Twenty Year Anniversary: The Phantom of the Opera

 

                                Well ladies and gentlemen we're near the final days of February aka seasons of love theme. So, I present to you all The Phantom of the Opera one of my favorite musical/romance films that I've decided to watch, and I am not going to lie when I say that twenty years since the film’s release the film as aged as fine wine. Well, more like twenty-year wine but still tastes like crap, despite you yourself not being a wine drinker. Now without a doubt this is one of those movies I was strangely obsessed with in terms of music wise especially in high school and 2004 was around that time when the Star Wars prequels was conquering the world and really this was 2004 so I had a year to wait for Revenge of the Sith so as strange as this sounds this was one of those movies I was more interested with especially music wise because it had that epic feel that gives you goosebumps whenever you hear the music and when you have in actor like Gerard Butler impressing you singing wise and since the guy never sang before in terms of Opera yeah you'd be surprised when you watch this movie despite after 300, he really Matthew McConaughey'd his career.  

                                 Based on the infamous Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. A young soprano (Emmy Rossum) becomes the obsession of a disfigured and murderous musical genius (Gerard Butler) who lives beneath the Paris Opera House.

                                    If you were a band nerd, your music teacher probably had you play a lot of Phantom of the Opera music from pep band to honor band or stage band. And without a doubt Phantom of the Opera was one of those music scores that's imprinted in my memory, and so when my sophomore year of high school I've been seeing numerous previews of the movie and just the music to the movie especially the theme song, it just gave me chills moreover goosebumps and when a musical like that does that to you that's something special. And to be honest I have no clue how I watched it because when I was in high school I was a naive kid, I guess in my mind I just told my brother that Gerard Butler was in the movie and we loved him in Dracula 2000, or my sister was insisting on us watching, though I don't remember hell it's been twenty years since I've sat down and watched the movie so really I don't know how I was like "yeah lets watch it". Ironically enough, as I've researched was director Joel Schumacher had been impressed with Gerard Butler's performance in Dracula 2000, so having read that I was like "My Man" though Butler became Schumacher's first choice he had to take four lessons before singing "Music of the Night" for Andrew Lloyd Webber, and I haven't seen or watched any interviews of Webber so I'm guessing he was impressed with Butler's performance. Now having watched the film, if I have any positives to say about the movie, the strong attribute of the film is really from its casting, the singing and the soundtrack as well as its production design to its cinematography. And no question the soundtrack probably up there in one of the many greatest soundtracks I've ever heard in my lifetime well, maybe top fifteen or twenty but it's up there. Now that being said if I had any critique about the movie it would most certainly be the writing and the directing, and the amount of plot holes I discovered it's like the largest hole you can see when you buy a house and yourself was like "nope" and leave immediately moreover to give you some great examples are like how did the Phantom train Christine through the years and how Raoul and Christine became lovers like fifteen minutes into the movie and granted this is based on the book but really if you're going to tell me to read the book before I watch the musical that's sounds insane because I'm not going to attempt to read the book and then watch the musical just to understand the characters and that's like writing 101, when it comes to directing or writing a movie or musical is to give a little time to understand these characters from start to finish. And it's not just the plot holes of the story but also some of the flaws and some of the choice of shots that I had a problem with, for which really it's not a huge crime because I actually think some of the scenes or music sequences are actually quite funny because when we get to the "think of me" music sequence we get to Raoul discovering Christine, he cheers then decides to leave and as smart a** I'm like "wait the show isn't over, where you going Raoul?" Or the way Phantom is taking Christine back to his lair and goes from stairs to a short ride on a horse and then the infamous boat scene it's strangely funny almost like a Pirates of the Caribbean ride only it's for lonely women who will pay twenty bucks for a good looking dude to escort you to his phantom lair, granted it sounds weird when I say it but really I'm saying that all the dudes are phantoms and the lonely women are paying to have that fantasy. Sure you can pick apart a movie like The Phantom of the Opera and find what ways you'd can fix the movie with the amount of flaws and plot holes but really it's just way to much work especially now when producers will always ruin that movie making experience moreover if you really want to spend time wanting to remake this movie yeah sure, I'd salute you but I strongly doubt anyone will ever feel interested in wanting to see another stage opera turned movie especially when it comes to The Phantom of the Opera. Twenty years since I've seen the movie, I still think it's fantastic to watch and a lot of it surrounds the killer soundtrack and the amazing casting from Gerard Butler and Patrick Wilson who would later go on to star in two of Zack Snyder's great films 300 and Watchmen. For a movie like this you'd just have to appreciate the film for what it is, and I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves music soundtracks or just loves musicals. 

