|
Post by Parchandri on May 15, 2015 19:51:56 GMT -5
John Carpenter is perhaps best known for the perennial Halloween, the atmospheric The Thing, and the dystopic Escape from New York. All of these films, as well as the bulk of Carpenter’s work, share a grave, hopeless air. Big Trouble in Little China, however, exists as one of few lighthearted anomalies in the horror-action auteur’s filmography. With the original screenplay setting the stage for a period Western, screenwriter W.D. Richter hopped in a DeLorean and gunned it to 88 mph until he had a modernized—by 80s standards—re-envisioning of the action romp we see today. The re-penned script saw Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), the film’s cynical yet daft hero, driving into town in a later-to-be-stolen semi-truck instead of riding in on a later-to-be-stolen horse. Soon after Jack’s arrival, he and his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) go to the airport to pick up Wang’s fiancé, Miao Yin (Suzee Pai). At the airport, a group of ninja thugs, clad in characteristic 80s fashion, kidnap Miao, which signifies the beginning of Jack and company’s pursuit for the sacrificial green-eyed girl. The entire film plays out like so many cheesy action flicks of a decade marked by words such as gnarly, bogus, and tubular. What’s great about Big Trouble in Little China, however, is the film’s self-awareness. “All I know is this ‘Lo Pan’ character comes out of thin air in the middle of a goddamn alley while his buddies are flying around on wires cutting everybody to shreds, and he just stands there waiting for me to drive my truck straight through him, with light coming out of his mouth!” Burton says after his first encounter with the film’s supernatural martial artists. The movie knows it’s ridiculous, and in the ultimate meta-effort, the film throws in elemental magic, outlandish creatures, and mythic Chinese gods. But the film brilliantly skirts the precipice of being an outright spoof and is instead a timeless love letter to the 1980s. You can tell Kurt Russell had a lot fun with the part of Jack Burton, and in return we get a hysterical but often overlooked performance. And fun is the keyword here. This flick is a joy, a diversion to boredom. And for my Seinfeld enthusiasts, is it possible to watch James Hong, who plays the antagonist, Lo Pan, in Big Trouble in Little China, in anything without thinking of “Seinfeld! Four!”? I think not.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 15, 2015 7:45:30 GMT -5
Pretty good deal on Amazon right now, just a shy over $20. Never seen those. Are they any good? I wouldn't say they're good, but Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick were favorites of mine during my teenage years. But they're certainly fun, entertaining flicks.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 13, 2015 8:02:11 GMT -5
Kiss Me Deadly - 4/5
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 12, 2015 16:23:18 GMT -5
Pretty good deal on Amazon right now, just a shy over $20.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 12, 2015 1:37:17 GMT -5
12 Years a Slave - 5/5
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 11, 2015 8:44:47 GMT -5
That's 2 for 2 Parch - well done to you Sir! ...and yes, two Aussies in this sterling film was affirmation for me; having followed Crowe and Pearce's careers for some time here in Australia it was so gratifying to see them in a compelling and masterful homage to noir that still holds up today...stellar cast, beautifully shot and thoroughly engaging... That's a bingo! I think what most impressed me was how L.A. Confidential's ambitious script was handled and managed by everyone on board. The script was composed of countless small, necessary working parts, so there was a dangling monkey wrench at every turn. But you can tell meticulous attention was paid to every facet of filmmaking. Just brilliant in every way.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 10, 2015 23:03:18 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 10, 2015 23:00:31 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay. L.A. Confidential needs no introduction. I’m not even sure it needs a recommendation. However, I recently re-watched Curtis Hanson’s star-crammed neo-noir pastiche, and it reminded me of all the whys and wherefores that make this one of the best films of the ‘90s. So, perhaps, we’ll call this a watch-it-again recommendation. The film’s stage is sordid 1950s Los Angeles, where three detectives investigate a series of murders in which two-man teams are knocking off henchmen of a recently imprisoned mobster, Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle). Interesting, though, are the three detectives and each one’s subjective idea of justice: Officer Bud White (Russel Crowe) serves the law through brawn and