Review: Kick-Ass

Went to the matinée at the Henrietta Regal Cinema this afternoon to see Mathew Vaughn's new film "Kick-Ass". I have not read the graphic novel by Mark Millar of the same name for which this is based. I definitely want to check them out now. Like most books I'm alright with checking out the Cinematic equivalent first.(I really love this poster, one of the best I've seen in a while)



The film follows your average high school kid Dave Lizewski. Think Peter Parker but without being smart. A big fan of comic books he begins to wonder and discuss with his friends why no one ever tried to actually be a super hero in real life. (you've seen the trailer, you know the story). He does. Shit goes down. Hard core.

I had a blast with this movie. Without a doubt the most entertaining film I've seen this year so far. From beginning to end I was completely captivated and in the movie. Not once was there a "hmmm i should check my email" or "I wonder if it's still nice outside" or "Why's the floor so sticky?" thought moments. For a movie to have this effect deserves quite the high five to the creators. First and Foremost, I'll admit that I'm dead center within the films "Target Audience" of the american young adult dreamer who likes superhero's and has an odd yet scientifically normal amount of blood-lust. I'll be honest, I've thought about being a superhero/real-life vigilante myself and have even drawn up some costumes. You could say that it's like feeding mice cheese, or monkey's bandannas or Paris Hilton STD's. Give'em what they like. I agree with that, but I feel like this film really did a lot of things right on a level beyond that.

The film was perfectly casted across the board. Aaron Johnson did an awesome job as the lead of Dave/Kick-Ass. I connected with him within the opening credits and he was totally believable the whole time as the naive superhero wannabe. The role of Kick-Ass's love interest Katie played by Lyndsy Fonseca is a great casting choice as well. She is the perfect girl next door that you instantly fall in love with when you see her on-screen. Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin) plays the kid with no friends... again. With this film it works. Sure he's being typecast, but that's the character of Red Mist. Nicholas Cage brings out an excellent Adam West impression as the revenge crazy Big Daddy. One girl killing machine Hit Girl is played by the cute as button Chloe Moretz. Again, great casting of a gifted young actress who can deliver all those lewd and crude lines with a level of sincerity and reality that doesn't feel forced or cheesy.


The World where Kick-Ass resigns is grounded in a believable and relatable reality with flares of fantasy that is well within the confines of suspension of disbelief without being too extravagant. The violence is brutally real. Without spoiling anything I'll just say some serious shit goes down to our hero Kick-Ass. Stuff that would definitely happen to someone if they did decide to be a Superhero in our modern world. Not to say that all of the violence and is realistic, but there are enough realistic consequences to enforce the sense of reality needed to make the more flourishy stuff even more exciting. One of the best aspects of the film was damn fine tension. In a lot of superhero films real tension is hard to accomplish due to the fact you know there is going to be a sequel and everything will turn out fine. (a good exception is the train sequence in Spider-Man 2). Kick-Ass is not your typical kind of super hero movie, all rules are out. Characters could die at any moment. This is legit. Another thing the film go right was it's recognition of the power of the internets. People don't read the newspaper. It's 2010. Welcome. How are you? Here's a computer machine.

If you are a teenage to twentysomething American male, or ever were one and not a stuck up butt head, go see this movie. If you're not, you'll probably find this offensive and reprehensible. That's cool. I'm just saying, I enjoyed it. So it did it's job fully.

Review: Naked Lunch

Finally watched David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch all the way through today.

The book for which it is based by William S. Burroughs is now on my next to read after I finish "Cronenberg on Cronenberg". Now I don't know much about Mr. Burroughs and his writing. Cronenberg talks a lot about him in the book, and states that he is a major influence. From this small bit of exposure of the mountain of ideas and concepts in this man's head I look forward to delving into more of it.



As for the film. Now I've watched some bizarre films in my day but this definitely ranks among the top of them. It's not just the abstract and often freakish visuals but the overall concepts and themes surging below and through the images which create the ultimate sense of bizarreness. I'll admit that I do not fully grasp everything, or even most of what was "really" going on in this film.


