Hello several friends who follow this blog!
If you have seen me at all since I last posted, you know that I am not dead. School, a social life and a play can be very time consuming. Yes, I have put this on the back burner, if not taken it completely of the stove, but its back on now. I won't be able to post very frequently, but I will try to anyway.
Anyway, when I do post, I'll try to make it GREAT. Here are some ideas that I have in store:
-Makeup/ costume tutorials (Edward Scissorhands, David Bowie, basic tricks I've learned)
- Fashion tips (for the eccentric girl. Style on a budget with your own brand while trying to stay away from scene)
- Foreign film reviews (I particularly enjoy French films such as the works of Cocteau as well as The City of Lost Children, and German silent film, like Metropolis)
-Indie movie reviews (Some ideas include Phoebe In Wonderland and Saved! If you have any suggestions, comment!)
- Various other film reviews (movies I love/hate, new releases, classics, Universal Horror, etc)
- Maybe more career overviews like I did for Burton. Some ideas include Danny Elfman, Audrey Hepburn, David Bowie maybe
-Top 9 lists (ideas include Favorite Movies, Best Voices (For Male/Female), Animated Crushes, Movie Characters, genre picks, etc.)
-I'll also do some personal blogging from time to time and editorials. I was going to do one on the World Trade Center Mosque, but my schedule caught up with me. >XP
Anything you want to see? Like any of these ideas/ want to see more? Comment and tell me what you think!
Kat
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Dishing on Directors: The Rise and Fall of Tim Burton
If you couldn't tell from my username, I am a Tim Burton fan, and quite a devoted one at that. I own a 1st edition copy of The Melancholy Death of Oysterboy and made my own Edward Scissorhands costume for Halloween out of existing clothes, duct tape and tin foil. But I'm not here to brag about my nerdiness. I'm here to talk about the man and his work, and give a brief editorial on it.
I always liked the strange, whimsical styles of Tim Burton, but never seriously looked into it until last year. I fell in love with Edward Scissorhands and I was hooked.
Here are some brief (several sentences) reviews (opinions) of Tim Burton's films. I may elaborate on some in later posts.
Frankenweenie (1984)- I can't wait for the full-length version of this short that Burton made in his early days. You can see touches of his later work in it, such as the Frankenstein-esque story and themes of alienation and acceptance. Admittedly it's very campy, but that's what I find endearing about it.
Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)- Burton's first full-length feature (and Danny Elfman's first orchestral film score), the low budget camp really drew me to this film, too. The characters and quotes are unforgettable, and I still jump when I see Large Marge.
Beetlejuice (1988)- The first time I saw this movie, I was seven and got so scared I had to leave the room. Later on I saw it a few times and never really liked it. The chemistry between Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin is nonexistent, and their characters are incredibly dull. But eventually the dark humor and classic Burton style won me over. Great performances by Catherine O'Hara, Wynona Ryder and Michael Keaton.
Batman (1989)- For the record, I HATE The Dark Knight. It's long and confusing and the third act could have easily been cut entirely. This Batman movie, while in my opinion not the best, is still pretty decent. It doesn't overssaturate you with philosophy like TDK, but it uses it well. I especially love The Joker scenes. Kim Basinger really annoyed me though as a stereotypical 'damsel in distress'.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)- This movie is pure and simple MAGIC. The music, the sets, the story... everything about it is just beautiful. The themes of alienation of acceptance, present in much of Burton's works, are more prevalent here than anywhere else. Elfman's music can bring me to tears by itself, and Edward just breaks my heart <3. (When I heard the rumor about Rob Pattinson doing a remake I felt like my soul had been hit over the head) This film also opened my eyes to the "Suburban-dysfunction" genre. Here, Burton expertly satirizes the social aspects of postwar Suburbia.
Batman Returns (1992)- You can disagree with me all you like, but this is my personal favorite Batman film. Catwoman, Souixsie and the Banshees, circus freaks... what more do you need? Admittedly the story can be thin and make no sense, and The Penguin is just sick, but here you can truly see Bruce Wayne's (and Selina Kyle's) dual nature. And Selina Kyle/ Catwoman is just fascinating. The Transformation scene is one of my all-time favorites, showing a repressed secretary's metamorphosis into an unbridled, villanous, (and slightly insane) temptress. The dollhouse shot and the "Hell Here" sign are especially intriguing. Selina and Bruce's relationship is deliciously complicated, and I'm still mad that they booted Burton off of the sequels because now we'll never know what became of... (oops! Spoilers!)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)- This movie , though a Christmas classic that holds up very well, is one of the most oversold emo/scene gimmicks. but I still love it. It's funny and endearing and showcases virtually everything we love about Burton. The animation is amazing and the story unique. Of course, having Danny Elfman sing his own songs as Jack Skellington didn't hurt either. His voice can be melodious or have that insane, almost sinister quality, both of which I love.
