Archive for October 2012

Home Archive for October 2012

Being the lovable actress, Rose McGowan, best known for breakthrough role in Scream, and next in the hit TV show Charmed, and continued for movies like Grindhouse, and recently Conan the Barbarian, has a lot of gay pride. The actress claims that she even makes gay friends seem not as gay when she's around and campaigned against Prop 8. which sought to ban same sex marriage in California.

For next, Rose will star in horror movie based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story, entitled The Tell-Tale Heart. But, Rose still kept silent about her mysterious new TV project on ABC.

McGowan fortunately granted to do an interview with Watermark before her next public appearance at Spooky Empire - The Ultimate Horror Weekend in Orlando from 27-28 October, 2012.

Having fun: Rose posted a photo via her twitter

Tell me about what you’ll be doing at Spooky Empire in Orlando this weekend.
I’ll be there promoting Scream, Charmed, and Grindhouse.

Is this your first time doing one of these?
Yes. It’s fun to be able to meet people one on one. Generally, you’re kept back from people, so this will be a completely different experience to see the people that are your fans. It’s special.

I have to warn you though; you’re going to encounter quite a few gay nerds.
That’s ok. They’re my favorite! If you have to be a nerd, you might as well be gay. It’ll just make me happier.

With roles in great gay cult hits like Jawbreaker, Scream and Charmed, it’s no surprise you built a large gay fan base. You definitively seem to shine in those venomous/vixen roles. Gays love a good vixen.
[Those roles] come pretty easy to me. It’s funny; if you know me, I’m actually pretty easy-going and laid-back. I watch a lot of classic films and those roles really inspire me. Actresses like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford have played some amazingly evil people. Barbara Stanwyck is my favorite actually. I’ve kind of patterned my characters by their performances. I wouldn’t say I try to copy them - but try to pay homage. Those actresses never had to say the lines I have, that’s for sure.

When do you think you established your gay iconic status?
In my mind, it was probably when I was little and I would protect the gays from the bullies at school. When I was 13, I was a runaway and taken in by a drag queen in Portland, Oregon. I used to go to gay nightclubs and dance the night away. So, it’s pretty much been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. I never felt like all of a sudden, I gained a gay following, it’s always been part of my world. I’m the only one, among my gay friends, that’s gone to civil rights marches, pro-equality marches, participated in the No H8 Campaign. Then, I realized, I’m the only one there marching – and they’re gay and not doing it. I need to find some straight people causes and make them go.

You clearly have an affinity for your gays. Do you have any interesting stories about your gay fans?
Just that they’re my favorite. To be honest, I don’t look at them as “gay fans,” they’re just fans to me. They are usually the most fun to talk to and that makes me happy. They tend to know a lot of lines from my movies.

I read that you were even “gay bashed” when you were younger because you were mistaken for a man coming out of a gay club.
That was when I was living in Portland. I had really short hair and was wearing a little 1940s style men’s suit. I was even smaller back then and I had on these little chunky shoes; I got clocked. This guy [that hit me] made the mistake of thinking the gay friends I was with were weak. Instead, they turned around beat the hell out of him.

You mentioned in a previous interview that you felt uncomfortable getting married to your fiancé at the time since your gay friends couldn’t. Would you say that’s a stance you still stand by?
Yes! It’s infuriating. My assistant, who’s a lesbian, is engaged to a woman. Right now, she can’t get married but she’s engaged until she can. That is completely and utterly absurd to me. I would feel disingenuous to get married and invite a bunch of people to my wedding that could not partake in that themselves.

What you’re take on this upcoming presidential election?
I still want Hillary. It’s not so much that I’m pro Obama but that I’m anti Romney. I feel like besides gay issues, Romney’s such a woman hater. It’s amazing to me that somebody can be that bigoted towards 50% of the population. Even during the debate, somebody asked him what he do as far as pay equality and things like that and he said he’d make sure women could get home by five o’clock so that she could cook dinner for her family. Really?! That’s what we’re going to elect? And the fact that any woman would vote for him is shocking to me. I think so many rights will be denied if Romney wins. It’s a tough time for all of us.

Source: WatermarkOnline.com

Dear me,

I'm writing this myself because I've got lot of advice and a real challenge about being a real person. I'll let myself consider these words throughout my life. For other intention, I want to share a bit about what life, the important means to you with my own knowledge so far. Let yourself read this and make this handy with your least expect to it.

