tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54403562623623318732024-03-14T03:34:47.450-05:00Messages By LightComments on watching and making films.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295190723834950407noreply@blogger.comBlogger494125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-18391308682548964702014-11-07T16:29:00.003-06:002014-11-07T16:29:58.366-06:00Where you can find meIt has been quite some time since I posted on here (only a few months short of a year), and, while I'm not even sure if anyone actually reads this site anymore, I just wanted to let you know that I am now keeping track of my movie watching on Letterboxd. You can find my profile <a href="http://letterboxd.com/sschuster/">here</a>. I am, also, still blogging, and you can find my tumblr <a href="http://stewartschuster.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. I might continue to update this blog, as I see fit, and will definitely keep it up for the time being.<br />
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Cheers!Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-33918273497819103852014-02-18T00:06:00.002-06:002014-02-18T00:31:50.014-06:00Steve McQueen dialogue with Stuart Comer<iframe width="398" height="224" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-KM_5z9WvUc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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A great, and lengthy, discussion with Steve McQueen about his body of work up to <i>12 Years A Slave</i>.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-75899240123887965602014-02-17T23:44:00.000-06:002014-02-17T23:45:21.625-06:00The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford5 out of 5 Stars<br />
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I've seen this before, several times, on DVD and Blu-Ray, but I got a chance to go to a special screening of the film with director Andrew Dominik and Cinematographer Roger Deakins in attendance. They had a fantastic Q&A after the film. This movie is absolutely amazing. I can't recommend it highly enough.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-87351253658312511282014-02-17T23:37:00.000-06:002014-02-17T23:37:04.912-06:00Robocop (2014)2.5 out of 5 stars.<br />
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I'm not against a well made remake, and this one has some great bells and whistles, but it ultimately falls short. The original is still as valid and groundbreaking today as it was almost thirty years ago. This one just feels like a slick, and somewhat forgettable, sci-fi movie.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-43584202125435002812014-02-12T09:57:00.000-06:002014-02-12T09:57:41.670-06:00Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit2 out of 5 stars<br />
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This film had some good action sequences, but the rest of it felt like Branagh was trying to make some penultimate MOVIE, which kind of made everything feel really cliche.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-52899191176769597672014-02-05T16:51:00.000-06:002014-02-05T16:51:55.088-06:00Stewart Schuster's "Alivia"<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="224" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/62832753" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="398"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/62832753">Alivia</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/schusterfilms">Stewart Schuster</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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I realized, looking over the blog, that I never posted my own film! We shot this February of 2013, in Seattle, but because of work, a move, and various complications, it wasn't completed until June of 2013. I'm very happy with how it came out, and it has amassed over two thousand views on Vimeo alone (with very little publicity).Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-87092630917891583182014-02-05T16:42:00.000-06:002014-02-05T16:42:06.937-06:00Brian McGinn's "The Record Breaker"<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/79010983?portrait=0&badge=0" width="398" height="224" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/79010983">The Record Breaker</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/brimcgi">Brian McGinn</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-81823955462253738552014-02-05T16:39:00.000-06:002014-02-05T16:39:52.802-06:00Dark Rye's "An Undertaking"<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/83513993?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" width="398" height="224" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/83513993">An Undertaking</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/darkrye">Dark Rye</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-84390928601994183642014-02-05T16:11:00.002-06:002014-02-05T16:11:52.827-06:00Checking InHaven't been on here for a while. Sorry about that. Will be updating as time allows. Thanks for stopping by.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-74337159937022205512014-01-01T16:05:00.000-06:002014-02-05T16:16:34.354-06:00My favorites of 2013<br />
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This is a list of my favorite films I saw, theatrically, in 2013. These are only films I saw in the theater. The first grouping represents as close to a "top films" list as I probably get with <i>Short Term 12</i> definitely being my favorite film of the year. It is an amazingly, heartbreakingly beautiful film that is that rare thing that truly touches at a lot of what humanity is deep down, and the needs we all have for love and community. <i>Rust and Bone</i> is another heartbreakingly beautiful film, and is easily one of Marion Cotillard's greatest performances (so far). <i>Mud</i> is writer/director Jeff Nichols' meditation on romantic love, and has been one of THREE performances that Matthew McConaughey knocks out of the park this year (all of which are on this list). <i>Don Jon</i> is a hilarious and strikingly poignant look at sex and relationships, <i>The Place Beyond The Pines</i> is a rare feat of filmmaking that covers multiple generations of family and explores the sins of the father and their consequences for the family. <i>Before Midnight</i>, for those of you who have seen the other two films in the "Before" series, is a romantic, but very real, continuation of one of cinema's great (modern) love stories, and <i>The Hunger Games: Catching Fire</i> is a revelatory film about the very condition of the world, as it stands, right now.</div>
