Jumat, 21 Desember 2012
It's Here, Big Mike's Movie Podcast!
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It's Official, I am Kreativ
I like the internet blog memes that get created and passed from blogger to blogger. I think it's a great way to interact with others in the blogging community and anything that increases visibility and attracts readers is a good thing. The only bad thing is being at the tail end where it becomes difficult to pass it along to someone, as they have already gotten it themselves. So, while I am grateful to be recognized by my peers, the hard part becomes finding other peers to recognize.I was nominated for a Kreativ Blogger award by my friend Tom Clift of Plus Trailers. When one is nominated, they must perform certain tasks, which I shall attempt to complete now.1. Thank the person who nominated you.Thank you Tom. You are a gentleman and a scholar and I tip my hat to your ever gracious reception of any ethnic Australian jokes made at your expense. Well done, sir.2. Copy the logo and paste it in your blog.3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award. I think we're getting slightly redundant here, but here's a link to Plus Trailers.4. Name seven things about you that people might find interesting.This task in and of itself is interesting because of the way it's worded. Not the part about what other people may find interesting, but the part about NAMING seven things. I follow instructions to the letter, so here goes.- my taste in film, television, humor and again, women- my workout regimen (running outdoors to film scores)- my various celebrity meetings, run-ins and photo ops5. Nominate seven other bloggers.Seven is REALLY pushing it and I know I'm not even really going to even get away with eighty percent of these five. - Dylan Fields at Blog Cabins, who has helped me along more than he probably knows, but he's one of those guys who makes me want to blog better.- Finally, I got to give props to my boy Phil at Phil's Movie Blog. Write more Phil and join the LAMB!6. Post links to the blogs you nominated.7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs you nominated.I think I might skate out on this last one.
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Better Not Bring Your Kids!
I had the day off from work and rather than go out to the movies, I stayed inside. After reorganizing three stacks of DVDs about three feet high each, I still couldn't pick one, so I threw in season two of Chappelle's Show, intending to watch it until my cousin called me. He texted me back hours later, but by that time, I was already too deep into the DVD to even care. If you haven't never seen the show, you're missing out on one of the funniest shows of the past decade. Controversial, groundbreaking and genius were some of the adjectives used to describe the show at it's height and it holds up well even today. With the dearth of quality sketch comedy on television, Dave delivered strong quality episodes every week. His commitment to excellence drove him hard enough to walk away from the show after the season, but it remains an amazing testament to his talent and vision. Here are some of my favorite highlights from the second season.Samuel L. Jackson Beer - I can't watch ANY Samuel L. Jackson movie without thinking to myself, "mmm-mmm bitch!" Especially when sitting in a quiet theater during a Sam Jackson trailer.
Law & Order - This is where the line between jokes and social relevance start to thin to the point of disappearance. From the 'jury of your peers' to Tron's pleading the 'Fif', this sketch is a comedy of absurdity, turning everyday well known conventions of then head and making a mockery of the government's pursuit of justice.Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories - There was talk and rumors of Dave actually doing a Rick James biopic in the style of these sketches. If only they had come to fruition, we would've had the funniest musical biopic ever.
Making the Band - Trust me, the sketch is far more compelling than anything the actual show ever produced.KneeHigh Park - I would probably let my kids watch KneeHigh Park. Lots of good lessons there.Wayne Brady - There may never be a better skewering of a celebrity's public image than Wayne Brady's Training Day-inspired sketch. And if you get the DVD, watch the special features to see Wayne positively squirm at the thought of delivering his now infamous catch phrase.
Black Bush - Possibly the best political sketch of all time.
