More Human Than Human

Watching Blade Runner: The Final Cut is like seeing the film for the first time. A masterpiece reborn.

I’m usually against director’s tinkering around with their work in the hope of appealing to modern sensibilities, but Blade Runner is a special case for obvious reasons. Every alteration in The Final Cut is so subtle that unless you were a super fan, you would never detect anything. The credit of this belongs to director Ridley Scott.

The Great Debaters of Fleet Street

I got a chance to watch The Great Debaters this afternoon. It’s a much better film than Antwone Fisher, Denzel Washington’s first film as a director. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. I have really nothing negative to say about the film.

Sweeney Todd did good at the box-office weekend with a respectable ten million dollars in fifth place. The 28% drop-off between Friday and Saturday is a tad alarming. The better picture of it’s box-office prospects will be painted next weekend.

"Now you know..."

Ben Affleck’s Gone Baby Gone isn’t entirely successful, but what’s there is very good.

First, what’s up with the Silence of the Lambs middle section? Where did that come from? The film would have been much better without it. I did on the other hand enjoy the casting decisions… those faces rival anything you’ll see in a Sergio Leone film. See the film and you’ll know what I mean.

Second, I was far more impressed with Casey Affleck’s performance than Amy Ryan‘s, who is barley in the film. The love she is receiving from critic’s groups is completely uncalled for.

Casey Affleck on the other hand made one hell of a tough guy, an unlikely one too. This may sound strange but he reminded me of a young Robert Mitchum. I’m now really excited to see The Assignation of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford just for Affleck alone.

Quick Ratings - DVD Screener Season

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (Sidney Lumet) ****

The Kite Runner (Marc Foster) **

Gone Baby Gone (Ben Affleck) ***1/2

The Bucket List (Rob Reiner) **1/2

Atonement (Joe Wright) ****

King Goes to the Movies

Cinema is King has reviewed three huge winter titles.

Juno:

"Juno is a film that has so much heart, honesty, and such a hopeful look at life that it is extremely hard not to like. The characters are simple, the plot is simple, the direction is even great but simple. It's the strength in the screenwriting that sells the film and adds that extra kick that makes it stand out so much."

Sweeney Todd:

"Burton is really at his best in every single possible way. His dark gothic/German experssionism? Check. His gorgeous moody lighting and cinematography? Check. His bight, playful, and colorful side? Check. His morbid sense of humor? Check. All of his trademarks are here but he reaches a level of command and perfection to them all that they all serve to paint a beautiful and masterful film."

There Will Be Blood:

"I wont be going into plot specifics. This film can not be summed up so easily. I will just say that it is pure perfection and greatness non stop. The last act of the film is sure to leave most people just in stunned silence. There are also a lot of select scenes which are sure to strike up some controversy and debate between people. Anderson has created a film that is so dense with so many layers of depth and symbolism that I am sure will have everyone talking as well as having many people rewatching as soon as it hits DVD."

The Ballad of Sweeney Todd

Zodiac, Hairspray, and No Country for Old Men cannot hold a candle to the magnificent mayhem that is Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The film lived up to it’s up and more. I now have a new favorite film of 2007.

I’ve been madly in love with the material ever since I discovered it while in high school. Burton’s film is incredibly faithful, yet slightly different in the right places so that it’s not just a record of the stage show. Stephen Sondheim should be very proud. More people will see it this opening weekend than they saw it during it’s original run on Broadway in 1979. That just warms my heart knowing that Sondheim will reach such a large audience in such a short time.

The whole cast knocks it out of the park. I couldn’t imagine any other actors in the roles. If Johnny Depp isn’t nominated for Best Actor, I’ll riot at the Kodak Theater. His voice is excellent for the film. It’s rawness only enhances the film. The same can be said for Helena Bonham Carter who delivers a Mrs. Lovett who is one sultry devil woman. She too deserves a nomination from the Academy.

I’m just so ecstatic right now. I just wanted the film to be “Rent-good”. That’s all I asked for… What a surprise to find out that Burton has managed to make a masterpiece from a masterpiece.

There Will Be Sondheim

I'm seeing Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street tonight at midnight. Life is good right now.

Free Michael Vick?

This just in…

(AP) - Roddy White and four other Atlanta Falcons were fined by the NFL for violating uniform regulations with tributes to Michael Vick during last week's Monday night game.

Vick, Atlanta's suspended Pro Bowl quarterback, was sentenced to 23 months in prison on federal dogfighting charges the morning of Dec. 10. The Falcons played at home against New Orleans that night.

After scoring a touchdown, White displayed a "Free Mike Vick" T-shirt under his jersey. He, along with tight end Alge Crumpler and cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, were fined $10,000 each. Crumpler, Hall and Houston all wore black eye strips with written tributes to Vick, which the league called "displaying an unauthorized personal message."

Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500 for pulling up White's jersey to show the black T-shirt with handwritten white lettering. The fines were confirmed Tuesday by NFL spokesman Randall Liu.

Hall also had a poster of Vick on the field during pre-game introductions.

Free Michael Vick? Are you fucking kidding me? The man tortured dogs to death because they failed him in dog fights. What is going on with society?

Your Daily Scarlett

Scar-Jo gettting her Bergman on.

Far From Dylan

I’m not too sure what to make of I’m Not There. I think I have an idea what Todd Haynes was trying to accomplish… I think, and I consider myself a Dylan cultist.

Haynes clearly takes all the poet warrior shtick Dylan’s been throwing out for years seriously, which is a shame as I believe that that’s the least interesting thing about Bob Dylan. It’s just a stupid routine Dylan just got stuck doing since his early years.

Call me a square but I much prefer Martin Scorsese’s documentary No Direction Home over Haynes’ film. No Richard Gere as Billy the Kid (?) in sight. Now that’s a good thing. Still, I'm Not There is always interesting.

Guitar Hero

Cinema is King's Ramses' excellent review of Once, one of the better films of 2007.

Get Off the Bus

Bus Stop is a insane movie that has enough camp for several troops of boy scouts.

Bus Stop tells the charming story about a psychopathic man-child by the name of Bo, who leaves the ranch in search of rodeo glory and a woman to loose his virginity to. Lucky for him that woman is Mrs. Marilyn Monroe. Unlucky for her, Bo doesn’t except no as an answer.

After much stalking and psychical threats, dear Marilyn falls for the mongoloid after he gets his ass kicked by a bus driver who apparently enjoys intercourse with older woman who run truck stops.

I’m not joking… That’s Bus Stop in a nutshell.

On the plus side it’s one of the most gorgeous Widescreen Technicolor films I’ve ever seen. You also get a scene where Bo eats three raw hamburgers with onion. Really, this is the fucking movie you’re going to get.

Diablo Cody Has a Posse

I am fascinated by all things Diablo Cody right now and I haven’t even seen Juno yet.

This on-set photo… It amuses me.

Punch it, Baby!

The best film I’ve seen in the past few days was Sam Peckinpah’s The Getaway. I watched it with a friend on a rainy Saturday and was rather blown away. The Getaway is like the best film Jean-Luc Godard and Jean Pierre Melville never made together.


Up until now, the only Sam Peckinpah film I’ve really treasured was The Wild Bunch. I’ve always found the work of Peckinpah really messy and unrealized, which is not entirely his fault. The man had practically picture he made altered by studio forces.

By the Sea

Looks and sounds wonderful. December 21st can't come soon enough.