Bright FuturaStudent Review Of “Shut Up and Play the Hits”: A Very Loud Funeral
Posted on October 16, 2012
If it’s a funeral, let’s have the best funeral ever.
This is the title card that opens up this incredible documentary chronicling the last 48 hours of the band LCD Soundsystem who performed their final three and a half hour show at Madison Square Garden on April 2nd, 2011.
A Little History of the Band:
LCD Soundsystem began in 2001 when their first single “Losing My Edge” gained widely favorable reviews for its new and electronic beat and the message that it conveyed. The band then released their first album “LCD Soundsystem” which also received highly favorable reviews. The head of the band, James Murphy, is a DJ now after his retirement and never wanted anything to come out of the band. He remarks in the film that, “…I never wanted to tour.” Murphy just wanted to do what he loved and that was to make music. In 2007, their second album “Sound of Silver” was released with the singles “North American Scum”, “All My Friends” (MY FAVORITE), and “Someone Great”. By this time, the band was touring around the country, was garnering a very successful fan base, and along the way Murphy enlisted his friends to play with him at concerts. In 2010, their third and final album was released entitled “This Is Happening”. Murphy’s intention with the album was to keep it secret for as long as possible so as not to spoil it for any fans. The album was released on May 17th with subsequent singles “Drunk Girls” and “I Can Change”, the former accompanied by a music video directed by Spike Jonze. On February 8th, 2011, the band announced that they would be playing their last show on April 2nd. When tickets were released the site crashed and Murphy went on a rant on his Twitter saying that he hated scalpers who bought tickets and were selling them for ridiculous amounts of money. In order for fans to see them the band played four warmup shows at Terminal 5 the days before the final show. On April 2nd, Murphy and the band played their final three and a half hour show accompanied by Reggie Watts, Arcade Fire, and numerous other friends and guests and just as fast and as crazy as the start of the band, LCD Soundsystem was no more.
The Movie:
The begins with the title card (See above) and immediately dives right into the final minutes before the show where Murphy and his band are sitting in the dressing room preparing for the show. What happens then is pure magic. The documentary wastes no time into getting right to the concert and the show begins with “Dance Yrself Clean”. The movie is interwoven with intricate and beautiful shots of the diehard crowd, the band itself, and the morning after when James Murphy wakes up in his New York apartment to the licks of his French Bulldog, Petunia, who seems to be the most well-behaved dog ever almost as if she understands the conflicting emotions her master is going through. Also interwoven is an interview conducted a week before the show between Murphy and Chuck Klosterman. The shots of the band are so gorgeous though and they should be since so many cameras were used and some of the shots were filmed by great directors such as Spike Jonze. The songs played throughout the film are “Dance Yrself Clean”, “All My Friends”, “45:33″, “Sound of Silver (Intro)”, “Us v Them”, “North American Scum”, “Movement”, “Yeah (Outro)”, “Someone Great”, “Losing My Edge”, “Jump Into The Fire (Harry Nillson cover)”, and “New York I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down”.
Also watch for cameos by Aziz Ansari who can be seen crowd surfing during “Yeah” and Donald Glover who can be seen dancing during “Yeah”.
The Review:
For those of you asking who LCD Soundsystem are and why this concert was sold out, I will tell you. The reason LCD Soundsystem is hailed as one of the most influential bands of the past decade is for 1) Their unique sound which combines an electronic, dance, punk theme with rock instruments and 2) Their ideas. One of the reasons people love LCD Soundsystem is because they always hated being labeled as something. They didn’t want to be anything big or popular. They simply wanted to be. Murphy made LCD Soundsystem because he wanted to hear the music he wanted to hear so he thought he should make it himself. That’s why LCD Soundsystem played to a sold-out crowd on April 2nd, 2011 at Madison Square Garden. Murphy also loved his fans. He cared about them and thanked them all for coming. He apologized to the people high up in the seats. He cared about his fans. 
The ending to the film plays out so well in the story that even if you have never heard of LCD Soundsystem before you might get tears in your eyes when Murphy announces that it’s their last song and “New York I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down” starts playing. Murphy pauses a few seconds in and says, “This is my last time to do a dramatic pause.” You can hear the sadness in his voice when he says this. The movie ends with white balloons falling down from the ceiling and a crying boy in the audience.
