Social Network

I'm still on the fence about The Social Network. It has all of the ingredients to be incredible, but those same things could be its downfall.

That being said, the trailers for have been nothing but exemplary. They tease and utilize the entire Facebook recognition factor to perfection.

Now we get to see some actual footage!

POV: Happy Birthday AK

Akira Kurosawa would have turned 100 today.

For me he is the greatest filmmaker who ever lived. His ability to entertain while delving deep into the human condition is second to none. There is a reason why he is known as The Emperor, and it is a title well deserved.

Akira Kurosawa 1910-1998

Frame from Yojimbo (1961).Note the use of planes and deep focus.

One of the paintings he'd created for storyboards

24 Frames: Europa Film Treasures

This is a great little site that is perfect for the cineaste in all of us.

Click on the image to visit:

You can discover a treasure trove of short films from various decades and countries as well as test your knowledge, or gain some.

Well worth checking out.

Review: The Ghost Writer

The Ghost Writer (2010)
starring: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams
dir. Roman Polanski

Chinatown, Frantic, The Ninth Gate, and The Tenant all share one key component. The main character is in over their head and think they are smarter than they really are. From this idea comes a level of twisted comedy as the protagonist struggles with everything and everyone to find some kind of answer. In most cases the lone hero ends up failing miserably. This is something most people can relate to.

There is a moment in The Ghost Writer when Ewan McGregor's character, simply known as "The Ghost", wants to see where the body of his predecessor was found washed up on a beach. He borrows a bike to ride there. His first attempt to hop on the bike proves fruitless as the tires sink into the gravel of the drive, and no matter how hard he pedals to push himself out, he simply falls over. That's pretty much his character in a nutshell and Polanski gives it to us with simple grace and humor.

Filled with little moments, this movie may not live up to the classics that Polanski has given us in the past, but is shows a sure hand and a man who understands that even the slightest little gesture can make a mediocre scene hum with life and atmosphere. It's a movie that shows that what is happening on screen isn't half as dangerous as what is happening off screen. It's a confidence in storytelling that has always set him apart from the pack.

No matter how ridiculous the climax of the film is, odds are you wont see it coming. The pieces of the puzzle fit together, and it is thrilling to be guided by a master storyteller with a unique voice.

There is only two rules to remember when sitting down to watch this: Don't turn your brain off and bring your sense of humor.

8.7 out of 10

POSTERS: Blade Runner

This is a minimal concept piece. One of several great ideas. You can find more here.


It's inspired by Roy Batty's final line from the film which reads as thus:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die.

How can you not love that.

Second place goes to The Shining with a close third to the Back To The Future trifecta. I would rank them higher, but I'm not a fan of the sequels.

POV: Showgirls, Teen Wolves, and Astro Zombies

Showgirls, Teen Wolves, and Astro Zombies
author: Michael Adams

I originally thought that this was going to be more of a reference book. You know, a movie title followed by a brief plot synopsis followed by a snarky critique. Instead, I got a fun adventure into a year in the life of a man who is on a cinematic adventure into the dark waters of crap cinema.

Written like a memoir, Adams lays out his strategy for how he plans to discover the worst film ever made. What makes this a real winner is his sense of humor and lack of obnoxiousness. He's not some snob out to bring down Z-grade cinema. This is a celebration of low budgets, bad writing and directing.

Adams spent a small fortune accumulating a library of movies that most people would be embarrassed to admit they have even seen. Then using random selection through bingo balls, he attempts to watch a movie a day for an entire year. The results are a book that you can't really put down.

If I were to point out a weakness of the book, I do with he'd displayed his rating system. He explains it, but I would have loved an appendix that shows the full score cards for each film. That minor squabble aside, it's a blast.

POV: The Futurist

The Futurist:
The Life And Films Of James Cameron
Author: Rebecca Keegan



As far as biographies go, this one is fine. Keegan keeps the pace brisk, which is nice, but never gives a sense of a full human being. She was given access to the friends and family of Cameron, yet never seems to get any deeper than a few basic bullet points.


1. Cameron is a smart dude who loves real science as much as he loves film.

2. He has a drive that can cause a lot of friction but even when he seems like a jerk, he's a good guy.

3. He continues to push himself.

There is some discussion about the themes of his films and the tensions that it takes to continue to push the envelope, but never any deeper analysis than a few paragraphs that continually reference his other films to show how they link together.

The best part in the book is delivered by Cameron's friend and fellow genius director Guillermo del Toro. He discusses the kidnapping of his father and how important Cameron was at helping Del Toro not only help get his father back, but the real compassion and deep rooted support that Cameron delivered. It's a great story and is the one real glimpse into a man who is a lot more complex than the book wishes to explore.

This biggest shame is that Keegan was given access to Cameron's latest film Avatar, but we learn little more than what has been discussed on the internet or through making of videos. Even his other films are mainly discussed using information that can be found in the special features of DVDs.

There is also no discussion of the film Solaris (2003) which was produced by Cameron and directed by Stephen Soderbergh. These are two men who are the exact opposite when it comes to making movies. If you take the time to listen to the commentary on the DVD which features Cameron and Soderbergh, you get a real sens of how Cameron sees himself and how he respects and honors the way other filmmakers. It's a very solid commentary and feels like a better peek into the way the man operates than most of the book does.

That being said, it's a fast read and it is very enjoyable for what it is. It may not be the definitive biography of one of the worlds most powerful filmmakers, but it's an interestig peek that leaves the reader wanting to know more.