Friday, February 28, 2014

In Memory of Harold Ramis (1944-2014)









Harold Ramis (1944-2014)


To fans who watched several or most
of the movies he wrote, starred and
directed, including two of the films
from the "Ghostbusters" series,
notably the first (click here), "Animal
House", "Groundhog Day", "National
Lampoon's Vacation" and "Caddyshack".
Comedy director/writer/actor Harold
Ramis unexpectedly passed away at
age 69 on February 24th, 2014. Ramis began his life when enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he wrote some spoof materials in a list of plays. After finishing his work in St. Louis, Ramis returned to his hometown of Chicago and, in 1968, worked as a substitute teacher at various schools in one of the city's inner states. Then, he went on to join the improvisational comedy troupe of Second City to study and perform.

After leaving the comedy troupe for one time of absence before returning in 1972, Ramis made his way as a foil to the deadpan comedy of John Belushi, who at one time replaced him in the main cast. It got Harold and his fellow performers, including Bill Murray, to join Belushi and work together on a radio show called The National Lampoon Radio Hour. Concluding this time, Ramis, Murray, Belushi and the other comedians starred in a revue of The National Lampoon Show on the stage. Then he became a performer/writer for the TV series "SCTV", where he spent the rest of his years, from 1976 to 1979, acting and writing these skits. After "SCTV", he underwent a film career and worked with National Lampoon's Douglas Kenney and later joined by Chris Miller for a story they wrote with raunchy humour set in the struggle in a fraternity house and a corrupt dean. That story became a movie and is now entitled "Animal House", which earned $141 and broke box office records. The next film that starred Bill Murray, "Meatballs", became a commercial success in 1979, and so did "Caddyshack" in the next year, where he made his directing debut. Again working with Bill Murray, the edgy comedy flick featured other comedy leads like Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight.

Ramis would collaborate with Dan Aykroyd for the screenplay and co-star with the comedian in a project directed by Ivan Reitman called "Ghostbusters" as Dr. Egon Spengler, the group's brains. The 1984 movie became one of the top-grossing hits in the summer, earning him to reprise again as the character in the second instalment. Before "Ghostbusters", Harold Ramis directed the first "National Lampoon's Vacation", another big success. His later ground-breaking feature in 1993, "Groundhog Day", ran moderately at the box office and then was considered by critics as his "masterpiece". "Analyse This", followed by its sequel "Analyse That", "Bedazzled", and "Year One" were all some of the last movies he wrote and directed.

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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Wizard of Oz Review










The Wizard of Oz


Release Date: 18th April 1940 - Australia


Production Companies
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)


Genre: Family/Fantasy/
Musical

Rating: G

Runtime: 101 minutes


Budget: $2,777,000

Box Office Gross: $29,691,923 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Dorothy Gale's ordinary life turns upside down when a tornado hits her hometown of Kansas and sends her to an unfamiliar world, the land of Oz. Here, she encounters new friends, such as a Scarecrow with no brain, a Tin Man with no heart and a lion without courage. Together, they journey to find the Wizard, who is said
to hold great power so
that all of them can grant
what they are missing (in
Dorothy's case, to get back
home). All the while, they
are chased by the Wicked
Witch of the West and her
animal cronies.


Cast
Judy Garland - Dorothy Gale
Terry - Toto
Ray Bolger - Hunk/The Scarecrow
Jack Haley - Hickory/The Tin Man
Bert Lahr - Zeke/The Cowardly Lion
Margaret Hamilton - Miss
Elmira Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West
Frank Morgan - The Wizard/
Professor Marvel/Doorman/
Cabbie/Guard
Billie Burke - Glinda the Good Witch of the North
Clara Blandick - Aunt Em
Charley Grapewin - Uncle Henry
Pat Walshe - Nikko
The Singer Midgets - Munchkins