       

Twenty Year Anniversary: Miracle

 

                                    This is a movie that's been on my radar to review but most importantly be sure to review because of its importance in America History as well as being one of the greatest moments in Sports History. Miracle tells the story about the 1980's USA Hockey team that no one ever expected to do the unthinkable, which was to beat the greatest Hockey team of the once Soviet Union. This has been a game that everyone knows about even me when I watched Al Michaels Great Sports Moments of the 80's. And when I heard Disney was turning this into a movie, I was just excited especially when they cast Kurt Russell to play the greatest American Hockey Coach, Herb Brooks. And with all the things that are happening right now in the world, Miracle is defiantly a film worth watching from start to finish.

                                    When College coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) is hired to helm the 1980 U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, he brings a unique and brash style to the ice. After assembling a team of hot-headed college all-stars, who are humiliated in an early match, Brooks unites his squad against a common foe, the heavily favored Soviet team. As the U.S. squad tries to overcome insurmountable odds and win the gold medal, the team becomes microcosm for American patriotism during the Cold War.

                                    Now having spent so much time trying to think of what my talk should be about Miracle the film itself; I must take a moment to reflect on my love for the sport of Hockey. And in all trustfulness it really started with Wayne Gretzky wearing a St. Louis Blues sweater along with the ever great Brett Hull, for which being a young kid slowly growing into a young Cardinals fan then seeing Gretzky playing for Blues in St. Louis it was like well it has to be fate that I would fall in love with the Blues, and of course when you’re a kid going to school you really don't have a lot of time to watch Hockey and so fast forward to the year 2014 and this is when the Winter Olympics where hosted in Sochi, Russia moreover I was sleeping and my mom woke me up and said that history was being made and she told me to turn on and watch the United States hockey team against the Russian Hockey team and really it was almost like a Deja vu in a sense because it was almost like re-watching the 1980 game against US and Soviets. And I am not going to lie when I say that the 2014 Winter Olympics and that game was all I needed to say that game was the greatest thing I ever seen, especially of all people to win the game it was T.J. Oshie who at the time was playing for the St. Louis Blues win the game in a spectacular shootout. So, deep down it was really my mom that drew me back into the love of Hockey and I can say that because her and my dad drove up to my grandpa’s house while listening to that 1980 game. I've said it so many times before in my life time Al Michael's great sports moments of the 80's VHS tape was my first introduction to the Miracle on Ice and I've watched the game via ESPN Classic's back when there was such a thing as ESPN Classic on cable, and so hearing that Disney is making a movie about the Miracle on Ice, hell even I was excited to watch because I wanted to know the full story of Herb Brooks and the 1980 USA Hockey team. And my first time watching the movie at a young age I was always surprised but was just at awed of how they were able to film those Hockey sequences and now twenty years moreover fully matured (hopefully) I understand and cherish the story of one man doing the unthinkable moreover making us believe in miracles, hell even I truly believe in miracles especially after the Blues won the Stanley Cup back in 2019. The movie alone is a true testament in what a true Hollywood sports movie should be it follows the central coach as well as its players and Kurt Russell playing Herb Brooks was a match made in Heaven and Russell spent a lot of time with Brooks through the course of the pre-production process. When you make a movie about Hockey the worst thing you can possibly do is just recreate the whole Hockey game as well as the many face-offs it has as well as the many stoppage it contains, and really what makes Miracle great is that it does recreate the Hockey match but doesn't stop the gas pedal until the final buzzer of each period and Miracle director does a fantastic job at that because you defiantly have to have that suspense and the sense of danger even if you watched the 1980 game in its full or haven't seen it full. Slap Shot is no doubt a great and iconic Hockey film moreover it shows the full life of a minor league Hockey player, but really Miracle still to this day I consider one of the greatest Hockey movies of all time, because it has that amazing story of the true underdog story of David and Goliath but most importantly is a great rejuvenation of being proud of being an American. Even if you're not a Hockey fan Miracle is that one film that you can turn on and watch till the final frame while Slap Shot, you'd feel confused so in all honesty Miracle will always be that great Hockey movie moreover just like Major League or Field of Dreams being that one iconic baseball film. The fact that it's been twenty years since the film’s release, Miracle still holds the test of time in being that iconic Hockey film to watch but most importantly take you back to where you were when the Miracle on Ice happen. So, as of right now it's February 22nd today (which marks the 44th Anniversary of the event) as in such a proper manner what better way to access your Disney + account or you have a copy of Miracle on DVD or Blu-Ray I would most certainly sit down and watch this outstanding Hockey movie to ever be made in Hollywood.

