Movie Review : The Lost Boys (1987)

* The following review was originally published with a Rotten Tomatoes rating in 2011. Further analysis has been added for the sake of this blog.

Repetitive sequences that show off the movie's mysterious setting, a romance aspect that doesn't seem to go anywhere, and a handful of one-dimensional characters...with VAMPIRES. Ring a bell, even without the werewolves? Does this sound painfully familiar?



Now, you're probably wondering: "how could you bash the Twilight craze when you watch a dumb teen vampire flick and enjoy it?"

Hmmmm...where to start...

Movie Review: Jaws (1975)

*The following review was originally published as a Facebook note on October 31st, 2010


In the early 1970's, a film version of a well-recieved Peter Benchley novel (about a large great white that terrorizes a beach-centered town) was greenlit by Universal Studios. After a brief search for a director, they eventually settled for a rookie by the name of Steven Spielberg, who, at the time, only had experience in television and direct-to-TV features.  The production itself was a nightmare, as the animatronic "star" of the picture rarely worked while the cameras were rolling (earning the nickname "The Great White Turd" from the crew), and the pressure of time and money rose intensely as the days went by. Only through unimaginable "courage and stupidity" (words from the director himself) was the piece finally finished. Little did the industry know, however, that his irritably made, uncompromising little movie would not only become the first film to pass the 100 million-dollar mark, but also one of the finest examples of modern horror and suspense.

1975, Rated PG (yeah. thats right. not R. Go watch it)

   I recall making the viewing of Jaws a top priority in middle-school. While I was anything but a fan of scary movies at the time, its reputation was strangely appealing (how could one movie make so many people afraid of the water). After taking a few weeks to read the novel first (something I NEVER do these days, though the novel was much more graphic and adult-oriented), I put the movie in the player, closed as many sources of light as I could, and began watching it with my dad. From the visceral opening scene (we all know it. its on the poster after all), I was hooked. Even with a somewhat considerable amount of knowledge of some of the scares, the film still managed to make me jump a few times. A good amount of time has passed since the first viewing. And though I can't necessarily say it's as "frightening" as it was then, it has managed to get better as a movie in general, and I can now easily call it one of my absolute favorites.

Groundbreaking Action Cinema - Part 3 - THE GENERAL

 The General: Action-Comedy (sans sound!)

 

How wonderful it must have been to watch film take off as a medium. While it was first viewed as a novelty (I say, my good man! Lookit! Moving pictures!), a blessed few saw its worth and sought to unlock the secrets of visual storytelling. Silent comedy became the most popular example of film's potential, its clever sight-gags luring in audiences worldwide.

Geniuses like Charlie Chaplin even found a way to tug at the heart strings with competently-made stories of adventure, social adversity, and heroism. Then, of course, opposite to Chaplin's iconic "Tramp" persona, was Buster "Stoneface" Keaton,  who made a fine career out of stunt-oriented comedies and pushed the envelope for physical feats on film (to the point of inspiring the likes of Jackie Chan, who openly pays homage to the man's antics in his own work!).

My First VLOG

Help LANOOSKI @ VidioVibe.com !

Vote 5 on my Vlog entry and help me get some new equipment!
http://beta.vidiovibe.com/watch/variety/1338
I'm also competing in the ACTION category this week:
http://beta.vidiovibe.com/watch/action/1287

Groundbreaking Action Cinema - Part 2 - THE KILLER / HARD BOILED

The Killer & Hard Boiled: Operatic Firepower

John Woo is an open admirer of Sam Peckinpah, especially his revisionist western The Wild Bunch. He cites the end shootout as a major inspiration for his approach to action sequences, primarily its liberal use of slow motion and brutal violence, both of which add emotional weight to what would have just been another shoot-em-up.

Lanooski Update: 9/2/13

Groundbreaking Action Cinema - Part 1 - DIE HARD

 Die Hard: Urban Heroics on a Grand Scale




A blockbuster-holiday classic that defined the contemporary (American) action-thriller, where a determined everyman is pitted against ruthless (if slightly cartoony) terrorists. Aside from its many descendants (Speed, Cliffhanger, Under Siege, even Paul Blart: Mall Cop), it is also notable for its claustrophobic handling of a high-stakes scenario, wherein the hero, villains, and bystanders occupy the same building, and action can play out as anything from a standard shootout to a complex evasion of fiery chaos.

 Made towards the end of a divisive decade of action (by 1988, most films like it could only be described as good, dumb fun), Die Hard had the distinction of taut direction and editing, as well as an above-average script and memorable characters. Even if a few moments might seem dated or campy to a modern audience (giant teddy-bares, some of the outfits, and some rather cheesy authority figures), the film's masterful pacing and overall structure makes for suspenseful build-up and oh-so-satisfying payoff.

A Look at the 80's Action Movie

*the following article was originally published on junie.net under the title "Brain Spew: Thoughts on 80's Action" in
In the wake of movies like Jaws and Star Wars, the movie industry began to change its strategy of scoring at the box office. Studios came to a realization that high-concept spectacle could attract a much broader audience than the stark melodramas of the seventies. Such was proven further with the success of films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, a rough-and-tough throwback to genre pictures of the 30′s and 40′s, and First Blood, a Stallone vehicle that took the lone gunman/anti-hero trend of the fifties and sixties and put it in a post-Vietnam context.

