Blazing Minds » Films

Christmas Movies: Beyond The Traditional

stephwoo286 — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:00:15 +0000

A straightforward list of favourite Christmas movies would be rather redundant. Excepting some difference either side of the Atlantic, the traditional Christmas movies are a predictable lot: ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ or ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in the main, a sprinkling of ‘Home Alone’, ‘Die Hard’ or ‘Muppet’s Christmas Carol’ as a side dish and ‘The Great Escape’ if you’re British.

But if you’re looking for something a little different this year, try one of the films from this list:

Tokyo Godfathers

Considering that barely 2 percent of Japan’s population are Christians, it’s surprising that the holiday is celebrated at all. That there is a Japanese film, set in Japan that heavily features Christmas is probably even more suprising. Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers actually seems to have been inspired by a minor John Ford western, 3 Godfathers, wherein three cowhands return an orphaned baby to civilization.

In Tokyo Godfathers, three homeless people – an alcoholic cyclist, a teenage runaway and a former drag-queen – find a baby discarded in a pile of refuse sacks. They then set off to bring the child back to its parents, based on a trail of clues and ever more fortunate coincidences. Like ‘3 Godfathers’ the Christmas themes go beyond the time of year – three wise ‘men’ and a child in humble surroundings, as well as the improbable good fortune that they all have on the way to the uplifting conclusion. Fun and laced with heavier themes as the main character’s own sad pasts – and bleak futures – are slowly revealed. Don’t worry though, it’s all very Christmassy in the end.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian

Christmas isn’t a time for being contrary and argumentative, but that never stopped anyone before. You don’t get much more contrary than the Life of Brian, firstly because it’s mostly about Easter and secondly, because it’s a comic religious satire of almost infamous stature. In fact, the reputation that Life of Brian has for being a scathing criticism of Judeo-Christian faith is actually rather overblown. Monty Python’s comedy was always 90% silliness, and very few of the pokes at religion are anything especially scathing.

In the film, Brian is a misadventuring young man who falls in love with a member of the People’s Front of Judea, a resistance movement in 1st Century Roman controlled Judea. Brian finds himself followed by prophets and proclaimed as the Messiah, starting a movement that wakes him up the next morning (with his mother protesting “He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!”). Endlessly quotable and really quite benign.

Lady and the Tramp

Disney undoubtedly hopes that most of their films are suitable as alternative Christmas movies – in the last five years they’ve re-released the Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and the Jungle Book in the hope of grabbing the Christmas dollar. Of course, one of the few films that actually contains a Christmas scene – Lady and the Tramp – won’t be out until February. But if you do have a copy of the last release around, stick it in over the Christmas period: it remains one of the studio’s sweetest movies, a cosy love story with a collection of great songs and some beautiful, idyllic animation.

Charming, and a perfect way to get some hyperactive youngsters to slow down over a hectic period. That said, the one Christmas scene is surely a modern faux pas: ‘Jim Dear’ apparently hasn’t heard that ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’. If the Dog’s Trust got wind of this, they would probably have kittens, so to speak.

Citizen Kane

Films aren’t just important at Christmas because they have uplifting themes or because they feature Christmas at some point. There aren’t really any other times in the year when the television channels can put on their best and longest movies and you’ll actually sit there and watch them. To that end, Citizen Kane, the slow burning ‘best film of all time’ is a fantastic Christmas treat. Ah, but Citizen Kane is a Christmas movie after all: Kane’s sled, simultaneously the lynchpin and the most inconsequential detail of the whole piece, is a Christmas gift.

Steph Wood is a copywriter and blogger with a love of film and technology. They’re currently writing for UK Credit Cards company Vanquis who specialise in Credit cards for people with bad credit

Best Christmas Movie Ever (mikefriesen05.wordpress.com)
What’s Your Favorite Christmas Movie? (mothermeetstheroad.com)

Christmas Movies: Beyond The Traditional is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Apollo Cinema Rhyl, The Local Cinema Loved By Movie Fans

Karen — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:37:51 +0000

Those of you that have read my blog often will have seen the collection of movie reviews that I have recently been posting, with the most recent movies all been viewed at my local Apollo cinema in Rhyl.

The Future Is Here!

The future of Rhyl’s entertainment is certainly getting a good kick-start with the Apollo cinema giving the town a much-needed breath of life. With the use of modern technology going in leaps and bounds, bringing 3D, live shows, sports events and much more.

But it doesn’t stop there the Apollo cinema is growing with a reputation for bringing top quality entertainment to the public and with more plans in the pipeline to expand on the entertainment for people living in the surrounding area to enjoy. Bring it on I say

So recently I had the privilege of having a talk with Craig Miller and Alison Hogarth about the cinema and it’s future. The future is really looking good for the Apollo Cinema and Craig mentioned to me many plans in the pipeline which do sound extremely interesting, with the cinema expanding further and hopefully utilizing the Children’s Village which sits next to it. I’m really looking forward to seeing how all this pans out.

Suffice to say there are some great plans coming in the near future and the Apollo cinema is certainly something that Rhyl has needed for a while, a good kick up the backside.

Now some have said that I am a bit of a movie-holic and do spend a lot of my time watching films, which is true But I thought it was about time that I wrote a post about the cinema itself and those people who visit the cinema and enjoy their time there watching films and socializing with friends.

The Apollo Cinema Rhyl, A Brief History

The Apollo Cinema situated on the North Wales coast in the seaside town of Rhyl had been a staple diet for many a film goer for many years, but then he cinema closed its doors in February for refurbishment that seemed to go on forever.

At this point a lot of cinema goers started visiting other cinemas to get their movie fixes, with the advent of 3D hitting cinemas, Rhyl Apollo had its work cut out for it!

