The Tastemakers Society

It’s amazing that all Spike Jonze has to do is be involved with something and it’s for sure to turn out to be something amazing and from another universe. The Fall is a movie directed by Tarsem, I’ve never heard of or seen any of his work before but this movie is definitely going to be one of the best cinematic films of the year. I don’t know exactly what role Spike Jonze played in the making of this film, he’s not even listed as a producer but whatever his role you can tell Jonze only associates with or creates the amazing, nothing less. Plus this Tarsem dude has got me Googling him and wanting to see more films directed by him. So lets see the equation goes something like this, Spike Jonze + amazing = every time.

We can just call today throwback thursday, featuring The Goonies. The 80’s, oh, what a splendid era that was crack and heroin flourished, LL Cool J went platinum, and The Goonies became a generation classic. Movies just aren’t made with the same storytelling and context as they used to, I mean of course we have Harry Potter but besides that many movies don’t have that staying power like a Goonies. Even when I’m old and grey The Goonies will still be one of my favorites, its just one of those timeless type things that never get old or out dated, kind of like Michael Jackson (yes, I’m still listening to him). Who wants to go on a treasure hunt with me?

It’s something about old people singing in harmony I find really rejoiceful. Young @ Heart is a movie documenting the efforts of a senior citizen group who travels around performing old hits in various places. In the trailer they show them performing in a prison yard with inmates around how perfect of an image is that and I think one of the inmates even cried when they were done. This is the type of movie that’ll give you that ear to ear smile for no reason at all.

The strike ended and the Oscars went on, good thing I loved watching the movie I thought was the best film of the year win best film of the year. No Country For Old Men grabbed a total of 4 Oscars and 3 of them went straight into the hands of the Coen brothers for directing, adapted screenplay and best picture (as producers). The 4th Oscar went to Javier Bardem for best supporting actor. It looks like the combo between Cormac McCarthy and the Coen brothers turned out to be a perfect fit. And congrats to Diablo Cody for getting best origianl screenplay and I still can’t believe Cate Blanchet didn’t win the Oscar for lead role by an actress.

One of my favorite movies from the 90’s, The Mummy, is coming out with its third installment but without its main/big/lead star. Yea, yea they’re bringing back Brandon Fraser and the brother but they can’t carry the weight nor fill in for what Rachel Weisz brought to the table. I mean could you make Harry Potter without Daniel Radcliff, Lord of the rings without Eilijah Wood, Spider Man without Tobey Maguire, NO! So why even try, right? Well apparently the heads over at Universal Pictures and Alphaville Films don’t think like I do. Weisz was a key element in the two previous Mummy movies so why would you think replacing her would suffice as an ok thing to do. I think this is a bad move but we’ll just have to wait and see how the movie plays out, but in my opinion its just NOT WEISZ to do a movie without your lead.

If you haven’t noticed by now I’m pretty obsessed with films the story telling capabilities are endless. I love getting lost in a film and I spend way to much time in front of a screen. The Fog City Mavericks is a documentary covering the magic that happened in San Francisco’s independent film making land and the men who helped makethat magic happen. The documentary goes all the way back covering Charlie Chaplan but the main focus of the documentary was the 60’s/70’s in San Francisco ushering in the eras of Clint Eastwood, Philip Kaufman, and the magicians of film George Lucs and Francis Ford Coppola. The documentary is a great timeline in history and seeing how these guys went out and did what they had and wanted to do too make the films they wanted. Who knew Coppola didn’t even want to direct Godfather glad he changed his mind about that. That era in filmmaking was magical and the people behind it I wish could make movies forever, lets not forget during the same time Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese were doing their thing as well, just not in San Fran.  

 

I like making predictions, it makes me seem that much smarter when they come true and if I make them far enough ahead of time I can always deny ever making the prediction if it doesn’t come true. Well, in this case I wont be able to do that being you’ll be able to look back to this post and see if I was right or not but this time around I’m not even going to make a definitive decision anyway. I would like to say the The Poughkeepsie Tapes will be the scariest movie in 2008, but I’m having a real problem questioning its authenticity. The film is shot documentary style using some of the footage found in the 800 video tapes Pouhkeepsie police found in September 2001 on the Water Street Butcher. A Poughkeepsie, NY serial killer for over 10 years who to my knowledge and little bit of research was never caught. My only problem with this movie is even though its shot in documentary style recounting the Butcher’s attacks, how authentic are the supposed real tapes that will be used for some parts of the movie. Did the families really sign off to allow their family members actual tortured deaths played out for the world to view and be entertained by, I can’t really imagine any family signing off to let that happen. So the question is are they trying to pull a blair witch hoax or is this film really 100% real deal legit? Because if it is then it will give grown men nightmares but if its not it’ll just be another elaborate bullshit of a marketing plan for a film.

So Mr. Ridley Scott has been given the task of bringing the Gucci family story to the big screen, now I’m  just a little concerned because of the debacle and mishandling of American Gangster. But to give credit where credit is do his career has proven to put out many good directing jobs so I’m not going to bury him off this film, but I am still pretty, how do I say this, angry as a mafia hitman after a snitch, yes that’s a good way to put it. The Gucci legacy may be really hurt if this film turns out to be disaster not in the since where the family with loose any luster in their name but just that if misrepresented can hinder how people view the family itself, remember you only get once chance for a first impression. Personally I think the film would be much better off as an independent film or documentary. Let’s face it if you let the money grubbing studio execs to pump millions into this project then it’s going to end up looking more like a tv sitcom then the Legacy of a family built fashion empire.  The only real way to get the real true essence of the Gucci family story is to let them tell it the way they want, no big production or budget needed. Give the film that family-esque feeling, like the audience was part of the family sitting around listening to the eldest Gucci tell about the families history, make the film feel real, authentic or at the least independent as a film instead of a headlining blockbuster. But Hollywood isn’t about to do that because that doesn’t translate big dollars in their eyes and after all that’s what they want. Their is a little piece of me that thinks or more like hopes this movie turns out good but I have this cloud floating above that I feel is just going to rain over this project and turn a remarkable family story into a cliche`d four act film, start, plot, climax, end. But as long as the masses show up at the ticket stand what do I know.

For starters I already like the fact that the movies title, Juno, reminds of the game Jenga. It’s about time filmmakers broke from the same old pattern of teen flick films some filmmakers are exploring more into the realness of highschoool and those teenage years than just some teeny bopper love story or some wild party when the parents aren’t home. I can’t wait to see Juno in the theatres, I have high hopes for this film the plot being based around a young ton boyish foul mouthed self assured teenage girl who gets pregnant by the most unlikely of characters, some silly ass goofy kid played by Michael Cera, sounds like it could be a really good film.  The best part about the film is Juno the teenage girl who gets pregnant, instead of having her wimpy up to her over egoed boyfriend they have her calling all the shots, making her slef awareness and being so comfortable with who she is and the decision she made is so relieving. Especially in our super critical culture which has allowed media to make more young people self conscionous about their images instead of just being happy ith who you are. That’s why I really like this movie Juno and well the fact that I also think the movie will be down right hilarious also helps with the deciding factor on if I am going to see it or not. Check out this nymag interiew with Ellen Page who plays Juno or more like just plays herself, I love her outlook on things, big ups to Nova Scotia.