the m0vie blog

Noir A.D.: Why Sci-Fi Is Better Hardboiled…

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Darren

We’re currently blogging as part of the “For the Love of Film Noir” blogathon (hosted by Ferdy on Films and The Self-Styled Siren) to raise money to help restore the 1950’s film noir The Sound of Fury (aka Try and Get Me). It’s a good cause which’ll help preserve our rich cinematic heritage for the ages, and you can donate by clicking here. Over the course of the event, running from 14th through 21st February, I’m taking a look at the more modern films that have been inspired or shaped by noir. Today’s theme is “cyber noir” – the unlikely combination of sci-fi and film noir to make an oh-so-tasty film.

Nobody’s entirely certain who it was that came up with the idea of combining peanut butter and jelly. It isn’t exactly a logical leap, after all. The most popular theory seems to be that it was American soldiers, who had been issued with ration packs containing peanut butter and jelly during the Second World War. With these two items in their packs, the soldiers decided to pair them up and eat them as part of the same sandwich. However, though this might suggest that the two were thrown together by coincidence, they stayed together because they just work so well. So it is with science-fiction and noir, that most unlikely of combinations which can’t help but go down a treat.

The alpha and the omega?

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: arts, Christopher Nolan, Film noir, films, For the Love of Film Noir, For the Love of Film Noir blogathon, For the Love of Film Noir: The Film Preservation Blogathon, Movies, ridley scott, science fiction, Soylent Green, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Sound of Fury (film) | 4 Comments »

the m0vie blog: 1,000th Post Spectacular!

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Darren

I know it’s just a number, but I’m still proud of it. We’ve been going just under two years and it’s been a wonderful two years at that. This week alone I’m doing my bit to help restore a classic film (The Sound of Fury) while taking a look at classic neo-noir (an oxymoron? perhaps, doesn’t make it untrue) – to say nothing of being longlisted for several prestigious Irish Blog Awards (including best post, best pop culture blog and best arts & culture blog). Next week I’ll be blogging at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival – including Japanese gangster film Outrage, Spanish thriller Agnosia, Irish horror Wake Wood and the premieres of Unknown, The Adjustment Bureau and many more. Oh, and I’m popping up as an Oscar pundit in the Metro next week as well (and honoured at the invitation from Ross & Ross).

You know what? I love it. I can honestly say that this blog has allowed me to embrace my love of film that I never would have otherwise. I would have still been a film buff and film fan, but I don’t think I ever would have grabbed film in such a strong and aggressive way. It’s been a pleasure to write for this blog, and I am honestly thankful for everyone who has clicked across it: those who liked, those who hated it – those who offered honest sage advice on how to improve.

Thank you, all, for popping by. It has been my pleasure to have you. So, whether you’re a casual reader you clicked on the headline, or somebody who checks the blog a few times a week, thank you so much. The joy I get out of this is the chance to engage with other people.

My head is full of lofty ambitions – I suppose that everybody’s head is. The thing that I aspire to is to get somebody to read one of my posts, scratch their chin and go, “you know, I never thought of it like that.” If I can do that for even one reader, I’m a happy man. (That said, if somebody wants to offer me a job where I can do this for a living, I won’t say no.)

A very special thank you goes out to all those who have been so supportive about this whole blogging thingy, especially when it interferes with real life. Especially the better half, for her patience, consideration, wit and wonderfully constructive (but never mean-spirited) criticism. If it’s witty and you read it here, I probably stole it from her.

Anyway, it’s just a number. The world keeps spinning. Here are some other statistics, since we’re in a numbers mood this afternoon:

654 (days blogging)
1.52905 (average number of posts per day)
10.7 (average number of posts per week)
over 1,500,000 (words blogged)
1 (number of Stetsons I own)
2 (versions of the film Watchmen I have seen)
6.2 (average number of minutes between random film trivia)
8 (items in this list)

Thanks for checking us out, and stick around. We’re got some good things on the cards for the next little while here.

Other random things that happened in the world on 17th February:

Prohibition formally ended in 1933, the first edition of Newsweek was published the same day
Robert K. Preston stormed the White House in a helicopter (twice) while Nixon was in Florida in 1974
Joseph Gordon Levitt was born in 1981, Michael Bay was born in 1965 and Michael Jordan was born in 1963

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 1000th post, birthday, irish blog awards, milestones, WordPress | 10 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Dark City (Director’s Cut)

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Darren

A man jolts awake in a bathtub in a strange motel, and seems somewhat surprised by his surroundings. As seems to be mandatory in all good sleazy establishments, the light bulb on the ceiling swings back and forth – teasing illumination around the otherwise dark tiled room, but never showing everything. Confused, the resident stumbles to his feet, and searches frantically for what must be his clothes. However, there’s an unpleasant surprising waiting for him inside the anonymous cheap room: a dead body of a beautiful woman, carved and cut up in a mysterious spiral pattern. Our protagonist recoils, horrified by the discovery, and leaves the seedy dive as soon as possible. He assures himself, repeatedly, that it isn’t what it looked like. He isn’t a killer, he’s a good man.

However, it would be much easier to make that argument if he could remember anything before waking up in the water. Even his own name.

One to watch...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: alexis proyas, Dark City, Film noir, films, For the Love of Film Noir, For the Love of Film Noir blogathon, For the Love of Film Noir: The Film Preservation Blogathon, German Expressionism, kiefer sutherland, Movies, non-review review, review, Richard O'Brien, roger ebert, Rufus Sewell, Science fiction film, Sound of Fury | 10 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Blade Runner

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Darren

Blade Runner is arguably more of a film noir than a science-fiction film. Sure, it features robots and flying cars, but the atmosphere is set by a constant downpour in the streets, while characters wandering around in trenchcoats and questions of identity and moral ambiguity hang heavily in the air. Though the funky Vangelis soundtrack may lead you to believe otherwise, Blade Runner is perhaps one of the most faithful films in the neo-noir film movement. The flying cars are just on top of that.

Facing the facts...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: blade runner, California, Counties, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Film noir, films, For the Love of Film Noir, For the Love of Film Noir blogathon, For the Love of Film Noir: The Film Preservation Blogathon, hollywood, LA Noire, los angeles, Movies, non-review review, review, rick dekkard, ridley scott, roy batty, science fiction, United States, Vangelis | 17 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Black Swan

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Darren

We’re currently blogging as part of the “For the Love of Film Noir” blogathon (hosted by Ferdy on Films and The Self-Styled Siren) to raise money to help restore the 1950’s film noir The Sound of Fury (aka Try and Get Me). It’s a good cause which’ll help preserve our rich cinematic heritage for the ages, and you can donate by clicking here. Over the course of the event, running from 14th through 21st February, I’m taking a look at the more modern films that have been inspired or shaped by noir. Today’s theme is “alterna-noir” – just looking at slightly unusual choices.

Wow. That was disturbing. It’s really rare to get such a strong reaction to a film, and to feel so distinctly uncomfortable. Well, it’s easy to feel distinctly uncomfortable – rent a Lars Von Trier film or The Human Centipede. However, the Black Swan feels bold and vivid and disturbing, without ever feeling cheap. It seems to be a very tough line to walk (especially given some of the sequences which could be deemed “trashy” in the hands of lesser directors), but the Black Swan manages to make the viewer squirm in their seats without ever feeling dirty.

Let's dance!

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Arnold Schwarzenegger, black swan, body horror, Darren Aronofsky, Film noir, films, For the Love of Film Noir, For the Love of Film Noir blogathon, For the Love of Film Noir: The Film Preservation Blogathon, horror, Human Centipede, Movies, Natalie Portman, non-review review, review, Sound of Fury | 10 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Brick

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Darren

We’re currently blogging as part of the “For the Love of Film Noir” blogathon (hosted by Ferdy on Films and The Self-Styled Siren) to raise money to help restore the 1950’s film noir The Sound of Fury (aka Try and Get Me). It’s a good cause which’ll help preserve our rich cinematic heritage for the ages, and you can donate by clicking here. Over the course of the event, running from 14th through 21st February, I’m taking a look at the more modern films that have been inspired or shaped by noir. Today’s theme is “alterna-noir” – just looking at slightly unusual choices.

You’ve helped this office out before.

No, I gave you Jerr to see him eaten, not to see you fed.

Fine. And very well put.

Accelerated English, Mrs. Kasprzyk.

Tough teacher?

Tough but fair.

– Brendan and Assistant Vice-Principal Trueman

Brick works by taking all the facets of the film noir we love, and transposing it against a high school background. Like cheese and onion, it’s a combination that really shouldn’t work so well, but makes for one tasty snack.

Phone a friend?

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: arts, Brendan, Critical Essays, film, Film noir, films, For the Love of Film Noir, For the Love of Film Noir blogathon, For the Love of Film Noir: The Film Preservation Blogathon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Movie, Movies, non-review review, review, Rian Johnson, Richard Roundtree | 5 Comments »

The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 5 (Stars My Destination)

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Darren

The Starman Omnibus, Volume V covers a very rocky period in the history of the Starman mythos. The wonderful thing about the little after-words that James Robinson has provided for each of these volumes by way of annotation is that they offer you a hint of the context of everything that is going on around the series. Starman as a series had just lost an editor in Archie Goodwin and an artist in Tony Harris. Robinson himself was going through some very personal issues, and he confessed that he was seriously considering just hanging up the reigns on the book.