Why is this last show such a big deal? How are so many people affected by this? The big question on everyone’s mind after the initial announcement was, “Why end a band at the top of your career?”
Is It Worth Your Money:
If you are a diehard LCD fan, then you should definitely invest in the Blu-Ray which has the entire show on its other two discs although I would recommend this to anyone since the music is SO enjoyable. You might find a new band you love.
LCD Soundsystem, I love you and you will always be remembered!
Is The Amazing Spider-Man Worth Your Money?
Posted on July 11, 2012
Today we are going to answer a few questions: ‘Is The Amazing Spider-man worth my money and time?’ & ‘How can I watch this movie using as little of my money as possible?’. We will get down to the bone marrow of this movie and savings to watch it.
First lets begin by establishing a few important points. One, the stories found in yesterday’s and todays comics are far more interesting than what is on the screen. And two, only until recently did Hollywood start getting the comic book characters and their respective stories right (i.e. Batman, Avengers, Ironman, etc..). With that being said The Amazing Spider-man hits a couple of home runs in those departments.
This reboot of Spider-man is a more realistic version of Spider-man than we were force feed during the Toby McGuire campaign.
Trailer:
It is a somewhat return to ole Spidey’s roots and with a few upgrades. Everyone that supported those earlier Spider-man movies (myself included) did so sacrificing a few important facts about Spider-man. Spider-man started as a kid and grew into a man, not in 1 comic or 1 movie but over years of watching his wise cracking, sarcastic, almost dies because he picks fights out of his league, never quit adventures.
I did not support the earlier liberties they took with Spider-man but I did support them in hopes that they were popular. With great popularity comes great opportunity for a reboot, hence The Amazing Spider-man.
Is this worth the money?
A resounding ‘yes’! This movie is fun, more realistic and it gives you a sense of relation with Peter Parker, he is a kid with real kid problems. Is it action packed from start to finish? No, it actually has a story that doesn’t put you to sleep but keeps you strung along regarding the origin of Spider-man. This movie, in many ways, rights the wrongs of its predecessor and raises the bar as to how cleaver the movies need to be to earn our money.
Take notes: Please stay until after the credits for a teaser of a sequel.
The Amazing Spider-man gets 4 out of 5 wallets.
I would use stars but I have always gauged a movie and its worth by how much I am willing to spend to see it. I have always subscribed to the following gauge from best to worst: The IMAX/3D experience, Regular Admission, Matinee, Redbox, Netlix, and catch it if it happens to be on TV. So in this case it is very much worth the money. Although I did watch it with the IMAX experience, for sentimental reasons, it does just fine as a regular admission because the CGI is pretty….amazing.
How To See The Amazing Spider-Man For Cheap
So now that we established that Spider-man is worth the effort how do we make this as economical as possible? The best way to really put money back in your pocket is by asking students! NO, not asking them to spot you until you never pay them back but to ask other students of other schools if they have their own theaters. Some schools have cinemas that play current movies at a huge discount. The Johnson Center Cinema at GMU shows movies, free if you’re a GMU student, $3 if you’re not a student. $3 what?!?!?! Yes $3, but the only drawback is that they don’t show movies over the summer and its not the biggest theater on the planet.
I am sure that other local schools may have similar facilities with different restrictions so ask. Second best way to save when in dire need of a brain break, ask parents! NO, not asking them to pay for your movie (although if it works more power to you), it’s in asking all the parents you know that may have an account with Costco or BJ’s.
Costco has agreements with AMC and Regal cinema to sell ticket vouchers at a large discount.
2 regular tickets will cost about $15 at Costco. What!?!?!?! Yes $15, but you need to be a member of Costco to do so which is why I refer you to asking any parents you may know. BJ’s sells only AMC tickets and Sam’s Club does not sell any tickets at all (to my knowledge).
It’s worth the effort to coordinate all your resources especially if you seriously need healthy breaks from studying that does not cost you much money.