Crew
Director - Victor Fleming
Based on the Book" The Wonderful Wizard of
Oz" - L. Frank Baum
Adaptation/Screenplay - Noel Langley
Screenplay - Florence Ryerson and
Edgar Allan Woolf
Director: Kansas Scenes - King Vidor
(Uncredited)
Associate Producer - Arthur Freed
(Uncredited)
Producer - Mervyn LeRoy
Art Directors - Cedric Gibbons
and Wade B. Rubottom (Uncredited)
Set Decorations - Edwin B. Willis
Costume Designer - Adrian
Creator: Character Makeups - Jack Dawn
Photographer: In Technicolor - Harold Rosson
Associate: Technicolor Photography -
Allen M. Davey
Special Effects - A. Arnold Gillespie,
Mack Johnson (Uncredited), Jack McMaster
(Uncredited) and Hal Miller (Uncredited)
Songs & Lyrics - Harold Arlen and
E.Y. Harburg
Film Editor - Blanche Sewell
Recording Director/Sound Designer
(Uncredited) - Douglas Shearer
Musical Numbers Staged - Bobby Connolly
Musical Adaptation/Composer:
Original Music - Herbert Stothart


Awards

1940 Academy Awards
Best Original Song "Somewhere Over the
Rainbow" - Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg (Won)
Best Original Score - Herbert Stothart (Won)
----------------------------
Best Picture (Nominated)
Best Cinematography, Color - Harold Rosson (Nominated)
Best Art Direction - Cedric Gibbons and
William A. Horning (Nominated)
Best Special Effects - A. Arnold Gillespie
and Douglas Shearer (Nominated)


Review
Victor Fleming's THE WIZARD OF OZ doesn't seem as grand as it used to be due to the many advancements in film production since its release. It's been decades since the premiere of THE WIZARD OF OZ. It is still a popular classic with historical value. Incidentally, the film was overrated, even though it's a colourful fantasy musical for all ages. The most obvious example of the underwhelming elements would be the acting and the songs sung by the Munchkins, the latter in particular, whose voices are too weird.

However, Margaret Hamilton shines the wickedness in her role as the Wicked Witch. The fact her performance with the intentional accent that creeps me out shows she was good at playing that part. Not to mention the make-up that will surely scare off young kids and tiny tots, I was never a big fan of Judy Garland. She looks a bit grown up to play the 11-year-old Dorothy Gale. Quite simply, I enjoyed her performance and singing. The film's photography is splendid. I like how it changes through its sepia tone into colour to show how magical is the land of Oz. The songs were great and timeless, including "Over the Rainbow".

Somebody will likely one day remake THE WIZARD OF OZ with CGI and motion capture. I can't say that THE WIZARD OF OZ is a bad musical fantasy. The film may have ups and let-downs, but it's at least refreshing to re-experience the Yellow Brick Road.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Monday, February 24, 2014

Stormbreaker Re-Review









Stormbreaker


Release Date: 21st September 2006 - Australia


Production Companies
Samuelson Productions
Isle of Man Film
The Weinstein Company
VIP 4 Medienfonds
Moving Picture Company (MPC)
Rising Star Entertainment

Distribution
Roadshow Distribution


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 90 minutes


Budget: £40,000,000

Box Office Gross: $23,937,870
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Alex Rider is a regular
teenager who lives a
somewhat mundane life with
his guardian and uncle, Ian
Rider. Uncle Ian is a boring
bank manager type - or so
it seems - until he dies
under mysterious
circumstances.

Alex soon learns that his
uncle was actually a super
-cool spy for Britain's secret
intelligence service, MI6 and
now they want him as his
replacement! Unbeknownst
to Alex, all those hobbies
that Uncle Ian encouraged
him to develop, have actually
prepared him for a career in
espionage. His skills in
languages, scuba diving,
mountaineering and martial
arts, mean that he has all the
attributes of the perfect spy!

Armed with special gadgets
from MI6, Alex is excused
from school and sent out to
battle some seriously bad
dudes who are about to
discover that he's no child:
he's a lethal weapon!


Cast
Alex Pettyfer - Alex Rider
Mickey Rourke - Darrius Sayle
Alicia Silverstone - Jack Starbright
Bill Nighy - Alan Blunt
Sophie Okonedo - Mrs. Jones
Damian Lewis - Yassen Gregorovich
Missi Pyle - Nadia Vole
Stephen Fry - Smithers
Sarah Bolger - Sabina Pleasure
Andy Serkis - Mr. Grin
Ashley Walters - Wolf
Alex Barrett - Gary
Jimmy Carr - John Crawford
Martin Herdman - Slater
Morgan Walters - Harry
Jamie Kenna - Fox
Kolade Agboke - Eagle
Dave Legeno - Bear
Ewan McGregor - Ian Rider
Robbie Coltrane - The Prime Minister
Jimmy Carr - John Crawford

