Synaptic Misfirings: Films

TR2N. The Flynn owns Neo.

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:49:50 GMT

The movie that pretty much sealed the deal on my deciding to stop just using early computers for (very basic) art and start learning programming was Tron. As good as the first Matrix movie was somehow for me it never stole Trons place in my heart. Perhaps it was the conjunction of old-school arcade culture with a pre-Gibson vision of cyber space but Tron is my transcendental geek movie. So you can imagine how excited I am about this...

And Jeff Bridges is back as the Flynn, and lets be clear about this: the Flynn owns Neo. Period.

Sad day as Stan Winston passes away aged 62

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:45:10 GMT

It's a sad day as Stan Winston creator of some of the best physical effects in the industry passes away:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2008/06/stan-winston-de.html

I've grown so used to seeing Stan Winston Studio as a contributing FX house in closing credits to many a beloved movie - let's hope the studio keeps Stan's name and standards going.

Aaron Sim's fantastic creature designs for 'The Hulk'

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:53:24 GMT

Having bemoaned some of the digital content in the latest Indy movie I was very happy to have my socks blown completely off by the new 'The Hulk' movie. This is comic to screen adaptation done right, never once violating the rules of its own universe (unlike say: a certain nuke-able fridge...). All the performances are fantastic indeed the casting as a whole is spot on but special credit I think has to go to the animators behind the digital performances. The brawls between Hulk and Abomination are visually stunning and really impart a sense of mass and energy. The actual design of the Hulk is down to one of my favourite digital artists, Aaron Sim's. XSI Base has a great interview with Aaron in addition to some fantastic early concept work for the movie:

http://www.xsibase.com/articles.php?detail=147

Aaron's creature designs really have a life of their own and I highly recommend checking out Aaron's portfolio over at The Aaron Sims Company site. In the mean time, forget any disappointment you may have had with the previous attempt to bring The Hulk to the big screen and go see this latest imagining. Save for the upcoming Batman movie I'd all but given up on the super hero genre when it comes to film (a reaction to the dreadful and hopefully final Spiderman and X-Men movies), The Hulk however has convinced me that you can create great screen entertainment with these properties.

'Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' - moments of excellence

Sat, 31 May 2008 12:00:38 GMT

Seeing the new Indiana Jones movie last night was ultimately a frustrating experience. The Crystal Skull is I think just better than The Last Crusade but it could have been so much more. I wasn't expecting it to eclipse Raiders but they've had so long to come up with a decent script it was rather disappointing. Kudos to Ford and La Beouf who do manage to deliver their roles but Karen Allen's performance didn't really manage to capture the Marion of the first movie. Cate Blanchett's accent seemed to go on various geographical trips from scene to scene and I'm not sure why Ray Winstone was in the movie at all (I'm guessing it was an attempt parallel John Rhys-Davies's Sallah character from the first movie).

All in all if you're an Indy fan then this isn't the kick in the teeth that the hateful new Star Wars movies are but it still feels like lazy film making on the part of Mr Spielburg and Lucas. These two film makers in my opinion still have huge potential and can deliver (I know it's fashionable to knock both of them) but typically when someone else is doing the writing. I'm left feeling that (1) I would watch the Crystal Skull again and (2) I was kind of saddened by the degree of closure at the end, I think Ford may well be hanging up The Hat at this point - still he at least goes out on a solid performance.

Now that HD-DVD is finally dead...

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:30:37 GMT

... can we please have the Jason Bourne movies on Blu Ray? Come on Universal get with the program: HD-DVD is deader than a rushed to market, over heating, over priced and overly noisy Microsoft games console.

Back from seeing 'No Country For Old Men' at BAFTA

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 23:37:39 GMT

Not a bad film, but no where near as good as I'd been led to believe - to be honest I don't understand what makes this a Coen Brothers movie, it's not a patch on the sublime 'The Big Lebowski'. None of the performances where particularly bad they just weren't particularly great either. Movie making by numbers I felt.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477348/

While it's certainly better than 'Aliens vs Predator: Requiem' ;-) they do share one thing in common: the first half hour is pretty much as good as it gets.

Putting aside the actual film, I'd give my hind teeth for the opportunity of membership to BAFA. It is by far the best screen I've had the pleasure of seeing a film on in this country. The projection is wonderful and the audience doesn't behave like they're only recently discovered the secret of fire.

'Indigènes', the best war movie I've seen in a long time...

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:43:07 GMT

Went to see 'Indigènes' (aka. 'Days of Glory') this evening and it is without a shadow of a doubt the best war movie I've seen in a long time (and that's coming from someone who increasingly has a hard time with guns on screen). It manages to be very emotional and complex without ever stooping to obvious manipulation. Great performances all round, particularly from Sami Bouajila. It really is one of those foreign language movies where 10 minutes in you completely forget that you're reading subtitles. Go see it if you get a chance.

'Factory Girl'

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 06:29:30 GMT

Went to see 'Factory Girl' last night and had a wonderful time. Aside from the Warhol connection I really didn't know too much about what I was going to see - and as such was totally pulled in by the movie. Sienna Miller and Guy Pearce are just great and New York in the 60's comes across brilliantly.

I've been so lucky with movie recently, the meta trend appears to be, avoid mainstream Holywood and I'll have a good time.

"Becoming Jane", a wonderful and affecting film.

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 17:21:30 GMT

Went to a screening of "Becoming Jane" this morning at The Gate cinema (IMO the best screen with the best selection of movies in West London). It's a wonderful movie, the writing is sublimely funny and the performances very affecting. It's hard for any period piece to be fresh, but this manages it. The landscapes and photography are just stunning. If ever a movie made you want to get out of the city, at least for a little while, this is it.

Go see "Blood Diamond".

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 23:08:43 GMT

Just got back from seeing "Blood Diamond". One of the best movies I've seen in a long long while. Very harrowing, very upsetting, wonderful performances.

Go see 'Pan's Labyrinth'

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:34:39 GMT

Went to see 'Pan's Labyrinth' last night at The Gate cinema in Notting Hill. It's a wonderful, wonderful movie - definately the directors best to date. Its a strange mixture of a brutal depiction of Spain during the war and the most incredible and moving fantasy.