         

                                         

Ten Year Anniversary: Trance

 

                         Well now that Valentine's Day is officially over, I figured I will take a small break from love stories and talk about a film that brings a whole meaning to mesmerizing from start to finish. Trance is a film noir type crime mystery that came out ten years ago and really was one of those films that was just lost in the shuffle of things especially movies that came out in America, basically one of those films that I found in a Hastings bookstore on Blu-Ray (ANYONE REMEMBER HASTINGS BOOKSTORE?). And I recognized some likable actors in James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and French success Vincent Cassel, furthermore, watching the movie through this was no doubt one of the most shocking and surprising mystery films I've seen in quite a long time.

                         Simon (James McAvoy), a fine auctioneer, joins a gang of thieves led by Frank (Vincent Cassel) to steal a priceless Goya painting. During the heist suffers a head injury and awakens with no memory of where he hid the artwork. When torture and physical threats fail to break through his amnesia, Frank hires a hypnotherapist named Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to find the answer. But as Elizabeth probes the recesses of Simon's mind, the lines between truth and deceit start to blur.

                          I can honestly say I've seen this movie multiple times and just can stop but be at awed with the movie from start to finish, especially when it comes to moments that appear shocking like you didn't expect or something that is just you can let go of your own phone and just pay attention till the final frame, even when it comes to the attention to details. The development of Trance I'm surprised to hear has been going on long before it was green lit, after Danny Boyle (won best director for Slumdog Millionaire) finished with Shallow Grave in 1994, writer Joe Ahearne sent Boyle his screenplay to Trance, seeking Boyle's encouragement. Boyle in his own words thought the project would be "quite difficult" for a beginning screenwriter, and so Ahearne would later turn his script into a British Television movie back in 2001 and like most writers and directors through the decades Boyle contacted Ahearne about officially turning it into a feature film, and so with the help of another writer John Hodge who constructed the screenplay, the rest became history. To me what I loved about the movie is that it reminds me so much of the 1962 film The Manchurian Candidate, although this film has nothing to do with brainwashing it does dive deep into hypnotism and true both mind control concepts are much different when use, but there is that similarity of diving deep into a memory you want to remember or forget moreover Trance does have that unique blend of shock and horror at the same time especially when you're not sure what is real and what is not. James McAvoy really shines in the movie as a regular man who seems harmless moreover trying to be this man who is trying to make money by stealing a painting but through the course of the movie you begin to see that McAvoy's character isn't who you'd as an audience member would think he would be and McAvoy does a fantastic job through the course of the movie peeling back the layers of his character to understand who he truly is. Rosario Dawson who I've always in a sense had a crush growing up from movies like Josie and the Pussycats (long story) Clerks 2, Rent and Sin City, furthermore when I watch a movie where she does an excellent job at playing the typical film noir, femme-fatale that is always a deceitful person but with this movie you slowly begin to understand her motives. Now, there have been a lot of movies through the past decade that have been collecting dust or just stuck on the shelf already to be forgotten, and Trance is one of those movies that needs to be seen to the whole world because it has that element like a film noir that takes you on this journey of mystery but filled with a lot of surprises along the way and sure there have been a lot of Danny Boyle's films that are considered classics but this is one of these films that needs that spotlight of recognition for many reasons it has everything from the darkness of crime to the girls and even the colorful set designs along the way. Look, what I'm trying to say is that ten years of existence and this movie is still fresh and amazing to watch towards the final frame and I would strongly recommend watching this amazing tribute to all the Hitchcock films as well as the film noir genre. 