Ed Wood (1994)- Very much underrated, this biopic chronicling the life of the Worst Director of All Time is one of Burton's best. Touching, but not without Burton's trademark wit, this movie earned Martin Landau an Oscar for his comic but also heartbreaking performance as faded film star Bela Lugosi. While not one of my all time favorites, I still respect this film and enjoy it.
Mars Attacks! (1996)- I personally consider 1996-2001 Burton's "Dark Age." I don't really enjoy his films from this time. This one, while satirical of American society like Edward Scissorhands (and featuring a great cameo by Tom Jones), is no exception. It's just a mess. there are way too many plot lines to keep track of and things just don't make sense. I suppose it's good as a parody of 50's sci-fi, but if you haven't seen it you're not missing much.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)- A lot of people like this movie, but I just find it to be overly complex and just plain sick. The murder mystery aspect really confused me and the blood was gratuitous (did I really need to see Christopher Walkin kiss/bite Miranda Richardson? eww!)
Planet of the Apes (2001)- I'm with the majority on this one. This movie sucks. Marky Mark and the music were the only good things about it. It's grossly oversimplified and kind of stupid. Also, why did they have to put Estella Warren in that shorter-than-short cave girl outfit?
This is generally what I find when Tim Burton tries to make an epic; it just doesn't work. He deals best with small, isolated and internal conflicts, not large-scale battles over the fates of empires. When he does it feels rushed and disconnected. But more on that later.
Big Fish (2003)- Out of the Dark Age, and another favorite. This carries Burton's trademark wit and whimsy, but brings it down-to-earth with its story of a son struggling to discover his father's true identity. Ewan MacGregor is fantastic (I'm a huge fan) and the tall-tale atmosphere incredible. I tear up at the end of this one. Highly recommended.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)- I really like this one. The sets, music and story are great. I found that Burton's twists added to the plot, and this was the first time I really noticed a film score. Elfman's kind of creepy melodies were just what this movie needed.
Corpse Bride (2005)- Danny Elfman put it best; "it's a Dead Man's Party!" This movie is hilarious, spooky and touching- everything that we've come to expect from Burton. The plot and atmosphere are wonderful, and Danny Elfman rocks as Bonejangles (Emily/ Bonejangles forever!)
Sweeney Todd (2007)- This film is witty and dark, though gratuitously violent. I generally liked it. Loved Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Jayne Wisener and Jamie Campbell Bower *swoon*.
Alice In Wonderland (2010)- I don't care what 80% of American teenagers think. This movie was the biggest letdown since the finale of Avatar: the Last Airbender (geeky, I know). Sure, the style is cool and the futterwaken bit funny, but that's it. Everything else is just... meh. Alice is boring and what could have been a good story of a young woman coming into her own is turned into a needlessly complex "epic."
This proves once again that epics are outside of Burton's scope. Since when was Alice an epic anyway? It was a piece of nineteenth-century nonsense literature, not The Chronicles of Narnia!
This is where my rant comes in, along with the "fall" in the title of this post.
For the past few years, Burton's films have become less substantial. He focuses nearly all of his effort on the "look" of the film (which he has figured out is what sells the picture), leaving very little attention to the story, which is the heart of the film. This results in higher box office revenue, but lower quality movies. It is for this reason that I believe Burton has "sold out" to the teen pseudo-goth/scene masses. Gone are the days of substantial AND visually-striking movies such as Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice, ushering in a new era of mass-consumption movies like Alice in Wonderland.
I still have a great deal of respect for Tim Burton, I just don't like his newer material. I do hope though that the new stop-motion Frankenweenie brings back the old Burton. :)
(BTW, I'll be away next week, so there won't be any new posts for a while. See you when I get back!)
I always liked the strange, whimsical styles of Tim Burton, but never seriously looked into it until last year. I fell in love with Edward Scissorhands and I was hooked.
Here are some brief (several sentences) reviews (opinions) of Tim Burton's films. I may elaborate on some in later posts.
Frankenweenie (1984)- I can't wait for the full-length version of this short that Burton made in his early days. You can see touches of his later work in it, such as the Frankenstein-esque story and themes of alienation and acceptance. Admittedly it's very campy, but that's what I find endearing about it.
Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)- Burton's first full-length feature (and Danny Elfman's first orchestral film score), the low budget camp really drew me to this film, too. The characters and quotes are unforgettable, and I still jump when I see Large Marge.
Beetlejuice (1988)- The first time I saw this movie, I was seven and got so scared I had to leave the room. Later on I saw it a few times and never really liked it. The chemistry between Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin is nonexistent, and their characters are incredibly dull. But eventually the dark humor and classic Burton style won me over. Great performances by Catherine O'Hara, Wynona Ryder and Michael Keaton.