What made Cronenberg's film adaptation really memorable is the reality for which all these odd things occur. The film is shot and directed in a way that has a sense of reality where all of this actually did occur. You really believe, "alright, so typewriters can turn into bugs and talk out of their butt holes, i can buy that". The use of practical effects is incredibly well done with the centipede processing plant, to the Mugwumps, to the Typewriters of different kinds. The main performance by Peter "Robocop" Weller is oddly hilarious as he is so nonchalant about most of the weird stuff going on in his "hallucinations". With his performance it helps the audience just accept these things within the story and continue moving on which definitely helps the overall effect. After reading the book I'll go back and see this again.

Recommended for everyone. Especially for Mugwumps and Centipede People.

Review: CORE

After the Collegiate Climbing Series Competion at the Red Barn this past Saturday we all watched the new climbing movie "CORE" by Chuck Fryberger.

Here is the trailer:

CORE Official Trailer from Chuck Fryberger on Vimeo.

Shot on the RED Camera the film follows climbers across 3 Continents. The scenes in the Rocklands of South Africa are absolutely stunning. The whole area feels like it belongs on another planet. I was bummed that we watched it on an Standard Def projector but nevertheless it looked really good throughout and am interested in seeing it on BluRay.

The film like many other climbing movies follows a bunch of climbers that make me want to quit haha. It's ridiculous how good these guys and girls are. There was this one section where this guy was going up this rock face with nothing but single finger pockets. It was excruciating in that you thought his fingers were just going to snap off. Overall it just really solidified my desire to travel out West of the USA and experience the mountains out there. Check it out if you're into climbing movies, as it's definitely one of the most well made ones I've seen.

RIT Rock Climbing Site

The brand new RIT Rock Climbing Club Web Site is now up and operational.

Checkedy Check it out:

http://www.rit.edu/sg/rocks/

Review: The Man From London

Went to The Dryden Theatre to see the 2007 film "The Man From London" from the Hungarian director Béla Tarr. This is the second film I've seen from him, the first being the incredible 2000 film "Werkmeister Harmonies" I saw over the summer during Eastern European Film Class. Without a doubt or exaggeration "Werkmeister Harmonies" is one of the best and most enthralling films I have ever seen so I was instantly interested when I heard his newest film was being played here in Rochester on the big screen in 35mm.



I knew nothing about the film going into it for which I quite enjoyed. We are too often over-saturated with what's going on in the movie from trailers, behind the scenes photos, and director interviews before the film is even released. So it was really refreshing to have none of that and just watching the movie from frame one.

The film follows a railway worker as he gets mixed up with a man from London. Much like Werkmeister Harmonies, the story is not what draws you in. It is how it is portrayed and put on screen. Through a series of long takes, some lasting upwards of 10 min, you are hypnotically enthralled into the movie, no time to blink, no time for escape, you are there with the characters within the space. The film is also shot in stunning black and white, with vibrancy that would even make Pandora jealous.

There were some dubbing issues that seemed odd in this print of the film. Where some characters were speaking English with no subtitles but their mouths were definitely saying something else. This also occurred to characters who were speaking French, with English subtitles, again with their mouths saying something different. This was a little jarring at first but as you got more into the film it actually kinda added to the sense of uneasiness.

This film is not for everyone. But if you enjoy great cinematography and camera-work and can deal with a slow pace and story then check it out. Try to see it on the big-screen though, or at least a really big TV and sit up close.

Review: Greenberg

Went to The Little Theater and watched the new film by Noah Baumbach the director of the under-seen great film "The Squid and the Whale". His new film stars Ben Stiller as the titular character Roger Greenberg. Recently out of a mental health hospital for unknown reasons, the 41 year old New Yorker goes to Los Angeles to house and dog sit for his Brother while he is away in Vietnam. In LA he reconnects with his old best friend from college Ivan played by Rhys Ifans and goes into a classic modern romance with his brothers nanny Florence played by Greta Gerwig.




