The Fall

The Fall  is a fairy tale really and it tells two stories. It's set in the age of silent film and a young stuntman named Roy has fallen from a railroad trellis and has broken both of his legs, the same day his girlfriend dumps him. Needless to say he's having a bad day. Later after he's taken to a local hospital he meets a little girl named Alexandria (who's there healing from a broken arm). He begins to tell her a story about five heroes who are out to defeat the evil Gov. Odious. Everyone of our heroes has been greatly wronged by the Governor, they've each lost wives, brothers, and friends to his wickedness. It's not long before Alexandria is totally enamored with Roy, he's become a sort of father figure to her. So when he asks her to do him a favor, she's easily persuaded. He wants her to break into the infirmary and stealing him some more Morphine. But, well, she's five. When he wrote down the word Morphine for her, he wrote in all capital letters and she thought the "E" was a three. So she sneaks in and steals him exactly three pills. He's not super thrilled. But he can't hurt her feelings, he still needs her to get him more drugs. So he continues the story. The five heroes are getting closer and closer to finding Odious. But every time it seems Roy is getting close to the end of the story, he puts the brakes on, and he wants her get something else for him.

He sends her back again. Back to the infirmary. So little Alexandria sneaks back in to steal him some more pills, just so he'll finish the story. She climbs up on top of the cupboard where the drugs are kept, but she's too small. She can't quite reach, she stretches and stretches. Then she places her little foot on the next shelf to get higher but instead her foot lands on a bottle that's tipped over. She slips. Down she falls to the hard concrete floor below.  Next time we see poor little Alexandria shes on an operating table, her head all bandaged up. She wants to see Roy, so he's wheeled in to see her. He looks almost worse then she does, obviously the guilt has gotten to him. She wants him to finish the story. He doesn't want to. He tells her it wouldn't be right, the story was a lie, an excuse for him to get her to steal for him. She doesn't care about that, she wants an ending dammit! So he begins the ending. But his guilt is affecting the story, he wants her to hate him as much as he hates himself. He's killing off her heroes one by one. It's down to the wire, her favorite hero The Masked Bandit is facing off with Gov. Odious... and he's losing. Alexandria cries for Roy to let him live but Roy is determined. He will end this story and she'll hate him when it's done. But he can't stand to see her cry. So The Masked Bandit triumphs over the evil Odious and all is right in the world. Alexandria is as pleased as you can imagine. She still loves Roy and he hates to admit it but he might just love her too.

And we have a happy ending everyone! It really was a great movie, really beautifully made. It was filmed in 18 different countries and the scenery is stunning. Apparently it took four years to film, not really sure why but there it is. It's directed by Tarsem the same man who brought us The Cell. This movie isn't nearly as dark as that but just as wonderfully strange.

Possibility

I'm thinking that the next movie I post about here will be Centurion. If you're into Romans, bloodshed, war, or hot men running around half naked this movie is for you! Michael Fassbender (as I've stated on more then one occasion elsewhere) is a total Hottie McHotterson! Him plus swordplay equals an awesome time! I'll go into more specifics later.

A Mystery

I'm still at a bit of a loss as to what I should do next. I've had no recommendations, so I'm all on my own. I feel like I should do a mystery this time around. But I'm just not sure which one. I've been watching Agatha Christie's Marple: Series 1, maybe I'll do one of those. Or maybe Murder on the Orient Express! I love that movie (and book). It has a brilliant cast. It features Sean Connery, Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Michael York and Vanessa Redgrave. I can't stress enough how good it was, if you've never seen (or read) this go get it! Immediately! Hercule Poirot is a world renown investigator, who's boarded the Orient Express. Later that night he wakes to some very strange noises. The next morning it's discovered that a mysterious passenger, Mr. Ratchett, has been stabbed twelve times in his locked cabin. Poirot has to now question the remaining passengers on the train. After speaking to each one individually he finds that they all had a motive to kill the man. By the end Poirot comes to a strange conclusion that he then shares with everyone.

Christmas Spirit

Alright, well I thought about doing a Christmas movie. You know, tis the season and all that. I was even going to do my favorite Christmas movie of all time: Scrooged! But, well I didn't. I mean really who hasn't seen Scrooged? It's on tv all the time in a constant loop from December 1 to New Years. Instead I've picked a classic early 90's Slater flick. Why? Because I can.