The next review will be for Batman: Dark Knight Rises and I will give you a few hints at other ways that can save you money as your journey to penny pinch a good study break continues. Enjoy the movie…
Mikolino| Guest Post
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5 Most Anticipated Movies of 2012 (July-December)
Posted on July 6, 2012
2012 is halfway over already and some of the most anticipated movies of the year have yet to appear on the big screen.
Since we have quite a bit of time before some of these movies come out in the next 6 months, I have thrown together a list so all of our readers here at Bright Futura can join me as we anxiously await.
I kind of cheated a little in my list and have broken it in to two separate sections. The first, which is in no particular order, lets me express my growing excitement for films already established in a prominent cinematic franchise. I found that putting franchise movies in to the mix with original movies to be a bit unfair, since there is already a fanbase and general anticipation to see what happens next in the string of related movies. One is a reboot, one is a prequel and one is a threequel, and they all belong to financially and critically acclaimed movie franchises.
Franchise Films
Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Release Date: July 3rd
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans and Denis Leary
Franchise Status: Re-boot/Re-imagining
Why I’m Excited: Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy has not aged well. I am one of the few who have seemed to embrace the rebooting of the franchise, not for monetary gain but for a quality upgrade. With a better cast across the board (except for the loss of Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin), updated effects, and a desire to make a movie about the man and not the mask, I believe that this version will ultimately prove to be superior.
Title: The Hobbit (Pt. 1) – An Unexpected Journey
Release Date: December 14th
Cast: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellin, Richard Armitage and Elijah Wood
Franchise Status: Prequel part 1
Why I’m Excited: It has been just long enough for people to start to forget how much they loved the LotR trilogy when they hit theaters 9, 10 and 11 years ago. Well, here is a hard reminder of how Peter Jackson can steal your breathe, heart and attention for 3 hours with some fantasy and little people. Starting from the beginning, this film will make you want to go back and marathon watch Fellowship, The Two Towers and Return of the King all over again.
Title: The Dark Knight Rises
Release Date: July 20th
Cast: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard
Franchise Status: Threequel
Why I’m Excited: This would easily be considered the most anticipated movie of the year if every person in America had the chance to vote. There really is no reason for me to go into too much detail here since the marketing campaign for the film has been a PR hurricane. And if you haven’t seen 2008′s The Dark Knight, then I ask you, what rock have you been living under the past 4 years?
This is the point where I numerically compile the list of free-standing/original films. I’m a sucker for originality when it comes to my movies, so it is safe to say that I find myself looking forward to these films more so than the franchise movies listed above because I’m just a big movie nerd.
Original Films
5.
Title: Premium Rush
Release Date: August 24th
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon and Jamie Chung
Quick Plot: In Manhattan, a bike messenger picks up an envelope that attracts the attention of a dirty cop who pursues the cyclist throughout the city.
Why I’m Excited: JGL is one of my favorite actors right now as he appears in 3 movies on this list (DKR, Premium Rush and Looper). I’m also a fan of the real/practical effects used in the biking sequences in which JGL does most of his own stunts. I’m also excited for Michael Shannon’s next movie role after his underrated performance in Take Shelter last year.
Note: Sorry for the ?Chinese? poster but this film is not Chinese.
4.
Title: Celeste and Jesse Forever
Release Date: August 3rd
Cast: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Elijah Wood and Emma Roberts
Quick Plot: A divorcing couple tries to remain friends while they start pursuing other people.
Why I’m Excited: I firmly believe that this will not be another indie dramatic rom-com that we have all seen before. From the mostly positive buzz coming from the Sundance Film Festival, apparently Jones and Samberg have amazing chemistry. Hopefully this chemistry will breathe a sense of reality into this concept that will undoubtedly reach many people who have found themselves in similar situations.
3.
Title: Zero Dark Thirty (still unconfirmed/tenative)
Release Date: December 19th
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Jessica Chastain, Kyle Chandler, Chris Pratt and Harold Perrineau
Quick Plot: The story of the Navy Seal Team 6 who tracked down wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden.
