I’ll admit that going in I was a little hesitant about this movie – primarily because of the camera shots. I’ve never been a big fan of shaky camera angles or movies which pretend to be the just discovered footage from a “lost” camcorder. But I liked what I read about the premise of the movie – which in fact reminds me a lot of my manuscript ‘Eleven Till Midnight’.
Just as a bunch of college friends are giving one of their own a send off, a giant creature of unknown origin and indescribable shape begins to terrorize New York City. As everyone flees, the main character Rob Hawkins, played by Michael Stahl-David, realizes that the love of his life, Beth played by Odette Yustman, is right in the heart of danger. She’s held up in her dad’s penthouse that overlooks Central Park. The stage is set. The rest of the movie centers on a daring rescue attempt by Rob and some of his closest friends. Along the way, we get to see more of the creature as the characters succumb to somewhat ambiguous demises. In the end, if only for a brief period, Rob reunites with Beth and they both have the chance to say what needs to be said.
I think that most people who see this movie will be divided in their appreciation for what isn’t said, or told in this movie. If you like to be spoon-fed then this movie will likely be disappointing. But if you can appreciate the uncertainty of not knowing everything – then you’ll like this flick. You never know where the creature came from. You never know if this is the only creature of if the entire world is under attack. You never know what happens when someone gets bitten. There’s a lot you’ll never know, but as I told my wife after it was over – that’s the way it will be when the world ends. You won’t know everything. The acting was good. After a slow start, the pace picked up and kept moving. The special effects were pretty darn good. But keep in mind – it is a short movie clocking in at just over 85 minutes
For those who like to know everything, I’d give this movie a 2.75 on my scale of 1-5. For those who can appreciate the uncertainty that comes with death and the end, I’d give ‘Cloverfield’ a 3.5 and a “must rent” recommendation.
Click on the image below to order ‘Cloverfield’ from Amazon.com:
Until next time, keep those you love safe behind you and those you fear safely in front of you.
Archive for April, 2008
Bad news is like a peptic ulcer… just went you think you’re okay the taste of bile brings you back to reality. Okay… maybe I’m playing it up a little. But still the bad news I speak of hurts, baby it hurts a lot. I just lost my Internet access at work! What this means is that my daily blog will become more of a weekly blog.
If only there were some great, big S.H.I.T. out there to help me relax. You know the Secret House of Industrial Tycoons can pull a lot of weight - really help you out when you’re feel’in down and bloated with no place to go. But don’t worry, it may not be as frequent or regular, but I’m going to try my hardest to pinch out a blog every weekend.
But until then, unless a S.H.I.T. comes along… I guess I’m just going to sit here reading the paper. Until next time, remember to light a match for those who finally find a S.H.I.T.
Now I’m not Catholic, but I have to admit that the Pope is treated like a rock star. During lunch I was mesmerized by the images on the television. I watched people flock to the curbs in hopes of catching a glimpse of this superstar as his motorcade made its way through the streets of DC. At one point I thought I saw a girl hold up a hand painted sign that read ‘Marry Me Pope!’. A few seconds later I could have swore that I saw a pair of panties hit his vehicle. All the cheering, all the love, all the respect. It was right then and there that I knew I wanted to be the Pope.I mean look at the ultra-cool car he has. Is it a station wagon? An SUV perhaps? I don’t know. But I sure like that big glass bubble thing that fits over his rocker. I bet it’s even a hybrid – probably gets over 30mpg. How cool is that! The only thing I can’t figure out is how he gets out of it. I didn’t really see any doors. My first guess was that the top must open like a hatch – you know, they’d use a cherry-picker to drop a harness down on a line, he’d strap in and then they’d hoist away. His little Pope legs just a dangling in the wind. But then I got real. They wouldn’t do that. More likely that there’s a hatch on the bottom. When the car stops, he opens it up and rolls out from under the car. Now that’d be pretty cool!Now I’m no fool. I know that you have to take the bad along with the good. I mean I’ve seen that little beanie cap he wears. Maybe I could swap it out for a Royals baseball cap? And I know he must travel all the time. No matter how much you like the Holiday Inn - after a while you’ve seen everything good on the adult pay channels. And the food! I like Big Macs as much as the next guy – but after a while eating burgers and fries in your hotel room must get old. Keep in mind that the Pope doesn’t have an option to go out for dinner – that bubble thing he rides in is far too tall for most drive-thru’s.Time to put my MBA to use. I made a list of the good Pope stuff and the bad Pope stuff, and assigned a weight to each of them. I was just about to make a decision when I realized that I left off the most important decision criteria of them all. Sex! Now I know that with all that goes on in the news, it’s easy to get the wrong idea. But I make you this promise. Elect me Pope and you’ll never have to hear any stories about young boys being molested while I’m in office. No sir-ree. Not after seeing that pair of panties fly through the air.That made up my mind. I’m updating my resume and I’m going to send it in next time an opening comes up. Until then, remember that religion holds one truth above all others – it’s good to be the Pope. J/W
My next great idea…
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the ‘Terminator’ series of movies and its wonderful, if not frightening portrayal of technology gone lethal. Well see besides being glued to my seat and shoveling fistful after fistful of popcorn in my mouth while watching these terrific depictions, my little mind was working. And working awfully hard if I might say. You see I’ve always had a problem with trash – so as I watched the naked terminators rise from the spherical time portal, my mind wasn’t in the gutter as I’m sure was the case with many of you. Yes you got to see Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and Kristanna Loken’s butt, but it’s what you didn’t see that started the gears working for me. That’s right – I’m talking about everything else that wasn’t surrounded by living tissue. I can see you nodding in appreciation of where I’m going with this. Let’s build one of these contraptions and use it for its most beneficial value – to send our trash to the future….