Crew
Director - Geoffrey Sax
Based on Novel/Screenplay/
Executive Producer - Anthony Horowitz
Executive Producers - Hilary Dugdale,
Nigel Green and Andreas Schmid
Producers - Steve Christian, Andreas Grosch &
Marc and Peter Samuelson
Production Designer - Ricky Eyres
Art Directors - John Fenner,
Alan Gilmore & Michael Kelm
Costume Designer - John Bloomfield
Cinematography - Chris Seager
Stunt Supervisor - Paul Heasman
Stunt Coordinators - Des Hills &
Lee Sheward
Special Effects Supervisor - Chris Dunn
Visual Effects Supervisors - Tom Debenham &
Rudi Holzapfel
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -
Richard Briscoe
Film Editor - Andrew MacRitchie
Music - Alan Parker


Review
It pains me that within my memories, I just previously reviewed this movie which has been posted for the last two years and having no idea that it was actually not re-watchable. Yes, the movie 'STORMBREAKER' I used to believe was a mild fun product to watch. It doesn't concern of not having read the material of Alex Rider when they are only for children and teens. Self-content and bitter about the script not having any good stuff, the gadgets are still interesting like this modified Nintendo DS. Handled are some of the action-coordinated fight scenes and included in this film are a few homages and cliches of James Bond. Setting me in a good fruition are the acting, for example Bill Nighy is a good candidate to play MI6's no-nonsense chief superior. Ewan McGregor still comes in handy as the character who later gets killed off and still thinking they could have had more of the relationship with the uncle he plays.

There's also one thing it didn't change me in fruition, Mickey Rourke while doing a good job maniacally as the main antagonist. His character's tragic backstory was not even tragic and it feels his origins were changed in the screenplay. Ironic for 'STORMBREAKER' that it was bent to be superior than the series of 'Agent Cody Banks' for the teenage demographic. It still flopped and was okay for a one time only viewing.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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Monday, February 17, 2014

RoboCop (2014) Review









RoboCop


Release Date: 6th February 2014 - Australia


Production Companies
Columbia Pictures
Metro Goldwyn-Mayer

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 118 minutes


Budget: $130,000,000

Box Office Gross: $242,688,965
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
The year is 2028 and 
multinational conglomerate 
OmniCorp is at the centre 
of robot technology. 
Overseas, their drones have 
been used by the military for 
years - and it's meant 
billions for OmniCorp's 
bottom line. Now Omni-
Corp wants to bring their 
controversial technology 
to the home front, and 
they see a golden 
opportunity to do it. 
When Alex Murphy – a 
loving husband, father 
and good cop doing 
his best to stem the tide 
of crime and corruption 
in Detroit - is critically 
injured in the line of duty, 
OmniCorp sees their 
chance for a part-man, 
part-robot police officer. 
OmniCorp envisions a 
RoboCop in every city 
and even more billions 
for their shareholders, but 
they never counted on 
one thing: there is still a 
man inside the machine 
pursuing justice.


Cast
Joel Kinnaman - Alex Murphy
Gary Oldman - Dr. Dennett Norton
Michael Keaton - Raymond Sellars
Samuel L. Jackson - Pat Novak
Abbie Cornish - Carla Murphy
Jackie Earle Harley - Rick Mattox
Michael K. Williams - Jack Lewis
Jennifer Ehle - Liz Kline
Jay Baruchel - Tom Pope
Aimee Garcia - Jae Kim
Douglas Urbanski - Mayor Durant
John Paul Rattan - David Murphy
Patrick Garrow - Antoine Vallon
K.C. Collins - Andre Daniels
Daniel Kash - John Lake
Zach Grenier - Senator Hubert Dreyfus
Maura Grierson - Kelly
Noorin Gulamgaus - Navid
Marjan Neshat - Sayeh
Sam Motazedi - Arash
Philip Akin - Dr. Alan
Evan Stern - Walter Karrel

