Oh, the media, how I loathe you. I'm drained, that is simply it. I am drained. I feel like I should keep dilligent and write my little heart away, but the media is just so draining. By now we've gotten to the point where we can turn on one of the seemingly ever-multiplying cable news networks and not see VT's Cho mugging with his pistols pointed at the screen, or when I can read the news online without having to worry about reading more analysis of said killer, or how he planned this, how it should have been prevented and who is holding a candlelight vigil while CNN cameras slink around in the underbrush trying to capture the right amount of tears that make for great television.
It is just so draining that this stuff won't go away, and that the media creates its own icons. Cho knew he'd go down in history for doing this, and knew he'd prolong his importance by reaching out to the media, and they bit. They always do. I get this way when it comes to politics too. I feel so strongly about them, and then just sort of pitter out after getting bombarded with it. I haven't read the news in about a week now, and the thing is -- I care.
But people are just stone cold stupid. iPods should be banned from the class rooms because they can be a tool for cheating. WOW. Welcome to the 21st century. Did you know just about any cell phone, media player, or even, get this, calculator can be used for cheating? Maybe, just maybe this is just a telling sign that conventional teaching methods are dated. Quizzes and tests will always be cheated on. You know why? Students don't find them important as a part of their growing process.
Its an antiquated way of teaching most things, and outside of say math and science I can't really see the need for constant quizzing and testing. If a student learns better that way, they should have that option, but most of the time... Yeah. If a student feels the need to go to elaborate lengths to cheat, maybe said method of teaching is just not working.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
People suck.
People are so completely dense, it isn't even funny. Having read the plays by Cho Seung-Hui, I can say that I was not disturbed in the very least by them. I remember when Columbine happened however many years ago, Harris's aol website was still up, and it contained some maps for the PC game Doom. Upon loading them, it became clear they were of a school. This was disturbing, and the message it gave was clear. On the other hand, Cho's plays were not disturbing or any signs of what was to come.
When I popped the first play open, I was honestly expecting to feel that cold, dark feeling inside like when I saw that Doom map from Harris. Nada, nothing. It wasn't there. There was no cold feeling, instead what I was reading was obviously over-sensationalized stuff that people were going to exploit and try to use to come up with a reason for why 32 people had to die at Cho's hand the other day. I think that is the problem; that people are looking for answers so hard, so intently that they are doing it in the most maddening ways possible.
I sat through many a writing class in college, and honestly, the amount of violent, sexual and disturbing pieces that teachers see is mind-numbing. Do you know why? Death, sexuality and frustration are things that cross the mind of every person at some point in their life. You don't have to embody what you write; writing is expressing one's self, and using their creative mind to do so. I've written a lot of things that would apparently set off "red flags" to many people that I'm going to shoot the world up and am in need of some serious mental coaching.
The reality is, writing, especially fictional writing cannot be used to profile a person or their intentions. Some truly happy, kind people I've known have written some macabre things. You know why? It was interesting, fascinating and it was a way to express their creativity. You don't have to be frustrated with the world, ready to weild two pistols and shoot everybody in sight to write about it -- you can be a normal guy, living a healthy, happy life.
If anything, Cho's plays read like parodies of the world around him than they do insight into the mind of a killer. The commentary by those who are reading this seem to be the real insight into the mind of the killer. It just seems that society has such a hard time, as well as a fixation with assigning blame everywhere possible. First thing we heard was an outcry about gun laws, which is true in some cases, and in others not. The kid apparently did this all the law-abiding way to obtain these guns. While stricter laws could put a cap on violent incidents involving guns, if people really wanted them, they'd be able to obtain them (much like drugs), or they'd just find another way to hurt people. Now we are getting bombarded with the school and its responsibilities.
Teachers, counselors, other students and everybody else, including the lunch lady should have been on top of this situation. A teacher, teaching a writing class, who has seen tons of student work, some of which was probably rather disturbing or expressed frustration is supposed to say 'hey, this kid is going to go postal' and prevent all of this. It seems that this kid WAS seeing a counselor on the recommendation of a teacher, and it still didn't change a thing towards the positive. I'm sure the parents will be next, along with somebody else, as somebody has to be at fault for this, so some sort of meaningless action can take place so that the next time this happens, we can say 'Oh, well, it wasn't due to THAT. We had THAT covered.'