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These are just my favorites for the year. Please understand that you may not like everything on this list, and that is perfectly okay. We all like different stuff. </div>
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Short Term 12 - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8QxAYxNRgs" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8QxAYxNRgs</a></div>
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Rust and Bone (technically 2012) -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJg7skcyYolU&h=hAQEolMuA&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg7skcyYolU</a></div>
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Mud -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKFBC8ohhVUs&h=IAQHAi_E_&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFBC8ohhVUs</a></div>
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Don Jon -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DRAhtdVdc3Y4&h=rAQGt4-tQ&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAhtdVdc3Y4</a></div>
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Upstream Color -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U9KmAlrEXU" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U9KmAlrEXU</a></div>
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The Place Beyond The Pines -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G07pSbHLXgg" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G07pSbHLXgg</a></div>
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The Hunger Games: Catching Fire -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAzGXqJSDJ8" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAzGXqJSDJ8</a></div>
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Before Midnight -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DeuOJkb0U8vE&h=cAQFISR-g&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euOJkb0U8vE</a></div>
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The Impossible (might be 2012?) -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgw394ZKsis" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgw394ZKsis</a></div>
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Side Effects -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcEQDMFveSbQ&h=zAQEx0CBo&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEQDMFveSbQ</a></div>
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Dallas Buyers Club -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHs1kpGNSRVk&h=9AQEmfnSo&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs1kpGNSRVk</a></div>
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12 Years A Slave -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DvUQNjfhlREk&h=qAQEfEbo2&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUQNjfhlREk</a></div>
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Only God Forgives -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFAgirTtfobk&h=zAQEx0CBo&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAgirTtfobk</a></div>
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The Conjuring -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dk10ETZ41q5o&h=tAQHyUCMF&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k10ETZ41q5o</a></div>
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The Spectacular Now -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXDTBLSkUmYk&h=3AQGzo81P&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDTBLSkUmYk</a></div>
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Fruitvale Station -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DZxUJwJfcQaQ&h=mAQH0GU9N&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxUJwJfcQaQ</a></div>
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Touchy Feely -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8psIhHWxtJE&h=jAQHvzago&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8psIhHWxtJE</a></div>
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Prisoners -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbpXfcTF6iVk&h=3AQGzo81P&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpXfcTF6iVk</a></div>
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Frances Ha -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DYBn5dgXFMis&h=yAQH0dmCy&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBn5dgXFMis</a></div>
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World War Z -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DMd6Dvxdr0AQ&h=QAQGN5ZfY&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md6Dvxdr0AQ</a></div>
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Oblivion -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXmIIgE7eSak&h=iAQHt5Ri_&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIIgE7eSak</a></div>
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A Band Called Death -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DRDPDm9_nX0o&h=dAQGIXqek&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDPDm9_nX0o</a></div>
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All Is Lost -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DLk_R04LfUQU&h=TAQH8EBXl&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk_R04LfUQU</a></div>