Why I’m Excited: Bigelow,the fantastic director of The Hurt Locker, originally planned on this being an entirely fictitious story. But then it happened in real life. The mere coincidence alone is enough to get me to want to watch this movie. But after Bigelow was given top-secret details about the mission by President Obama for the movie’s authenticity, it has become a must-see.
Note: There is no official poster yet. The one posted is fan-made.
2.
Title: Django Unchained
Release Date: Christmas a.k.a. December 25th
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz and Kerry Washington
Quick Plot: With the help of his mentor, a slave-turned-bounty hunter sets out to rescue his wife from a cruel Mississippi plantation owner.
Why I’m Excited: Instead of being a murder consultant, Foxx has transformed himself into a bounty hunter in Quentin Tarantino’s spaghetti western. With one hell of a cast and Tarantino’s entire reputation giving this movie credibility, making this my #2 was damn near an impossible decision.
1.
Title: Looper
Release Date: September 28th
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels
Quick Plot: A time-traveling movie set mostly in the present where a present day assassin must take out his future self, or rebel against the mob of the future who employs him.
Why I’m Excited: I promise that if you watch the trailer, the movie doesn’t look as confusing as the Quick Plot makes it sound. Bruce Willis is, in my opinion, the ultimate action star, and I’m excited for him to return to his roots and play off JGL’s quick wit and dangerous charm. The director, Rian Johnson, is a personal favorite of mine and I can’t wait to see what he has cooked up in his latest feature. The concept is so unique and the actors have been well cast. This is shaping up to be this year’s Drive. I can’t wait to see this movie.
There you have it, my most anticipated movies of the latter half of 2012. I would love to hear your thoughts on my list, and feel free to include your own in the comment section below. Now, the waiting game begins as our soon-to-be favorite movies approach…
Alex Dodson | Bright Futura Columnist
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5 Best Pixar Movies
Posted on June 24, 2012
Brave has made its debut this weekend in similar Pixar style – everyone is going to see it! For arguably the most successful namebrand in Hollywood that promises the highest quality animated films (Cars 2 be damned) Brave is turning out to be a box office boom. While Brave may not be recieving as much critical acclaim as its predecessors, it is still on par with Cars and way better than Cars 2.
Just thinking about how good Pixar movies are has inspired me to compile a list of the 5 best Pixar movies.
Needless to say, this list was extremely difficult to compile. After you go through my list, we at Bright Futura would love to hear what your 5 favorite Pixar movies are! Submit your lists in the comment section below before you go see Brave this weekend.
5. Finding Nemo
4. The Incredibles
3. Ratatouille
2. Up
1. Toy Story 3
images courtesy of pixarplanet.com
Maximillian Garland| Bright Futura Columnist
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Brick: Bright Futura Movie Club
Posted on June 24, 2012
Brick
“(Tolkein’s) descriptions of things are really good. He makes you wanna be there.” -The Pin
PLOT BREAKDOWN
Up and coming director and star duo Rian Johnson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt team up for the first time in this high school neo-noir, drug fueled, murder mystery.
Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a smart and determined high school loner, suspects that his ex-girlfriend had fallen in with the wrong crowd after their recent break-up.
In order to clear his conscious and potentially save her life, he infiltrates his school’s drug ring as he is forced to confront drug players from all different high school social standings.
Driven by Brendan’s quick wit and perseverance to get all of his questions answered, this smart yet violent thriller unfolds right in front of your eyes as you uncover the truth about a brick of heroin and foul play right alongside Brendan.
Positives
Brick is a great film. Jospeh Gordon-Levitt gives a strong performance in that you never mistake his quiet rage against the social structure of high school for some emo “I hate everyone” complex, or his ambitious intelligence for cockiness. He fits right in to the neo-noir environment director Rian Johnson has reimagined in the high school setting.
Johnson avoids the horribly cliched high school tropes that play out through different social groups in a school environment. Instead, he manipulates the social roles and crafts a magnificent detective story using every common aspect of high school life that all viewers will find relatable as well as entertaining. Just like how The Pin (Lukas Haas) describes the level of intimacy J.R.R. Tolkein provides in his level of details provided in such books as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Johnson makes you feel like you in the film and are just another student at Brendan’s high school.