It is really endearing to read something from a classmate that thought Cho was going to be a school shooter, but when you paint the picture of reality, I have a hard time seeing a group of students in the classroom huddled around in fear of some meager asian boy who doesn't like to speak much. I mean, fuck.. When I read these plays, I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed, as they were just so ridiculously bad, that I'm hoping they were intended as parodies or comedy. But they probably weren't, and the true picture in the classroom probably involved more people laughing and joking about these plays than fearing for their lives over them. I'm not saying this is the exact scene, but it seems more than likely that was the case throughout this kid's life.
But what really gets me are the hordes of people talking about how sick and disgusting the stuff that kid wrote, and how it was a dead giveaway that he was a killer. You know, I wonder.. When you profile somebody, and set a norm for what a person should be, and it comes to be, is it your fault for making that profile?
When I popped the first play open, I was honestly expecting to feel that cold, dark feeling inside like when I saw that Doom map from Harris. Nada, nothing. It wasn't there. There was no cold feeling, instead what I was reading was obviously over-sensationalized stuff that people were going to exploit and try to use to come up with a reason for why 32 people had to die at Cho's hand the other day. I think that is the problem; that people are looking for answers so hard, so intently that they are doing it in the most maddening ways possible.
I sat through many a writing class in college, and honestly, the amount of violent, sexual and disturbing pieces that teachers see is mind-numbing. Do you know why? Death, sexuality and frustration are things that cross the mind of every person at some point in their life. You don't have to embody what you write; writing is expressing one's self, and using their creative mind to do so. I've written a lot of things that would apparently set off "red flags" to many people that I'm going to shoot the world up and am in need of some serious mental coaching.
The reality is, writing, especially fictional writing cannot be used to profile a person or their intentions. Some truly happy, kind people I've known have written some macabre things. You know why? It was interesting, fascinating and it was a way to express their creativity. You don't have to be frustrated with the world, ready to weild two pistols and shoot everybody in sight to write about it -- you can be a normal guy, living a healthy, happy life.
If anything, Cho's plays read like parodies of the world around him than they do insight into the mind of a killer. The commentary by those who are reading this seem to be the real insight into the mind of the killer. It just seems that society has such a hard time, as well as a fixation with assigning blame everywhere possible. First thing we heard was an outcry about gun laws, which is true in some cases, and in others not. The kid apparently did this all the law-abiding way to obtain these guns. While stricter laws could put a cap on violent incidents involving guns, if people really wanted them, they'd be able to obtain them (much like drugs), or they'd just find another way to hurt people. Now we are getting bombarded with the school and its responsibilities.
Teachers, counselors, other students and everybody else, including the lunch lady should have been on top of this situation. A teacher, teaching a writing class, who has seen tons of student work, some of which was probably rather disturbing or expressed frustration is supposed to say 'hey, this kid is going to go postal' and prevent all of this. It seems that this kid WAS seeing a counselor on the recommendation of a teacher, and it still didn't change a thing towards the positive. I'm sure the parents will be next, along with somebody else, as somebody has to be at fault for this, so some sort of meaningless action can take place so that the next time this happens, we can say 'Oh, well, it wasn't due to THAT. We had THAT covered.'
It is really endearing to read something from a classmate that thought Cho was going to be a school shooter, but when you paint the picture of reality, I have a hard time seeing a group of students in the classroom huddled around in fear of some meager asian boy who doesn't like to speak much. I mean, fuck.. When I read these plays, I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed, as they were just so ridiculously bad, that I'm hoping they were intended as parodies or comedy. But they probably weren't, and the true picture in the classroom probably involved more people laughing and joking about these plays than fearing for their lives over them. I'm not saying this is the exact scene, but it seems more than likely that was the case throughout this kid's life.