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Nebraska -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUT5tqPojMtg&h=YAQF_WkKN&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT5tqPojMtg</a></div>
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Inside Llewyn Davis -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DLFphYRyH7wc&h=EAQGJ-4YW&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFphYRyH7wc</a></div>
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American Hustle -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DST7a1aK_lG0&h=ZAQFE9XAJ&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST7a1aK_lG0</a></div>
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Her -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWzV6mXIOVl4&h=mAQH0GU9N&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzV6mXIOVl4</a></div>
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The Wolf of Wall Street -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiszwuX1AK6A&h=6AQFTtWYT&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A</a></div>
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Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-58870167243899608032013-12-26T00:07:00.000-06:002014-02-18T00:15:08.230-06:00The Wolf of Wall Street4 out of 5 stars<br />
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The only reason I'm not giving this movie 5 out of 5 is that the characters are so disgusting, that they make the film hard to enjoy at times. That being said, that basically means that Scorsese was doing his job... Everything else about this film was amazingly well done, as you would expect from a master like Martin Scorsese.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-67273357835739979122013-06-27T21:49:00.000-05:002013-07-01T21:51:16.312-05:00World War Z3 out of 5 stars.<br />
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This ended up being better than I thought it would be, considering the whole reshoot debacle. The only thing that bugged me was the almost super human-ness of the Zombies. Other than that, though, Forster really created a tight and tense thriller.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-7238927433445377262013-06-24T00:39:00.000-05:002013-06-24T00:39:16.591-05:00The Bling Ring3 1/2 out of 5 Stars.<br />
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While the movie is well crafted, and you can definitely see a lot of Sofia's style in it, it still comes off a bit flat, which was a little disappointing. It's worth a watch, but I just feel like anyone could have directed this...Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-14911168972524425752013-06-22T11:34:00.001-05:002013-06-22T11:34:44.825-05:00Alexander Carson's "We Refuse To Be Cold"<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="224" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/25082970?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="398"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/25082970">"WE REFUSE TO BE COLD" (2011)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/northcountrycinema">North Country Cinema</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-15462499190973910762013-06-14T21:06:00.000-05:002013-06-14T21:24:39.624-05:00Things Change, People ChangeWhen this blog started, it was to stay in touch with someone, so I could share my thoughts and opinions on films and television with them, and exercise my ability to analyze other people's work, in the hopes that it would improve my own. It also was supposed to exist as a record of what I thought about the films I was seeing, at the time I was seeing them.<br />
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I'm not going to do that anymore.<br />
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There are enough people talking about movies on the internet, and, to be honest with you, I'm not adding anything to the conversation. Being a critic is a job. People do this for a living, and they do it much better than I do. I've also felt, for a long time, a growing disinterest in dissecting people's efforts.
I will still update this blog on what I'm working on, video's from Vimeo and YouTube that I like, filmmaker information, and maybe promote some things that I like. I'm thinking of still keeping a list of everything I see, and maybe just a simple 5 star rating system. That should suffice as a record of what I thought (at the time) about what I've seen.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-10377082801269803212013-06-14T00:46:00.000-05:002013-06-24T00:48:47.363-05:00Man Of Steel2 1/2 out of 5 stars.<br />
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It had some moments, but, ultimately, it felt like plot development had been jettisoned in favor of action sequences (not a surprise, considering it's Zack Snyder).Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-79388665424759433832013-06-08T00:54:00.000-05:002013-06-24T00:55:56.251-05:00Mud5 out of 5 stars.<br />
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Perfect. Amazing performances, writing, cinematography, etc. Jeff Nichols hits it out of the park.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-87511829441440941912013-03-29T09:41:00.001-05:002013-03-29T09:41:37.908-05:00Richard Linklater interview by The Hollywood Reporter<iframe width="398" height="224" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hLl468VZsYU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-14291341573646882812013-03-18T01:13:00.001-05:002013-03-18T01:13:57.842-05:00Wong Kar Wai's "The Follow"<iframe width="398" height="224" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mNoYLm3a-nI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-71679662303008594962013-03-18T01:04:00.000-05:002013-03-18T01:04:08.980-05:00Vice's "Exploring Mexican Narco Cinema"<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/w3aS2LPpiIw" width="398"></iframe>Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-54878309488981582202013-03-13T23:38:00.000-05:002013-03-13T23:43:53.345-05:00Veronica Mars, Crowd Funding, and the easiest decision Warner Brothers ever made.Earlier today it was announced that the cult TV show <i>Veronica Mars</i> would be coming back as a movie, assuming they could crowd fund the production costs through Kickstarter. Some people have taken this opportunity to publicly wonder if Warner Brothers, who owns <i>Veronica Mars</i>, has gone completely insane, or if this is the beginning of the end for the studio system. If <i>Veronica Mars</i> can get crowd funded to the tune of 2 million dollars, in the span of less than 24 hours, do we even need studios anymore?<br />
