CAP Reviews: Slumdog Millionaire

January 3, 2009
Best Picture of 2008?

Best Picture of 2008?

No matter how much money, star power, top of the line equipment, technical wizardry and good ‘ol fashioned “Hollywood” the movie making machine throws at any movie there are just certain things it can’t just buy or force: a heart. A soul. Truth. A perfect example of what I mean can be found in my review for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button just below this review.

However, at the complete opposite end of the spectrum you have this little gem: Slumdog Millionaire. This may be the best film of 2008.

I don’t do synopsis write ups in my reviews. It feels too “high school book reportish”. But if you’re one of those people who need it, read this.

This movie so perfectly balances out the oxymorons of raw honesty, Bollywood movie melodrama and Hollywood heightened realities that it’s actually difficult to say which country this movie should plant it’s flag on. By the way, the director is the incredible British director Danny Boyle who introduced us to such dichotomous films as Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Millions. Plus Slumdog’s lead Dev Patel is a also a Brit. So you can toss in England in that pot as well.

There’s a point in many movies when you either wholly connect or completely divorce from it and you either can’t believe your good fortune of experiencing the great ride presented before you or you can’t wait to get out of the theater to grab a drink or a bite to eat. Most of the time you sort of lean more towards one way or another without ever truly committing to either. It’s sort of like people that way. I know that sounds bad (or something worse) but it’s my truth.

I knew pretty early on that Slumdog Millionaire is a great film the same way I knew pretty immediately that I loved Y Tu Mama Tambien, Lost In Translation and City of God. It was close to love at first sight. Again, sort of like people that way. By the way, those other movie comparisons aren’t random. If you saw those films then see Slumdog, you’ll understand what I mean.

Finally in all great films there is always always always a completely unexpected surprise that just serves as the perfect “cherry on top”. And as unexpected and uncharacteristic as it is, it still manages to fit perfectly and make sense. The nice ending after the plot’s ending of this movie does just that.

(Man, reading this review seems so fragmented and without a . I’m still out of practice and of my comfort zone of writing here. But one of the rules I’ve laid out when I started this was to keep my post editing down to a virtual nil. Bear with me.)

So I end this review with a few random points I was hoping to make more poetically:

- Shows that no matter your your IQ, books read, and studying one does nothing is more educational than living your life.

- Danny Boyle is turning out quite a kick ass legacy of classic films.

- As much as I love this film, it makes it wholly clear that there is not a shred of intelligent reason for me (or anyone for that matter) to visit India anytime soon.

- Just like the quintessential pop song, a good ‘ol fashioned love story that’s well told is timeless and the best.

- Go see this movie. Go see Slumdog Millionaire. Don’t waste your money or time on anything else first.

P.S. “sucker MC.. with his action hero in hand with the kung fu grip”

to be continued…

cap

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CAP Reviews: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

January 2, 2009

It’s been so long since I’ve had the pleasure to write in this blog. Lots has happened personally, locally, nationally and globally. I plan to write about much of it here. It’s a tale that concerns personal heartaches, revelations, redemption and poker. Lots and lots of poker.

All the while not a single day passed by without the lingering need and want to purge some off the cuff prose into this virtual official magazine that’s rewarded me with great joy last year.

But after a nearly four month hiatus I’m back. And rather than try to write a looooooong post about the what’s, where’s, who’s, blah blah blah, I think the best remedy for the long absence is to just jump right in. Eventually enough new posts will manifest to collectively offer answers to the aforementioned questions.

So enough of that and more to this…

Kinda good... then Super Lame.

Kinda good... then Super Lame.

I just got back from the Arclight theaters in chilly Sherman Oaks, California and sat through what might be one of the most curious movies I’ve had the… I don’t know quite which word to use here… of experiencing: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Written by Eric Roth. Directed by David Fincher.

The movie is a well disguised idiot flick that’s a beautifully executed gimmick of a tale with all the nutrition and depth of a pre-packaged fortune cookie including all it’s hidden, seemingly tailor-made “profound messages”. Check out the synopsis and Roger Ebert’s review here.

The obvious comparison to Forrest Gump was easily confirmed when Eric Roth’s name appeared in the final credits. However, as hokey and disappointing as I felt when I left the theater, I’d be lying if I said the film wasn’t entertaining and beautifully made while being well told. Much of the credit goes to David Fincher, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and the wonderful Taraji P. Henson.

Specifically the movie fell apart for me in the third act. It was as if the filmmakers totally wrote / directed themselves into a corner, basically said, “Well, they saw all the cool things we did with Brad’s face. Let’s just have him say some quick profound shit and end it off before the audience catches on.”