In a Lonely Place

 

                                      

         

                                        This tremendous Humphrey Bogart film has been on my radar to watch since November of last year and it was supposed to be a Noirvember like tribute to film noir genre although that got replaced with my November recommendation, which was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In a Lonely Place is one of those great film noirs’ where you begin dating a guy and you slowly begin to see whether he's a psycho killer or everyone is feeding you lies and don't know the real person. And perfect timing since we're in the month of February aka Valentine's Day because like the movie Laura this has a unique theme of a loving couple beginning a standardize relationship where the man is accused with murder and the woman is slowly beginning to think that his boyfriend maybe a psycho killer or everyone around you is feeding you garbage. 

                                      Hollywood screenwriter Dixon Steele (Humphrey Bogart) and his neighbor Laurel Gray (Gloria Grahame) are just getting to know each other romantically when the police begin questioning Dixon about his involvement in the murder of a girl he met once. Certain her new love interest is innocent, Laurel stands by Dixon, but as the police department continue pressing him, Dixon begins to act increasingly erratically. The blossoming love affair suffers as Laurel begins to wonder if Dixon really the killer might be.

                                      I'm not going to lie when I say this that I actually love majority of Humphrey Bogart's work ever since I watched Casablanca I always look at that man as one of the greatest actors who could do just about anything when it comes to acting, he always does a fantastic job at playing the anti-hero at times is a great charmer but most importantly is excellent when it comes to the film noir genre especially detective and mystery films. And when it comes terass movie Bogart really does a fantastic job playing the charming man that you can trust, but most importantly does a tremendous job playing this psycho of a character that has a huge anger problem, and before I go any further this is one of those movies that has a lot of the "what if" scenarios that you as an audience member will be like yeah why don't this happen or why doesn't he go get help, well to be honest this is a movie that tells a story of the thin lines between love and suspicion and you really have to dive deep into these characters shoes and struggles in what they're going through moreover if you want a great example Billy Martin who was a famous Baseball manager and a great student of the game always had an alcohol problem and nobody told the man to seek help from Mickey Mantle to Rickey Henderson, none of the man's closest friends ever thought of dragging him to a hospital and dry out, so really if you watch this movie just think about that, I mean let's be honest it's the fifties and everyone was smoking so if you were living in the forties and fifties there was no running from smoking, I mean we should thank those era's for not talking about cancer. Now getting back to topic, both Bogart and Gloria Grahme both do a tremendous job delivering great performances that give a deeper look into their characters motivation through the course of the movie, Gloria Grahme in fact was the big time flirt to Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful life and seeing her in this movie she really does a fantastic job showing more of her character's psyche as well as her struggles in staying faithful Bogart as well as having the belief in him not being the killer. The film itself is actually based on a book by Dorothy B. Hughes for which the story has a much different ending then the movie, and having learned this upon reading the reasons why Nicholas Ray chose to shoot a different ending I actually liked the ending in the film much better than the book, despite not having read or listen to the book but have knowledge as to what happens in the book for many reasons I feel it's more a bleak ending as to having a typical ending where we know what happens to Bogart's character then not having to know what happens to Bogart's character by the end of the movie moreover not knowing what's going to happen to him after it was all said and done. Now I've officially going to stop taking about the film because I don't want to spoil anything about what makes this film worth seeing from start to finish, bottom line it's a fantastic who done it movie that really hammer's deep into the thin line of love and suspicion as well as the character's psyche as well. As a fan of Humphrey Bogart's films this film without a doubt is up there in the top ten best of his career, and even if or haven't seen any of Bogart's work I would highly recommend starting off with this movie, especially since where in the special holiday of love and In a Lonely Place is a great example of both love and not sure if the person you're dating is the one for you. 

