Obsequiousmelon followed his sisters advice and was glad he did.

Name of the Film: Black Swan     

Format: Cinema  

I’ve really enjoyed all of Darren Aronofsky’s films but they have always felt somewhat detached from the audience.  I’ve never been able to quite put my finger on it but they seemed cold somehow, almost documentary like.

Of course that might have just been me but although I thought they were great I couldn’t quite connect.

Until, that is, The Wrestler came along.  Suddenly I got it.  I thought that film was real and true and I was moved by it.  I didn’t feel that I was watching a story, I was pulled into it.  It spoke to me and it has been one of my favourite films ever since.

So along came Black Swan and I was concerned, which Aronofsky would turn up, the one I think is amazing or the one I merely respect?

Oscar Nominations, Obsequiousmelon's initial response

So the Oscar Noms are out and some of them are more than a little bizarre.

Visual effects for example has left me stunned!

But anyway enough moaning from me, lets get into the nominations and who I think will win.

Cool stuff and inspiration.

This is not something I'm going to do a lot of but over at Aint it cool news Quint has a regular column called the behind the scenes pic of the day.
I've been reading Quints reviews and interviews for several years now.  I have tremendous respect for him as both a journalist and a geek and so I thought I would post a link to this kick ass column, especially as todays is from the first Star Wars movie (a perennial favourite in these parts as it is in most I would think!)
Quint is one of a few people that inspired me to start this blog and so I thought I should share...
Enjoy.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/48227

Darren Aronofsky is a bloody genius..

I was very excited at the prospect of seeing Black Swan - I love all the Aronofsky films I've seen, I love ballet....... my only concern was would I love Natalie Portman? 95% of the time I rate Natalie Portman, but then there's the 5% where she gets on my nerves. Fortunately in the hands of the genius that is Darren Aronofsky, Natalie Portman gives a stunning performance.

For anyone that thinks this is going to be a nice "ballet" movie - wrong! It's raw, it's dark and twisty and for some people it will simply be too intense. Personally, I really enjoyed the conflict between the two sides of her personality, and watching her lose it but it's not a film that everyone will love or appreciate. I could waffle on for hours about this, that and the other, but I probably wouldn't do this film justice. So... stop reading this blog, get off your arse and go and see the bloody film!

Obsequiousmelon has seen Shaolin, Buddha be praised!

Name of the Film:  Shaolin   

Date seen:  22 January    

Format:  Cinema   

I love chinese cinema.  I live in Hong Kong, have a chinese wife and one of my favourite films is The Blade http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112800/

Andy Lau is awesome in quite a few films I love (e.g. House of Flying Daggers) and so naturally I went along to see his latest martial arts film Shaolin also starring Jackie Chan.

My expectations were of a kick ass flick that had some hidden depths... Well one out of two isn’t bad, is it?

Film's I have to see now! (Part 2 ish) - Rubber

Something a bit more silly today.  Following on from my 'The Goon' post a few days back (seriously can someone give David Fincher 55 million already!) this is another film that I want to see right now.

Nolan has created a dream of a picture!

Name of the Film:    Inception

Date seen:    Many, many times.

Format:    Cinema, Imax and Blu Ray

So I have a confession to make.  I think I love Christopher Nolan.  He is like the human version of Pixar.  Even his weaker films are better than most.

Also I have to admit that since having kids of my own, films about fathers and their children affect me on a more personal level.

So here we have a film about a man trying to get back to his children directed by one of my favourite directors... God I hope this doesn't suck!

I love monster films and Monsters is as good an example as I can think of!

Name of the FIlm:  Monsters

Date seen:  31st December

Format:  On a plane

Monsters is awesome.  Review done.  Can I go home now...

Well almost, it does deserve something more than a three word review.  This film is awesome on many levels but, I fear that it wont get the mass recognition that it deserves for a few reasons, but more on that later.

So what happens when you have a guy that wants to make a film but doesn't have any money.  A huge amount of invention is what.

Filmed on a tiny budget using real locations (often without permission) and making wide use of non actor extras this film represents a man squeezing ever dollar he can and throwing it on the screen.  It shouldn't look as good as it does and it shouldn't be as good as it is.  

Films that have to get made NOW!

Right so I am going to start a very infrequent column (this might be the only entry!) about stuff I have heard about and can't wait for.

Tron Legacy in not as shallow as a Porsche 911 driver shocker!

Name of the FIlm: Tron Legacy.

Date seen: 3rd January.

Format: 3D, Cinema.

So Disney announced that they were making a Tron sequel years ago making this one of the films I have looked forward to for a long time but then I read the reviews...

Oh dear, oh no, really?  

Crap, why does everything have to suck!  

But then Artemis360 said he enjoyed it.  Now he’s a clever guy so I thought why not?  Lets give it a go.  And boy am I glad I did.

Tron Legacy is at first glance a big vacuous effects movie.  Dumb fun and a reasonably cool way to spend a couple of hours.  But take some time and delve into it a little more and  it will reward you with a fairly intelligent film.

Obsequiousmelon went to see the smurfs movie and wants to know where Gargamel is????

Name of the FIlm: Ultramarines: A 40k movie

Date seen: 5th January

Format: DVD

I’ll be honest. The Ultramarines movie was the most disappointing thing since The Phantom Menace... Oh wait hang on maybe thats a bit harsh. It certainly was disappointing though.

Now let me be clear I’m not going to go on some nerd boy rage, rant. I’m going to be objective and consider it in exactly the same way I would when watching any film.

So, it is incredibly exciting isn’t it, at last a 40k film about space marines. All the things we have been reading about brought gloriously to life in a CGI film... Cool... I guess.