As part of my movie redo review, I have chosen Underworld to review. Is it as good as when it premiered in 2004? 

Under-whelmed

                   To say Underworld was an underachievement would be harsh. The movie doesn’t lack substance or style, but it doesn’t live up to its own hype. It tries to be too many other “movies” that have done what it’s mimicking much better. The movie pushes itself deep into vampire/ werewolf territory where things are of course dark and gloomy. It seems that werewolves and vampires have been at war for year’s right under our noses. Though I don’t know how, because they shoot each other up in subways and don’t mind shooting anything that moves- I think it would make me a little suspicious. But as the story goes the vampires are the upper rich class society, the sleek Goths who love parties and rituals, where as the werewolf’s are the trashy things that live in the sewers and dress thrift shop chic. In the middle of our story lies the beautiful and interesting Selene played with a steely presence by Kate Beckinsale. Now it is true that Beckinsale can act, but here all she needs to do is look good in skin tight leather, which she does well. Though it looks like somebody raided Carrie-Anne Moss’s trailer for leftovers, but I digress. In a time long ago a werewolf fell in love with a vampire, which totally freaked out the vampires- so they went all out war on the werewolf clan. Vampires find it disgusting for both to mix, but leave it up to the vamps to get the last word.

Don’t be lead to believe that they are all moral and everything because they are not and this is completely true judging by the leader vamp Kraven (props for the name) who is whiny and not forceful in the least, making a pack with the head werewolf Lucian. Kraven is played by brute Shane Brolly in a thankless role and Lucian is played by Michael Sheen in a desperate attempt to be the bad-dog in town. The wolves aren’t all dumb; they do have a smart idea to mix the blood of both species to make a super creature that they could use to destroy the snobby vamps. The host for their little experiment is Michael Corvin a lonely human guy with no friends and a French renaissance styled apartment. Michael is played with gee-whiz factor by TV’s Scott Speedman, here doing nothing more than being a breathing prop piece. He gets kidnapped and kicked around for the entire film, having few lines and no real story. He is meant to be the vampwolf that kills everything. Scott has a subtle nice guy quality that gives his character some presence. There is also a love story between Selene and Michael that consists of two dopey eyed looks and one kiss, which is basically the entire romance. Kate really takes the movie places and her over posing makes the material sore giving a cold performance with a human touch. She does un-dead well, but lacks the screen presences to seem so in demand of things. For anyone who cares the werewolves are actually called Lycens. The movie is sleek and stylish given a dark film noir by Bruton Jones, who here envisions French revival Goth with a dramatic flair. The direction is nice, but tries way too hard with the wire work and a “Matrix” type feel. The screen is shot in a steel hue that lends the transfer to feel very blue and soft, where red colors seem to just pop. Len Wiseman could have done a better job plotting the story along- watching people flip in slow-mo is no longer considered awe inspiring. The costumes rock and especially the vamps who give gothic retro chic a new look and have killer weapons to boot. I don’t know who’s idea it was to give the werewolves daylight bullets, but it works.

With a movie like this you know that the story is credited to at least six writers because there are so many angles and views explored that it’s just to mumbled for its own good. The story is simplistic, but the over dramatic screenplay gives way too much into redundant themes and a massive soap-opera saga. The movie pleas for a sequel and I’m sure they’ll get it and hopefully improve the story and its characters, and try to loose the style over substance mantra.

Final MovieFIX:

3 1/2 out of 5- The vamps bring style and the werewolves bring blood in this all out gothic matrix-hybrid action thriller. Plus, did I mention Kate Beckinsale wearing leather?

"Underworld"
Directed by Len Wiseman; written by Danny McBride; story by Wiseman, McBride, Kevin Grevioux; photographed by Tony Pierce-Roberts; production design by Bruton Jones; edited by Martin Hunter; produced by Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg, Richard S. Wright. A Screen Gems release; opens Friday, Sept. 19. Running time: 2:01. MPAA rating: R (strong violence/gore and some language).
Selene - Kate Beckinsale
Michael Corvin - Scott Speedman
Kraven - Shane Brolly
Lucian - Michael Sheen

I’m taking sometime to look back at some movies and see whether or not they stand the test of time.  Today let’s take a look at Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina.

Sabrina

No More Banana's Today...

The contemporary Cinderella tale is told through splendid visuals and heartwarming characters embodied by some of 1954’s biggest stars. The story is a simple one- when two brothers, one a playboy and the other a hard working business man fall in love with the chauffeur’s daughter the comedy and hilarity ensue. The chauffeur’s daughter is played by non-other than Audrey Hepburn, here seeming ever as charming. When she is a little girl she sits in a tree and watches the magnificent parties below as the rakish younger David Larabee has his way with beaming socialite beauties. Audrey plays Sabrina with an endearing quality half of the time seeming clueless and giggly and the other full fledged French class. Sabrina’s father has it set up to have his daughter sent to France to learn how to become a chef- while in France this girl matures into a fashionable French beauty.

