Thursday, June 30, 2011

Ghostbusters (1984)


If there's something strange, in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?

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Of course Ghostbusters is hilarious. With Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis how could it not be? But what truly makes this film a classic is the fact that it's also freaking scary. As a kid, I grew up with a version my grandpa made from VCR to VCR with all the scary bits were cut out. And even with those bits cut out it still kind of terrified me. I knew what was happening when the tape went all wobbly and suddenly I was in a new scene. Maybe it was even MORE scary because my mind had to fill it in. It makes me smile that this film was able to spawn a children's cartoon and a Hi-C flavor. Oh the good old days.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Trailer Double Feature


The Movie Trailer Fairy has chosen to bless us today with the sneak peaks at two of this fall/winter's most eagerly awaited films!

First up we have War Horse, Steven Spielberg's first film since the abysmal Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls. Judging purely by the trailer, this seems to be a vast improvement. Maybe even awards bait...


Next up we have the live-action debut of animation director Brad Bird. When it was first announced that the man behind The Incredibles was going to direct the new Mission: Impossible film, many mouths started watering. If the trailer is any indication of the finished product, that drool was justified.


Hopefully this fall/winter will deliver the goods that this summer seems (so far) to be lacking. *fingers crossed*

Childhood Nightmares



Children are too mollycoddled these days, and their movies aren't SCARY enough. Or maybe I was just a wimp as a child. It's possible. Anyway, here is my list of movies that scared the pants off me as a child. In no particular order. Also, spoiler alerts for some of these!



Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
I actually loved this movie as a kid, but I had to leave the room at the end. When Judge Doom is flattened, he springs up again revealing himself to be a murderous toon. So terrifying! And his eyeballs fall out and he has these evil red cartoon eyes, aaaaah!
"Remember me, Eddie? When I killed your brother! I TALKED JUST! LIKE! THIIIIIIIIIS!"
*shudder* I'm so not over this one.



Fantasia
Oh Chernabog, you are so scary and cool. He's basically the devil, and he makes ghosts rise out of the ground and naked firegirls dance in his hands. This whole "Night on Bald Mountain" segment freaked me out, but it's actually one of my favorite scenes now. The badass music, the ghosts (I can't get over how amazing that animation is), it's all too exhilarating. But as a kid, no way. So scary!



Dumbo
I ranted about this movie recently, but I couldn't leave it off this list. "Pink Elephants" is SCARY. End of story! Those elephants and their black eyes, gahhh.



Willow
I have a confession to make. I don't know that I've actually seen this film all the way through. I remember watching it as a kid, and there's a part where somebody gets turned into a pig. Or several people. I don't remember. I just know that I haven't watched this movie since for that very reason. Scary pig people. :(



The Indiana Jones trilogy
Ah yes, the holy trinity of freakout scenes. Raiders of the Lost Ark has Nazi face melting, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom has freaky cults and the heart ripping scene, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade had, well, let's just say he "chose poorly". I knew exactly when to bolt out of the room as a kid!



The Neverending Story
Okay, this movie actually has a lot of scary parts. That wolfdog thing Gmork, the weird-looking people of Fantasia, the giant turtle, the mud pit where the poor horse meets his end...
A quick aside: It's said that you sink into the mud when you get too sad. If seeing your BFF horse sink and die in a bunch of mud right in front of you isn't enough to make YOU sad and sink into the mud, what horrible traumatizing memories did that poor horse have that made HIM sink??
Anyways.
What reeeeeally freaked me out was the gates to the Southern Oracle. They open their eyes and blast you if you're not confident. Uhh...scary. And THEN, he gets to the Southern Oracle (which is the same two statues but blue) and those are scary too! They speak all spooky and then crumble apart. If I was Atreyu I would've pooped my pants. Maybe he did.

So there's my list. What were YOUR scary movie moments as a kid?

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Tombstone (1993)


Retired lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) has come to the town of Tombstone, AZ to settle down...but he finds little peace.

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Prior to seeing this film I hated westerns. They were all so morally black and white. There were the good guys and there were the bad guys and never the twain shall meet. Seeing this film at the impressionable age of eleven was a revelation. I became OBSESSED with Doc Holiday and even did a report on him. It is absolutely criminal that Val Kilmer didn't receive some sort of award for this performance. And the other actors ain't no slouches either...

Countless films before and since have addressed the west in this same unvarnished manner. And several of them have even done a better job of it. But your first trip to the rodeo will always stick with you. Yee-haw mother fuckers! It's time to saddle up!