I'll start with life's challenge. Not quite simple to make a better own life for long period. Obstacles are surrounding your life, my life. Every way to resolve obstacles is unique. Making own way is always better than imitating other's way. People likely to describe (sometimes) life is a huge encumbrance. I can't tell what I think life is, for exact meaning. I follow what people do, so I can make a communication or in better words, a relationship. So, we'd better follow and make it as an inspiration, an idea. So difficult to make it real, I got a big vertiginous. Honestly, it's definitely not easy to complete a life by only a single person. Thus, we need the others, permanently. Just only let the love and peace into your life, you'll feel a lot more better. Don't waste your time for useless complaints. Because soon or not, you'll get yourself in high temper. Take all things easy, complete anything properly.

On humanely pleasure. I know, we know, humanely pleasure is needed in a life. No one can limit your own chances to get fun, an absolute right for each person. But, we live in a world of laws. Therefore, do anything fun by not overdoing on it. This is certainly not a strange topic about life. You need pleasure in life, you need it so you won't be frustrated. Knowing the best time to get fun is definitely will help people to create a lessen-stress life.

These subjects are still not making a real deal about the complete list. But at least, consider these to your life, remember back what you've passed in your life so far. Therefore, as far as people know, every communication has its conflict. When sometimes, things have gone too far and made a fatal or little problem. There are three different types of people in this place: those who support the real badness, those who support the real goodness, and those who stuck between those two types of people. It'd be better if you aren't the one who stuck between them when you are facing problems. Make your own choice, don't be hesitated or even follow what the others live. Making own choices could prove the real power of being a human.

Yes! Rights and obligations are one of these essential subjects. You ought to know what are your rights and obligations. It does mean everything to your life, you need those. Rights are what you have yourself without no one can control except you. Obligations are what you need to do as you have your rights. You know, nowadays, rights aren't as powerful as they were. But you still can prove yourself that you have your own rights. Trust in yourself, believe what you should obtain, understand better in what other people can't preclude yours. No you can't only stand for your rights, remember what are your obligations, learn about them, make yourself into a right position in completing your obligations.

For last, love what you live, live what you love. Face the fear that grows inside of you. Believing to dispel your fear, will lead you to the perfect way of life. Life isn't as long as you want, you need to run for every change. Run for your priceless time of life. Make yourself accomplished, specially in building your life. Your life is your journey, choose which way to go. No matter your way isn't the best, it'll lead you slowly to the best way. Because you choose by yourself. This relates to confidence, which is the key of all, you should know about that.

This is surely not the complete list of the subjects of life. But hey, I'm writing this for me and you. Reading this may brings back what you've known before. I recalled you with all these simple subjects which are rarely remembered for a lifelong. A comment from you will make this post better later on.

The Birds (1963)

Details

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writer: Daphne Du Maurier (story), Evan Hunter (screenplay)

Cast: Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Veronica Cartwright, Jessica Tandy

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama

Runtime: 119 minutes

As The Birds is an avian horror story based on Daphne Du Maurier's book with the same name, this is indeed the essential Hitchcock's art. Is a must to have this one as your horror collection. What I like about this film is that although it doesn't have any marvelous special effects just like now, the tension of horror is perfectly made. None of the birds' attacks look absurd and laughable! This film serves the best with a picturesque story.

Tippi Hedren is the perfect choice!

Starring Rod Taylor and introducing Tippi Hedren, this film provides best performances almost from all casts. Specially for Ms. Hedren, she's truly a fascinating personality. Hedren portrayed her character Melanie Daniels wonderful, she absolutely shows her best and actually made a love-able performance. With the story about a wealthy San Francisco socialite (Hedren) pursues a potential man (Taylor) to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when all kind of birds suddenly attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness, this horror classic totally works. I love the story, it gives a kind of different terror. Hitchcock successfully made the birds as one of the most creepy horror terrorist. Seemed all birds look to be unreal, obviously. But, they do look more ruthless than the crows in Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) which actually imitating the idea of this film. Besides horror, there are certainly humors and dramas in this film. Here, I think those things are treated very well, all humors look funny, so with the dramas. All just perfectly connected to the horror, no peculiar things revealed. I really love how special is Tippi Hedren. Melanie Daniels look so graceful in her charming appearance and speaking! I think Hedren dominates this film majestically.

Hordes of crows

About the birds, even without superb effects, they look as bad as the film wants to show about. Up till now, the birds can't remove the fright whenever I watch this film. It's one true thing about this film that it shows the deaths of the birds' victims. No more words, those death scenes totally work just perfect. After that, clearly there's always a perfect ending for Hitchcock's greatest films and this is the one.