Upon her return to the Larabee mansion she runs into David again and he falls madly for this girl. It sometimes appears unsettling that she was already fourteen when he was in his late twenties, but the movie never seems to mind. David is played by William Holden an ever brash fellow with an eye for gag humor and “countless foot in your mouth” expressions. Holden plays the character witty and sexed crazed giving him no depth or evolution, just comic relief. In order to secure the Larabee name and fortune Linus who is David’s older and much more sophisticated brother wants to marry him off to a sugar princess- a girl whose daddy is loaded from the Sugar Kane fortune. It’s hard for the guy to do that because David is making googly eyes at Sabrina the entire time. So Linus decides to court the pretty young thing in order for her to fall in love with him and save the Larabee name. In a strange and shocking twist Linus falls for Sabrina! Linus is played by film legend Humphrey Bogart, who here looks a bit tired and worn around the edges. He had been making films for at least twenty years and the strain was shown on this film. Though, being the actor that he was he slammed Holden into the ground, coming off funny and sincere through out most of the picture. There were reports that Bogart and Holden were not excited to work together because each had different views of what was funny, that lead to many arguments on stage. I guess we should just call it actor ego, because you could see the tension on screen. Hepburn is able to carry the movie in an effective and elegant way with style and a beautiful bashfulness that never felt placid or misplaced. The three leads dance around each other in contrived scenes of balls and parties. Hepburn and Bogart have a strong chemistry that carries the picture with ease and even the most contrived plot sequences have their sentimental strength. It all works and working with film director Billy Wilder didn’t hurt, the film feels very large and romantic, it’s the romantic comedy of yesterday and it still looks good today.

Final MovieFIX:

4 out of 5- Cinderella never looked so good and old movies never felt so romantic..and sorry we have no more bananas today.

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden, Walter Hampden, John Williams, Martha Hyer
Director(s) Billy Wilder
Screenwriter(s) Billy Wilder, Samuel Taylor, Ernest Lehman
Studio Paramount
Production Company Paramount

I have just found out about this new craze sweeping the world, its a dance pad!  Okay, so actually I’m like ten years behind the trend, but I’m always slow to catch on.  This isn’t a surprise by any means.  I just purchased a dance pad about a week ago and I’m not sure why I wanted one, but I couldn’t help myself.  It isn’t like real dancing- I really look like I’m having multiple seizures when I’m doing it.  Really,  I have crazy arm waving and I’m jumping around like some kind of Mexican jumping bean.  It’s not this crazy new craze, but it is much more awesome than I could have imagined.  I have no idea why I’m always behind on popular stuff, I always seem to like it years after its cool.  I’m like some kind of retro reverse nerd…oh wow, my whole life makes sense now.  I am still going to post my art projects, I have just been lazy dancin' with my cool new pad. (editors note: I’m just lazy)  I’m trying to figure out what other awesome stuff I have yet to discover. 

 

Pedro Almodovar has crafted a brilliant surrealist vision of Spanish melodrama that sits with you days after watching this movie.  Volver means to “return” and there are many returns in this movie as it parallels many intersecting stories about women and their connecting lives with one another. Almodovar is no stranger to diving deep into the emotional landscape that is a woman’s mind, but here he quietly moves through a twisted tale of betrayal and old memories devised to trick us and entice us. The story takes place in old Spain where the towns are little yet filled with many generations of women who have out lived their husbands. In the center of this story is a mother named Raimunda, a beautiful voluptuous woman trying to keep a life together that seems to be going nowhere and everywhere at once. Raimunda’s parents died a few years ago and she has been looking after her aunt who for sometime now has been slipping away. She tells Raimunda that her mother visits her to bake pastry and look after her. Much of the village believes this to be true because a ghost is never at peace until everything is taken care of. Raimunda is grateful for a neighbor Augustina who looks after her aunt. Augustina is having many battles of her own as her mother disappeared with not even a note left behind. Raimunda lives in the city with her daughter and near her sister, the slightly flighty and always joyful Sole. When Raimunda’s aunt dies her sister Sole sees their mother alive and this story begins to breath life into a reality we are never sure is real.