Crew
Director - José Padilha 
Based on 1987 Motion Picture - Edward Neuheimer
and Michael Miner
Screenplay - Joshua Zetumer
Executive Producers - Roger Birnbuam and
Bill Carraro
Producers - Marc Abraham and
Eric Newman
Casting Director - Francine Maisler
Production Designer - Martin Whist
Conceptual Designers - Ed Natividad and
Jeff Julian
Supervising Art Director - Brandt Gordon
Art Directors - Patrick Banister,
Gregory S. Hooper and David Scott
Costume Designer - April Ferry 
Director of Photography - Lula Carvalho
Second Unit Director - George Marshall Ruge
Special Effects Supervisors - Bob Hall and
Clay Pinney
Special Effects Supervisor: Additional Photography,
Vancouver - Joel Whist
Project/Specialty Suit Supervisor: Legacy Effects -
John Rosengrant
Visual Effects Supervisors - Berj Bannayan,
James E. Price, Nordin Rahhali
Visual Effects Supervisors: Cinesite - Richard Clarke
and Simon Stanley-Clamp
Visual Effects Producers - Gayle Busby and
Dean Wright
Animation Supervisor: Cinesite - Eamonn Butler
Film Editors - Peter McNulty and Daniel Rezende 
Theme: Robocop - Basil Pouledoris
Music - Pedro Bromfan


Review
Years ago, I first saw the original 'ROBOCOP' flick when I was a teen and nothing felt sublime about it except for its now outdated effects. In the classic, the film is graphically violent and it contains many themes that I consider it very adult and mature. The reboot on the other hand, shifts into less gore imagery and lightheartedness. The plot now dictates on subjects of social media, corruption, politics and business greed. In comparison, the action is complimented to be perfectly restrained and not getting as heavy. The better visual effects are beautifully rendered without needing the proper stop-motion tool. The film gets more ultilised with the better costume of the title character re-coloured in black and I do not care if the fans wanted the outfit to be silver or blue. Joel Kinnaman takes the cake as the man in the machine and good to win the role as Peter Weller did in many years back.

The few actors in the supporting leads like Michael Keaton and Gary Oldman were not taking advantage of the roles seriously and instead seemed misplaced and unwelcome in the film. I can't stop to laugh at Samuel L. Jackson playing a television host; it's too imperfect that he's so fun to watch when he's acting cheesy.

This film never shows the slightest amount of gore as seen in the original version which was far too gruesome. But here, there is plenty left to be seen in the hugely modified 'ROBOCOP' for mature audiences. I would feel the movie is still retaining this quality and might I suggest you watch the film if sci-fi your fave genre.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Friday, February 14, 2014

Casablanca Review (Valentine's Day 2014)











Casablanca


Release Date: June 15th 1944 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures


Genre: Drama/Romance

Rating: PG

Runtime: 102 minutes


Budget: $1,039,000

Box Office Gross: $10,565,232 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A cynical American named Rick Blaine is busy running a nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco, and he discovers that an ex-lover of his, Ilsa, is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo. Laszlo is a resistance leader who is in trouble with the Germans as they are searching for him. The only person Ilsa can turn to is her old flame, Rick, who needs his help in exchange for Laszlo's transport out of the country. Now Rick
has to face a tough decision
on what's more important -
his happiness or saving
countless lives.


Cast
Humphrey Bogart - Rick Blaine
Ingrid Bergman - Ilsa Lund
Paul Henreid - Victor Laszlo
Claude Rains - Captain Louis Renault
Conrad Veidt - Major Heinrich Strasser
Sydney Greenstreet - Signor Ferrari
Peter Lorre - Guillermo Ugarte
S.K. Sakall - Carl
Madeleine Lebeau - Yvonne
Dooley Wilson - Sam
Leonid Kinskey - Sascha
Joy Page - Annina Brandel
John Qualen - Berger
Curt Bois - Pickpocket
Marcel Dalio - Emil - Croupier at Rick's (Uncredited)
Helmut Dantine - Jan Brandel (Uncredited)
Gregory Gaye - German Banker Refused by Rick (Uncredited)
Torben Meyer - Dutch Banker at Cafe Table (Uncredited)
Corinna Mura - Singer with Guitar (Uncredited)
Frank Puglia - Arab Vendor (Uncredited)
Richard Ryen - Col. Heinz - Strasser's Aide (Uncredited)
Dan Seymour - Abdul
(Uncredited)
Gerald Oliver Smith -
Pickpocketed Englishman
(Uncredited)
Norma Varden - Wife of Pickpocketed Englishman (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Michael Curtiz
Based on the Play "Everybody Comes to Rick's" - Murray Bennett and Joan Alison
Screenplay - Phillip G. & Julius J. Epstein, Howard Koch and Casey Robinson (Uncredited)
Executive Producer - Jack L. Warner
Producer - Hal B. Wallis
Technical Advisor - Robert Aisner
Art Director - Carl Jules Weyl
Set Designer - Harper Goff (Uncredited)
Set Decorations - George James Hopkins
Gowns - Orry-Kelly
Director of Photography - Arthur Edeson
Assistant Director - Lee Katz (Uncredited)
Special Effects Director - Lawrence W. Butler
Special Effects - Wilard Van Enger
Film Editor - Owen Marks
Montages - James Leicester and Don Siegel
Sound - Francis J. Scheid
Songs - M.K. Jerome and Jack Scholl
Music - Max Steiner