However at nearly three hours long, it takes a very well told, skillfully made movie to keep from walking out. I found myself only checking the time on my cell only four or five times throughout the film. I credit mostly Fincher and his post crew for that.

There are several moments in the film where you think to yourself: “How did… what the fu…” But that’s quickly thwarted by: “duh, with some time to kill and an internet connection for online tutorials I could rock that effect in photoshop.” Ahhhh the bittersweet era of technology and the age of information.

If you want to see a great movie about all the beauty and surprises a life can spring onto you, check out Danny Boyle’s much better, much much more rewarding Slumdog Millionaire.

Final verdict: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button gets: a pocket “King of Spades” and “Jack of Hearts” with a rainbow Ace, Seven, Eight flop. You’re second to act behind an aggressive raiser who opened with a continuation bet of half the pot.

I wholly understand if my temporary movie rating system isn’t well received, appreciated or even annoying. I told you I’ve been playing too much poker lately. Besides, someone already took those damn “thumbs down” idea.

By the way, I’d love to be more thorough and articulate about my feelings and opinions of this movie but getting back on the writing / blogging horse is much more difficult than I had ever anticipated. Please. If you agree with this review or it triggers something entirely different, please comment and let’s start a dialogue about this movie. I’ve been quite ostracized among my peers because all my friends and most audiences alike seem to absolutely LOVE this movie. You’re all suckers. Especially you CQ.

to be continued…

cap

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2008 US Open: What Roger Federer Could Learn From The Karate Kid Part 3

September 3, 2008
COME ON, FEDERER! YOUR TENNIS IS A JOKE! YOU'RE A JOKE! I OWN YOU!

COME ON, FEDERER! YOUR TENNIS IS A JOKE! YOU'RE A JOKE! I OWN YOU!

I'm scared Mr. Miyagi! Let's Just go home!

I'm scared, Mr. Miyagi. I'm scared! Let's just go home!

Come on, you know you’ve thought of it. If Roger Federer’s current professional status was a movie, what would it be?

Well, wonder no more.

Obviously The Karate Kid Part III.

Now try to indulge me for a moment on this:

- Roger Federer is Daniel-san, former champion who must overcome the new “Bad Boy of Karate” (Rafael Nadal anyone?) Only Nadal isn’t really a “bad boy”. More like another dude who prefers no sleeve shirts. The dude still lives with his parents in Majorca for Pete Sampras’ sake!

- Mr. Miyagi’s speech right here is exactly what Federer needs to hear. Except it would be less about karate and more about tennis. (clear throat)

- Federer needs to forget his fear and let out his best tennis. “Now time, let out!”

- Federer must get his ass up and rock a sick tennis kata like the one Daniel-san rocks in the end here. Except less fey and more masculine.

Come on, who’s with me on this Karate Kid 3 metaphor?

Huh?

Anyone?

Bueller?

By the way, check out the entire film on my favorite time waste site: Hulu. It actually plays pretty well even after all this time. Berry nice! Berry nice! =)

cap

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CAP Tech News: Is The Red Going to Finally Slam the Final Nail in Film’s Coffin?

August 24, 2008
Will This Camera Finally End Film?

Will This Camera Finally End Film?

Many believe that when the “prosumer” digital video cameras landed into the excited hands of the mainstream audience that that would usher in the new era of filmmakers / videomakers / videographers / etc.

That hasn’t happened yet.

We can go into the numerous specifics of why that is:

1) Traditional auteurs / filmmakers still latch onto sing the praises of film.

2) The mostly young directors-in-training are still developing their skills.

3) Because of this recent surge in cheaper technology, somehow these folks have forgotten the basics to develop their abilities to tell stories.

4) I’ll really have to expound more on this later (I’m getting pissed just thinking about it here).

Criticizing modern wave filmmaking isn’t the point of this post.

Beyond the Canon XL series, the Panasonic DVX series and the Sony Cine Alta comes the newest darling of the pro level, cheaper and comparable to film geek gadget for the cinephiles could just very well be: The Red Digital Camera.

Founded by billionaire founder of Oakley (yes, those Oakleys) Jim Jannard, The Red Digital Camera promises to finally shut the gap between celluloid and digital in terms of aesthetics and depth that film has provided for 100 years.

To read Wired’s article on The Red hit this shizz.

You can also check out this video clip shot with the Red.

Going off on a tangent (again), I wonder how Goddard and Truffaut would handle all this access to great filmmaking technology. My guess is that

Seriously, I’m going to write a post about the ills of modern day “filmmaking” sometime soon.

Right after The Closing Ceremonies of The Olympics.

Or maybe after the US Open.

