Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic drama with comedy laced in-between. It was written and directed by Kevin Smith, most famous for his View Askew films. (Chasing Amy is included in the View Askewniverse, by the way.) The film stars two now-famous actors, Ben Affleck (Who would go on to win two Academy Awards for Good Will Hunting and Argo.) and Jason Lee (Famous for My Name is Earl and Alvin and the Chipmunks 1, 2 & 3) before they hit their respective status as A-list actors. In addition, it stars Joey Lauren Adams (Of Big Daddy, Dazed and Confused and Bio-Dome fame) as the love interest for Ben Affleck. (Coincidentally, Joey Lauren Adams was the real-life girlfriend of Kevin Smith at the time.)
This isn't any regular romantic film, you see. This one set itself apart for a variety of reasons (Ignoring the fact that it has openly homosexual characters.):
1. It was made independently. Originally to cost 1-2 million dollars with a cast consisting of Jon Stewart, David Schwimmer and Drew Barrymore. However, Kevin wanted to keep his cast of Ben, Jason and Joey and so with a budget of only $250,000; he made this flick with complete control.
2. It was only two votes away from an Academy Award nomination. The details aren't specific, but I assume it's safe to say that it would have been for either Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay or Best Supporting Actor for Jason Lee. Mostly because those are the nominations it received from the Spirit Awards. (Winning both Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Jason Lee, respectively.)
3. The titular "Amy" is not a character in the film; it's an expression coined by Silent Bob in his climatic speech near the end of the picture. This is rare for films to use a title that only comes into play at the tail-end of it.
Amy is not your average romantic-drama-comedy; it's far beyond it. It's a serious, interesting and truthful story about love, emotions and dealing with a lover's past. The comedy mainly in the beginning and from there it's scattered in-between the intense scenes to make it not such a morose, dumpy film. Because of the comedy, as well as Kevin Smith's status as a comedic director; this film was unfairly labelled as nothing more than another typical romantic comedy. Which is very, very unfortunate as it truly one of the greatest romances ever committed to cinema. ((500) Days of Summer and The Graduate are very close, though.)
Please go view this film; it's available for instant watch on Netflix and I'm certain you could find it online for free too. This is the most impacting film I have ever watched, and maybe it will be for you too.
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Jack Did Strangle Danny; Here's the Proof
As it is always a work in process, I have noticed another implication about Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Now, I watch this film kind of often now; and believe I have an idea for a moment that occurs in the film.
Do you remember when Jack was throwing the tennis ball at the wall and down the hall? From that, we can certainly imply that it is Jack's ball and it belongs to no one else, right?
Now, later in the flick when Danny is playing with his toys on the rugs; the tennis ball comes rolling toward him and Danny gets up and walks down the hall to room 237, which is open.
Now, a few minutes later we find Jack screaming and Wendy finds that Danny has been strangled (not dead, though) and his sweater torn. She then accuses Jack of doing it following his dream of killing her and their son. Now, he goes and talks to Lloyd the bartender and Wendy shows up to tell him a woman in the hotel did it.
Even when he sees the woman in the room, he comes back and tells Wendy that Danny must've done it to himself.
Now, here's where my idea kicks in.
The marks on Danny's neck and his ripped sweater would be too much for a boy his age to do. He simply couldn't, you see? So, with that; Danny is not responsible for self-harm.
Secondly, the notion of ghosts being real are deliberately played down to being all the nature of cabin fever, right? I think even though Jack is going crazy, he is still sane enough to realise the ghosts aren't real and that's why he tells Wendy there was no woman in room 237 even though he saw one. We never see her again, because she wasn't real and Jack knew it.
Going back to the tennis ball, I believe that Jack was waiting in room 237 for Danny, and so he threw the ball toward him to get his attention and once in the room, he tried to strangle him. Waking up from a 'trance' he realised what he did, told Danny to tell Wendy it was a woman, and he went back to the Colorado Lounge to pretty he was asleep.
Just a very rough idea in process, but it seems plausible, right?
Do you remember when Jack was throwing the tennis ball at the wall and down the hall? From that, we can certainly imply that it is Jack's ball and it belongs to no one else, right?
Now, later in the flick when Danny is playing with his toys on the rugs; the tennis ball comes rolling toward him and Danny gets up and walks down the hall to room 237, which is open.