Awards

1944 Academy Awards
Best Picture - Hal B. Wallis (Won)
Best Director - Michael Curtiz
Best Cinematography: Black or White -
Arthur Edeson (Won)
Best Screenplay - Julius J. & Phillip G. Epstein
and Howard Koch (Won)
----------------------
Best Actor - Humphrey Bogart (Nominated)
Best Supporting Actor - Claude Rains (Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Owen Marks (Nominated)
Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy
Picture - Max Steiner (Nominated)


Review
Happy Valentine's Day, blog viewers! In the late evening, I decided to celebrate this special day by writing a review for you film buffs. The moments of CASABLANCA are unfamiliar to some young moviegoers. In the early 40s, when movies became war-time propaganda for World War II, the world was in turmoil and unrest. CASABLANCA never needs any amount of dogfight and warfare. It also doesn't have to be labelled in the war genre. Sometimes, the most simple movies turn out to be everlasting classics. Known by every generation, courtesy of a love triangle to tangle with intrigue in a simple plot. This classic movie is unforgettable. Backed with credible acting talent like Humphrey Bogart, this is the first time he plays a romantic lead, and he maintains the stint of an anti-hero. This role is less staggering than portraying a gangster or a detective.

It helps Bogie create the formula of a character trait later borrowed by other actors in future movies. He's paired together as a fictional couple with lead actress Ingrid Bergman. They are immediately responsible for the duo's chemistry.

CASABLANCA is inspirational for its ending and dialogue, and a few directors have tried to imitate its concept for the audiences' thirst. Never reaching its use-by date, it's still in its famed recognition. You must see it if you want to know its true potential.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Monday, February 10, 2014

Mission: Impossible III Review








Mission: Impossible III


Release Date: 4th May 2006 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Cruise/Wagner Productions 
MI 3 Film (produced in association 
with)
China Film Co-Production Corporation (with the assistance of)
The Fourth Production Company Film Group (with the assistance of)
China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) (with the assistance of)
Studio Babelsberg

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 125 minutes


Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $397,850.012
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Lured back into action by his 
agency superiors, Ethan 
faces his deadliest adversary 
yet - a sadistic weapons 
dealer named Owen Davian. 
With the support of his 
IMF team, Ethan leaps 
into spectacular adventure 
from Rome to Shanghai 
as he races to rescue a 
captured agent and stop 
Davian from eliminating his 
next target: Ethan's wife, 
Julia.


Cast
Tom Cruise - Ethan Hunt
Philip Seymour Hoffman -
Owen Davian
Ving Rhames - Luther Stickell
Billy Crudup - John Musgrave 
Michelle Monaghan - Julia Meade
Jonathan Rhys Meyers -
Declan Gormey 
Keri Russell - Lindsey Farris
Maggie Q - Zhen Lei
Laurence Fishburne - Theodore 
Brassel
Simon Pegg - Benji Dunn
Eddie Marsan - Brownway
Bellamy Young - Rachael
Sasha Alexander - Melissa
Aaron Paul - Rick