Batman (1989)- For the record, I HATE The Dark Knight. It's long and confusing and the third act could have easily been cut entirely. This Batman movie, while in my opinion not the best, is still pretty decent. It doesn't overssaturate you with philosophy like TDK, but it uses it well. I especially love The Joker scenes. Kim Basinger really annoyed me though as a stereotypical 'damsel in distress'.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)- This movie is pure and simple MAGIC. The music, the sets, the story... everything about it is just beautiful. The themes of alienation of acceptance, present in much of Burton's works, are more prevalent here than anywhere else. Elfman's music can bring me to tears by itself, and Edward just breaks my heart <3. (When I heard the rumor about Rob Pattinson doing a remake I felt like my soul had been hit over the head) This film also opened my eyes to the "Suburban-dysfunction" genre. Here, Burton expertly satirizes the social aspects of postwar Suburbia.
Batman Returns (1992)- You can disagree with me all you like, but this is my personal favorite Batman film. Catwoman, Souixsie and the Banshees, circus freaks... what more do you need? Admittedly the story can be thin and make no sense, and The Penguin is just sick, but here you can truly see Bruce Wayne's (and Selina Kyle's) dual nature. And Selina Kyle/ Catwoman is just fascinating. The Transformation scene is one of my all-time favorites, showing a repressed secretary's metamorphosis into an unbridled, villanous, (and slightly insane) temptress. The dollhouse shot and the "Hell Here" sign are especially intriguing. Selina and Bruce's relationship is deliciously complicated, and I'm still mad that they booted Burton off of the sequels because now we'll never know what became of... (oops! Spoilers!)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)- This movie , though a Christmas classic that holds up very well, is one of the most oversold emo/scene gimmicks. but I still love it. It's funny and endearing and showcases virtually everything we love about Burton. The animation is amazing and the story unique. Of course, having Danny Elfman sing his own songs as Jack Skellington didn't hurt either. His voice can be melodious or have that insane, almost sinister quality, both of which I love.
Ed Wood (1994)- Very much underrated, this biopic chronicling the life of the Worst Director of All Time is one of Burton's best. Touching, but not without Burton's trademark wit, this movie earned Martin Landau an Oscar for his comic but also heartbreaking performance as faded film star Bela Lugosi. While not one of my all time favorites, I still respect this film and enjoy it.
Mars Attacks! (1996)- I personally consider 1996-2001 Burton's "Dark Age." I don't really enjoy his films from this time. This one, while satirical of American society like Edward Scissorhands (and featuring a great cameo by Tom Jones), is no exception. It's just a mess. there are way too many plot lines to keep track of and things just don't make sense. I suppose it's good as a parody of 50's sci-fi, but if you haven't seen it you're not missing much.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)- A lot of people like this movie, but I just find it to be overly complex and just plain sick. The murder mystery aspect really confused me and the blood was gratuitous (did I really need to see Christopher Walkin kiss/bite Miranda Richardson? eww!)
Planet of the Apes (2001)- I'm with the majority on this one. This movie sucks. Marky Mark and the music were the only good things about it. It's grossly oversimplified and kind of stupid. Also, why did they have to put Estella Warren in that shorter-than-short cave girl outfit?
This is generally what I find when Tim Burton tries to make an epic; it just doesn't work. He deals best with small, isolated and internal conflicts, not large-scale battles over the fates of empires. When he does it feels rushed and disconnected. But more on that later.
Big Fish (2003)- Out of the Dark Age, and another favorite. This carries Burton's trademark wit and whimsy, but brings it down-to-earth with its story of a son struggling to discover his father's true identity. Ewan MacGregor is fantastic (I'm a huge fan) and the tall-tale atmosphere incredible. I tear up at the end of this one. Highly recommended.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)- I really like this one. The sets, music and story are great. I found that Burton's twists added to the plot, and this was the first time I really noticed a film score. Elfman's kind of creepy melodies were just what this movie needed.
Corpse Bride (2005)- Danny Elfman put it best; "it's a Dead Man's Party!" This movie is hilarious, spooky and touching- everything that we've come to expect from Burton. The plot and atmosphere are wonderful, and Danny Elfman rocks as Bonejangles (Emily/ Bonejangles forever!)
Sweeney Todd (2007)- This film is witty and dark, though gratuitously violent. I generally liked it. Loved Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Jayne Wisener and Jamie Campbell Bower *swoon*.
Alice In Wonderland (2010)- I don't care what 80% of American teenagers think. This movie was the biggest letdown since the finale of Avatar: the Last Airbender (geeky, I know). Sure, the style is cool and the futterwaken bit funny, but that's it. Everything else is just... meh. Alice is boring and what could have been a good story of a young woman coming into her own is turned into a needlessly complex "epic."
This proves once again that epics are outside of Burton's scope. Since when was Alice an epic anyway? It was a piece of nineteenth-century nonsense literature, not The Chronicles of Narnia!
This is where my rant comes in, along with the "fall" in the title of this post.
For the past few years, Burton's films have become less substantial. He focuses nearly all of his effort on the "look" of the film (which he has figured out is what sells the picture), leaving very little attention to the story, which is the heart of the film. This results in higher box office revenue, but lower quality movies. It is for this reason that I believe Burton has "sold out" to the teen pseudo-goth/scene masses. Gone are the days of substantial AND visually-striking movies such as Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice, ushering in a new era of mass-consumption movies like Alice in Wonderland.
I still have a great deal of respect for Tim Burton, I just don't like his newer material. I do hope though that the new stop-motion Frankenweenie brings back the old Burton. :)
(BTW, I'll be away next week, so there won't be any new posts for a while. See you when I get back!)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Welcome!
Well, I suppose I should introduce myself.
So prepare for a rambling mass of mediocre grammar!
My name is Kat (the Scissorhands is optional) and I am an unashamed female nerd. My interests are too many to list, but in short, I love nearly all things book-music-and-movie-related. Some favorites are Tim Burton's (OLD) movies, the music of Danny Elfman (and Oingo Boingo!), Harry Potter, mythology, and New Wave music. I also love anime and making things out of duct tape.
I HATE Twilight and everything that it stands for (there will probably be more ranting about this in a later entry), as well as Avatar. No, I love the animated TV series (though the movie sucked. ZUTARA FOREVER!!!) I just hate that pointless marketing monstrosity made by James Cameron (again, more ranting at a later post).
Some other things you should know about me:
My favorite food is cheese fries. My favorite words are "epic," "awesome," and "beast." I'm a klutz. I'm nearsighted and wear thick plastic-framed glasses. I call them my "Clark Kent glasses" even though Bruce Wayne is over 9000x awesomer :)
What to expect from this blog:
I love to write. I write poems, screenplays, novels, short stories... you name it. So I'll post some writing from time to time. But this blog will also be a whole lot of ranting, too, mainly about pop culture. I might also give long, detailed biographies of my heroes. One major purpose of this blog, however, is to talk about movies.
I love movies. Music is just sound, literature just words, and art just pictures- but movies put that all together into a unique experience. My Five Favorite Films are listed on the side of this blog if you are interested. I intend to blog about/review films of all kinds: foreign, classic, fantasy, and maybe some new releases, too (though I don't usually watch new movies).
Also, if you speak French, you know how stupid the title of this blog is. I don't speak French (though I love the language) but I figured out that "fille" can mean "woman" or "girl," which I am, and I wanted a creative way to say "cinephile" (a person who loves movies), and that was it.
I can't really think of anything else to write right now, so I'm going to sign off. Updating will be sporadic, but I'll shoot for once a week.
Toodles!
Kat
So prepare for a rambling mass of mediocre grammar!
My name is Kat (the Scissorhands is optional) and I am an unashamed female nerd. My interests are too many to list, but in short, I love nearly all things book-music-and-movie-related. Some favorites are Tim Burton's (OLD) movies, the music of Danny Elfman (and Oingo Boingo!), Harry Potter, mythology, and New Wave music. I also love anime and making things out of duct tape.
I HATE Twilight and everything that it stands for (there will probably be more ranting about this in a later entry), as well as Avatar. No, I love the animated TV series (though the movie sucked. ZUTARA FOREVER!!!) I just hate that pointless marketing monstrosity made by James Cameron (again, more ranting at a later post).
Some other things you should know about me:
My favorite food is cheese fries. My favorite words are "epic," "awesome," and "beast." I'm a klutz. I'm nearsighted and wear thick plastic-framed glasses. I call them my "Clark Kent glasses" even though Bruce Wayne is over 9000x awesomer :)
What to expect from this blog:
I love to write. I write poems, screenplays, novels, short stories... you name it. So I'll post some writing from time to time. But this blog will also be a whole lot of ranting, too, mainly about pop culture. I might also give long, detailed biographies of my heroes. One major purpose of this blog, however, is to talk about movies.
I love movies. Music is just sound, literature just words, and art just pictures- but movies put that all together into a unique experience. My Five Favorite Films are listed on the side of this blog if you are interested. I intend to blog about/review films of all kinds: foreign, classic, fantasy, and maybe some new releases, too (though I don't usually watch new movies).
Also, if you speak French, you know how stupid the title of this blog is. I don't speak French (though I love the language) but I figured out that "fille" can mean "woman" or "girl," which I am, and I wanted a creative way to say "cinephile" (a person who loves movies), and that was it.
I can't really think of anything else to write right now, so I'm going to sign off. Updating will be sporadic, but I'll shoot for once a week.
Toodles!
Kat
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