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Saturday, June 7, 2008
When my brother first suggested going to Kung Fu Panda I was reluctant. I did not want to sit in a theatre on a Friday night surrounded by kids who would be giggling, throwing popcorn and whispering through the entire movie. I'm a movie snob, I like certain conditions and I know it. However, my brother's cold and convienient showtimes prevailed so we went to see Jack Black portray a Panda.
Kung Fu Panda made me laugh so hard I cried at least once in the film. This is a kids movie, but it's trying to be a tried and true kung fu movie - the only thing missing is David Carradine.
Po the panda (son of a goose mind you) works in his father's noodle shop while longing to join the "furious five" kung fu masters that protect his city. He is the geekiest of geeks about kung fu and yet knows that it's something he can never do...until he is selected as the dragon warrior by old maser Oogway at the Jade Palace and must train to bring out his potential and save everyone from pending doom at the hands of Tai Lung.
The traditional cast of characters include the other five warriors voiced by everyone from Jackie Chan to Angelina Jolie and the struggling master Shifu voiced by Dustin Hoffman. These individauls do not want Po there and all (except Jolie's Tigress) are eventually won over to Po. What follows is the kung fu movies you remember watching as a kid, but this time it all makes sense to any age as the humor is just as important as the kung fu.
My favorite character was probably the aged master Oogway who spouted such phrases as "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present" and managed to make these sound like they kind of fit in a kung fu movie.
I do reccomend this film, I would just reccomend that you avoid having so many little kids in the theatre if you're picky about your theatre enviroment like I am.
Director:Mark Osbourne & John Stevenson
Writer: Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger
Po: Jack Black
Shifu: Dustin Hoffman
Tigress: Angelina Jolie
Tai Lung: Ian McShane
MOnkey: Jackie Chan
Mantis: Seth Rogen
Viper: Lucy Liu
Crane: David Cross
Oogway: Randall Duk Kim
Commander Vachir: Michael Clark Duncan
Tai Lung: What are you going to do, sit on me?
Po: Don't tempt me.
Kung Fu Panda made me laugh so hard I cried at least once in the film. This is a kids movie, but it's trying to be a tried and true kung fu movie - the only thing missing is David Carradine.
Po the panda (son of a goose mind you) works in his father's noodle shop while longing to join the "furious five" kung fu masters that protect his city. He is the geekiest of geeks about kung fu and yet knows that it's something he can never do...until he is selected as the dragon warrior by old maser Oogway at the Jade Palace and must train to bring out his potential and save everyone from pending doom at the hands of Tai Lung.
The traditional cast of characters include the other five warriors voiced by everyone from Jackie Chan to Angelina Jolie and the struggling master Shifu voiced by Dustin Hoffman. These individauls do not want Po there and all (except Jolie's Tigress) are eventually won over to Po. What follows is the kung fu movies you remember watching as a kid, but this time it all makes sense to any age as the humor is just as important as the kung fu.
My favorite character was probably the aged master Oogway who spouted such phrases as "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present" and managed to make these sound like they kind of fit in a kung fu movie.
I do reccomend this film, I would just reccomend that you avoid having so many little kids in the theatre if you're picky about your theatre enviroment like I am.
Director:Mark Osbourne & John Stevenson
Writer: Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger
Po: Jack Black
Shifu: Dustin Hoffman
Tigress: Angelina Jolie
Tai Lung: Ian McShane
MOnkey: Jackie Chan
Mantis: Seth Rogen
Viper: Lucy Liu
Crane: David Cross
Oogway: Randall Duk Kim
Commander Vachir: Michael Clark Duncan
Tai Lung: What are you going to do, sit on me?
Po: Don't tempt me.
Friday, June 6, 2008
I have an irrational love of film noir. Tell me a film is noir influenced and I will probably see the film no questions asked. In light of this it is no surprise that one of my favorite films of the last few years is Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
This neo-noir is written and directed by Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black, and is the directorial debut of Black; it stars the supremely talented Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan. From its use of narration, flash backs, criminal themes, and dark humor it is instantly obvious that this film loves and respects the noirs that came before it (even using Raymond Chandler book titles as headings for parts of the film), but wants to create its own off-beat take on the genre.
The first way Kiss Kiss Bang Bang breaks ground in neo-noir is by its use of the narrator in Robert Downey Jr. (Harry). Instead of idly narrating the story to himself or another character in the film (think Walter Neff’s character in Double Indemnity) Harry speaks directly to the audience breaking the fourth wall*, commenting on not only what you should be paying attention to as it’s probably important to the story, but degrading his own talent at narration. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a reflexive film; its techniques draw attention to the fact that it is a film that you are watching, and is indirectly about the process of making a film.
Harry comes to Hollywood where all his troubles begin because while fleeing the scene of a crime he hides in an audition for a crime drama and gets the part. He is then flown out to Hollywood to screen test, and while taking detective lesions from “Gay” Perry (Val Kilmer) he becomes embroiled in a murder mystery involving his producer’s daughter and his high school sweetheart turned actress’s kid sister.
This film is a funny, thrilling, yet tongue-in-cheek love affair of all that makes film noir memorable and fabulous and should be seen by anyone that wants a good laugh, great acting or just a great crime film.
Writer & Director: Shane Black
Harry: Robert Downey Jr.
”Gay” Perry: Val Kilmer
Harmony: Michelle Monaghan
Harlan Dexter: Corbin Bernsen
Dabney: Larry Miller
Harry: I peed on the corpse. Can they do, like, an ID from that?
Perry: I'm sorry, you peed on...?
Harry: On the corpse. My question is...
