Sunday, April 26, 2015

Greatest movie lines of all time.

I stumbled upon this video the other day, and I thought it was prefect. Here's a compilation of some of the greatest movie lines of all time!

WARNING: LANGUAGE AHEAD!



Citizen Kane.

I'm going to make a very bold statement, and here it is:

Citizen Kane is one of the most influential films of all time, if not the most influential.

Citizen Kane is the grandfather of film as we know it today. Not just film, but cinematography, lighting, set design, writing, and acting. 

For those of you unfamiliar, I will add a short video of Siskel and Ebert reviewing the film. To hear two experts speak about one of the greatest films of all time is truly inspirational.

To be frank, is it a mystery that this is one of my favorite films of all time?


Alfred Hitchcock.

The legendary director of thriller and horror alike. The man who brought us Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, the Birds, and dozens of other classics. Today, I leave for you a biography of Alfred Hitchcock. The legend of the film industry. The pioneer that allowed us to have the thrillers we have today.


Saturday, April 25, 2015

Quentin Tarantino.

The king of dialogue! The master of gore! Whether you love him or you hate him, Quentin Tarantino has churned out some amazing films. From the cult classic Pulp Fiction to the recent Django Unchained, Tarantino's keen eye for story telling and sharp dialogue have made him a staple in today's film industry. Below, i've posted a video biography of his work for you to check out.


Book to film adaptions.

There are some books that lend themselves to being made into films. They quickly become cinematic classics, and a lot of the time, audiences were not aware that they were based on books in the first place. Here is a list of some of the best book to film adaptions available to audiences.

To Kill a Mockingbird


Forrest Gump


Misery


The Color Purple


The Shining

Animated films

Animated films can be for everyone, not just kids. Some animated films can be heavily praised for their artistic quality and their ability to suck the viewer into a lush and vast universe. Today, we're going to take a look at a list of the best animated films out there.

Song of the Sea


Princess Mononoke


Howl's Moving Castle


The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Musicals on the big screen.

The film industry is familiar with adaptions. It seems like every few months a film is made that is directly based on a book, TV show, video game, etc. Today, we're going to talk about the best films adapted from stage musicals. If you're anything like me, a huge theatre buff, you should fall in love with this list. Before we dive in, I would like to point out that this list is completely based on my personal opinion.

West Side Story


Music Man


The Sound of Music


Chicago 


Into the Woods


Rocky Horror Picture Show

Mel Brooks.

Whenever I think of Mel Brooks, I'm instantly filled with warm nostalgia. I remember spending Saturdays watching his movies, and falling in love with his sense of humor. It's interesting looking back and seeing how his films shaped they way I see humor.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Mel Brooks, allow me to educate you:

Mel Brooks is an american comedic director, writer, and actor. His films have become comedic milestones in the film industry, and have made their way into the hearts of viewers in every generation. His parodies of various genre staples such as Spaceballs (Star Wars), Robin Hood Men in Tights (parody of the fantasy genre), and Blazing Saddles (A stab at the western genre) have given audiences thousands of quotable scenes. Other works of his such as Young Frankenstein and The Producers have even made their way onto broadway stages and swept the Tony's.

I'll leave some clips and trailers for your viewing pleasure, and I recommend that you check out his works ASAP.

The Producers (1967 and 2001)

The Producers is the earliest on this list (for being his directorial debut) and the first Mel Brooks film to be made into a musical not only on stage, but in a screen adaption as well. It tells the story of a reluctant accountant with dreams of being a broadway producer, and Max Bialystock, a broadway producer who's seen better days. The two go into business together when they realize that they can make more money with a flop than with a hit. 




Blazing Saddles (1974)

This satire of the western genre tells the story of a black man becoming the sheriff of a small, western town as an attempt by a corrupt politician to destroy the town from within to make room for a railroad. This film features one of my favorite scenes of all time; The actors in the film break out of their soundstage into the film studio, onto live sets, into the studio cafeteria, and even to the theatre where their own film is being played, the forth wall break to end all forth wall breaks.





Young Frankenstein (1974)

After hearing of his grandfather's passing, Dr. Frankenstein returns to Transylvania to settle his affairs, only to continue his late grandfather's work. This is the second Mel Brooks film to be made into a stage musical.


History of the World: Part I (1981)

In a series of comedic vignettes, Mel Brooks tells the history of the ancient world, including France and Greece, among others.


Spaceballs (1987)

A venture into the sci-fi genre, Spaceballs shows the journey of Lone Starr as he battle against the evil Lord Dark Helmet to keep him from stealing planet Druidia's air supply. Any fan of Star Wars will love this film and it's subtle nods to the original trilogy.


Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

The Final film on our list is a spoof of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Not only are there jabs at Prince of Thieves, but also films such as the Godfather.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Best Biopics.

There are people in this world who inspire everyone around them and leave a mark on history. Some of these people are so influential that films are made depicting their lives. Today, we're going to take a look at some of the best biopics to ever grace the silver screen.

Number 1: Schindler's List directed by Steven Spielberg


After seeing the persecution of his jewish employees by the nazis, polish business man Oskar Schindler manages to save about 1100 jews from being executed.

Number 2: Walk the Line directed by James Mangold


This film shows Johnny Cash's life, starting with his childhood on a cotton farm, his rise to fame, his struggle with addiction, and his romance with his future wife June Carter.

Number 3: Raging Bull directed by Martin Scorsese


Self destructive and aggressive boxer Jake La Motta's life is shown on screen from his rise to fame and the havoc he unleashes outside the ring.

Cult classics

What is a cult classic? A cult classic is a film that has garnered a dedicated and energetic fan base. It's that film that you hear quoted often, but you might not have heard of it. Today, we're going to look at some cult classic films that have made their mark on pop culture.

