A Disney Star Wars?

Disney's recent acquisition of Lucasfilms for $4 billion has been blowing up headlines all over the world. Having grown up being a huge Star Wars fanboy, I decided to input my two cents.

The Star Wars franchise have been one of the most successful in the movie industry. It is currently the 3rd most lucrative movie franchise (behind Harry Potter and James Bond), having three movies in the Top 50 of the world's highest grossing movies. It is undoubtedly a major influence on Generation Y, so many people are worried that such an influential part of their culture might be spoiled if it is in the wrong hands.

Star Wars fans have not been happy with George Lucas as of late. Over the course of the past decade, Mr. Lucas have been making many adjustments to the original movies in the DVD re-releases. Though the changes doesn't affect the plot at all, many fans feel that these amendments have taken away some character from the timeless classics that they know. 

Walt Disney Studios have announced that they are planning to make another trilogy as a sequel to the existing franchise. Like many other fans, I feel anxious about it. It's about time Lucas handed the reigns of his movies to someone else, but is Disney the right choice? What direction will Disney take the new Star Wars in? Will it be animated? Will it have a darker tone? Will they bring back the original cast or characters?

Leia is going to be a Disney Princess?

Although I am excited that there is going to be a 3rd trilogy (the best things come in 3s), I am worried that Disney will not do Star Wars justice. For now I can only wait anxiously for further announcements.

Here are couple of things that I would LOVE to see in Episode VII:

1.Boba Fett

2. Return of the Original Cast

3. More Villains

Forest's Top Five Movie Speeches

People watch movies for different reasons. Some watch to take a break from their stressful life. Some watch to ease emotional suffering, but I feel that most watch movies for inspiration. One of the most memorable parts of any movie is the speech. The speech, if written and delivered well, will be the part of the movie that will be quoted for ages to come. It can leave the audience feeling warm, fuzzy, and even pumped up. So without further ado, here is my picks for the best movie speeches.

5. Matt Damon - Good Will Hunting

We all know that one snobbish guy in class who thinks he knows all the answers and loves to rub it in your face. In this scene, Matt Damon, who plays a janitor wins a battle of smarts with a know-it-all from Harvard. How you like dem apples?

4. Mel Gibson - Braveheart 

There are few things more inspiring than seeing an underdog overcome its adversary in the 11th hour. In Braveheart, the Scots were demoralized when they saw how large the British army was. Many began to turn away from battle when in comes William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) who gives one  heck of a speech to turn the tide of battle. Words that win a battle, now that's some powerful stuff.

3. Al Pacino - Any Given Sunday

Al Pacino has always played a great leader: the don of a gangster family in The Godfather Trilogy, the head of a drug cartel in Scarface, and now a football coach in Any Given Sunday. Part of what makes Al Pacino such a great leader is his "No-BS" presence. When the man talks, you know he's being real with you. In this speech, head coach Tony D'Amato (played by Al Pacino) acknowledges that life is hard, but he urges that his players must push on "inch by inch" in spite of that hardness. Big victories come with little steps.

2. Robin Williams - Dead Poets Society

Before there was "YOLO", there was "Carpe Diem" or "seize the day" Dead Poets Society is the movie that popularized the saying, which became the motto of many youngsters in the 90's. Radical teacher John Keats (played by Robin Williams) urges his students to look at their lives from a diffent angle and not be imprisoned by institutionalized thoughts. Hearing this speech will make anyone's high school English class look like a sham.

1. Charlie Chaplain - The Great Dictator

Not even going to bother with a description, just hear for yourself. I dare you to find a more inspiring speech than this.

"The Room" Drinking Game

Once in a while, you see a movie that is "so-bad-that-it's-good" Over the weekend, I've came across a particular gem called The Room.

Written, directed, produced, and featuring Tommy Wiseau, The Room was intended to be a romantic drama about a happy-go-lucky man who finds his wife is cheating on him with his best friend. 

The Room was a box office flop when it first hit theaters, accumulating only $1900 before it was pulled from circulation. After revisiting the film, some audiences have found unintended humor in the poor production quality and bad dialogue. Nowadays, The Room has reached cult status with monthly showings all over the United States.

Here is just a sneak preview of treasure trove of bad quotes that are riddled throughout the film.

I recommend this movie to anyone who wants a good laugh or be educated on how NOT to make a film. So the next time you and your friends decide to hold a movie night, why not make things interesting and play a game?