Maybe.

cap

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Great Films: Disney & Pixar’s Wall-E

July 13, 2008

Disney and Pixar's Wall-E

Quite Simply, A Beautiful Film Told Extraordinarily Well

I know this is a few weeks late but cut me some slack, there was this small grass court tennis tournament that was taking quite a bit of my attention.

Wall-E accomplishes quite a few things that range from pretty cool all the way up to down right amazing (warning spoilers — although I’m probably the last person to watch this movie by now):

1) Great inside shilling jokes. I don’t know about you, but all the cool geeks in my theater collectively chuckled every time that familiar Mac start up chime played or when they first saw the HAL reference. Wall-E, true to Pixar’s mischievous / geek traditions, are chock filled with many more references like this, most of which I’m sure I’ve missed.

2) It’s primarily a silent film. This is something quite extraordinary in this day and age. True and pure motion pictures should be just that, a streaming line of pictures in motion. That’s what makes the best films universal and transcend time and place. Though there is a bit of dialogue once we get well into the second act, it’s still quite minimal. In a time when our lives are already filled with enough noise and plenty of other awful ear pollutants, it was quite a pleasant surprise to be told a fantastic story through great images.

3) An old fashioned, simple love story told well. Boy lives to work… until one day a girl enters boy’s world… boy falls for girl… girl resists… girl realizes much later on that boy is exactly what she wanted all along. All of girl’s problems are solved once she discovers that all her worldly problems could be solved by boy’s phallus. Except in the case of Wall-E, I think that Pixar subtly made both robots androgynous. You couldn’t tell which was which, kinda like if Ryan Seacrest dated Chyna.

4) There is no controversy. In regards to all this hoopla about brainwashing young kids and adults alike about how it portrays us Americans as a fat, lazy, wasteful, consumerism bunch, I don’t think it really holds much water.

As a native resident of Los Angeles all my life I don’t see the fat, lazy, wasteful “human” characters of Wall-E as all Americans but rather as just the fat, lazy, wasteful Americans that live primarily in the midwest and much of the southern states.

And Rosie O Donnell.

And Star Jones.

The cast of Celebrity Fit Club. The cast of The Biggest Loser. And anything Eddie Murphy does for a cheap laugh.

And Mama from Mama’s Family.

And Shirley from What’s Happening and What’s Happening Now. Re-run from What’s Happening and What’s Happening Now. Louis Anderson. Homer Simpson. Peter Griffin (Come the F on, guys! Even our cartoon characters are overweight diabetics!).

The entire subject of Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize-Me.

Shit, who am I kidding? We got some fat mofo’s up here in the states guys. It has to stop.

5) Great teary eye material. It made this hardened bloke use all his might to hold back tears in a fully packed theater.

I just realized that this was too much to share and that’s usually a good place to end. Is it the US Open yet? Anyone?

cap

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Random Shots: My DVD Library

May 19, 2008

My DVD Library

You see all those gaps in the shelves? Yeah, you can thank my ex-girlfriend for those. The thieving brat!

A couple weeks ago I started posting my top ten favorite films and I got a few emails with some great feedback. But I also received a few that kinda irked me. I had both friends and strangers call me something to the effect of a “cinephile elitist”

Say what now?!?

So I feel a responsibility to defend myself here with another set of random shots.

My DVD Library 2

Who’s a film elitist now?

You see that copy of Mean Girls side by side with Nashville, There Will Be Blood, Titanic? My tastes can be just as mainstream as the next geek!

DVD Library 3

And a few other must-haves in any DVD library.

DVD Library 4

Shopgirl is sort of a guilty pleasure.

DVD Library 5

Okay, so I have a few not so obvious choices. What do you want, huh?

cap

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Great Films: #1 - The Godfather II

May 12, 2008

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Al Pacino as Don Michael Corleone

Al Pacino as Don Michael Corleone in The Godfather II

The Godfather II is perfect. It’s the perfect film. The fact that Francis Ford Coppola took the greatest film of all time in The Godfather and somehow not only did it again but added another wealth of life to the legend — this wholly unique accomplishment alone was the tipping point for me to pick this film over the first.

No one has done it since. The way the film business and industry has been going since the 80’s leads me to believe it probably will never happen again. I hope I’m wrong.

Robert DeNiro as young Vito Corleone

Revenge of the Don: The Birth of Don Vito Corleone

How do you make God laugh? Tell Him your plans.

Kay: It made me think of what you once told me: “In five years the Corleone family will be completely legitimate.” That was seven years ago.

Michael: I know. I’m trying, darling.