Perry: No, my question. I get to go first. Why in pluperfect hell would you pee on corpse?
Harry: Wow, I feel sore. I mean physically, not like a guy who's angry in a movie in the 1950's.
*The 4th Wall is a term used in theatre, film and tv referring to the imaginary barrier between the audience and the world of the characters.
This neo-noir is written and directed by Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black, and is the directorial debut of Black; it stars the supremely talented Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan. From its use of narration, flash backs, criminal themes, and dark humor it is instantly obvious that this film loves and respects the noirs that came before it (even using Raymond Chandler book titles as headings for parts of the film), but wants to create its own off-beat take on the genre.
The first way Kiss Kiss Bang Bang breaks ground in neo-noir is by its use of the narrator in Robert Downey Jr. (Harry). Instead of idly narrating the story to himself or another character in the film (think Walter Neff’s character in Double Indemnity) Harry speaks directly to the audience breaking the fourth wall*, commenting on not only what you should be paying attention to as it’s probably important to the story, but degrading his own talent at narration. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a reflexive film; its techniques draw attention to the fact that it is a film that you are watching, and is indirectly about the process of making a film.
Harry comes to Hollywood where all his troubles begin because while fleeing the scene of a crime he hides in an audition for a crime drama and gets the part. He is then flown out to Hollywood to screen test, and while taking detective lesions from “Gay” Perry (Val Kilmer) he becomes embroiled in a murder mystery involving his producer’s daughter and his high school sweetheart turned actress’s kid sister.
This film is a funny, thrilling, yet tongue-in-cheek love affair of all that makes film noir memorable and fabulous and should be seen by anyone that wants a good laugh, great acting or just a great crime film.
Writer & Director: Shane Black
Harry: Robert Downey Jr.
”Gay” Perry: Val Kilmer
Harmony: Michelle Monaghan
Harlan Dexter: Corbin Bernsen
Dabney: Larry Miller
Harry: I peed on the corpse. Can they do, like, an ID from that?
Perry: I'm sorry, you peed on...?
Harry: On the corpse. My question is...
Perry: No, my question. I get to go first. Why in pluperfect hell would you pee on corpse?
Harry: Wow, I feel sore. I mean physically, not like a guy who's angry in a movie in the 1950's.
*The 4th Wall is a term used in theatre, film and tv referring to the imaginary barrier between the audience and the world of the characters.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Of all the big movies coming out this summer Sex & the City was the one movie that I was interested in but had no idea what to expect. I was a fan of the tv show (though I came in late as I do not have HBO), but I was unsure if or how Sex & the City would translate to the big screen. The good news is that it does translate, and does so while staying true to what made the show such a landmark.
Honestly, there are a lot of people who have given Sex & the City flack through the years for being too rude & crude; however, to take a different tack with the same argument I think these critics are ignoring the actual point of the show which is the friendships that are the biggest part of it. The movie, like the show, centers on Carrie but does not short change the other women involved; even though their lives have changed considerably as characters in the ten years since the show began Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte remain as current and colorful as the outfits they wear and they still remain the truest of friends.
This is a movie that does not shy away from the fact that with age these women have changed, their lives have become more complex and nothing has gotten easier. Love and life are the forefront of the story, and all that matters is that you remain loyal to the people that care about you through thick and thin.
The film is directed by Michael Patrick King and shockingly he manages to keep the film on a delicate balance that reminds the viewer of the tv show, but showcases the beauty of the Big Apple in a way that only a theatre screen can do. I was pleasantly surprised at the skill he uses in the crafting of this film as he has only previously directed episodes of the series and the tv series The Comback.
In all, the film is fun, moving and memorable which is more than you can ask of a tv series-turned-film.
Director & Writer: Michael Patrick King
Carrie: Sarah Jessica Parker
Samantha: Kim Cattral
Miranda: Cynthia Nixon
Charlotte: Kristin Davis
Mr. Big: Chris Noth
Harry: Evan Handler
Smith: Jason Lewis
Steve: David Eigenberg
Louise: Jennifer Hudson
Miranda Hobbes: The only two choices for women; witch and sexy kitten.
Carrie Bradshaw: Oh you just said a mouthful there sister.
Honestly, there are a lot of people who have given Sex & the City flack through the years for being too rude & crude; however, to take a different tack with the same argument I think these critics are ignoring the actual point of the show which is the friendships that are the biggest part of it. The movie, like the show, centers on Carrie but does not short change the other women involved; even though their lives have changed considerably as characters in the ten years since the show began Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte remain as current and colorful as the outfits they wear and they still remain the truest of friends.
This is a movie that does not shy away from the fact that with age these women have changed, their lives have become more complex and nothing has gotten easier. Love and life are the forefront of the story, and all that matters is that you remain loyal to the people that care about you through thick and thin.
The film is directed by Michael Patrick King and shockingly he manages to keep the film on a delicate balance that reminds the viewer of the tv show, but showcases the beauty of the Big Apple in a way that only a theatre screen can do. I was pleasantly surprised at the skill he uses in the crafting of this film as he has only previously directed episodes of the series and the tv series The Comback.
In all, the film is fun, moving and memorable which is more than you can ask of a tv series-turned-film.
Director & Writer: Michael Patrick King
Carrie: Sarah Jessica Parker
Samantha: Kim Cattral
Miranda: Cynthia Nixon
Charlotte: Kristin Davis
Mr. Big: Chris Noth
Harry: Evan Handler
Smith: Jason Lewis
Steve: David Eigenberg
Louise: Jennifer Hudson
Miranda Hobbes: The only two choices for women; witch and sexy kitten.
Carrie Bradshaw: Oh you just said a mouthful there sister.
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