Snippet: The Hunger Games Producer want a PG-13 rating

Read it here at The Daily Beast.

Ahh The Hunger Games. Another adaptation I'm highly anticipating. News regarding the film adaptation first came to light early last year. And since then...there's been nothing. No real news other then just online shortlists on who should be cast in the movie, or actors and actress confessing they want to be part of the movie. Until now that is. So apparently the screenplay is done, and they're now looking for a director. We should be get some casting news next I suppose. Hooray. Oh and there's the little thing regarding the ratings mentioned in The Daily Beast article. What do you think of the intention to have a PG-13 rating? I think...they couldn't have gone any other way. Surely they wouldn't risk losing the core audience of the book, the fans,who propelled the book to the status and success it enjoys now right? Right.

Check Out Some Of My Older Posts 2

I will continually feature some of my older posts, so that some of the current visitors have a chance to check out them out. You can also access them by clicking the links left sidebar. Anyhow, do drop a comment or two if you can. Be warned though, some of my old reviews have spoilers.


Check Out Some Of My Older Posts

The Movie Game

Hollywood’s Remake of Korean Films

Baran (2001)

Dorm (2006)

The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005)

50 Best Movies [I've Seen] Of The Decade: No 33. The Princess and the Warrior

Its one of those unconventional love stories that I tend to drift towards. It tells of Sissy, the princess of this story, a lonely nurse at psychiatric hospital who is hit by truck. Then there’s Bodo, the warrior of the story, who unknowingly was the catalyst for the accident. And as fate would have it, be the one to save Sissy. Sissy would later recover from her brush with death, and for both, life would resume as it always has. But unable to put aside a connection she felt with her saviour, Sissy begins to seek Bodo, which was ultimately met negatively. You see Bodo, has his own set of problems. And he doesn’t need this girl who wants to be loved by him. But their lives were meant to intertwine and they both go on a journey that for Sissi would take her out of her boring routine existence and for Bodo to finally wake up from a nightmare of a tragedy he’s been reliving everyday.

Tom Tykwer maybe more known for Run Lola Run, but The Princess and the Warrior is my pick. I love this engrossing eccentric little story of these characters. Who, when we first meet are just living from day. To day. To day, not dreaming big, not expecting much...well maybe Bodo was trying to overcome the tragedy that was crippling his life. But you get the picture. They just exist. Then their lives cross. And especially for Sissi, who experience some sort of an awakening, a desire to escape and things begin to change. What an emotional rollercoaster both characters go through throughout the movie and captured so well by both lead actors, Franka Potente and Benno Fürmann. I’ve heard complains that this movie was slow and too odd of a story, but not for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. I’m so glad I chanced upon it when it was aired on TV. I loved it immediately…I even did a little review of it here way back when I first saw it. That was some years ago, I think its time I re watch this movie again too.

Snippet: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events on Channel 5 tonight

Its on Channel 5 at 7:30pm tonight. Finally some good family flick they're showing.

The Scene: Love Actually - And my wasted heart will love you

Love Actually from Toni Logan on Vimeo.

This scene had me at the line "And my wasted heart will love you". I felt for Mark's wasted heart. And well yes, there's a question off, is he being a jerk to his best friend. And putting Juliet in an awkward situation by declaring his love for her? But he did it in such a nonthreatening way. I don't think there was any malicious intent there. I think he just kinda needed to that. To let his feelings off his chest (I mean no one knew off his feelings before that). To just let Juliet know. Just so he could see that even when all that was laid out, there was still no hope. So that knowing this would help him get over her. Instead of a lifetime of wondering that what ifs, off if she only knew. So that ultimately he can move on. Which was kinda evident at the end, after Juliet gives him a quick peck on the lips as if to say "I'm sorry, you've felt that way the whole time, but you've got to move on as there's nothing here." and goes back in the house to her husband, Mark says to himself "enough...enough now" as if tired off breaking his heart over Juliet.

Movie Tracks: 28 Days Later - In the House In a Heartbeat

I did a whole post on some of my favourite soundtrack albums for movies and TV a few weeks ago. So now I thought...what were some of the most memorable tracks in a film, be it a score piece or just songs sung by artists, that were a complete standout. In my opinion at least.

First up is from 28 Days Later, In the House - In a Heartbeat by John Murphy.

I was watching Kick-Ass in the theaters, and it was used during the Big Daddy warehouse scene. During that whole scene, all I was thinking...I love this music...its from somewhere else. This I knew, but it was bugging me I couldn't place it. So as soon as I got home, I did a search online. It was 28 Days Later. Of course! I had only re-watched it days before. How could I forget. I just loved this piece. There's this sense of urgency. This escalating sense of danger that is so hauntingly well played out...and perfect for 28 Days Later.