But what really gets me are the hordes of people talking about how sick and disgusting the stuff that kid wrote, and how it was a dead giveaway that he was a killer. You know, I wonder.. When you profile somebody, and set a norm for what a person should be, and it comes to be, is it your fault for making that profile?
Friday, April 13, 2007
Muse on "Live Earth" concert; hypocritical
I have no clue who the band Muse is, but after reading this article today I can say I respect the hell out of them. While tons of criticism has already been launched at Al Gore's mega not-exactly-Live-8 concert to span 7 continents with 12 billion bands, there has been very little from bands. The concept of the concert itself is good in theory, but then ridiculous when you think of all that goes into putting on such a huge concert like this.
As Muse frontman Matt Bellamy talked about, you are inviting bands that are in and of themselves quite wasteful, with Bellamy specifically bringing up the "rock star jets" that bands have, and will most likely use to get to said gig. Concert organizers have been fighting off criticism by making these shows as "earth friendly" as they can. As seen in this article, John Picard, the environmental consultant for Live Earth says that they are taking every measure possible to ensure the 'greenness' of these shows. Specifically stated are that;
• Electricity to power the shows will be taken from renewable sources.
•Food and drink stands will use biodegradable containers.
•Rubbish will be sorted for recycling at the venues.
•Offices and walkways will be fitted with low-energy light bulbs.
•Air travel taken by event staff and musicians will be offset through carbon credits.
•Hybrid or clean fuel cars will be used where possible.
•Hotels will be told to fit low-energy light bulbs, use non-toxic cleaning products and put recycling containers in rooms.
That being said, the concept is still ridiculous and even with these provisions in place will be utterly wasteful in nature. It seems to be a huge trend for celebrities to talk big about saving the world, while they waste tons upon tons of money on the frivolous or wasteful (Angelina and Brad's new super-boat, Bono's existence involving private jets, islands, game developers). This whole issue of the bands and their transportation, as well as personal 'waste habits' seem to be the most wildly overlooked issue involved in this show, and no amount of on-site preparations can make up for the fact that these bands will need a way to get to this show other than steamboat, mules or piggy-back. Even if a band wanted to do this environmentally 'soundly,' who would pay for the band to get there in some expensive, alternatively fueled vehicle? Will Al Gore? Nah, his giant, energy-wasting home takes up his funds, while his disposable income is used to invent the internet and discover global warming.
BoDog Fight: Did Calvin Ayre Make a Huge Mistake?
Calvin Ayre is a name that over the past few years has become more and more public; first for his online gambling site, BoDog.com, and now for his recent foray into the arena of Mixed Martial Arts. I'll put this lightly; I love Mixed Martial Arts. When I moved, I left behind boxes of DVDs, tapes, magazines and posters dedicated to MMA, kickboxing and shoot-wrestling at home, only taking with me a few unwatched Shooto, K-1 and Pancrase DVDs with me.
Since moving, finishing college and getting my feet wet in the silly business world it has become more and more trying to keep up with the world of MMA. Never mind that changing time zones has really messed me up. I have to catch most stuff on replay due to it airing while I'm at work or just enjoying time with my girlfriend, friends, etc. That being said, I still make an effort to find most MMA stuff. The problem comes when an upstart company starts putting on shows, with little name value involved, and when the content isn't easily available.
This not only means IFL to me, but specifically BoDog. By now I've caught IFL a few times, know the names involved and have a passing interest in it. Once in a while I'll catch a fight that happened in IFL, but when it comes to BoDog -- I HAVE NO CLUE. I couldn't name you one name of a fighter involved with BoDog, couldn't tell you what their show is about, and until I started writing this couldn't tell you when their big PPV was (Sat, BTW). Their television show airs on ION, which I don't get out here, or on the internet. I strongly dislike the internet show thing, as the quality is usually kind of poor or choppy, plus sitting down and watching a small, windowed program is just annoying. I'm sure there is a full screen option, and because ION is such a small network that the streams are of decent quality, but it is hard to get the initiative to just sit down and watch something new like this.
