TV & Film
Best Sherlock Holmes Movie Ever !
Jan 9th
First off the acting is really good in this film and I think everyone that was on-screen did a good job especially the lead actors. The Chemistry between Holmes and Watson is great. Rachel McAdams also does a good job as Holmes only love Irene the master thief. Robert Downy Jr. does an amazing job at being Sherlock Holmes although he is an American actor he doesn’t force British accent he sounds very natural.
The plot or mystery in this case is also good if not confusing. It’s a very fun movie it has it’s share of good action scenes, some cgi here and there, nice fighting moves and you have a great holiday action flick. Some good directing and maybe a little bit too much slow motion at some parts where it doesn’t need to be.
Loved Avatar’s World-Making
Jan 5th
I just saw Cameron’s movie Avatar. I went for the spectacle, the total immersion. As a way to visit another planet it was fantastic. Don’t be distracted by the lame plot (a galatic Dancing With Wolves). The joy is all about the experience. You get an insanely complete world — language, culture, biology, machines, geology, and so on. Every plant is invented. I thought it was going to be computer-y but the tenor and atmosphere was refreshingly biological. Sure the movie’s “message” was environmentally preachy, and the but the experience in 3D was pretty cool.It is not hard to imagine most movies being fabricated with the same make-a-world technology. It also has “video games” written all over it. Takes the world-making of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings to the next level. I was dazzled by the fantasy and its completeness. Definitely a cultural landmark.
The 10 Scariest Movies of All Time
Jan 4th
10. Carrie ( 1976) – Based on the Stephen King Novel, It is about a girl that has supernatural powers that she can control things with her mind. She is picked on in high school and when she goes to the prom, it becomes the prom in hell.
9. Dracula (1931) – A classic about a vampire that likes to suck your blood
8. Arachnophobia ( 199) – Spiders that go on a killing spree.
7. Poltergeist (1982) – A family is haunted by a poltergeist that lives in their TV.
6. Hellraiser (1987) – An unfaith full wife is being chased by zombie lover, whom is being chased by demons after he escaped hell
5. Saw ( 2004) – About a serial killer that likes to put his victims through a series of test that could let them free or kill them. This movie is scary because it makes you think that their could be sick psychotic people out their, that are capable of committing crimes.
4. Psycho ( 1966) – A great classic, that has you turning in your seat. A hotel owner has split personalities after his mothers death and he becomes his mother.
3. The Omen (1976) – A child is born, that is said to be the son of Satan. The family goes through some series of events that are very demonic.
2. The Shining ( 1980) – ” All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is the famous quote from this movie. The Shining is based on a Stephen King novel, that takes place at the Overlook hotel, where series of events that happen from the previous owners of the hotel.
1. The Exorcist (1973) – This movie is about a little girl that gets posed by the devil. During the Exorcist the events that take place are scary, disturbing, and makes you want to close your eyes. This is the number one Scariest Movie.
Pixar
Jan 4th
Pixar is a computer animation movie studio based in Northern California. Although initially the company was geared toward computer-generated imagery (CGI) hardware, it eventually began producing completely CGI short films and feature length movies. With the release of Toy Story in 1995, the company revolutionized the faltering animation industry.
The company was originally owned by Lucasfilm, and was created to develop advanced animation technology for use in live-action movies. In 1986, the company was purchase by Steve Jobs, the head of Apple, Inc. The company developed the Pixar Imaging Computer, which met with a limited market although it attracted the interest of Walt Disney Studios, particularly through its short film demonstrations made by an employee named John Lasseter. In 1991, despite bad sales of their computer, Walt Disney made a three-picture production deal with the studio, the first of which would be Toy Story.
John Lasseter, a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts, directed and co-wrote Toy Story, the story of a fight for their owner’s affection between an old-fashioned cowboy doll and a new spaceman doll. The movie featured what would become the studio’s most often-repeated motif: self-improvement. It also featured an incredible amount of technological innovation, and would go on to win awards for animation, writing, producing, music composition, direction, technical achievement, and a special American Academy Award for special achievement. The film became a box-office hit, opening to near-universal critical acclaim and grossing over $354 million US Dollars (USD) worldwide.
With each successive movie, the studio continued to refine and advance CGI technique. In Finding Nemo, the story of a separated clown fish father and son, animators spent years perfecting technology to make the underwater world believable. In the 2006 film Cars, considerable technical prowess was needed to make the reflections and surfaces of the metal main characters look realistic. The 2007 release, Ratatouille amazed many critics with the individual detail now possible in CGI-rendered hair and fur.