Now, a few minutes later we find Jack screaming and Wendy finds that Danny has been strangled (not dead, though) and his sweater torn. She then accuses Jack of doing it following his dream of killing her and their son. Now, he goes and talks to Lloyd the bartender and Wendy shows up to tell him a woman in the hotel did it.
Even when he sees the woman in the room, he comes back and tells Wendy that Danny must've done it to himself.
Now, here's where my idea kicks in.
The marks on Danny's neck and his ripped sweater would be too much for a boy his age to do. He simply couldn't, you see? So, with that; Danny is not responsible for self-harm.
Secondly, the notion of ghosts being real are deliberately played down to being all the nature of cabin fever, right? I think even though Jack is going crazy, he is still sane enough to realise the ghosts aren't real and that's why he tells Wendy there was no woman in room 237 even though he saw one. We never see her again, because she wasn't real and Jack knew it.
Going back to the tennis ball, I believe that Jack was waiting in room 237 for Danny, and so he threw the ball toward him to get his attention and once in the room, he tried to strangle him. Waking up from a 'trance' he realised what he did, told Danny to tell Wendy it was a woman, and he went back to the Colorado Lounge to pretty he was asleep.
Just a very rough idea in process, but it seems plausible, right?
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Explaining the Plot of 'Back to the Future' was More Difficult Than I Thought!
Back to the Future, you ask? Yes, the classic 1985 film about Marty McFly, a popular teenager with a beautiful girlfriend and a bright future. Marty has a couple of problems, though. First off his father is a weak-willed dweep, his mother's a drunk and he's lower-middle class. These are typical problems that typical teenagers across the world face. Well, his troubles don't stop there.
Enter Doctor Emmett Brown, or Doc for short. He's a wacky, seemingly-ludicrous man who thinks he's managed to time travel using a DeLorean. Pretty crazy, right? Except he can. Doc Brown actually perfected time-travel with plutonium, a flux-capacitor and 1.21 jigawatts at the perfect speed of 88 MPH! Well, the first major conflict is introduced when the Libyans that Doc ripped off the plutonium from have come back literally moments after demonstrating how time-travel is possible. What do these nice, peaceful Libyans do to Doc? They waste the motherfucker.
Holy fuck! I thought this movie was PG! I just watched two stereotypes shoot the fuck out of an ageing doctor! So, that's the first major conflict. The second major conflict is about to come into play:
When Marty tries to get away from the Libyans, he hops in the DeLorean and floors the bitch! And he just-so-happened to forget that 88 MPH will sling-shot his ass back/forward in time. Well, he is just driving when he hit the dreaded 88! Shit, he's back in time now! He has to go back to the future! Pardon the pun.
Second major conflict; he's stuck in 1955. Well, shit! This is enough to base a movie on! A boy gets sent back in time and has to go back and save his friend from being shot! Good enough for me! But, wait...
HE'S OUT OF PLUTONIUM. And this is 1955, so it's even more scarce than in the future! Fuck! Three major problems and we're not even an hour in! This is still more-than-enough to make a film around...But wait, there's more!
Enter the fourth major problem; he prevents his parents from meeting, thus preventing them from getting married, having sex, and having him. Shit! It really isn't your day, is it Marty? You basically just erased yourself from history in under an hour of film! So, that's all the conflict right?
Wrong! In preventing his parents meeting, marrying and fucking; he also manages to make his own mother sexually attracted to him. Goddammit, Doc Brown! All he wanted to do was have naughty, teenage sex with Jennifer by the lake! You fucked him over! Five major problems (thus far)!
So after two hours of trying to get his parents to like one another, inadvertently creating rock n' roll, saving him and his siblings from non-existence, inventing the skateboard, making Biff his bitch we have one final major problem...
The lightning! The car! He's late! No, he's on time! Doc fucked up! No, Doc saved the day! Wait, what?! In a almost Bad Luck Brian-esque series of events, he finally manages to make it back to 1985...just to see Doc killed still and seeing himself going to the past again. Well, to be fair; Doc wore a bullet-proof vest because Marty wrote him a not warning him of the event...but what about the other Marty? What in the flying fuck happened to him? He had to do all this shit again? Just to watch it again? And again? And again? You fucked up big time, Doc. Big time.
Enter Doctor Emmett Brown, or Doc for short. He's a wacky, seemingly-ludicrous man who thinks he's managed to time travel using a DeLorean. Pretty crazy, right? Except he can. Doc Brown actually perfected time-travel with plutonium, a flux-capacitor and 1.21 jigawatts at the perfect speed of 88 MPH! Well, the first major conflict is introduced when the Libyans that Doc ripped off the plutonium from have come back literally moments after demonstrating how time-travel is possible. What do these nice, peaceful Libyans do to Doc? They waste the motherfucker.
Holy fuck! I thought this movie was PG! I just watched two stereotypes shoot the fuck out of an ageing doctor! So, that's the first major conflict. The second major conflict is about to come into play:
When Marty tries to get away from the Libyans, he hops in the DeLorean and floors the bitch! And he just-so-happened to forget that 88 MPH will sling-shot his ass back/forward in time. Well, he is just driving when he hit the dreaded 88! Shit, he's back in time now! He has to go back to the future! Pardon the pun.
Second major conflict; he's stuck in 1955. Well, shit! This is enough to base a movie on! A boy gets sent back in time and has to go back and save his friend from being shot! Good enough for me! But, wait...
HE'S OUT OF PLUTONIUM. And this is 1955, so it's even more scarce than in the future! Fuck! Three major problems and we're not even an hour in! This is still more-than-enough to make a film around...But wait, there's more!
Enter the fourth major problem; he prevents his parents from meeting, thus preventing them from getting married, having sex, and having him. Shit! It really isn't your day, is it Marty? You basically just erased yourself from history in under an hour of film! So, that's all the conflict right?
Wrong! In preventing his parents meeting, marrying and fucking; he also manages to make his own mother sexually attracted to him. Goddammit, Doc Brown! All he wanted to do was have naughty, teenage sex with Jennifer by the lake! You fucked him over! Five major problems (thus far)!
So after two hours of trying to get his parents to like one another, inadvertently creating rock n' roll, saving him and his siblings from non-existence, inventing the skateboard, making Biff his bitch we have one final major problem...
The lightning! The car! He's late! No, he's on time! Doc fucked up! No, Doc saved the day! Wait, what?! In a almost Bad Luck Brian-esque series of events, he finally manages to make it back to 1985...just to see Doc killed still and seeing himself going to the past again. Well, to be fair; Doc wore a bullet-proof vest because Marty wrote him a not warning him of the event...but what about the other Marty? What in the flying fuck happened to him? He had to do all this shit again? Just to watch it again? And again? And again? You fucked up big time, Doc. Big time.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Answered Questions of 'The Shining'
For years, this has stumped so many people. However, on only my second-viewing; I feel confident that I have the meanings to the endless questions people have about this classic 1980 psychological horror film: The Shining.
Jack Torrance was Charles Grady.
In the beginning of the film when Jack is being interviewed for his job at The Overlook Hotel; Mr. Ullman tells him a grim and gruesome story about Charles Grady, a man who murdered his two daughters of ages eight and ten, as well as his wife and then he killed himself. Later in the film, however, when Jack talks to the ghost who is supposedly the man who killed them is now named Delbert. This has confused people for ages, but here's what I think:
Delbert and Charles Grady are not the same person; rather, they're brothers. I believe that Jack was Charles Grady in the past, and this would explain the final shot of the film being Jack in the 1921 photograph at The Gold Room. He was reincarnated from Charles Grady to recommit the same murders again. Delbert Grady would be Charles' brother. This explains why he is so kind to Jack and why he unlocks the freezer for him to go re-commit the crime. This takes care of what is often thought to be a gaping plot hole. This also shows that the final shot has a deeper meaning than anticipated. Remember just a month after they moved into the hotel that Jack tells Wendy: "I feel like I've been here before. That I knew what was going to be around every corner." Well, he has. Albeit in another lifetime.
Another plot "hole" it could explain is that when in the beginning Mr. Ullman gives the daughters ages as eight and ten, which would be impossible for twins to be two years apart. This would mean that Charles Grady (Jack) murdered his two daughters of different ages. While Delbert (His brother) describes his two daughters as 'running around somewhere'. They are running around trying to prevent Danny from the same ultimate fate. They could have shown themselves in a dead state to scare Danny into knowing what may happen to him.
I honestly feel this makes the best sense of any theory relating to The Shining, and that it was Stanley Kubrick's original intention.
Jack Torrance was Charles Grady.
