Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na LEADER

Yesterday Jess and I went out to watch the Dark Knight.  First thing we did was wisely go to get our tickets.  We had wanted to see the film in IMAX, but the show we wanted to see was sold out.  The next available show was 7PM, which would have had us wandering around for over 4 hours waiting to see the movie.  I figured that was a bit much, so we got tickets to a non-IMAX showing.  Then we went for lunch at a new-ish Japanese place on Queen West.

I don’t know if it was a downside to all the hype, but I left feeling…a bit let down.  Not that the film wasn’t good: it was.  But it didn’t blow me away.

Heath Ledger was excellent as the Joker, and personally I think that character should just be put on the shelf and considered done.  I don’t think anyone else could ever create a better Joker.  His joker was truly insane and terrifying, and I don’t think anyone else could ever create a better interpretation.

After the movie, Jess and I walked for a bit.  It wasn’t too hot out and Jess wanted a coffee, so we went in search of a Starbucks that was open on the holiday Monday.  We did not want to go to the one at Queen and John, which is always annoyingly crowded with teenagers.  So we walked East.  We were psyched out by one that we saw from a distance at Bay and Adelaide, which looked like it might be open till we got to it.  We walked along Adelaide towards the one we knew would be open at King and Yonge.

As we passed the Fairweather on Adelaide, Jess stopped in her tracks and started walking towards the window.  I thought that she spotted a dress in the window that she liked.  I knew I was wrong when I saw her move to the side of the window.  She wasn’t looking at the dresses.  She was looking down.  She was looking at the lights.  She wanted to see what kind of lights they were using in the window [She’s studying theatre tech, so she comes by the curiousity about light being used honestly].

This is Jess realizing that she’s been busted looking at the lights in the window. 

She’ll hate me for posting that, but it was too hawesome to leave out.

What’s on the go

I’ve had some time away from the short story I have been working on (I like to take a bit of time after I finish a draft), and I’ve received some really helpful feedback from a few people.  I’m now starting to go through the draft and beginning to revise it.

One thing I need to decide soon is what I want to do with the story once its finished.  Well, before that I really need to figure out if its going to be a short story, a novella…or what.  After that I need to figure out what to do with the story.  At the moment, I don’t have a clue.  I’m not really familiar with the workings of the publishing industry, so I’m a complete neophyte on this.  So, I’m going to have to do a bit of research (the last thing I want to do is go in blind…that’s a good recipe for getting ripped off). 

In addition to this, I’m mentally gearing myself up for Script Frenzy in April.  I know my topic, and the general gist of the play I’m going to write, but I still need to come up with a couple of things.  But I don’t think that will be a problem, and its looking good for starting on April First.

After Script Frenzy, I’m going to be turning my attention to the verse play I plan to write.  I’ll likely do another draft of the short story, and then on to the verse play.  I’ll have to write the verse play in a different way than I normally would: I’ll need to know each and every nuance of each scene before I start writing the verse.  So, in essence, I’ll be writing the play twice.

Aside from that, I’m feeling the need to do some theatre.  I’ve got a film shooting over three weekends this spring, and hopefully Dragon Quest will be revisited shortly (for ADR).  But theatre is where my heart is, and that’s where I really want to be working.  I’m keeping my eye out for Fringe auditions, and hoping that something will come up for over the summer.

Last night, I watched the movie Once, and was impressed.  A very independent movie, shot over 17 days, in what appears to be guerilla fashion, the movie is described as a "modern musical".  I would agree with the description, not because there’s music sung in the movie, but because its in the music that the emotions of the protagonists are revealed.   I’ve long felt that for a musical to work, the emotion of the scene leading up to it, needs to be taken to a point at which the only logical way for the scene to continue is for the characters to sing.  The difference here, is that in Once, the emotions might not build to a song, but the songs are simply where the characters can actually state what they are actually feeling.  Its definitely worth watching.  I also appreciated that the decisions the characters make at the end are not contrived and remain true to the characters.  Its nice to see.

Movie Night

When I first heard that Kenneth Branagh was directing a version of As You Like It, I was excited.  I had just finished playing Touchstone in a production of As You, and was looking forward to Branagh’s take.  I enjoyed his Hamlet and his Henry V.  And so, I was looking forward to this version of As You Like It.

Now that I’ve seen it…I admit I was disappointed by it.  The setting was a completely unnecessarily set in Japan, though there were few characters that were Japanese.  All of the leads were English.  The setting didn’t seem to compliment the story at all, it seemed to be layered on top of it, rather than to become a part of it.

It was very boring.  It lacked pace, and luxuriated too much, rather than pushing forward.  Shakespeare’s script was hacked poorly, with little sense in the cuts that were made.  And it wasn’t funny.

This was frankly not the best adaptation of Shakespeare that Branagh has produced.  By far, its one of his worst.

Next up, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.  I have no idea what happened.  There was a lot of action, and a lot of flash.  But…I couldn’t tell you what it was about, or give you a summary of the "story".

All in all, an underwhelming movie night.