                                         

February Recommendation: Groundhog Day

 

                                       Well, everyone, Valentine's Day is almost upon us as well as Ash Wednesday as well. So, I figured well thirty-one years seems close enough to finally recommend a movie that so iconic that it's basically my entire families favorite movie, and to be truthfully honest it's defiantly one of my favorite movies from legendary comic charming man Bill Murray. Groundhog Day is one of the greatest and sadly last collaborations both Harold Ramis and Bill Murray ever did in their film careers, though when you make movies with the same guy for over the course of the 80's it's maybe a good thing to give some space. A side from this being the ultimate chick flick film to watch this Valentine's Day, but it's without a doubt an iconic film that has a lot of great one lines and some Buddhist and Christian themes?

                                      A cynical TV weatherman (Bill Murray) finds himself reliving the same day repeatedly when he goes on location to the small town of Punxsutawney to film a report about their annual Groundhog Day. His predicament drives him to distraction, until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage.

                                      The fact that this is a family favorite between my own family is without a doubt special let’s be honest moreover learning that Egon directed this movie and shares a scene with Bill Murray is also amazing too, especially when I assume that's when they got into a bare-knuckle brawl. I have a unique story of watching the movie at a young age, it was during the time where we always go to the video store to rent movies (YALL REMEMBER RENTING MOVIES?) and we checked out the movie because I've always remembered watching Ghostbusters 2 because my parents wouldn't let me watch the first movie because my brother also remembered watching What about Bob, so again Bill Murray was a house hold name for my family, anyway getting back to main topic I remember watching the movie all the way through not understanding the whole concept but just finding hilarious moments when Bill is going out with a bang from punching Ned to making suicide look hilarious. And to be fair it's been quite a long time since I watched Groundhog Day, furthermore, not going to lie when I say this but the fact that this movie is thirty-one years old, this movie without a doubt ages like fine wine. Like this is a film that includes perfect casting directed by one of the best comedic directors of the 80's and 90's and it just balances out perfectly, especially when you have Bill Murray who plays a perfect a**hole throughout his whole career and I truly believe with this movie it was his ability to finally act out like a human being for once, for which really if I was ever a God I would curse every Kardashian, politician and every talk show host to spend the rest of their days on the same day and have to repeat it, which in all honesty that sounds like a great power to have. Andie McDowell as always plays that perfect leading lady, but really Chris Elliot does a fantastic job playing the everyday cameraman who considers Murray a pre-Madonna and always has those great one-liners that everyone would be wanting to say. Now, I've always said that there was always a specific actor or co-star that deserves the huge props from making the movie a success and to be fair I could be wrong on that, so either way I never consider myself to be right, but deep down the real star of the movie is editor Pembroke J. Herring who edited Groundhog Day for which he does a fantastic job making two hour long movie of one man going through the same day doing whatever he wants, because if you've seen the movie or haven't seen the movie the editing tells the story of Bill Murray's character discovering himself repeating the same day then realizing he can do whatever he wants but most importantly he tries to score with Andie McDowell's character and scene or cut you begin to see that Bill Murray is learning what to do and what not to do and sadly enough this didn't get nominated for an Oscar which is a complete shame because this movie does have the best story telling through editing and Groundhog Day is a great example of that. A side from the movie being thirty-one years old now, and there's a tone of theories out there of what this film is truly about and it goes from Bill Murray's character being dead and is in purgatory or writer Dan Rubin created themes that include from Christianity to Zen Buddhism, and really I don't believe Dan Rubin and Harold Ramis really written this to be a base one other religious themes I just think that they just made a simple movie about a man being stuck in a time loop and slowly begins to be a human being, and sure there's no explanation of how Murray was able to be stuck in this time loop or how he can break it for which it truly doesn't matter because this movie is really surrounded by great directing Bill Murray's stellar acting as well as Chris Elliot and Andie McDowell's great supporting acting as well, as well as great writing, and sure you blab on about the true meaning behind it but deep down it's really about one a**hole slowly figuring out he needs to change moreover improve his humanity on others and really if I had that power I'd defiantly curse every horrible person out there because the people I work with, will never get it the situation there in. Groundhog Day is defiantly in my top ten films for Valentine's Day as well as Bill Murray and Harold Ramis greatest collaboration and sadly was there last film together for which really I don't know the true understanding to Ramis side but Murray was one of those actors that had a massive ego that you'd know things would get tense for which really both men are Cubs fans so, really in my line of work Cub Fans are terrible human beings, just like Red Sox fans and Giant fans. Defiantly, the best chick flick movie to watch with the love of your life and if you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend watching this great film with your life partner before you go to church or after church because the funny thing is that Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday are one the same time so good luck taking you're first date out to church.