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No Leaving Shutter Island
In the film Shutter Island, the characters are trapped on a small island in the Boston harbor that is home to a 'mental institution... for the criminally insane'. A monstrous storm pounds the island making it impossible for anyone to leave. But, director Martin Scorsese has crafted the film in such a way, that audiences will find it difficult to leave Shutter Island themselves. Leonardo DiCaprio plays US Marshal Teddy Daniels, investigating a disappearance on the island with his new partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo). They are offered little to no assistance from the institution's administrator (Ben Kingsely) or doctors (Max von Sydow) and Teddy is tormented with migraines and images of his murdered wife (Michelle Williams). To go anymore further into the plot is to give away clues in a mystery that includes so many subtle nuances that, the ending aside, the film almost demands multiple viewings. Suffice to say that the movie taps directly into the era of the 1950's with it's Cold War paranoia, flashbacks of World War II and just being a simpler time when people still trust in the decency of mankind. 
Like in The Departed and The Aviator, DiCaprio's performance carries the film. The character of Teddy Daniels is determined, troubled, clever, suspicious and human all at the same time. He has his own reasons to investigate Shutter Island and his own demons to exorcise. By becoming emotionally compromised, he becomes an unreliable narrator, but it is through his eyes that we view this story. Which makes it all the more compelling because as you identify with Teddy, you want him to be right about everything that is wrong. You want him to break from protocol, avenge his wife's death and unravel the vast conspiracy that evades the innermost secrets of the island. It's a strangely exciting ride, for how dark and macabre the film becomes, but it's a testament to both actor and director that you can care so much for a deeply disturbed and violent man.The supporting cast in in excellent form as well, including the aforementioned actors, as well as Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley and Elias Koteas. While most of them only appear for a single scene, they make the most of their time on the screen, in captivating shots lensed by Robert Richardson. Additionally, the flashbacks of Teddy liberating Dachau in World War II only make me salivate at the thought of a Martin Scorsese war movie.
Of course, no review of a Scorsese film would be accurate without mentioning the director. Shutter Island becomes a loving homage to films of the period, from the horror movies of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourner to the suspenseful psychological thrillers of Hitchcock. Replete with references and nods to these films and more, Scorsese gets the most from DiCaprio by utilizing his movie star power to not only mine the richer payoff of DiCaprio the actor, but by bringing to a larger audience his special craft at filmmaking, his respect and affection for cinema history and his knack for keeping it all so very entertaining.View the original article here
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Big Mike's Top Films of the Decade, Part 1
Yes, I am writing my five part, DECADE in review list. You might have been seeing them a lot lately on sites such as Ain't It Cool, or the one I liked better at The A.V. Club. But, in order to get into the swing of things, I had to go with the movies I liked best, myself over the past ten years. While I struggled to balance movies that were actually good with those that were really fun, I had a hard time coming up with this list. 'Where are all the documentaries?' I asked myself. Foreign films? Indies? What kind of self-respecting film snob had I become in this decade, the one in which I got out of the Marine Corps, went to college to major in film, worked in television, went to jail and got my eyebrows waxed? In the end, I had to write what I know and pick the films that I liked for the reasons I liked them. It took a lot of coffee and a lot of research and in the end, I had to leave off some favorites, like Attack of the Clones and dig up some that I go back and watch constantly. I may not have the magic eye, but I think I got a pretty good list.
25. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy“You have a dirty, whorish mouth.” “The arsonist had oddly shaped feet.” “I love lamp.” “60% of the time, it works every time.” “That’s how I roll.” “I’m sort of a big deal. People know me.” “I don’t know if you were listening, I did over a thousand.” “I want to be on you.” “The party. With the pants. Party in the pants.” “I’m in a glass cage of emotion!” For being the most quotable comedy of the decade, Anchorman earns the first spot on the list. “You stay classy, Planet Earth.”
24. Up In The AirThe only movie from 2009 on this list, it is rare to see a film that perfectly captures the essence of its time. I know that has been written about this film constantly, but it is also very true and this movie got to me in a way that a lot of films never will. George Clooney plays a man searching for a balance between life and work and never knowing which one will win. We don’t necessarily know either and its wonderful to see a man and a movie that so accurately shows us the truth of our world. 
