Categories
Mock Squid Soup Movies

Moonstruck #Review – Mock Squid Soup No.16 #cinephiles #film #romcom

Wikipedia

I can’t believe I’m going to follow in the talented footsteps of the great Cherdo, but this month I decided to review Moonstruck because I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed it before.

If anyone is interested in my experience of watching Moonstruck, click here to see my notes.

This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability.

1. What is this film about?

A middle-aged widow gets engaged to a close friend and is tasked with inviting the brother, not knowing there is bad blood there. Once they meet, she realizes she may have the wrong brother, but isn’t willing to risk causing bad luck to her future.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

When I first saw this movie it had long become a VHS top seller. I was too young to see it when it originally released, so I don’t remember my impressions of the trailer and poster back then. However, when I look at the movie poster now, I think whimsy and calamity all in the name of love- New York, Italian style.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

I must admit I love pretty much all of the performances in this movie. I like the idea of Cher being a mild-mannered accountant knowing that in real-life she’s the exact opposite. As for Nicolas Cage, I think it’s one of his better comedic performances. If he’s supposed to be taken seriously, I didn’t get the message. And the rest of this cast is outstanding. I really felt like these people were a real family, even with being familiar with their other roles.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

I liked how the movie felt so real. I feel like there are no special filters here or ultra-bright lights or colors, yet the film still feels colorful.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

I adore this soundtrack. La Bohme isn’t the first opera I encountered, but after seeing this movie, I grew to appreciate opera even more. Also, I think “That’s Amore” is a pop classic.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

I like that the story was over the top and outrageous but delivered in a very nonchalant manner. The story is funny not just because of the one-liners, but it’s funny because it’s a reflection and exaggeration of the reality of the time.

7. What did I not like about the story?

I never liked that Cosmo got off so easy. All religions aside, going to confession would not be enough these days. There would be some counseling, healing, and regaining of trust.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others?

Absolutely. Why wouldn’t I?

9. If yes, who? What would I rate this movie?

I hope most people over the age of 30 have seen this movie. If I know them and they haven’t, we’re having a movie night. But honestly, I’d recommend this to anyone over 15.

On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 5 reels.

MLoveIt

10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?

Well, let’s see…
YES!
One of the major influences of my book, It’s Like the Full Moon, is this movie. It helped me decide on the title and so much more.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

Mock Squid Soup – Film Society

41375-mocksquidsoup2
MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to movie reviews. We invite others to participate and post their reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Mock Squid Soup Movies

Friday Forecast & Unbreakable: MSS No.3 #cinephiles #film #review

forecast

Highlighting interviewees, guest posters, my standard weekly posts, and whatever else I can think of, going into the next week.

All October I’ll be contributing to the 31 Days blog challenge. It may or not interfere with my regularly scheduled posts.


So, here what’s happening next week:

Sunday | Sample Sunday: EC: Giovanni’s Angel

Monday | Columbus Day observed followed by Top 5- D.C. Heroes. Over on You Tube I’ll post ToiBox Movie Reviews.

Tuesday | Character Files: Lilly’s opinion of the Eternal Curse.

Wednesday | A Post from the Past: Significance of places.

Thursday | Tea and Conversation: Journals.

Friday | Friday Forecast followed by a review of Mr. Churchill’s Secretary.

Saturday |Weekly Recap.

Later today | I’m writing and working to clean up a manuscript 🙂

Tomorrow |I’m posting an episode of Vinyl on My Mind on my You Tube channel.

Unbreakable Review – Mock Squid Soup #3

Wikipedia

This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability.

1. What is this film about?

In case you didn’t know, I’m a geek and proud. As geeks go, we are a passionate bunch. Very rarely are we indifferent about geek related matters; we either love something or hate it. As far as this film goes, it seems that on a large scale many people I know hate this movie (although it did very well at the box office), but I love it. It has, now at least, developed quite a cult following. I personally think people just weren’t ready for it yet, and also feel that much of the current success of Marvel and D.C. films now have, began with seeds planted by of this film.

In this story of what comic books might really be in a world where people love their fantasy and fiction, only because they truly believe it’s not real, security guard David Dun starts to learn that he well above average and seeks the knowledge of, Comic/Graphic Art collector, Elijah Price for guidance.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

I’m going to go ahead and let you know that I will be geeking out throughout this review. For this review, I decided to go the extra mile. I went back and watched the original trailer for this movie and tried to remember what about it made me really want to see this film the first time around.