Since we are being inundated with MMA now; UFC is doing WM-like numbers for regular PPVs, PRIDE is a common name in the US, etc, etc, there is just so much MMA content, discussion and so on that I know a lot of people like me who get stuck in their ways and stick to what they know. I'll follow UFC, PRIDE, Shooto, K-1 (including K-1 MAX and HEROS) and maybe a ZST show here and there, but tend to shy away from anything else. I mean, UFC has stuff on free TV almost all the time now, and has monthly PPVs, it is difficult to have a huge appetite for MMA right now. I'm not saying its the same for everybody, but I think as someone who has been watching MMA since the early 90's that I'm not a part of this rabid hunger for more MMA like a lot of newer fans might be.
So is Calvin Ayre a fool for starting BoDog in an already saturated market where UFC is completely monopolizing the fight game? Up until now I'd say yes, and until we see the affects of this BoDog Fight PPV, I'll continue to say so. UFC has branded MMA into 'Ultimate Fighting' in a very Vince McMahon-like term that casual fans know, much like 'Sports Entertainment' for his brand of pro-wrestling. Your casual fan won't know the name MMA, but will know the name 'Ultimate Fighting,' as well as you'll see gyms springing up with 'Ultimate Fighting' classes. In this market right now it seems everybody is trying to jump onto the MMA bandwagon, but just don't have the means to do so. UFC is barely getting on ESPN right now, and this early into the craze, starting a new company seems foolish. Its a good idea to beat the rest to the punch, but to survive the early woes might be difficult.
The step in the right direction was the huge steal of Fedor Emelianenko from PRIDE FC. Fedor, still PRIDE's Heavyweight Champion, will fight Matt "The Law" Lindland on Saturday night, in what most fans will see as an easy fight for Fedor and a huge test for the former Olympian Lindland. Regardless, that and the rest of the announced card (Aleks E. vs Eric Pele, Eddie Alvarez vs Nick Thompson) are decent, if not sort of 'blah' additions to a strong main event, but enough to catch the attention of the hardcore fan who hasn't already checked out BoDog Fight. I know it has caught my attention, and maybe in the future BoDog will do more to catch the eye of fans, but until then its a wait and see kind of thing.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Imus -- WHO FUCKING CARES?! Obama does
NAPPY-HAIRED HOS. Seriously, shut the fuck up. The fact that people are up-in-arms over Don Imus, an aging, politically-retarded old guy in a cowboy hat is amazing. The thing is, most people aren't even listening to the Imus in the Morning show, never mind enough to make him get CNN headlines for the entire week. Apparently he doesn't understand what kind of jokes he can and can't make, we get it. He is a public figure who has a good deal of money and a nationally syndicated television (well, did) and radio show (well, once again, did).
While I don't agree with what he said, or how ridiculous he has been in trying to defend himself, it is painfully obvious that people are making a huge deal over this just to get themselves publicity. Think of the names you are hearing about involved in this; Al Sharpton, Barrack Obama, and so on and so on. We are getting a lot of public, Democratic figures making a giant stink about this, and in Obama's case, he is going to be running for President. What better way to cement what already was a strong support with African-Americans and anybody who feels like an outsider, than to rally against a public figure and his idiocy? This carefully chosen, as well. What good would rallying against Kramer do? Richardson is a dude that nobody gives a fuck about anymore.
Don Imus was at least a public figure with some street cred, and people will take Barrack Obama's opinions on this issue quite seriously. I mean fuck, they think he has the answers to the Iraq war, he might as well be able to whine in public about some philanthropic hick calling a college girls' basketball team a bunch of 'nappy haired hos.' People are just ridiculous.
I'm just laughing at the fact that Don Imus, one of the more boring radio show hosts in recent history gets booted from the radio, while an actual 'Shock Jock' (seriously, people consider this guy a shock jock) like Howard Stern can be on public radio for years, and then get a huge cash-money contract from a satellite radio provider, as well as given his own series of stations and allowed to do whatever the hell he damn well pleases.
This is just a strange time for public, boring figures. First Dan Rather and now Don Imus. Whats next? Rush Limbaugh?!
Trapped in a Cube
I often-times wonder about society, and sometimes out loud. Sometimes I think of where I am and how that compares with society. No matter how hard, it seems near impossible to escape societal constraints, and just as hard to operate within them. As I sit at my new desk job, I think of how odd the whole thing is. I spend 8 hours a day sitting in front of a computer, and it is nowhere near as monotonous as the concept sounds.
I've always heard of the horror of desk jobs, and how they will numb your mind and break your spirits. But so far (granted, its only been a month), it isn't painful -- hell, its my lunch break and I'm inside, on my computer, in my cube due to inclimant weather. Shouldn't this be considered a problem? I'm 24 right now, and if anything I am proof that people my age have been slowly programmed to perform under the constraints of a desk job in front of a computer for 9 hours a day.
We, the young people of the world have been bred to someday move on and work, comfortably, in these conditions. It astounds me, honestly, just how simple it was to make this transition. It also frightens me to think of what the future is going to hold for society. If me at the age of 24 is completely comfortable at a desk for this many hours, staring at a bright LCD screen, with a very small amount of time to adjust -- what does that say for the future?
The Jetsons, of all things, has proven to be a spot-on critique (and warning) of society and where it is headed. I have a few more than 1 button on my desk (94 to be exact), but my job only requires a small portion of what I'm capable of, mentally. This doesn't even bother me that much, as I'm used to a lot worse when it comes to mental stimulation from a job. But the image of George Jetson in his swiveling chair pushing a few buttons every once in a while is rather haunting, because its reality now. It seemed like an absurd concept when the Jetsons was airing, and now it seems like if it already isn't now, it will be our reality in a short amount of time.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Grindhouse.
So on friday I went with Rachel, Santi and Steve to go see Grindhouse. Lots upon lots of people were anticipating the arrival of the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino double feature in the vein of old drive-in double features of B-movies. Essentially this was supposed to set a mood and pull you in for the 3 and a half hours of playtime and create a rather unique theater-going experience. With its own set of coming attractions to open it (Machete! Soon to be a direct-to-video feature) and to line the intermission it really felt like its own awesome entity, like you were taken into an undisclosed point in time, in your own little contained world within the theater.
That is really something that is a great idea and we need more of now. Now, if you afraid of anything being 'spoiled' for you, don't read further. Go see this, though.
One of the issues I had with 'Grindhouse' was that neither director I'm really big on anymore. Rodriguez really turned me off with 'Sin City' as many people know. Some of his past movies I've really loved, but I feared he had 'grown into' just being that stylized director with the flash-and-style-over-substance approaches to film-making. Sin City, in my opinion, was trash. There was nothing to it, and it just sucked. Then again, I don't like Frank Miller, I don't like comic book films, and like movies with substance. There is nothing wrong with a simply 'fun' movie, but it needs to be fun, and not trying to be something its not. 300 can go suck a dick, BTW.
Planet Terror was amazing. Planet Terror was a post-modern zombie film to the nth degree. It was campy, dark, stylized, funny, well-acted, well-written and full of everything a zombie film should be. Rodriguez didn't take the film too seriously, but all the same took it very seriously. The 'Machete' trailer sets a really great pace and sets the visual style for the rest of the feature. Planet Terror is visually stunning throughout, using what looked like either old film or lots of filters on the film to make it look like a 'polished' b-movie. Some scenes are almost unwatchable due to the film 'melting' or being so full of scratches, and it just adds to the whole feel of it. At one point, when we were set for the streamy/awkwardly (yet perfectly) placed sex scene, the film melts and 'breaks' away, leaving up a 'missing reel' apology from 'the management.' It was worth a few laughs, and proved to be an awesome segue to the next portion of the film.
