Post by Dale on Sept 10, 2008 18:17:04 GMT -5
Casablanca and the Movies
Pilot Episode
casablanca3491 - Casablanca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, MR Directors and patrons, and welcome to the pilot episode of “Casablanca and the Movies”. In this show, my first attempt and creating a form of entertainment, I will address, elaborate on, and examine different characteristics and points on the films of Movie Reels, both the good…and the rotten, to see what makes them tick as well as what makes them fall short. Now, I do not ask for you to have seen all the films I mention, in fact, I mean this show to be a guide for what you should and shouldn’t see, so I will try to be light on the spoilers, and will warn you if one is coming up. All I wish to do is give you a hint of how the film was made, what the director tried to do with the film, and how well he succeeded.
NOTE- Please excuse a slightly shorter episode, as I am only now taking the form the show will follow. Generally, they may be a little longer then this.
The first film for today is “The Wolf Man”, a new film out by SCF Films, the director of “The Wolfman (original)” and “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman”, two film that were part of his trilogy, which I didn’t have the chance to see. However, reading the new Wolfman, I wish I had a chance to, as SCF seems to know how to craft a story. I gave Wolfman a stunning 4/4, the first I’ve given actually, and I must say that I was so impressed by the script, the atmosphere and the emotions that I also called it one of the smartest film I’ve seen on Movie Reels. Smart as in a good script and smart as in it played out well, it was well set up, there were no obvious flaws.
The film starts with a nice intro, an eerie start, as it shows a library, then a book, then goes to the definition of "LYCANTHROPY (Werewolfism).” Which is:
“A disease of the mind in which human beings imagine they are wolf-men. According to an old LEGEND which persists in certain localities, the victims actually assume the physical characteristics of the animal. There is a small village, by the name of Llanwelly, in Wales, which still claims to have had a gruesome experiences with this supernatural creature."”
Then it goes to the main character’s entrance, this man is Lawrence Talbot (Larry). He is riding on a carriage, and soon after arrives at the Talbot Manor. We soon learn that his brother has died, and through the following conversation, we get a hint that he has lost connections to home, he has moved forward, somewhere more technologically advanced. Take the scene which reads:
Larry:
He was my only connection to this world.
Sir John: (The Father)
There was nothing any of us could do.
Larry:
Despite the reason for my return, it is good to be back.
Sir John:
Naturally. Llanwelly has stood still in time while the rest of the world has progressed. We are a backwards people, but don't quote me on that.
Look at how well the drama is played out. There are hints of sorrow for his brother’s loss (hidden hints, as we assume they had a good relationship), there seems to be a conflict in which Larry didn’t like the slow ways of the village and wanted more excitement, in a place where the “world progressed”, as Sir John declares, as though loathing the modern age, and having some nostalgia for the olden days, which gives the film a puritan appeal, and almost reminds me of the town Salem (where the witchcraft trials were held). This fact gives the film a more frightening and dark mood, as it seems deeply religious, though no proof is forced on the audience. That is how this film operates, by giving us clues, hints it the dialogue, the expressions.
Then, in flashback we realize that the brother was shot, a very mysterious death. This lays the foundation for the rest of the story, the mystery that is always present, the darkness which surrounds the village and leads to the police investigation. It is not until Larry meets Gwen in the antique shop, does the supernatural elements come out. We find that werewolves exist, and Larry does not believe in superstitions, he says knowing (thinking) he is right. We all know where this goes next!
Now that you have a hint of the film, let me address some things which made it as good as it was. Firstly, from the section you read, it is obvious that it is written very intelligently. It has a sophisticated, almost wit, and uses this to propel the story, reaching new heights, much above the typical monster flick. In fact, I am tempted to call this a drama, as that is what it seems. As I have been pushing in my reviews, this is a tragedy. Like the works of Shakespeare, it is a tragedy with violence used poetically. It is almost a poem in script format.