 Pump up the Volume is a about a (slightly) geeky kid named Mark (it's Christian Slater, at the pinnacle of his hotness, he can't be that geeky.) who feels like he doesn't fit in. (He's unique, just like everyone else.) Anyway by day he's a straight arrow, by night he's a pirate. (Not "Argh! Imma pirate!" though) See Mark just moved to the suburbs from the City and he's not happy about it. He doesn't know anyone and doesn't really want to know anyone. Anyway he has his own little radio station set up and whenever the mood strikes, he vents his problems on air. Only thing is, he doesn't realize that people can hear him. (He calls himself Hard Harry on his show. Love it!) Once he catches on to that fact he's kind of impressed with himself. He starts taking phone calls and letters, his favorite letters come in red envelopes (they're always dirty poetry). But as his night life takes off, his real life is at a stand still. He develops a serious following at Hubert Humphrey (HH as in Hard Harry wink wink) his school. He's starting a revolution, what Hard Harry says people do.

As time goes by it comes to Mark's attention that his school has some of the highest SAT scores in the district. (His dad works at the school, so he has access to a plethora information. Which he uses.) Which wouldn't be that noteworthy if it wasn't for the fact that alot of kids get expelled from the school who are under achievers or have learning disabilities. The principal Ms Creswood is weeding the less academically minded students out. Also one of his most ardent fans (Lil' Miss Red Envelopes) Nora finds out who he his. She follows him (can you say stalker?) to his P.O. box and witnesses him picking up his fanmail. She swears up and down she'll keep his secret but she wants to help him with his show. He can't really argue, she knows his secret identity! (Man, how does Batman do it?!) One night a caller tells Mark that he wants to kill himself, Mark is understandably flummexed. He thinks the dude is yanking his chain, just bullshiting to get to talk to Hard Harry. He doesn't think he'll do it, plain and simple. Not long after the kid offs himself and Mark feels terrible about it, he thinks if he'd said or done something else he could've helped.

Now due to the kid's suicide (and Hard Harry's use of foul language, plus explicit music) and the absolute anarchy Hard Harry's fans are causing at the school, the FCC is called in and they're gunning to shut him up and shut his station down. So now Mark and Nora (she's such a loyal stalker) have to outsmart or outrun the Man. As They close in on Hard Harry he has to load up his operation (in the back of a Jeep) and take to the road to stay ahead of the law.When Johnny Law finally catches up with Mark, he uses his last few moments on the air to tell those listening to always tell the truth no matter how ugly it is. To always question authority, to think for themselves and always always always talk hard! They haul Hard Harry and his loyal lady away but the story of his daring travels. Suddenly pirate radio stations start popping up all over, because truth is a virus and it will always spread.

I think Hard Harry is like the first blogger, granted this is long before the internet was around to vent on anonymously. But you get my meaning. They only had the radio to say what they wanted. Or starting a zine but that could only reach so many people. Whatever. He had something to say and he put it out there, like so many bloggers do. Not me, mind you, but others. Well, what did this story teach us? Principal's are evil and geeks are secretly (hot!) running underground radio shows! So remember boys and girls, talk hard!

Suggestions?

I'm trying to pick the next movie I should write about. Any suggestions? If I haven't already seen it, I'll definitely try and find it. I am a total movie geek (this isn't news!), so if you think a movie is cool or interesting and that I should see it, let me know! Any and all recommendations are welcome.

Ginger Snaps

I don't know whether other people classify this movie as awesome or awesomely bad. Either way, I love it. Ginger Snaps is about a pair of outsider sisters who are very close and more then alittle morbid.