           

Ten Year Anniversary: Pompeii

 

                                       

                                   Well, we're in the month of February, and strangely of all movies that reminded me of its ten-year existence, upon which is an Ancient Roman version to James Cameron's Titanic but most importantly is on Netflix, I figure well now's the time to talk about the one movie that really has no explanation in terms of plot. Pompeii was one of those movies I remember back in 2014, for which I was literally confused as to why they would make a movie that just basically tells us the entire plot of the film (because if you don't know the story of Pompeii spoilers everyone dies), also I'm defiantly assuming was marketing for Valentines Day love conquers all type movies. Ten years ago, I thought this was one of the worst films I've seen of 2014, and now having watched the movie ten years before its release I may have a different opinion.

                                    In 79 A.D., Pompeii, a bustling port city, stood in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Milo (Kit Harrington), a former slave, is a gladiator who has caught the eye of Cassia (Emily Browning), a wealthy merchant's daughter. However, their difference in social status is not the only obstacle to their love; Cassia has been promised to Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland), a corrupt Roman senator. When the eruption of Mount Vesuvius rains lava and ash down on the city, Milo races to save her before it's too late.

                                    In my years of trying to be a sort of movie critic when it comes to my blog I made a point in 2014, to go to every movie that's been released and 2014 was literally my second year in this blog of mine, where I watched every crap that's out there and to be fair this was trying to work more on my writing and through the next three years I was defiantly burned out because just one to many crappy films can affect a man's perspective on life and 2014 without a doubt was the beginning and somewhat the end of me wanting to go to every movie that came out. Anyway getting back to Pompeii, when I first saw the trailer for this, my main reaction was why would the make a movie where everyone dies through the course of the film and why would Kit Harrington aka Jon Snow, when he's clearly having a steady gig with Game of Thrones furthermore doesn't sincerely need to dive into movies like, the man has his entire career ahead of him well, maybe? Considering that he's not getting much work now, but sure the guy was young at the time and when you want to make it into movies you have to make these cliché B-movies that will make profit but won't get you notice I guess what I'm trying to say to all of this madness, is maybe learn how to read or wait on your options. Now getting back to the movie, once I realized that the film was basically combining James Cameron's Titanic and Ridley Scott's Gladiator then I was like "OOOOOOOH", which really when watching this film ten years ago I declared it the worst movie of 2014, but now having watch it, I find it quite amusing especially when Emily Browning is so attracted to Kit Harrington's character every time she sees him and then when we get to where the volcano explodes, everyone is so serious and confident that we have to get to the Harbor or escape the city which they should of added that we're all going to die. Paul W.S. Anderson whose infamous for directing movies like Mortal Kombat (1995), Resident Evil and Alien vs. Predator, directs the films and this was coming off of directing the fourth and fifth Resident Evil films and then he comes to directing this movie but then again this was four or five years ago when Avatar came out and 3D camera's we're becoming the thing and Anderson was clearly doing all of his films during 2010, using nothing but 3D camera's which again 3D camera's we're fine for Avatar but any other films do not work at all and to be truly honest I believe Paul W.S. Anderson ruined 3D movies for which really yeah Cameron should of took all of the 3D camera's away from him and say "NO 3D CAMERA'S FOR YOU". Ten years now I look at this film as kind of decent with some humorous/serious dialogue but then you just get bored especially when this is a PG-13 movie where the violence is completely toned down and the sexual context where Emily Browning is running away from a creepy Kiefer Sutherland who continues to follower her but again Romans were so scum bags that even the dialogue can tell you how big of a molester he was even though he doesn't do anything throughout the movie. I'd say this from the bottom of my heart to not buy this movie and just watch the movie on any streaming service because let's be honest when you're paying a subscription everything movie or show is free, and if you’re that desperate just go to Dollar General and see if they have a copy for three bucks, because that's literally what this movie is worth.