Negatives
The main criticisms don’t apply to the movie itself, but to the genre as a whole. In noir films, the exhibition of your protagonist unfolds along with the mystery as the audience learns more about how this particular detective is personally connected to the case in a way that you weren’t initially expecting. Inadvertently, you just jump right in to the beginning of the story without knowing too much about Brendan.
As well as diving right in, it may be difficult for some of the more casual viewers to enjoy the first thirty minutes or so of the film.
While there is plenty of action, the story revolves around fast and at times fairly complex dialogue, particularly between Brendan and The Brain (Matt O’Leary).
However, if you stick with it, you will develop an ear for the dialogue and the payoff is definitely worth it as the mystery continues to thicken before answers start crashing down upon you.
Closing Argument
Brick is one hell of a movie. It won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 for originality of vision in a drama. That is one of the most prestigious awards given away at arguably the most important film festival in the movie industry. The film, which is anchored by Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance and Rian Johnson’s directorial vision, offers a clever return to form for any fans of solving a good mystery.
Verdict
Brick is a Must Watch!
TRAILER
Details You Might Want To Know:
Length: 110 min
Rating: R
Release date: 2005
Who’s In It?
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Brendan
Nora Zehetner – Laura
Lukas Haas – The Pin
Noah Fleiss – Tugger
Matt O’Leary – The Brain
Emilie de Ravin – Emily
Noah Segan – Dode
Alex Dodson | Bright Futura Columnist
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Adventureland: Bright Futura Movie Club
Posted on June 20, 2012
Adventureland
“Nothing brings people together like a crappy summer job.”
Plot Breakdown
The Director of Superbad trades salacious comedy for coming-of-age comedy Adventureland.
I personally love coming of age stories and Adventureland just so happens to be one soooo… in short I liked it. Adventureland is kinda that typical journey from young adulthood to the real world.
It follows the story of this character who really really wants to be played by Michael Cera. However, Michael Cera instead is played by his alter ego Jesse Eisenberg, the guy from The Social Network and Zombie Land. Jesse Eisenberg who plays James Brennan a recent college grad who is forced to takes a job in an amusement park because his Dad took a pay cut causing Brennan to have to post pone his life.
While this seems to be terrible luck for our protagonist, it ends up being an amazing tale full of
Weed, fear of the real world, coming of age, boners, nut shots, unsuspecting love, and bumper cars!
Oh yeah, It is also worth mentioning that Brendan is virgin, because well the story pretty much hinges on this fact. Everything pretty much rolls along as you’d expect but the simple humor and great cast make the movie pretty fun to watch.
Thoughts On Adventureland
Adventureland isn’t just the story of Brendan it also focuses on Em’s perspective played by Kristen Stewart (late of Twilight). Yes I know I’m sure you hate her acting style as much as I do but in this movie she seems more alive than she did opposite the vampire creepy guy with the tall forehead.
Biggest Grip With Adventureland
I thought that I would hate Kristen Stewart in this film because well …her acting style just bugs the shit out of me. But her acting ended up being pretty decent considering the character she plays. However if you really really hate Kristen Stewart, avoid this film. Because while it is worth while, it is indeed full of her character basically looking like she is suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Closing Argument
Anyone ever noticed how you never see Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Cera at the same time? Just sayin’
Favorite Quote:
Sue O’Malley: What are you majoring in?
Joel: Russian lit and Slovak languages.
Sue O’Malley: Oh wow, that’s pretty interesting. What career track is that?
Joel: Cabby, hot dog vendor, marijuana delivery guy. The world is my oyster.
Trailer
Details You Might Want To Know:
Length: 107 min
Rating: R
Release date: 2007
Who’s In It?
Jesse Eisenberg (James Brennan)
Margarita Levieva (Lisa P)
Martin Starr (Joel)
Kirsten Stewart (Bella Swan Em Lewin)
Ryan Reynolds (Mike)
Soundtrack is Awesome
David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, The Cure, Judas Priest (Full list here)
Adventureland was a really well-rounded story and fun to watch. I’d give it an B. What grade would you give Adventureland?