Monday, June 27, 2011

Double Bill: Gangs of Asia

In the early days of cinema, seeing 2 features in one evening (along with a cartoon and a newsreel) was par for the course. And when most major theaters switched to showing just a single feature, drive-ins and grindhouses were around to keep the tradition alive. Sadly today in the age of the multiplex, the idea of a double bill is nearly extinct. It has fallen on art house theaters like Los Angeles' New Beverly Cinema to keep the torch burning.

Unfortunately Cinema Nerds does not own a theater (yet?). Luckily for you readers, we are starting a regular column where we suggest some cool double features for you to try out in your own little home theaters!

Battles Without Honor and Humanity and Election



Brave


Didn't see Cars 2 (still haven't seen the original Cars for that matter). Thankfully the internet has made it so that I can see the new Pixar trailer without having to see the new Pixar film. Isn't it sad that we've come to this point? Well at least this teaser looks like something worth making the effort to see opening day...next year.

Le Ballon Rouge (The Red Balloon) (1956)



The Red Balloon
: Making us care about inanimate objects long before Pixar!
This short film is about a boy who finds a red balloon, and the two form a very special and unique bond, as the balloon seems to have a life and mind of its own. The film is simple, with very little dialogue, but it's beautifully shot and emotionally powerful. In such a short span of time we become so involved in this pair and learn about human nature and the beauty of a child's belief in the impossible. I don't want to ruin the ending, but it's amazing. And yes, I got teary eyed. I'm a sap!

It's currently streamable on Netflix, and only 34 minutes long. What are you waiting for?
Enjoy the magic.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Peter Falk (1927 - 2011)


99.9% of the obits for Peter Falk will feature the name of a certain detective he played for years on TV. This will be the one exception. Falk was so much more than that. He was a cornerstone of the John Cassavetes gang in countless films, he was everyone's grandpa in The Princess Bride and maybe most aptly, he was an angel who chose to live life among us in The Wings of Desire. Rest In Peace sir. It's time to go back home.

Trainspotting (1996)


Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) is a junkie. So are his friends. Mark Renton wants to "choose life". What to do?

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Making a ultra-stylish film is always a gamble. When it works you are a genius and every film student out there tries to copy you. When it doesn't work, you end up looking like one of those film students. Though Danny Boyle has made a few films that would fall into the latter category (A Life Less Ordinary, The Beach) the vast majority of his career has fortunately been the former. This is because Boyle understands rhythm. Unlike fellow countryman Guy Ritchie, he knows when to assault and when to pull back. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the masterpiece that is Trainspotting

Through his "in your face" style, Boyle is able to approximate the euphoria of heroin use. And through the quieter moments he's able to capture the "come down" feeling when find yourself in a decrepit room, with a needle in your arm, surrounded by nodding out junkies. Highs and lows baby. Highs and lows.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Get Some CULTure

Living in Southern California has its' perks. Nice weather, great Mexican food, etc. And if you're a Cinema Nerd there's the added perk of being close to Gallery1988.

Though they've put on all kinds of awesome shows (ie: I Am 8-Bit where all the pieces were inspired by classic video games or their current show Camp Firewood where all the pieces are inspired by the hilarious film Wet Hot American Summer) their legendary show is the annual (Kevin Smith sponsored) Crazy 4 Cult.

Only here can you see some of your favorite films turned into beautiful works of art! At last year's show, the Cinema Nerds team purchased a pair of beautiful Dave Perillo prints (Jaws and Willy Wonka respectively) which now proudly hang in our secret lair.

Could your secret lair use a little class? Well you're in luck cause the 5th annual show (lovingly subtitled "I'm Getting Too Old For This Shit") will be running from July 8th - July 30th at their Melrose location! Admission is free but don't be surprised when you find yourself leaving a little lighter in the wallet.

BECOME A PATRON OF THE ARTS...
...OR ELSE!

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)



"One, two, three, four, I won't take no anymore. 5,6,7,8 - I want you to be my mate. 1,2,3,4 - you're the one I adore. 5,6,7,8 - don't run from me cause this is fate!"

Natasha Lyonne plays Megan, a cheerleader whose family and friends hold an intervention for her...because they think she's a lesbian. She's promptly shipped off to rehab of sorts, to turn her straight if it kills her! She meets a whole range of colorful characters, including the goth Sinead, sexy Graham, counselor Mike (who's "reformed" but soooo not fooling anyone) (played by Rupaul!!!) (!!!) and crazy Mary Brown, who runs the rehab.

This movie is colorful, campy, and hilarious. The camp is ridiculous, everything is pink and blue and "perfect" and they make them simulate heterosexual sex while wearing these nude bodysuits with leaves over their naughty bits...it's too much! Clea Duvall as Graham is wonderful, as is just about everybody else in the cast (including Bud Cort and Mink Stole as Megan's parents). Ultimately the movie delivers a really heartwarming message: We are who we are, and there's nothing wrong with that. It just delivers it in a very funny package.


