a close to dvdrip quality version of Black Swan leaked yesterday. it may or may not be on my hard drive at the moment (if it were, no guilt because i paid to see it twice - that's how it works, right? like you're allowed to download cd's that you already own?)
anyway, i had the chance to watch a couple things closely today, even though i should be cleaning the apartment and finishing my unpacking (yes, i moved in close to 6 months ago).
so a little more indepth analysis of my two favourite scenes from the movie.
**major spoilers lie ahead**
When Nina gets home from the club and walks in the door to her apartment with Lily. That's what we see, but it becomes obvious later on that Lily isn't actually there and from what i gather stayed at the club when Nina got in the cab. According to someone on imdb there is an audio cue that plays everytime Nina is 'hallucinating?' but i haven't caught it yet (that's gonna take another couple viewings i think! haha). anyway, Nina and Lily walk in to the apartment and the point of view is from a mirror within a mirror. The way Nina and Lily are standing, the view through the mirror (audience's perspective) is half of Nina and half of Lily form one person before they split apart when one of the turns around. ingenius! then, as Nina's psychotic mother questions her about where she's been, Nina says: "to the moon..." then cut to Lily leaning against the wall opposite, whispering the completion of the sentence as Nina finishes it "...and back". the whole segment lasts less than 60 seconds but is pulled off so well that it's one of the best parts of the movie for me. I wish i was still at Dawson studying cinema so that i could write a monster of a paper on the intricacies of Black Swan.
As for my other favourite scene, it has to be right before the end in Nina's dressing room as she has her "holy shit moment" and comes to realize what she's done. as she looks down and sees the blood and pulls out the shard of glass. this is Nathalie Portman's shining moment in the film for me. a splitsecond before she glances down at her dress, you can see her eyes well up with tears and they fall just as she lowers her head. she pulls out the glass and the strings and horns swell - so, so, so, beautiful. so well done. it's an INCREDIBLE scene. honestly, i never really liked Nathalie Portman that much in anything prior to this. i doubt she has ever delivered a performance even half as intense as this. And i know that she never will either. This role was her masterpiece and I'm really happy that she took advantage of the opportunity and pulled it off so brilliantly.
The dinner club scene is also very cool, because Arronosky actually manages to translate the euphoric, dissociative and general warm, hazy and unfocused feel of a mdma trip on screen - the lights, the cuts matching the beat. bonus points for that, because it could have been a little cheesy.
Ok, i'm done. I promise, no more gushing about this movie (at least until Oscar time).
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
perfection re-visited
Black Swan... where to begin?
i rarely go to the cinema to see movies anymore, what with the price being something like $15. when i started going to the theater regularly at the age of 12, it was 5$ to see a movie. then again when i started smoking at 14, packs were 4$. anyway, all this to say that going to the movies is a rare treat for me these days. last tuesday, i took advantage of half price tuesdays and went to see Black Swan. Tonight, also being Tuesday, i went to see it again.
I first saw the trailer for it around mid-summer, and i knew instantly that it was going to be special. I like Arronofsky. I liked Requiem for a Dream, in spite of Jennifer Connolly and her eyebrows. It came out in the midst of my raving days, which made it seem extra relevant. i remember eating some mushrooms in my friend Jeff's parents basements and watching it. The soundtrack was the best part; Clint Mansell never disappoints (he also did the score for Black Swan). I enjoyed his first movie, Pi; the numerology and Kabballa connection was quite interesting. I am one of the few people who actually enjoyed The Fountain. It was filmed here in Montreal, and i was randomly contacted on myspace by someone involved with the film years ago (2004, if i remember correctly). He was a cute guy named Matthew and we went for drinks a few times. He was a friend of Darren's and was filming the behind the scenes footage for the extra features on the DVD. He had some funny anecdotes about Hugh Jackman shaving his head bald for some scenes in the movie and a freezing warehouse where they were shooting. anyway, i liked it, but i can understand why it was pretty much universally panned by critics and audiences alike. I think the execution was brilliant (including, for once, the CGI), but the film suffered from trying to do, or show, too much. i chalked it up to Darren being too ambitious and biting off more than he could chew. I haven't seen The Wrestler yet - maybe i will, maybe i won't.
