NEWSFLASH!

School's started! How can you tell? I'm blogging again!!! Check it out here. Isnt' that URL much easier to remember?

ON HIATUS: INDEFINITELY

I've just not had the energy to blog in a long time. It's not that I don't have lots to say, I just no longer feel that this blog is the place for me to post many things. This blog started out in June 2004, and I made it past the one year mark. Far longer than I originally thought it would go and so I feel it met it's goal.

Anyway, if I have other plans for film discussion and such in the future. If things go as planned, the updates will be posted here. Thanks for reading.

"Cuz it's a bittersweet symphony, this life." - The Verve

Most Interesting/Controversial New Film Project of the Year of Its Release

Hey all. Yes. I'm guilty of not blogging, but I've been kept busy elsewhere in film discussion but I'll still try to keep up with things here.

Here's an article from Ain't It Cool News about a new film project about 9/11! Nicholas Cage (who is a better actor than most give him credit for) and Oliver Stone (who does his best work in project's about important events in American history i.e. JFK, Platoon). To me this definitely will be one of the most talked about projects in the next year. I'm glad to hear that Stone is attached rather than someone like Michael Bay (Pearl Harbour), because for whatever shortcomings he has, Stone will at least explore some of the interesting issues like heroism, national identity, etc. rather than just using human tragedy as the backdrop for an exciting action movie (again, see Pearl Harbour).

Speaking of controversy though, Spielberg is already hard at work on his next film. It's a still untitled project about the murder of Israeli atheletes by Palestinians at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Interestingly though, he's going to be not merely exploring the atrrocity itself, but Isreal's reaction (the hunting down of those responsible, going beyond international boundaries). I'm glad to hear this. It raises so many questions, such as our response to "terrorism," the situation in the Middle East, the right of a nation to protect/avenge itself, etc. It will definitely be one of the most controversial films of this year, not only from Palestinian perspectives (who would rather we forget this happened), but from Israeli as well (who from the sounds of things, are not portrayed very sympathetically in their pursuit of revenge agains the perpetrators). Yes, I said this year. The film is already slated for a Dec. 23 release for this year. Will Steven be back in the winner's circle come Oscar time?

Most Interesting Movie Poster of the Year?

The 8th Wonder of the World!

Kong is here!

Elizabethtown

This film was on my list of movies I'm looking forward to this year for one reason only: Cameron Crowe. Crowe made one of my alltime favourite films with Almost Famous. Jerry Maguire, and even Vanilla Sky are all films I like a lot, so I'm very excited about this one. Crowe's soundtracks are also usually amazing too. I think I once said on Ewan's blog that I would have Cameron Crowe direct the movie of my life. Anyway, check out the "Internet Exclusive" trailer for Elizabethtown at the official website.

It's nice to see Orlando Bloom moving away from the 'epic' movies, because he's getting pretty typecast. And the ladies in this one? Kirsten Dunst has always been a favourite of mine. And I actually have a thing for Judy Greer (she's been in lots of small roles and also played "Kitty" on Arrested Development), so I'm happy to see her in this too. She's looking great.

"Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)"

It's taken me a long time to get around to buying The Arcade Fire - Funeral, partly because some people that whose taste I respect thought it was overrated, but also because when an album is as hyped as this one has been it's rare that it lives up to expectations and often leaves me thinking, "It's ok, but is that really what they were so excited about?" The same is true for movies; but like movies there are the rare exceptions (Silence of the Lambs comes to mind as a movie that lived up to and exceeded my expectations). Funeral is one of these too I feel.

I loved the single, "Rebellion (Lies)," but it doesn't give a really full idea of what the album as a whole is like. It's a concept album (built around the rather meloncholy theme of deaths in the family), but also just a solid piece of music that really pushes the idea of a band in the opposite direction of the two-member rock duos, and incorporates multiple instruments and singers. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a great listen and definitely was work picking up.


I like these little guys.

The new video for "Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)" is up on Much Music's website now, under "High Rotation" (it's this weeks "Big One" and you may need Realplayer to view it). Check it out. I agree with the little write up on the Much website that the video doesn't really reveal the unique personality of the band, but at the same time it's a wonderful little piece of animation that while it serves as a perfunctory video (basically following the lyrics pretty literally) it is very pretty to look at.