23. SuperbadWhat Forgetting Sarah Marshall did for romantic comedies, Superbad did for the ‘teen comedy’. Superbad actually had kids that were neither nerds nor jocks, but looked something more like my friends and I in high school. And, they learned some important lessons along the way that are actually true, like a girl doesn’t have to be drunk to like you or sleep with you and that confidence is your most valuable tool. Though we may all be more like Seth and Evan than we like to think, trying to be more like them wouldn’t be a bad thing either.
22. Training DayBy now, it is a forgone conclusion that ‘going Denzel in Training Day’ is a sure way to win an Oscar nom, but in 2001, it was a bold move for Washington, which paid off nicely. But beyond that, Training Day may have been a wash for some, but for the hip hop generation it was targeted to, we saw cops that looked and acted like the ones who patrolled our schools and our streets growing up, and while Denzel embodied the evil we feared as kids, Ethan Hawke was perfect as his counterbalance. He became the hope we placed in the police force to do the right thing and protect us from everyone, even themselves. 
Forget about all those Bond movies of the past, Casino Royale was a kick ass action flick first and a Bond movie second. Daniel Craig is THE new Bond and succeeds by being an actor first and an icon second. From the free running in Africa and no limits hold ‘em in Monte Carlo to very clever dialogue and visual references to the Bond mythos, Casino Royale was both old and new, fresh and familiar, fun and fascinating. Even if they had never made a follow up, this film stands as one of the best action films of all time, let alone the 2000’s. Keep reading this week, I will have the full list up before the New Year.
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25. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy“You have a dirty, whorish mouth.” “The arsonist had oddly shaped feet.” “I love lamp.” “60% of the time, it works every time.” “That’s how I roll.” “I’m sort of a big deal. People know me.” “I don’t know if you were listening, I did over a thousand.” “I want to be on you.” “The party. With the pants. Party in the pants.” “I’m in a glass cage of emotion!” For being the most quotable comedy of the decade, Anchorman earns the first spot on the list. “You stay classy, Planet Earth.”24. Up In The AirThe only movie from 2009 on this list, it is rare to see a film that perfectly captures the essence of its time. I know that has been written about this film constantly, but it is also very true and this movie got to me in a way that a lot of films never will. George Clooney plays a man searching for a balance between life and work and never knowing which one will win. We don’t necessarily know either and its wonderful to see a man and a movie that so accurately shows us the truth of our world. 23. SuperbadWhat Forgetting Sarah Marshall did for romantic comedies, Superbad did for the ‘teen comedy’. Superbad actually had kids that were neither nerds nor jocks, but looked something more like my friends and I in high school. And, they learned some important lessons along the way that are actually true, like a girl doesn’t have to be drunk to like you or sleep with you and that confidence is your most valuable tool. Though we may all be more like Seth and Evan than we like to think, trying to be more like them wouldn’t be a bad thing either. 22. Training DayBy now, it is a forgone conclusion that ‘going Denzel in Training Day’ is a sure way to win an Oscar nom, but in 2001, it was a bold move for Washington, which paid off nicely. But beyond that, Training Day may have been a wash for some, but for the hip hop generation it was targeted to, we saw cops that looked and acted like the ones who patrolled our schools and our streets growing up, and while Denzel embodied the evil we feared as kids, Ethan Hawke was perfect as his counterbalance. He became the hope we placed in the police force to do the right thing and protect us from everyone, even themselves. Forget about all those Bond movies of the past, Casino Royale was a kick ass action flick first and a Bond movie second. Daniel Craig is THE new Bond and succeeds by being an actor first and an icon second. From the free running in Africa and no limits hold ‘em in Monte Carlo to very clever dialogue and visual references to the Bond mythos, Casino Royale was both old and new, fresh and familiar, fun and fascinating. Even if they had never made a follow up, this film stands as one of the best action films of all time, let alone the 2000’s. Keep reading this week, I will have the full list up before the New Year.View the original article here
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Kamis, 20 Desember 2012
Arrested Wednesdays #7
Though I think that next week we can delve a little deeper into the magical mystery that is Gob, this week's clip is a good taste of things to come. From the third season where Gob is desperately trying to please his father and constantly avoiding his long lost song, he becomes a roller coaster of emotions. You'll see him double cross Michael, while the two of them cry like a couple of school girls. Actually, he's the only one that's crying. Furthermore, in this clip, the beginnings of Tobias' tragic fight with GVH start to take shape. And I don't know how many times my friend Jamie Black has called me Michael in that deep, low gravelly voice. But, every time I hear it, I reminded of this clip and better times.