so, yeah.. Black Swan...(may contain very minor spoilers and nuts)
i won't mince words; this is the best movie i have seen in 10 years. The movie that has touched me the most since "Mulholland Drive", wayyyy back in 2001. it's sad to think that it's taken that long. on first glance, one might assume that any dark 'psychological thriller' with two pretty ladies making out in it will automatically garner high praise from me. not true. Without getting into too much detail, Mulholland Drive touched me in a way no movie previously had or ever will. It's all about being able to relate. it just so happens that i can relate to Diane Selwyn's character so much that it's scary. I get how easy and quick it can be for true love to turn in murderous hate (for the record, i've never murdered anyone... hahaha!) And i also happen to love David Lynch. It is what it is. There are many connections to be made between the two movies, way beyond lesbian make out sessions. There's also a lot of "Repulsion" in it, which is another one of my favourites.
Black Swan flirts with perfection, it really does. The only slight negative that comes to mind is the sometimes heavy-handedness of the symbolism used by Arronofsky - there were a lot of mirrors, a lot of black and white, light and dark... that being said, everything else, from the performances (esp. Portman, Kunis and Cassel), the casting, the script, the makeup, the costumes, the score, the camera work was perfect. especially the camera work. at first, i was a little disconcerted by the up close and personal feel of the hand-held, but it really adds to the overall effect. especially the dancing scenes. both times i left the theater feeling 'out of sorts' physically. a little drained emotionally too, as if that even has to be said. the last 30 minutes or so of the film are exhilarating beyond words. if something can be both frenetic and restrained at the same time then this is a perfect example. hard to explain - it's just something that has to be seen.
I suppose i do have a thing for movies with female leads involving a descent into madness. If Nathalie Portman doesn't win the best actress Oscar, it will be a crime against humanity. mind you, naomi watts wasn't even nominated for MD, so nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the Academy. I was skeptical about Mila Kunis in this role, i really was. all doubt was completely unfounded because she pulled it off. so well, in fact, that i can't even picture any one else playing her part. i know i'll be keeping an eye on her upcoming roles (yes, she is very easy on the eyes). i have tons more to say about the movie, but am going to wait for subsequent viewings, of which there will be many, to expound further.
for anyone interested, my top three female performances in modern day cinema:
Naomi Watts in "Mulholland Drive"
Catherine Deneuve in "Repulsion"
Nathalie Portman in "Black Swan"
all three movies are in my top 10. all three are dark, intense and emotionally-charged - just how i like em!
i rarely go to the cinema to see movies anymore, what with the price being something like $15. when i started going to the theater regularly at the age of 12, it was 5$ to see a movie. then again when i started smoking at 14, packs were 4$. anyway, all this to say that going to the movies is a rare treat for me these days. last tuesday, i took advantage of half price tuesdays and went to see Black Swan. Tonight, also being Tuesday, i went to see it again.
I first saw the trailer for it around mid-summer, and i knew instantly that it was going to be special. I like Arronofsky. I liked Requiem for a Dream, in spite of Jennifer Connolly and her eyebrows. It came out in the midst of my raving days, which made it seem extra relevant. i remember eating some mushrooms in my friend Jeff's parents basements and watching it. The soundtrack was the best part; Clint Mansell never disappoints (he also did the score for Black Swan). I enjoyed his first movie, Pi; the numerology and Kabballa connection was quite interesting. I am one of the few people who actually enjoyed The Fountain. It was filmed here in Montreal, and i was randomly contacted on myspace by someone involved with the film years ago (2004, if i remember correctly). He was a cute guy named Matthew and we went for drinks a few times. He was a friend of Darren's and was filming the behind the scenes footage for the extra features on the DVD. He had some funny anecdotes about Hugh Jackman shaving his head bald for some scenes in the movie and a freezing warehouse where they were shooting. anyway, i liked it, but i can understand why it was pretty much universally panned by critics and audiences alike. I think the execution was brilliant (including, for once, the CGI), but the film suffered from trying to do, or show, too much. i chalked it up to Darren being too ambitious and biting off more than he could chew. I haven't seen The Wrestler yet - maybe i will, maybe i won't.
so, yeah.. Black Swan...(may contain very minor spoilers and nuts)
i won't mince words; this is the best movie i have seen in 10 years. The movie that has touched me the most since "Mulholland Drive", wayyyy back in 2001. it's sad to think that it's taken that long. on first glance, one might assume that any dark 'psychological thriller' with two pretty ladies making out in it will automatically garner high praise from me. not true. Without getting into too much detail, Mulholland Drive touched me in a way no movie previously had or ever will. It's all about being able to relate. it just so happens that i can relate to Diane Selwyn's character so much that it's scary. I get how easy and quick it can be for true love to turn in murderous hate (for the record, i've never murdered anyone... hahaha!) And i also happen to love David Lynch. It is what it is. There are many connections to be made between the two movies, way beyond lesbian make out sessions. There's also a lot of "Repulsion" in it, which is another one of my favourites.