I encourage everyone to see this, and can’t tell you enough how much I enjoyed it. Not only was it one of the greatest films I’ve read, it was also the best experience, one of the few films I actually still keep in my mind.
Next, I would like to address indy42’s new film “The Jacob’s Corruption”. Indy42 made the film “A Sound of Thunder” which I called “disappointing”. Now, “Jacob’s” did not come out yet, so please forgive my short reviewing of it, however indy42 has grown a lot since “Sound”, so much so that his images have grown more mature, his themes better, and his film only slightly lies on the thrills.
That is one flaw I have with those two films, and seemingly with indy42. HE seems to push the action, the adventure so much that his entire film rests on that. Especially in the filmed movies, this never works out, as images are needed to carry the film through, thrills don’t work alone (remember Debt Collector). “Jacob’s” though, had a few nice images, enough anyway to garner a positive review form me and impress me in ways “Sound” did not.
Pilot Episode
casablanca3491 - Casablanca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, MR Directors and patrons, and welcome to the pilot episode of “Casablanca and the Movies”. In this show, my first attempt and creating a form of entertainment, I will address, elaborate on, and examine different characteristics and points on the films of Movie Reels, both the good…and the rotten, to see what makes them tick as well as what makes them fall short. Now, I do not ask for you to have seen all the films I mention, in fact, I mean this show to be a guide for what you should and shouldn’t see, so I will try to be light on the spoilers, and will warn you if one is coming up. All I wish to do is give you a hint of how the film was made, what the director tried to do with the film, and how well he succeeded.
NOTE- Please excuse a slightly shorter episode, as I am only now taking the form the show will follow. Generally, they may be a little longer then this.
The first film for today is “The Wolf Man”, a new film out by SCF Films, the director of “The Wolfman (original)” and “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman”, two film that were part of his trilogy, which I didn’t have the chance to see. However, reading the new Wolfman, I wish I had a chance to, as SCF seems to know how to craft a story. I gave Wolfman a stunning 4/4, the first I’ve given actually, and I must say that I was so impressed by the script, the atmosphere and the emotions that I also called it one of the smartest film I’ve seen on Movie Reels. Smart as in a good script and smart as in it played out well, it was well set up, there were no obvious flaws.
The film starts with a nice intro, an eerie start, as it shows a library, then a book, then goes to the definition of "LYCANTHROPY (Werewolfism).” Which is:
“A disease of the mind in which human beings imagine they are wolf-men. According to an old LEGEND which persists in certain localities, the victims actually assume the physical characteristics of the animal. There is a small village, by the name of Llanwelly, in Wales, which still claims to have had a gruesome experiences with this supernatural creature."”
Then it goes to the main character’s entrance, this man is Lawrence Talbot (Larry). He is riding on a carriage, and soon after arrives at the Talbot Manor. We soon learn that his brother has died, and through the following conversation, we get a hint that he has lost connections to home, he has moved forward, somewhere more technologically advanced. Take the scene which reads:
Larry:
He was my only connection to this world.
Sir John: (The Father)
There was nothing any of us could do.
Larry:
Despite the reason for my return, it is good to be back.
Sir John:
Naturally. Llanwelly has stood still in time while the rest of the world has progressed. We are a backwards people, but don't quote me on that.
Look at how well the drama is played out. There are hints of sorrow for his brother’s loss (hidden hints, as we assume they had a good relationship), there seems to be a conflict in which Larry didn’t like the slow ways of the village and wanted more excitement, in a place where the “world progressed”, as Sir John declares, as though loathing the modern age, and having some nostalgia for the olden days, which gives the film a puritan appeal, and almost reminds me of the town Salem (where the witchcraft trials were held). This fact gives the film a more frightening and dark mood, as it seems deeply religious, though no proof is forced on the audience. That is how this film operates, by giving us clues, hints it the dialogue, the expressions.