The casting was just spot on, as every character felt like they should have; Naveen Andrews (of Lost fame) was a very pleasant surprise as the Middle-Eastern biochemist/terrorist, Bruce Willis was amazing as the mutant/soldier baddy and Rose McGowan was just perfect. The rest of the cast was great as well. The only issue I had was QT being one of the main mutated soldiers, simply credited as 'The Rapist.' QT is not a good actor, hell, he is barely a competant director. The whole trend of casting directors in important roles needs to stop. Cameos are great, and the only saving grace for 'Hostel', for example was Takashi Miike's brief cameo to me. But QT's ego is just unmatchable, and somehow we are supposed to believe that him, next to brawny soldiers was accepted to the military, passed basic training, got put with an elite unit and served in Iraq with the unit that infact killed Osama Bin Laden and paid the price in being sprayed with a zombifying chemical. Then I'm supposed to believe that he is so bad ass that he would be high in command enough to go off to rape two women while nobody gives a shit?
UGH. GO AWAY, QT. He had to have written his own dialog, as he had the same dialog he pretty much does in every film he is in; the whole awkard diatribe about something gruesome involving a lot of swears and obscure pop culture references. I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but his act is really tired.
From here we are treated to another few faux-trailers, which were amazing. Eli Roth of 'Hostel' fame pretty much stole the show with his 'Thanksgiving' trailer, Edgar Wright of 'Shaun of the Dead' fame did the 'Don't Scream' trailer (which was just kinda blah), and Rob Zombie's awesome 'Werewolf Women of the SS' trailer with Nick Cage with a FuManchu was incredible. What really struck me about this was the uniformity of the trailers; they all kept with the visual style and kept the same feeling that 'Machete' and 'Planet Terror' presenting, while still being unique to themselves and not seeming like they were all done for the sole purpose of this film extravaganza. The point I'm making here is leading me directly into...
Death Proof. Death Proof was a one man tour-de-force, and it had nothing to do with Quentin Tarantino. It had everything to do with Kurt Russell. I've seen people saying this might 'revive' Russell's career, and while I don't know about that, he was just incredible in this. This film sadly falls apart and proves QT might not be on the same level of the other directors featured in 'Grindhouse.' Planet Terror was enthralling, exciting and easily one of the best zombie movies I've ever seen. It was fast-paced, fun and just plain awesome. The trailers were the same, then QT comes at us with a slow, plodding, dialog-based film with very little action until the end.
A lot of people don't understand the criticism launched against 'Death Proof' and chalk it up to people not liking 'slower' films. That really isn't the case. There are many great 'slow' films, and this is not one of them. QT is a guy that prides himself on his dialog, and what we got instead was the same dialog, verbatim, from his past films. The situations are nearly the same; sitting around a table smart-talking, riding in a car smart-talking, the 'I'm going to kill you, let me go off on a diatribe' smart-talking and so on. QT's dialog is played out, and he really needs to come up with something new other than the above situations lined with obscurish pop culture references, obscure and foreign film masturbation and ample use of the word 'fuck' as an adjective, noun, verb and anything else he can squeak it in as.
The action, when there is action, is great, but that is pretty much reserved for the end of the film. The end of the film is by far the best part, and I really can't say much bad for it, but the whole first half just doesn't fit. Not only does it not fit, but the visual style totally ruins everything that was being built in 'Grindhouse.' I was giving it a chance, as the beginning of gratuitous ass-shots, cheesey music and quick dialog and camera cuts seemed totally 70's b-film. Then it just went to long, masturbatory dialog sequences and building of characters that have no consequence on the point of the film for about half of it. He creates characters you want to care about, kills them off, and then creates a bunch you don't care about and makes them your heroins. Greeeat.
Not only that, but here he is as the owner of the bar, on my screen for another 20+ minutes. Dear lord, make him stop. But back to the style, the style falls apart, and it goes from an undeterminable point in history to being set in modern day and looking like a modern film with a few retro cars and films mentioned. The emulation of Rodriguez's 'missing reel' gimmick was just bland, not funny and poorly executed compared to the previous film's, and just about anything else done similarly just wasn't on the same level of interest. Which makes me wonder, how did these 'lesser directors' make their faux-previews come out so well, but QT can't make his own grand idea work? He tried to do something, and really failed. Nevermind the placement of the film made no sense. Maybe this film would have been better if it came first? Its slower pace that builds to something quicker would have been a great lead-in to 'Planet Terror', and 'Planet Terror' was just the better film, period.