The first time we meet Michael Corleone, he’s a wide eyed kid just out of the military, beautiful fiancee in hand, ready to begin a successful career in the United States government, away from the family business.

In The Godfather II Michael couldn’t be further from his once meticulously laid out life plan. The irony is best laid out early in the film between Michael and Sen. Geary where Michael’s stone cold character is fully established in dealing with someone from a powerful and “legitimate” industry.

The Corleone son who once wanted nothing to do with the family business is not only the head of the family but now more cold hearted than could have ever been imagined. This is all exhibited throughout the film in all the choices Michael makes to consolidate his power. And it culminates in the ultimate choice that forever seals the fate of his soul.

“You broke my heart. You broke my heart!”

The Godfather II is everything America is about. The land of opportunity. The melting pot. The land of self. The land of family. The land of rebirth. The land of blood, sweat and tears.

The Godfather Saga is also about choices. The choices we make in life today may carry the most significant weight in the outcome of our futures. It happens to us everyday. It’s the thought process in how we deal with these decisions I find fascinating and see over and over again in my favorite films as in life. It’s really the greatest and most unique challenge about our lives. Everything else is just filler.

I don’t usually care for award shows but this is The Godfather II!

The only true sequel better than the original.

Thanks for indulging my blatant need to extrapolate on a very selfish endeavor. This is something I discuss with just about anyone who becomes important in my life and I’ve always wondered how my list (and my arguments for it) would play out in the written form.

I could finally put this thing to rest and get back to business at hand. There are some cool things cooking down the pipeline and I can’t wait to share so keep checking back.

Cheers.

cap

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Great Films: #2 - The Godfather

May 12, 2008

The Corleone Men

The Men of The Corleone Family

What can I say about The Godfather that hasn’t been said before?

As far as movies, films, art, story, screenplay, directing, casting, photography, editing, soundtrack and every other filmmaking element that goes into making a movie, The Godfather is about as close to perfection as it gets.

This is the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel, The Sergeant Pepper’s, The Twilight Zone (the original Serling hosted ones), the Tiger Woods, the Roger Federer, the hamachi nigiri and just about every other superlative ever all rolled into one.

I believe in America. America has made my fortune. And I raised my daughter in the American fashion. I gave her freedom, but I taught her never to dishonor her family. She found a boyfriend, not an Italian. She went to the movies with him. She stayed out late. I didn’t protest.

Two months ago, he took her for a drive, with another boyfriend. They made her drink whiskey. And then they tried to take advantage of her. She resisted. She kept her honor. So they beat her, like an animal!

When I went to the hospital, her nose was broken. Her jaw was shattered, held together by a wire. She couldn’t even weep because of the pain. But I wept. Why did I weep? She was the light of my life. Beautiful girl. Now she will never be beautiful again.

(chokes up; coughs)
Sorry.

I went to the police like a good American. These two boys were brought to trial. The judge sentenced them to three years in prison, and suspended their sentence. Suspended sentence! They went free that very day! I stood in the courtroom like a fool! And those two bastards, they smiled at me.

Then I said to my wife, ‘for justice, we must go to Don Corleone.’

The Most Memorable Opening Line Since: “In the beginning…”

The themes are not only timeless, but as you age, the film begins to mean something different than it did before. More accurately, it continues to develop and add more layers of everything about life as you revisit it again and again. It grows with you.

That is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of anything that transcends the upper echelon of any great group or list and becomes something wholly unique. Something that isn’t just a fad or a “right time, right place” sort of thing but rather something that grows as you do. Think about it. There’s really not much out there that you can make such a claim about. 99.9% of just about anything and everything is mediocre at best.

The Godfather.

“Be my friend? Godfather?”

The Godfather not only stands the test of time, culture, gender, age and all other demographics, it continues to steer itself further away from anything that remotely tries to share it’s status and legend.

From the opening note of the score to the very first spoken line, The Godfather commands your attention.

Star Wars is great. Nashville is great. Amadeus is great. 2001 is great. Citizen Kane is great. Battleship Potemkin is great. The Birth of a Nation is great pretty long and whatever. They’re all great films and movies.

“Don’t ask me about my business, Kay.”

The Godfather is something more. The Godfather is the peak of the mountain. The Godfather is the creme de la creme. The Godfather is quite simply… The Godfather.

The Original 1972 Trailer for The Godfather

As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one film that could possibly be better than The Godfather.

Come back soon to find out.

cap

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Great Films: #3 - Magnolia

May 9, 2008

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Magnolia Film

“But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs.”
Exodus 8:2

This film changed my life. Before Magnolia, I didn’t quite understand film. I loved movies. I was a fan of movies. High concept movies. Simpson / Bruckheimer type movies. Mindless, loud, obnoxious movies with little to no value other than to pass time. The kind of movies I can’t stomach very much now.