Then, in flashback we realize that the brother was shot, a very mysterious death. This lays the foundation for the rest of the story, the mystery that is always present, the darkness which surrounds the village and leads to the police investigation. It is not until Larry meets Gwen in the antique shop, does the supernatural elements come out. We find that werewolves exist, and Larry does not believe in superstitions, he says knowing (thinking) he is right. We all know where this goes next!
Now that you have a hint of the film, let me address some things which made it as good as it was. Firstly, from the section you read, it is obvious that it is written very intelligently. It has a sophisticated, almost wit, and uses this to propel the story, reaching new heights, much above the typical monster flick. In fact, I am tempted to call this a drama, as that is what it seems. As I have been pushing in my reviews, this is a tragedy. Like the works of Shakespeare, it is a tragedy with violence used poetically. It is almost a poem in script format.
I encourage everyone to see this, and can’t tell you enough how much I enjoyed it. Not only was it one of the greatest films I’ve read, it was also the best experience, one of the few films I actually still keep in my mind.
Next, I would like to address indy42’s new film “The Jacob’s Corruption”. Indy42 made the film “A Sound of Thunder” which I called “disappointing”. Now, “Jacob’s” did not come out yet, so please forgive my short reviewing of it, however indy42 has grown a lot since “Sound”, so much so that his images have grown more mature, his themes better, and his film only slightly lies on the thrills.
That is one flaw I have with those two films, and seemingly with indy42. HE seems to push the action, the adventure so much that his entire film rests on that. Especially in the filmed movies, this never works out, as images are needed to carry the film through, thrills don’t work alone (remember Debt Collector). “Jacob’s” though, had a few nice images, enough anyway to garner a positive review form me and impress me in ways “Sound” did not.
One scene, which I mentioned in my review, was when a character ends meeting by being flipped onto a coach and shot, with nice gun effects. These are the scenes he let’s his films rest on. They look nice, and the directing was above par, however he can’t keep a move running on a few scenes like this. If the film had been any longer then 4 minutes, it probably wouldn’t have worked. [End Spoiler]
Overall, due to its triumphant victory of “Sound of Thunder” I give it a 3.25, I believe. I recommend it with caution, that it isn’t what you expect, simply because it is impossible to have any expectations with so small a film. It is a little pointless, and it seems to only exist for, can you guess, the thrills! However, it is a fine film, with decent images and could be seen as a growth in indy42’s career. If you’d like to see a film on that.
Next comes a new comedy film by T-Mac called “John and Becca’s Love Story”. T-Mac made the film (No Homo), a film which I was actually pretty impressed with for its mixture of drama and comedy, a mixture only T-Mac seems to have pinned down because he also uses it for “John and Becca’s”, only to a lesser extent, with a smaller scope.
There are funny scenes in this film and there are romantic, almost drama scenes in this film. It starts off like any other comedy I have seen on MR, a character playing video games. I am starting to get frustrated when I see this, but its all right, as what follows is surprisingly different from the typical films of the genre.
Now, again there are good laughs. The first conversation, for instance, has John talking about sex he had with a girl last night, in which he describes her as hairy, and says:
JOHN
Let’s just say, if I were to have
popped her cherry, it would’ve
looked like someone just shot a
cat. No joke, she probably shaves
with a weedwacker. But I doubt she
shaves.
Immature, yes. But who doesn’t love a little immature humor once in a while. I must say though, that some of my favorite scenes are when they characters are obviously in love, take for instance the scene where John gets a call from Becca, and after they talk a while:
JOHN
Not much, just...chillin’. Lunch
break at work.
BECCA (V.O.)
Oh cool. Harper Real Estate yeah?
JOHN
You remembered!
The two giggle.
It has a lovely romantic feel to it. And that is where the film benefits, where it gets its good points from. Sadly though, only half a page later, it has them talking of smoking weed and having sex (not talking about that, they do it). It reminds us what kind of film we are in and predicts upcoming flaws as they try to keep up the love story, but fall into some holes of pacing and keeping the film together for the remainder of the film.