He didn’t, and ultimately saw the comic book through its full 80-issue run, but it gives you a sense of the instability surrounding the title at that period of time. And what did Robinson do with, with everything so uncertain around the book? He moved the series from the streets of Opal City into the depths of DC’s shared cosmic universe and took on David S. Goyer as a co-plotter for Stars My Destination, which was an interesting direction for one of the nineties’ most down-to-earth characters.

A "cluster" of Starmen?

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Filed under: Comics | Tagged: Christopher Nolan, comic, comic book, continuity, David Goyer, dc universe, james robinson, Opal City, Peter Snejbjerg, retrospective, review, starman, starman: stars my destination, starman: the stars my destination, stars my destination, the stars my destination, tony harris | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Heat

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Darren

We’re currently blogging as part of the “For the Love of Film Noir” blogathon (hosted by Ferdy on Films and The Self-Styled Siren) to raise money to help restore the 1950’s film noir The Sound of Fury (aka Try and Get Me). It’s a good cause which’ll help preserve our rich cinematic heritage for the ages, and you can donate by clicking here. Over the course of the event, running from 14th through 21st February, I’m taking a look at the more modern films that have been inspired or shaped by noir. Today’s theme is “nineties noir” – I’ll be looking at two of the finest noir-inspired films of the nineties.

I do what I do best, I take scores. You do what you best, try to stop guys like me.

– Neil McCauley to Vincent Hanna

I’ll be honest and concede that, right off the bat, I have a lot more love for Heat than most. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t labour under the assumption that it’s a poorly-received film (it’s rare to find someone who will concede that they dislike it), but I still have a stronger affection for Heat than the vast majority of viewers. I was only ten years old when Heat was released, and I think that was a big a moment for me. My ten-year-old self was familiar with big, sprawling epic sagas, but I think I used to believe that these sorts of epics were reserved for stories set in times long past. I think, in my innocence (or foolishness, depending on how kind you wish to be to my younger self), I felt that epic stories didn’t really happen anymore.

And then I saw Heat, which somehow managed to take an epic, sprawling narrative style which – at the time – I could only remember from films like Dances With Wolves or Cleopatra or Gone With The Wind, and applied it to cops and robbers. If I were to construct a list of films which helped me fall in love with cinema, Heat would be on there. Pretty high, too.

It's a whole different ballgame...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: al pacino, christian bale, Christopher Nolan, dark knight, film, Film noir, film nori, films, For the Love of Film Noir, For the Love of Film Noir blogathon, For the Love of Film Noir: The Film Preservation Blogathon, heat, Heat (1995 film), johnny depp, L.A. Takedown, michael mann, Movies, review, robert deniro, Sam Giancana, Sheldon Turner, Vincent Hanna | 4 Comments »

Nerd Alert! Jurassic Park Theme (1000% Slower)

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Darren

Somebody sent this through to me and it was too good for me not to share. Basically, some on-line genius by the name of birdfeeder came up with the idea of slowing John Williams’ iconic Jurassic Park theme down to one-tenth of its regular speed. This sounds like something that could just be incredibly banal, slowing down a beloved piece of film music almost beyond recognition. However, slowing the track down reveals just how beautifully crafted Williams’ score is – the end result is a wonderful ambient arrangement which sounds almost choral at points.

If you’re a fan of film music, give it a listen here, or click the picture below.

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: arts, bridfeeder, Film score, John Williams, jurassic park, jurassic park theme, Movies, soundtrack | 4 Comments »

Non-Review Review: se7en

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Darren

We’re currently blogging as part of the “For the Love of Film Noir” blogathon (hosted by Ferdy on Films and The Self-Styled Siren) to raise money to help restore the 1950’s film noir The Sound of Fury (aka Try and Get Me). It’s a good cause which’ll help preserve our rich cinematic heritage for the ages, and you can donate by clicking here. Over the course of the event, running from 14th through 21st February, I’m taking a look at the more modern films that have been inspired or shaped by noir. Today’s theme is “nineties noir” – I’ll be looking at two of the finest noir-inspired films of the nineties.

Although David Fincher has directing credits before se7en (most notably Alien 3), it was this look at a broken world which marked the up-and-coming director as a talent to watch. It’s a movie which works on many levels, entertaining on the superficial surface level while intriguing viewers looking for something just a little bit deeper. I have to say, of all the films I revisited as part of this blogging event, I think I got the most out of returning to se7en.