La Vie Noir

With the latest update to my Xbox 360 I now can watch thousands of videos from Netflix immediately on my TV! Even in HD! So, I've started to ravenously explore this and picked out, like, 30 movies to put into my queue. At the top was "La Vie en Rose" Marion Cotillard won best actress for her role in this film as the famous Parisian singer Edith Piaf. So onto the couch i plopped myself and eyes glued to the TV...
About 40 minutes into the film I thought to myself how many of the heart-wrenching aspects of the movie were stark throw backs to the "Film Noir" era. First was the non-chronilogical timeline that is a staple of many mid Noir cycle films.
In addition, the film is so dark, and depressing. You would never think that so many terrible things could happen to just one person. One real hard moment was when she revealed that she was only 44 in a scene where she is being cared for for a liver problem. However, she looks much older, maybe 70 years old. The music was the way that Edith hid. When she was in public, all she wanted to do was sing, because she was afraid that if she did not sing a certain show that night, she would never get another gig again.
I would recommend "La Vie En Rose" to anyone that has interests in music, french, or seeing a star rise from no where and dig herself a hole deeper than where she began.

Watch it!

The Rape of Europa... A little closer to home.

This past weekend I sat down with my latest Netflix arrival, "The Rape of Europa." This film was based on a book by Lynn Nicholas in 1995. In addition, this had been a repeat viewing. The first time I saw the movie was last spring at the local Landmark Theater. The music hooked me instantly, and I was on iTunes the minutes I got home from the theater. I also loved seeing a different side of history that normally isn't explored in our regular courses offered at the high school.

Even in the opening scene, chills were sent down my back becuase of the music. Intense disonance is used to create uncomfortable chords. If you've seen the movie you know what I mean. If you haven't, here's a link to the trailer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK55VI23uXs

Rape of Europa does a very good job of supporting its ideas. Included in the film are interviews with Polish historians, French art historians, and residences of Florence at the time of the destruction of the city by Nazi Germany before the end of the war.

One quote, also noted in the trailer, is made by a former "Monument Man," art historians that traveled with troops on the frontline to help with the preservation of masterpieces and historically significant art. He asks, "Which is more important, a work of art, or a human life?"

If you choose to respond to this post, I'd like to hear your opinion on this question. Would you risk your life for a work of art?

Halloween: NOT so Demonish!

On Halloween night, I thought i was getting a treat! A scary treat at that. Poised to receive the scare of my life, my friends suggest we watch "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (Tim Burton, 2007). I was horrified by two things; the singing, and the "special"-effects.

Casting led to a weak and unskilled set of lungs to support this boisterous score. Sadly, I think some personal favors got in the way. The seemingly common law "marriage" (they aren't actually married) between Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett) seems to be the first culprit. As a musical person myself, i was disappointed with how terrible the singing was, this being a musical movie. In addition, the constant annoying singing led to my strong dislike for Sweeney Todd.

In the first scene, I was greeted with the worst CGI i have ever witnessed. I mean, this movie put out worse graphics than my N64 when I was, like, 12 years old! I thought to myself, "Why the heck is a multi-million dollar budget movie doing using crappy CGI for what should be the realest looking blood I've ever seen in my life?" If anything it inspired me to be unafraid of what was to come.

Even worse? Oh yes, I was about to FALL ASLEEP the plot was so dis-compelling.

Sorry, Tim. I guess you'll have to try again some other time :(

Shut Up and Let Me Go!

I guess one would expect me to write something meaningful within the pages of this blog. However, I cannot promise that everything that I write will be deep, or even reasonable. Just my opinion!

I cannot believe that we have only watched one (1) movie in the past 5 weeks of Art of Film. That film happens to be "Citizen Kane". Now, I can't say that I've suddenly "developed a new taste for black and white film" or anything artsy like that. However, I did like it. I find it amazing that a man (Welles) can write so eloquently behind the camera and really deliver the emotion in front of the camera. In a way, Mr. K., you have opened my eyes to a new genre of film. That genre of film just happens to represent a time period:

Before the 1990s! (a.k.a before I was born)

Now to turn the subject. In particular there is a movie that has caught my eye in the commercials lately. "The Duchess" staring Keira Knightley looks like another visually stunning "blast from the past". To let you in on what looks to be a fantastic movie, I've included a link to the trailer in True High Definition (this may cause your computer to load it at a slower rate- but trust me, it looks superb!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpGVOzuskL4&feature=related

Why I <3 Film

I <3 film because it gives me a chance to relate. My favorite kind of film is foreign film. The reason being that I love learning the intricacies of foreign culture. Being in the know- about anything- is always important to me! The most recent foreign film I watched was "Les Choristes" (The Chorus) directed by first time director Barratier. Two movies that I recently received from netflix are "Mon Oncle" by Jacques Tati and "Notre Dame de Paris" by Luc Plamondon. "Notre Dame" is a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's masterpiece of the same name.