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The answer, ultimately, is yes, we still need studios and no, they probably won't be going anywhere anytime soon. For all of their complaining about how poorly the box office seems to perpetually be doing (even though, in recent years, profits have shown a sharp rise), these folks are ridiculously shrewd, and have so many back door deals going on, they have an almost endless supply of cash coming in. Even in hard times, they will be able to pay the bills.<br />
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But what about Warner Brothers? Are they really so insane, or so strapped for cash, that they would simply let Rob Thomas, creator of <i>Veronica Mars</i>, crowd source a big screen version of the show? I'm not an insider (obviously), so I have no idea what WB's fortunes look like, but, ultimately, this is one of the most shrewd, and potentially profitable, decisions they could make.<br />
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Think about it - A studio allows a show runner to take the idea that the studio owns the rights to, and crowd source funds to create a movie out of it. This person is able to raise the funds for the production and (I assume post production), and the studio takes over on distribution. Warner Brothers has, essentially, just gained an extra film for their 2014 schedule, and didn't have to put out a single up front penny. They don't have to squeeze out a single, up front dime until the movie is finished. And then, all they have to do is distribute it, which is easy, because they already have all of their necessary channels and deals set up. Getting the word out is a cinch - They simply continue to take advantage of the army of folks that helped them raise that staggering sum of 2 million dollars.<br />
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Put simply, Warner Brothers wins. They put out nothing up front, they give away some BS prizes for the different Kickstarter levels, they get content (of which, THEY still own the rights to), and they collect the profits.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, <i>Veronica Mars</i> fans win, too, but only because WB wins. Don't think, not even for a second, that WB would allow this to happen if they didn't see dollar signs. There is a reason <i>Veronica Mars</i> was cancelled, and there is a reason it has never been made into a movie before now. Warner Brothers sees a sure thing, and Veronica Mars fans are willing to do whatever it takes to get their little piece. The awful truth? 2 million is a drop in the bucket for someone like Warner Brothers. They could EASILY have floated that at any time, if they truly believed in this project, but they don't.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-43085831507847784342013-02-25T18:26:00.001-06:002013-02-25T18:26:54.161-06:00Jeremy Adams' "Herb Williams - The Call of the Wild"<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="224" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/60426348?color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="398"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/60426348">HERB WILLIAMS "The Call of the Wild" / short documentary</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/jeradams">Jeremy Adams</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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This is a short documentary that was shot and directed by Jeremy Adams and edited by myself. Hope you enjoy!Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-18789893104804876592013-02-25T18:06:00.000-06:002013-02-25T18:06:15.594-06:00All The Light In The SkyNo Budge, Kentucker Audley's website dedicated to giving smaller, independent films an opportunity to gain an internet signal boost that they might not otherwise gain by just self releasing on YouTube or Vimeo, recently hosted a "secret" (and limited time) screening of Joe Swanberg's new feature <i>All The Light In The Sky.</i> I had a chance to see the film, and I have to say, I truly feel like it is Swanberg's most accomplished film yet. I am putting it on my list of favorites of his, alongside <i>Hannah Takes The Stairs</i> and <i>Nights and Weekends</i>.<i> </i><br />
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The film stars Jane Adams as Marie, an aging actress, who is visited by her niece, Faye, played by Sophia Takal. During their visit, Marie see's the spark of youth she is missing, while Faye revels in the spoils of war that only someone who has been around long enough to achieve these things might have. Kent Osborne makes an appearance as a friend of a friend of Faye's, who ends up getting involved with Marie. Larry Fessenden also pops up in a great performance as Rusty, Marie's neighbor and surfing partner.<br />
