Eisentower30: Everything You Need And Some You Don't

IASIP GIFs FTW

2010-03-10T02:22:00Z

A Moment with Killian Heilsberg

2010-03-04T23:59:00Z

This is the latest product of my education at Flashpoint Academy. The assignment was to create a short interview piece on somebody within Flashpoint to be created entirely on campus and on the (shitty) AVID editing software. We desperately wanted Killian, but she is a bit camera shy. So, we got the next best thing: Killian as a sock puppet!

90 Seconds of Nolan

2010-02-26T00:54:00Z

I made this today, just playing around with the camera as my dog played model.

Dirty Dollar trailer

2010-02-21T06:50:00Z

Shutter Island: Review (spoiler-free)

2010-02-20T04:44:00Z

Martin Scorsese has jumped genres before, but with Shutter Island it would seem the man continues to function as one of the most fearless and confident directors on Earth. Shutter Island is a film loaded with complexities and simplicities that scatter about in a patiently-paced film noir whose final twist will slowly penetrate your brain, rather than slap you in the face. The intricacies of each character and the knowledge you possess at the end will change everything you know, and frankly, what more can you ask of a story in this genre?

Visually, Shutter Island is Martin Scorsese's masterpiece. Hands down the single most beautiful work of his career, complete with stunning imagery and brilliant colors that jump off the screen. So many shots leave you awestruck with the beauty present. Some you can see for yourself in the trailer above. The scene Leonardo DiCaprio and Michelle Williams share in the flaming apartment is quite possibly the most striking part of the film, and not only visually. A helicopter shot very early in the film, following the car carrying our lead actors was jaw-dropping itself in its precision. But my favorite visual scene came when Scorsese put the camera in our perspective as the gates of Ashecliffe (the name of the facility on Shutter Island) open. Along with the haunting music, a first-person perspective told me right off the bat to prepare for a ride that I would experience for myself through the eyes of one man. On top of the well-crafted artistic moments, the overall look of the film carries an authentic sensation to the time period (1950s) in which it takes place. The entire film is the work of a cinematographer relishing a career embodied by its timelessness. Coming off the gorgeous Inglourious Basterds, Robert Richardson knows how to create images that stick in your mind for days.

So what about the story? Well, I must say it is truly complex. Heavy on the dialogue when not wowing the audience with stunning visuals, Shutter Island explores a mystery through facts, rather than editing tricks. Yet, still a lot of tiny moments will throw you into full "what the fuck" mode, with objects disappearing and reappearing and characters confusing the living hell out of you. As usual, patience is a virtue, and you know throughout the film that answers will come. Surely enough, they do, but not in your modernized style. There is no Sixth Sense reveal or Saw-style montage flashback re-exploring what just happened. Instead, the reveal takes its time and begs of you to give the entire film another look. Upon my second viewing, I noticed a relentless barrage of moments that, now knowing everything, created an entirely new experience as a viewer. Martin Scorsese's ability to not only screw with your mind, but also keep your knowledge of the facts intact allows it to slide the knife of revelation into your mind slowly and let you come out the other side with a sensation of relief and calm rarely accomplished in films like this.

On top of everything else, this film is guided by the steady work of a modern-day behemoth in Leonardo DiCaprio. What is amazing is how he finally looks like the weathered man he constantly portrays. The Aviator was the first time he really, truly looked the part of a torn soul, constantly battling himself and the demons within. Well, his character in Shutter Island is not so different from Howard Hughes from a mental perspective. I'd just say he has a bit more of a temper. But DiCaprio is in every single shot of the film and his authoritative ability commands your full attention. Would he have been nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award given a better release date? I really just don't know. But I do know that his presence on screen is all it needed to be and he brought his arsenal of talents to the Scorsese table once again.

Finally, the score must be mentioned. While there is no overwhelming theme or centric motif throughout the film, there are still memorable musical moments. The four-note, bass-heavy beat that reminds you this is actually a suspenseful movie is haunting and truly grabs you from the ears. The music played during much of the flashbacks involving Michelle Williams was a combination of haunting and passionate, allowing you to feel pity and remorse simultaneously. It's another win for Scorsese with a compilation of tracks yet again.

If you are going to see Shutter Island, be prepared to be confused a bit at first, but the clarity will come. Be ready to see it again as soon as you'll want to, because every question you have or confusing moment you try to unravel is clearly explored throughout the film, you just have to know where to look.

Grade: A-

My Teacher The Sock Puppet

2010-02-18T22:01:00Z

Wolfman: Review

2010-02-14T17:34:00Z

While I can't say I've seen many of the classic horror films that spawned concepts like The Wolfman, I was thoroughly impressed by this adaptation of the classic tale of werewolves. Much of the early buzz on this film was that it was a bore and didn't live up to its own hype. I went in a little skeptical, but left fully entertained. Wolfman was a fun, haunted, intense exploration of a ridiculous concept that tests its films.

TRAILER: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVKyeMQcUNY

What took Wolfman above the rest of its genre was the brilliant cinematography. So many shots in this film are memorable, from silhouetted forest chase scenes to frighteningly claustrophobic foggy nights. This film thrives on its lighting. While at times it seems blatantly staged, the moonlit world of a night prowler was a visual necessity and they thought out each shot. The moon itself is rarely realistic. Instead, it was a highly stylized and massive moon that engulfs the sky and gives the Wolfman plenty of opportunities to howl in its shadow.

But Wolfman still thrives on the wondrous abilities of Anthony Hopkins. Benicio Del Toro was good enough, albeit a little dry at times. Emily Blunt is a beauty as always, and her acting skills continue to improve, but her character was merely present to move the plot, and didn't get a lot of opportunities to play. On top of all of this, the next best performance comes in from the always impressive Hugo Weaving, who channels his inner-most Agent Smith once again. But back to the point. Anthony Hopkins is just a brilliant, brilliant man. His every word flows like butter on a stove and he never seems to be reading a script ever. It's like he becomes these characters and simply knows what they would say. His personality is perfect for the character in this film and you don't feel his next move until it happens.

Finally, Danny Elfman gives us a score he should be proud of. While it's not one I may find myself listening to repeatedly on its own, it perfectly accented the mood of the film. At times, the score took over and got me swaying a bit to the tone. Beautifully haunting is a good way to describe the original score.

Overall, The Wolfman is not nearly as bad as people want it to be. It give sitself an opportunity for a sequel, but it would be better off sitting tight. Unfortunately, I just don't think the market for werewolves is that present, regardless of the vampire trend. As a single film, Wolfman is beautifully shot and the score accompanies it nicely at times, but the acting comes off a bit top-heavy at times, and the film is saved by its gore and intense violence. Still, I prefer Jack Nicholson's Wolf when in need of a good werewolf flick.

Grade: B

Lost Eyeballs

2010-02-13T21:09:00Z

A little something I made in my downtime. If you like ABC's Lost, you should enjoy this...

The Five Best Comedic Characters in Film

2010-02-11T02:56:00Z

Sgt. Lincoln Osiris (Tropic Thunder) -- Robert Downey, Jr.
C'mon man. There 'aint nuthin' 'aint neva been done like this befoh. From the character on screen to the commentary on the DVD/Blu-Ray staying in character, Downey Jr. presents the funniest persona ever on film. So good, in fact, that he received an Oscar nomination for this comedic role. Every little nuance from facial ticks to tiny reactions make this a character you can watch for every moment he is on screen. Amazing.

Harlan Pepper (Best In Show) -- Christopher Guest
If you have not seen Best In Show, you should drop the child you are breast-feeding on the floor and go watch it now. The Southern dumb gentleman is perfectly brought to life by the director himself. All of the improvised dialogue comes through with the hilarity of a script ten years in the making. His scene in the car, which extends just long enough to allow him to push you to the bring of stomach-pain-inducing laughter is the highlight of this already hilarious film.

Ace Ventura (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective) -- Jim Carrey
Allllllllrighty then. One of the most quotable and career-defining characters in the greatest comedian of all time's resume. Physical comedy at its best. It's too bad they only made two of these movies.

Peter Venkman (Ghostbusters) -- Bill Murray
Ghostbusters would be nothing without Bill Murray. The hijinks and supporting cast are not actually all that hilarious. Rather, Bill Murray injects comedy inside all of the dialogue and then becomes a character we just anticipate the next line. For every scientific decision brought to you by the rest of the cast, Venkman always has something to say.

Ron Burgundy (Anchorman) -- Will Ferrell
I'm sure some people would say Anchorman is one of the funniest movie of all time. I think it gets worse with every viewing and the jokes get stale, but Will Ferrell's commitment to comedy doesn't. Only he could have performed in this role and plenty of other characters, like Billy Madison or Tommy Callahan, could have made #5 on this list, but there's something about Ron Burgundy that makes this character timelessly hilarious.

Logorama

2010-02-06T02:35:00Z

Finally, I found the fill 16 minute version of Logorama, a short animated film I saw at the Chicago International Film Festival. It is the single greatest work on animation ever made (Fantastic Mr. Fox is the best feature length animation). To not watch this would be a disservice.