_________________________________________________________________________________

Rules for "The Room" Drinking Game

DRINK if:

1. Any time Lisa is referred to as "sexy" or "beautiful." 
2. Whenever a spoon is spotted.
3. Any time Johnny greets someone with, "Oh, hai, [X]!
4. Any time someone mentions that Johnny is Mark's BEST FRIEND. 
5. Whenever Johnny says, "Don't worry about it!" 
6. Any time someone mentions what a great guy Johnny is.
7. Every time there's an establishing or transition shot that's actually filmed in San Francisco. 
8. Whenever someone in the movie throws a football.
9. Whenever Johnny calls someone a "chicken" or imitates a chicken
10. Whenever someone watching the movie says any of the following iconical lines of the movie:
    • "You're tearing me apart!" 
    • "I feel like I'm sitting on an atomic bomb about to explode!"
    • "I definitely have breast cancer.

ENJOY

Cloud Atlas: Film Review

Yesterday, I had the had the pleasure of attending a free advanced screening of Cloud Atlas. It's been a while since I've seen a movie in theaters that I thoroughly enjoyed watching.

Following the success of V for Vendetta and The Matrix franchise, directors Lana and Andy Wachowski brilliantly tackled this screenplay adapted from David Mitchell's novel of the same name.

***SPOILER ALERT***

The film is follows six different story lines that can each be a standalone short film. The settings of each storyline is as follows:

1. 19th century slave trade - drama

2. 1930s - musical romantic drama

3. 1970s - mystery and crime

4. Present Day - British comedy

5. Dystopian Korea - Science Fiction

6. Post-apocalyptic Islands - Science Fiction

Individually the plots of each storyline are not that interesting; it is how each storyline is linked with one another that makes the film so great. These interlocking story lines is a bit reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky's film: The Fountain. The Wachowskis did a wonderful job of weaving each storyline together with the overarching theme of the search for truth and freedom.

My favorite story line has got to be story line #5 which is set in a dystopian Neo-Seoul. Most of the action scenes are in this plot line. There are enough special effects to keep the audience on the edge of their seat but not too many that it diverts attention from the theme and plot. As a bonus, this story arc pays homage to one of my favorite classics: Soylent Green.

What awed me the most was how versatile actor/actress was. Each performer was involved in at least 2 different story lines. Some actors such as Tom Hanks and Halle Berry are involved in all 6 story lines! Keep your eyes peeled to see the different characters each actor/actress plays. Some are obvious, others might be a surprise.

Hugo doing what he does best: playing the villain.
***END SPOILER SECTION***

Conclusion

Cloud Atlas is a medley of different short stories beautifully woven together into one epic tale. The movie starts off slow because the settings of the story lines need to be established, but the pace picks up quickly once introductions are over. The movie is not for the inattentive, it is really easy to get lost because there are so many plot lines. So DON'T FALL ASLEEP. This is one movie you don't want to miss.

The 50's in film: Cold War's Influence on Cinema

The Epic Fantasy

The 1950's was a decade of rebirth in the United States. World War II is over and America is starting to get back on their feet again. However, rebuilding a country is not easy, especially when the population of the country is scared of a new war on the horizon: The Cold War.

The Cold War provided a perfect environment for the emergence of the Epic Fantasy. First, in the midst of the Red Scare, the American people were looking for inspiration for courage and bravery and what better way to instill that than through the use of heroes. Films such as  Sinbad, Ben-Hur, and The Ten Commandments were produced in the 50's. From the other side of Pacific Ocean, legendary director Akira Kurosawa made one of the most influential films of the 20th century: The Seven Samurai(1954). 

Sinbad captures the spirit of heroism that many audiences look to for inspiration

Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai

Rise of Science Fiction Films

Science Fiction is another genre flourished in the midst of the Cold War. Since the United States and Soviet Union were going head to head in the Space Race, the Final Frontier was never far from people's thoughts. The wonder about the mysteries of outer space and the fear of Soviet Russia was a perfect combination to bring about the emergence of science fiction films, monster films in particular.

Films such as The Day the Earth Stood Still(1951) and  Invasion of the Body Snatchers(1956) were among the biggest sci-fi hits during the 50's. H.G. Wells War of the Worlds was made into a full-length feature in 1953. From Japan cinema emerged one of Japanese's most famous icons: Godzilla(1953)

                                                         

The Cold War eventually ended in 1991, but the impact it had on cinema is everlasting. The 50's movies are gateways and a crucial step to modern day cinema.