Breathtaking moment!

Each movie, I suppose, always has its best scene. This film has its own, with the ending of the almost killed Melanie. Shortly, Melanie trapped in a room then it was poor thing she was to late to know that the birds are in the room and all ready to attack her. This is definitely what I like about this film. I like how the birds attacked Melanie and how Melanie responded to their attacking. Everything seems to be perfect, notably in this scene. Hedren downright took all attention in this film, she portrayed her character gracefully!

Surely, this film is one true thing about being iconic. Hitchcock successfully direct this film in the perfect angle. Tippi Hedren successfully took everyone's heart because of her classic and graceful performance. The birds made a miraculous success for being ruthless and powerful than human beings. There are probably just too little bad factors in this film, but the splendor covers the badness! As a conclusion, watching this such spectacular film is all about being scared, thrilled, and fascinated. You'll certainly feel the endless fun to watch it hundreds time. The Birds is an eerily yet so conscientious art which mingles an instant classic.

Rating: A+

Psycho (1960)

Details

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writer: Joseph Stefano (screenplay), Robert Bloch (novel)

Cast: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Janet Leigh

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Runtime: 109 minutes

Considered as one of the most iconic horror films in history, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. No doubt Psycho is one of Hitchcock's most famous film. This film is probably has the most plus for me, with its classics, perfect directing, this movie has rare values! Whenever you watch it, it never gets old, truly masterpiece!

Janet Leigh as Marion Crane

Great story with perfect idea. The story centers on a secretary (Leigh) who steals $400,000 from her employer's client and sets off on the run. Being forced by rainstorm, she stops at Bates Motel where she meets Norman Bates (Perkins), a lonely and somewhat peculiar man. I supposed the story actually has simplicity to be heard, but with creative idea that mixed with the story, the simple story likely becomes an unsolved mystery.

Psycho is all about perfection, perfect directing and acting. With the typical performance from Janet Leigh, and also perfect match character for Anthony Perkins, this such quality of film is now very rare! The addition of Vera Miles as Marion's sister named Lila, is never disappointing. All dialog seems very meaningful with proper language. With the originality performance of each actor, turns the whole dialog into very attractive and alive. Back in 1998, some of you might saw the remake of this film with the same title Psycho (1998). Obviously, making a remake of a highly acclaimed film is very risky. Oh well, what a real piece of shit. The remake definitely failed, clearly from Anne Heche performance as Marion Crane. Janet Leigh portrayed Marion Crane with modesty, this such acting is a fine art.

The legendary shower scene!

Speaking about Janet Leigh, I think almost no one could do a unique, rare performance as she did in Psycho. Therefore, the pivotal shower scene with its horror and mystery style blended with Leigh's body and scream creates Psycho as a very well-known horror film in cinema history. The death of Leigh's character, Marion, looks to die for! Even though, without special effects for the death scene, it looks superb than the Saw franchise! Hitchcock's calculated camera movements and perfect placements incite the sense of dread, moreover added with Bernard Herrmann's classic score gives a whole other layer of terror. No doubt, Bernard Herrmann's score for Psycho is his best one!

As a conclusion, this movie is definitely a marvelous horror movie with bunch of breathtaking scenes. There's a tense mystery in it and dreadful terror that make it prettier. Psycho is the flawless horror move that you can enjoy for the rest of your life.

Rating: A+

Rosewood Lane (2011)

Details

Release date: October 15, 2012 (ScreamFest Premiere)

Director: Victor Salva

Writer: Victor Salva

Cast: Rose McGowan, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Lauren Vélez

Genre: Horror, Drama, Thriller

Runtime: 97 minutes

Well, this is my second time to write a review. Now, this movie is starring the Grindhouse actress, Rose McGowan, and is horror-thriller movie by Victor Salva, Rosewood Lane. There's nothing fun than watching the always charming Rose McGowan on screen. But, it's a pity, that Rose takes this movie with the postponed worldwide release dates start from 2011 until 2012. With this movie, I was so sure with the co-star, that's Lin Shaye. Lin Shaye, I think she made an good performance in Insidious (2010)! With the addition of Rose as the main role, no doubt this movie was going to be fun.