Twas the Night before SoaP and all through the house

…not a creature was stirring, espcially the mice.
(snakes eat mice you know).

Happy Snakes on a Plane Eve!

As the opening of the movie approaches (its opening tomorrow, though there are screenings tonight), I have heard some trepedation on the internet.

“What if the movie sucks” I’ve heard some say. Or the even worse “what if Its not as good as I’ve hoped”.

Let’s say the movie sucks. So what? Can you think of another movie that has given us so much entertainment before even being released? Snakes on a Plane has given us photoshop contests, t-shirts, a new expletive, months of running gags, excuses to throw the word “motherfucker” into random sentences.

There have been home-made trailers on Youtube, contests to see what lines people most want Samuel L Jackson to say in the movie (the winner was “I’m tired of these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane” which they went back and inserted into the movie).

How many movies have given this much entertainment even before their release date?

When it comes down to it, I’ve had so much fun with this movie, that even if it completely sucks when I see it tomorrow, I’ll feel that I’ve gotten my money’s worth. Sure, I want it to be a roller coaster ride of fun, but it might disappoint. And then, as the credits roll, I’ll say “well, at least we’ve had some kicks the last few months”.

The movie, I’m certain, will deliver exactly what it promises: snakes. plane. snakes on plane. (sounds a little like a Dr. Suess title). If the movie is cheesey, that’s exactly what I’m expecting. Perhaps it will be both cheesey and bad. But again: i’ve had a lot of fun with the title over the last year…and for that, Sam and the film makers deserve my admission fee.

Tomorrow is Snakes on a Plane day. And I for one, am looking forward to it.

Take off, eh?

Bob & Doug brew up CBC special

Hosers Bob & Doug McKenzie are coming back for a last hurrah, co-creator Dave Thomas said yesterday.

Thomas and collaborator Rick Moranis have sold the idea of a comedy special to CBC-TV, Thomas told the Sun from L.A. The one-hour show is tentatively scheduled for May of 2007. It will mark the 24th anniversary of their hoser flick Strange Brew, which still boasts a cult following.

how could Strange Brew not have a cult following? After all…its Hamlet.

Movie Review:Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

First of all, I should say that I didn’t expect much going into this movie. Most of the reviews I’d seen were not great. Mostly, what I had heard was that it had its fun moments but didn’t hold together as a movie.

Those reviews were pretty much right.

There is a lot going on in this movie, and none of it makes a lot of sense. “Plot” elements come fast and furious and its almost as though its a film of “neat ideas” rather than a story.

Its possible that I’m wrong though, and that when the third movie comes out, everything will make sense.

I’m not all that hopeful though.

I was a little annoyed with the characterizations. Jack Sparrow for example, in the first movie, he acted like a boob, when he had to do something pirate-y he was extremely competent. In this movie, however, he is decidedly not competent. Its Will Turner who does everything right, and that just doesn’t seem right. People aren’t going to this movie to see Will Turner be the hero. Its Jack Sparrow that people want to see. And somehow, in this movie, anything that we could like about Jack is just…gone.

Will Turner. I’m sorry to say that Orlando Bloom is not a leading man. He was fine in Lord of the Rings, because the elf role didn’t require him to emote all that much. But he just doesn’t really have a lot of depth. His “in love” expression looks a lot like his “angry” expression, which looks a lot like his jealous expression.

Overall, the movie really was a mess. And the last moment of the film (which I won’t give away here) is probably the best moment in the enitre film.

It wasn’t a horrible movie. It just wasn’t a particularly good movie.

Unnecessary Remake

Is it really necessary to remake Conan The Barbarian?

I dunno about you, but that seems to me to be completely unnecessary.

And the director? Boaz Yakin? What’s his CV look like?

Uptown Girls (2003)
Remember the Titans (2000)
A Price Above Rubies (1998)
Fresh (1994)

…Not exactly an impressive list.

I suppose if it sucks, there will at least be one thing we can all say about it: CROM!

…believe a man can fly

There is a new trailer posted for Superman Returns.

You can see it here.

I don’t have a lot to say about it.

Except: holy fuck!

Note: my reaction in no way diminishes the fact that Snakes on a Plane (August 18) will be the most important movie of the summer. Or rather…the most important movie of the year. Or really…Our Generation.

Snakes. On a Plane.

Snakes on a Plane. The new all purpose sentence.

Instead of “What ya gonna do” …Snakes on a plane. Instead of “C’est la vie” ….Snakes on a plane. Instead of “Oh snap” …Snakes on a motherfucking plane.

Practice with me:

OW! I stubbed my toe.

snakes on a plane

Damn! My cheque bounced.

Snakes on a plane

Crap! I overslept and now I’m late for work!

Snakes on a Motherfucking plane

By the way. I hear that New Line might be considering changing the name of this already hit movie. And really, that’s sad. Because the name is marketing itself. This movie is going to be huge when it comes out. And its all becasue of the name.

And if they change it… snakes on a plan, man. Snakes on a plane.