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I have been stood-up by many girls (and many people in general) throughout my days. But today I was stood-up by one of the biggest flings of my life: Kim’s Video (by Columbia University) is closing its doors.

Like a pathetic boyfriend, I called the store and got a woman’s voice on the other end. From there, she proceeding to tell me that it just wasn’t working out and that she needed to end our relationship along with many others she had been seeing, which I’m sure were more than professional. However, to ease the break, she gave me until September 15th, the day she will walk out of my life forever.

I’ve never been the type to take advantage of my relationships knowing they will cease in the near future. But Kim’s is so seductive that my desires may take control of my will. Sure there are alternatives (only two I guess: Netflix (bleh) and the other Kim’s), but none equal the easy-going vibe of the only Uptown location.

Was it me? Couldn’t we have made this work? Can’t we talk about it? I guess some things just weren’t meant to be. Perhaps in another time, in another place…

With love,

gooldster

Life Lesson Number 1:
Never meet someone if you don’t really know who and don’t really know why.

I’ve made this mistake on a number of occasions. One of them being today and the other one from a few weeks ago. The latter should’ve been the last time I made that mistake but, as I have stated before, I am slow learner.

I use to post an advertisement on craigslist.com offering my severely handicapped video service and got one response (ever). It read, “Dear Aaron. Can you film a party from 10 to 3 on Saturday? — Ms. Flakey.” Ms. Flakey wasn’t her real name of course but it was the name that I had christened her after three follow up emails with no response. Finally, the night before the party, I received an email from Ms. Flakey which read, “Go to the worse part of Brooklyn and wait there for a long time. I might pick you up.” I’m paraphrasing her email a little but in the end it’s all the same. So like the young naïve entrepreneur that I am, I took the F (I think) to Brooklyn and waited in the pouring rain with over $3000 worth of equipment at the designated location. It was around this time that it occurred to me that I had assumed that the party was at 10pm and not 10am. But since she had told me about 2 hours ago to meet, I assumed I guessed correctly. 40 minutes later, after the same questionable characters passed by repeatedly, I decided to walk to a more property friendly location. During this walk, I found that Brooklyn has some interesting sidewalks. I’m thinking of the sidewalks with a wall on one side and a tall metal fence on the other. It would only take two mean dudes to have me squared.

I finally found familiar land when I reached Long Island University. (The same University where my short film screened to an empty movie festival theater.) Neighboring LIU is an Applebee’s: no better place represents the suburban safety on which I was raised. I walk in and asked for directions to the place I’m suppose to work. You’d thought I’da said to hell with it by now but… I’m a slow learner. I asked the first employee who noticed my dripping body where this place was and, after looking at my camera bag and skin complexion, he bellowed, “Well, I’ll tell you but I don’t recommend walking. Especially you at this time.” That’s when the rest of the people around us, both employees and customers, heard our conversation and began agreeing all at once. And by the way they talked, you’d thought I was going to Bangladesh. The most striking feature of this situation was that I was the only white dude in this Applebee’s. My memories of Applebee’s were, up until this moment, infested with yuppie girls from my high school who served middle-aged ladies’-night-out parties. Now my model of Applebee’s has an interesting dichotomy. At any rate, I took their advice to heart and grab the subway back into trusty ol’ Manhattan, where, if I remember correctly, I went to the Canal Room to reflect. Reflection: Did I escape death? Or, at the least, theft and humiliation? Needless to say I’m a lot more careful about my craigslist responses now.

-gooldster

Hello, all. This is Sahasrahla with a quick write up of Pineapple Express.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have scripted another gem of a movie about a heavy set man and his thin friend surmounting the seemingly insurmountable and, in the process, deconstructing and reconstituting their friendship. This time around, Rogen and Goldberg kick up the absurdity to an irreverent perfection and, much like Superbad, the film is at times ridiculously over the top while still hitting close to home. Very close to home. Almost embarrassingly close to home.

