Cinematic Shadows

albertandfilm: How do you feel about J.J. Abrams taking over the Star Wars helm? Overall opinions on JJ?

I think he’s a good fit for the series. He handled Star Trek very effectively, and I think his direction on the second film was infinitely more confident and composed than the first one.

I loved Super 8, I think his work with Cloverfield was impressive given the attempt, and he just seems to be a man who loves movies and knows what he’s doing. He’s making effective pieces of popcorn entertainment, and I applaud him for that. I’m sure he’ll do right by Star Wars.

Anonymous: on a scale of 1-10, how hot is RDJ?

Well, I’d have to say he’s at least an 8 or 8.5. I feel like I’m not the best person to be judging a man’s hotness.

I’d also give Steve Buscemi a 9.5, for those who are curious.

I’m in a weird mood…or it’s just Tuesday.

Either way, ask me anything!

This worked last week, and I’d love to answer more movie/personal questions. I realized that last week was the first time in my two and a half years of running this blog that I’d really done this, so go for it again!

Anonymous: You should be nicer to your Anons :8

C’mon, that Whore Island joke was kinda funny…

2013 Reviews

Some people have asked me if I still do star ratings, or if I could include them in video reviews. Starting this week, I’ll be attaching them to both written and video, as reference for those who want it. If you know me, you should get a good idea of what a star rating means for a film, in terms of how much I enjoy it. Typically 3 stars is the cut-off point for me enjoying a film, or giving it a positive review, but it varies per review. I suggest reading my paragraph or watching the full review to get a better idea for those borderline films.

Either way, I hope everyone enjoys! This is also on my home page, which is where I copied it from, so you can always go back there for quick access.

Note: they are in alphabetical order under each rating.

★★★★★

N/A

★★★★½

★★★★

★★★½

21 and Over
At Any Price
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III
The Great Gatsby
The Kings of Summer (review coming soon)
Oz: The Great and Powerful
Room 237
Safe Haven
Snitch
Spring Breakers
Stoker

★★★

★★½

★★

★½

The Host

★

Epic is a fine enough film for young children, but its lack of engagement with adults leads to a menial, simple adventure that lacks the power of recent Disney and Pixar efforts. I know, this is a children’s animated film, and I’m technically not the core audience of such a feature. Yet the occasionally original bits in this film get weighed down by simplistic character developments and a wondrous looking world that leaves a lot to be desired in terms of retention. I can’t name a character from the film, I can’t identify any themes I hadn’t seen before in better animated films (i.e., recent great animations like Brave, Wreck-It Ralph, and the upcoming Monsters University, which is terrific), and the story is not engaging on its own level. There’s a great voice cast here, with actors like Christoph Waltz and Colin Farrell lending plenty to the feel of the film, and the 3D in the film’s opening sequences is breathtaking. This is a visually stunning film, one with fluid camera movements and beautifully depth-driven animation, but as a whole the experience is empty and forgettable.

See my full video review right HERE.

Anonymous: do you think it's a good idea to make a 2nd anchorman?

Yes. And if you disagree, I say this:

I don’t think that’s too far, either.

‘The Office’ Series Finale: A Satisfying, Heartfelt Conclusion

The Office concluded its nine-year run on Thursday night, fulfilling many promises that the show brought forth in its final season. The show, through many changes including its writers and even its main star (with Steve Carell, playing Michael Scott, leaving after the seventh season), always remained the same, deriving its humor from its wonderfully realized ensemble and proving that a show can get by wearing its heart on its sleeve and making us laugh at even the smallest jokes.

People dismissed The Office after Carell’s departure, and I understand why. The last few episodes of that season were a mess, with Will Ferrell and James Spader being some of the many guest stars that moved in and out of the show’s tumultuous grounding of itself. The show felt lost, unsure of where it would go after losing its defining mark; everyone in the cast functioned around Michael Scott, all established as their own characters but never seen as the true focus of the show. That’s when it emerged, however: Jim and Pam.

Jim and Pam’s romance stands as one of the greatest television romances in history, one defined by true love and constant struggle but never challenged to the point that we can see them ending it. They’re too close to each other, too essential in the other’s life; it only became apparent in the series’ final season that their relationship would have to face a deep struggle as they moved on in life. Jim establishing his place in a thriving new company and their long-distance compatibility were put to the test, but they persevered and made it through. There were countless emotional moments between the two, but when Pam breaks down in front of the camera crew and seems lost as to where she should go, a pain swelled up in me that I couldn’t deny. I want these two to be together, really, really badly.

