Having a Good Movie Diet

     There are various eating habits we have. Some people moderate. Some strictly follow the food pyramid. Some are purely junk food eaters. A lot of us share the sweet tooth. Bingers and meal skippers; picky eaters and adventurous eaters of all cultures. You are what you eat. The curious eaters are the ones with the best taste; they're patient, imaginative and most importantly they know where to go to find excellent cuisine.

     Bringing me to film and tv shows, what is does your movie diet look like? Are you just a mainstream spectator (junk food eater), expecting every film and show to be catered to what you want, especially the most obscure films. Every story has to fit within your logic. Mainstream audience can force meaning into these junk food stories, like a restaurant having a list of 8 burgers, where the only difference is the toppings. Eating nothing but chili dogs and donuts will obviously turn you into a house. Putting a unique dish at the table, like mainstream audience, a patron will rip it apart for being different, while at the same time demanding something new.

     Yes, there are tons and tons of tv shows out here. However, in no way is that an invitation to gorge and binge your way through every last one of them. You gobble up this content with no real understanding of what the purpose of the show, so after one episode or a season, you lose interest. Where's your intrigue? Everyone is different with their personal taste, so why is everyone trying to get into the same shows for the exact reasons someone else is interested in them. It's one thing to recommend, but if your lactose intolerant, your not going to accept a chocolate fudge sundae from a friend.

     Its wonderful to love things, but isn't it even better to know why you love those things and can fully elaborate, without constantly using the words 'awesome' and 'smart' all the time. If you have a dull, consuming content, viewing lifestyle, where shows range from meh to solid, you should build a taste that isn't dictated by marketing or peers. You can build that strong metabolism, with some good tips to keep in mind. First, get over yourself and just accept that every piece of art is just not made for you. Simple as that. Its fine to be curious but in baby steps. Curious for the sake of curious is a fools errand. Next, as your watching something that really interests you, re-watch them and get an idea of the themes and subject, using that as a why to spread those wings a little. Get to know yourself. Don't be afraid to use the word 'hate' or feel as though you need to strongly defend your hatred towards something. Never look to find ways to argue for the sake of arguing, just the same don't always just try to agree for the sake of it. Last tip: These streaming service, tv networks, and movie studios could care less about your feelings and how their product made you feel; you don't owe them anything.

Intelligence Versus Creativity

        You're a genius. You are very smart. Your Masters and Doctorate Degrees elevate you. Just tell yourself this three or four times.

      You finished? Good. Now, can we please get back to intriguing storytelling, thinking outside the box. I love this modern era of film making. I am not the person who blindly praises movies of previous eras. But if there is one major issue I have against modern film making, it would have to be us (the audience) needing to have our intelligence catered too. If you make a film today, you better make sure I can believe this premise exist in the real world. Plausibility for the sake of plausibility is key. Still makes you wonder why documentary films still doesn't get boost. I want realness, but I'm going to a creative novelty and expect to grow my knowledge. If it doesn't , stupid. If it does, "smart" film.

     Seriously, what the hell does that mean? "Smart". You sure it's not just dull and boring swimming in the realness pool. The only exception to this is nostalgia. Star Wars can do whatever it wants. When it's a diverse story, with a distinct vision, it will get torn apart for not being believable in the real world. Whatever happened to suspension of disbelief? Its still there but it's done with a double standard, similar to what I said before about nostalgia. Or instead of accepting this is the story where getting and judging it on that clone, suspense of disbelieve has a bar of inconsistent tolerance , saying I'll accept you if you don't do this. 5 minutes in tho the movie, your shouting that the movie jumps the shark. Please let's stop this. Because it's the cause of so much exposition now.

Adaptation Blasphemy

     Since the beginning of time, stories  have been swapped from one medium to the next. The Golden Age of Hollywood used the Bible a lot for it's major epics, to NES's Donkey Kong ripping from King Kong, to today's graphic novels and comic adaptations. Over all the years, it's one thing that has never changed about adaptations and that is pissing people off for not being faithful enough or to faithful. I, myself, was immune to this for many years. I never cared for a lot the early game to movie adaptions but not to the point of hatred, and most of the novels I read were not taken to other mediums.  Enjoyed the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. But one adaption finally got to me. I've tried holding my tongue. Look at it from a different way, but still pissed every time I turn this show on.

