I watched the movie It’s Kind Of A Funny Story tonight, which deals with mental illness and suicide, but also teen romance and anxiety. It was really a good movie, but i was sad to learn after watching that the author of the book it was based on, Ned Vizzini succumbed to suicide a couple years ago. Very tragic, but his legacy lives on.
Despite being made in the 80’s, John Carpenter’s They Live could easily be a commentary on the modern day recession. And wow, what a fun movie! It’s got Rowdy Roddy Piper, Keith David, aliens, one of the most epic fight scenes in any movie, and probably the greatest one-liner ever.
This movie really does have everything, and it’s about as campy as it gets. Rowdy Roddy Piper is a drifter who finds a construction job to try to make ends meet. Until he gets back on his feet, he is staying at this little shanty town with other homeless people. Nearby is a church that he gets curious about, and little does he know, it’s full of an armed resistance movement. What are they resisting?
Well it turns out, the entire planet is being run by aliens who are disguised as humans. They broadcast a signal that tricks people into not realizing what the aliens actually look like, and so they are able to go around in public without being noticed. On top of that, the aliens are behind a huge propaganda campaign that leaves subliminal messages in basically anything printed.
The resistance movement has constructed sunglasses that allow people to see the truth. And the truth looks like this.
Roddy Piper enlists the help of his friend, Keith David. Although for some reason Keith David is really pissed at Roddy Piper. I really didn’t understand how their conflict escalated like it did. But before you know it, they’re kicking each other’s asses gloriously. I had no idea this is where the fight on South Park between Timmy and Jimmy originated, but it’s literally a mirror image, shot for shot, of the They Live fight!
Everything is pretty much over the top here, such as when the chick with crazy white eyes tosses Roddy out a 3rd story window, or when he busts into a bank with a shotgun and says “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubblegum.” But They Live also has a deeper meaning, trying to tell us to be aware of the commercialism and how much control it has over us. This movie could easily be remade in 2011 and have just as much of an impact. This is easily my favorite movie of Spook Fest 2011 so far.
5 pumpkins out of 5
I’ve done it unofficially for most of the last several years (usually in October) but this year I want to start a little earlier and keep better track. What am I talking about?
Scott Topic Spook Fest 2011! I plan to watch 1 or more horror films a day until Halloween. They will range from classic horror, big budget CGI fests, low budget cornball films, and everything in between. My girlfriend plans to tag along for most if them, and I’ll post my progress here and on Twitter.
So grab your popcorn fellow boils and ghouls and follow along as we ring in Halloween in style!
There are 3 movies coming out this summer with the same basic plot. A good band of commandos vs a bad band of commandos. Nothing original, but really, who watches these movies for original plots? NOBODY! So which of these films will be The Prestige and which will be The Illusionist?
The Losers
The A-Team
The Expendibles
Personally, I won’t bet against the star power of The Expendibles, but the other two movies don’t look like slouches either. Should be a fun (and loud) summer!
3 days till I’ll be in New York.
Not permanently, mind you. A short trip. It’s a 2 day thing. Have to be back because one of my buddy’s wives wants him home early.
Can’t talk his way out of it.
I can’t imagine that right now.
I sometimes feel like there’s nothing I need more in this world than a serious relationship. But then there’s times when… i just don’t.
—
I went to the eye doctor today. He was a new guy. I’m never going back. He was slow, rude, and seemed to lick his chops at the thought of having me come back for an unnecessary followup next week. Fuck. That.
I’ll be following up. With a real eye doctor.
—
I realize I’m late (like 3 years late) getting on this bandwagon, but I’ve been watching a lot of Mad Men lately. All I know is that I need to buy more suits. And drink more cocktails. And live in a city. That show is great, seriously. Oh and despite what I said earlier, Christina Hendricks needs to marry me right now.
On a completely unrelated note, if this doesn’t make you laugh, then you need to drink more cocktails.
I like when I sorta forget movie, and then putting it on I’m still able to kinda be surprised when things happen. Not the same surprise as the first time you see it, but still it’s not a movie you’re familiar enough with that you can recite every line. That just happened to me.
Vanilla Sky is one of the greatest movies ever. The ending is almost perfect and it gives me chills every time I see it. Sigur Rós singing The Nothing Song, some of my favorite lines ever.. it all comes together. I think this was when Tom Cruise peaked cuz it has been pretty much down hill since this.
David: Do you remember what you told me once? That every passing minute is a another chance to turn it all around.
Sofía: I’ll find you again.
David: I’ll see you in another life… when we are both cats.
|