brutality; Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), who moonlights as the technical advisor for police drama Badge of Honor, exploits his badge for wealth and fame; and Sergeant Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) with an aloof, do-it-by-the books demeanor will step on every toe in L.A. if it means living up to his father’s legacy, even while knowingly estranging himself from all his LAPD colleagues. The film handles its characters with an indifferent panache that never suggests who to root for or against, and it’s in this notion that the movie excels. We know every character is in some way dirty, deceptive, or immoral, but we keep watching because intriguing is the psychology of each character and the role he or she plays in a seemingly convoluted plot. This protagonist-antagonist ambiguity lingers because the three star detectives conduct their police work with a self-serving temperament, such as Vincennes providing leads for a kickback to tabloid publisher Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito) on juicy celebrity arrests. With a carefully riveted script, a hypnotic ‘50s L.A. backdrop, and stellar performances, especially Kim Basinger’s Oscar winning showing, L.A. Confidential is a work of art and one of the last truly great nods to classic noir.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 10, 2015 6:37:17 GMT -5
You still doing these Parch? Yes, sir. I had a busy week with finals and one of life's unexpected curveballs, but it will be up later tonight.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 8, 2015 19:50:26 GMT -5
Avengers: Age of Ultron - 4.5/5
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 8, 2015 19:49:35 GMT -5
Got around to seeing Age of Ultron yesterday, and I wanted to share my review from my website.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 7, 2015 7:16:39 GMT -5
With Mortal Kombat X apparently selling incredibly well, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a movie or a TV series in some fashion pop up.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 6, 2015 13:29:52 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 4, 2015 17:18:11 GMT -5
Without a doubt, Punch-Drunk Love
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 4, 2015 15:38:01 GMT -5
Today I'm watching Star Wars Episodes I-VI and blogging about it.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 3, 2015 12:43:56 GMT -5
It's NEVER too late to back to school. I hate that stigma. Becoming better educated is something far too many humans take for granted. Being able to learn at the capacity we do is inherently what makes us human. I agree completely. Hell, when I was going for my certificate there was a woman in a few of my classes that was in her 70s. I've never felt this driven to go to school before. At 18 the only reason why I even applied to college was because my guidance counselor was hounding me to. I felt pressured and I wasn't ready but I half assed my way through and got the certificate. Now I'm ready to go in and apply myself and get out of it what I put in. I'm still going to wait a week or two before contacting the school, just because I've only been having these feelings for a couple of days and I want to make sure they don't go away. I'm glad you have those sentiments (in bold) because, above all else, you have to want to go back to school, not feel obligated to.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 1, 2015 14:45:40 GMT -5
It's NEVER too late to back to school. I hate that stigma. Becoming better educated is something far too many humans take for granted. Being able to learn at the capacity we do is inherently what makes us human.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on May 1, 2015 14:16:52 GMT -5
Rumored Batwing from BvS... That would make a damn cool toy.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on Apr 30, 2015 12:43:40 GMT -5
Hey, guys. Each week a write a weekly movie recommendation for my website. It can encompass a wide range of films from contemporary action flicks to timeless classics from the golden age of cinema, and, of course, everything in between.
I thought it would be fun to post them here to spur people who may not have seen some of these films to see them. My hope is to spark conversation about these films, whether you agree or disagree with them deserving recognition.
So, without further ado, I start with this week's recommendation, Yojimbo.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your response or feedback.
|
|
|
Post by Parchandri on Apr 30, 2015 12:33:56 GMT -5
He looks great, but I never questioned that. I question how the story and the DC Universe they are somewhat attempting to build is going to turn out. Yes! THAT is a disheveled, fragmented ordeal. Between DC's disconnected movies AND its expanding TV universes, it's all a muddled mess.
|
|