Black Swan flirts with perfection, it really does. The only slight negative that comes to mind is the sometimes heavy-handedness of the symbolism used by Arronofsky - there were a lot of mirrors, a lot of black and white, light and dark... that being said, everything else, from the performances (esp. Portman, Kunis and Cassel), the casting, the script, the makeup, the costumes, the score, the camera work was perfect. especially the camera work. at first, i was a little disconcerted by the up close and personal feel of the hand-held, but it really adds to the overall effect. especially the dancing scenes. both times i left the theater feeling 'out of sorts' physically. a little drained emotionally too, as if that even has to be said. the last 30 minutes or so of the film are exhilarating beyond words. if something can be both frenetic and restrained at the same time then this is a perfect example. hard to explain - it's just something that has to be seen.
I suppose i do have a thing for movies with female leads involving a descent into madness. If Nathalie Portman doesn't win the best actress Oscar, it will be a crime against humanity. mind you, naomi watts wasn't even nominated for MD, so nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the Academy. I was skeptical about Mila Kunis in this role, i really was. all doubt was completely unfounded because she pulled it off. so well, in fact, that i can't even picture any one else playing her part. i know i'll be keeping an eye on her upcoming roles (yes, she is very easy on the eyes). i have tons more to say about the movie, but am going to wait for subsequent viewings, of which there will be many, to expound further.
for anyone interested, my top three female performances in modern day cinema:
Naomi Watts in "Mulholland Drive"
Catherine Deneuve in "Repulsion"
Nathalie Portman in "Black Swan"
all three movies are in my top 10. all three are dark, intense and emotionally-charged - just how i like em!
Monday, November 22, 2010
a happy monday?
i called in sick to work today. i'm not sick.
i feel guilty for throwing away $200, and it's not like i work more than 3 days a week these days, but...
i made up for it by watching youtube videos of my favourite male actors in their sexiest scenes (my version of sexy - not typical!! hahaha)
in terms of sheer hotness, this scene is a hands down favourite of mine. the way Cillian Murphy run his fingers through his hair and says "the bat...man" - just wow. the first time i saw Batman Begins was at the IMAX theater at the Paramount, alone and tripping on acid. i had a smile plastered on my face for days afterwards. :D
terrible quality cam of a tv screen that does not do the scene justice, but the only embedable one i could find.
next up, Gary Oldman in the Professional. First and foremost, i respect Oldman for his acting skills. He and Philip Seymour Hoffman are my favourite character actors. and the man is best friends with Tim Roth. Yes, Gary Oldman and Tim Roth. i just can't even... never mind. Moving on, I only recently saw Leon: The Professional which is unfortunate since it happens to be one of the most amazing action movies ever (right up there with The Jackal and Ronin!). Oldman's crooked cop character Stansfield is the best part of this movie - another one in the long list of demented characters played by him. These two scenes involve the consumption of what i assume to be amphetamines, and i don't know what it is exactly (in the first clip, i'm thinking it's the high p.o.v shot down on him from above), but DAMN is that man ever gorgeous!! and the post pill crunching shudder. woah. hahaha i feel like a giddy pre-teen with tigerbeat posters on her wall (when i was 11, one of my bedroom walls was a shrine to Christian Slater!). maybe this is just my way of keeping warm to stave off the impending harshness of winter! Yeah! That's it!
The dubbed Italian at the end just makes it all the sexier! hahaha!
what's your name, angel?
So i mentioned that Gary Oldman and Philip Seymour Hoffman are my two favourite character actors, which is true, but i have to add Tim Roth to the list. I mean, the man has played a neo-nazi, an ape, a buffed-up supervillain, a bellhop, and undercover cop, a piano phenom, an extra from Hamlet, a junkie opposite Tupac, Vincent Van Gogh, just to name a few roles. And everything he's done is convincing. if that's not the definition of a character actor, i don't know what is. He is an amazing actor, so good that i'm even willing to forgive him his cameo in the stinking pile of shit that was the Million Dollar Hotel (love Milla Jovovich and Bono and Jeremy Davies but still not worth watching).