Dumb idea? You think I’ve gone off the deep-end? Well at least I wasn’t stupid enough to suggest sending trash back to our past!
Until next time, if you see a time portal opening up, don’t get too excited and reach in there hoping to grab on to some young, firm butt, you might just find a handful of trash. J/W
This came across my email and they were just too good not to post. The author is unknown.
Actual in Court statements
ACTUAL STATEMENTS:
—– These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actual ly taking place.
ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
____________________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, ‘Where am I, Cathy?’
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn’t know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________
ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he’s twenty.
________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shittin’ me?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh…. I was gettin’ laid!
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Are you shittin’ me? Your Honour, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh….are you qualified to ask that question?
______________________________________
And the best for last:
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.
Until next time, remember that a degree doesn’t necessarily mean that someone has their wits about them…. J/W
Miracle caught on film…
Only three men in history have walked on water.
The first was Christ….
The second was the apostle, Peter….
Then there was this guy, Jose…
When the need arises… man is capable of great things. J/W
Ever stop and think about some of the things we say and wonder where in the hell did that come from? Well I do. Don’t know exactly what that says about me, but I thought I’d share some of my thoughts with you anyway.
*** Bite Me ***
What the hell! Okay, so you’re telling someone off and to express your disdain for them or what they’ve said – you tell them to bite you? I don’t know about you but I’m pretty sure if someone bit me it would hurt. I mean why don’t you just tell them to punch you in the face? How does the infliction of pain on yourself prove your point to another? Wouldn’t it make more sense to say ***Back Off or I’ll Bite You***?
***%#&! You***
Again, used to express your dislike for someone or what they’ve said or represent. Now I don’t know about you, but when I get the chance to %#&! I don’t think I’m being punished (no offense to S&M folks). Same could be said for when a girl tells a guy to kiss her ass… I mean doesn’t it make more sense to say something like *** You’ll Never Get %#&!ed ***?
How about ‘Have your cake and eat it too’. I mean how can you eat your cake if you don’t have it in the first place?
I know what you’re saying. Doesn’t this guy have anything better to do? I’m guessing that I really don’t have to answer that one. Until next time, remember to watch where you walk and avoid any unpleasant surprises. J/W
I had high expectations for this movie. This, along with ‘No Country for Old Men’ (see my review dated March 20th), were two movies that I really wanted to see. So last night I sat down with a bag of popcorn, propped my feet up and settled in to watch Daniel Day-Lewis at his best. I got that… but little else.
The movie follows the life oil baron Daniel Plainview. From his impoverished beginnings when he first discovered oil while digging for gold/silver – all the way beyond his untold accumulation of wealth to a bitter, and lonely reckoning. Unfortunately the character of Daniel Plainview never grows, never learns anything about life, or generally never gives a damn about anyone other than himself. Since every other character and event in the movie is nothing more than a means to display Daniels views on life as he progresses down the beaten path – and since he never waivers in his conviction that he hates all men, you’re left to wonder what this movie was about. The scenery and construction of the sets were good. Daniel Day-Lewis’s portrayal of this one-dimensional character was great, but beyond that the movie left me with an empty feeling (and missing the nearly 3 hours of my life I gave up to watch the movie).
I will say that the first 15 minutes or so of the movie was really good. Without any dialog at all, we come to see just how driven this character is to succeed. He ignores all pain, and conceals all emotion in his drive to get what he wants. This is portrayed when he falls down the shaft of his gold/silver mine and breaks his leg. Now keep in mind that miles and miles of desert and mountains stand between him and the nearest human being. Does he fear the probability of not being able to get to help and dying alone? Not at all. Without missing a beat, he drags himself across the scorching earth while carting a handful of precious metal. This guy is beyond army tough.
