Other Stuff!

Quick post on other things I've been really loving lately.
I started watching "The End of the F***ing World," which is kind of like edgier, Brittish Wes Anderson. So far its pretty fun, a little graphic but the soundtrack and cinematography is killer. I totally want to check out the comic and compare, it looks really simple in terms of style but I'd love to see where it originated.

I also watched "Desert Hearts" in my LGBTQ film class which was FANTASTIC. It was like Thelma and Louise meets Carol. It was actually the first honest, non-satyrical representation, of a lesbian couple in film which is awesome. The costuming was awesome, all cowgirl boots and one pieces with tassels. Really Really Good.

Also, 7 days until the next episode of Snotgirl. B)

Romantic, Whimsical Horror!

For this week's Horror selection, I read "What the Moon Brings" by H.P. Lovecraft, and some of his other work. I loved how lyrical and surreal the prose was in the Moon piece especially. I usually don't like horror, but his writing felt a lot like poetry, almost like Edgar Alan Poe's work. It was creepy, but it wasn't gory or bloody which is what usually trips me up.
"And as I ran along the shore, crushing sleeping flowers with heedless feet and maddened ever by the fear of unknown things and the lure of the dead faces, I saw that the garden had no end under that moon; for where by day the walls were, there stretched now only new vistas of trees and paths, flowers and shrubs, stone idols and pagodas, and bendings of the yellow-litten stream past grassy banks and under grotesque bridges of marble." The picture he paints sounds like a dream, or a creepy vaguely romantic nightmare. The ending was less so, which where the "horror" element came in I suppose. I looked at a couple of his other works, but this one was definitely my favorite. I did like the line in " The Unnamable," referring to the trees as "patriarchal." Not entirely sure what that means, but its a funny concept.
I also watched "Delicatessen" by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. I'm a massive fan of his other work, I'd probably site him in my top 3 directors (along with Guillermo del Toro and Wes Anderson.) Whimsical horror, (which is how I'd describe this creepy cannibalistic hotel flick) is something I can get kinda behind. Post-Apocalyptic France sounds like one of the most fun settings for a film, if I had to survive the apocalypse anywhere I'd probably pick someplace similar. I'd cross my fingers for less flesh-eating, though. I grew really attached to the main characters, despite the comically dark setting, they were both very sweet and likable. They also weren't "traditional Hollywood couple" which was refreshing, they both had so much more character, appeal, and likeability. It was also kind of "Horror Romance," which is what pulled me in more.



Five Stars!

Call Me by Your Name - Review

Call Me by Your Name - Directed by  Luca Guadagnino

Interesting film, very poetic and a sort of “classically queer” film. Coming of age story, set in the 80′s about a teen in the Italian countryside who becomes involved with an older male student, staying with his parents over the summer.

I think the story differed greatly from the traditional story structure, perhaps because it was based on a novel, and had a very “slice of life.” kind of feeling. I still found a lot of novelty in the characters, their emotions and experiences especially involving young love, and queer attraction. 

Opening Image: Elio hanging out with his friend  Marzia. Shirtless, summer, he looks and feels very naive and young. 

Theme Stated: I don’t know if this was stated early on, but the theme seemed to be “Call Me by Your Name.” They each believed the other was the better of the two, thus calling each other by their own names.

Set up:

Catalyst: Oliver, a friend of Elio’s fathers and traveling student visits the home to stay for the summer.

Debate:

Break into two:

B story:

Fun and Games:

Midpoint:

Bad Guys Close in:

All is lost:

Dark Night of the soul:

break into three:

Finale: Elio gets a call from Oliver, who announces that he is engaged. They still call each other by their own names, it still feels special and significant, even though it hurts.

Final image: Elio staring into the fire, finally accepting and embracing his heartbreak over Oliver. bundled up in layers, change of season, cold. 

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2017/11/30/blueprints-call-me-by-your-name.html

https://blog.blcklst.com/anatomy-of-an-opening-scene-call-me-by-your-name-a9c5474f0a92

A Monster Calls - Review

A monster calls is a dark/fantasy/serious coming of age story about a young boy coping with his mother’s terminal illness, though a huge tree monster. Directed by J. A. Bayona and written by Patrick Ness, based on his novel of the same name. Screenplay by  Patrick Ness.

l really enjoyed monster calls. what a powerful movie. The animated sequences especially stood out to me, I wasn’t surprised to find that the Visual Development artist was Alexis Liddell, a French artist largely responsible for the look of the animated sequences in the final harry potter film. his blog is:

http://alexisliddell.blogspot.com/

In terms of the story, it had loads of heart. The cast was totally all-star. the lead boy, Conor, was so compelling. It felt like it understood emotion, and loss, and all of the feelings that no child should ever have to go through. The metaphor for losing his mother was… it was intense. “ I let her go” was unexpected. The lessons he learns, “humans are complicated beasts.” is a valuable lesson for all ages. In terms of filmmaking, I loved the moments you could feel. Shots that felt textured and tangible. Moments that felt nostalgic, like his mother finding the projector and the animation machine, and with Conor exploring and touching all the treasures in the house.

Opening image: Connor waking up from a horrible nightmare, showing him losing his mother. 

