I'm looking forward to these four movies, starring Hollywood's big four top male actors. Based solely on their appearance and style, I am visually intrigued but have an inclining as to how much I'll really like them but it's hard to judge from a two minute trailer, so hopefully I'll be surprised and impressed. OZ The Great and Powerful looks magical. I enjoy the fantastical quality and aesthetic of the computer generated imagery but I'm concerned about it being promoted as a Disney film and rated PG. This always means there will be juvenile elements that will either make no sense or turn it into a circus, see Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland as a prime example. I suspect there may be musical numbers that will act as intermittent distractions for the children that parents bring along. Hopefully any ridiculousness will be negated by dreamboat James Franco's presence. Great Gatsby looks like an Art Deco lover's dream. This period piece twisted with contemporary music is a Baz Lurhmann specialty, see Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet that also stars Leonard Dicaprio as other examples of his style. I already enjoy the theatrics I see in the trailer and Leo D is one of Hollywood's best actors so I'm sure his performance will be noteworthy. Oblivion is another post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, action-drama starring everyone's favourite, Morgan Freeman and Tom Cruise who I suspect, plays future Earth's version of a blue collar worker, his character type when he's not a spy with a mission. I'm not particularly interested in the storyline that appears to be Cruise searching for the truth and a woman he used to love, I'm interested in the imagined technology and the landscape of what's left of Earth. World War Z is based on Max Brooks' book World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, stars Brad Pitt as Brooks, an agent for the UN Postwar Commission. It's another post-apocalyptic Earth scenario overrun by predatory zombies. I'm not looking forward to the gratuitous gore and violence but have had The Walking Dead prepare me for it, but rather the landscapes and inevitable architecture ruin porn. I'm not a big fan of Pitt and the vacant look in his eyes but would like to see how he saves the world, because you know he will. Add Comment I've been looking forward to Urbanized for a looong time. I really enjoyed Gary Huswit's last two films, Helvetica and Objectified, I'm just bummed there isn't a screening date scheduled for Vancouver. I just watched documentary, Cameraman: the Life and Work of Jack Cardiff, at Pacific Cinémathèque. I recommend this film to anyone interested in photography, cinematography or painting. It's a great behind the scenes look at early film making from a technical perspective. Cardiff explains his motivation and understanding of lighting and how he was influenced by classical paintings. This film goes through his black and white experience into Technicolor. In movies today, I see a definite decline in the understanding of lighting and camera-work as a character as important as a lead. But every once and awhile a film comes out that uses lighting and camera technique expertly to contribute to a story. Off hand, the Cook, the Thief, his Wife & her Lover and Pan's Labyrinth come to mind. Both worth checking out for the cinematography and symbolism, and both are films I often think about. And of course the unforgettable staple, Citizen Kane, I learned a ton about photography from this movie. All photographers should own a copy, it will undoubtedly improve your black and white photography. The Cook, the Thief, his Wife & her Lover (1989) Pan's Labyrinth (2006) This trailer dazzles my eyes. It would be really great to work on a project like this someday... check out Norman Foster's interview with Charlie Rose from last week http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/11227 For more information visit Art Commissioners website http://www.artcommissioners.com/# Needless to say my favourite film genre is the documentary. This weekend I watched two documentaries by Gary Hustwit. Helvetica (2007) Objectified (2009) They are both very informative and discuss the simplicity of design in both communications and products. I predict that after watching these, you'll have a new appreciation for both. so I just watched this trailer for ♥ Valentine's Day ♥ ...starring Julia Roberts' laugh. No surprise since the director is Garry Marshall, the same one from Pretty Woman. I didn't realize 'Julia Roberts' is still a name that sells, did I miss something? This movie is clearly a cliché knock off of Love Actually, the feel-good British Christmas comedy. Say that five times fast. I've never been one to goo goo gaa gaa in a baby's face but this documentary looks like it'll be about learning foreign cultures and family traditions, not just cute squishy babies. Judging by the trailer, BABIES, looks like it will be visually interesting, creating attractive and intriguing imagery of both urban and rural landscapes. song from trailer: The Perpetual Self, Or What Would Saul Alinky Do - Sufjan Steves (The Avalanche 2006) Despite the fact that I basically stopped celebrating Christmas five years ago, there's a list of holiday movies and songs that I still enjoy. I'm a scrooge, but i guess not a heartless scrooge... CHRISTMAS MOVIES |



















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