Watch Adventureland on Netflix
Maximillian Garland | Bright Futura Columnist
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Bright Futura’s Netflix Club: Robotropolis
Posted on June 12, 2012
Robotropolis
Robotropolis Finds an Innovative Way to Tell a Tired Story
“I love it. It’s like totally awesome. Come on, it’s robots! Doesn’t get any better than that, right?”
Plot Breakdown
In a movie where the narrative is told through a news broadcast format for over 50% of the run time, the interviewees become just as important to the story as the camera guys, producers and anchors. About ten minutes into Robotropolis, a man is interviewed about whether he likes New Town, a city run entirely by robots. His overly enthusiastic response was similar to my own response when I found this obscure movie on Netflix.
Thoughts On Robotropolis
Better graphics than I was expecting and some modest gore, both of which are not overdone or totally unbelievable.
The concept alone was cool enough to capture my interest and allay any critical misgivings I might have had going in to this B movie, which is to say that this is not something that I would normally do. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The actors never try too hard to be serious, a necessity in campy movies such as this, which is comically evident from the two male leads of Jason (Edward Foy) and particularly Danny (Graham Sibley) who are cracking jokes while running for their lives.
An interesting aspect of the presentation is that the final news report is sent via live feed off of a smart phone. It just goes to show that no matter how low of a budget these B movies have, the current availability and cheap pricing of advanced video technology will allow even more people the opportunity to make decent grade films for next to nothing. Evidence of this comes from better graphics than I was expecting and some modest gore, both of which are not overdone or totally unbelievable. However, all of these great things don’t cover up the weak story being told.
Trailer
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlHrcXS0Dj0]
Drawbacks
Weakened by its extended use of the news report narrative structure, the film is fairly slow for the first half of the film… Until the robots attack!
While the innovative story telling is definitely ambitious, you are most likely watching a movie about killer robots for the killer robots.
All killing aside, the news format does allow you to watch the first kill, which is early on in the movie, a grand total of seven times from replays for the meta-viewers who are just tuning in.
The other drawback of the news format is its field reporter, Christiane Nouveau (Zoe Naylor), who agonizingly continues to describe the deteriorating situation in New City.
Being the only “real” actress with any credibility or experience in the cast, she provides the worst performance by trying too hard. Apparently nobody told her what kind of movie she was in.
Final Remarks
Concluding with a weak response as to why the robots “turned”, a lackluster climax but an ending open for interpretation
Robotropolis proved to be a fun movie to watch when I had run out of options. Watchable
Alex Dodson | Bright Futura Columnist
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5 Biggest Snubs of the 2012 MTV Movie Awards
Posted on June 7, 2012
Back in the day, the entertainment industry was run by dusty old white men who scoffed at the notion of motion pictures being considered both art and entertainment (unfortunately, not much has changed since then). To counteract this ludicrous notion, in 1992, MTV started their own version of the Academy Awards called the MTV Movie Awards which was completely decided by the fan’s vote. The stars were awarded Golden Popcorn trophies in place of the golden Oscar statuettes. Winners of the last 20 years have included ‘Terminator 2: Judgement Day’, ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Scream’, all 3 of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films, and ‘Napoleon Dynamite.’ However, the evidence of a broken system is painfully clear when a ‘Twilight’ film has won for the fourth year in a row and looks to be the front runner for its fifth and final film next year. As I found most of the results of this year’s show particularly repulsive, I have gathered the 5 most offensive snubs and explained why other films proved more deserving of the coveted Golden Popcorn trophy.
1. ‘The Hunger Games’ Got Best Fight Over ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Warrior’
Why the award should have gone to…
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 – The fight that people had been waiting upwards of 13 years to watch on the big screen, Harry and Voldemort’s showdown was the most anticipated scene in any film in 2011.
- Warrior – With its first major jump on to the big screen, the brutality of this mixed martial arts film is craftily juxtaposed with the deeper drama that revolves around an alcoholic father and his two embattled sons.
2. Best Kiss should have gone to… anyone but ‘Twilight’
Why the award should have gone to…
- Crazy, Stupid, Love. – Ryan Gosling, the runner-up for People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, smooching with Emma Stone, a.k.a. the cutest and most adorable trailblazer in Hollywood, is almost too sweet for the screen.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 – Ron and Hermione FINALLY kiss. Nothing else need be said.