Along with cutting-edge technology, the studio is known for extremely popular original story lines. Unlike traditional Disney films, none of the Pixar movies have been based on legends or fairy tales. The writing team is generally made up of senior members of the studio, and has received several awards and award nominations for their films.
Pixar has spawned a variety of franchise characters that now are integral parts of the Disney theme parks. The Anaheim parks, Disneyland and California adventure, feature several Pixar attractions, including Monster’s Inc: Mike and Sully to the Rescue and Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters. In 2007, plans were announced to build an entire land at California Adventure themed after the movie Cars, as well as a Toy Story-themed attraction called Toy Story Midway Mania.
In 2006, The Walt Disney Company purchased Pixar for $7.4 billion USD. As part of the deal, Steve Jobs became a member of the Disney board of directors, while Executive Vice-President John Lasseter became Chief Creative Officer of both Pixar and Disney films and Principle Creative Advisor to the Imagineering department, which designs and oversees the Disney theme parks. The studios remain essentially separate entities, however, with deals guaranteeing Pixar’s retention of its name and headquarters in Emeryville, California.
Cult Film
Jan 4th
A cult film refers to a movie that has a devoted following, perhaps undeserved by the movie’s quality, box office performance, or critical reviews. The cult film is often measured by its continued popularity in DVD sales or rentals, long after other popular films have lost their steam and are marked down for quick sale or remain collecting dust on the shelves of video stores. It’s not always possible to determine why a cult film becomes one, but there are a few factors which seem to influence a movie’s ability to become a cult film.
One aspect that may make a film a cult film is the lack of any redeeming quality. In some cases, a film is so unequivocally awful that it becomes absolutely hysterical, or loved for being bad. Some films actually aim at cult film status, like the Ben Stiller/Owen Wilson film Zoolander. Zoolander has quickly become a cult film because its premise is stupid, ridiculous and entirely unbelievable. In other words, it wins audiences by being so bad it is actually enjoyed.
Other “so bad they’re good” cult film examples include Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mommie Dearest and Showgirls. They are all considered cult classics simply because they’re terrible. It’s an odd phenomenon that is not easily explained. Perhaps a certain admiration exists for a film that is completely awful in every way. Such films are not merely duds, but fail with flair and style, the equivalent of Viking funerals where someone deceased goes down in a blaze of glory.
Other types of cult film earn their cult status by enjoying frequent airplay. For example, when premium television stations like HBO and Showtime got their start in the 1980s, some films were played far too often. One of these is the sword and sandals film Beastmaster. Dennis Miller is credited with saying HBO was an acronym for “Hey, Beastmaster’s on!” Because some films got so much airplay, they are attached to a certain amount of nostalgia and have achieved cult status. Frequent airplay of other films like Kevin Smith’s Dogma and Office Space are turning these films into cult film classics as well.
A film is more likely to become a cult film if it is from either the science fiction or horror genre. In particular, B movies of the 1950s and onward, especially those directed by people like Ed Wood, become favorites for their poor production value. These can also be called camp films. Horror films that perpetuate sequels also frequently become cult classics. Films like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and all of their sequels are generally poorly reviewed but have a cult following.
Sometimes a cult film appeals to a certain audience. For example, The Wizard of Oz is a popular cult film for the male homosexual community. A film like Newsies has become a cult classic largely because young fans enjoyed it so much. Other films like those featuring the Brat Pack (Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy, and John Cryer) evoke nostalgia for those who grew up in the 1980s and are considered cult film classics. These include Less Than Zero, St. Elmo’s Fire, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink. Some of these films were bonafide hits upon release and remain popular as “coming of age” movies among teens, and their parents.
It would be impossible to discuss the cult film without mentioning The Rocky Horror Picture Show, made in 1975. Some claim that it is the longest running movie because somewhere in America, on any given weekend, there are still midnight showings of this cult film. In common with many other cult films, The Rocky Horror Picture Show blends horror and science fiction with campy sets and low budget flair. It is also a musical, which often appeals to the many fans that show up and sing along with the picture, often dressing the part of their favorite characters.
The film appeals to older teens and young adults with a dramatic flair. Many can recall going through a Rocky Horror phase, and the film continues to draw new audiences. It should be noted the film deserves its R rating and is best not viewed by younger audiences. In fact the genres from which cult films usually derive make them mostly inappropriate to children and young teens.