You could even call them death-obsessed.This is proven quite effectively by the showing of their slideshow for a class project. Life in Bailey Downs. Every single photo is a suicide/death scene. (My personal favorite is the Drain-O tea party.) Needless to say their teacher is weirded out, their classmates are slightly impressed in a strange way. Not that the Fitzgerald sisters really care, they have nothing but disdain and contempt for their classmates. Their macabre sense of humor is not really appreciated though, especially with the Beast of Bailey Downs on the loose. See there's a wild dog/bear/cougar/something that's been eating the local's pets. When Brigitte has a confrontation with a preppy girl (Trina) while playing field hockey, she's shoved into a shredded dog's body (Eww btw!) and Ginger is determined to get revenge. They plan to sneak over to the other girl's house kidnap her beloved dog and make it look like it was eaten by the Beast. The girls stop at an empty playground to discuss just what they're going to do when Ginger begins bleeding. She has gotten "the curse" for the first time (Their mom is so proud. Ick.). Out of nowhere something grabs Ginger and carries her off into the woods,  B goes chasing after her. All you can hear is Ginger screaming! Then boom! Ginger comes out of the darkness and they're both running. From what we don't know yet. It catches up to them and goes for Ginger a second time, Brigitte hits with her camera repeatedly. The flash goes off blinding the Beast for a moment and the girls take off running again. They run screaming into the street with the Beast hot on the heels. Then its run-down by a van! The driver (who we saw earlier and found out was a drug dealer) is stunned (wouldn't you be?) and gets out to see just what he hit. Even after looking at the thing's twisted body he's not sure.

When the girls make it home (why they didn't go to the hospital is beyond me) B insists on seeing the wound. It's not bleeding anymore, it's even beginning to heal already. It's only then that Brigitte wants to call 911 (really?) but Ginger doesn't want her mom finding out, they'd have to hear about if forever if she knew. Later after Ginger passes out (she really has had a hard day) Brigitte pries the jammed Polaroid out of her camera (it got stuck when she was beating the Beast with it). All that you really see is an eye and teeth. But it certainly doesn't look any of the local wildlife. The next day at the super market the sisters run into head jock Jason, who tells Ginger (according to his sisters) the only thing to take the edge off of cramps is a few tokes. Leaving Brigitte standing outside, Ginger happily climbs into a stranger's van (has her mother taught her nothing?!). While waiting B starts noticing that this van is kind of familiar... and the front is all smashed in. Along comes Sam (drug dealer/ van owner). (What do you want? Gee, what did you hit? A lycanthrope. Hey there's someone in my van!) After ejecting Ginger and her new crowd of fans, Trina show up to talk (stalk!) Sam and is none too happy to see the Fitzgerald sisters. And neither is her dog, he goes ape shit trying to attack Ginger. In the scuffle Brigitte drops her things, including her Polaroid. Ginger suddenly needs to make a trip to the little girls room and once there she makes a startling discovery. The wound on her shoulder is now nearly completely healed and, oh yeah, sprouting hair! (Damn puberty is a bitch.) Brigitte is now pretty certain her sister is becoming a werewolf. Ginger just thinks she's crazy for even suggesting it and a total bitch too. It didn't take a silver bullet to kill that thing that was chasing them! Clearly not a werewolf, right? So B starts a little independent research.

Ginger is definitely changing. She's making out with Jason (the jock tool) and even her choice of clothing is different. Brigitte is understandably concerned. Sam pops up here again. He found that Polaroid that B dropped and he's spent the past week looking for her. See, they both saw the same thing but what was is exactly? Could've been anything really, right? So why does he keep thinking lycanthrope? It would explain the animal's apparent circumcision. (again ewww!) Brigitte is becoming more and more worried about Ginger and her erratic behavior and the next full moon is fast approaching. She has to talk to someone but who? Ginger won't listen. The only answer is Sam (drug dealer/van owner/possible cherry hound). But she can't tell him about Ginger, she'd never forgive her, he has to think it's her problem. Brigitte's fears are completely validated when she finds Ginger covered in blood! She tore the neighbor's dog to pieces. Now (finally!) Ginger is willing to listen to B and her theories. Most of which include Sam in one way or another, Ginger however is not big on the idea of including him. But what can she do? They go to see him at his greenhouse where he's been doing a little studying, there's a flower called monkshood that may be just what they were looking for. It could be a cure. Only one problem, it's out of season.

Trina has to come to the Fitzgerald house. Her dog has gone missing and she thinks Ginger had something to do with it. A fair assumption after the fight they had earlier at school. Ginger is not really in a good mood, she's just itching to draw some blood, and along comes hapless Trina. (Uh oh.) After slapping Trina around abit and scaring the crap out of her, she manages to get away from Ginger... only to slip and hit her head on the counter edge. And guess who's parents have just gotten home? The girls shove Trina into a freezer and do their best to distract their folks. After a few hours of "family time" they go back to the freezer to check on Trina. She's completely frozen through, she's even got freezer burn. They move her to their play house to bury her in a shallow grave. B thinks it would probably be best if Ginger didn't go to school for a while, just till things blow over. Especially now that Trina's considered missing and everything. Hmmmm.

You know, Jason's not looking so hot these days. Ever since he and Ginger had (unprotected) sex he's been feeling rather odd. Oh and he's growing a tail! And he thinks that his tail and Ginger are related somehow. He's pretty sure Brigitte knows something about it too. Luckily the janitor interrupts things before Jason can get too rough with her. Later at dinner we find out that mom got a phone call from the police about the missing girl. They want to question Ginger about a fight she had with Trina the same day that she disappeared. It's probably not important though. Oh hey! Mom's got some monkshood! (All those trips to the crafts store have finally paid off.) Brigitte has to lock Ginger in their bathroom to go see Sam. How should she take the monkshood? Best bet, inject it. Sadly by the time B gets home Ginger's gone. Where does a werewolf infected teenager go? To school of course! Brigitte has to book it to the school to find Ginger, on the way there she hears screaming. Could Ginger have taken a side trip? Nope. Jason is shaking down little kids now. He tries to attack/rape(?) Brigitte so she sticks him with the needle. Well now he seems fine, a bit confused, but fine. Now to find Ginger.

When B finally reaches the school, she's called to the guidance councilor's office. Ginger has offed the guy. Crap. That's one more body to hide. B goes to find cleaning supplies, when she gets back Ginger's gotten a hold of the janitor. She's clearly lost her grip on sanity. And she doesn't want to be changed back. But she does want to eat Sam, so she takes off. Mom finds B running down the roadside and takes her to the greenhouse where there's a massive party going on. B needs to find Ginger fast before she decides to tear Sam's throat out, she gets to the party just in time to see Ginger break his arm. She has to infect herself to get Ginger to trust her again, now they need Sam (and his van) to take them back to their house so B can get more monkshood. Once inside the house Ginger transforms completely, she stalks them trying to separate them. They're able to get the rest of the monkshood before being trapped in a closet. Sam, poor poor Sam. He tries to be heroic and it gets him killed. Now it's just Ginger and Brigitte. B's chased all around the house before she has a final face off with her sister. When Ginger pounces on her, B's knife (that we saw earlier) plunges into Ginger's side. The nightmare is finally over. Or is it? Well obviously not since there are sequels.

I personally really like the sequels. The third (Ginger Snaps Back - The Beginning) more so then the second (Ginger Snaps 2 - Unleashed). Mostly because the third is actually a prequel and it's set it the 1800's. So it's a combination of two of my favorite types of movies, period pieces and horror movies! Yay! I may eventually get to one or the other.

Man on Fire

Damn I forgot how good this movie is. Man on Fire is epic. If you have never seen it, fix that. Soon. Now! I'm only going to give you an over view because I want to you to actually watch this. It takes place in Mexico City, a business man named Samuel goes shopping for a bodyguard for his daughter Pita. He finds Creasy, a former counter-insurgent operative, who's a bit out of shape. Oh and he drinks. Nonetheless he's hired on. Pita loves him pretty much on sight. But Creasy is hard inside, too many years killing people professionally, he doesn't see Pita as anything but a job. At first. As time passes he begins to feel very protective of her, more so then is required for the job, she's become like a daughter to him. One day after dropping her off for piano lessons, she's taken. Creasy does everything he can to save her, including taking two bullets to the chest but it's no good. The ransom deal is made, but it goes wrong. She's gone.When Creasy gets out of the hospital, he has only one goal. To kill everyone involved. And if there is one thing Creasy is good at, it's killing people. In very inventive ways too! I'm not going to tell you anymore about it. Jut watch it. You'll thank me later. Really. Honestly if I hadn't loved Denzel Washington, this would've been the movie to change my mind. This simply reaffirmed what I already knew, he is awesome!