It Follows – My Thoughts/ A Rant

*spoilers*

It Follows (2014) is a ‘unique’ horror film about a sexually transmitted supernatural force. I really don’t know how to describe this film, here’s a link to its IMDB page for something that makes more sense.

I spent a good 80% of this film asking myself what was going on. Overall I enjoyed the premise of this film. The story had a lot of potential, as well as being very nice to look at. The cinematography was stunning for a horror, and the score was also very unique. But I still have so many questions.

Firstly, where are their parents? obviously its a classic horror film thing for parents to not exist. But at least explain why they’re not there? Also, if a supernatural being is trying to kill you, don’t go and sit on an empty swing set, or sleep on top of your car in a forest. Is there a reason why ‘it’ is almost always half naked, are the boobs really necessary? Theres a whole lot of petty things I that confused me in this film. There were quite a few shots which distracted me completely from what was going on. I was constantly asking myself ‘where is she going’ or ‘whats going on?’ and my questions were never answered.

Overall, this film looked and sounded great. I’m even thinking about buying the score on vinyl. But this film in literally about an STD. A sexually transmitted demon. It had so much potential but, unfortunately, it didn’t do anything for me.

Anyway, what did you think? Let me know in the comments, lets converse!

31/07/2017

 

Gore In Cinema

Just a heads up: I will be discussing some gory topics in detail in this post, so if that’s not your thing, I’d recommend going to check out one of my other posts!

Here I’d love to talk about the use of blood, guts and various grossness in cinema. For someone who flinches at a paper cut, I love a film that does gore right. I want to use Jeremy Saulnier’s ‘Green Room’ as an example of this. This has become one of my favourite films of all time for many reasons. However one reason is for its perfect use of blood. Every shot that makes you flinch due to the blood it done perfectly. It’s not overdone and it’s completely appropriate. All the death scenes are hideous, yet perfect. Loving a film as gross as this is never something I thought I’d do.

There are a lot of films who’s main purpose is to be gross. Splatter films are always an example, and the Saw franchise (which I can’t stand, by the way). But some films just can’t get it right. It seems that a lot of horror films use the notion that the more gory it is, the scarier it will be. I think we all know that isn’t the case.

Another use of gore I tend to enjoy is for comedic purposes. Now that may make me sound like I’m a little twisted but let me explain. Cabin in the Woods is always a good example. Shaun of the Dead too, especially this scene (spoilers there!)

Thats all for today! Another short one, but what do we all think? Lets Converse!

20/07/2017

The Growth of Mediocre Movies

In recent years, I haven’t been able to get my head around the growth of half-arsed films being released constantly. Obviously I’m aware that many film makers are in it for the money, and I am also aware how much money is in Hollywood these days, however, as an artist myself, I don’t understand how so much time and effort is put into films which are obviously not good, or at least not the best they can be.

By ‘mediocre’, I mean films that slightly entertain you, but aren’t anything special or noteworthy. They make enough money and do well enough for the stars and the industry, but again aren’t anything special. Usually, you can spot a mediocre movie from miles off. They’re often sequels (that definitely wasn’t a dig at Fast & Furious. Probably,) or remakes. This can’t always be a bad thing, the Planet Of The Apes franchise being a great example of some great remakes and sequels.

It’s not very often that a completely unique and original film comes out. Sequels are very common, as well as films that are part of a larger franchise (Note: I will excuse Marvel from this, as they seem to be producing some genuinely great films in recent years. D.C. however…)

Lets take a look at the most popular films in cinemas currently. (reference)

Spider-Man: Homecoming, Baby Driver, Wonder Woman, Transformers: The Last Knight, Orja, Despicable Me 3.

Only two of these are completely independent and unique (Baby Driver especially, a new favourite of mine.) These are all pretty great films, but there’s something missing. It’s originality. Something new and fresh, something that sticks in my head for weeks after and makes me want to talk. Surprisingly, the films listed above have been great. However I would love to see more originality in the film industry.

Although it’s only been a short one this week, I hope I’ve made enough sense to get my point across! What are your thoughts? Lets converse!

