The Simple Bear Necessities

Disney's trailer for the new live action "Jungle Book" was released this week. If you haven't seen it, here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcgJRQWxKnw. When I first watched the clip I was impressed and excited, especially when I saw Christopher Walken's name flash on the screen. (I love me some Christopher Walken.) Anyway, other actors the new movie will include are Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o and Scarlett Johansson. I think picking Johansson to play the role of Kaa (the snake) is a great choice. Her calming voice has a strange eeriness throughout the entire trailer.

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The entire look of the film is really appealing. It reminds me "Life of Pi," but that might just be because of the tigers. It also has a similar feel to the hit "Avatar." Many wide sweeping shots are used as well as interesting POVs that draw you into the action. Also of course fast paced dramatic music is playing in the background as well. 

But even with the amazing production quality, I'm sure a lot of loyal fans are debating whether it can stand against the original charm of the 1967 classic. I feel like there's a fine line between turning a classic into a  modern phenomena or completely ruining a classic and all your childhood dreams that go with it.

Noirvember

"Film Noir is the flip side of the all-American success story. It's about people who realize that following the program will never get them what they crave. So they cross the line, commit a crime and reap the consequences. Or, they're tales about seemingly innocent people tortured by paranoia and ass-kicked by Fate. Either way, they depict a world that's merciless and unforgiving." --Eddie Muller


It's that time of year again where the weather gets chillier and the days get shorter. While many of us are sad to see the fall (and the sun) go, its the perfect time of year to curl up with a good movie. Let me present to you: Noirvember.

Noirvember is an annual month-long challenge that urges film lovers to watch a noir film every day of November and share thoughts on Twitter (#noirvember), Tumblr, and Facebook.

There is something about noir films from the 40s, 50s, and 60s that I just love: all the characters have serious style, being shot in black and white elevates the air of mystery and suspense within the story, AND some of the best filmmakers (John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles) also came out of this era. This is definitely one of my favorite genres, and I plan to check at least a few classic noir films off my list this Noirvember.

Here's a few lists some of the best noir films:
IMDB's top rated noir films: http://www.imdb.com/genre/film_noir
250 Quintessential noir films: http://www.theyshootpictures.com/noirmoreamerican.htm

Repulsion

I love scary movies in general, but around this time of year it just feels appropriate. We all know that Roman Polanski is the master of dark, unsettling films that tend to linger in the back of your mind for a few days after you watch it. After watching Rosemary's Baby for the first time last Halloween, I decided to continue the tradition of creepy Polanski films and watched one of his classics, the psychological horror film Repulsion. Released in 1965 and starring Catherine Deneuve Repulsion follows the story of a young girl living with her sister in London who descends into madness, leading to a series of delusions and finally murder.

Deneuve's Carol is a painfully shy and withdrawn woman who has an increasingly severe paranoia/fear of sex and men. Carol's crippling fear is juxtaposed with her pure aesthetic and the perpetual ringing of church bells nearby. When her sister goes on vacation with her boyfriend, she is left her alone in their apartment accompanied only by her weakening mental state and the rotting carcass of a skinned rabbit intended to be dinner, that Carol just leaves to sit in the living room. Carol gradually goes insane, experiencing hallucinations of rape, men lurking in her apartment, and shape-shifting walls. She barricades herself in the apartment as a mechanism of protection and threatens the life of anyone who dares to disrupt her personal confinement.

The story is slow to develop- but that makes it all the more creepy. When you watch this movie, you really feel like you're witnessing the unraveling of someone's sanity first hand. Its almost as if Polanski intended that the audience be confined to the apartment with Carol, giving us this voyeuristic, suffocation of an experience. Despite being released over fifty years ago, the movie's horror factor still holds up. I definitely recommend watching this film.

C'est Halloween!

It's that time of year where you can bust out the candy corn, curl up in your (either expensive or homemade) costume, and watch some horror films. I don't know whether it was Whoopie Goldberg's fantastic intro to the film in MonsterFest 2000: The Classics Come Alive (it's a thing, look it up), the behind the scenes look, or me just being a ten year old, but Creature from the Black Lagoon has always been one of my favorite Halloween films of all time. Let's dive in, shall we?

Though made in 1954, this film was one of the first ever 3-D movies (I know, fantastic right)? Creature from the Black Lagoon also incorporated underwater scenes, another marvel for the 1950's.  I guess one of the reasons I love this film so much is because there is a forbidden love story amid the "horror". Also, this movie was a huge step forward for the collective art department of our industry. The creature's suit was very primitive (from an art department stand point); the actor could barely see, sit, or keep from overheating but was progressive none the less. Another reason this movie is superb is because this movie has made such an impact on the industry; it basically has been name dropped or referenced since it's release (i.e. The Seven Year Itch, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Simpsons). I highly recommend this film both from a cinema and an entertainment standpoint. Happy sailing!

Persona

Last week I watched Ingmar Bergman's 1966 film Persona for the first time. Its one of those films I'd heard about over and over again, and seen lots of references to in other films, but never actually watched it myself. I didn't really have any idea about what the plot was before going in, but after watching it I was really pleased with it. I tend to enjoy twisted, strange films that provoke thought and the urge to watch it a couple more times.

Here's the premise: Well-known theatre actress Elizabeth Vogler is in the middle of performing a play and suddenly finds that she is unable to speak, crippled with what we gather is an overwhelming anxiety or depression. She is sent to a facility and is looked after by Sister Alma, a nurse. The doctor decides it would be beneficial for Elizabeth and Alma to retreat to her seaside home to help Elizabeth recuperate faster. The two bond though Elizabeth still will not speak, while Alma uses her as a confidant of sorts, constantly talking to her and eventually confessing her innermost secrets. Elizabeth is physically healthy and able to speak, but still refuses while she voyeuristically "studies" Alma's character. Alma, soon in a weakened mental state, begins to assume the identity Elizabeth has cultivated for herself over her years of rising to fame as an actress. Alma basically becomes Elizabeth, helping Elizabeth cope by separating herself from the inner turmoil caused by her own existence.

Persona is minimally shot with many close ups, allowing the viewer to "get into the minds" of the characters. Its very cerebral, and provokes a lot of thought in order to piece it together, while also being pretty creepy. After watching I was able to see the connection between this film and one of my all time favorites, David Lynch's Mulholland Drive, which is said to be heavily influenced by Persona. Both Persona and Mulholland Drive feature main characters that are actors who meld identities with other characters. The concept of fluid identities is really fascinating, and also prompted me to think about where a person's identity lies in the profession of acting. I think that it must be hard for an actor to separate himself from the identity of a character he is playing, or truly know who he is as a person.

I really enjoyed this film, though I'm not sure I've fully grasped Persona in one viewing. I'm eager to watch it a few more times as well as check out more of Bergman's work.