dgereg

Haven't really kept these up to date and when I do, I talk about a big Hollywood movie I saw at the weekend.  Gee I wonder why that is. It is purely because living in Scotland, not so much because it's the UK but because it's Scotland is the reason we never get outstanding cinematic journeys or is it indie films, foreign language films are not entertaining except for the odd few. 

Realistically, it's a mix of both.  Arthouse cinemas here in Glasgow are run by Europa and maintained by the Government so what I get are bleak, coming of age movies from anywhere in Europe or crappy BFI revivals.  I want ballsy cinema, I want an Oldboy here, a Godard's Weekend, a Miike movie.  I get none of these.  Not to say that this doesn't happen cause it does.  A screening of El Topo appeared and we ran to the cinema...although I didn't really enjoy or love El Topo as much as I wanted.  I loved the opening but it wasn't weird enough for me.  None of the visuals dazzled.  Our own cinema is always bleak and completely uninteresting.  For some reason, the producers think this is how you make money and attract audiences.  I love arty up yer own bum films.  I haven't seen one that is half as entertaining as ones made in the 70's, 80's, 90's, it feels arthouse/independent cinemas has went too mainstream.  For the filmmakers great there making money to make some films.  But where are the films that have hardcore violence but means something, a great idea lurks in there, it transforms a regular film into a classic.  

Rambling on...

Saw the preview screening of Transformers as much as I enjoyed the film, it isn't the great film it could have been.  If you want to leave your brain in the popcorn vat and see some robots kicking some bumtail then look no further as it doesn't get better than this.  Beware the mess of subplots and your good to go!  Near the end, it looked as if John Woo, the Grand Master of Balletic action, took over and replaced Chun Yun Fat with giant robots, it was jaw-droppingly awesome.   

Hopefully next years Sundance, Slamdance brings some fresh new ideas and genuinely inspiring films.  We can only hope!  

Love me some, Hot Fuzz.  Just bought and watched the crazy pop culture frenzy that is Hot Fuzz.  Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg are two of the smartest writers, creating referential comedy - sub genre - films at this point in time.  It astounds me, how these two create amazing screenplays.  Then they bring in the talents from all around Britain to complete the experince.  The film is comedy gold.  Nick Frost and Simon Pegg are a great duo constantly feeding off one another, not trying to steal the scene.  I love how the comedy is played straight, theres hardly any self-knowness, that alot of comedy films rely on now, a kind of wink to the audience how its a film and how cliched it is.  Hot Fuzz takes a different approach and fuses many genres together.  Cause lets face it, there are no original ideas out there anymore but whats interesting is this new post-modern technique of borrowing from all genres and creating something that feels fresh.  Don't take that as a negative comment.  Hot Fuzz does this and does it very well.  That the difference between this and alot of Will Ferrell's comedy outings, as fun as they are, its always about the caricature rather than characters and story, where he falls from one sketch scene to the next.  Ferrell's films always feels disjoined.  Hot Fuzz feels cohesive, shifting freely without missing a beat.  So I salute Pegg and Wright on a great film to enjoy with friends or without. 

 Oh yeah and the last 15 minutes kick so much ass!  I love how it kicks off with Pegg fly kicking an old lady in the face.  One of the best moments in cinema this year.  Next to Inland Empire, where Beck's Black Tambourine kicks in but thats enough weirdness for one night.  

Checked out Ocean's Thirteen on Sunday, which was a very enjoyable romp with some very good-looking men.  What most impressed me was Soderbergh apart from the second Ocean this guy is on top form he makes these movies.  His cinematography, or shall I say Peter Andrews (geeky in-joke, sorry), is fantastic to the interesting lighting patterns to the whip pans in the casino during the rip-off, fraud, I wouldn't call it a heist but it's close to one.  Almost like a practical joke but more serious.  I loved watching Pacino's Willie Bank's character fall, maybe a few more scenes of him being an bad guy would have made it more sweeter to see him fall so hard.  If you haven't seen it and don't want to see Pirates 3 and hated Ocean's Twelve then I would recommend it. 

On Monday I saw Fast Food Nation.  First off, I love Richard Linklater, alot of people can't sit through his conversational pieces but I can, I eat it all up.  I must admit I felt he missed the mark with his latest effort.  The script is mediocre and so are the characters.  There are some fine moments on offer, old friend Ethan Hawke makes an appearance in an effort to wake things up a bit and does.   The acting is solid, everyone is there usual best.  What I found frustrating was that Linklater ditched his sprawling well thought out character and dialogue pieces to try and deliver his version of Traffic, a few great scenes hinted at what I love about his films but then faded out.  I felt the sex scenes were embarrasing, this ain't his style.  I would have loved it if we followed a group of activists who tried to shove it to the Fast Food companies and failed.  Or a group of activists would talk and talk and still didn't do anything.  Instead, we get a writer and director who feels uncomfortable making a linear, plot filled film, it feels its totally against his will.