This summer is going to be crazy-busy and fun.
For one thing, there are so many movies coming out that I think I will be back to seeing at least one movie a week, something I haven't done since my film school days. Off the top of my head, I can list at ten movies I am dying to see and there are probably ten more that I am forgetting or am not as excited about but will probably see anyway.
On the top of my list (and probably everyone else's) is The Dark Knight. I saw I Am Legend at the IMax just so that I could see the "trailer." I put the word trailer in quotes because it was about 5 minutes of actual, completed footage from the movie. You can find some pretty awful video of it on YouTube (think hand-held camera smuggled into a theater) if you want to see it, but trust me, it was well worth the inflated IMax ticket price alone.
At the very least, I have to see my city stand in for Gotham. I can't tell you how proud I am that Chicago is Gotham; I truly love this city and it's nice that someone else appreciates it enough to use it as the Batman's city.
True story: my friend Keidra attended a meeting recently and realized that it was being held in Bruce Wayne's "bedroom." How cool is that?
Aside from movies, Lollapalooza happens in August and I have to see Nine Inch Nails play in Grant Park. Also in June is Wizard World Chicago, our answer to ComiCon - that deserves a post of its own for several reasons. And summer wraps up with Nick Cave and Bad Seeds playing down the street from me at the Riv in September.
This is going to be spectacular.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Iron Man
Here's the short, spoiler-free review: it's really good. Go see it.
I was very surprised by how much I liked this movie. Sure, I love comic books and I love movies and I like Jon Favreau. I even used to watch his Dinner for Five television show, even if it did get pretentious at times (as an aside, watch any episodes with Peter Berg - the man tells great stories). But, I did go in knowing next to nothing about the Iron Man character, and I had read some advanced reviews that were mixed, saying the pacing was off or some such. And in the end, the movie is about superheroes, a subject matter for Hollywood that tends to be hit or miss. Superheroes are often dismissed as fluff or worse, escapist fantasies for overgrown boys; the much-maligned, garish and vapid Batman movies produced by Joel Schumacher come to mind as falling into both categories.
I think what surprised me about this movie was how much soul it possesses. There is a sincerity to the actors, who seem to be both having fun and taking the material seriously. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man is especially good. He is at his witty and charming best as the womanizing, boozing Stark, but he also gives the character depth. Stark, a brilliant weapons inventor, is kidnapped by warlords/terrorist group while on a promotional tour in Afghanistan, and his fear (and later outrage) is nearly palpable. He has excellent chemistry with Gwenyth Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts, Stark's capable and quick-witted assistant. Romance in action movies often feels ham-fisted and tacked on, an afterthought, but here the budding relationship is actually touching. "I don't have anyone else," Stark admits to her, and though he states this as a simple fact, we can also detect the loneliness lying beneath his admission.
The dialog is where this movie really exceeds. It reveals the development of the characters with grace. There are two "monologues' that really stand out. The first is a speech from Raza, the leader of the terrorists, to Stark while in captivity. Unlike his men, Raza presents himself as a confident, polished and cultured man. He talks of history, particularly of Genghis Khan and the conquering of Asia. In a lesser movie, this would have been the rantings of a power-hungry mad man, but Raza is a practical man, shrewd and ambitious.
The second monologue comes from an exhausted Tony Stark, having returned to the U.S. after a harrowing escape. Surrounded by reporters, Stark is not his flippant, party-boy self. He is introspective and begins by saying "I never got a chance to say good-bye to my father." Stark's late father, a genius who worked on the Manhattan Project, haunts his son throughout the movie. Stark is always reminded of his father's brilliance and his father's belief in the weapons their company produces. But after his three-month ordeal, Stark wonders aloud to the press how his father truly felt about being one of the inventor's of the atomic bomb and the suffering it caused. Having seen his own weapons being used against U.S. soldiers (ones he had only moments before had been joking with) and Afghani civilians alike, he realizes he wants to make up for the pain and destruction his inventions have caused.
This scene underscores what I feel is the message of the movie. In one sense, Stark is the United States - selfish, wealthy, shallow and profiting from war. But underneath that indolent exterior, is a good heart, ingenuity and sincere desire to atone for past mistakes. Stark wants to turn his genius towards solving problems, like finding new energy sources. Ultimately, he takes on the role of Iron Man to destroy the weapons he created, protect those whose lives are threatened by them and thereby be redeemed. In this movie, I found a message of hope for my country, that we can turn away from war and use our superpowers for good instead of evil. It's not too late for us to be redeemed.