As movie trailers go, most of them irritate me. They either give too much away, are filled with shock value, are too long, and or completely mislead you. This trailer doesn’t do that. This trailer is probably one of the last few I watch for a movie I’d heard of and was interested in seeing. Today, I don’t watch movie trailers for movies I’m anxious to see and have been thoroughly appreciating my movie going experience because of it.

This trailer, however, was just what I needed at the time this film came out. It wasn’t too long and there wasn’t a whole lot of shock value. There was plenty of intensity and mystery to draw you in, but the whole movie, or all the high points, weren’t given away. I like that fact that Samuel L. Jackson’s character is clearly depicted at being a major role, but not much as is explained about him.

When I saw this trailer, I remember thinking, “This is going to be a cool movie about a real-life superhuman. I hope people don’t write it off as comic bookish.” At the time I really didn’t know this film was about comic books; nothing indicated it in the trailer and other marketing. Now, I’m so glad that I was both right and wrong about this. I think this film helped change some people’s minds about comic books and I’m glad.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

I thought Bruce Willis was more believable as a superhuman in this film than any smart-a** cop from the Die Hard series, and that’s saying a lot because I actually like the Die Hard series, minus the last one. David Dunn is an average Joe in every sense of the term; he may even be a bit below average, and yet, he has something special within him that makes him above average and just right for the role of hero.

David Dunn is unlike most superheroes for three main reasons.

A. Unlike Superman, David isn’t born knowing he’s different and doesn’t have to pretend to be normal. For him, his greatest struggle will be learning how to be a hero and keep his normality.

B. Unlike Batman, David isn’t trying to fulfill a void, to right a wrong, or seek vengeance/justice. He just likes helping people and he doesn’t even know why. It’s just something within him.

C. Unlike, say Spider-man, but more like say a Mutant, David is born with his abilities but they remain dormant until he’s ready to test them and use them. Unlike the Mutants, he doesn’t have a chance to accept the reality of his abilities in his youth or while going through puberty; it all hits him at middle age. All in all, David Dun is more of Luke Cage “Powerman” type character. He can’t fly or control elements, but can blend in seamlessly into average human society, which is both a blessing and a curse.

I don’t think Dunn’s alter ego is ever given a name, but I think it should be “Security” and like many other heroes, his “green” work poncho will serve as his cape… Now here’s where I geek out and sum up this hero. “Security, the green light of hope through the darkness.”

Samuel L. Jackson was wonderful as both friend and foe, believer and skeptic, mentor and archenemy. Sam Jackson isn’t known for playing vulnerable roles. Even in his portrayal of grief-stricken and angered father in A Time to Kill, Sam exudes a level of pride in his character that shows strength. Elijah Price, however, is a new twist to the pride that exudes from this man’s talent. This character is smart and witty, but desperate and vulnerable in a scary way. Before you even understand what exactly Elijah’s role is in the scheme of things, you get a sense that something is just not right about him. Too much of his life’s hope is wrapped up in David being “the one” he’s been seeking.

Mr. Glass reminds of other passionate and misunderstood dark characters, who under the right circumstances could be good guys, but there’s just too much pain and desperation in their lives to make it so. I think of Mr. Freeze, the version where all he wants to do is save his wife and turns himself into “a monster” so he can preserve himself and work to save them both. I like that Mr. Glass wears black and purple; it’s bold and noble, but can also be menacing. Oh, and his glass cane is awesome.

Young, Spencer Treat Clark, does a phenomenal job playing the role of troubled-child coping with the break-up of his parents while rediscovering his father as the hero all young boys think their dads to be.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

It seems like the whole movie was shot in a weird kind of sepia tone that alternated between: green, purple, and sometimes gray scale. There were little splashes of brightness and color from time to time to highlight certain things; I liked that effect.

The director seemed to use a lot of long angles in short spaces and vice versa. It could be wrong, but it seems to give the appearance of paneling sometimes. Unlike the 2003 Hulk film, which actually used rectangular panels in scenes (in case you didn’t know you were watching a comic book movie) these angles feel more natural.