Side note: for the sake of time and length, some directors have been limited to one film. There are some films listed that are just one out of many amazing cult classics from the same director.

Number 1: Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino


W'e kicking off the list with a heavy hitter. Two hit men, a gangster's wife, a boxer, and two thieves in love all come together in this Tarantino classic. Tarantino's gift for quick dialogue and storytelling is a marvel to behold.

Other greats: Death Proof, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill.

Number 2: Big Lebowski directed by the Cohen Brothers


"The Dude" Lebowski is mistaken for a millionaire with the same name, and goes on a wild journey to get restitution for his soiled rug. The witty dialogue and trippy storyline make this one of the Cohen brothers finest.

Other greats: Fargo, No Country For Old Men, Burn After Reading

Number 3: Clerks directed by Kevin Smith


Clerks follows two convenience store clerks as they deal with annoying customers, play hockey on the roof of the store, and talk about movies. This film captures the mundane yet interesting life of a retail employee. This film happens to also be Kevin Smith's directing debut, made in black and white to save money.

Visually Stunning Films.

There is a sweet spot in film. This sweet spot is best illustrated in a venn diagram. On one side, we have beautiful visuals, and on the other side have a fantastic story. Today, we're not going to talk about the sweet spot, we're going to talk about the visually stunning side.

Let me explain what I mean when I say "visually stunning". When i say visually stunning, I'm referring to those films that take your breath away. Those films that make you step back and really appreciate their beauty. Before we go on, I'd like to clarify that these movies are not just visually stunning. These films received recognition in a number of categories, but for the sake of this post, we will focus on them mainly for their visuals.

Pans Labyrinth directed by Guillermo del Toro 



I'm just going to start out by saying that any film directed by Guillermo del Toro is going to be stunning. If you are unfamiliar with his work, he is most famous for directing all installments of the Hellboy franchise as well as writing all installments of the Hobbit trilogy. Guillermo is well known for his makeup effects, creating some of the creepiest and imaginative creatures to be shown on film. Pan's Labyrinth focuses on Ofelia, a young girl living with her mother and sadistic army officer stepfather in World War II era Spain. Pan's Labyrinth brings a child's world to life with it's remarkable and eerie setting and it's menacing creatures.

Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee



Life of Pi, based on the best selling novel of the same name, focuses on a young boy who is cast away at sea after a shipwreck with his only companion being a ferocious bengal tiger. Life of Pi features gorgeous visuals that landed it with four oscar wins, two of which were for the visuals alone.

Her directed by Spike Jonze



Her is the story of a single, lonely writer who develops feelings for an astoundingly realistic operating system designed to meet his every need. Spike Jonze uses cinematography and a crisp color palette to draw the audience in and create a totally different world.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Films to mess with your mind.

Plots to films these days tend to be pretty easy to follow; This character goes on a quest, finds love, rinse, repeat. However, once in a while, you find a film that twists reality. You find a film that sends you on a crazy, psychedelic roller coaster ride. Today, we're going to talk about three of the trippiest, crazy films out there!

Number 1: Fight Club directed by David Fincher




Fight Club follows our insomniac, office working narrator (Edward Norton) as he befriends Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a soap salesman. The two decide to open and underground fight club where men can go to release their aggression in hand to hand combat. Soon fight clubs pop up across the country, but something more than just a fight club begins to evolve.

Number 2: Momento directed by Christopher Nolan




A man with short term memory loss (Guy Pearce) on a quest to find the person who murdered his wife (Carrie-Ann Moss), with her killing being the last full memory he has. While we see him on his quest, another story line plays at the same time, filling in the gaps and building on the suspense.

Number 3: 2001: A Space Odyssey directed by Stanley Kubrick




Stanley Kubrick's 1968 masterpiece centers around a pair of astronauts sent to investigate a mysterious foreign object on the moon's surface. The pair is guided by a clever and ominous A.I, HAL 9000. While the film is very long, it's filled with mind blowing visuals and a killer score that make it one of the greatest films of all time.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

It's all about the details...

When I watch films, I tend to be very picky, I notice the smaller details and point them out. This has gotten to a point where my friends label me a "buzzkill". I say, long live the buzz killers. Part of the enjoyment of film is finding the little details- otherwise, we wouldn't have the Pixar theory, or the theory that all of Tarantino's films took place in the same universe. We wouldn't have Rifftrax or CinemaSins. So for all of you nitpickers and buzzkills out there, I'll list all of the above referenced pages for you to check out.

The Pixar Theory

This is a theory that I discovered a while ago from John Green, the author of The Fault in Our Stars. This theory suggests that all of the pixar movies exist in the same universe. All of the movies are put into chronological order, and put on a track for a massive war. If this sounds interesting to you at all, you should definitely check it out!




The Tarantino Universe Theory

For all of the Tarantino fans out there, this is for you! This theory states that all of Tarantino's films take place in the same universe AND that Tarantino even wrote in an alternate world history (if you've seen Inglorious Basterds, you know exactly what that entails). The link I've included shows the universe theory, a commentary of the meaning behind Inglorious Basterds, and the theory of what's in the famous briefcase from Pulp Fiction.

Rifftrax
Rifftrax is commentary at it's finest. The crew at rifftrax record hilarious commentary to popular movies as well as forgotten (mostly awful) B-movies from previous decades. If you are remotely familiar with Mystery Science Theatre 3000, then the cheesy, even campy humor is right up your alley.




CinemaSins

Out of all of the items on this list, this might be the pickiest of them all. CinemaSins is a commentary that rips films apart. A film's amount of "sins" are tallied, and the film is given a score based on that count. But it's not just films being put to the test- music videos, video games, and even commercial brands. What's said at the top rings true for the whole channel: No movie is without sin.