This movie, actually, has a good story, less creativity! Director and writer Victor Salva is failed to make a good horror-thriller movie since his best for Jeepers Creepers (2001). With the terrorist of this movie, that's the paperboy called Derek played by Daniel Ross Owens, he was actually trying to make himself mysterious but he couldn't. For example, the paperboy came to Sonny's (McGowan) to offer about the newspaper, then gave a sort of terror by acting like a lunatic person, that was actually just menacing and horribly nonsense! The acting of the paperboy was so freak with a laughable terror, only terror with no action. Some scenes with the other cast members, too, look so lame without any sense of seriousness with the movie and the script also feels awkward. Rose McGowan as Sonny Blake, the psychiatrist and host of radio talk show, I think the only one who managed to bring up this movie, she was the only one with the powerful acting, seriousness, and perfect role for herself.

The second time for Rose to get through a cat door, after "Scream" (1996)

Also, the director Victor Salva, I think he couldn't direct perfectly the whole casts, so that there would be a perfect mix for the conversation. Rose has done all perfect for this movie, she cried with sadness, she shouted with power, she frightened in fear. Just because of the other casts that had bad reactions to what Rose said. The only scene where I can praise the paperboy, is only the final part, when he finally died. The final scene also the only scene with a bit fright and thrill. But, again, Rose managed for it! Also, with Lin Shaye in this movie, she only had small role and without any continuation or a relation to the next scenes. But, Lin gave her total performance here and she actually should have more scenes. Basically, Lin Shaye's performance couldn't remove the badness about this movie.

I think Victor Salva wants to make an unusual story about a woman who is being terrorized by a paperboy. But, instead, he failed to make it new, it's just like some other horror movies, the basic formula. For a conclusion, there was not much mysteriousness about the main horror, too many proves about the horror. A failure to credit good casts into wrong roles. Too little factors to cover the disrepute. Rosewood Lane is a malfunction of twisted plot, ended with a nonsense plot.

Rating: C

Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

Details

Release date: September 14, 2012 (Worldwide)

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

Writer: Paul W.S. Anderson

Cast: Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Shawn Roberts

Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Thriller

Runtime: 95 minutes

Okay, this is my very first post to give critic about movie, and that's September's most-waited movie, Resident Evil: Retribution. Well, there's many posts about this movie, but let me get this straight for you.

While fans was waiting to see how great the movie with all massive promotions, people outside the fan club likely started curious about the movie. Well, seriously, when I first saw the poster and teaser trailer, I screamed in my heart and trusted that this movie was going to crush the world. This is October guys, and I still don't know why I can't forget all badness about this movie. So basically, about the story, this movie is the worst story in Resident Evil franchise!

The very first poster

Before you scrolling this down, my favorite review is at The Film Connoisseur (click here to read). So this post will be in my own way. First of all, Resident Evil franchise is likely my favorite zombie franchise. Well, actually, the franchise didn't get good critics, it still makes my day with all actions it has. But this time, Paul W.S. Anderson shows his laziness in making the story, no improvement in writing story. Lot of scenes are duplicated from several well-known movies. Well the trailer was really intriguing for me, but the fact the story is a bit "huh?". Well, let's see the things that make this movie a failure.

The first scene was the the continue of the last scene in Resident Evil: Afterlife where Alice's crews reached a ship called "Arcadia" which carries lot of survivors. The first scene, I think, was the coolest scene in the movie with cool slow motion and reversed-action. Then, I believed this movie was going to be super fun. But, after an introduction about the whole franchise that was actually useless, the same scene showed up in a very fast runtime! Then, Alice's eyes showed up on screen and everything was totally different. A scene where Alice as a mother in a Suburbia house and continued with zombie chaos reminds me of the scene in Dawn of the Dead (2004)! But with the always charming Milla Jovovich, the scene was felt really fun. The next, Alice's eyes opened again, this time the real Alice awaken in Umbrella's prison. She got up and then bad Jill Valentine showed up and began the interrogation. Well, personally, with Alice's see-through outfit, made the scene into "not too bad".

You must have recognized this outfit!

But, Umbrella's facility/prison lost its power. Suddenly, a pair of shoes and outfit showed up with the correct size for Alice! Then she got out from her prison with the ridiculous outfit. Well, the system rebooted and Jill commands her team to catch Alice. The laser showed up in the corridor and Alice tried to get away from it. Actually, the movie's action scenes are a real fun, what make the movie has its goodness. Just the story, in the fourth installment, Albert Wesker is Umbrella's leader, he took Alice's superpower and tried to kill her. The weird thing is that in Afterlife, Wesker died because of the plane crash with Alice, but actually he survived. Then, he suddenly showed up in the "Arcadia" ship when Alice arrived. Alice with Chris and Claire managed to kill him. But then, he got up and left the ship!! Oh my Lord!! Before he tried to bombed the ship, Alice put the bomb in the plane he drove. And he died with the rest of the plane. In this fifth installment, he's back again with a very different self-character, a very 360 degree from his character in Afterlife! He's not the leader of Umbrella anymore, Red Queen is the leader!? What the hell? So weird the story Paul W.S. Anderson made.