In one scene it seems as though the camera is focusing on the character ear and whole scene seems to be in a box and in another a faceless teacher tells David the story of the drowning boy, and the close up feels like a comic panel zooming it…But I could just be over-thinking things.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

This movie didn’t have a soundtrack, but the score is difficult to describe. For me, a fan who’s watched the film several times, it’s very distinguishable. I know when I’m hearing music from this movie, but I have trouble finding words to describe it. It’s almost sad, but not. It sounds like silence, but again I realize that doesn’t make sense, so let’s just say that the score is original and makes an impact. Now, what that impact is may be a little unclear.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

As a whole, I loved this story. I mean, I really liked it to the point where I actually argue with people over it. Whenever someone tells me they didn’t get it, I want to slap them, then hug them, tell them it’s going to be okay, and then watch the film with them while offering my scene by scene commentary.

I love the fact that Elijah’s gallery is called Limited Edition and the first comic book he received was a limited edition of an “Active Comics” not to be confused with “Action Comics” 😉

7. What did I not like about the story?

Here’s where the geek in me gets angry, but it’s all in love for the art…I will try to keep it brief.

First, how is David Dunn able to fake an injury that keeps him from playing football without anyone asking any questions? It seems to me that a parent, a coach, heck even a fan might want to know the details of why this star athlete is no longer playing football “due to an injury.” Shouldn’t there have been some x-rays or something?

In Shyamalan’s cameo, David is using his clairvoyance to see if anything is wrong at the stadium. He gets a clear image of a man in a red and blue jacket smuggling drugs, but when he confronts the man, his jacket is different and there are no drugs. I want to know why. Is Shyamalan messing with his audience? Was there part of a scene removed and I need to check the special features of the DVD? What happened in that scene that went wrong?

I wonder who did it first, Shayamalan or Stan Lee? Stan Lee has always done cameos in his comic books and in TV programming, but I wonder when he did his first big screen cameo.

The last thing I will say, because I’m starting to become flooded with new things to questions, is about David’s ability to be a good hero. Once it’s established just what exactly are David’s strengths and weaknesses, it would have been nice to see him at least start an improvement plan, even though I’m sure that would have dragged the movie. However, it was irritating to see David use his ability to take a hit as a means to wait out his foe. David needs to learn how to fight, strategize, and swim.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others?

I would most definitely recommend this movie and do quite a bit.

9. If yes, who? What would I rate this movie?

I think this is a movie for the whole family, but there are some intense themes and scenes. Really young children may not get it or be able to keep up with its slow and suspenseful pace.

On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 5 reels.

MLoveIt

 

 

10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?

There’s a motif in the comic industry that’s been popularized in TV and film as of late, the birth of a hero at the hand of their greatest villain. In Batman 1989, Batman is created by Jack Napier when he kills young Bruce’s parents only to become The Joker at the hand of Batman later.

In my story Eternal Curse, readers see a similar dynamic between the characters of Giovanni, Bletsian, and Marcos, but I won’t go on about that. Obviously, I’ve been heavily influenced by things I’ve read and seen in the area of superheroes and comic books.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

Mock Squid Soup – Film Society

41375-mocksquidsoup2
MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to a particular movie. We invite others to watch the same film and post their own reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Mock Squid Soup Movies

Friday Forecast & Burn After Reading: MSS No.2 #cinephiles #film #review

forecast

Highlighting interviewees, guest posters, my standard weekly posts, and whatever else I can think of, going into the next week.


So, here what’s happening next week:

Sunday | Sample Sunday: EC: Battleground

Monday | Top 5- vacation spots. Over on You Tube I’ll post Pop Quiz Pressure.

Tuesday | Character Files: Leo’s opinion of the Eternal Curse followed by an interview with author Juliann Troi.

Wednesday | A Post from the Past: about characters.

Thursday | Tea and Conversation: age followed by Wars do not start in a day.

Friday | Friday Forecast followed by a review of Mercury Falls.

Saturday |Weekly Recap possibly followed by a guest post or an Author Insight post.

Later today | Nothing. I’m taking a break, but check out the movie review below.  🙂

Tomorrow |Not sure.

Burn After Reading Review – Mock Squid Soup #2

 Please note, this review contains mature themes.

This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability.

1. What is this film about?

This film is about a whole lot of something that doesn’t really make sense. It’s a bit outrageous and ridiculous so, of course, it’s hilarious. To sum thing up as best as possible, I’d say this is the story of opportunism and it’s great downfall.

More on the specifics of these characters later, but here’s a quick example of why I think this story is all about, selfishly and dangerously, reaching for opportunities.