This is a legthly, though well done, compilation of some of his best work:
and finally, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Yes, i find him to be an attractive man. Not so much these last years as he looks a little slobby, but acting-wise he's still top notch. Best move i've seen him in recently was Doubt a few years ago. In terms of all time best perfomances, I loved him in Happiness, but Magnolia is by far his best work. The whole film is a masterpiece and probably in my top 10, but his performance as the compassionate male nurse was the most touching, by far. PT Anderson wrote the part specifically for him just like he did with Julianne Moore's character in Boogie Nights. Speaking of Julianne Moore, the scene between her and Hoffman in Magnolia is one of my personal favourites - i tear up everytime.
The scene in question begins at the 4 minute mark or so of this clip, but the whole thing is worth watching for Julianne Moore's amazingly unhinged and profane performance!!
i feel guilty for throwing away $200, and it's not like i work more than 3 days a week these days, but...
i made up for it by watching youtube videos of my favourite male actors in their sexiest scenes (my version of sexy - not typical!! hahaha)
in terms of sheer hotness, this scene is a hands down favourite of mine. the way Cillian Murphy run his fingers through his hair and says "the bat...man" - just wow. the first time i saw Batman Begins was at the IMAX theater at the Paramount, alone and tripping on acid. i had a smile plastered on my face for days afterwards. :D
terrible quality cam of a tv screen that does not do the scene justice, but the only embedable one i could find.
next up, Gary Oldman in the Professional. First and foremost, i respect Oldman for his acting skills. He and Philip Seymour Hoffman are my favourite character actors. and the man is best friends with Tim Roth. Yes, Gary Oldman and Tim Roth. i just can't even... never mind. Moving on, I only recently saw Leon: The Professional which is unfortunate since it happens to be one of the most amazing action movies ever (right up there with The Jackal and Ronin!). Oldman's crooked cop character Stansfield is the best part of this movie - another one in the long list of demented characters played by him. These two scenes involve the consumption of what i assume to be amphetamines, and i don't know what it is exactly (in the first clip, i'm thinking it's the high p.o.v shot down on him from above), but DAMN is that man ever gorgeous!! and the post pill crunching shudder. woah. hahaha i feel like a giddy pre-teen with tigerbeat posters on her wall (when i was 11, one of my bedroom walls was a shrine to Christian Slater!). maybe this is just my way of keeping warm to stave off the impending harshness of winter! Yeah! That's it!
The dubbed Italian at the end just makes it all the sexier! hahaha!
what's your name, angel?
So i mentioned that Gary Oldman and Philip Seymour Hoffman are my two favourite character actors, which is true, but i have to add Tim Roth to the list. I mean, the man has played a neo-nazi, an ape, a buffed-up supervillain, a bellhop, and undercover cop, a piano phenom, an extra from Hamlet, a junkie opposite Tupac, Vincent Van Gogh, just to name a few roles. And everything he's done is convincing. if that's not the definition of a character actor, i don't know what is. He is an amazing actor, so good that i'm even willing to forgive him his cameo in the stinking pile of shit that was the Million Dollar Hotel (love Milla Jovovich and Bono and Jeremy Davies but still not worth watching).
This is a legthly, though well done, compilation of some of his best work:
and finally, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Yes, i find him to be an attractive man. Not so much these last years as he looks a little slobby, but acting-wise he's still top notch. Best move i've seen him in recently was Doubt a few years ago. In terms of all time best perfomances, I loved him in Happiness, but Magnolia is by far his best work. The whole film is a masterpiece and probably in my top 10, but his performance as the compassionate male nurse was the most touching, by far. PT Anderson wrote the part specifically for him just like he did with Julianne Moore's character in Boogie Nights. Speaking of Julianne Moore, the scene between her and Hoffman in Magnolia is one of my personal favourites - i tear up everytime.
The scene in question begins at the 4 minute mark or so of this clip, but the whole thing is worth watching for Julianne Moore's amazingly unhinged and profane performance!!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
suddenly, i just came to the realization that Sarah Palin is going to run for President in 2012. it just seems so fitting, what with that reality show and the work she's doing with Fox News. I am so scared. Not even God could save the world should she get elected President of the United States. Very, very real possibility of calamity.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Halloween Stress!