However, rather than perceiving this spike in the box office as a result of well-thought-out thrill-seeking and ingenuity, the suits of Hollywood developed an internal philosophy that would continue into the blockbusters of today: The bigger the budget, the bigger the bombast, the bigger the profit.
For better or for worse, action films of the eighties could often be summed up in one word: EXCESS. This was the period in which American audiences started developing a taste (perhaps even an expectation) for big guns, bigger explosions, and amazingly cheesy dialogue at the movies.
Action heroes like Stallone and Schwarzenegger were in their prime in both physicality and popularity.  Bare bones storytelling deep fried in testosterone, with a particular amount of glistening polish that only the eighties could pull off.
Being the film snob that I am, I’ve seen enough movies to understand that not many of the films from this era of action cinema could be considered “good “. You simply can’t put something like Rambo: First Blood part II next to its predecessor and say  “Oh yes. That second one is a far superior cinematic experience.”

From the Collection: 6/25/13

Here's a look at some DVD's I found for cheap. Bargain buys at Target, used book stores, FYE...heaven for movie buffs.


Part 1:

Adblock Plus Creative Challenge

The makers of Adblock Plus teamed with several filmmaking subsidiaries to create a contest. Independent filmmakers were challenged to make a 30-90 second representation on how harmful, intrusive, and ANNOYING internet ads can be. All submissions can be found here:
http://thecreativechallenge.org/voting/

Be sure to check out my entry, Adpademic, a satirical video that puts the ad situation into a post-apocalyptic reality.

"Contemplation": Loneliness, and Why "Taxi Driver" Matters

 Hello, Dear Reader.
Welcome to the first of (hopefully) many entries in the FEATURES section. In these posts, you can expect everything from series focused on a genre, director, etc, to a looser, more socially-minded look at some old favorites.
More than this, however, this first entry should give an idea of how much I will go into a film I'm passionate about. It is taken from several years back, while I was a junior in highschool. I estimate very few people have read it, and those who have only did because I asked if they would.
I will briefly preface this post with a few simple facts of its composition:
-A good while before initially viewing the movie, Taxi Driver was one of a handful of movies that my loving folks deemed "a bit too much," and this was having already sat through heavy-hitters like the Terminator films and Die Hard with my dad...so, of course, I was curious.
-At the time, I was struggling a bit in connecting with people. Not in the sense that I didn't have friends. I had plenty. And many were better than I felt I deserved...and that was part of the problem. Adolescence often marks the start of a period of cynicism, and I wasn't an exception. Things lost their sheen, and the simplest of human flaws started to seem absolutely reprehensible. In short, already being awkward around most people, the touch of additional hostility didn't boost my confidence.
-Still, I feel this composition sums up how experiencing movies like Taxi Driver helped put things in perspective. Perhaps it would be a bit much to say this movie saved my life, as I still don't think my rendition of the "falling apart dance" would have been nearly as severe as others' renditions, but it sure did give me enough to stand back and breath. Anyway, just expect some heavier stuff in this than you would from a standard review.
welp, with that, I hope you enjoy this spewing of conscience from 2011 Dylan...


*This piece was originally published on February 11th 2011 as a Facebook Note.
Listen you fuckers. You screw-heads. Here is a man who would not take it anymore.
A man who stood up against the scum, the cunts, the dogs, the filth, the shit; here is someone who stood up.
Here is.....

Movie Recommendation: A FIRST SLEW! :D

* This cluster of movie recommendations was originally published on July 1st 2011 as a Facebook Note.
**some films mentioned on this list may no longer be available through Netflix instant-streaming...

Welcome to Cuesta's Crash Course du Cinema (copyright pending)! Those of you who manage to snag a month or two of Netflix are on your way to becoming part of a high-class society of Cinephiles, who separate themeselves from the primates by giving a damn about plot, style, subtext, drama, and the craft of filmmaking as a whole! The following courses can be taken entirely via Netflix, and  have been designed to widen your cinematic tastes in some form or another.
*Please note: While all of these titles are available through the traditional mailing service, the availability of a select few on the instant streaming service is subject to change.
And if you'd like to own any of these great movies, you can click the pictures to peruse their various releases on Amazon ;)
 Enjoy! Learn! And Grow (nerdier)!

Course 1: Music and such
This selection of musicals and documentaries should serve as a great introduction to film for the musically cultured/talented.

No Direction Home:Bob Dylan
A Scorsese-directed doc that delves into Dylan's humble beginnings. From his smalltown upbringing to his radical transition from folk to electric, the man's story is masterfully retold through interviews, photographs, and an abundance of collected footage. This shows the true, underappreciated power of documentary filmmaking.

THX 1138 (1971) : Movie Review

*The following review was originally published on Dec. 18th 2010 as a Facebook Note.

THX 1138

 

George Lucas is part of the generation of filmmakers that emerged in the early70's (known in the industry as the "Movie Brats"), which included such directors as Steven Speilberg, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Brian Depalma. It was at this time that the film industry started to take a new direction here in the States, where darker stories were told, deeper questions were asked, and more dynamic techniques were utilized to create innovative visual art.

Action Month

The month of July will be filled with all sorts of action-related content on my Youtube pages. In addition, there will be several blog entries covering some of my personal favorites, as well as historical must-sees that all aficionados of action cinema should give a chance.
Everything will be put here in an easy-to-find format.

The Promo:

A Look at the 80's Action Movie

Muzzle Flare 101:

Groundbreaking Action Cinema - Part 1 -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Groundbreaking Action Cinema - Part 2 - 

 

 

Groundbreaking Action Cinema - Part 3 -

 

Recent Highlights from Lanooski (Junie.net)

Stuff done over the last year, documented at Junie.net.
http://www.junie.net/a-year-in-review/

FIRST POST CREED

This is my first post. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My first post is kind of boring. By no means my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

My first post, without me, is useless. Without my first post, my blog is useless. I must write my first post true. I must write better than my enemy who is trying to kill me...uh... I must write before he does... I will...wait...