That isn't saying 'Death Proof' was all shit, as the action sequences were great, the acting was good (as was the casting), and as mentioned, Kurt Russell really stood out. My only issue with Kurt Russell was how horribly his character was written. He is a bad ass, but we don't know if his killings in the beginning was a random occurance, something he had done before, or what. We see him put himself into a horrible wreck without fear, then at the end take a bullet to the arm (well, he got grazed) and fall apart, turning into a crying mess, after apologizing to the girls for chasing them. The character is all over the place, and maybe all of the time he spent building up these girls (who, if according to the b-movie formula were just for T&A, should have had much lesser roles) and more time focusing on 'Stuntman Mike' and his past, the ending would have been a lot more of a rush and possibly made more sense.
All in all, its a great idea that was executed well (for the most part), and the only parts that fell flat in the 3 and a half hours were QT's ego-stroking dialog-sequences and his lack of understanding of his own concept. Go figure, the guy who spends his career making movies that had been made before cannot do it when it is supposed to be blatant, but can when he is hiding it.
That is really something that is a great idea and we need more of now. Now, if you afraid of anything being 'spoiled' for you, don't read further. Go see this, though.
One of the issues I had with 'Grindhouse' was that neither director I'm really big on anymore. Rodriguez really turned me off with 'Sin City' as many people know. Some of his past movies I've really loved, but I feared he had 'grown into' just being that stylized director with the flash-and-style-over-substance approaches to film-making. Sin City, in my opinion, was trash. There was nothing to it, and it just sucked. Then again, I don't like Frank Miller, I don't like comic book films, and like movies with substance. There is nothing wrong with a simply 'fun' movie, but it needs to be fun, and not trying to be something its not. 300 can go suck a dick, BTW.
Planet Terror was amazing. Planet Terror was a post-modern zombie film to the nth degree. It was campy, dark, stylized, funny, well-acted, well-written and full of everything a zombie film should be. Rodriguez didn't take the film too seriously, but all the same took it very seriously. The 'Machete' trailer sets a really great pace and sets the visual style for the rest of the feature. Planet Terror is visually stunning throughout, using what looked like either old film or lots of filters on the film to make it look like a 'polished' b-movie. Some scenes are almost unwatchable due to the film 'melting' or being so full of scratches, and it just adds to the whole feel of it. At one point, when we were set for the streamy/awkwardly (yet perfectly) placed sex scene, the film melts and 'breaks' away, leaving up a 'missing reel' apology from 'the management.' It was worth a few laughs, and proved to be an awesome segue to the next portion of the film.
The casting was just spot on, as every character felt like they should have; Naveen Andrews (of Lost fame) was a very pleasant surprise as the Middle-Eastern biochemist/terrorist, Bruce Willis was amazing as the mutant/soldier baddy and Rose McGowan was just perfect. The rest of the cast was great as well. The only issue I had was QT being one of the main mutated soldiers, simply credited as 'The Rapist.' QT is not a good actor, hell, he is barely a competant director. The whole trend of casting directors in important roles needs to stop. Cameos are great, and the only saving grace for 'Hostel', for example was Takashi Miike's brief cameo to me. But QT's ego is just unmatchable, and somehow we are supposed to believe that him, next to brawny soldiers was accepted to the military, passed basic training, got put with an elite unit and served in Iraq with the unit that infact killed Osama Bin Laden and paid the price in being sprayed with a zombifying chemical. Then I'm supposed to believe that he is so bad ass that he would be high in command enough to go off to rape two women while nobody gives a shit?
UGH. GO AWAY, QT. He had to have written his own dialog, as he had the same dialog he pretty much does in every film he is in; the whole awkard diatribe about something gruesome involving a lot of swears and obscure pop culture references. I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but his act is really tired.
