Month: December 2013

Django Unchained

Posted on by Captive Balance

DjangoUnchainedOfficialPosterPT

I just finished watching Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” and all I can say is why didn’t I see it sooner. Tarantino who is known for his extreme violence and gore in his movies does not spare a moment of it in this film. There are scenes where blood just leaps from the body.

Jamie Foxx, who I have always found hard to like as an actor, does a really good job as the title character. He plays Django as an arrogant and tough as nails man but with a sensitive side that comes out when he thinks of his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington).

The best performances in the film definitely go to Christoph Waltz as bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz and Leonardo Dicaprio as slave owner Calvin Candie. Waltz is hilarious as the articulate killer who guns down evil men that deserve their fate. Dicaprio who continuously astounds me, does a remarkable job as the money-hungry slave owner who has bought Django’s wife. Dicaprio is fierce and quite menacing in his performance as he shows just how cold and ruthless his character is.

“Django Unchained” does have its funny moments amidst the violence and brutality especially with Waltz’s character. I have always admired Tarantino’s works and most say that Django is definitely his best to date. This spin on the western drama is a must see.

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Death at a Funeral

Posted on by Captive Balance

death_at_a_funeral

British comedies have always been a uneven affair with me. A lot of them just fall flat when I expect it to be so much better, for example: “A Fish called Wanda”. I usually check out reviews or IMDB before watching a British comedy to make sure it is really worth watching. I recently watched “Death at a Funeral” and it turned out to be an incredibly funny movie.

“Death at a Funeral” stars Matthew Macfayden as Daniel who is trying to keep order at his father’s funeral. He is dealing with the knowledge that his brother is more liked than he is and that everyone would rather have his brother deliver the eulogy than him. He is also trying to move out of his parents’ house and get a flat with his girlfriend. With all this a mysterious man played by Peter Dinklage arrives at the funeral to shake things up which results in a series of hilarious events that throws the funeral into chaos.

“Death at a Funeral” is funny from the very opening scene and does not let up till the end of the movie. The funniest moments happen with Peter Dinklage’s character and when Macfayden tries his hardest to prevent disasters that keep occurring during the reception. This movies takes black comedy to quite extremes and does a great job of not falling into overdone cliche trappings.

Dredd

Posted on by Captive Balance

Dredd

When I first heard about a new Judge Dredd film coming out, I was skeptical about it. I thought it was going to be another typical cliche action movie from Hollywood so I skipped watching it last year. But after so many people telling me how good it was, I decided to check it out and I must say it is definitely one of the best adaptions of a graphic novel.

“Dredd” stars Karl Urban as the title character who tries to enforce the law in the dystopian city:  Mega-City One. He is assigned a rookie to train named Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) who is a mutant with psychic abilities. The two respond to a homicide in a high rise called Peach Tress which is run by drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). Dredd and Anderson become trapped in the high-rise when they try to take a suspect in the homicide which leads to a violent confrontation with Ma-Ma.

“Dredd” is a very visual movie with outstanding special effects especially when several characters use the Slomo drug that slows down time. There are several scenes that slow down the action and show in detail gunshots piercing body parts.

Urban’s performance as Dredd is also very good. He portrays Dredd as a man who plays by the book and does not stop till he gets his man or woman. He is a force to be reckoned with where no one can escape his pursuit.

Overall, “Dredd” is a great adaptation of the popular comic book series.  The visual effects as well as the performance by Urban alone is worth watching.

Morgan M. Morgansen’s Date with Destiny

Posted on by Captive Balance

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been on quite a momentous roll over the past few years. He had major supporting roles in “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Inception“. He has also starred in several independent films this year that have garnered critical praise including the sci-fi noir film “Looper“. He has his own online production company entitled, hitRECord which has him collaborating with a people on a variety of projects. One of those projects was the 2010 short film, “Morgan M. Morgansen’s Date with Destiny”.

This short film stars Gordon-Levitt as the title character Morgan M. Morgansen who prepares to have a date with a woman named Destiny. Gordon-Levitt narrates the short by using nonsensical and humourous words that sound like they came straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. The short is amazing visually with so much going on throughout it including black and white shots juxtaposed with 2D drawings. The five minute film is a captivating take on two people seeking a romantic connection.

Chet Baker- Born To Be Blue

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I’ve been listening a lot to Chet Baker recently and discovered “Born to be Blue” which completely blew me away. The song is in the standard 12-bar blues  but played on a piano and has Baker singing in his well-know whispery and soft-voiced way. Baker’s voice is melancholy which only heightens the image of lost love and loneliness that the piano and bass guitar accentuate.  It is a track made for rainy days and nighttime reflections.

The Neighbourhood- Sweater Weather

Posted on by Captive Balance

I first became of The Neighbourhood when I saw them open for Paul Banks last year. Their music instantly caught my attention; the hip hop feel mixed with indie rock made me really interested in listening to their music. I checked out their first EP and was not surprised by how good it was.

“Sweater Weather” is one of their best songs and has a beautifully shot music video to accompany it. The band is seen driving around California with a laid-back and easygoing feel. The video which is perfectly shot in black and white also displays the band’s unique logo of an upside down house.

Higgins Waterproof Black Magic Band: The Blast, The Bloom (live)

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TV On the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe is a man of many talents. To name a few: musician, cartoonist, director,  and actor. His new project entitled Higgins Waterproof Black Magic Band is a wonderful addition to his discography. The band released their self-titled EP in October that features the track “The Blast, The Bloom” which doesn’t stray too much from TV on the Radio territory but has Tunde soulfully wailing and includes an amazing breakdown towards the end of the song that has the guitar  leaping to the forefront. This band is definitely worth checking out as fans anxiously await a next TV On the Radio record.