Visual Effects of The Social Network
While watching the disappointing CGI’ed Young Jeff Bridges in Tron: Legacy, I thought to myself, isn’t Hollywood better at this? Why am I knowingly looking at a bad CGI rendering? Then I remembered — I didn’t even notice the tricks David Fincher pulled in The Social Network. Completely seamless, I wasn’t cognizant that the actors (Armie Hammer, Josh Pence) who played the Winklevoss Twins were there acting with one CGI rendered face. I figured it was a split screen trick or something else. I had no idea Fincher was using his Benjamin Button tricks again on this one. Did you catch what was going on?
Check out the video after the jump and see how they performed this magic. A must see for anyone who saw the film.
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Cameron Needs a New Home
For those who know me, this subject line might be confusing. Let’s just say “Cameron” holds a special place in my heart.
Frye? Frye? Frye? Frye?
Are you looking for a new house? Are you willing to shell out 1.6 million for a home in beautiful Highland Park, Illinois? If I had just won the lotto, I’d make it rain all up in Highland Park for this house. Do I know anything about this area? Absolutely not. Do you know who Cameron Frye is? I’ll give you a few hints.
- He has a friend named Ferris.
- A Ferrari was driven off the side of their glass enclosed garage.
Yes, Cameron’s amazing home from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is on sale. For real. Right now. Thanks to the great folks at JoBlo, this movie landmark’s current state has been unearthed. The house is currently listed at $1,650,000 and has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, the famous glass garage and sits on one acre of property. I’m assuming all appliances have been upgraded from the 80′s and the glass has been fixed. Go ahead, check it out HERE.
Boardwalk Empire Season 1 – VFX Breakdown
An HBO series is practically a movie within themselves. Being that Martin Scorsese directed the first episode and is one of the producers, we might as well call each episode of Boardwalk Empire a “mini movie.” For those who were sleeping and missed this brilliant first season, get to it now. This was easily one of the best shows on TV right out of the gates.
The cinematography and color palette of the show is worth it in itself. You truly are sent away to the days of American Prohibition. One thing that I did not notice the abundance of visual effects utilized throughout. You got a sense everything was not real, but after watching the below video, I’m even more amazed at this beautiful show.
Happy Holidays!! Film Savior on Vacation until 1/3/11
Between now and the end of 2010, the Film Savior offices will be closed for a brief vacation far far away. I’ll be taking a quick tour to the ballet and checking out Black Swan. I’m going to visit the midwest to find my inner True Grit. I might check into the sports world and spar with The Fighter. In the end, I’ll come back to L.A. County…and get lost…Somewhere.
As I celebrate the first Christmas with my beautiful baby boy, it’s hard not to reflect on the entire journey in front of him. Cynicism, anger, doubt, fear, and sarcasm are a few traits that have been devoid of his world — and hopefully will never appear. He lives in a perfect world. Anything truly is possible. Looking at the world through the eyes of your child is a remarkable thing. It’s a glimpse to the past as you leap into the future. That’s also the beauty in the world of film. It can take you back to those carefree days as a child. It can take you to far away places beyond imagination. To see the world through the eyes of a child is the ultimate trick many filmmakers have. Whether it be another Pixar masterpiece or an R-Rated thriller, the mind has to take you beyond your set ways. Rules must be broken and bad traits should be dissolved to create a world for the masses. The world of film is the ultimate art form. If the greatest artists of our past history lived today, they would be making movies. No doubt about that. Film reflects our innermost thoughts of the moment. It feeds off our cynicism. It thrives off our fears. As we progress, so does the art.
I’m sure you know what films to watch in theaters during this holiday break. Black Swan, The Fighter, and The King’s Speech will all be Oscar front runners in a few months. Don’t let Blue Valentine or True Grit pass you by, either.
Want to watch some movies at home?
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The Assassination of Yogi Bear
What if the new Yogi Bear (Release Date: December 17th) movie wasn’t a guaranteed abomination? What if they took the basic cartoon premise, spun it on its head in a dramatic fashion, and unleashed Yogi. 2.0 to the world? Sure, the kiddos might be frightened and confused. The parents would probably be angry. But this video is too great not to imagine what could have been.
Low and behold, here is the alternate ending to the movie you’ll probably never see this weekend. In a dark riff off the brilliant film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford we finally get to see where BooBoo’s true alliance sits.
I Hate Scary Movies
Good ole’ Halloween is this weekend. Too much candy and lots of scary movies.
I’m going to let you in on a not so secret-secret. I hate scary movies. Not because of the quality of the films (although many are pretty horrible). Not because I don’t have an interest in any of the stories. It’s pretty simple – I dread the thought of sitting in a dark movie theater – Dolby Surround sound blasting – and having to survive two hours of fright. To me, there is nothing fun in that experience. In my mind, I’m counting down the minutes to the end. I’m checking off “horror” moments I gathered from the trailer, knowing they are already behind me. And I have no idea why. It’s miserable to me. There’s nothing I abhor more than an intriguing looking horror film. It means I have to see it or come up with elaborate excuses of why I’m going to skip it.
When I watch movies, I’m immersed in them. I’m there. I’m following every word. I’m on whatever planet they have traveled to. The magic of movies is that they elevate you to places beyond your imagination. Unfortunately, the same goes with horror films. I’m in that log cabin with the main character, being tormented by psycho murderers. I’m next to that window when the masked figured appears in the distant haze. I already told you about my Blacula experience — here are a few more.