That is the magic of Rogen and Goldberg. They get away with going over the top because they get the character details as real as possible. I see James Franco blazed out of his gourd and almost choke to death while laughing at some bad joke from an old sitcom and all I can think is, “Jesus, I know that guy! I’ve been to this apartment and have done this very thing.” So, later on when I see James Franco driving a police car with his foot through the windshield, I don’t question it for a moment. Yeah, sure, that may never ever happen, but if it did happen… this is probably what it would look like. Rogen and the rest of the cast, while perhaps not transforming to the degree of Franco, all deliver the goods we would expect of them.

In my mind, the only person whose placement is baffling is the film’s director. Prior to Pineapple Express, David Gordon Green has directed four feature length films, all of them very serious dramas about life in southern, or otherwise rural, America. Hands down, the perfect candidate for a buddy action comedy about two potheads in Los Angeles on the run after one witnesses a murder. What? I have absolutely no idea how this happened, but kudos to Mr. Green. This is Lethal Weapon meets Cheech and Chong filtered through Kevin Smith and yet it still stands on its own.

Final summation: in a summer full of heavy hitting blockbusters the comedies are not taking it lying down. This is balls to the wall crazy fun. It’s always exciting to see an actor let loose the way Franco does, and  interesting to see a director like Green expand his skill set. Go see it and then sneak into The Dark Knight for your fifth viewing.

Vaya con Dios,
Sahasrahla

Hey there movie freaks. So I just read that Mr. David Zucker (the genius behind Airplane! and The Naked Gun) is releasing another movie this year that pokes fun at Mr. Michael Moore. Aren’t too many “right leaning” movies in Hollywood says the source at Politico.com so it should be interesting.

-gooldster

American Teen

So I was able to catch a screening of American Teen before it came out Friday and, despite my preconceptions, am glad I did.

Whether it is truly “real” or not does not diminish its quality of capturing a near perfect display of suburban, middleclass high school life. Yes, the students are silly. Yes, many people did not participate in all of the activities that the students did. And Yes, the students’ problems were somewhat trivial. But the situations they dealt with are probably directly or indirectly experienced by many other students throughout America as well, which, I would guess, is one reason for the film’s success. For students who are in high school now, the movie serves as a documentary parallel to their generation. For those of us out of high school, it serves as a reminder of the stupidness that was so important, or at least ubiquitous, in our lives. Even if you had a very unconventional high school life, the scenes and characters are such that they simply make a good story.

The promotion for the film, however, is bogus. It in no way reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite or The Breakfast Club. Perhaps a few of the themes and relationships are similar between them, but comparing universal themes in storytelling is like comparing stars in the sky; they all seem the same. (Please save the telescope and astronomy comments.)

And to add to the controversy that questions the legitimacy of the film’s authenticity, a promoter at Paramount Vantage told me that over one thousand hours of footage were shot and that many of the moments in which the “timing seemed too perfect to believe” were results of b-role footage taken of other potential star students.

My friends refuse to see the movie because they are the types who despise the crises of blonde teeny-boppers and poser punk/loser kids.American Teen is not going to entertain everyone. Even I complained that it limited itself to only the most obvious of the high school crowd. But if Charlie Bartlett didn’t cut it for you as a high school flick, give this one a shot.

-gooldster

Now that the most anticipated blockbuster of the past few years, The Dark Knight, has been released, some friends and I were wondering what we have to look forward to for the rest of the year.

As far as blockbusters are concerned, it looks a little bleak. But there are many smaller budgeted, under-the-radar possible gems coming to theaters before 2009 (and we’re still not any closer to Jupiter):

The first one that comes to mind is the adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s Choke starring one of my favs, Sam Rockwell. So far it has decent reviews and, if my memory serves me correctly, it should be released sometime in October.

Probably tied with Choke for my next anticipated movie is the new Coen brothers’ comedy, Burn After Reading. Some friends of mine said they have read reviews which the reviewer claims the film is of The Big Lebowski quality. While I have my doubts, surely it will be a fine movie nevertheless. September 12th is the current released date.

Though I have already seen it, I can’t wait for the rest of the world to see it. What TDK was for summer blockbusters is what Tropic Thunder will be for comedies. It is huge and hilarious and one of the few comedies for which I was very excited (because I knew it was gonna rock). Every cast member is A-List and delivers above and beyond their typical performance. Read more about that in my review. Release date: August 13th.