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A Very Robert Downey Jr. Christmas, Part 2
The second half our of Very Robert Downey Jr. Christmas double feature is the film that Downey had hoped would be part of his big comeback, but instead has enjoyed a much more unique status as a cult comedy, the Shane Black scripted and directed Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.
Co-starring with Val Kilmer, Downey is perfectly cast as Harry Lockhart, a petty criminal who literally stumbles upon the acting opportunity of his life. Flown from New York to Los Angeles, he tags along with Kilmer's private eye Gay Perry in an attempt to study for his upcoming audition. What follows is murder, mystery, long lost loves and laugh out loud one-liners. Downey and Kilmer play beautifully off each other as they try to stay one step ahead of the criminals while they try to figure out how to work with each other before they get killed. They're not the good cop/bad cop type of team, as Kilmer calls them, they're fag and New Yorker. The jokes fly as fast as the bullets but the real pleasure simply comes from watching Harry slowly frustrate to Gay Perry to profanity laced outbursts. Michelle Monaghan also co-stars as Harmony, Harry's childhood love who has become an out of work actress in Hollywood and crosses paths with Harry and Perry, enlisting their help in her own adventures. While the three actors have great chemistry with each other, again it is Downey who carries the film and as many dramatic notes as he hits in Less Than Zero, he is flat out hilarious in this picture, narrating the film, talking directly to the audience, apologizing for his bad narrating then maintaining the entire flow within the scene. Critics hailed his performance as one of the best of his career and rumors of a sequel have been floating around even recently on Twitter. But the movie stands alone as an underrated film that my friends and I love to use as a barometer of other people's humor.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is the perfect way to end your Very Robert Downey Jr. Christmas because it ends on a note of optimism. Like Harry says, it was just last Christmas that he and Harmony changed the world. And the sight of Michelle Monaghan running around in a Santa one piece certainly help to make it a happy holiday.
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Co-starring with Val Kilmer, Downey is perfectly cast as Harry Lockhart, a petty criminal who literally stumbles upon the acting opportunity of his life. Flown from New York to Los Angeles, he tags along with Kilmer's private eye Gay Perry in an attempt to study for his upcoming audition. What follows is murder, mystery, long lost loves and laugh out loud one-liners. Downey and Kilmer play beautifully off each other as they try to stay one step ahead of the criminals while they try to figure out how to work with each other before they get killed. They're not the good cop/bad cop type of team, as Kilmer calls them, they're fag and New Yorker. The jokes fly as fast as the bullets but the real pleasure simply comes from watching Harry slowly frustrate to Gay Perry to profanity laced outbursts. Michelle Monaghan also co-stars as Harmony, Harry's childhood love who has become an out of work actress in Hollywood and crosses paths with Harry and Perry, enlisting their help in her own adventures. While the three actors have great chemistry with each other, again it is Downey who carries the film and as many dramatic notes as he hits in Less Than Zero, he is flat out hilarious in this picture, narrating the film, talking directly to the audience, apologizing for his bad narrating then maintaining the entire flow within the scene. Critics hailed his performance as one of the best of his career and rumors of a sequel have been floating around even recently on Twitter. But the movie stands alone as an underrated film that my friends and I love to use as a barometer of other people's humor.Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is the perfect way to end your Very Robert Downey Jr. Christmas because it ends on a note of optimism. Like Harry says, it was just last Christmas that he and Harmony changed the world. And the sight of Michelle Monaghan running around in a Santa one piece certainly help to make it a happy holiday.View the original article here
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