Crew
Writer/Director - J.J. Abrams
Based on Television Series:
Mission Impossible - Bruce Geller
Writers - Alex Kurtzman and 
Roberto Orci
Executive Producer - Stratton Leopold
Supervising Producer - Bill Borden
Producers - Tom Cruise and 
Paula Wagner
Co-Producer - Arthur Anderson
Production Designer - Scott Chambliss 
Costume Designer - Colleen Atwood
Director of Photography - Dan Mindel
Second/Action Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Vic Armstrong
Second Unit Director: Germany/Visual Consultant - 
Eric Schwab
Special Effects Coordinators - Roderic 'Mick" Duff
and Daniel Sudick
Visual Effects Supervisor - Roger Guyett
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor - Russell Earl
Visual Effects Producer - Tom C. Peitzman
Visual Effects Art Director - Alex Jaeger
Model/Miniature Supervisor - Brian Gernand
Animation Supervisor: ILM - Paul Kavanagh 
Editors - Mary Jo Markey and 
Maryann Brandon
Writer: Theme from Mission Impossible -
Lalo Schifrin
Music - Michael Giacchino


Review
Good, but nothing of 'MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (MI:III)' is out of steam and repetitive. It was made very simple from the competent direction of J.J. Abrams who has not yet made his name famous in the guild of directors. He took the throttling on the spy-flick for a supply of action and brought Tom Cruise to be in the series again. Unlike its predecessor 'MI:II' in comparison, the plot is an improvement to the second and actually owes it in favour of Abrams' hybrid of his screenwriting and visual style. The movie's best factor is the actor Philip Seymour Hoffman who portrays a menacing and convincing villain, the character's evil score are best left unsaid from spoiling. 

The film was ordinary and not as fully realised as a bright and embraceable action-thriller as it happened on the future and next instalment (click here). 'MI:III' has its thrills and moments to specifically entertain the audiences of its full level of espionage and action. This review is dedicated to the now late Phillip for his hard work of performing. 

This msg (message) will self-destruct and in five... four... three... two... ONE... BOOM!!

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

In Memory of Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014)








Phillip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014)

I have never seen any of Philip's movies. It is with sorrow that the Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was reportedly found dead of a drug overdose in his office apartment in West Village. He was 46 years old on February 2nd, 2014. Philip began acting as a student at Fairport High School. At the age of 17, he got selected to be in attendance at the 84 Theater School at the New York State Summer School of the Arts. In the same place, he met the two people he would later work with within the later years, director Bennett Miller and screenwriter Dan Futterman.

After Hoffman graduated from Fairport High, he attended a summer program at the Circle in the Square Theatre and continued to craft his acting skills. He joined the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, earning himself a BFA award for drama in 1989. In 1991, he made his acting debut in an episode of "Law and Order" as a case defendant. Philip would not appear in films until 1992. He made his breakthrough in four movies, including "Scent of the Woman". Throughout many years Hoffman would make his youthful career as a supporting actor playing roles and working with many notable directors his lifetime. One of the directors was Paul Thomas Anderson, who cast him in five of his six motion pictures. He then does both the narration and interviews himself in a documentary for 2000 named "The Party's Over". Philip breaks up the supporting role cliché and moves in for his first leading role in a tragic comedy, "Love Liza". In 2003, he also did another main role-playing as a gambling-addicted bank employee in "Owning Mahowny". Hoffman's career got defined by both supporting and leading parts over the years with notable flicks such as "Cold Mountain", "Along Came Polly", and the third instalment of "Mission: Impossible". Philip went for gold acclaim in the title role of "Capote", where he would receive many of its awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actor.

After the commendable success of his performance of "Capote", the newly A-listed Philip went on to have more diverse roles, such as the title character in "Charlie Wilson's War". That next year he would receive an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He was working on the two parts of "The Hunger Games" feature "Mockingjay" to a role he once played in the recent instalment "Catching Fire" before his untimely death.

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Monday, February 3, 2014

2001: A Space Odyssey Review









2001: A Space Odyssey


Release Date: 1st May 1968 - Australia 
(premiere)


Production Companies
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: G

Runtime: 148 minutes


Budget: $10,120,000

Box Office Gross: $146,716,422 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
The monoliths have
watched us. They gave
us the evolutionary "kick
in the pants" necessary for
survival at the dawn of
time. We discovered a
second lunar monolith in
1999.

Now, in 2001, the S.S.
Discovery and its crew,
Capt. Dave Bowman and
Frank Poole and their
shipboard computer,
HAL 9000, must find out
about the extraterrestrial
power that's watching...


