Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
The Weekly MUST READ! for May 31st – June 6th
Movie Review: UP
Movie Review: UP
I once heard that in business the trick to sustainability was to be remarkable. Not just in the sense of standing out or being the best, but in really being remarkable – being mentioned in conversation, worth discussion, consistently surprising and innovating. This is what Pixar has been able to achieve these last 15 years. Feature after feature, Pixar is a company that has not only realized how to be remarkable, but they have monopolized the trait in the animation industry, and done so with indelible consistency.
My first paragraph has no doubt betrayed my thoughts on this film, but let me say it was incredible. Up isn’t and never does feel like a movie pushed to theaters by studio focus groups, aimed at children, that’s designed to sell the wacky side-kick action feature. The film plays beautifully from opening to credits, never dragging its feet or devolving into a series of uninspired and utterly unnecessary musical numbers. This movie is simply a fantastic example of what a film can be with the right direction and studio support.
Pixar’s movies never begin without giving you more than you paid for in the form of a clever opening animated short – some of which are more enjoyable than full length features seen recently. The opening 10 minutes of Up are likely the strongest of the movie, giving the audience an important context from which to view the rest of the film. The protagonist Carl, married an adventurer, but got caught up in life and never made that daring South American trip they had always promised they would. As anyone who’s seen the preview knows, Carl decides to fulfill his promise and uses the home he and his wife built together to do it.
One much appreciated aspect of Up, and most Pixar features, is the fact that they choose to include genuinely dramatic themes in their movies. There are scenes with blood, divorce is implied, death and tragedy are dealt with, and characters mourn after receiving terrible news. So often films like Up contain the most simplistic of narratives and themes with such black and white moral structures that any three year old you explain all aspects of the film to perfection. Up assumes more than a base level of intelligence and maturity from its audience. Perhaps a film not fully understood by the 4 year old, but much more deeply meaningful to the 8 year old than Pocahontas 3 will ever be.
The plot itself has a resounding strength which is, at it’s heart, a love story. Without treading on old ground, Up delivers a compelling adventure, a satisfying resolution, and a heartfelt conclusion. Watching this movie it’s easy to get caught up in the nonchalant flow of the story without taking a step back to appreciate the painstaking process the movie went through years and years ago to bring Up to the screen. Pixar, famous for their long-term vision, first revealed production plans for up as far back as 2004. Their vision for story and commitment to their characters has paid off time and time again.
It’s hard for me to think of Up without looking at the stream of quality feature films Pixar has produced consecutively. They must have some incredible process for vetting their stories or simply some absolutely stellar talent as Up, like almost all Pixar movies before it, delivers an innovative story with exceptional grace and style.
9/10 (Highly recommended.)
2012 and the End of the World – Anything to fear?
In the past couple of years talk to the South American time clocks and the supposed end of the world in 2012 have been cropping up. Although it’s a fascinating topic, I think it’s ludicrous as well. How quickly people forget all the hysteria that surrounded the Y2K. The video above illustrates my point nicely.
In related news, I once lead a prayer group called Y2C. My how good branding ideas age poorly.
Ironman-like technology not so far off
The Challenges of Street Life
A helpful video to aid in the goal of becoming ‘Street Smart,’ like myself. This information is of course old hat for me. I hadn’t seen the money clip one before, or the necklace.
The Rise of the Camera as the new Social Conscience
We live in a free society, and taking a picture of anything in the public sphere is legal. Yes, everything public ought not be photographed, ie. Paparazzi; but the pervasiveness of cameras in our culture has also lead to the establishment of a new social conscience of sorts.
Before you steal something you look for the camera right? No cameras, no problem.
The way we act when we know we’re on camera is very different than how are behave otherwise. This is also true of law enforcement. I have a great respect for civil servants, and the young man in the video above deserved what he got, but a foot to the face – necessary?
Camera’s today serve many a purpose: they entertain us, they keep us honest, and they punish us when we are not.
(theaccurrent.com does not endorse theft – unless it’s corporate. You’ve got to set goals.)
Most Anticipated Movie of the Year
Rarely do I get to break entertainment news like this before major sites like MSNBC or CNN put it on their front page, but luckily for you I have obtained a sample of next years best picture winner. Enjoy, and remember my Nostradamus like abilities next Oscar season.