If you like Daniel Day-Lewis like I do, then this movie might be worth a rental. But keep in mind that the character doesn’t stretch his abilities as an actor. Personally I’d say pass on it and rent ‘Last of the Mohicans’ (1992). On my scale of 1 – 5 with 5 being a great movie, I’d give ‘There Will Be Blood’ a disappointed 2.5.
Click on the images below to order this movie or ‘Last of the Mohicans’ from Amazon.
Until next time, thank God there will be blood because that’s about the only think pulsing in this movie. J/W
When it comes to movies, there’s almost no better feeling than finding a great “sleeper movie”. You know, a movie that didn’t get much press – one lacking the hype of the big blockbusters. A movie that you really don’t know much about or have any lofty expectation for. A movie that when finished, you say, “Wow! That was actually pretty damn good!” Well if you like that kind of feeling then I’d strongly suggest ‘The Lookout’ (2007).For those of you who are writers, you’ll really appreciate the story and character construction. The basic premise centers around a young man, Chris Pratt played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (the boy off the television show ‘3rd Rock From the Sun’), who after a tragic error in judgment, finds himself stuck in a bitter life filled with pain and regret. Enter Gary Spargo played by Matthew Goode. Gary seduces Chris with the promise of money and power – and more importantly the promise of getting his “old” life back – into helping him rob the bank that Chris works at. To close the deal, Gary uses the sexual prowess of his one-time girlfriend/ ex-stripper Luvlee, played by Isla Fisher of ‘Wedding Crashers’ fame, to keep Chris on the hook. I’d like to tell you more, but won’t. That’s the fun of seeing the movie.
The direction (Scott Frank) was lean and right on the mark. The writing grabs you and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The real stars though are the actors. I never would have expected such a full-bodied performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt – he’s got the makings of a real star. But the actor who stole the movie for me was Matthew Goode. I have to admit that I’ve never seen any of his other work, but he combines the seductiveness, grit and raw anger that goes into making a great antagonist. For you writers, if you’re looking for a character sketch to use in your work – look no further than Gary Spargo. His character alone is worth the price of a rental or purchase. One other character that really gets your attention is Bone played by Greg Dunham – another great example of a character sketch. Bone is one creepy guy. You know from the first time you see him that he’s the weight behind the hammer. I’m not sure if he ever says more than a couple of lines – but then with a presence like his there’s really no need to clutter is up with a bunch of lines.
On my scale of 1- 5 with 5 being a great movie, I’d give ‘The Lookout’ a highly recommended 4.5.
Click on the image below to purchase ‘The Lookout’ from Amazon.
Until next time, seek out the unusual in life to spice up your writing. J/W
I haven’t seen Jon since last night about 10:00pm. It’s about 4:30am now.I don’t know for sure what he was thinking, but he snuck back in to our neighbor’s basement last night while Bill was busy rubbing that stain stuff in to the staircase on the second floor. To be honest, you probably know more about what’s going on than I do. I know he called the police the other day and that he thinks Bill had something to do with the postman that’s gone missing. And I’m right there with him when he says that he thinks Bill has taken a giant leap off the deep end of insanity. I mean I was truly shocked when I saw Rena the other day – her face was all swollen and bruised. Something’s definitely amiss at our neighbors.But I don’t know why he had to stick his nose further into their business. If something is truly wrong – let the cops handle it. But Jon wouldn’t have any of that. I pleaded with him not to go. If for no other reason, that what he was going to do was illegal. I mean breaking and entering and all. But he told me that he had to see if he was in the coal room. I’m not sure what he meant by that? I mean he could see Bill down on his hands and knees, feverishly rubbing that wet rag over and over into each step on the stairs. So who was Jon talking about? Do any of you know?Then he told me that if Bill came down while he was in the basement, that he might have to hide and wait it out – that he might not come back right away. I hope he’s hiding. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes after Jon slid through the window on his belly and disappeared in the darkness, when the light flicked on in the basement and cast a swinging shadow. My heart almost stopped! I yanked the drapes shut and dropped down to my knees. But I had to know… who turned on the light. I was so nervous that I couldn’t stop shaking as I lifted one corner of the drape and peaked out just above the sill. Dear God… I couldn’t see Bill anywhere upstairs!I don’t know what Jon has gotten himself into but I’m really scared. I’ve done as he said. He told me to wait and that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve had about two pots of coffee, but believe me I don’t need it to stay awake. I couldn’t sleep right now if I tried. Call it woman’s intuition if you like, but I have a really bad feeling about this. Dear God! Jon… please be hiding over there. Please come home to me….