Another moment that spoke truths about these characters was Jim’s entrance into a vehicle to head off for the weekend, only to be stopped by Pam to remind him he forgot his umbrella. They look at each other for a few seconds, after going through weeks of couples therapy to revive their relationship (but facing tension in the previous scene), and Jim hugs Pam with all his might. She doesn’t return it for a long while, an infinitely painful look at this relationship falling apart. But then she does it: she returns the hug, they both smile excessively, and say, “I love you.” The Office wil forever be defined by the love we hold toward these characters.

Same goes for the payoffs for Andy, Dwight, and even Angela. Characters that started as one-note emerged as wholly realized, deeply emotional people in the show’s final season, grounding it in the elements that make it work. It’s a workplace comedy above everything else, but we relate to these characters on such a level because we exist in every one of them. Andy is the dreamer who is so blindly optimistic that he doesn’t realize he’s the butt of the joke a lot of times; give it up for the show’s finale to have him acknowledge that, embrace it, and share a moment with us. Angela has that as well, with her breakdown in front of Oscar saying she loves Dwight. We knew it all along, and no matter how annoying and ridiculous Angela can be, we want to see them together because they belong so.

And Michael Scott. Carell only says a few lines in the show’s finale, and it serves as another marking of how effective the show has remained since he left. These characters all thrived under his leadership, and Michael still stands as the show’s funniest, most sincere character in terms of how complex he is, but the show did just fine without him. He felt like a proud father, making an incestuous reference without realizing it; his painful awkwardness knows no bounds, but that line defines him. He’s a man who always says the weirdest things, grounded in human emotion that comes so deeply from his heart. It’s a sincere character, a sincere line, and a perfect presence in the finale.

The show was never perfect; no series ever truly is. The fact that people gave up on the show so quickly after it left showed that they weren’t truly invested in these characters from the start. For those who enjoyed the show, and at least understood the emotional groundings of these characters and the wonderfully realized storylines that concluded this season, it served as one of the strongest conclusions to any comedy I can think of in recent memory.

I’ll miss The Office.

sans—soleil replied to your photo: So this is trending right now.

Why would you question it

I’ll just embrace it.

So this is trending right now.

Anonymous: your videos would be way better with an into and an outro haha :)

Believe me, I’ve realized that the hard way. People have been mentioning it for a while, so I’m hopefully having a friend work out some ideas for what it would look like; it’s just that (1) I’m not artistic in the slightest in terms of actually creating something on a computer or drawing it out, and (2) it’s too time-consuming with everything else I do. So I want to have one ready by the end of summer, or sometime sooner maybe, in order to make the page more professional. But thank you, I’m glad you at least watch the videos! I’m really surprised at how many people seem to care about my reviews, that means the world to me.

Shot in beautiful black-and-white, Frances Ha is a wonderful character study from Noah Baumbach that utilizes Great Gerwig’s talents to the fullest. Her Frances is determined, sure, struggling, but optimistic about this world she inhabits, and her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) is essentially the same person, as Frances describes her to people. Sumner is quite strong in the supporting role here, bringing out the best and worst in Frances and analyzing a 27-year old woman who reminds us of the lead characters in Girls. Where the film thrives, though, is in its portrayal of an independent woman with the markings of comedy and deft drama, sometimes profoundly so. There are hearty laughs throughout, but the film shines in its quiet observations, particularly in the strong cast of supporting players. Gerwig never feels like she forces any of her character’s awkwardness, but simply comes across as a sincere, kind-hearted person who wants to find happiness. This is a great film, one I absolutely loved, and I think it’s one of the best I’ve seen so far this year.

See my full video review right HERE.

Anonymous: You have a crush on stretch-out-my-life!! Yeah?

I don’t know if Michaela will see this since she’s in Europe. I could continue to lower her self-esteem like I always do, but I’ll leave this one open just for a bit of mystery. (lol jk no crush)

stretch-out-my-life: Dang boy. You is popular.

I is. Just wait until you see this next question…

Anonymous: First letters of their names ?

A, L, and S, for a few.