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Everything You Need to Know About Blockbuster Bankruptcy
Blockbuster recently filed for bankruptcy. My deep rooted hate for the company had me cheering at this news. Nothing makes me happier than driving past an empty Blockbuster with a “For Rent” sign on it, ready to be demolished for something better – like Chipotle. Blockbuster had the gall to actually charge their customers at an elaborate pace and enormous price for returning the videos anywhere from a few minutes to many months late. On top of that, all they did was showcase their horrible movies and hide all the classics in their rows of hell. It was too easy to come home with Big Momma’s House just out of the frustration of wanting to depart that fluorescent illuminated hell. I hate you, Blockbuster. I really do. The Consumerist recently created an infograph explaining the reasons for Blockbusters downfall. Blockbuster = Fail.
Review: The Social Network
I’ve heard misguided comparisons to Citizen Kane. It has been described as “the defining film of a generation.” The Oscar for Best Picture/Director/Writer has already been given to this film and its creators.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
There is so much to love about David Fincher’s film about the founding of Facebook, The Social Network. In the hands of the dialogue master, Aaron Sorkin, we are welcomed with a razor sharp script that plays along perfectly with Fincher’s stunning visuals (wait until you see the tilt/shift camera work in the rowing scene). The ensemble cast brings this true story to life with ferocity and heart. Jesse Eisenberg delivers a career best performance while Andrew Garfield finally gets on the mainstream radar. Trent Reznor’s score is haunting throughout and definitely will create Oscar buzz. This is a must see film — just not in the way the media is portraying it.
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Julianne Moore is a Cry Baby
Want to see an easy way to make an impressive, Academy Awarded actress instantly seem laughable? Edit all of her crying scenes together into a 3 minute YouTube video. At first you’ll feel the emotional weight of her weeping; by the end you’ll be laughing at her. As you’ll see, Julianne Moore cries a whole lot in her films. This doesn’t even include her latest cry in The Kids Are All Right. With no further adieu, I bring to you the minimization of one of the best actresses of this generation.
Whaaa.
Everybody Hates M. Night
I’d like to say I started it all. It began as an angry whisper. Soon it turned to loud disdain. It is now utter disgust. Last year, I proclaimed my hate for a certain director of The Sixth Sense. Some laughed. Others thought it was a bit ridiculous. Now the world understands.
Back in July, I was at the Arclight nerdily bouncing in my chair waiting for Inception to start. Lights out. Commercial commercial. Shush Shush. Glistening popcorn. Then…Previews. The last preview before the film was for Devil. No one had seen this trailer yet. Whoa. There’s the guy from (500) Days of Summer. No, not Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The guy married to the girl from Mad Men. Wait, isn’t the black security guard from Dead Presidents? An elevator…hmm. Not interesting.
And then it happened.
The screen faded to black.
And in BOLD red text -
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The Reason I Started Film Savior
Stepping on my pedestal.
You may or may not have noticed, but a few months ago, theaters raised their prices on movie tickets in response to the demand for 3D films. Do you think it’s a coincidence that everything released under the sun is “An IMAX Experience” or “In 3D”? The studios that be were scared for a brief moment. We were buying up those big flat screen TV’s. Blu-Ray players gave that crystal clear picture. And movie rentals were in our mailbox within months of release. All was good. And then came Avatar…the game changer.
Be careful what you wish for. Avatar changed the face of the Hollywood game. It made so much money so quickly, everyone was scrambling to convert their tentpole films into 3D. You see, 3D means you can charge more money. IMAX 3D means even more money. Several theaters in New York have hit the $20 mark for an adult IMAX 3D ticket.
$20 dollars! For one ticket to a movie!
Let’s put things into perspective. What demographic are most of the IMAX 3D films targeting? Kids. Alice in Wonderland, Shrek, Toy Story, Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, etc. These are all family films that families see together. A family of four can easily spend upwards of $100 to purchase tickets and buy popcorn and soda for the kids. Hollywood is out of touch with their recent cash grab. And I don’t see this having a happy ending for anyone.
Right now, Hollywood is scared. Originality and creativity means risk. And the business of Hollywood no longer wants (or can afford) to take risks. That’s why we have all the board game films coming. That’s why every comic book is being greenlit. If you look around whatever room you’re in, chances are, Hollywood is making a film about something in there. Brand recognition is all they care about right now. Spend $60 million on a film budget. Shelve out another $20 million in marketing. The cows will graze into the theater opening weekend. At least that’s what they are betting on. There’s a reason people are downloading movies without a care in the world. I strongly disagree with bootleggers, but I understand it. Not everyone can afford to spend ridiculous amount of money on a 90 minute film. Movies SHOULD NEVER be more expensive than the masses can afford. Continue reading “The Reason I Started Film Savior” »
Lil Inappropriate Golden Book
OMG. LOL. I turned into a 13 year old girl stumbling upon this gem. If you were ever a kid, you’ve read at least one of the Little Golden Books. The Poky Little Puppy, The Little Red Hen, The Monster at the End of this Book…all staples in a kids bedroom.
In a wink, wink, nod to these books, Pixar storyboard artist Josh Cooley has put together a collection of film-inspired Little Golden Books. Appropriately called, Lil’ Inappropriate Golden Book: Movies R Fun. His artwork has become such a hit on his blog, he decided to appease the masses and create this book. It will be available at Comic-Con this year and APE Expo San Francisco in November. And of course, he’ll be selling it on his blog. How many films can you name from the below 12 pages of gloriousness? Check them all out after the jump and see the full list of films at the bottom.
FYI – My birthday is coming up in just a few weeks. Just sayin’.
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