- The Hunger Games – While it may have been a fake kiss and necessary plot point, Katniss definitely opened up an emotional can of worms between her and Peeta that will surely play out in ‘Catching Fire.’
- The Vow – If a Nicholas Spark’s film doesn’t have good kissing, then what does it actually have going for it?
- Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn pt. 1 – Besides the fact that Edward and Bella have been kissing for the past 3 movies, they are gonna kiss again in the next movie, wedding be damned. Been there, done that (3 times already).
3. The Ambiguity over Best Gut-Wrenching Performance
I believe that people don’t actually know what “gut-wrenching” means, making the choice of naming an award after it an ill decision. To be fair, the definition has evolved and expanded over time. What once meant something along the lines of causing distress, nervousness and/or physical pain can now mean unbelievable, outrageous or nauseating. With that in mind…
Why the award should have gone to…
Drive – Definitely the nominee causing the most distress, Ryan Gosling’s moment of (literal) quivering rage as he strongly considers hammering a bullet into a man’s forehead is one of the heaviest moments of the film.
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – The most daring stunt possibly ever, Tom Cruise ACTUALLY performed his high wire act in Dubai without using a stunt double or a green screen, leaving most viewers mopping the copious amounts of sweat their brow at the end of the scene.
21 Jump Street - When a man’s penis gets shot off, and then picks it up with his mouth in a pure moment of improvisation, is that disgusting or funny…? I mean I laughed, but it wasn’t my gut that was feeling unpleasant.
Which is more gross? Eating a poop pie in ’The Help’ or pooping yourself in public in ‘Bridesmaids’?
4. Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games) Got Best Onscreen Transformation over Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Why it should have gone to Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo…
The director David Fincher told Rooney Mara, before she even got the part, that she would have to:
- learn how to smoke
- learn how to ride a motorcycle
- be naked and participate in two rape scenes
- learn the perfect Swedish accent
- be alone for an entire year
- dye and shred her hair
- pierce her nipple, ears, eyebrow, nose and lip
- shave her eyebrows
- study kickboxing
- brush up on her computer hacking skills
- learn how to skateboard to get the posture of a 14-year-old boy
But, most importantly, Rooney said in an interview, “I couldn’t imagine my life without playing her.” That really sums up what this whole award is all about.
5. Movie of the Year should have gone to… anyone but ‘Twilight’
Why the award should have gone to…
- Bridesmaids – 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, only original film (not adaptation), nominated for 2 Oscars (Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay), benchmark proving that female driven comedies can be R and raunchy and still make lots of money, placed on multiple critic’s (including my own) top 10 lists of 2011.
- The Hunger Games – 85% Rotten Tomatoes, well rounded, fresh blood/created the big 3 (Harry Potter vs. Twilight vs. The Hunger Games).
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 – 96% Rotten Tomatoes, “deserved” to win for final film, nominated for 3 Oscars (Art direction, Make-up, Visual FX).
- The Help – 76% Rotten Tomatoes, racially and culturally relevant, nominated for 3 Oscars (Picture, Lead and Supporting Actress) and won 1 Oscar (Supporting Actress)
- Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn pt. 1 – 25% Rotten Tomatoes, just a filler film/cash cow for the next anti-climactic end to the series, next year probably going to win because it will be the last one in franchise and “deserve” to win, fourth win in a row
Alex Dodson | Bright Futura Columnist
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Grade The Avengers: Was It An A+ Movie?
Posted on June 2, 2012
Why should teachers have all the fun? Grade The World lets you as the student fight back and grade the things around you. Everything from box of smashes to hot tech items and apps.
Maximillian Garland| Bright Futura Columnist
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Student Review: Why Iron Man Was Better Than The Avengers
Posted on May 6, 2012
(little to no spoilers)
“You’re going to lose. It’s in your nature.”
Halfway through The Avengers, Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) is pointing a giant gun at the villainous Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Coulson, the only ordinary man in this film filled with spies, assassins, demi-gods, super heroes and aliens, is also the only one who knows how this film is going to end. He states it very clearly to the antagonist, seemingly offering Loki a cop out before this movie drags out to its intended two and a half hour run time. As any conventional super hero movie would have it, Loki ignores the agent and continues in his attempts to take over the world.
This situation pops up in almost every good vs. evil movie ever made. However, the difference between those movies, and The Avengers is that The Avengers is entirely circumstantial. Here is an example in the same vein of the movie universe. Iron Man is an exceptionally well crafted super hero movie.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man perfected the balance of being a bad ass and a charismatic and likeable protagonist in an inexplicable fashion. The fight scenes were cool and there was enough humor to keep the tone fun without being too dark.
The Avengers was all of those things and more as the expanded team proved to be a fanboy’s dream come true. So why is Iron Man better?
The events that transpire in Iron Man actually matter in the real world, while The Avengers carries no relevance in our culture aside from its entertainment value.
Granted, most people gauge a film’s quality on how entertaining it is and pass the judgment on whether it is “good” or not. On the contrary, the quality of a film cannot be determined by how much fun you have while watching it. It comprises of a balance of many different aspects, one of which is entertainment value. However, one aspect that cannot be ignored is social and communal impact. Iron Man provided many social commentaries, cleverly mixed in to the film. As you were watching Tony Stark live a wealthy lifestyle and fight crime as Iron Man, you were also actively digesting strong opinions on terrorism, weapons trading, the mixing of man with technology, and the need for clean energy. Think of this film experience like taking your vitamins, but the cool flavored Flintstone kind that you used to take when you were little. They tasted good and were from your favorite cartoon, and yet they still provided you with all of the important nutritional values that growing boys and girls need. Iron Man delivers quality filmmaking in many aspects, blending relevance with entertainment.
But what does The Avengers mean to the viewers? What kind of impact will the film leave on the people leaving the theater when the last scene plays after the credits? Absolutely nothing.
As soon as you walk out of the theater, you may excitedly remember that one really funny line, or that cool fighting sequence. But eventually, as your memory of the film fades, so will the relevance of how cool it was when you were there.
I cannot deny that when you are in the theater, actively watching the film unfold before you on that giant screen, the movie seems perfect.
However, upon departure, it leaves you with a hollow feeling reminiscent of a dementor gliding past and sucking the fun out of your very soul.
Besides the fact that the film essentially stood for nothing, there was also no weight in the exciting or tense parts of the story.
When Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) was about to transform in to the Hulk and threaten everyone on board the ship, or when the aliens were storming New York City, I felt no sense of peril for our heroes. This sad fact is a result of my biggest apprehension on going in to this film: the inability to create one movie with so many super heroes and have it work as a believable narrative. I was never convinced that this was a real team, working together to save the human race. I felt concern for the individual hero when he was in an immediate sense of danger. But knowing that it is in the nature of the bad guys to lose, my fears were instantly alleviated.
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This gathering of individuals, not group, spends most of the movie bickering between each other. When they do come together to fight as a team, at least in terms of vicinity, they end up separating to fight different battles of the same war. There is one brief shot (which is done to death in the trailer) that shows them all standing together waiting to fight.
Despite this attempt at visual unity, since interpersonal unity was never reached, they all end up having their backs to one another further proving that they are not one in many.
If the team can’t come together for the sake of the story, then what is the point of making a team film?
Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and even Edward Norton’s The Incredible Hulk were all better stand alone films than The Avengers. Some people complain that these types of origin stories get redundant and boring after a while, but at least they have a narrative purpose for their actions. In this way, The Avengers has become cinema’s high-end prostitute. You pay an outrageous amount of money for some entertainment that will only last you one night. Sure the prostitute is pretty to look at and you have one hell of a good time during. But after you pay, and the fun is done, what have you really gained?
Rating: 5/10
Title: The Avengers
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Pine, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson
Release Date: May 4th, 2012
Run Time: 142 mins.
Rated: PG-13
Obviously, there will be people who don’t agree with this review. If you’re one of those people, raise your hand and tell us what you think by posting a comment below.
Alex Dodson: Bright Futura