I could go on and on. These were just the first movies that popped into my head. It is almost shameful after considering the many other releases this year as well. Here is by no means an exhaustive list:

Midnight Meat Train
Pineapple Express
Star Wars: Clone Wars
The Mummy
Assassination of a High School President
Taken
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Quantum of Solace
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Brideshead Revisited (i’m sorry, but from the trailer it looks promising)

Now I don’t want angry comments about other cool movies I didn’t list. I’m simply attempting to prove that excitement may have grown exponentially until TDK but it is not waning.

-gooldster

Update:
I have been told by many people that his charge is only a verbal assault which is fair game for jail time etc. in England. This wasn’t suppose to be a big story and I’m sure this whole thing will blow over just like the movies that came out a weekend before TDK. I just thought it was interesting news considering the hype. Plus Mr. Drudge decided to put the the story at the top of his page.

Drudge Report linked to an article about The Dark Knight actor Christian Bale being arrested on some sort of assault charge. I never post news like this (because it doesn’t really have much to do with movies) but since The Dark Knight buzz is at its peak, it seemed to be an anomaly. Telegraph has the story.

-gooldster

The Dark Knight

If you were involved in the hype for The Dark Knight, especially the viral marketing, you knew director/writer Christopher Nolan and company had a big package to deliver. But this is just one of a dozen reasons why TDK is the best movie of the year.

Without comparing it to previous Batman films (which is futile anyway) or other comic book movies (equally as useless), TDK still emerges as the most original drama since last year’s The Assassination of Jesse James or There Will Be Blood. Its plot and themes are universal and are products of great story telling rather than gimmicks. The gritty costumes, the superb special effects, and the reputation of the franchise either enhance or, in the case of the last, are independent of the quality of the film. In fact, TDK seems even less stylized than Batman Begins. Batman struggles with opponents and his own technology unlike the other Batmans who used invincible suits that could handle any situation with the push of a button. Likewise, Gotham is not as surreal or computer generated as its former renditions because of Nolan’s extensive but subtle use of Chicago’s landscape as the backdrop. And as far as the Joker is concerned… Heath Ledger’s performance would have been almost as chilling without his distorted makeup.

The same could be said for all of the actors. Each cast member presented what was most important to his respective character in a given situation. For the most part, we don’t really see Batman. We see Bruce Wayne in a suit struggling to understand his conflicts. On the flip side, the Joker is unshaken, clear thinking, but equally driven. There is no conflict for him. The world for him is simple, cruel, and corruptible. Harvey Dent is the tragedy of this story. He is, at first, an idealist who steps into the line of fire between Batman and the Joker and is destroyed by an evil that he does not understand, or, at least, not as well as Bruce Wayne. Because Dent does not understand the world, he lets the outcome of a coin toss decide his actions. Commissioner Gordon and Rachel Dawes are the victims. They can only watch helplessly as forces beyond their comprehension battle head to head with seemingly equal strength.

In a way, this is about as big as a movie can get. With an A-list ensemble cast, a widely established franchise, state of the art effects, and a timeless story as the foundation, few filmmakers have the privilege to present an epic blockbuster that appeals to all levels of the audience. This, ultimately, is not a story about the Joker, Harvey Dent, or even Bruce Wayne. This is a story about what these characters represent. Whether it be human nature or morality, the Batman universe is simply a vessel for questions and dilemmas that have and will plague mankind for millennia.

This year has been about as special as the last: practically every movie anticipated lived up to the expectations. From Cloverfield to The Dark Knight, we have been blessed with amazing inventions despite the flood of sequels and remakes. The cream has been predicted and rose to the top.

*P.S: The film will be powerful regardless of how you see it, but it would be well worth the effort to catch it in Imax. Many scenes were specifically filmed on Imax format and are breathtaking.