15/07/2017

 

 

The Impact Of A Great Film

It has been 2 days since I saw Edgar Wright’s new film ‘Baby Driver’. I loved every second of it, and it’s definitely become one of my favourite films this year. There were even moments that I had an instant personal connection with. Rather than rambling on about how much I loved this movie, I want to to talk about the impact this great film has had on me.

At first there’s the moment the end credits start to roll. The moment when your realise that you have just witnessed something great. You sit back in your seat and take a few seconds to reflect. I walked out of the cinema with a huge smile on my face, and i’ve been in a great mood since. I’ve been hunting around the web to see what other people thought and spoken so passionately to everyone about this film.

You know a movie was great when it has the ability to change your mood. Despite being rained on and cold previous to watching Baby Driver, I felt like I was having the best day of my life while walking out. Tom McCarthy’s 2015 ‘Spotlight’ was similar. I came out of that film feeling angry and disappointed with the issues discussed in the film, ranting to my poor friend who I dragged along to see the film with me, and couldn’t get me to shut up for hours.

A great film makes you talk. It makes you laugh and smile for hours, it makes you feel good about yourself. It makes you cry and it angers you. It triggers emotions that nothing else can.

There are so many things that make up the perfect film. There’s the obvious; an understandable plot, an attention to detail, skilled actors, a good cinematographer, but all of these are just fact. The best films are the ones you can connect with, the ones that stick with you for weeks and make you think. Building a personal connection with a film is a very unique experience that I find completely fascinating.

Obviously everything I’ve said is completely subjective, so I want to know what you think makes a good film. What are your favourite films and why? What do you think makes a bad film, got any examples? Let me know, lets converse!

30/06/2017

C.

The Importance of a Good Soundtrack

Almost very film has a score. Psycho, Jaws, Star Wars are just a few that have scores that are instantly recognisable. Although here I will be talking about soundtracks in specific, especially in more recent movies.

I want to talk about Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2. How unpredictable of me! But seriously, it’s great. I love how the soundtrack has significance to the characters and the plot. In Vol. 2, the opening scene to Electric Light Orchestra’s Mr. Blue Sky is so much fun,  and the ending credits to Parliament’s Flashlight was such a great way to end the film. The soundtrack to both Vol 1 and 2 have also become a major selling point for these films. I don’t know about you, but the second I heard that a second film was in the making, I couldn’t wait to hear more about the soundtrack. I will also be purchasing both soundtracks on vinyl as soon as I can!

Now lets compare this to Suicide Squad. The soundtrack, to me, seemed to have no thought put into it whatsoever. I like a lot of the tracks on the soundtrack for sure, but its just a mess. Honestly, I could have done better myself. In the moment, my first thoughts were “I love Paranoid by Black Sabbath!” but I’d soon realise it has absolutely no significance to the film or any of the characters whatsoever, it just sounds good. Bohemian Rhapsody, Seven Nation Army, Black Skinhead. Did they even try? I know this seems like a stereotypical Suicide-Squad-sucked review, but it sucked. Especially the soundtrack.

Films about bands and musicians are always very soundtrack-reliant. John Carney’s Sing Street is a new favourite of mine. Its full of 80’s classics which clearly represent when the film is based. Also I love The Cure.

The TV show Freaks and Geeks is also similar, the great soundtrack relates to the years the show is set in. We get to see Jason Segal’s character drum his heart out to The Spirit Of Radio by Rush. His character is known as a very average drummer, so obviously wouldn’t be able to play a Rush song as Neil Peart is a drumming God, and is difficult to match. However we see the pure passion that Segal’s character has for music. We see his band half-heartedly,and very badly, play Sunshine Of Your Love while Segal is having the time of his life. Again, the soundtrack has a significance to the characters, and gives us more of an insight to the type of person we’re watching.

A few honourable mentions:

 

 

Kill Bill Vol. 1

Once

Trainspotting

Hot Fuzz

A Clockwork Orange

La La Land (whats a short essay about soundtracks without a mention of La La Land, am I right?)

I think I’ve made it very clear that I believe it’s important that a soundtrack is well thought out and relevant to the film itself. Obviously I have a lot more films to watch, and these were just a list of the first to pop into my head when someone says “soundtrack”, so I want to know what films you think have great, or awful, soundtracks! What do you think makes a good, or bad, soundtrack? Have I missed anything out? Let me know, lets converse!