Trailer Watch: The Walking Dead

Trailer for the AMC series The Walking Dead has been released. Ok so it does begin a tad like 28 Days Later, with the whole waking up in the hospital bit. I wonder if that was taken off the comic book, or they simply threw it in the TV series. Regardless, I'm sold. The trailer looks awesome. Its amazing that we now get series such as this with good production values. I mean the Walking Dead looks like a movie doesn't it? Except that its not, and we get to see it every week. Better right. Hopefully the story is as good as how it seems to look visually. The make-up work is certainly great. I'm really looking forward to see this. But seeing how few Zombie movies get here, this series might not land on our shores.

Snippet: Sarah Bolger plays the main character in The Moth Diaries

Read it here and here. This is one of the movies that I've been highly anticipating. Based on the novel The Moth Diaries by Rachel Klein, it has a very interesting premise. Are there really creatures of the night or is the main character really just insane? So little news have come out about the movie other than it being directed by Mary Harmon, starring Scott Speedman as the English teacher and I'm guessing Lily Cole will play the new classmate and suspected Vampire. And according to the news reports I listed, Sarah Bolger is now the lead, and shooting starts this month in Montreal. Awesome.

Random Rants/Thoughts: DVD cover art banking on Actors popularity

 

Theatrical Poster

Original DVD cover art

Region 3 DVD cover art

New DVD cover art

I just saw the new revamped DVD cover art for Fierce People. Its so obviously trying to bank in on the current popularity of Kristen Stewart. Funny how before it used to have only Diane Lane and Donald Sunderland on the cover, who then, were the most popular actors in the movie. Do I blame it? No...its a pretty small film...it will try to get notice anyway it can, right? Though, do it in a more attractive way I'd say. This new cover art is just another one of those badly done quick photoshop jobs...Kristen seems out of place, in attire especially. Till date, I have seen 3 cover art for its DVD, and although I think it should have stuck with its family tree theatrical poster, the poster that became the Region 3 cover art is pretty decent don't you think.

Theatrical poster

DVD cover art

And so, this isn't the only DVD cover art trying to ride on Kristen Stewart's current fame. Remember Cake Eaters...the photoshop is much worst here. And its not even a scene from a movie! Just some random picture of Kristen they chose to plaster on the cover, and not even the most flattering one of her either.


Its not just for movies too. This was how the Roswell DVDs look like before.

This how all the Roswell DVDs look like after Greys Anatomy. Yes with Katherine Heigl at the forefront on every cover. And look! EvenShiri Appleby who plays Liz, who is the main character in the series isn't on the cover for the Season 2 box!

Notice any other DVD cover art riding on the new fame of its stars?

Snippet: The Killers - Mr Brightside

One of my favourite tracks from the Killers. And of course it has an awesome Moulin Rouge inspired music video. How can I not love it.

Check Out Some Of My Older Posts

Some of you might not know that I've actually been running this little blog steadily for almost 4 years now. Yes how time flies. I have now put up random links to some of my older posts (left top hand sidebar) so that some of the current visitors have a chance to check out them out. And if you notice...I did have move review posts in the past as compared to now. Anyhow, do drop a comment or two if you can.

Check Out Some Of My Older Posts

How many films do you watch in a month?

200 Pounds Beauty (2006)

Underworld (2003)

The Wicker Man (1973)

Shopgirl (2005)

Film Treatment: Great Expectations

Books. Remakes. Sequels. I’d like to see get the film treatment.

Great Expectations

I have this nagging feeling that I’ve talked or blogged about this before. So here goes. As you might know, one of my favourite movies is the 1997 movie Great Expectations which is the modern retelling of the Charles Dicken’s novel. Love it soo much so, that it even prompted me to read the novel. Now I did find it way too tedious for me but I do still love the basic story of Great Expectations, and have been trying to catch whatever film adaptations of it I can find. I have since watch 3. The 1997 version, David Lean’s Great Expectation and the 1999 Masterpiece Theatre mini series. Can’t say I enjoyed the other two much.

Now I can’t remember how old Estella was, when Pip first met her. But Jean Simmons looks way too old to be Estella that in the 1946 film, that was just too distracting. And the thing with old black and white films for me, is that I can’t get over the fact that everything just looks stagy…I know it was a different time, budget wise its nothing compared to now and there’s just limited things you can achieve in filmmaking then…sometimes its fine in other films but this movie just didn’t work for me. While the 1999 Masterpiece Theatre miniseries, was just lacklustre. It was borderline boring. Especially when compared to other miniseries that we’ve seen the past decade or so. The characters didn’t seem interesting, the acting wasn’t all that great…especially the kid playing young Estella. And where’s the beautiful score so often heard in BBC productions?

So what I’d want to see is a new feature adaptation of Great Expectations. No modern retelling this time. Yes, I’d want to see a Charles Dickens Great Expectations set in late 1820’s England the way it was written. With lush sets, gorgeous costumes and of course a good score.

Snippet: The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema

Empire Magazine's The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema

Read Subtitles. Discover more good movies.

50 Best Movies [I've Seen] Of The Decade: No 32. The Prestige

I've mentioned the Prestige in this blog several times and commented on it on others. So its no secret how much I liked this movie. I did it a little review of it the first time I saw it, which you can read here. And here's a little excerpt of what I wrote.