The film has really good performances across the board. The one that stands out the most is Greta Gerwig. She is completely convincing in her performance and does a really nice job with Ben. As for Ben Stiller he does a really good job playing the anxiety ridden man who wants to do nothing. A lot of critics have said that this is Stiller's best performance to date. This bugs me. The thing that bugs me is that many times when a comedic actor does a serious role, critics and other people proclaim that serious role as their best performance. Totally undermining all past comedic performances in favor and in exaltation in that a dramatic role is better. FUCK THAT SHIT! Seriously? That pisses me off. Doing an effective and engaging comedic performance can be equally if not more difficult in pulling off and performing than a "dramatic" performance. Look it up in the dictionary, it's true.

The film also really captures and portrays awkward social interactions incredibly well. One scene in particular is when Greenberg goes to a party and is just talking to a bunch of people about what they and he's been up to for the past 15 years. It's a situation we've all been through, going back home and talking to a bunch of old acquaintances who act like they are really interested in what you are saying and you end up saying the same half assed thing to all of them. How this scene is edited and acted is really well done.

The modern romance between Greenberg and Florence is also played out in a refreshing and realistic manner. The whole are we dating, are we not dating, are there feelings, what's going on thing is going down in full force. It all culminates in an ending that is fulfilling and sweet (in the romantic sense).

If you like Noah Baumbach's other films, you should def check this out. Ben Stiller fans should also check this out to see another side of the actor. And check it out if you're just interested in seeing a good modern character piece.

Time-Lapse

Shot this back in September. Now its on the internets. Enjoy.

Rubberwub Time-Lapse Adventure! from Daniel Alexander on Vimeo.

Movies Watched in the past month and other stuff too

So when i was mad sick I went though a huge David Cronenberg binge. It was pretty freaking sweet.



Shivers-
Cronenbergs first feature film also has the title of being the very first Canadian horror film. Originally titled "Orgy of the Blood Parasites" it follows tenants at a high rise apartment who are overrun by a parasitic slugs that turn them into sex crazed maniacs. Throughout the film it has really great and innovative special effects for such a small budget. They are delightfully queazy. Acting isn't too bad for all things considered as many of the actors were unprofessional. Overall a very good first feature.



Rabid-
Expanding on similar themes of sexuality from "Shivers", Cronenberg's second feature film follows a young woman who after a traumatic motorcycle class grows an extra blood sucking appendage in her armpit after an experimental skin graph surgery. Pornographic actress Marilyn Chambers does quite well as the lead actress as she escapes the hospital and begins to infect men across the Canadian Countryside and into Montreal.



The Brood-



Scanners-




The Dead Zone-



The Fly-



Dead Ringers-



Crash-



eXistenZ-



Spider-

Still gotta couple to go, plus re-watching A History of Violence and Eastern Promises.



Finished up David Gordon Greens films I havn't seen


George Washington-


Snow Angels-


Started to catch up on all films Kevin Smith


Clerks-


Mallrats-


Watched some films the old fashioned way in the movie theatre



Shutter Island-



The Crazies-



The Wolfman-



The Fantastic Mr. Fox-


Then some other random movies



Altered States-

Barn Burner Comp 09

In October 2009 the RIT Red Barn Climbing Center held its second Barn Burner Bouldering Competition where climbers competed for 12 hours from 9pm to 9am. This is what happened.

This is the short edit for RIT SportsZone that aired on ESPN2 and TWCSN Rochester. ritsz.com


I filmed a lot more footage and am in the process of editing a longer version with more info on the entire process of setting the routes and running the competition. Should be done sometime in the near future.

Watch on Vimeo to see it in nice big HD.

Barn Burner Comp 2009 (short version) from Daniel Alexander on Vimeo.

Back

Dear Readers, i'm back.

Had the flu and pneumonia for the past few weeks and didn't really feel like doing anything but sit around and get better and watch Cronenberg movies.

But I made a video the other night for this internship for the awesome video site Vimeo. It's kinda inspired by Dead Ringers. Here it is...

Dan's Vimeo Internship Video from Daniel Alexander on Vimeo.

Yeah I grew a silly mustache, idk why.

I put this world globe tracker thing on my blog thats at the bottom. I have no idea if its legit. Apparently it can tell from peoples IP addresses where they are from and if they visit this. If its real then its pretty sweet, if its not then whatever, it's still kinda cool.

Anyways, big review post to come soon of all the movies I've been watching.

Laterrrrrrrs