-gooldster

Step Brothers

Step Brothers is, very simply, a raunchy comedy. No more no less. What keeps one from liking or disliking this movie is whether or not he likes vulgar human. And believe me, this movie is very vulgar. The word “balls” and the f bomb are used about as much as a yearly all access pass to a Manhattan strip club and with little sense of restraint. Some people have mentioned to me that they are not Will Ferrell fans and might stay away from this one. And I say to them, at least consider John C. Reilly. He is one of those few actors who are as gifted in drama as in comedy and definitely carries his one flare as an emerging face in comedy. My only criticism is the same gripe I have with a few other comedies that center around a few social retarded characters. Many of the supporting characters are, at times, just as dimwitted and silly as Ferrell and Reilly, thus taking away from their childish behavior. Other than that, it is a genital punch line fest.

Topic Thunder

It has been said that this is the year of the blockbusters. Well… Tropic Thunder, even as a comedy, is no exception. It is one of the loudest, most epic comedies I have seen; even beyond Mel Brooks proportions.

The film begins with a few mock trailers entertaining enough to fill an entire movie themselves, had there been more. Black, Downey Jr., Jackson, and Stiller each star in fake movies or commercials that make obvious jabs at films like Forrest Gump and the Nutty Professor as well as actor stereotypes: the drug addict, the action star, the pretentious academy award winner, etc. They all come together to film an expensive, overly dramatic true story of soldiers in Vietnam who blow up everything within and beyond peripheral vision. As if being behind schedule and wasting millions of dollars were not enough, the actors find themselves stuck in a real and confusing combat situation against a very mean heroin producing camp somewhere in East Asia.

I must concede to the majority: of all the actors, Downey Jr. (or at least his character) stole the show. Mr. Iron Man portrays a very white New Zealand actor who’s preparations are so focused that he dyes his skin black in order to understand his African American character. Hence, a much more complicated character than rest. This is not to say the rest are just so so. Stiller resembles his character from Meet the Parents except with more muscles and a gun. He underplays his character when compared to Black or Downey but is a nice contrast to the larger than life performances. But considering Black‘s reputation, his performance is relatively subtle as well. He does his patented Jack Black explosions at just the right times without stealing the moment. And then of course there is Tom Cruise…

It took me about 20 seconds to recognize him behind the make up. Not that the make up is thick or unusual, but Cruise has never been so modified, except maybe in Interview with the Vampire. But there are many descriptions and images online already so I won’t go into detail. Many other bloggers think he steals the show more so than Downey Jr. but I would disagree. It is a very energetic performance but not over the top.

Tropic Thunder is a great ensemble comedy. Probably one of the best outside of the ubiquitous (but great) Apatow productions. Highly recommend.

-gooldster

I knew The Wackness was a good movie when I, as a non-smoker of any substance, found myself reaching for an imaginary fatty between my head and my ear. So maybe The Wackness isn’t the best D.A.R.E. film of 2008, but it certainly captures the plight of a character whom many might know personally or are in fact identical to: a guy who likes pot and wouldn’t mind making some money at it and wouldn’t mind making it with a few ladies on the way. Understandable.

Josh Peck gives an Oscar winning stoner performance as the recently graduated dope peddler Luke Shapiro with support from Ben Kingsley’s smart but stoopid Dr. Jeffery Squires, M.D. who trades therapy time for Shapiro’s product. Sound far fetched? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it doesn’t matter. It fact, I know it doesn’t because I saw the movie. The Wackness is a little far fetched with a few characters and scenarios (mostly just Dr. Squires) but realistic in delivery. 1994 isn’t spat in your face with candy colored hip-hop clowns or grudgy dundgy Cobain disciples. It is low key, save for the early day dream scene, and serves as a backdrop and not a focus. Most of this realism can be attributed to the dark and heavy cinematography. The contrast throughout the film is thick, enhancing the dark tone of a movie that could have easily been light and silly. Not to say The Wackness isn’t silly. Luke is one of the most likeable yet tragically pathetic characters of the past few years as he attempts to have sex with Stephanie, his first time summer fling played by Olivia Thirlby. And of course there’s Dr. Squires who is equally pathetic as well as apathetic to Luke.

Definitely in my top 5 of 2008 thus far. Luke Shapiro is possibly the best character of the year.

-gooldster