Volver plays like an epic poem on a small scale, choosing to meander through many feelings about relationships and how they can plague our memories. It’s a beautiful piece of work and much of that has to go to leading lady Penelope Cruz who here is astonishing and remarkable. She throws her hair up and wears dark make-up and swivels her hips as she saunters down cobblestone streets. Penelope is confident without being untouchable, she is a real woman who looks like Sophia Lauren. Almodovar loves his actors and you can tell that Penelope has poured her heart into this movie. Volver is not all doom and gloom as you might believe, but it fills its story with vivid colors and hypnotic music that enriches the environment that these woman call home. The plot is incredibly too tough to decipher here, but I must say that when it comes to its crescendo that it wont disappoint you. This is a true return for Almodovar to his home of La Mancha where some of the movie was shot, but it is also a return to a small movie with an incredible emotional resonance.

Today was the mayor forum that my class has been studying to film.  We had four cameras positioned across the two story auditorium.  Everything was going just fine for the first fifteen minutes or so.  Everyone was doing their job and no one was really interested in the candidates.  I think I counted like ten yawns from the audience.  I was pre-occupied with the title transitions and then something happened.  Something so unexpected that I quickly looked up from my computer to see the action on stage.  It was all about to go down when mayor candidate Paul Smith started to tell the audience that both current mayor Ron Littlefield and candidate Rob Healy were both rich white men that don’t care about poor people or hundreds of children dying on Chattanooga Streets.  He went on to talk about MLK and his philosophy that the rich are too rich, with both Healy and Littlefield making over 100,000 while the city goes down an economical hole and people starve.  He called Littlefield unimportant and pompous.

The audience then perked up and people looked slightly stunned as if he just broke out into a song and dance number.  Ron Littlefield then laughed and said that the city is a great place to live because he brought the Volkswagen plant.  He said he was ashamed by Mr. Smith and that he is just loud and obnoxious and people don’t need to listen to him.  He went on to say that this man doesn’t care about anyone, but himself and that this is now a disgusting campaign.  I must say that Mr. Smith was over 30 minutes late and he then just waltzed in and started calling them lazy and rich.  This was slightly amusing because Littlefield is a pillar of old man angst, he's so bland and unhappy looking standing like a statue on the stage.  Needless to say it was easy to film him, but Haley was also making accusations saying that this “homeless shelter nonsense” is a pet project to spend millions of tax payer money.  When the men were sitting on stage Mr. Littlefield was in the center and the other men tried to lean away from him as if he just got sprayed by a skunk.  It was all sorts of uncomfortable, but the stuff that makes amazing good TV.  I was like…oh yeah…my time has arrived…It’s Springer Time!  Okay so the men didn’t start fighting as midgets came out with pies, but hey this was good stuff.  The men continued to bicker back and forth and after some shouting we went to commercial.  The People at home didn’t get to see that the guys continued to go at it and that the moderator tried to calm everyone down.  This was an old man throw down! 

I guess filming was good, but I really didn’t pay much attention, because when you have grown men looking as if they are going to call their posse and fry each other then that is amazing.  

Today we had a pretty great class.  In TV production I worked on being a technical director.  I started using our chroma key software.  It was a bunch of fun.  We had five cameras running and we just practiced directing and watching the monitors.  The schools studio is a fun place to get acquainted with all the electronics.  I feel bettering directing or producing more than just holding a camera. 

For broadcasting we had a guest speaker named Tim who showed us some cool editing tricks we can do in Adobe audition.  I was excited because I really haven’t sat down and actually started working on anything yet and he showed us all the filters and how to arrange audio where one person can sound like fifty.  He was a cool guy and young like us so it was easy to relate to him.  He left his business card behind and I went to his website to get a good idea how a young professional does it.  He has some nice designs on there.

See them here:  www.lzxdesign.com

I guess we are going to start narrating the baseball games for the Chattanooga Tigers and we each get a player to profile.  That should be fun.

Yes, I am going to film the mayoral forum this Tuesday!  I will be done talking about it, finally!  Well, after I blog about the experience, of course. LOL.  The day almost was perfect except I locked myself out of my car! again.  Luckily campus security is kind of awesome and opened the door for me.  I got new pants too, I know, I know, I’m just such an exciting individual.

Okay, so picking a new messenger bag is kind of like an impossible task for me. With so many choices I’m so indecisive.  I mean I’m really bad, I’ve been looking for a bag on-line for three days now!  I can’t decide…so many factors to consider.  It has to be good looking, It must make me look 25% hotter, It has to be messenger or sling back, be dirt cheap, made from good materials, hold a laptop and a ton of books, must have tons of compartments for organizing, and last but not least be original.

So I’m this close (holding two fingers .5 inches apart) to buying this Kenneth Cole messenger portfolio…maybe. LOL.