Theme Stated: “the truth will be what he hides and is most afraid of that he dreams of. “

Set up: He’s a very troubled boy. He doesn’t want to open up to teachers who reach out, and he has trouble at school socially, from bullies. In addition to his mother’s suspected fatal illness. typical day.

Catalyst: Introduction of the tree monster, who introduces the story’s premise. he will be told stories, and then he will finally tell the fourth one in return.

Debate: Conor doubts the tree monster, doubts the stories, chalks it all up to a stupid dream.

Break into two: “go on then” Conor agrees to listen to the story, and we are transported into the magical and whimsical animated story world.

B story: would the b story be the stories the tree monster tells? or Connor’s relationship with his dad, or grandmother?

Fun and Games: Living at his grandmother’s house, drawing more. Seeing his dad again, having fun then.

Midpoint: The second story. Conor destroys his grandmother’s house.

Bad Guys Close in:  his dad leaving, his mother still sick,  the bullying gets worse. connor snaps, and now is in trouble with the principal. 

all is lost: The medicine isn’t working, again. Conor can see how sick his mother looks. (his nightmare comes true, he admits that sometimes he wishes it was all over. he lets go, because it hurts.)

Dark night of the soul: Conor arguing with the giant.

break into three: his mother validates his feelings. she tells him everything will be ok, she knows everything he needs to tell her already. break things, and I’ll be right there with you.

finale: his mother’s final moments. he tells her, “I don’t want you to go.” she passes at 12:07. “it ends with him finally holding on to his mother, (even though it hurts.) and by doing so, he can finally let her go.”

final image: Connor finds the drawings his mother made as a child, of the stories he heard from the giant. he makes the connection. She’s right there with him, through the drawings. 

I also found this: https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/how-to-read-a-screenplay-parts-1-7-3c5b51ecee15

highly useful.

Matilda - Review

Screenplay by Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord

Adapted from the novel by Roald Dahl

I love the book, I love the musical, I love the movie. Roald Dahl is a genius, and studying his work as the first screenplay I’ve read feels pretty right. In terms of the movie’s actual plot and structure, It didn’t feel super clean and close to the cat’s story beats. It holds a lot of good feelings, good themes, and 90′s nostalgia, which is why I still consider it one of my favorites. I didn’t expect Danny Devito to play such a primary role in this version.

opening image: Matilda as a baby, meeting uncaring and unloving parents.

Theme Stated: Her father tells her “when a person is bad, that person has to be taught a lesson.”

Set-up: Mistreated but sweet and clever youngest child must be independent and self-sufficient when her horrible parents mistreat her.

Catalyst: Matilda uses her mind to destroy her family’s TV set, after being provoked and abused by her father. powers???

Debate: Shes sent to school, and meets the terrifying ms. trunchbowl. and the wonderful ms. honey!

Break into Two: 

B-story: The mystery behind Ms. Honey’s Father’s death, and the unfair treatment she receives from her aunt, Mrs. Trunchbowl.

Fun and Games: The school cheering after cake, matilda mastering her powers, 

Midpoint: Ms. Truchchbowl visits the classroom, and terrorizes the students. Newt scene. Ms. Honey and Matilda get closer. 

Bad Guys Close in: Ms. Trunchbowl comes back early while they are still in the house, and they run and hide to try and escape her. 

All is Lost: Ms. Trunchbowl almost catches them, they lose Lissie doll and all of ms. honey’s treasures.  

Dark night of the soul:  Ms. honey tells her to give up and never go back into the house. defeat.

Break into Three: Matilda uses the information she learned from Ms. Honey about her father and her Aunt, and takes the initiative towards Mrs. Trunchbowl. She works towards mastering her powers, scaring Ms. Trunchbowl in the house.

Finale: All of the children rise up against Mrs. Trunchbowl, throwing their lunches at her. Her hold on them, and ms. honey is broken. Matilda also stands up to her parents, when they try to escape to Guam.

Final Image: Ms. Honey reading with Matilda before bed. shes finally found a mother. 

Only Lovers Left Alive // Interview With a Vampire

I found this movie absolutely refreshing, compared to a lot of the popular vampire media I'm used to seeing. Only Lovers Left Alive was highly romantic, poetic, and sweet, everything I could ask for from a modern vampire flick. The cast was killer, as was the cinematography and soundtrack. Seeing what bits and pieces Adam and eve both took from the past, records, old television, vintage fashion etc. was interesting. How well they were able to successfully blend into modern settings seemed to be an enormous theme, one that they eventually were weak to. "Can these wise but fragile outsiders continue to survive as the modern world collapses around them?" is the phrase used in the screenplay. I liked how much science and thought was put into the narrative, i.e. finding blood that was pure and disease free.
The literature selection I read was "The Vampire Lestat," by Anne Rice, which is interesting because it the time it was published, (1985) it was probably also considered vampires in a modern lense. That seems to be the 'hook' that vampire media is going with today, how vampires interact with a modern, millennial setting. As mentioned, Claudia's character was one of the more interesting vampire concepts I've heard of. A girl, frozen in time but still faced with adult feelings, emotions, and urges is something I would probably be pretty protective of, if it came from anyone other then Anne Rice. I'm also a little cautious of the choice to make Lestat and Louis romanticly involved, as the trope of monsters being gay/queer runs the risk of demonization.