     Based on the first comic series I completed, Preacher is a huge disappointment. My issue with the Preacher television series can be applied to all adaptations of any kind. I know you have to acknowledge the difference between medium formats. It doesn't' have to follow every detail, but every adaption should be thought of how far are we gonna get away from the source material to the point where your saying why should we title this off the property, other than the money. You just get the licensed characters to attract fans of the source and wash your hands of everything else, which Preacher does. And would even be fine with this if these adapt, stories wouldn't be told so lazy and just getting by on the name itself.

     It's like let's tell our story, oh wait, people might not buy this so let's just throw the name with characters of a license property, instead of buying that property and saying hey I love this, I tell it a with my own spin.

The Surface Movie Versus Artistic Film

       Movies are popular. The Ultimate go to source for the escapism. Movies are pretty much the authenticator of all other forms of art. Wait for the movie. Don’t worry about not reading the book, which has led to the overwhelming acceptance that the book is better. As popular and financially stimulating movies are, it’s Film that is, was, and always will be the most underappreciated form of art. At the same time, Film takes 99.1% of the blame for influencing bad behavior and poor ideals on the viewer.

     To be as biased as I possibly can, Film is the quintessential of the art of storytelling. The time invested into novels gives you a comfortable idea that you are submerged in an intellectual artform, but after growing up, reading a variety of literary works, that notion couldn’t be anything further from the truth. Yes, your building within your own imagination but limited to the specific elements the author presents you. Based on your personal imagination, you choose the most relatable pieces of work. Very dictating and shackling novels are, while at the same time never asking you to surrender your ideals or perspectives.

     The same can be said for music and “movies” as well. You ever been to restaurant where the table wasn’t cleaned off all that well. Dry mustard on the smooth soft table. You scrape it off with your index finger and find the hard, crusty, yellowish substance resting in your nail. Then, you go to the bathroom and rinse it off and forget that little experience ever happened to you. That’s pretty much novels, “movies”, and music, where it’s the themes, basic subtext, messages that take the place of the simple crust on the surface. Why would go any deeper than that with being presented something so relatable and comfortable. In all fairness, when it comes to these categories of art, the work is never given to you. Going back to the dry mustard, you can still see the little dry stain left by the spill, the root. You get to the root of any of these works you’ll find Consumerism, Progressivism, Cynicism, Individualism…etc. Which is why, over time, it can become so easy to lose interest, especially in with surface movies getting the most complaints about originality.

     Although I guess I would give surface movies a pass, since the start of the filmmaking industry built its foundation on showmanship. The start of music and novels already had the presence of artist, but as time passed, showmanship became the big thing. Novelty of novels died ever since the purpose of writing a novel was to have it become a movie. You’re not reading literature, your reading a money-making movie script. There are even tips for how to write a novel to have it easily turned into a movie. Ulterior motive has become money. This motive was already in full swing in it’s beginning. Perfect example of a movie made off showmanship, Citizen Kane.

     It wasn’t until years later until an artist entered this domain. The first true artist in film is Sergio Leone. As important as the Western setting was at that time for a showman in John Wayne movies, it is meaningless to Leone who uses it as simply a tool to design a variety of characters.

     Then comes Craven, Carpenter, Coppola, De Palma, Nolan, Lee, Scott, Bigelow the inviters bringing you into their perspectives and ideals which are nothing like yours. Digging through minds of these artist can be strenuous, making this kind of viewing of film the most least route taken. An artist film is when you hear the directors voice through his/her craft of unifying the actors, production designers, sound, light, cinematography, costumes, scripts, meshing it together to give it to you. Authors can never do this. Novels say build your intellectual. Music says listen to message to include in your life. Surface “Movies” say look for messages, themes, and positive imagery to help build your life. A Film says fuck you, get in my head own my unrelatability and tell me what you think.

