Showing posts with label Movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movie. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Instant Reaction: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)



I remember leaving the theatre after seeing Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and I turned to my  
girlfriend at the time to ask her what she thought of the movie. She shrugged, and we continued our walk in silence, secretly reflecting on what we had just witnessed. After another minute of walking, the tension inside her boiled over and she let her feelings fly: “That movie is so beautiful that it makes me mad", she said, with genuine passion in her voice. "It’s so bad, but I’m so moved by it that I have to love it." She looked seriously distressed, but not necessarily in a bad way.

Tears were almost in her eyes as she recalled some of the film’s greatest moments; like the opening scene that sees a pirate boy hanged, or an astonishing ship battle in a whirlpool that left her in a state of awe. I share her sentiment completely; there’s so much to dislike about this film in terms of story, plot, and Johnny Depp antics. But when you focus on the score, the photography, and the truly fantastic special effects, it’s difficult not to lose yourself in the spectacle.

Once I was hooked in by the overwhelming quality of the score and visuals, I couldn’t help but love the characters and the witty dialogue. Further, once I began to let loose my rational inhibitions and let the film wash over me, the crazy antics, such as a marriage conducted during a sword fight, began to reveal their uniquely cinematic charm.

At World’s End
strikes me on a purely visceral level and compels me to love it, even though the logical side of my brain can't stand it. And its successful in its mission, forcing me into its world despite my resistance. Even seven years after its release, I find myself still watching it and enjoying it. You could say it’s a guilty pleasure of mine, yet I feel no guilt nor shame for loving it. It’s a technical masterpiece, one that's truly awesome to be behold.


Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Instant Reaction: Drive (2011)

Drive is one of those movies that is slow from start to finish, and it's proud of that stylistic choice. Despite its shallow, simple story about a stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver and falls in love with his oblivious neighbor, the film delivers some genuine emotion, thanks to the effectively quiet romance between co-stars Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan.

But it’s more than just the acting that hooked me. When contrasted with the slow pacing and the moody soundtrack, the moments of abrupt graphic violence are so shocking that they carve a spot for themselves in your memory with little effort, culminating in an effective work of visual poetry. This is a movie that's all style -- and that's a compliment, because it works. My brain has trouble reconciling how a film like Drive can be so methodical, yet hit home on a purely visceral level. I can’t get it out of my head.

Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, and Bryan Cranston

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

"Kid Julius" (2011)



A film I produced with some friends. This wonderful short film was made possible by my very talented friend Kevin Hershner, who did more than his share of the work. Follow him on Twitter (@KevinRVA).

"Kid Julius" was an official selection of the 2011 Progeny Film Festival in Blacksburg, VA.