Okay so on Tuesday I got up really early and was excited about working with live cameras for the forum.  I went to the Humanities building in downtown Chatta. and wouldn’t you know it, the whole place was closed!  I mean this place had nobody there like a Hanson reunion concert.  Not a person around to help me out, except for a poster that mockingly read Mayoral forum Tuesday February 24th!!!!  Great!  I only had two hours before my next class. no biggie, I will just go to the library to work on stuff.  I get there and the place has people everywhere, this place is packed like studio 54 in the 70’s.  The only place I could find was this dingy used chair in the very back near this horrible flickering light.  I sit down and plug my computer into the wall.  The wall circuit doesn’t even work and my computer is dead.  This was just great – I’m tired and sitting on a chair that I’m sure was built during the civil war with all sorts of creepy stains and class is forever away! 

Finally 11 rolls around and I go to class after sitting there reading a book, yeah one of those things they make with paper.  I thought those were extinct like dinosaurs or fanny packs.  When I get to class…this woman tells me that my instructor is sick and won’t be in today.  That is 3 hours!  I have back to back classes with the same professor.  I wanted to give up, collapse into a small ball drinking yoo-hoo from my grown man sippie cup (so it really is a super man thermos).  I didn’t have to be in class until 5pm today and I got up at 6:30am!  What a waste of time when I could have been at home comfy watching “Facts of Life” re-runs.  I go back to the library and find a great comfy seat and do some work.

Sadly this story doesn’t end there because when I go to design class I end up getting a B-,B-,B- on my work.  I was so angry.  I worked hard on these 1 inch black square masterpieces.  (I will post them so you can judge for yourselves! lol).  I finally get home and watch some horribly bad American Idol and that was that. 

I was extremely happy when Tessa called me to tell me that she would be listening to my radio show and I think she is the first person that I knew was listening.  So the show wasn’t perfect I had like 10 seconds of dead air time! I know what a horrible shocker, but in the radio world it is death and let me just say that it was because my computer had a mini meltdown and just froze and it would not budge.  I decided to go old school and throw in a Cd at the last minute until I could figure out what to do.  This show was all about presidential facts and I had 4 talking points…I was supposed to have 6 talking points, but it took awhile to get control of the air waves again. 

This should get out the kinks for today, but I hope the mayor forum goes a lot better tomorrow because it is live and it is TV, gulp!

Thinking of the waves upon this shore

p> So my class is filming the mayoral forum this Tuesday, February 17th.  I think I’m in charge of title transitions and chroma key tech.  That just means I put up the fancy graphics when people talk.  Its going to be cool because we have this whole digital set up and we voted on a director who has done some actual movie work.  I love this kind of learning where you can just throw yourself into the work and do it.  It will be at the Chatta. Humanities building where people can come and QA with the five candidates running for mayor starting at 10am.  We will have 5 cameras and it will be airing live on Channel 3, I hope not to mess up. LOL.

Radio Update:  I’m working on a script for an environment type talk show, but I’m still going to play music of course.

Haircut:  I got a new haircut and people seem to like it. LOL. not really news I guess.   Its old school.

I will post my video 1 project in a few days.  I just have to work on getting it transferred. 

This is my first project for Design. I know it is a bit like a third grader, trust me I even had my mom help. lol. These are a collage of 4 examples of visual continuity. They were made using 1 inch squares of black construction paper set on 6 x 8 smooth bristle. They were not perfectly straight and that is probably why I got the following grades..enjoy!

[slideshow id=3386706919790020821&w=426&h=320]

Creativity: B+ Project Specs: B- Workmanship: A

p>I was a bit nervous when we started watching everyone's work, but I feel like I did this first project the best I could with the constraints- whether they were time or locations.  I was really impressed with the work done by Ryan, I believe that in a two minute video he had almost 30 takes with a very clear message and no title cards.  I think I had like four title cards!  It was funny because Tara did the exact same project, but she just had the opposite ending of mine.  Overall it went well, I placed 2nd out of 6 projects we watched today.  I have to start thinking about the talk show, but we have a month, but will it be long enough?   It will take all 15 of us to create 15 minutes of live air time for each person.  I hope this class does “team” stuff okay without a lot of drama.

[the picture above is a working graphic for school and you can find awesome art work at dryicons.com]

Okay, so I’m going to go get my first design grade tonight! ah!  Later.  

My campus drama is going to premiere tomorrow for my TV production class.  I will post it here in a couple of days.  It was fun to do, but very rushed.  I have to give a big thanks to K who really pulled through for me.  It was a really easy project and I enjoyed working on it.  Check back.  I also got my pad folio in the mail today so I won’t be carrying around 5 tons of art supplies around campus in a huge zip-lock bag anymore. LOL.  I’m off to Internet principles and then to work on some block designs.  I get my first grade tomorrow and I will post those art pieces as well.  good day everyone!

I’m on the radio Monday and Wednesday from 11-12pm.  Join me as I discuss many topics on pop-culture and current events while playing a nice mix of college radio alternatives for Chattanooga and Redbank Tn. 95.1 fm.

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