If I find any fault with the movie, it lies with the characterization of Obediah Stane, Stark's erstwhile mentor, business partner and friend, but also the real villain of this story. Jeff Bridges does an excellent job with what he's given, but the character descends into the mindlessly-greedy, jealous, insane, corporate villain used many times before. I think had Stane been portrayed more like Raza he would have made a much more interesting, and in the end effective, antagonist for Stark. We don't really get to see Stark deal with Stane's betrayal in meaningful way and I think that was a missed opportunity to elevate Stane to the true villainy he deserves.
My rating: 9 out of 10
I was very surprised by how much I liked this movie. Sure, I love comic books and I love movies and I like Jon Favreau. I even used to watch his Dinner for Five television show, even if it did get pretentious at times (as an aside, watch any episodes with Peter Berg - the man tells great stories). But, I did go in knowing next to nothing about the Iron Man character, and I had read some advanced reviews that were mixed, saying the pacing was off or some such. And in the end, the movie is about superheroes, a subject matter for Hollywood that tends to be hit or miss. Superheroes are often dismissed as fluff or worse, escapist fantasies for overgrown boys; the much-maligned, garish and vapid Batman movies produced by Joel Schumacher come to mind as falling into both categories.
I think what surprised me about this movie was how much soul it possesses. There is a sincerity to the actors, who seem to be both having fun and taking the material seriously. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man is especially good. He is at his witty and charming best as the womanizing, boozing Stark, but he also gives the character depth. Stark, a brilliant weapons inventor, is kidnapped by warlords/terrorist group while on a promotional tour in Afghanistan, and his fear (and later outrage) is nearly palpable. He has excellent chemistry with Gwenyth Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts, Stark's capable and quick-witted assistant. Romance in action movies often feels ham-fisted and tacked on, an afterthought, but here the budding relationship is actually touching. "I don't have anyone else," Stark admits to her, and though he states this as a simple fact, we can also detect the loneliness lying beneath his admission.
The dialog is where this movie really exceeds. It reveals the development of the characters with grace. There are two "monologues' that really stand out. The first is a speech from Raza, the leader of the terrorists, to Stark while in captivity. Unlike his men, Raza presents himself as a confident, polished and cultured man. He talks of history, particularly of Genghis Khan and the conquering of Asia. In a lesser movie, this would have been the rantings of a power-hungry mad man, but Raza is a practical man, shrewd and ambitious.
The second monologue comes from an exhausted Tony Stark, having returned to the U.S. after a harrowing escape. Surrounded by reporters, Stark is not his flippant, party-boy self. He is introspective and begins by saying "I never got a chance to say good-bye to my father." Stark's late father, a genius who worked on the Manhattan Project, haunts his son throughout the movie. Stark is always reminded of his father's brilliance and his father's belief in the weapons their company produces. But after his three-month ordeal, Stark wonders aloud to the press how his father truly felt about being one of the inventor's of the atomic bomb and the suffering it caused. Having seen his own weapons being used against U.S. soldiers (ones he had only moments before had been joking with) and Afghani civilians alike, he realizes he wants to make up for the pain and destruction his inventions have caused.
This scene underscores what I feel is the message of the movie. In one sense, Stark is the United States - selfish, wealthy, shallow and profiting from war. But underneath that indolent exterior, is a good heart, ingenuity and sincere desire to atone for past mistakes. Stark wants to turn his genius towards solving problems, like finding new energy sources. Ultimately, he takes on the role of Iron Man to destroy the weapons he created, protect those whose lives are threatened by them and thereby be redeemed. In this movie, I found a message of hope for my country, that we can turn away from war and use our superpowers for good instead of evil. It's not too late for us to be redeemed.
If I find any fault with the movie, it lies with the characterization of Obediah Stane, Stark's erstwhile mentor, business partner and friend, but also the real villain of this story. Jeff Bridges does an excellent job with what he's given, but the character descends into the mindlessly-greedy, jealous, insane, corporate villain used many times before. I think had Stane been portrayed more like Raza he would have made a much more interesting, and in the end effective, antagonist for Stark. We don't really get to see Stark deal with Stane's betrayal in meaningful way and I think that was a missed opportunity to elevate Stane to the true villainy he deserves.
My rating: 9 out of 10
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Dream Fragment?
Last night, I dreamed about meeting a comic book writer. I think maybe it was Frank Miller? I think I was at a comic book convention. I have no memory of anything else.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Dream 11
This was a very sad dream. In it, I caught my sister in bed with my ex-boyfriend. I was crushed, completely betrayed by both of them. I screamed at him, "How could you? She's married!" He tried to tell me that I couldn't be upset, because I had told him he could date other people. Meanwhile, my sister simply grinned evilly at me. I was so angered by this that I tried to physically hurt her. I wrung her neck, tried hitting her, but nothing stopped her from smiling and laughing at me. A conscious part of me knew I didn't want to hurt her, that I love her and that she would never do something like this, which made the dream all the more disturbing.