25/6/2017

C

 

Edgar Wright – Appreciation Post

I seriously love this man.

There’s not a lot of directors I’ve stayed loyal to for so long. Maybe David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, but Edgar Wright has a special place in my heart.

Visual Comedy and wonderfully unique editing are so unique to him. Sure there are other directors who have used these techniques, but Wright uses them to the best of its ability.

One of the greatest thing about his films is that they are actually funny. I think think one of the best things any film can do is bring joy and laughter to it’s audience. There’s nothing better than walking out of a cinema feeling happier than you did while walking into the cinema. Here I am going to reference a video essay, by Every Frame A Painting on youtube, entitled “Edgar Wright – How To Do Visual Comedy” (watch it here)

“I think comedy movies today, especially American ones, have lost their way. I don’t hate the jokes, or the dialogue or the actors, though there’s plenty of issues there. My real qualm is the film making. The use of picture and sound to deliver jokes, is just boring.”

There is something about Wright’s film making that makes it stand out. They’re so exciting compared to so many passable American comedies that are being churned out by the minute.  He uses every single opportunity he can to make a standard, every day task seem 10 times funnier and much more intriguing. Ed is also a master of close ups. Fast paced transition scenes to make it more exciting. He said himself that he uses the technique of “getting into a scene late and leaving a scene early.” It’s such a unique technique that I don’t see very often.

He’s probably best known for The Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and The Worlds End. This is such a unique film trilogy, and I love every single one. Each film is complete with running gags and unique easter eggs. Each film feels like something familiar, and almost relatable. The relationship between Simon Pegg’s character and Nick Frost’s character in every film feels like the relationship between you and that one friend you’ve known since you were 9. I love how all his characters are just normal people living their normal, day to day, British lives. A key example of this is in Shaun Of The Dead. We get to see Shaun complaining about his job in a failing electrical appliances shop. We see him stumble down the road to the corner shop, and in an opening shot in a pub. If you, like me, grew up in an average British town or small city, this will all seem very similar to you. If not, you’re not really missing out on much, it’s not the fanciest!

Let me pour my heart out about Scott Pilgrim VS The World for a minute here. This film changed my life, and I’m not being over dramatic (much.) Scott Pilgrim is such an average guy, played by Michael Cera who looks like such an average guy. He’s a bassist in a band who are small and struggling to keep themselves going. He has a very unserious relationship with a 17 year old and it seems like his life is going nowhere, until Ramona Flowers comes along. I’ll let you actually watch the film before I say anymore. This film has had such an impact on me as a person and I’m sure there are many other people who feel the same way. The whole “failed musician” lifestyle is all very familiar. The way its shown in this film is almost too real to me. Now other than the intense personal connection I have to this film, as usual, the editing and transitions are like nothing else. They’re so simple, yet so important to the feel of the film as a whole.

I’m going to have another few posts up around the topic of opening scenes, transitions and the importance of soundtracks in the near future, so to avoid repeating myself, I’ll stop now. Hopefully I’ve provided just another insight to the wondrous work of Edgar Wright. I’d recommend watching the Cornetto Trilogy for the best examples of what he does best. I should also have a Baby Driver review out by the end of next week. Man, I’m excited for that.

Now i’d love to know what your thoughts are anything I’ve mentioned in this post. Do you think there is someone who does visual comedy better than Wright? Do you have any strong feelings about any of his films? Have I missed anything out? Let me know, lets converse!

24/06/2017

 

 

*inspiring film quote*

I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing but I love films and I want to write about them.

Picture this: A blank screen cuts to a wide shot of a 17 year old sat at her bedroom desk, hair is a bit of a mess and she’s wearing glasses that make her look like that tiny angry woman from The Incredibles. Its summer of 2017, she’s finished her GCSE’s and is eagerly awaiting results, impatient to see how much she failed. She’s got absolutely nothing to do for 11 weeks so she impulsively starts a blog about films.

Thats me, by the way. Maybe I should direct a high school based comedy.

That was a summary of what this is, pretty much. I have to entertain myself somehow when I’m not asleep/ job hunting/ bass playing.

Film reviews, film-based rants, lists, some music stuff here and there, also open to requests!

We’ll see what happens x

 

(“Pirates Are In This Year” – a quote from Scott Pilgrim VS The World)