5 SECOND MOVIES

I think I'd watch more long films if they were like this!!!

MILLION DOLLAR BABY

BATMAN

TITANIC


THE SIXTH SENSE

Russell Brand, his mate, the movie and the DEVO t-shirt

Russell Brand and Jonah Hill on location for "Get Him to the Greek" in Central Park - 07/30/2009

DREW BARRYMORE & DEVO GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS

Davo's Mark Mothersbaugh has revealed he got hired and fired within a fortnight for the music score on a film named after Devo's biggest hit and best known tune, "Whip It!" due for release at the end of this year after a bust up with its unreliable director and film star Drew Barrymore.

The film, about an indie chick and roller-dervy (sounds thrilling - erm, no) was to feature Mothersbaugh as its score composer but he told OMG Yahoo laughing away how, "She hired me and fired me in all of like two weeks, I got snippy with her. She cancelled out on showing up at the studio three times and I kicked Devo out every single time and had an engineer come in and set up the studio and the third time I got pissy with her on the phone. And she said she just doesn't think our styles work together. So I got fired."

Her loss, DEVO's gain!

MOVIE: CLOVERFIELD

Went to Vue in Cardiff this evening with my daughter who wanted to see the latest goofy comedy, Dan In Real Life, but didn't realise until we got there that the film doesn't play on a Sunday night. The only film starting at the time we were there was Cloverfield which, for both of us, turned out to be far better.

It was a B-movie of the modern era shot in the same genre as The Blair Witch Project as if someone was shooting a home movie. This time as one of the characters was having a farewell party before moving for work from America to Japan.

Set in New York, why is it always bloody New York? Every disaster movie from King Kong to I Am Legend seems to be based there. Just for once, can't they blow up Splott, Barry, Bridgend or, please, please, Swansea?

What starts out as mates recording their farewell messages to camera soon turns into a recording of the city being ripped apart by one enormous monster and its mini offspring in breathtakingly fast footage style not unlike 9/11 as that unfolded.

The jerky camera movements did grate at first but you soon settled into it and got taken in by the film. Special effects for this type of movie were very good, it was tense and everyone - all the goodies and heroes - got killed which made a refreshing change leaving the camera as the only document of the night.

Ignoring how a video camera last from a 9pm party to 7am next day without its film or battery ever being changed, this was a satifying movie that had a full audience gripped in silence throughout and stiill sitting quiet in their seats for a minute or so as it finished.

Worth a viewing if you fancy a film.

Movie website and trailer are here:
http://www.cloverfieldmovie.com/

Movie: P.S. I LOVE YOU

Just like Cardiff Bus, after no movie for a while, I go at see three at once and 2 in 3 nights. The only film I saw last week was St Trinian's but less said about that one, the better.

When you walk into Wetherspoon's massive Prince of Wales bar, a quiet night tends to be half full. Tonight, it was just two people drinking at the bar, another half dozen scattered around, the bouncers sat down chatting and drinking tea together and the only noise there was coming from its over-loud and annoying manageress. No point in hanging about town then, off to the movies and, with brownie points needed, I went to see this romantic comedy with the missus.

It's a simple but bland formula - girls will love it, men will have to tolerate it or loathe it. My biggest problem, however, rather than a genre that bores me - it's purposely pitched at girlies after all - and a film that was annoyingly over 2 hours long was Vue's cinema over-heating. I felt like I was on the change.

Simple formula - husband dies, wife grieves, she's an all American girl, he's an Irish charmer, she misses him but them comes the twist - he pre-wrote letters ahead of his terminal illness death telling her how to live life and get over him.

Mercifully, the missus informed me that the film was more comedic than a completely slushy book (comedy in these films = no chuckles from us blokes and a few mildly amusing moments) and it only featured a fraction of the letters he wrote in that novel - you mean it oculd have been twice as long!?!?

Lead character Hilary Swank is enjoyable but it's a million miles away from her female boxer role tht brought her to our screens and attention. Ex-Friends star Lisa Kudrow and her chat up style (not disimilar to mine in Kiwi's a few years ago but much more sober!) is funny but just not featured enough. The biggest laugh, or annoynace, comes from the dead hubby's attempt at an Irish accent which he cannot hold or carry off at any time - it makes Dick Van Dyke's mockney seem perfect.

Go if you need brownie points with the missus - mine really enjoyed it and was incredibly loving with me afterwards too so it works on that level - but, believe me, you'd be better off avoiding and waiting for the dvd at home. At least that way, you can get up as much as you like while it's on!

MOVIE: I AM LEGEND

Went to Vue Cinemas in Cardiff tonight to watch the much talked about and hyped I AM LEGEND featuring Will Smith.

Have to admit I am not the greatest fan of the sci-fi genre and I really wasn't sure how a film would work with, essentially, just one character but this was emotional, gripping, tense, made you thinking and, in my humble opinion as a hopeless film critic, a fantastic piece of work.

Will Smith puts in the performance of his life - far different from his usual jovial roles - and the 100+ minutes of a film that was purposely slow in many parts still film by and had you totally captured by it.

The cinema was packed and I don't hear a single word or noise from the audience from start to finish, many still walking out in silence. It was that sort of film, I'd thoroughly recommend seeing it.

Porn Ain't What It Used To Be

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/use_of_n_word_may_end_porn_stars

Proof that the Irish discovered Africa

the

Lassie, what a hero!

THE TUBES PROJECT

One of my favourite bands of all time are The Tubes. Enjoyed various success but still very much performing almost 35 years on, the live shows legendary and they remain an act not to miss as far as I'm concerned (or to check out if you don't have their back-catalogue).

The Tubes are currently in the throes of releasing a chronological movie with the band contributing their memories, photos and videos and the fans doing likewise too all curate by Michael Cotten, one of the founder members.

Some of the footage is now available oo youtube while there is also a Tubes project website. Have a look over your next cuppa.

You Tube website
http://www.youtube.com/thetubesproject

Tubes Project website
http://www.thetubesproject.com/

Tubes official website
http://www.thetubes.com/

SUPERBAD (not that bad at all)

Went to a preview tonight of a new film, Superbad, due to be released in UK in a couple of weeks brought to the screens by the same production team behind "40 year old virgin" and "Knocked Up" amongst other recent comedy movies.

The film sets itself up with a title like Superbad and the legend, "the most fall about laughs in a movie" but in truth, it's neither.

It did have a few funny moments, maybe helped with a full audience, not sure many would have laughed at all in a smaller crowd. It also went on for 2 hours, at least 30 minutes longer than necessary and, boy, did it drag in places.

The plot we've seen 1,001 games - American college boys trying to lose their virginity, get the best girls but it's done with a twist as this is about 3 geeks and loners who keep pretty much to themselves. With some fine acting moments away from the mirth, it was part gentle, part humourous and a decent interlude for those young at heart and open-minded with their humour that, I'm sure, brings back some memories of our own fumbling first love attempts ... and attempts at buying booze ... and drawing pictures of penises (whadya mean "I didn't do that!". For my generation, it's not as funny as Porky's or Animal House but it's certainly far better than most recent lame attempts at this genre.


Official site:
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/superbad

American critics site:
http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/superbad/