Osborne gets demoted and uses it as an opportunity to walk away from a job he doesn’t like.

Since Osborne leaves his job, his wife uses this as an opportunity to file for divorce and then some.

Linda and Chad find information that might be valuable and take the opportunity to exploit it without knowing what it is.

Katie’s on the prowl so Harry uses it as an opportunity to have more adulterous sex with her.

Harry’s wife goes out of town and Katie is a busy woman, so he has a perfect excuse to take on another “lover” in Linda…

Seriously people, this just goes on and on.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

I’ve seen several posters for this movie, but the one I found on Wikipedia was new to me. It makes it seem almost as though this might actually be a serious spy thriller if it weren’t for the wild and “loud” font used. My favorite poster for this film shows a close-up of Brad Pit sipping from his Jamba Juice straw. After seeing that, you know this movie is either going to funny, weird, or both. Listed as a black comedy (I think the term dark comedy is a better fit), it’s easy to image that there may be moments of laughter mixed in with moments of unease and even terror.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

I could seriously go on for days talking about this cast. I pretty much like everything I’ve seen John Malkovich, but I know I haven’t seen all his films. As for the rest of the cast, what’s not to like. I mean really.

George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins, J. K. Simmons, Elizabeth Marvel, David Rasche (not sure of this pronunciation) all make this movie something special.

Don’t quote me on this, but I seriously think it must be some kind of law that says you can’t make a Coen Brothers film without Frances McDormand. In any case, it’s always a comfort to see her playing a role written just for her.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

Well, there’s no secret about the style in which Joel and Ethan make their movies. There’s always a sense of danger, something odd or off kilter, and even subtle bits of humor in the most inappropriate or importune times. Now don’t let me give you the wrong impression here, but this is one of the milder of their films in terms of violence. There are still two scenes shot with that special Coen precision, this will deliver a bit of shock and dismay upon seeing. No one else in Hollywood seem to handle violence the way they do; whether that’s a good or not, I’m not sure, but it is a fact.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

To be perfectly honest, I paid no attention to the score of this film and I don’t even think it has a soundtrack. I’m too lazy, at this point, to research it just for this review. I have a feeling, though, that there was a bit of something quirking playing in the back to set the mood for the unexpected or unpredictable.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

I guess what I liked most about the film was the realistic absurdity of it all. The people in this film weren’t very likable, but I didn’t really dislike any of them either. I felt like everyone except for Ted kinda got what they deserved. Even when Linda finally gets what she’s been scheming for, she’ll still be unhappy and alone. It’s almost sad, but ironic enough to be funny and satisfying…

Does that make me weird?

7. What did I not like about the story?

I didn’t care much for Ted’s sex device and Linda’s easy going acceptance of it. I get it; people are into different things, but it didn’t seem to me that they knew enough about each other to “go there”. Even if I was into something, let say, adventurous like that, I’d be appalled that some guy would automatically assume that I was after, what, one or two “hook ups”. Let’s just be real. Those weren’t exactly dates they were going on.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others?

I think I would recommend this movie but I’d be selective about it. I make a point to know what my friends, family, and associates lean towards. I would be cautious to recommend it to someone who doesn’t share my inquisitive taste in films. However, I would have no problem letting other people know that, “I personally enjoyed it.”

9. If yes, who? What would I rate this movie?

This is strictly an adult experience. Even if the sexual themes and violence were removed from the movie, I still think it would require a more mature mind to comprehend and appreciate all that this film has to offer.

On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 5 reels.

MLoveIt

 

 

10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?

I don’t think I’ve written anything like this, although some people find my story Legend of the Boy disturbing. I admit that I love comedy and wish I could write it, but alas, that is not my talent.

It’s cool that Osborne is trying to write his memoir, but I think he has two things going against him. 1. He has no plan of attack. He’s just talking aimlessly into a recorder. 2. He’s not really interested in the project. Yes, it’s a good distraction for him, but I don’t think it’s making him happy as he’s doing it.

I have been known to write gruesome and scary villains, and though Harry isn’t quite a villain he is a super sleaze. Why bother being married if you’re still trying to hump any passing female on two legs?

Sorry, there I go again. I almost started a rant.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

Mock Squid Soup – Film Society

41375-mocksquidsoup2
MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to a particular movie. We invite others to watch the same film and post their own reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀

Click here to see other reviews of this movie.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords