10.122-07:00

Here are some distractions from even thinking about watching Mike Myers rape the corpse of Peter Sellers (I cannot WAIT until that comes up as a google search term for the blog).Tribute:AICN has contacted some of Stan Winston's friends and family for an incredibly moving tribute (and has subsequently reminded me why I like the site in the first place). Come read stories from the like of James

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7133200004292129495.post-86818865559595848632008-06-19T21:20:00.000-07:002008-06-19T21:28:12.778-07:00

The late Cyd Charisse will not go down as one of the great actresses of her time, but when it came to dancing, well there was simply no one who could match her in the 1950's in sheer intensity, grace and raw feminine sensuality. Still, talking about dancing (or music) is like singing about architecture (or whatever the expression is).Better you should see for yourself. The essential Charisse

El Gigantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273552212921198816noreply@blogger.com0