In the beginning of the film when Jack is being interviewed for his job at The Overlook Hotel; Mr. Ullman tells him a grim and gruesome story about Charles Grady, a man who murdered his two daughters of ages eight and ten, as well as his wife and then he killed himself. Later in the film, however, when Jack talks to the ghost who is supposedly the man who killed them is now named Delbert. This has confused people for ages, but here's what I think:
Delbert and Charles Grady are not the same person; rather, they're brothers. I believe that Jack was Charles Grady in the past, and this would explain the final shot of the film being Jack in the 1921 photograph at The Gold Room. He was reincarnated from Charles Grady to recommit the same murders again. Delbert Grady would be Charles' brother. This explains why he is so kind to Jack and why he unlocks the freezer for him to go re-commit the crime. This takes care of what is often thought to be a gaping plot hole. This also shows that the final shot has a deeper meaning than anticipated. Remember just a month after they moved into the hotel that Jack tells Wendy: "I feel like I've been here before. That I knew what was going to be around every corner." Well, he has. Albeit in another lifetime.
Another plot "hole" it could explain is that when in the beginning Mr. Ullman gives the daughters ages as eight and ten, which would be impossible for twins to be two years apart. This would mean that Charles Grady (Jack) murdered his two daughters of different ages. While Delbert (His brother) describes his two daughters as 'running around somewhere'. They are running around trying to prevent Danny from the same ultimate fate. They could have shown themselves in a dead state to scare Danny into knowing what may happen to him.
I honestly feel this makes the best sense of any theory relating to The Shining, and that it was Stanley Kubrick's original intention.
Hey! I Made a Shitty Documentary! (You Should Watch It)
It's not that bad.
Willy Wonka, you sadistic fuck, you!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Everyone Hates the Second Half of 'Full Metal Jacket' (But it's Actually Superior to the First)
Now, we've all at one point or another watched one of Stanley Kubrick's best films he ever made in his career: Full Metal Jacket. Well...the first half anyway...right?
Well, that's the consensus. Everyone praises the first half for being funny, dramatic and a staple in war films...despite not being in the war yet...However, as much as I enjoy the first half, (and trust me, I certainly do.) the second half is the better of the two.
Blasphemy! You shout incoherently at the computer scream, hoping I somehow manage to hear it. Well, no sir you are quite wrong. While the first half is very captivating, funny and has one hell of an ending; it's by no means a 'great piece of filmmaking'. Outside of its realism, (well, until Private Pyle goes apeshit and unloads on Sgt. Hartman...) it's just a regular film. Hell, it could pass as a comedy for all I care...again...until that ending, of course.
The second half, however, is a realistic, gritty and at-times unsettling look on war. The message, themes and tone of the second half; hell, even some of the humour, is superior to the first act.
From the opening shot of a Vietnamese prostitute hitting on Pvt. Joker and Rafter Man accompanied by These Boots Are Made for Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra to the final shot of the now-dehumanised soldiers marching to The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse March is a great piece of war cinema.
So, suck it FML first-halfers!
Well, that's the consensus. Everyone praises the first half for being funny, dramatic and a staple in war films...despite not being in the war yet...However, as much as I enjoy the first half, (and trust me, I certainly do.) the second half is the better of the two.
Blasphemy! You shout incoherently at the computer scream, hoping I somehow manage to hear it. Well, no sir you are quite wrong. While the first half is very captivating, funny and has one hell of an ending; it's by no means a 'great piece of filmmaking'. Outside of its realism, (well, until Private Pyle goes apeshit and unloads on Sgt. Hartman...) it's just a regular film. Hell, it could pass as a comedy for all I care...again...until that ending, of course.
The second half, however, is a realistic, gritty and at-times unsettling look on war. The message, themes and tone of the second half; hell, even some of the humour, is superior to the first act.
From the opening shot of a Vietnamese prostitute hitting on Pvt. Joker and Rafter Man accompanied by These Boots Are Made for Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra to the final shot of the now-dehumanised soldiers marching to The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse March is a great piece of war cinema.
So, suck it FML first-halfers!
Monday, June 10, 2013
I Suffer From 'Public Piss Syndrome' (And Why it Fucking Sucks)
I have PPS. Now, before you all jump on Google and look up: "What the hell is PPS?"; allow me to elaborate on this disease I just made up.
Public Piss Syndrome (PPS) is a common ailment that affects both men and women all across the globe. PPS is known for making it immensely difficult for pissing in a public setting; especially for men, considering we have those oh-so open devices called: "Urinals". It affects approximately 5.6 billion people on earth, and that statistic is complete-and-utter horseshit.
I developed PPS about two years ago after watching a goddamned film named: Waiting..., and in the film there is a character named Calvin. Calvin is a shy, pussy-whipped and a fellow PPS comrade. His shortcomings in the pisser are elaborated on mid-way through the film, when he tells the dishwasher Bishop about how he developed PPS. He goes into a long, detailed story about how once when the restaurant was closing, he was pissing at a urinal, and some sick-fuck Carrot Top impersonator walks past a million empty urinals and uses the one next to him...
...And then stares at his cock.
And after seeing this film; I quickly developed PPS and now whenever anyone is in the restroom with me; I freeze up and cannot drain my metaphorical lizard.
For fuck's sake! Help me find a cure for this horrid disease!
Public Piss Syndrome (PPS) is a common ailment that affects both men and women all across the globe. PPS is known for making it immensely difficult for pissing in a public setting; especially for men, considering we have those oh-so open devices called: "Urinals". It affects approximately 5.6 billion people on earth, and that statistic is complete-and-utter horseshit.
I developed PPS about two years ago after watching a goddamned film named: Waiting..., and in the film there is a character named Calvin. Calvin is a shy, pussy-whipped and a fellow PPS comrade. His shortcomings in the pisser are elaborated on mid-way through the film, when he tells the dishwasher Bishop about how he developed PPS. He goes into a long, detailed story about how once when the restaurant was closing, he was pissing at a urinal, and some sick-fuck Carrot Top impersonator walks past a million empty urinals and uses the one next to him...
...And then stares at his cock.
And after seeing this film; I quickly developed PPS and now whenever anyone is in the restroom with me; I freeze up and cannot drain my metaphorical lizard.
For fuck's sake! Help me find a cure for this horrid disease!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Greetings from The Cynical Asshole.
Hey there, world; I'm The Cynical Asshole himself, Josh Surratt. Consider this a prologue to all the offensive, vile and down-right sickening posts you will be reading from me. Allow me to go over some basic information:
1. I have a website, it's much better than this; go check it out sometime: "http://thecynicalasshole.webs.com/"
2. I'm a freelance columnist. So please, for the love of Lennon; find me some goddamn work!
3. I'm a Left-Libertarian. So, expect me to be very socially liberal and fiscally conservative.
4. I don't believe in your faggy-ass God; so try to keep your respective panties out of a bunch.
5. I love The Beatles with a passion; expect those bastards to pop up a lot.
6. Rescue Me and Breaking Bad are the greatest shows to ever exist...ever...
7. The Breakfast Club is my favourite film of all-time.
8. Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoshBlakeSurratt
9. I'm obsessed with the number nine.
10. Find me on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DXFan1269
11. Find me on Tumblr (Yep, I'm hip.): http://joshsurrattlennon.tumblr.com/
12. I love cats; fuck dogs.
13. I wrote a book, please buy it: goo.gl/qMBmY
Anything else; just ask. So, that's my list of things you should know about me. I hope I make you laugh and piss you off a bit. See you later, assholes.
1. I have a website, it's much better than this; go check it out sometime: "http://thecynicalasshole.webs.com/"
2. I'm a freelance columnist. So please, for the love of Lennon; find me some goddamn work!
3. I'm a Left-Libertarian. So, expect me to be very socially liberal and fiscally conservative.
4. I don't believe in your faggy-ass God; so try to keep your respective panties out of a bunch.
5. I love The Beatles with a passion; expect those bastards to pop up a lot.
6. Rescue Me and Breaking Bad are the greatest shows to ever exist...ever...
7. The Breakfast Club is my favourite film of all-time.
8. Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoshBlakeSurratt
9. I'm obsessed with the number nine.
10. Find me on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DXFan1269
11. Find me on Tumblr (Yep, I'm hip.): http://joshsurrattlennon.tumblr.com/
12. I love cats; fuck dogs.
13. I wrote a book, please buy it: goo.gl/qMBmY
Anything else; just ask. So, that's my list of things you should know about me. I hope I make you laugh and piss you off a bit. See you later, assholes.
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