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Moments are the key to most Swanberg films. You're not looking to get the typical Hollywood formula out of these films, and, if you are, you'll be leaving frustrated. Moments like Marie's conversation with her agent, in which she slowly gives into the idea of an extremely low budgeted film in order to just be doing something, or Faye's fear of being caught by Marie if she shows some skin to her boyfriend over Skype. There's an amazing moment with Marie and Dan (Osborne), where they're trying to figure out whether it feels right to kiss. All of these moments, and some pretty gorgeous cinematography, add up to another great piece by Swanberg. Adams perfectly encompasses that late thirties/early forties malaise of actors who have given up a traditional family structure to further their career, and the emptiness and loneliness that can breed when that career slows (which is natural for almost any working actor short of the 1% superstars).<br />
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I wish we would have had more time with Faye. It felt like her character could have been explored more and issues could have been addressed from the perspective of a younger character, but, ultimately, this is Marie's film, and Adams commands the screen in a way that, as a viewer, you don't question that.<br />
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<br />Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-23302625260395785652013-02-11T17:15:00.000-06:002013-02-11T18:42:09.933-06:00Texas Chainsaw 3D**I did not see this movie in 3D.**<br />
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There are some experiences you have in the movie theater that are so utterly confusing and depressing, you don't even know what to say about them. This was my experience with <i>Texas Chainsaw 3D</i>. The original film is, to this day, one of the best horror films ever made, but in the forty, or so, years that have followed, Hollywood has desperately tried to capture that magic again, but never has been able to. All of the follow ups, short of (surprisingly), Marcus Nispels Platinum Dunes produced remake, have been a sorry attempt to make a franchise out of lightning in a bottle. This newest addition is no different than all of the others.<br />
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<i>Texas Chainsaw 3D</i>'s first mistake is immediate. The film begins with an opening credits sequence, which is, basically, a highlight reel of the original film. By the time the credits are over, one is left to wonder - Now that I've seen all of the most important parts of the original, why am I still watching this? And that's just a few minutes in. It gets worse. The film is supposed to be a direct sequel to the original. The next mistake it makes, though, is that, once you've sat through the aforementioned highlight reel, they immediately change the story. We pick up at the farm, probably half an hour or an hour later, and the sheriff, who, at this point it is presumed, has talked to Sally (from the original film), has come to the house to arrest Leatherface and the three other members of his family - The Old Man, Grandpa, and the Hitchhiker. Now, SOMEHOW, in that short period of time, those four people grow to, like, TWELVE people. WHO ARE ALL OF THESE OTHER PEOPLE??? A shootout ensues, Leatherface manages to escape, and a baby girl is torn away from one of these (illegitimate) family members. She grows up (and, mind you, if this film was actually following logic, would be in her late thirties or early forties at this point) to be an artistic butcher shop worker named Heather (assumedly in her early to mid twenties, because, apparently, she went into stasis for twenty years). When Heather finds out that she is inheriting a piece of property in Texas, it is revealed that she was adopted (even though she was actually stolen). Looking to discover more about her roots, her and a small group of friends head up to the farm where, of course, they discover Leatherface and craziness ensues.<br />
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You could write a BOOK about everything that is wrong or ridiculous about this movie. That anyone, on the money side, who read this script thought that it was a good idea is BAFFLING. I'm not going to bother going into everything, it would take too long, but just know that this film is RIDICULOUS and, honestly, most of the horrible sequels that have been made to the original film are better than this one.<br />
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One thing I do want to mention, though, that ABSOLUTELY KILLED ME, was the fact that they brought Gunnar Hansen back (the original Leatherface) to play an unnamed member of the (illegitimate) family, who dies in the opening flashback sequence. If this is, in fact, a direct sequel, why not have Hansen play Leatherface? What was the point in bringing in some other guy to play him?<br />
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Again, so much that is ridiculous in this film.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5440356262362331873.post-7404252412914818732013-02-10T18:21:00.000-06:002013-02-25T18:22:50.964-06:00Side EffectsSteven Soderbergh's final theatrical film (for now, at least...), is a taut and surprising thriller. <i>Side Effects</i> stars Rooney Mara as Emily, a young woman who's mental health is in a fragile balance, after her husband, Martin (Channing Tatum), is sent to prison for Wall Street indiscretions. After Martin is released, she begins seeing a psychologist, Dr. Banks (Jude Law), who begins prescribing her medication. An event happens, which I won't spoil for you, that launches everyone into a downward spiral.<br />
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I can't really say too much else, because, as I said, I don't want to spoil it.<br />
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What can I say about the film from a technical standpoint? It's pretty awesome. It's Soderbergh. Would you expect any less. That he is retiring is, literally, humanity's loss. He's one of our best, and still has, at least, twenty more years of making amazing films in him. It's his choice, though, and while <i>Side Effects</i> isn't a <i>Traffic</i> or <i>Ocean's</i> movie, he's still going out on top.Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14238203755586433550noreply@blogger.com0