Alice got new outfit design that she loves!

Well, here, Wesker is a good guy that is trying to save the world and need Alice to help her! Huh? He explained all about Umbrella's facility and arranged her way out with the team he sent! And that's it, the whole story is about how Alice get out from Umbrella's facility. Oh my God!! Everyone is the victim of this movie, the movie tricked us with cool trailer and amazing posters!! And how not creative Paul W.S. Anderson is. He got his idea from most of past films! Obviously, with the meeting of Alice and little Becky where Becky thought Alice was her mother. This is seriously like James Cameron's Aliens (1986) with the relationship between Ripley and Newt!

Where's this scene?

With the addition of past characters that have died, such as Michelle Rodriguez as Rain and a clone and Oded Fehr as Carlos and also a clone, or even Colin Salmon as One, things look like the same one. Likely the movie has those actors to make the more income, such as Michelle Rodriguez. This was actually showed clearly in the scene where Alice, Ada, and Becky left the Suburbia house and the war started. During that scenes, also, there was no struggling and a sense of a real fighting. There was only shooting, shooting then exploding. Everything seems a bit weird after Alice and Becky got away from the house with the staying Ada in the house, and then Alice suddenly got a wound on her stomach with no feeling of pain before! I think that's acceptable. The team that was actually to save Alice, turned into saved by Alice, where the crews (Luther West, Leon S. Kennedy, Barry Burton) saw the licker monster that killed the other crew member. Alice saved them by a Rolls Royce Phantom, and where the car came from?

At least, Alice kicks asses very well!

The same scene from Aliens (1986) looks clear when Alice saved Becky that was kidnapped by the licker and placed in a cocoon, just as Ripley saved Newt. In Aliens, Ripley and Newt tried to get out but they found the Queen. Same here, Alice and Becky tried to get out and then found the cloning place and the licker that Alice shot was still alive. That was the last thing I know about things that are so not creative in this fifth installment. After my sad about the movie's story, there goes the end where the facility going down with the flood that killed everyone. With its great effects, there's still a plus for this movie. There goes the other one end where the battle started. When the team with only Alice, Becky, Luther, and Leon got out from the facility, a tank came from the ice. Then bad Jill, bad Rain, and Ada Wong as hostage came out from the tank. I think that was going to super fun for a battle, and it worked. I love the action, I love how those girls kick asses. While Alice and Jill started their battle, the bad Rain made Ada fainted and started to fight with the boys. Wohoo!! After the battle, closed with the bad Rain drowned into the ice and surrounded by the zombies, all of them were picked up by Wesker and there goes the open ending at the White House that may continued in the sixth installment.

As a conclusion, this movie is disappointing for the story that crossing the original. But, the action and effects still can be tolerated. And I think what Mr. Anderson said isn't the same as the movie. At least, the lovely Milla Jovovich still holds her best that made the movie better. And the movie has less threats, there was no real trouble that made a real thrill, some of jokes are felt to be lame, monsters seems to be just an addition without a good part in the movie. One zombie movie I like is Night of the Living Dead (1968), even though the movie doesn't have awesome effects, the threats seem to be so great that made the movie into a piece of art. If there will be any continuation, I hope Paul work it in deep thought and be creative. I want there will be a promising end of the franchise, the real ending! Apart of all, the promotion and most of Resident Evil posters seem to be not the same as the movie. Here's an example:

Alice and Ada run in the city full of chaos. But the movie doesn't have it! For at least one scene! Well, I put my hope in the next sixth installment (if there'll be) to be the last humanity stand and the improvement of Resident Evil franchise. For addition, I hope Paul W.S. Anderson to improve his movie writing skill and not to be lazy in filmmaking. Resident Evil: Retribution definitely needs to be repaired.

Rating: C+

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Evan's Blog

Rose McGowan Talks Gay Rights and Spooky Empire Weekend

The Girl Shows What Hitchcock Could Really Do

A Letter to Myself for Ages

Halloween Costumes: These Should've Been Before

The Birds Delivers a Perfect Horror Dimension

Hitchcock First Beautiful Trailer

Psycho: The Essential Horror Collection

Rose McGowan Reveals New Projects

Rosewood Lane Is Pretty and Disappointing

Resident Evil: Retribution Is a Big Failure