Vampire Movies!

Vampire Movies!!

If you're tired of that Twilight bullshit, these movies will be a refreshing change.

Monday

Nosfaratu: 1922

F.W. Murnau’s German silent classic is the original and some say scariest Dracula adaptation, taking Bram Stoker’s novel and turning it into a haunting, shadowy dream full of dread. Count Orlok, the rodentlike vampire frighteningly portrayed by Max Schreck, is perhaps the most animalistic screen portrayal of a vampire ever filmed. With the influence of producer and production designer Albin Grau, the film established one of two main depictions of film vampires. The “Nosferatu-type” is a living corpse with rodent features (especially elongated fingernails and incisors), associated with rats and plague, and neither charming nor erotic but rather totally repugnant. The victims usually die and are not turned into vampires themselves. (Directed by F.W. Murnau)

Tuesday

Blacula: 1972

A curse from Count Dracula turns African prince Mamuwalde into Blacula. Two hundred years later, having been recently released from his his coffined bondage, he hits the mean streets of L.A. looking for his lost princess. (Directed by William Crain)

Wednesday

Interview With a Vampire: 1994

In 1791, plantation owner Louis De Pointe Du Lac is unhappy with the life he has, until Lestat De Lioncourt comes into his life. Lestat, a vampire, allows Louis to make the decision of either death or life as a vampire forever. And until his decision is already made, does Louis realize what he has become. He refuses to take human life and is about to leave when Lestat, being the clever being that he is, turns a little orphan girl into a vampire to make Louis stay. (Directed by Neil Jordan)

Thursday

Shadow of the Vampire: 2000

A fictionalized account of the making of director F. W. Murnau’s classic silent horror film “Nosferatu” (Germany/1922) and Murnau’s obsession with lending the film authenticity. Without alerting the rest of his cast, director Murnau finds an actual vampire to take on the name of actor Max Schreck and play the king of the undead. (Directed by E. Elias Merhige)

Friday

The Lost Boys: 1987

Financial troubles force a recent divorcee and her teenage sons Mike and Sam to settle down with her father in the California town of Santa Carla. At first, Sam laughs off rumours he hears about vampires who inhabit the small town. But after Mike meets a beautiful girl at the local amusement park, he begins to exhibit the classic signs of vampirism. Fearing for his own safety, Sam recruits two young vampire hunters to save his brother by finding and destroying the head vampire. (Directed by Joel Schumacher)

Saturday

Bram Stoker's Dracula: 1992

This version of Dracula is closely based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel of the same name. A young lawyer (Jonathan Harker) is assigned to a gloomy village in the mists of eastern Europe. He is captured and imprisoned by the undead vampire Dracula, who travels to London, inspired by a photograph of Harker’s betrothed, Mina Murray. In Britain, Dracula begins a reign of seduction and terror, draining the life from Mina’s closest friend, Lucy Westenra. Lucy’s friends gather together to try to drive Dracula away. (Directed by Francis Ford Coppola)

Sunday

Once Bitten: 1985

A vampire Countess needs to drink the blood of a virgin in order to keep her eternal beauty. It seems that all is hopeless, until she bumps into Mark Kendall. One of Jim Carrey's first movies. (Directed by Howard Storm)

In Theaters

Let Me In: 2010

"Twelve...but I've been twelve for a very long time." -- Abby A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian. A remake of Sweden's Let the Right One In, another vampire movie you should watch, and makes it better. (Directed by Matt Reeves)

Oscar: Best Picture

Best Picture

In Chronological Order!

Monday

Casablanca: (1944)

If you haven't seen this, you aren't one who loves film. "Here's lookin' at you, kid." They don't make 'em better.

Tuesday

All About Eve: (1951)

One of the earliest and most pointed comments on not only the Hollywood game, but life in general. The generation that follows always overtakes the generation that preceeded it.

Wednesday

In the Heat of the Night: (1968)

This...it's Sidney Poitier at his best. It won FIVE academy awards. The call me Mister Tibbs!

Thursday

Annie Hall: (1979)

One of the only comedies to even be nominated, much less win. You can see the ground it laid in current films like 500 Days of Summer and its ilk--but no one can touch this.

Friday

The Silence of the Lambs: (1992)

Horror is the most consistent and predictable genre in Hollywood (and marketed towards teenage girls, FYI). But it rarely transitions into Academy territory (just like Sci-fi and comedy). Anthony Hopkins is brilliant, and this movie is wonderful.

Saturday

American Beauty: (2000)

A most poignant satire of the American middle class. This film explores it all: romanticism, sexuality, materialism, family, what it means to be free, love, and, of course, beauty. This made me want to watch True Blood, which screenwriter Alan Ball heads. He does have an eye for pretty.

Sunday

The Hurt Locker: (2010)

A truly ground breaking film. Wonderful direction. Great acting. And an amazingly political story in its non-political take on war. Rather than focusing on the whys of war, we're asked to look at what war does to people. The psychology of war, rather than the machinations that surround it. If we humanized the efforts in this way, I think we wouldn't enter into war so lightly.

2010 Oscar Picks (HA! That's an Audible Pun!)

2010 Oscar Nominees

In order that I like them!

Monday

District 9: A brilliant film! So well produced, with wonderful special effects, a great stories, and layered characters. This fits the definition of what "Best Picture" is supposed to be.

Tuesday

Hurt Locker: Jeremy Renner's performance is wonderful, and Kathryn Bigelow rocks. So glad to see it getting recognition!

Wednesday

Crazy Heart: While the story isn't overly original--it's basically The Wrestler but with country music and a better supporting cast, Jeff Bridges' performance is very, very good. Worth seeing!

Thursday

Up: Mostly because I think it would rock for an animated film to win. But this one had a little something for everyone.

Friday

Up In the Air: I wasn't as impressed with this as most people--I figured out one of the major plot points (or, rather, assumed correctly) so I think it lacked some sort of emotional punch or beat for me--but it's a decently made movie. I wish, however, George Clooney would stop playing George Clooney and actually act. He should do more Coen Brother's films. Those are the only ones where he seems to act. That being said, both of the female leads are stellar, and both got Oscar nods.

Saturday

A Single Man: This one isn't really in order as I've only seen (extensive) snippets of this, but I've heard good things. I like what Colin Firth had to say about gay actors in Hollywood as well:

"If you're a straight actor who takes on the role of a gay man, it's obviously not the same as being one in this business. I think there are still some constraints against being openly gay. It is to do with whatever sexual taboos are in place. In Hollywood, I know that some actors are far more circumspect about keeping that secret hidden. There are not a lot of openly gay leading men."

Also, couldn't bring myself to put any of the other noms I've actually seen (nor the ones I haven't) here.

Sunday

Precious, Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: Last but not least, and again not part of my preferred order as this is another one I've only seen extensive snippets of, but I think this film deserves recognition. In some ways it's typical for its genre, but it's so hard to get films with a mostly minority cast into the Oscars, I hope this one helps expand viewer horizons. It seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it candidate. And again, I couldn't bring myself to put any of the other noms I've seen on this list.

This really has been an unusual year for the Oscars. And while I doubt the validity of these Awards--I don't think they're actually been relevant or truly recognizing the artistry of film for a long time--it's still fun to see who wins.

You have the 6th woman nommed for Best Director--and she has a good chance of winning. She won the DGA award, which has diverged from the Oscars only 6 times in the past.

The first black director nommed for Best Director, Lee Daniels for Precious.

A field of 10 for best picture (which is all for ratings). The last time, 1943, Casablanca won.

An animated picture nominated for Best Picture. The only other time that's happened was Beauty and the Beast, which is almost as perfect an animated film as you can find. (No really, do some reading on it.)

Documentaries

Documentaries!

When they're done well, they're done very well.

Monday

Talhotblond: This it the true story of an Internet love triangle that takes place entirely online. Lies lead to murder in real life, as a teenage vixen (screen name 'talhotblond') lures men into her web. Revealing a shocking true crime story that shows the Internet's power to unleash our most dangerous fantasies.

This originally aired on MSNBC as a one hour special, but there's a longer unrated (or at least higher rated) version of this available soon. It's completely engrossing. The "cast" is amazing. I highly recommend this one.

Tuesday

WalMart: The High Cost of Low Prices: A look at the impact of the retail giant on local communities.

I didn't think I could hate Wal-Mart more than I already did. I was wrong.

Wednesday

Planet Earth: If you haven't seen this yet, you've been living under a rock. It's beautiful.

Thursday

When the Levees Broke: Spike Lee commemorates the people of New Orleans with a four-hour epic documentary that not only recounts the events of late August 2005 but asks why they unfolded the way they did in the first place. Weaving interviews with news footage and amateur video, Lee uses the film to give meaningful voice to the people who were left behind. With a detached and unsentimental eye, he delivers a poignant account of a major moment in recent U.S. history.

Made for HBO, this is definitely worth seeings. If only because we should never forget, and I was watching TV when Kanye made his infamous "George Bush hates black people" remark.

Friday

This Film is Not Yet Rated: Kirby Dick's provocative documentary investigates the secretive and inconsistent process by which the Motion Picture Association of America rates films, revealing the organization's underhanded efforts to control culture. Dick questions whether certain studios get preferential treatment and exposes the discrepancies in how the MPAA views sex and violence. Interviewees include John Waters, Darren Aronofsky, Maria Bello, Atom Egoyan and more.

As someone in the film industry, this is something every one should know. The ranting system is bunk and corrupt. Watch this to find out why.

Saturday

The Aristocrats: More than 100 funny people (including big stars and lesser-known talents) tell the same raunchy vaudeville joke -- with about 100 different results -- in director-comedian Paul Provenza's outrageously potty-mouthed documentary. Nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, the unabashedly uncensored film catches a wide swath of comedians, writers and intellectuals at their casually comic best.

Heh. Heehee. This doc is hilariously wrong. Bob Saget's part is the best. It's basically a doc about the history of one of the oldest, most hilariously digusting jokes in history.

Sunday

Jesus Camp: This riveting Oscar-nominated documentary offers an unfiltered look at a revivalist subculture in which devout Christian youngsters are being primed to deliver the fundamentalist community's religious and political messages. Building an evangelical army of tomorrow, the Kids on Fire summer camp in Devil's Lake, N.D., is dedicated to deepening the preteens' spirituality and sowing the seeds of political activism.

This doc left me angry, sad, and unsettled. Any religion is capable of extremists as this shows. And too often, the fanaticism starts young.

Paul Newman

Theme: Paul Newman

For the inaugural post, I give you some of my favorite movies that star Paul Newman. He was an amazing actor and philanthropist who left behind a wonderful body of work.

Monday

The Sting: (1973)
When a mutual friend is killed by a mob boss, two con men, one experienced and one young try to get even by pulling off the big con on the mob boss. The story unfolds with several twists and last minute alterations.

Paul Newman AND a young Robert Redford in one of the best heist movies I've ever seen. While there aren't a lot of equations that you KNOW will work in Hollywood, where "no one knows anything," but Newman + Redford = AWESOMECAKES. It's all about the eyes in this one. One of my favorite movies of all time.

Tuesday

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean: (1972)
A no account outlaw establishes his own particular brand of law and order and builds a town on the edges of civilization in this farcical western. With the aid of an old law text and unpredictable notions Roy Bean distinguishes between lawbreakers and lawgivers by way of his pistols.

"If this story ain't true... it shoulda been."  Farcical and telling, this movie is hilarious.  Though I think the bear kind of steals the show out from under everyone.

Wednesday

Cool Hand Luke: (1967)
Luke Jackson is a cool, gutsy prisoner in a Southern chain gang, who, while refusing to buckle under to authority, keeps escaping and being recaptured. The prisoners admire Luke because, as Dragline explains it, "You're an original, that's what you are!" Nevertheless, the camp staff actively works to crush Luke until he finally breaks.

This is...One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest but in prison.  The most famous line is "What we have here is a failure to communicate" for good reason.  It resonates with such power once you've seen the movie.  It won an Oscar for a reason!    

Thursday

The Towering Inferno: (1974)
At the opening party of a colossal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it.

One of the first disaster movies ever made!  It's brilliant, and was one of the highest-grossing box office draws of the mid-1970s.  One in a string of such disaster movies, like Poseidon.  And Steve McQueen is in it, so bonus!

Friday

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: (1969)
Legendary outlaws Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) display perfect comedic timing and charisma as they pull off heist after heist in this Oscar-winning film from director George Roy Hill. To evade a relentless posse, the boys flee to Bolivia, thinking they'll find easier pickings there. But trouble finds the fugitives wherever they go, and soon, the charming desperadoes are on the run again.

I pretty much knew I'd like this because as proven, Paul Newman + Robert Redford = awesomesauce.

Saturday

Cars:  (2006)
A hot-shot race-car named Lightning McQueen gets waylaid in Radiator Springs, where he finds the true meaning of friendship and family.

Not the best of Pixar's movies, but Newman's last project before he died.  He's great as the wise mentor race car (which is just a hilariously funny thing to type).  Perfect for some light Saturday watching.

Sunday

The Color of Money: (1986)
Fast Eddie Felson teaches a cocky but immensely talented protégé the ropes of pool hustling, which in turn inspires him to make an unlikely comeback.

Directed by Martin Scorsese; Newman won an Oscar for his role as Fast Eddie Falson.  Newman is brilliant, but I think Scorsese really shines as a director here.  He lets the story tell itself instead of beating us over the head like in  The Departed.