I liked the setting…the Victorian era…the colours used…the costumes…even liked the magician posters…and the magician’s props…how can anyone not mention them…the technicality of most of them…somehow I was just never aware that so much science goes into their design… the effects were great too…the scenes with Tesla and his experiments…coming into this movie…I didn’t even know there were science fiction elements in it…and the narrative was interesting. It starts at the present…at the past…we’re given different perspectives…a lot of flashbacks…this might sound confusing…but it wasn’t really…it all worked out…the story flowed well.Complex film…really like it, keeps you thinking long after the credits roll. The ending…Never saw it coming.

The Scene: Thank You For Smoking - If you're wrong, I'm right.

Ahh...the logic.The movie is full of clever fun scenes like this.

Snippet: Step Up 3D, Street Dance 3D

For awhile, seeing clips of Street Dance 3D on TV, I thought they were Step Up 3D. What with both being about street dance, in 3D and having a very close theatrical release date locally...so easy to mistake one for the other. Not trying to differentiate themselves are they?

American Teen (2008)

American Teen according to a plot summary on IMDB is “A documentary on seniors at a high school in a small Indiana town and their various cliques” It supposedly feature 5 teenagers going through senior year in middle America. Though really wasn’t it just 4 teenagers. The “heartthrob” guy had the least airtime. He was just probably thrown in the mix probably because the producers felt they had a lack of characters to fill a whole documentary.

And well let’s talk about that since we’re on the topic. Is this really a documentary, as what it seems to call itself? I really didn’t find it so. Because really, it seems to me like one of those myriad of teen reality shows on MTV. Except, you know, it doesn’t feature a stream of good looking rich kids…come to think of it, it really feels like MTV’s Teen Mom. Of course Teen Mom came only in 2009. You know what, maybe Teen Mom modelled itself after American Teen…they even use some animation sequences. Anyhow, the thing is, MTV is doing and have been doing the same kind of stuff for years on a weekly basis. American Teen really isn’t showing us anything new or shedding more light on the secret lives of teens, or showing it all in newer way either, as I’m sure it would like to have. Relationships, Colleges, cliques…we’ve seen it all before. Sure it’s not as stagy as the MTV productions…but the mere fact that you have a camera crew with large cameras following these kids around school, that would change everyone’s behaviour...and it shows it really does. As for stagy, I do remember one scene where Hannah and her parents are sitting outside on benches (in the park?) discussing their disapproval over her plans to go to Los Angeles alone. Conversations like that do not occur in that manner. I mean what were they doing in the park? Doing nothing other than to have that all important conversation and to get it all captured on camera? I would have though these were the kind of things the film should have consciously thrived to avoid…to up its credibility. But nope.

You know what would be an interesting way this film could have been about teenagers. If they had just given each of the kids tiny cameras to wear everyday. Sure everyone would have to know they were being filmed (because of ethics and everything), but it beats having a film crew invade the school and have everyone have their I’m on-the-air face from the get go. Things too would be less staged. There would be more natural moments where things are captured as they occur. And we’ll get to see more from the kids perspective, rather from a third person. Sure they’ll be hundreds of hours of footage to cut in the editing room to create a coherent narrative. But it will be something different and not just seem like a longer episode of a reality TV series.

That said. I enjoyed it…I was entertained, but its only a tiny step up from whatever slice-of-real-life type of reality TV out there.

Random Rants/Thoughts: Read or Watch First

There will always be film adaptations of a written work, be it books or graphic novels. Coming in August is Eat Pray Love and Scott Pilgrim vs The World and later in the Fall is Never Let Me Go. So really there is no short of these book-to-film adaptations. And I do enjoy watching most them and also seeing if they translate well on to screen. Actually when I find the premise of a movie interesting and knowing that its based upon a book, I try to read the book first before watching the film adaptation. I guess its because I’d want to know and experience the story in it’s the original medium. The thing is, you really lose one way or another. Read the book first spoil the movie. Watch the movie spoil the book. I had pondered some time ago, to either read or watch Let the Right One In first. A commentor on this blog advised me to watch, so I did. The cold eerie atmosphere and the not knowing anything that was about to happen, I felt, made it a more satisfying watch…so that was a pretty good choice…and I still have yet to read the book. What do you do?Do you tend to watch the movie first? Or seek out the book first?

The Line: Great Expectations

I'm not going to tell the story the way it happened. I'm going to tell it the way I remember it.

-Finnegan Bell

50 Best Movies [I've Seen] Of The Decade: No 31. Peter Pan

I did a little review of this a few years ago which you can read here. So I’m going to keep this one short. I never expected to like this movie because I had never been interested in the Peter Pan story and had not understood its appeal. But the movie blew me away. It’s a very well made family movie…which is just rare, one where both kids and adults can enjoy.  It was truly magical. Like Wendy, we the viewers are transported to Neverland where the days are filled with thrilling adventures. And by the end of the movie we too dread the idea of returning to real world but knowing its inevitable…we all need to grow up right? And the kids’ performances here are all great. Especially the two leads that play Peter and Wendy. They had some wonderful chemistry.