Then came Magnolia.

From the first frame (after the New Line logo) to the very last credit, I was frozen in awe. There is no traditional Syd Field three act structure (although I can imagine a lot of university screenwriting professors arguing otherwise). It’s over three hours long. No gratuitous violence or sex. Swearing wasn’t used for shock or comical value. Yet despite the lack of these elements I was completely breathtaken by every moment of this masterpiece.

When it was over, I fell silent. It was like everything I made judgments about the world and about what I thought I knew was completely turned upside down. I couldn’t believe something so not me could mean so much more to me than every Star Wars movie, every Indiana Jones flick and every piece of crap, usually associated with Michael Bay, that came before it. I had an epiphany.

Tom Cruise and Jason Robards in Magnolia

Father and Son relationships are very much a recurring theme in all of PTA’s films.

Magnolia is about people. It’s about relationships with our parents. It’s about our relationships with our lovers. It’s about our relationships with ourselves. It’s about our relationship with memories, our past mistakes and successes, our future hopes and dreams, our self images. It’s about our relationship with God.

It’s about all this and so much more.

Pay close attention. How many times can you see (or hear) a reference to 8’s and 2’s in this sequence?

To further elaborate on the technical and artistic genius of Magnolia would require an individual post for each element. But know that PTA has the complete and defining grasp of both the traditional and wholly unique filmmaking techniques. He owns modern day filmmaking. Even if the acting, story or music doesn’t grab your attention, the encyclopedic display of his techniques most certainly will.

Like Lars Von Trier, PTA has been called many less-than-stellar things: control freak, insolent, brat, difficult, etc. But like Von Trier, Anderson’s genius not only warrants any and all professional leniency but also receives it from anyone who experiences his films. Before the birth of his daughter, I have no doubt that PTA lived solely for films. It shows in every frame of anything he’s ever been involved with. Since the majority of people involved in this business is in it for the absolute wrong reasons, it’s not only refreshing and admirable but utterly integral to see someone love the art and science of filmmaking for all the right reasons.

Shame on you if you don’t check this film out.

No matter our stations in life, there are challenges to living well and happy every day. It’s not always easy but we manage. We manage and we cope. Some days are more difficult than others. But some days are so bad, so challenging and so cruel, it makes about as much sense as frogs falling from the sky.

Be sure to check out the “That Moment” documentary here. Priceless stuff!

cap

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Great Films: #4 - Lost In Translation

May 8, 2008

Scarlett Johansson looks outside st Tokyo

Scarlett Johansson + Tokyo, Japan = Perpetually Lost

Lost In Translation is a film about a very specific mood and tone. It captures both of these aspects beautifully and that is the truly amazing achievement this film accomplishes.

From the simple (and Oscar award winning) script, to the muted look of the film, to the quiet characters, to the incredible soundtrack, everything in and about Lost In Translation is all perfectly picked to fit the mood and tone of this specific emotion… a specific mind set… all created and realized by Sofia Coppola.

It’s the warm feeling of being awake at 4:00AM with the people you trust most with just enough wine in you to not be quite drunk but still maintain that perfect buzz.

It’s making a genuine connection with a complete stranger who is exactly what you need at the exact right time.

It’s about reaching a worry-free calmness you desperately needed after a chaotic week, month, or year.

It’s rare but when it happens, we never forget it. We desperately try to search for it again, usually for naught. But we know, to actively look for it already places us in a position to not find it.

We’ve all given and received the advice: “Don’t look for it and it’ll just come to you“. That’s what a lot of Lost In Translation is about.

Scarlett Johansson stares out a lot of Japanese windows

Nothing really happens in this film but it’s really a film about some of the most important things in life.

The average movie going audience don’t go to the movies looking for “mood films”. That’s their loss. Like the perfect song, it could be very theraputic.

Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray in Lost in Translation

Beautifully Photographed

The other thing I admire about this film is the honest and sincere message that Sofia Coppola communicates through the film (it’s my favorite type of communication). The legend goes that while Sofia was working on Marie Antoinette, she hit a wall. In an effort to get her head out of the Antoinette space, she took a quick detour writing about her past experiences in Tokyo while simultaneously exorcising a few internal issues about her marriage, her relationship to the world and her place in life. I feel all this comes out beautifully in the film.

Sofia Coppola is a talented filmmaker. There is a cohesive uniformity in all her films. But Lost In Translation is the one film where it seems like she wasn’t actively searching for anything… and the right film just came to her.

Get Lost.

You can watch Lost in Translation here.

cap

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