From here we are treated to another few faux-trailers, which were amazing. Eli Roth of 'Hostel' fame pretty much stole the show with his 'Thanksgiving' trailer, Edgar Wright of 'Shaun of the Dead' fame did the 'Don't Scream' trailer (which was just kinda blah), and Rob Zombie's awesome 'Werewolf Women of the SS' trailer with Nick Cage with a FuManchu was incredible. What really struck me about this was the uniformity of the trailers; they all kept with the visual style and kept the same feeling that 'Machete' and 'Planet Terror' presenting, while still being unique to themselves and not seeming like they were all done for the sole purpose of this film extravaganza. The point I'm making here is leading me directly into...
Death Proof. Death Proof was a one man tour-de-force, and it had nothing to do with Quentin Tarantino. It had everything to do with Kurt Russell. I've seen people saying this might 'revive' Russell's career, and while I don't know about that, he was just incredible in this. This film sadly falls apart and proves QT might not be on the same level of the other directors featured in 'Grindhouse.' Planet Terror was enthralling, exciting and easily one of the best zombie movies I've ever seen. It was fast-paced, fun and just plain awesome. The trailers were the same, then QT comes at us with a slow, plodding, dialog-based film with very little action until the end.
A lot of people don't understand the criticism launched against 'Death Proof' and chalk it up to people not liking 'slower' films. That really isn't the case. There are many great 'slow' films, and this is not one of them. QT is a guy that prides himself on his dialog, and what we got instead was the same dialog, verbatim, from his past films. The situations are nearly the same; sitting around a table smart-talking, riding in a car smart-talking, the 'I'm going to kill you, let me go off on a diatribe' smart-talking and so on. QT's dialog is played out, and he really needs to come up with something new other than the above situations lined with obscurish pop culture references, obscure and foreign film masturbation and ample use of the word 'fuck' as an adjective, noun, verb and anything else he can squeak it in as.
The action, when there is action, is great, but that is pretty much reserved for the end of the film. The end of the film is by far the best part, and I really can't say much bad for it, but the whole first half just doesn't fit. Not only does it not fit, but the visual style totally ruins everything that was being built in 'Grindhouse.' I was giving it a chance, as the beginning of gratuitous ass-shots, cheesey music and quick dialog and camera cuts seemed totally 70's b-film. Then it just went to long, masturbatory dialog sequences and building of characters that have no consequence on the point of the film for about half of it. He creates characters you want to care about, kills them off, and then creates a bunch you don't care about and makes them your heroins. Greeeat.
Not only that, but here he is as the owner of the bar, on my screen for another 20+ minutes. Dear lord, make him stop. But back to the style, the style falls apart, and it goes from an undeterminable point in history to being set in modern day and looking like a modern film with a few retro cars and films mentioned. The emulation of Rodriguez's 'missing reel' gimmick was just bland, not funny and poorly executed compared to the previous film's, and just about anything else done similarly just wasn't on the same level of interest. Which makes me wonder, how did these 'lesser directors' make their faux-previews come out so well, but QT can't make his own grand idea work? He tried to do something, and really failed. Nevermind the placement of the film made no sense. Maybe this film would have been better if it came first? Its slower pace that builds to something quicker would have been a great lead-in to 'Planet Terror', and 'Planet Terror' was just the better film, period.
That isn't saying 'Death Proof' was all shit, as the action sequences were great, the acting was good (as was the casting), and as mentioned, Kurt Russell really stood out. My only issue with Kurt Russell was how horribly his character was written. He is a bad ass, but we don't know if his killings in the beginning was a random occurance, something he had done before, or what. We see him put himself into a horrible wreck without fear, then at the end take a bullet to the arm (well, he got grazed) and fall apart, turning into a crying mess, after apologizing to the girls for chasing them. The character is all over the place, and maybe all of the time he spent building up these girls (who, if according to the b-movie formula were just for T&A, should have had much lesser roles) and more time focusing on 'Stuntman Mike' and his past, the ending would have been a lot more of a rush and possibly made more sense.
All in all, its a great idea that was executed well (for the most part), and the only parts that fell flat in the 3 and a half hours were QT's ego-stroking dialog-sequences and his lack of understanding of his own concept. Go figure, the guy who spends his career making movies that had been made before cannot do it when it is supposed to be blatant, but can when he is hiding it.
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