Dream 10
In this dream, I was in a casino. I placed several bets at the roulette wheel, being careful to be conservative with my chips; I think I was cheating or maybe someone was plotting to take my winnings, because several people were watching me. When I had won several times, I took my chips and went to a blackjack table. Again, I was very conservative with my bets, as I was conscious that if I won too much or too conspicuously, my winnings would be taken from me.
Dream 9
I dreamed that I had a stalker. In the dream, the stalker was "played" by a famous actor, who showered me with gifts: clothes, flowers, etc. I became afraid of him, but finally worked up the nerve to tell him to go away. He became enraged and tried to get into my apartment. I was about to take a shower and so was naked (of course! isn't that how it always works in these dreams?). I had to run around locking doors and windows. He found every potential escape route and pounded and screamed at me to let him in. Finally, I ran to my bathroom, locked the door and sat with my back against it in case he got in.
When he left, I grabbed a few things and immediately looked for a new apartment. I signed a lease for the first one I found. When I returned to my old apartment, the door was open and I could that my apartment had been ransacked. All my furniture and clothes had been broken or shredded.
When he left, I grabbed a few things and immediately looked for a new apartment. I signed a lease for the first one I found. When I returned to my old apartment, the door was open and I could that my apartment had been ransacked. All my furniture and clothes had been broken or shredded.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Three Dreams
In the first dream, I was recording an album of U2 songs. I was interviewed by reporters from music magazines about it: why did I want to do this, what was the point, etc.
In the second dream, my family owned a film studio and I had proposed an idea for a film, a comedy that takes place in 19th century England. At first everyone was enthusiastic about the idea. In fact, I was star in it with Robert Downey Jr. as my leading man. We even seemed to have some sort of relationship (what is wrong with my brain?). Then, my sister R. proposed a different idea for a movie and everyone decided that one was better. When I protested, RDJ told me that my idea was stupid anyway and grew very cold towards me. I was crushed.
In the third dream, I was in the cast of a Star Trek movie or TV series. I played some sort of alien woman from a semi-primitive culture who had a relationship with a Starfleet officer played by...Keanu Reeves (again, what is wrong with my brain?). In the storyline, there were actually two officers, perhaps from different timelines caused by time travel. One of the officers had never met me, the other was my lover(!). Part of the story involved some kind mass battle against an unknown enemy.
After the filming wrapped, my family had a party in some kind of subdivision with neat lawns and identical little houses. Most of my family had never been there, and I kept telling them to find the pink house with white awnings. I think it was supposed to be my sister C.'s house. The rooms were maze-like and I got the impression that several people besides my sister lived there; it was as if she has three or four roommates at least. I remember lots of rooms with hardwood floor and white walls, lots of sunlight streaming through windows. We were dressed-up, but the clothes seemed too formal or too old - we were wearing pale pink suits, like something you'd find on an old lady.
In the second dream, my family owned a film studio and I had proposed an idea for a film, a comedy that takes place in 19th century England. At first everyone was enthusiastic about the idea. In fact, I was star in it with Robert Downey Jr. as my leading man. We even seemed to have some sort of relationship (what is wrong with my brain?). Then, my sister R. proposed a different idea for a movie and everyone decided that one was better. When I protested, RDJ told me that my idea was stupid anyway and grew very cold towards me. I was crushed.
In the third dream, I was in the cast of a Star Trek movie or TV series. I played some sort of alien woman from a semi-primitive culture who had a relationship with a Starfleet officer played by...Keanu Reeves (again, what is wrong with my brain?). In the storyline, there were actually two officers, perhaps from different timelines caused by time travel. One of the officers had never met me, the other was my lover(!). Part of the story involved some kind mass battle against an unknown enemy.
After the filming wrapped, my family had a party in some kind of subdivision with neat lawns and identical little houses. Most of my family had never been there, and I kept telling them to find the pink house with white awnings. I think it was supposed to be my sister C.'s house. The rooms were maze-like and I got the impression that several people besides my sister lived there; it was as if she has three or four roommates at least. I remember lots of rooms with hardwood floor and white walls, lots of sunlight streaming through windows. We were dressed-up, but the clothes seemed too formal or too old - we were wearing pale pink suits, like something you'd find on an old lady.
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