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004)



In the late 70s/early 80s, Z Channel was a trailblazer in the world of cable TV. They pioneered the idea of a "director's cut" and showing a film in its' original aspect ratio.

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I'm sure that the people who made this doc simply wanted to talk about all of the amazing films that Z Channel showed and rediscovered. I'm sure they just wanted to interview directors like Robert Altman and show a bunch of awesome clips. Thankfully they didn't pussy out when they discovered that programmer Jerry Harvey's life ended in a murder/suicide of his own design. Who would have thought making a documentary about a TV channel would also end up serving as an exploration of the duality of man? Amazing stuff.



And now for something completely different...

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

A Dangerous Method


David Cronenberg is easily one of the greatest working filmmakers we have. He is a filmmaker who is not afraid to look into the toilet bowl. Sure it's ugly, but if you never take a peak you might not know when something is wrong. And in the world of Cronenberg, there is always plenty wrong.

Check out the trailer for his new film A Dangerous Method about Freud (Viggo Mortensen), Jung (Michael Fassbender) and a very disturbed young woman (Keira Knightley). With its' period setting this could finally be the film that gets him some love from The Academy.

Monday, June 20, 2011

A Night At The Opera (1935)


Otis B. Driftwood, Fiorello and Tomasso (Groucho, Chico and Harpo Marx) band together to help Ricardo (Allan Jones) to become a successful Opera star and win the heart of his beloved Rosa (Kitty Carlisle)

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The Marx Brothers were comic geniuses the likes of which we will never see again. Showmen of the highest order. There was nothing that they couldn't do. Verbal comedy, physical comedy, music, dance, etc. One brother's weakness was another's strength and together they formed this amazing comedy machine. A Megazord of comedy, if you will. Though their films are known for legendary set pieces (like the "Stateroom Scene" in this film) even the quiet moments are a marvel:


I picked A Night at the Opera as the title for this entry because it is my favorite, but really you can and should watch any Marx Brothers film you can get your filthy little mitts on. Even the later ones have bright moments of shear anarchic genius...

Friday, June 17, 2011

Red Headed Woman (1932)



I love early 30s trashy scheming dames, don't you? Jean Harlow plays Lillian, a cheeky chick who's got a big crush on her boss. Does she know if he's interested or not? She'll make him interested! Does she care that he has a wife? Hellllll no! She takes what she wants, and has a grand time doing it!

Despite the fact that "Red" is so conniving, you can't help but cheer her on, at least for entertainment's sake. She's selfish, manipulative, and flaky, but she manages to be so damn likeable. She moves from guy to guy, ruining relationships, and driving everybody nuts, but she does it all with style! Written by Anita Loos (the author of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes") and played to perfection by Harlow, it's a scandalous good time. This was made before the Hays Code (because movies were getting toooo naughty!) and it's a perfect example of what the movies got away with in the good ol' days!

Just take a peek at her breaking her man and his woman up...again!


Busted!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Moneyball


In 2005, Bennett Miller received a Best Director nomination for his film Capote. But as we all know, artistic success doesn't equal a fruitful career. Thus we find ourselves in 2011 finally getting a followup, appropriately titled - Moneyball. Hopefully if this one's a "box office home run" (gag, gag, barf), he won't have to wait as long between films. Fingers crossed.

TRIVIA BONUS: Steven Soderbergh was originally set to direct this film. Everything was ready to go when suddenly the plug was pulled, days before filming was set to start.

Screen Tests (1964-1966)


When most people think of Andy Warhol, they think of faces. Marilyn, Liz, Mao, etc. In the 70s, commissioned portraits constituted a significant portion of Andy's total output. As beautiful, iconic and intellectually stimulating as some of these paintings are, they're still just surface. There is no emotional connection to the subject. For that you need to see Warhol's the Screen Tests.

The concept was simple: sit someone on a stool, point a light at them, point a camera at them, turn on the camera and let the film run out. But thanks to an inspired decision to project the films in slow motion (16 fps) the result was anything but simple. Even the tiniest motion is rendered epic through the projector. Every movement becomes significant and meaningful. These are not icons, these are human beings.

Though Warhol intended these to be screened silently, Plexifilm was recently granted permission by the Warhol Estate to set 13 of the nearly 500 known tests to music. Pretty amazing stuff...and streamable on Netflix.


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Disney Drunks


Remember when alcoholics were something children laughed at in movies? Here are some of my favorite Disney drunks and drunken moments. No particular reason for this post, except that I'm a dork, I guess.




Bartholomew, The Great Mouse Detective
Poor Bartholomew. All of Ratigan's little followers are drinking, but this poor fellow gets so sloshed he foolishly calls Ratigan a rat (which he totally is) and ends up getting eaten by an obese housecat. So sad!




The lute player, Sleeping Beauty
This guy drinks wine out of his lute, stumbles around, and passes out under the table. Awesome!




Smee, Peter Pan
Apparently lovable old Smee uses alcohol to de-stress. There's a scene where he has a drinkie or two and starts acting so very silly. Oh Smee!




Sir Hiss, Robin Hood
Okay, so he gets accidentally tipsy, but it's funny all the same. He's talking to himself and everything, ha!




Gideon, Pinocchio
He's either incredibly stupidly drunk the entire movie, or just incredibly stupid. I'm going with drunk.




Luke, The Rescuers
Oh God, look at him, he's hugging his moonshine. He also coughs fire at one point. That's how you know it's the GOOD stuff!




Bacchus, Fantasia
Holy crap, this guy is my favorite Disney drunk, hands down. He's the god of wine and partying, and he and his centaur fans do indeed party it up. He's fat, he's jolly, he's better than Santa, he rides a tiny little donkey-unicorn who's also drunk, and it's all very fabulous.




Dumbo (and Timothy), Dumbo
Poor poor Dumbo! He's called a freak pretty much since birth, his mother is taken from him, he's forced to perform as a clown, and if that wasn't bad enough, he accidentally gets drunk and has the most HORRIFYING visions ever. Don't even pretend like it didn't freak you out too.



I'll stop there! Enjoy your drinkies, and watch out for pink elephants!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Let The Right One In (2008)


Want to play a game? Let’s say you’re at the mall, and someone approaches you about attending an advanced screening of a film. They cannot tell you the title but they describe it as: an adaptation of a popular book about a relationship between an adolescent and a vampire. What do you do? If you say yes you might have just condemned yourself to 2 hours of allegorical abstinence schmaltz. Say no and you could be missing out on a highly nuanced film about love and loneliness. What do you do?

Like most great genre films Let The Right One In is about much more than blood-sucking. This restrained creep-fest could also be at home on a shelf next to Harold and Maude. Two characters, both decidedly out of step with “normal” society, coming together as an off-beat couple for the ages. No matter how weird or unlovable you might think you are, there is someone out there for you. Did I mention the title comes from a Morrissey song? Who would have guessed?

So what about the scares? Is this just touchy-feely stuff about lost souls finding each other? Oh no no no. This film delivers the chills too. Shot in a very objective and utilitarian manner, this film allows the scares to really creep up on you. Many of the most gruesome moments occur either out of frame or in wide shots with cleverly placed shadows and branches. Mood and sound provide a starting point from which your imagination can run wild.

Sadly this film was overlooked by the Golden Globes and The Academy. Genre always has to battle a hard road for acceptance. But trust me, it is no fluke that this film has won 18 awards worldwide. A film like this is something to be treasured. So the next time someone invites you to go see a vampire movie - agree without reservation. It could be shit, but it could also be gold.

There's a remake that I haven't seen but hear is pretty good. See the original first though. It's streaming on Netflix!

Monday, June 13, 2011

The Birds (1963)



I love The Birds, I watch it at least once a year. We all know the plot: birds start attacking the citizens of Bodega Bay, and nobody knows why! Come to think of it, maybe this movie is why birds make me a little uneasy.
So! Here are some of the things that make this movie so great for me:

♥ The bird sounds - so creepy, seriously! And so loud!

♥ Suzanne Pleshette. Va va voom! Who wouldn't pick her? (Answer: Mitch) There's this part where the leading lady is on the phone, and she's looking off trying to look like she's not listening...the phone call ends, and she sort of looks over her shoulder, so cute! I love her.

♥ Hitchcock's cameo at the beginning...I saw this on the big screen once, and all the fans knew it well enough to applaud when he walks through (even though he is a bag of the douche variety, but that's another story)

♥ Tippi Hedren's green suit + fur coat? Divine.

♥ While we're at it, let's go with Tippi's character Melanie Daniels. Her hair is perfect, her attitude icy, and she's really not that likeable, but somehow it works. Tippi, don't open that door!

♥ Children's song + cigarette + crows = best scene ever.

♥ Rod Taylor's manliness. It's almost funny. Boarding up windows, sweating his man-sweat, it's just too much.

♥ Those darn adorable lovebirds leaning with the road.

This list is getting all over the place. All kidding aside, this movie does a phenomenal job of freaking you out without grossing you out (I'm looking at YOU, every movie currently in theatres!), and you'll never look at your pet bird the same! He's in there plotting...you know that, right?