Argh! The BP logo patch i ordered off Ebay 2 weeks ago for my Halloween costume hasn't arrived yet. only a couple more business days before Saturday and i don't have a backup costume! Goddamn it, serves me right for ordering an essential component of my costume from a company in Malaysia 3 weeks before Halloween!!! i knew i should have just gone to Stewart/Colbert rally in DC.
Despite this, i am happy today because i'm still really enjoying the Crystal Castles' cover of Platinum Blonde's "Not in Love" remix as sung by Robert Smith; apparently even Twitter is abuzz with this song (for whatever that's worth!)
I really hope that he sticks to this more 'restrained' singing for the next Cure album. frankly, his vocals and lyrics have left something to be desired since Bloodflowers in 2000 (some would even say since Wild Mood Swings in 1996). Can't wait for a new album regardless though. i can't start to get excited yet. if there is to be one more album, and it would probably be the *real* last Cure album, it won't be released until at least 2012 (it's been an album every 4 years for the last two decades, and 4:13 Dream was released in October 2008). If it really is the last Cure album, and is released in 2012, i'm kinda ok with the whole 'world ending' bit... :D
Yesterday, i spent like 8 minutes staring at my laptop screen blankly, trying to remember the name of a band. I was SURE that there was no way i'd get it because it was pretty long (i remembered that much) and a pretty obscure band. anyway, i'm pulling my hair out, wracking my brain, going crazy trying to will myself to remember when suddenly there's this moment of clarity and it comes to me: CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN!!! YES!!! haha. pretty much the most rewarding moment of my week thus far. "The History of Utah" by Camper Van Beethoven is, without a doubt, one of the best tracks ever written. and on a different but related note, I love this song:
Despite this, i am happy today because i'm still really enjoying the Crystal Castles' cover of Platinum Blonde's "Not in Love" remix as sung by Robert Smith; apparently even Twitter is abuzz with this song (for whatever that's worth!)
I really hope that he sticks to this more 'restrained' singing for the next Cure album. frankly, his vocals and lyrics have left something to be desired since Bloodflowers in 2000 (some would even say since Wild Mood Swings in 1996). Can't wait for a new album regardless though. i can't start to get excited yet. if there is to be one more album, and it would probably be the *real* last Cure album, it won't be released until at least 2012 (it's been an album every 4 years for the last two decades, and 4:13 Dream was released in October 2008). If it really is the last Cure album, and is released in 2012, i'm kinda ok with the whole 'world ending' bit... :D
Yesterday, i spent like 8 minutes staring at my laptop screen blankly, trying to remember the name of a band. I was SURE that there was no way i'd get it because it was pretty long (i remembered that much) and a pretty obscure band. anyway, i'm pulling my hair out, wracking my brain, going crazy trying to will myself to remember when suddenly there's this moment of clarity and it comes to me: CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN!!! YES!!! haha. pretty much the most rewarding moment of my week thus far. "The History of Utah" by Camper Van Beethoven is, without a doubt, one of the best tracks ever written. and on a different but related note, I love this song:
Thursday, September 30, 2010
HEALTH
A month or so ago I found out about this band called HEALTH. Normally, i'm not a big fan of noisy, dissonant music, but their brand of it is so different and refreshing.
This is the video for my favourite song from their album 'Get Color' called We are Water. It's probably one of their more melodic tracks, but words cannot express how perfect the video and song are for one another. so well done. obviously, a little ummm...crazy? (yet somehow a little funny at the same time? is it just me?) but so so so so good!!!! best music video i have seen in years
Anyway, I really wanna see HEALTH live. i think i would actually lose my shit and start a mosh pit or something - their music makes me feel so aggressive!! haha
It's Pop Montreal time again. Hoping to catch a few shows between now and Sunday.
This is the video for my favourite song from their album 'Get Color' called We are Water. It's probably one of their more melodic tracks, but words cannot express how perfect the video and song are for one another. so well done. obviously, a little ummm...crazy? (yet somehow a little funny at the same time? is it just me?) but so so so so good!!!! best music video i have seen in years
Anyway, I really wanna see HEALTH live. i think i would actually lose my shit and start a mosh pit or something - their music makes me feel so aggressive!! haha
It's Pop Montreal time again. Hoping to catch a few shows between now and Sunday.
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