Insperational Stuff

Film Review #19

I recently watched a short film on vimeo called The Potato Killer. It is a stop motion animation about a potato that is chased by a potato peeler before being stabbed with a knife. The film was very cute and funny, although it was pretty short. The way the potato peeler chased the potato kind of reminded me of the Scooby Doo chases which was nostalgic.

Film Review #18

I just saw Ride Along and it was absolutely awful. I actually got a headache from that movie. The editing was awful and the special effects used in the beginning of the film were unnecessary and annoying. The dialogue was generic, the plot was one of the most overused and predictable of the police movie world, and Kevin Hart's character Ben quickly became extremely annoying. There were a few moments of the film that were sincerely funny, but it was easy to spot the parts of the film where the actors were playing for laughs and that was dissapointing. 

Film Review #17

This week I watched a short film called Skwerl. The film is a about a couple that has dinner together when the girlfriend character realizes her partner has forgotten her birthday. The best part about this short film is that it is not in real English. I think the intent of this short film was to demonstrate the way English speakers sound to those who speak English. Although the plot was crap, I think the concept is really cool and creative. In the begging of the film there are a few lovely close ups of the dinner being prepared. The lighting really helped create the illusion of a romantic dinner and the music faintly playing on the record in the background follows the intensity of the plot and helps viewers understand how to feel. I really liked the intent behind the short film and I think it cures a bit of wonder that ever English speaker has. I would totally recommend watching it.


Watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt4Dfa4fOEY

Film Review #16

A few days ago a found a hidden treasure on Netflix, The Exam. The Exam is about eight candidates competing for one high paying position at a high tech company. The film is a psychological thriller (one of my favorite genres of film) so it is definitely not that simple. Similar to Old Boy, the plot is a little complicated for me to explain without spoiling it. However, I've found a  synopsis that gets the job done...enough.

            "The film is set in present-time United Kingdom in an alternate history. Eight candidates dress for what appears to be an employment assessment exam. They enter a room and sit down at individual desks. Each desk contains a paper with the word "candidate", followed by a number, from one to eight. The Invigilator, a representative of the company named DATAPREV, explains that the exam takes 80 minutes and consists of one question only, and that there are three rules: do not talk to the Invigilator or the armed guard at the door, do not spoil the paper, and do not leave the room. Not obeying the rules will result in disqualification.

          After the clock starts, it turns out that the question papers are blank. [...]. The candidates use the lights,bodily fluids, and fire sprinklers to try to reveal a hidden question on the paper, with no luck. Later in the film it's revealed that the company in question is responsible for a miracle drug which a large part of the population are dependent upon after a viral pandemic..." 

As the eight candidates try to discover the hidden question, they find loop holes to the rules that they think will help them out. When the true identity of the company is revealed, the stakes are raised and stuff gets real. This film is very interesting, and I'm going to be completely biased in my preference for psychological thrillers and say that words do not do this film justice.

The cinematography is gorgeous. There are points in the film where the characters mess with the lighting in the room they are in and the way that is captured on screen is lovely. The colors are rich, however they are slightly desaturated as to coincide with the tone of the film. Towards the middle and end of the film the majority of the shots are medium close ups and closeups and that makes the viewer feel a bit claustrophobic, just as I imagine the characters would feel after being in that room for so long. The film is really awesome and I give it 9/10 foxes. Everyone should totally watch it.

Film Review #15

I have spent the past few days hiding in a small cave with my laptop, watching Breaking Bad on Netflix. I had gotten so many positive reviews about the show that I had decided to give it a try. So far, it is a very interesting and engaging show. In a few short days, I have managed to get a few episodes into season 3. Breaking Bad is a pretty well written show, however I think one off the biggest reasons why the show is so well received are the visuals. One of the best things about the show are the time lapses. The show almost always uses a time lapse of the sky, highway, (etc.) and they are gorgeous. Another visually interesting thing about the show is the perspective used. Often times in the show, if a character is interacting with a container of some sort (a bathtub, a pan, a box) the camera will be placed within that container. It is very cool to get that perspective, especially because it is not used that often in other shows. Overall, I think Braking Bad is an excellent show and I would recommend it to all.

Oh My Gosh! It's a Turtle: No Not Really