Movie Review: Star Trek
Movie Review: Star Trek
In 2002, the release of Star Trek: Nemesis disappointed fans worldwide. The film was the final attempt by The Next Generation’s crew to re-capture the fading fan-base and re-establish the franchise as a box office contender. The movie was boring, uninteresting, and aside from a new brief moments with Data and Picard, utterly forgettable. So with the TNG crew out of commission, and the other series’ popularity not really warranting new feature films, the Star Trek franchise was boldly going nowhere. This franchise wide lull was a blessing in disguise, as the series restart sets the stage for a new level of quality in the Trek film world.
The new Star Trek movie dazzles the senses right from the first frame. Gone are the stark set pieces and mediocre effects that Star Trek has been known for; this iteration features fully functional worlds with gorgeous establishing shots, well dressed sets, and technology somehow retro and futuristic all at once.
The Enterprise looks excellent, with a much slicker bridge than previously seen, but with a surprisingly welcome utilitarian and rugged engine room. The Earth scenes, all of which are excellently shot, serve well to ground the film in our future’s reality, rather than the audience simply viewing the metal interior of a spaceship for hours straight. This film actually feels large, with no visible expense spared. The same goes for the crew.
For the non-trekkie, it may be difficult to understand just how embodied the character of Captain Kirk is in William Shatner. Shatner IS Kirk, and has been for 40 years. I for one was very apprehensive about the idea of Kirk, and the rest of the crew for that matter, being re-cast with younger actors. The idea felt like too much of a money grab, rather than furthering the series, or the characters. After one viewing of this new trek I can say without any reservation, it was a good idea, and the young Chris Pine IS James T Kirk.
Wisely choosing to make Kirk his own character, Pine doesn’t deliver a William Shatner impersonation at any point in the film, but instead comes across as a more direct, less flamboyant version of the character. It’s thankful Pine really does come through, as this is a movie about Jim Kirk, from birth to Captain. Still, Pine’s performance wouldn’t be quite as sweet without the strong cast of actors he is surrounded by.
It’s Karl Urban who stands out more than any other as the ever-perturbed ‘Bones’ McCoy. Urban’s McCoy is perhaps the most similar to the original character, right down to the “Dammit Jim…”, and the chemistry between him and Pine plays well throughout the movie. The always witty Simon Pegg plays Scotty the way he plays most of his characters – which isn’t a bad thing in this case. As for Hero’s Zachary Quinto, his take on Spock is more than passable if not excellent. However, Leonard Nemoy’s Spock feels ever so more sophisticated, reserved, and nuanced than Quinto’s, which is understandable given than Nemoy has had 40 years to perfect the character. When Nemoy finally does make it on the screen – and his scenes make up far more than a simple cameo – there’s a sense of awe and wonder, and a conformation of sorts that this is indeed a Star Trek movie.
The films weakest when it comes to Eric Bana’s character Nero. Bana does what he can with what he’s been given, but the evil of his character never feels too terribly great nor threatening, and by the end of the film most will find him rather dismissible, which is unfortunate given the ability of Bana and the possible scope of what could have been.
It’s been seven years since the last Star Trek movie, and although the hiatus has indeed been longer than I would have liked, it was well worth it if this is the quality of Trek film we can expect from now on. This movie felt very much like a new beginning rather than just a continuation, and hopefully it will serve as both. This movie made me feel the way the Phantom Menace should have: gleeful, excited, and looking towards the future.
8/10 (Highly recommended)
Duke Nukem: Literally Forever
In 1996 3D Realms began a video game which has become the biggest joke and myth of the industry: Duke Nukem Forever. Think for one second on the fact that the game has been in development for over 12 years, with its most recent marketing push coming in 2007. Today, after all these years, the public learns that 3D Realms is closing its doors, with Duke remaining unreleased.
At this time it’s unknown whether the game will ever see the light of day, and perhaps its unlikely that it will. But the journey has been epic, and the humour and irony surrounding the games development has perhaps more enjoyable than the game ever could be.
Shacknews has a great article on the history of the game you can view here.