    

The Rise of the "Christian" Movie

     Kelly’s a guy, who lives his life to work, sleep and randomness in the middle. One day at work he thinks, ‘man, it’s gotta be something more than this’. He puts that idea to use by expanding beyond the moderate. Throughout his search, Kelly discovers billions and billions of solutions. For a year, he systematically checks out the solutions, using his personal life as a model. After going through these solutions, he learns that everything brings him to the lifelessness “square one”.  Except one. The one way takes him places that have an absolute abundance in his life.

     Unfortunately, that way goes totally against the “norm”, banal society, and if he takes this venture, Kelly will forever be known as a freakly, low-level, deranged, Un-American individual. Kelly slowly eases out of this path and takes a more self-preserved route. Sadly, it is too late. Kelly’s curiosity has caught the intention of one of the devout disciples of this “way”. One day, at work, this disciple contacts Kelly and explains to her the dangers of tapping into this path has brought her. Simultaneously, conformists enter his building. In a Invasion of Body Snatchers style (the Donald Sutherland one), surrounding Kelly’s work floor.

       Still in contact with this disciple, Kelly is given specific instructions that would lead her to the “way” road. Kelly panics and surrenders to the conformists. Kelly is, surprisingly, taken to a place that warms her heart’s desire. There is peace and good, and everything that he thought the “way” was supposed to be.

     However, somethings wrong, distorting. I mean it’s easy, makes sense, but the people in this society seems like everybody else with no clear distinctions. Kelly says no thank you. And is quickly rebuked and cursed at.

     Alone and lost again, Kelly heads to the deepest, darkest neighborhood in town. The disenfranchised. They were almost creature-like, similar to Nightbreed monsters. They were monstrous looking and so forth were labeled as such. For as freakish looking as they were, they proceeded to embrace Kelly as a stranger. Kelly is tapped on the shoulder. “Hello, Kelly” It’s the disciple. The man reaches out his hand to Kelly and he takes it as they enter a building across the street. The disciple carefully explains to him what the “way” is. The truth, honesty, the promise. He carefully tells Kelly the choices. She takes the path of the “way”. Several month, he hangs around the disciple learning the nature of the “way”. It’s selflessness, it’s equally embrace of reality and spirituality. The disciple is amazed with Kelly’s quick surrender to the “way”.

     So, anxiously, wanting to show him the full scope, Kelly becomes overwhelmed by everything from all the world’s truth system. And all the things he will have to accept of himself and the world. “Fuck, this.”, Kelly screams, as he passes out. Awake, clutches his eyes tightly, wishing to go back to the any other place where the promise of the Conformists lies. Soothingly, his hand is picked up. “I’m so sorry. You should never feed a new born an apple.” Kelly opens his eyes and forgives the disciple, askes him could he go back. The man says, “you can, but you’ve seen too much to accept comfort that would bring you, for you are of the chosen.” Kelly opens her eyes and follows the “way”. Years later, Kelly can be seen walking through all other worlds, being curious, as a disciple, because he already knows what’s the way of the conformist.

     What a great “Christian” film? Where is it from, though? God’s Not Dead, no. There’s no mustache twirling Hercules looking villain. Case for Christ, no cult related, brainwashing tactics on a individual. Well, what Christian movie could this summary be from………………….Give up. The Matrix. What?! That movie where the robots try to take over the world with 2 underappreciated sequels. No. Since the beginning of America, the “Christian” something, something, something, has been the foundation of it’s pursuit. You can put it in front of anything and it sells, “Christian” film, “Christian” book, “Christian” autoshop, “Christian” fast food chain, “Christian” soap opera, “Christian” super market, “Christian” laundry detergent. I’ll buy that for a dollar.

     What is a “Christian” movie that belittles and is sneakily, cruel to a stranger, with patting the head or jerking the arm compared to a film that openly invites you with hand to hand communication guiding you with steps and not fancy inward language which a foreigner will never understand.

     Now, I’m not, authoritatively, saying to stop watching these “faith” based movies. Who am I to tell you what your taste should be. But it continues to prove that there is no art influence to the point that will make you do something totally different from your own character. True manipulations keeps on the path of something you want. So, if this entertains you , be entertained. But if you dare call these types of movies art, which as a viewer, sure. But how dare you. Yes, it’s art. The most well-known artform for an American citizen. The art of moneymaking. Think about it. If there really was a subgenre for a savior that comes in on a donkey and cleans people feet and is brutally taken apart by physical and spiritual wickedness of men, do you really think that would sell.