Cast
Keir Dullea - Dr. Dave Bowman
Dave Lockwood - Dr. Frank Poole
William Sylvester - Dr.
Heywood R. Floyd
Daniel Richter - Moon-Watcher
Leonard Rossiter - Dr. Andrei Smyslow
Margaret Tyzack - Elena
Robert Beatty - Dr. Ralph Halvorsen
Sean Sullivan - Dr. Bill Michaels
Douglas Rain - HAL 9000 (Voice)
Frank Miller - Mission Controller (Voice)
Bill Weston - Astronaut
Ed Bishop - Aries-1B Lunar Shuttle Captain
Glenn Beck - Astronaut
Alan Gifford - Poole's Father
Ann Gillis - Poole's Mother
Edwina Carroll - Aries-1B Stewardess
Penny Brahms - Stewardess
Heather Downham - Stewardess
Mike Lovell - Astronaut
Maggie London - Elevator Hostess (Uncredited)
Chela Matthison - Receptionist (Uncredited)
Kenneth Kendall - BBC-12 Announcer (Uncredited)
Vivian Kubrick - Squirt - Floyd's Daughter (Uncredited)

Crew
Screenplay/Producer/Special Photographic
Effects Designer and Director/
Director - Stanley Kubrick 
Screenplay/Based on the Short
Story: The Sentinel (Uncredited) -
Arthur C. Clarke
Associate Producer - Victor Lyndon
(Uncredited)
Scientific Consultant - Frederick I. Ordway III
Production Designers - Anthony Masters
and Ernest Archer
Production Designer/Advisor:
Aeronautics (Uncredited) - Harry Lange
Art Director - John Hoesli
Wardrobe - Hardy Amies
Makeup - Stuart Freeborn 
Director of Photography - Geoffrey Unsworth
Additional Photography - John Alcott
Camera Operator - Kelvin Pike
First Assistant Director - Derek Cracknell
Choreographer - Daniel Richter (Uncredited)
Special Photographic Effects Supervisors - 
Tom Howard, Wally Veevers, Douglas Trumbull
and Con Pederson
Special Photographic Effects Unit -
Colin Cantwell, Bruce Logan, Bryan Loftus,
David Osborne, Frederick Martin and
John Jack Malick
Film Editor - Ray Lovejoy
Sound Supervisor - A.W. Watkins
Sound Editor - Winston Ryder
Sound Mixer - H.L. Bird
Chief Dubbing Mixer - J.B. Smith
Music - Aram Khatchaturyan ("Gayaneh Ballet
Suite"), György Ligeti ("Atmospheres",
"Lux Athena" and "Requiem"), Johann Strauss
("The Blue Danube") and Richard Strauss
("Thus Spoke Zarathustra")


Awards

1969 Academy Awards
Best Effects, Special Visual Effects -
Stanley Kubrick (Won)
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Best Director - Stanley Kubrick (Nominated)
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay -
Written Directly for the Screen - Stanley
Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke (Nominated)
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -
Anthony Masters, Harry Lange and
Ernest Archer (Nominated)


Review
The year 1968 saw a new age for the sci-fi genre of film, and two movies came out before the year Neil Armstrong explored the moon for the first time. These old science-fiction films would be Planet of the Apes and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. This masterpiece from Stanley Kubrick is an out-of-earth experience of cosmic brilliance. The vision came from the minds of director Kubrick and fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, who wanted the movie to be authentic to the realism of space after astrophysicists had discovered its realities.

What's unique in 2001 is the visuals and minimal dialogue that establish the film's depth and appreciation from viewers of its stunning film artistry. It contains psychedelic imagery that only happens in the final sequence. The other profound aspect of the movie is the concept of mysticism and evolution; to me, it keeps the story a mystery. I imagine another film to explore these same qualities is Moon with Sam Rockwell, which I have yet to watch.

The cinematography is the other groundbreaking feature of 2001 and successfully raises its status. The shots and photography were used as a technique by the director to implicate the underlying themes of space travel, artificial intelligence and evolution. This film engages viewers to understand what is happening. Each person who watches this film will construct a different improbable theory. 

It is one of those breathtaking movies you must revisit to understand the story in its four acts and allegories. What makes this film so significant from the rest is its impact on the science-fiction genre. Each time you watch it, you take away a new understanding or idea you do not consider. 2001 is a must-see novelty. If you haven't seen it, I recommend you watch it.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever