Hello fans!
Well on top of being the author of the posts you read here, I am also a filmmaker myself, as I have stated before. August 14 was the start date of this year's 48 Hour Film Project in Portland, OR where I currently reside. Myself and my two friends, Adam Peterson and Chris Rogers, decided to create our own team and after a generous donation from my own mother Claire Blajsczak, Limited Productions, Ltd. was formed. We enlisted the help of two others, Zack Henderson and Mitch Swan. Zack has been in the entertainment business for most of his life, movies, writing, and stand up comedy. Mitch is currently a digital editing student who is well versed in graphic design and music composition. Heather Graff gave a helping hand here and there, mostly providing us with food and drink when we needed it most.
Friday night was the kick off where each team, according to screening group, drew their genres. We are in screening group C, and we were fortunate enough to draw 'Superhero' as our genre. After all teams drew their genre, the 3 elements of every 48 hour film are revealed. A prop, character, and line of dialogue. Without knowledge of genre and these key items, it is virtually impossible to even begin.
Character: Brian or Briana Merryweather
Prop: a picture frame
Line: "For crying out loud!"
I raced home and we immediately began brainstorming. No idea is a bad one here, so we write or record everything. Adam, Chris and I covered every superhero idea we knew, which is extensive, and tried to filter it all down to something that can be done within 4 to 7 minutes, our allotted length. The most solid idea that came was to ground the hero in reality, with no super villain or terrible plot. I still wanted to do something flashy and fun. We eventually decided on a fantasy sequence to open the film, with the main character Brian daydreaming at a convenience store. We also knew at this point that Brian would move to become a more "real" superhero. From here we worked out our opening fantasy. Adam wanted a car chase and we agreed that would be a nice way to get every one's blood pumping. We also established that Adam would be the villain and I would be the hero. Using green screen is a surprisingly simple effect, on top of being highly versatile and in most cases safe. We had already done some test shots and were confident to use it. Most of the car chase was done using green screen with shots we filmed just driving around. The hero flies around the screen as the villain shoots at him and races away!
A slug fest ensues as the hero lands on the convertible sports car and the gun is lost. The villain is able to shake the hero and escape! Or so he thinks...
We wrote the entire opening and then some through the first night, with me catching about 2 hours of sleep and Adam about 1. In the morning we went on a last minute hunt for a good microphone. After a bit of searching and calling head we acquired one of value at the Portland Music Company. Putting together wardrobe is always fun, especially for a Superhero movie. We have a lot to choose from, lab coats, capes, trench coats, military equipment, false teeth, contact lenses, clothes for all occasions. In a whirl of creativity we almost don't remember, the superhero's name came to be 'POW' and stuck. Sporting purple, black, and white, POW is a stunning man to behold. The villain is in classic prison attire, leather cabby hat, striped shirt, dirty jeans, and unpolished boots.
Zack helped out Friday night and was cast as the Chief of Police, who would award POW his certificate, in a nice picture frame. We shot the green screen stuff early too, using every fan we had to create wind effects. At the park down the street from the base, our house, we shot the finale for the fantasy sequence. After uploading the video we were very happy. Mitch came over and did some specialty work on a few of the shots, adding a bit of flair to the opening.
The flow of the movie continued to change as we discussed our options Saturday evening. We already locked down a location for the convenience store scenes, and our house was more than suitable for 'home' shots we were going to do. A motorcycle had been planned to show progression and technology, but we lost that when it wouldn't start. Chris and I wrote out some dialogue between Brian and his roommate. We know Brian is a lab tech, he is nerdy with thick Coke bottle glasses. We were able to transition well into a sequence where Brian decides to take matters into his own hands. We shot those two scenes quickly and prepared for the convenience store.