Overall, it is a nice film and even a nicer comedy, and I’d encourage those with a sense of humor to go see it. However, it isn’t any masterpiece.
Lastly, I will cover the newest film “The Ultimates” by Seibertron Productions. Now, I will try to point out key moments but my review covers this film just as well as I can do here, so besides referring to the film, let me review, my review.
I basically started my review with
“For if you take its parts, then it could be quite well. However, add them together and you have a mess of a film which changes so much from scene to scene that you could basically split the film in half and have two separate films.”
I cannot have said it better, however mixed in the first paragraph, I don’t believe I elaborated on this point well enough. This is a prime example of its parts being better then the whole. There were nice bits, however when you threw them together, it seemed messy, almost, like I said above, similar to having two films. As I said in my review, it starts off with a wonderful Captain America segment, and then ends up with trashy action and cheese ball lines. Never have I seen a film go so differently then I expected (hoped), except maybe “2012”.
“The script is, sadly, the key point of the film.”
Ah, another fine point I made, not to brag. But, as you read, the film bases itself on action scenes. Similar to “Sound of Thunder” it relies solely on our knowledge of comics and our patience to wait for he next mindlessly silly action part. Now, with lines like "That's why Hulk's gonna tear off your head an' use your skull like a toilet bowl!" and "HULK GONNA SMASH OPEN YOUR HEAD AND SUCK OUT THE YOLK, YOU UGLY PIECE OF CRAP!", who wouldn’t be interested in seeing it, at least skimming through it, as two members already told me they would. So, thus we seem to be faced with a cult film, where my negative review actually encouraged ticket sales. ON that level, the level of a cult film, it works decently with lines so bad skimming through it would be an enjoyable evening.
“In a landslide of decent to great action films, this just feels like a parody, either that or a kick in the teeth. If its the former, this script definitely needs some funnier material, if its the latter, sure it hurt, but at least they didn't wear steel toe boots.”
I am starting to think it is somewhat of a parody. That doesn’t help its grade, but then, at least, it doesn’t take itself seriously, so it may be worth seeing on that value.
Overall, maybe it isn’t the insult to cinema I thought it was, however it is an insult to itself as it embarrasses itself with cringe inducing lines. Bad for the film, however, not bad for us as we get a good laugh out of it. It’s up to you if you want to see it , but once is enough for me.
Well, I must end this episode now, as I covered much in my reviews and just wanted to make this as a pilot episodes. Please comment what you think and any ideas to make the show better. The next episode will be when a new film comes out, in which I will cover it very thoroughly, and since I will only have one new film, I will add something to the show as well as briefly mention older films. From now on, I will not only address certain films, but will also address the craft of making films. I will talk about certain director’s and their styles and where they excel. Please do not expect the same thing every episode, for each one will have something a little different.
Thanks for watching “Casablanca and the Movies”, and I hope to see you next time.
Overall, due to its triumphant victory of “Sound of Thunder” I give it a 3.25, I believe. I recommend it with caution, that it isn’t what you expect, simply because it is impossible to have any expectations with so small a film. It is a little pointless, and it seems to only exist for, can you guess, the thrills! However, it is a fine film, with decent images and could be seen as a growth in indy42’s career. If you’d like to see a film on that.
Next comes a new comedy film by T-Mac called “John and Becca’s Love Story”. T-Mac made the film (No Homo), a film which I was actually pretty impressed with for its mixture of drama and comedy, a mixture only T-Mac seems to have pinned down because he also uses it for “John and Becca’s”, only to a lesser extent, with a smaller scope.
There are funny scenes in this film and there are romantic, almost drama scenes in this film. It starts off like any other comedy I have seen on MR, a character playing video games. I am starting to get frustrated when I see this, but its all right, as what follows is surprisingly different from the typical films of the genre.