It Comes At Night

      Walking into the movie theater to buy a ticket. While turning into the next line aisle, I look up and see this elderly man with black eyes and black goo drooling from his mouth. "YES! Another demon movie!"

     This was pretty much my reaction for the It Comes At Night poster, my first introduction to this movie. As I started watching this movie, much to my surprise, this is no demon/supernatural movie. Just an pretty basic unexplored virus, and when the movie ended, I was so engaged by the more important element of this movie that I didn't care about this disease. The human condition of destroying ourselves and nothing reveals this condition more than the point of surviving. If the Walking Dead's premise is the perfect model of how humanity can survive, needed one another and working together in the darkest of times, then It Comes At Night is the total opposite. This movie is pretty much a harsh warning against the disconnecting of the human element of caring for others and growing in a community. However, in the beginning, the steps the main character took  to keep his family safe was understandable, but at the end of the movie, I'm asking myself, what's the purpose surviving when you can lose everything from completely cutting off strangers, instead of growing friends, while still being cautious.

     I really enjoyed this movie. Joel Edgerton was great and the actor playing his son reminded me a lot of myself. The dream sequences were directed perfectly. I liked how all the horror moments in the movie took place within these dream sequences, and the rest of the movie was more of a intense experience.  

MORGAN

Morgan

The Checklist for a bad movie

--Spoilers

Synopsis- A group of socially awkward scientist create a special that gets loose and kills. Done.

Problem Checklist-

   1. The best of these types of films start off with a creature being nice and sweat from the start and then turns evil.

        In the opening, you see Morgan stab a scientist in the eye. So, you already know there's no doubt that she's screwed up. Since when is snapping a dying deer's neck signs of pure evil.

 2. Enter Kate Mara. The problem in itself. Rooney's much better.

 3. She seems very stoic with a funny haircut. Sweepstake giveaway for the twist of the movie.

 4. Enough with the hoodie look. After Killer Croc, that look is unbearable for anyone.

 5. This movie needed more Paul Giamatti chewing.

 6. What is wrong with this science team? There negligence towards properly handling Morgan is laughable. One minute they want to save her, while acknowledging that's she malfunctioned. Next minute they want to terminate, while realizing the same thing.  

 7. Kate Mara Vs Poor Man's Ex Machina- I believe both of these actresses did the all the fighting scenes without a double. If that is the case, they ruined it with the close up fighting.

8. Bullshit Twist-Kate Mara= Terminator

Solutions-

1. The fact that Morgan is the least interesting character in this movie shows the title needs a change.

Palms.

2.  Weathers(Kate Mara) storyline just felt like a character thrown into the screenplay at the final draft, which is probably the only reason this screenplay made the Black List of Best Unproduced Screenplays in 2014. Needed a another rewrite to give this character a better flow. I understand you want her to be surrounded in mystery, but you need to give her some appetizer to make the main course all the more sweater. Anyway the twist to so obvious it needed no piecing together.

3. Drop the cotton hoodie.

4. The science team should've been the true villains of the movie. They at least felt like it. There fight to break Morgan was what kept my interest in the movie, unfortunately they disappointed me going the familiar route of the creature attacking it's creator avenue. Morgan's turn to full on evil mode came out of nowhere and never made since. I know she was being built as a weapon, but why bother giving her certain emotions that a weapon shouldn't have.

5. Only time Zoom In fights are good is when they are tactical. Knife or gun grappling. But when it's just a good ole slobberknocker, zoom out, please.

6.The twist was all wrong. You want a twist for this movie? Here. Weathers(Kate Mara), instead of actually being a humanoid herself, she should've really just been a well-trained, Jason Bournesque human. That would've really been saying something. A powerful being manufactured from a collection of brilliant minds, taken down by high endurance human operative, proving James Bond's point about no matter how advance the world gets in technology, there nothing more superior than a cold and calculating human as your go to trigger woman/man.

Final Evaluation: If you see a deer in pain, don't snap it's neck, because you will become the devil.