Shooting in a convenience store is tough when you can't just close it down for 10 minutes. And at 10 pm on a Saturday night not everyone is interested in being quiet for a minute, so it took us awhile to get those shots, but they came out well. At this point I don't really know what the time line was, accurately anyway. After the convenience store was done Zack and Mitch were both done with the film as they had to work the next day. Chris, Adam and I hashed out some last minute shots between the 'real' hero and a criminal. The last shot was filmed at about 4 am, but we felt we needed at least two more, so we didn't really know it yet. Once editing began Chris went to sleep for a few hours. I stayed up with Adam, discussing sequences and story. I also helped look for sound effects as he needed them. Time ticked by quickly, the second edit seemed to cause Adam the most trouble, being incredibly exhausted never helps. At several points it seemed bleak we would make it in time. We were able to determine that no other shots needed to be filmed, which relieved us very much. There is a process called rendering, where the film is cleaned up significantly as it is transferred to a form of media. Many times this alone takes up to 5 hours, so to be on the safe side editing should be done by about noon. It was well after 3 o'clock when everything was as well as it could be and we began rendering. After 3 failed attempts we successfully packed up all our paperwork, diligently collected by Chris, grabbed our DVD and headed to the drop off.
In order to be considered on time your media had to arrive with all paperwork by 7:35. After that you are disqualified and cannot be judged. Your film will still screen and be eligible for 'Audience Favorite', however. In order to be a "true" 48 hour film it must be in by 7:00. We arrived and turned in our film at 6:59. Adam and I ate some provided pizza and cracked a beer, still having not slept since our 2 and 1 hour naps Saturday morning. It was glorious, we're proud of what we accomplished and I can't wait for the screening!
Hollywood Theater, Portland OR
Wed Aug. 19. Group A 7pm. Group B 9:30pm
Thurs. Aug. 20 Group C 7pm (That's US!). Group D 9:30 pm
Tickets are $8 and they recommend buying online.
More to come, along with a link to the film! Thank you to all who supported us and good bye!
The Movie Doc
8.18.2009
7.16.2009
It's Thursday
Hello fans and enemies alike! I've seen a few new films since last I wrote, so let's not waste anytime!
Terminator: Salvation - The Terminator franchise went from great (Terminator), to badass (T2: Judgment Day), to mediocre (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). Without fail the Hollywood machine threw one of it's greatest story arcs into the realm of $5 DVD's at Wal-Mart. Terminator: Salvation thankfully lives up to it's name, in turn giving Terminator it's name back. Salvation takes place in a world we only caught glimpses of before. The war with the machines in the post-apocalyptic future of the human race. Christian Bale is John Connor, a very good performance as always, and no one doubted his commitment to acting based on the leaked tirade he unleashed on the set's cinematographer. Early on we are introduced to Marcus, a man of questionable nature with a dark past. Who Marcus is is not nearly as important as what he is. On his quest to find out he runs into a young, couragous, and smart teenager named Kyle Reese. Reese is the first human sent through time, and is also Connor's father. Connor is on a neverending search for Reese, knowing the danger he is in. The script is wonderful, following the characteristics of James Cameron's Terminator films. Acting is superb on all fronts, and of course the effects are spectacular. It's no Terminator 2, but it's damn good. And for those hoping to catch a glimpse of Arnold? Well, I'll just let you watch.
Year One - Jack Black and Michael Cera star in this historical farce from writer/director Harold Ramis (Stripes, Ghostbusters). An overly charismatic hunter (Black) and his awkward gatherer friend (Cera) are banished from their village only to find a much larger, and ultimately dangerous, world around them. From their first run-in with Kane and Abel, to Sodom and Gamorrah, the two idiots are caught in one mess after another. The jokes are light and the only real funny stuff is bathroom humor. Still good for a laugh on rainy afternoon, and a must see for Cera fans. Jack Black is funniest when he is being Jack Black, and he was surprisingly docile through most of the movie. Personally, I'm glad to see proper comedies again instead of all those: 'Disaster Movie', 'Epic Movie', 'Superhero Movie', 'Meet the Spartans'. How on Earth were those movies made!?
I also watched Alien vs. Predator: Requiem a few days ago. The Alien and Predator movies themselves are amazing...at least the first two Alien films...so an Alien vs. Predator film was inevitable, what with all the comics. Unfortunately, it wasn't very good when it came. Even more surprising, they made a sequel! I stayed away, under the assumption it was terrible. Well it wasn't terrible, in fact it was quite good and I really liked it. It is more on par with Predator 2, aliens have landed on Earth and a lone predator lands to hunt them down and destroy all evidence of their being there, pretty cool, he's like a detective who can become invisible. For fans of any of the Alien or Predator films, and for those who hated the first AvP, a definite watch.
Aside from watching movies and writing about them, I also write them myself. Often, depending on what I am writing about, I get suggestions for films that sound an awful lot like what I want to do. One of my lifelong goals is to write a truly epic space western. I know what I want it to look like and be like, but there are a lot of them out there too. In essence Star Wars is, so is Aliens, so I know I've got my work cut out for me. One series people have told me about is Firefly, a short-lived, cult following television series about space faring bank robbers. Very space western. They somehow managed to get a feature film made, and it is called Serenity. I had the opporunity to purchase this film without seeing it, so I did. Very fun movie, I really enjoyed the whole thing, every aspect of it was cool and different, and I'm glad I've seen it. Fortunately my vision is different, so I can enjoy Firefly and Serenity and I've still got hope for myself and my dream.
If it's too hot outside, there's always a nice, air conditioned seat at the theater, or in your home. Enjoy the weather and I'll be back soon!
Terminator: Salvation - The Terminator franchise went from great (Terminator), to badass (T2: Judgment Day), to mediocre (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). Without fail the Hollywood machine threw one of it's greatest story arcs into the realm of $5 DVD's at Wal-Mart. Terminator: Salvation thankfully lives up to it's name, in turn giving Terminator it's name back. Salvation takes place in a world we only caught glimpses of before. The war with the machines in the post-apocalyptic future of the human race. Christian Bale is John Connor, a very good performance as always, and no one doubted his commitment to acting based on the leaked tirade he unleashed on the set's cinematographer. Early on we are introduced to Marcus, a man of questionable nature with a dark past. Who Marcus is is not nearly as important as what he is. On his quest to find out he runs into a young, couragous, and smart teenager named Kyle Reese. Reese is the first human sent through time, and is also Connor's father. Connor is on a neverending search for Reese, knowing the danger he is in. The script is wonderful, following the characteristics of James Cameron's Terminator films. Acting is superb on all fronts, and of course the effects are spectacular. It's no Terminator 2, but it's damn good. And for those hoping to catch a glimpse of Arnold? Well, I'll just let you watch.
Year One - Jack Black and Michael Cera star in this historical farce from writer/director Harold Ramis (Stripes, Ghostbusters). An overly charismatic hunter (Black) and his awkward gatherer friend (Cera) are banished from their village only to find a much larger, and ultimately dangerous, world around them. From their first run-in with Kane and Abel, to Sodom and Gamorrah, the two idiots are caught in one mess after another. The jokes are light and the only real funny stuff is bathroom humor. Still good for a laugh on rainy afternoon, and a must see for Cera fans. Jack Black is funniest when he is being Jack Black, and he was surprisingly docile through most of the movie. Personally, I'm glad to see proper comedies again instead of all those: 'Disaster Movie', 'Epic Movie', 'Superhero Movie', 'Meet the Spartans'. How on Earth were those movies made!?
I also watched Alien vs. Predator: Requiem a few days ago. The Alien and Predator movies themselves are amazing...at least the first two Alien films...so an Alien vs. Predator film was inevitable, what with all the comics. Unfortunately, it wasn't very good when it came. Even more surprising, they made a sequel! I stayed away, under the assumption it was terrible. Well it wasn't terrible, in fact it was quite good and I really liked it. It is more on par with Predator 2, aliens have landed on Earth and a lone predator lands to hunt them down and destroy all evidence of their being there, pretty cool, he's like a detective who can become invisible. For fans of any of the Alien or Predator films, and for those who hated the first AvP, a definite watch.
Aside from watching movies and writing about them, I also write them myself. Often, depending on what I am writing about, I get suggestions for films that sound an awful lot like what I want to do. One of my lifelong goals is to write a truly epic space western. I know what I want it to look like and be like, but there are a lot of them out there too. In essence Star Wars is, so is Aliens, so I know I've got my work cut out for me. One series people have told me about is Firefly, a short-lived, cult following television series about space faring bank robbers. Very space western. They somehow managed to get a feature film made, and it is called Serenity. I had the opporunity to purchase this film without seeing it, so I did. Very fun movie, I really enjoyed the whole thing, every aspect of it was cool and different, and I'm glad I've seen it. Fortunately my vision is different, so I can enjoy Firefly and Serenity and I've still got hope for myself and my dream.
If it's too hot outside, there's always a nice, air conditioned seat at the theater, or in your home. Enjoy the weather and I'll be back soon!
5.25.2009
Warp Speed Mr. Sulu...
Engage! If you haven't seen Star Trek yet I've only got one thing to say...go! Brought to you by J.J. Abrams, the director of Cloverfield, this reboot of the classic series is incredible. The casting is by far the greatest strength of Star Trek. The characters are all very familiar to the original cast, yet each one is unique to the actor portraying them. I have always liked Star Trek in all it's forms; my Mom was a fan of the original series and we owned all the original cast films. I also grew up with The Next Generation, so the characters and many of the references were easy for me to grasp. However, many have not been exposed to Star Trek, much less the original series, so this part's for you!
James T. Kirk is Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, a starship capable of faster than light travel. Under the command of Starfleet, the peace keeping armada of the universe, the Enterprise travels to distant worlds and other unknowns in space to: "seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before." During it's travels the Enterprise routinely encounters hostile alien forces and other dangerous situations. With the help of his crew, Captain Kirk overcomes the odds, breaks a few Starfleet commands, and is a hero. The ship's First Officer is Spock, an alien who relys on logic and is capable of entering your mind known as a Vulcan. His Chief Medical Officer is Dr. McCoy, aka 'Bones', a surly and bizarre man who will follow Kirk anywhere. Chief Engineer Scott, aka 'Scottie', keeps the Enterprise running while constantly pushing her to the limit. At the helm of the ship is Sulu, a man of Asian descent skilled in martial arts, he's also a terrific pilot. Navigating beside him is Chekov, a Russian with a very thick accent. Rounding out the members of the bridge is Uhura, the communications officer and the best thing to look at inside the ship. Uhura is an African-American woman, as Gene Roddenberry, the creator, wanted to show a future where there were no boundaries between men and women or different races...including aliens.
Abrams' reboot brings the whole cast back: Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Bones (Karl Urban), Mr. Scott (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), and Uhura (Zoe Saldana). James Tiberius Kirk is born seconds before his father sacrifices himself in order to save the lives of those who abandoned his ship after being attacked by an alien ship commanded by Nero (Eric Bana). Growing up he constantly gets into trouble, and when he is old enough he is approached by Captain Pike of Starfleet, who convinces him to enlist in the Starfleet Academy. Three years later the cadets are excited to finish training and start working aboard a starship. All want to be on the Enterprise, Starfleet's newest and most advanced starship.
A distress signal sparks a rescue mission that turns into a slaughter and only the Enterprise makes it out in one piece. During the fray the members of the Enterprise begin to take on the roles they have been in for countless missions during the classic TV series. Their goal is to stop the Romulan Nero, who intends on destroying Spock's home planet of Vulcan, as well as Earth. It is up to Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise to save the day.
Stunning action sequences with incredible angles and shots, a fabulous script that is surprisingly funny, and a rich history to pick and choose from. I hope they keep making more of these movies. One of the best science fiction films I have ever seen, and that's saying a lot. That's all for now, beam me up Scottie!
The Movie Doc
James T. Kirk is Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, a starship capable of faster than light travel. Under the command of Starfleet, the peace keeping armada of the universe, the Enterprise travels to distant worlds and other unknowns in space to: "seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before." During it's travels the Enterprise routinely encounters hostile alien forces and other dangerous situations. With the help of his crew, Captain Kirk overcomes the odds, breaks a few Starfleet commands, and is a hero. The ship's First Officer is Spock, an alien who relys on logic and is capable of entering your mind known as a Vulcan. His Chief Medical Officer is Dr. McCoy, aka 'Bones', a surly and bizarre man who will follow Kirk anywhere. Chief Engineer Scott, aka 'Scottie', keeps the Enterprise running while constantly pushing her to the limit. At the helm of the ship is Sulu, a man of Asian descent skilled in martial arts, he's also a terrific pilot. Navigating beside him is Chekov, a Russian with a very thick accent. Rounding out the members of the bridge is Uhura, the communications officer and the best thing to look at inside the ship. Uhura is an African-American woman, as Gene Roddenberry, the creator, wanted to show a future where there were no boundaries between men and women or different races...including aliens.
Abrams' reboot brings the whole cast back: Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Bones (Karl Urban), Mr. Scott (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), and Uhura (Zoe Saldana). James Tiberius Kirk is born seconds before his father sacrifices himself in order to save the lives of those who abandoned his ship after being attacked by an alien ship commanded by Nero (Eric Bana). Growing up he constantly gets into trouble, and when he is old enough he is approached by Captain Pike of Starfleet, who convinces him to enlist in the Starfleet Academy. Three years later the cadets are excited to finish training and start working aboard a starship. All want to be on the Enterprise, Starfleet's newest and most advanced starship.
A distress signal sparks a rescue mission that turns into a slaughter and only the Enterprise makes it out in one piece. During the fray the members of the Enterprise begin to take on the roles they have been in for countless missions during the classic TV series. Their goal is to stop the Romulan Nero, who intends on destroying Spock's home planet of Vulcan, as well as Earth. It is up to Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise to save the day.
Stunning action sequences with incredible angles and shots, a fabulous script that is surprisingly funny, and a rich history to pick and choose from. I hope they keep making more of these movies. One of the best science fiction films I have ever seen, and that's saying a lot. That's all for now, beam me up Scottie!
The Movie Doc
4.05.2009
Allen KO's Lee in a Sunday brawl!
'Vicky Christina Barcelona' is the latest comedy from writer/director Woody Allen. I finally got it cued up in my Netflix*. Considering I started out the day trying to watch Spike Lee's 'Miracle at St. Anna', which I gave up on 45 minutes in, VCB really turned me around. And 'Miracle at St. Anna' is bad, real bad. I wasn't sure the man who directed it was the same one who made 'Inside Man' or 'The 25th Hour'. I was sure the combination of Javier Bardem, Rebecca Hall, Scarlet Johansson, and Penelope Cruz would do the trick and it did. Woody Allen's almost poetic writing drives this narrative film about two mid-twenties girls who take a summer vacation to Barcelona.
Vicky (Hall) is engaged to a wonderful guy and wants to study architecture for her master's thesis. Christina (Johansson) is a free-loving, try-anything artist who is recently off another relationship. It doesn't take long for them to be enamored by Juan Antonio (Bardem) an artist and lover extraordinaire. While Vicky deals with have mixed feelings about getting married, Christina finds herself intwined in the love of Juan Antonio and his fiery ex-wife Maria Elena (Cruz). The character's and dialogue of course are absolutely perfect, Bardem and Cruz battling back and forth in Spanish is supremely fun to watch. Woody Allen has made a lot of movies, but I think 'Vicky Christina Barcelona' is one of his better films. Especially regarding the topic of sex and love, his usual specialty. Rent it for sure, good buy for fans of Allen.
A few extra thoughts before I go today.
1. A day after my post about upcoming films and previews I saw the trailer for 'Where the Wild Things Are', opening October 16, 2009. It is based on the wildly popular (and one of my personal favorite) children's book. Spike Jonze is the director so be ready for a fun movie, I am very excited.
2. I really hope they don't screw up 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'. Just a funny feeling.
Alright folks, I've got 'Slumdog Millionaire' up next, so stay tuned. And as usual I'll try to cover a few more topics in between the juicy stuff.
The Movie Doc
*Writer does not actually use Netflix, and is in no way being compensated by them or any of these items: Coca-Cola, Oreos, McDonalds, The United States Army, and Shamwow!.
Vicky (Hall) is engaged to a wonderful guy and wants to study architecture for her master's thesis. Christina (Johansson) is a free-loving, try-anything artist who is recently off another relationship. It doesn't take long for them to be enamored by Juan Antonio (Bardem) an artist and lover extraordinaire. While Vicky deals with have mixed feelings about getting married, Christina finds herself intwined in the love of Juan Antonio and his fiery ex-wife Maria Elena (Cruz). The character's and dialogue of course are absolutely perfect, Bardem and Cruz battling back and forth in Spanish is supremely fun to watch. Woody Allen has made a lot of movies, but I think 'Vicky Christina Barcelona' is one of his better films. Especially regarding the topic of sex and love, his usual specialty. Rent it for sure, good buy for fans of Allen.
A few extra thoughts before I go today.
1. A day after my post about upcoming films and previews I saw the trailer for 'Where the Wild Things Are', opening October 16, 2009. It is based on the wildly popular (and one of my personal favorite) children's book. Spike Jonze is the director so be ready for a fun movie, I am very excited.
2. I really hope they don't screw up 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'. Just a funny feeling.
Alright folks, I've got 'Slumdog Millionaire' up next, so stay tuned. And as usual I'll try to cover a few more topics in between the juicy stuff.
The Movie Doc
*Writer does not actually use Netflix, and is in no way being compensated by them or any of these items: Coca-Cola, Oreos, McDonalds, The United States Army, and Shamwow!.
3.24.2009
THE FOLLOWING PREVIEW
Welly, welly, welly my little droogies...times about for another blog right, right? I have chosen as a topic for this article a true American past-time, as modern as it may be. Trailers. Or as they are known to the general public, previews. That 10 or 15 minutes of mini-movies that get you excited to come back and watch movies and see more previews. I love 'em, you love 'em, everybody loves 'em. Especially this time of year, winter is about over and the previews for the spring and summer blockbusters come out...women look forward to new bikinis, guys love action movie previews, that's what we look forward to. I have compiled a list of the movies that have great trailers and that I am definitely planning on seeing this film year. In order of opening day:
'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'- May 1st, 2009 Also on the roster: Gambit, Deadpool, Sabertooth.
'Star Trek'- May 8, 2009 I can't say anything a Trekkie hasn't already said.
'Angels & Demons'- May 15, 2009 The book is better than the DaVinci, so I expect the movie will be too.
'Terminator: Salvation'- May 21, 2009 Christian Bale is John Connor. Insert 'rage' comment here.
'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'- June 24, 2009 Story? Wow, look at those robots!
'Public Enemies'- July 1, 2009 Johnny Depp is John Dillinger. Michael Mann directs, with Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard.
'Funny People'- July 31, 2009 Judd Apatow project starring Adam Sandler, serious funny.
'Inglorious Bastards'- August 21, 2009 Quentin Tarentino, WWII, Brad Pitt, holy s***.
If we were at the races, I would say these horses were sure winners. Check them all out at Apple Trailers (appletrailers.com). Stay tuned for more exciting adventures and enjoy your feature!
The Movie Doc
'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'- May 1st, 2009 Also on the roster: Gambit, Deadpool, Sabertooth.
'Star Trek'- May 8, 2009 I can't say anything a Trekkie hasn't already said.
'Angels & Demons'- May 15, 2009 The book is better than the DaVinci, so I expect the movie will be too.
'Terminator: Salvation'- May 21, 2009 Christian Bale is John Connor. Insert 'rage' comment here.
'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'- June 24, 2009 Story? Wow, look at those robots!
'Public Enemies'- July 1, 2009 Johnny Depp is John Dillinger. Michael Mann directs, with Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard.
'Funny People'- July 31, 2009 Judd Apatow project starring Adam Sandler, serious funny.
'Inglorious Bastards'- August 21, 2009 Quentin Tarentino, WWII, Brad Pitt, holy s***.
If we were at the races, I would say these horses were sure winners. Check them all out at Apple Trailers (appletrailers.com). Stay tuned for more exciting adventures and enjoy your feature!
The Movie Doc
3.13.2009
Time for the Faceoff
What's on my mind today? I found out the Moorhead Spuds (yes, we were potatoes) boys hockey team will be playing in the Minnesota State High School hockey championship game. This is neat for a couple reasons: I am from Moorhead and have always loved their hockey games, I've been going to them since I was a kid. And the other reason is well known but not talked about amongst the Moorhead hockey community so I won't speak of it here. Instead I'll talk about hockey movies, my three personal favorites anyway: 'Slap Shot', 'The Mighty Ducks', and 'Miracle'.
I'll start with 'Slap Shot'. What a classic, and stars Paul Newman as the player/coach of the Charleston Chiefs, a team on the verge of collapse. One of the biggest things this movie has going for it is the characters on the team, every guy is insane yet relatable to people you know. And then there's the Hanson brothers, a spectacled trio of brothers who are nothing short of goons, these characters alone are worth seeing. This movie is hilarious and the hockey sequences are done very well. Definitely a must see for any hockey fan.
Next up, 'The Mighty Ducks'. First off, this movie came out when I was about nine, so it was pretty mindblowing. Second, it takes place in Minneapolis, also great because I'm obviously from Minnesota. The plot's been seen in every kid's sports movie ever, and as far as action 'The Mighty Ducks' isn't exactly adrenaline pumping, but it's still a great movie for kids and especially kids who play hockey. In Minnesota hockey is bred into 75% of the male species, similar to Texas and their football, so that means that 75% of Minnesotans probably own it...get it for your kids.
To have seen "The Miracle on Ice" live would have been unbelievable, it was to those who did see it and even more so for the guys who played in it. I really can't say enough good things about the movie 'Miracle'. When I was 19 I actually auditioned for the movie, they had been casting in Boston and Minnesota since that is where the majority of the players were from. 'Miracle' stars Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks (spot on performance!), the coach of the 1980 USA Olympic Men's Hockey Team. His goal is simple: Beat the team that has dominated world hockey for over 20 years including the past 4 Olympic games, the Russians. The US team is comprised of college age men who don't really get along. Each player is represented well, and the acting is superb, especially for those who had never done it before. The hockey sequences here are second to none. The sound, by far the most addictive part of watching a game, is captured perfectly. Every shot, every skate, every hit...all put together from game footage and seamlessly put together for the action packed games. The final game against Russia alone is nearly 30 minutes long. SEE THIS MOVIE!
Notable hockey movies (not necessarily games about hockey): 'Youngblood', 'Happy Gilmore', 'D2: The Mighty Ducks Are Back', and 'Mystery, Alaska'.
So that's it, the buzzer has sounded, game's over. In fact here comes the Zamboni right now to wipe the ice clean. Later folks!
The Movie Doc
I'll start with 'Slap Shot'. What a classic, and stars Paul Newman as the player/coach of the Charleston Chiefs, a team on the verge of collapse. One of the biggest things this movie has going for it is the characters on the team, every guy is insane yet relatable to people you know. And then there's the Hanson brothers, a spectacled trio of brothers who are nothing short of goons, these characters alone are worth seeing. This movie is hilarious and the hockey sequences are done very well. Definitely a must see for any hockey fan.
Next up, 'The Mighty Ducks'. First off, this movie came out when I was about nine, so it was pretty mindblowing. Second, it takes place in Minneapolis, also great because I'm obviously from Minnesota. The plot's been seen in every kid's sports movie ever, and as far as action 'The Mighty Ducks' isn't exactly adrenaline pumping, but it's still a great movie for kids and especially kids who play hockey. In Minnesota hockey is bred into 75% of the male species, similar to Texas and their football, so that means that 75% of Minnesotans probably own it...get it for your kids.
To have seen "The Miracle on Ice" live would have been unbelievable, it was to those who did see it and even more so for the guys who played in it. I really can't say enough good things about the movie 'Miracle'. When I was 19 I actually auditioned for the movie, they had been casting in Boston and Minnesota since that is where the majority of the players were from. 'Miracle' stars Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks (spot on performance!), the coach of the 1980 USA Olympic Men's Hockey Team. His goal is simple: Beat the team that has dominated world hockey for over 20 years including the past 4 Olympic games, the Russians. The US team is comprised of college age men who don't really get along. Each player is represented well, and the acting is superb, especially for those who had never done it before. The hockey sequences here are second to none. The sound, by far the most addictive part of watching a game, is captured perfectly. Every shot, every skate, every hit...all put together from game footage and seamlessly put together for the action packed games. The final game against Russia alone is nearly 30 minutes long. SEE THIS MOVIE!
Notable hockey movies (not necessarily games about hockey): 'Youngblood', 'Happy Gilmore', 'D2: The Mighty Ducks Are Back', and 'Mystery, Alaska'.
So that's it, the buzzer has sounded, game's over. In fact here comes the Zamboni right now to wipe the ice clean. Later folks!
The Movie Doc
3.11.2009
I love Liam Neeson
It's true, he's amazing no matter what he does. He's done good guys like Rob Roy or a Jedi Master, bad guys like Ra's al Ghul in Batman, and complicated characters like Oscar Shindler. There is a movie in theaters right now called 'Taken', I highly recommend this film. Neeson stars as a special ops man who is still getting his life together after a divorce and retirement. He is also trying to get closer to his daughter, who soon travels to Europe with a friend. After being in Europe for only a few hours, Neeson's daughter is kidnapped while she is on the phone with him. Neeson then decides to use his professional training personally.
If you're a fan of Bond films, or the Bourne movies, this is a must see. If you don't catch it in theaters, definitely rent it. After tracking down his daughter's assailants, Neeson wastes no time in punishing them to find her. His character is a downright BAD-ASS, so be ready to 'Ooh' and 'Aah' and cheer him on.
Neeson is also looking thinner than usual, this may have something to do with the proposed Abraham Lincoln biopic by Steven Spielberg...I'll keep everyone updated on the big screen portrayal of our 16th President.
So go see 'Taken', if you've been staying away from it because it sounds like a crappy supernatural thriller by M. Night Shyamalan or starring Nic Cage, it's worth the money.
The Movie Doc
If you're a fan of Bond films, or the Bourne movies, this is a must see. If you don't catch it in theaters, definitely rent it. After tracking down his daughter's assailants, Neeson wastes no time in punishing them to find her. His character is a downright BAD-ASS, so be ready to 'Ooh' and 'Aah' and cheer him on.
Neeson is also looking thinner than usual, this may have something to do with the proposed Abraham Lincoln biopic by Steven Spielberg...I'll keep everyone updated on the big screen portrayal of our 16th President.
So go see 'Taken', if you've been staying away from it because it sounds like a crappy supernatural thriller by M. Night Shyamalan or starring Nic Cage, it's worth the money.
The Movie Doc
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