Now, again there are good laughs. The first conversation, for instance, has John talking about sex he had with a girl last night, in which he describes her as hairy, and says:
JOHN
Let’s just say, if I were to have
popped her cherry, it would’ve
looked like someone just shot a
cat. No joke, she probably shaves
with a weedwacker. But I doubt she
shaves.
Immature, yes. But who doesn’t love a little immature humor once in a while. I must say though, that some of my favorite scenes are when they characters are obviously in love, take for instance the scene where John gets a call from Becca, and after they talk a while:
JOHN
Not much, just...chillin’. Lunch
break at work.
BECCA (V.O.)
Oh cool. Harper Real Estate yeah?
JOHN
You remembered!
The two giggle.
It has a lovely romantic feel to it. And that is where the film benefits, where it gets its good points from. Sadly though, only half a page later, it has them talking of smoking weed and having sex (not talking about that, they do it). It reminds us what kind of film we are in and predicts upcoming flaws as they try to keep up the love story, but fall into some holes of pacing and keeping the film together for the remainder of the film.
Overall, it is a nice film and even a nicer comedy, and I’d encourage those with a sense of humor to go see it. However, it isn’t any masterpiece.
Lastly, I will cover the newest film “The Ultimates” by Seibertron Productions. Now, I will try to point out key moments but my review covers this film just as well as I can do here, so besides referring to the film, let me review, my review.
I basically started my review with
“For if you take its parts, then it could be quite well. However, add them together and you have a mess of a film which changes so much from scene to scene that you could basically split the film in half and have two separate films.”
I cannot have said it better, however mixed in the first paragraph, I don’t believe I elaborated on this point well enough. This is a prime example of its parts being better then the whole. There were nice bits, however when you threw them together, it seemed messy, almost, like I said above, similar to having two films. As I said in my review, it starts off with a wonderful Captain America segment, and then ends up with trashy action and cheese ball lines. Never have I seen a film go so differently then I expected (hoped), except maybe “2012”.
“The script is, sadly, the key point of the film.”
Ah, another fine point I made, not to brag. But, as you read, the film bases itself on action scenes. Similar to “Sound of Thunder” it relies solely on our knowledge of comics and our patience to wait for he next mindlessly silly action part. Now, with lines like "That's why Hulk's gonna tear off your head an' use your skull like a toilet bowl!" and "HULK GONNA SMASH OPEN YOUR HEAD AND SUCK OUT THE YOLK, YOU UGLY PIECE OF CRAP!", who wouldn’t be interested in seeing it, at least skimming through it, as two members already told me they would. So, thus we seem to be faced with a cult film, where my negative review actually encouraged ticket sales. ON that level, the level of a cult film, it works decently with lines so bad skimming through it would be an enjoyable evening.
“In a landslide of decent to great action films, this just feels like a parody, either that or a kick in the teeth. If its the former, this script definitely needs some funnier material, if its the latter, sure it hurt, but at least they didn't wear steel toe boots.”
I am starting to think it is somewhat of a parody. That doesn’t help its grade, but then, at least, it doesn’t take itself seriously, so it may be worth seeing on that value.
Overall, maybe it isn’t the insult to cinema I thought it was, however it is an insult to itself as it embarrasses itself with cringe inducing lines. Bad for the film, however, not bad for us as we get a good laugh out of it. It’s up to you if you want to see it , but once is enough for me.
Well, I must end this episode now, as I covered much in my reviews and just wanted to make this as a pilot episodes. Please comment what you think and any ideas to make the show better. The next episode will be when a new film comes out, in which I will cover it very thoroughly, and since I will only have one new film, I will add something to the show as well as briefly mention older films. From now on, I will not only address certain films, but will also address the craft of making films. I will talk about certain director’s and their styles and where they excel. Please do not expect the same thing every episode, for each one will have something a little different.
Thanks for watching “Casablanca and the Movies”, and I hope to see you next time.