Then in August the Rhyl Apollo was completed with its £2.5 million refurbishment project, bringing the seaside town the latest in cinema technology, with five screens have all been equipped with the latest in high-resolution Sony 4k digital cinema projection, premium RealD 3D technology, and flawless Dolby digital sound.

Movie goers now have a spanking new cinema, with Costa coffee available as well all screens being licensed for alcohol which can be bought in the bar at the rear of the building with amazing sea views.

Tania Jones, General Manager of Apollo Cinemas, Rhyl, said; “It has been our goal to bring the Rhyl cinema bang up to date, with the latest cinema technology, to provide the town with a thriving entertainment hub. The all-digital, all-3D screens mean we can offer the latest Hollywood blockbusters The town deserves access to the best quality viewing experience, and we are committed to ensuring Rhyl and surrounding areas can experience their choice of film the way they should be presented.”

She continues, “The Apollo Rhyl team mission is to welcome, engage and delight local audiences. We want the cinema to be a focal point for the community; it’s a space where people can relax as well as enjoy film, music, sports opera and ballet. We’re very much locally engaged and our aim at the site is to spread our roots into the community. We have been working with Denbighshire Council on a number of projects that seek to make a positive contribution to local lives, including displaying work by local artists in the lobby space.”

I personally have to say that since the Cinema reopened I’ve been an avid visitor and as you can see from the blog, I’ve had some great times seeing and reviewing some of the latest movies, bot only in 2D but also in 3D.

Marlene Songin, Vice President, Cinema and General Director, RealD Europe comments; “With every screen in the complex equipped with RealD 3D, audiences in Rhyl will have access to the latest 3D films, from the current crop of 3D blockbusters including Captain America and Harry Potter, through to Fright Night and The Adventures of Tintin which are being released later this year.”

It’s now down to the residents and movie going public to show their support for the cinema, I give my support and will continue to bring you even more movie reviews from the Rhyl Apollo as much as I can, having a local cinema with such a great reputation for quality and having staff that are friendly and helpful, is really going to, hopefully, bring Rhyl in to the limelight for the right reasons!

Councillor David Thomas, Cabinet Lead member for Regeneration said: “This is an excellent development for Rhyl and will form a major part of the regeneration for the area. We hope this facility will attract people from far and wide.”

Fans And Visitors At The Apollo Cinema Rhyl

So I recently asked for the views of those that visit the Apollo Cinema in Rhyl and gave them a chance to win one of two Arthur Christmas Goody bags and here are what people have been saying:

Jennifer Doherty said “ I love apollo Rhyl because the staff are always polite and super helpful, my kids love watching th kids club films and my purse does 2“

Gemme Haughton said “I love apollo cinemas Rhyl because you have regular competitions, your prices are fair, the kids club is excellent, brilliant staff and you reply to people queries on Facebook and twitter you guys do an amazing job!!!“

Ben Bishop said “I love it becuase its modern and the staff are friendly and well mannered etc. its just a lovely atmosphere in there“

Michelle Williams said “I love visiting the apollo with my kids,it was awful travelling all the time 2 llandudno.The staff r really friendly,and always answer if theres any problems.The compeitions are always worth entering,and the prices r really good.“

Tina Williams said “i love the new look apollo all the staff are friendly and me and the kids love coing almost every sunday to watch a kids club film also unllike some big compnies any questions or enquiries are responded to in person instead of just pre set messages“

Angela Garner said “how many words do i get…??? i loved the apollo even before it’s big makeover. i’ve always found the staff to be really friendly, they’re always helpful, even when really busy & people are being rude to them (who know who you are!) always running good competitions that many people have a good chance of winning., not just one. prices are reasonable, for enterance, too. now you can even get a cheeky wine to see a film with which in my book is always a bouns, unless it’s at a kids club showing!!! also loving the new varity of things showing, my mum & her friends love the opera showing that have just started & she can’t wait to go and see alfie bow on the big screen (having met him in person earlier year, she’s now an even bigger fan!) i’ve always found nothings been too much trouble & they were great when my little boy sick in the foyer *cough* moving on!! the new seats are very comfy & hubby at 6′ loves the extra leg room, the popcorn & drinks sizes are perfect, family tickets are a great price, even £4.50 tuesdays are great! i personally am loving the new screens, the picture quality is beautiful & it’s so easy to get totally immersed in the film & the 3D is just good. us as a family of 4, as a couple, or with my mum we’ve been many times over the last few years and always enjoyed ourselves, you can’t can’t beat the giltz & glamour and hollywood razz-a-ma-tazz that rhyl apollo offers!! )“

Jessica Gigson said “I love apollo because its in a brilliantly convenient location, with parking right there. The staff are always friendly, the new look cinema is great, and we have fond memories of apollo since it was down by the bridge in town (where the bingo is now haha)!
Many happy times at the cinema in all it’s forms over the years, and now my nephew is old enough to join in too there’s a whole new generation getting in on the fun! (we’re coming to see arthur christmas very soon actually!)“

Nicola Arch said “We love Apollo cinemas as they are investing and generating a great place for all the family to go and watch a decent film in a fantastic place whilst helping the much needed economy in Rhyl and giving people a decent place to work. My kids love it, modern, fun and a costa coffee for me.“

Samantha Hughes said “Apollo cinema is just ace. Love the comps and the fact that us locals actually win. My kids r huge fans of the kids club at weekends. I think its great that we get the chance to watch operas etc too. Staff are very pleasant. My eldest missed her lift home after watching film the other week and staff let her wait in the building even though they were ready to lock up. So I knew my daughter was safe and not waiting outside for taxi. Everywhere is nice and clean, even the loos! Overall you’re all doing a top job, great place to go!“

Michelle Jackson said “ I went to c breaking dawn at the appollo rhyl took 7 teenagers they all had popcorn and drinks i found it quite cheap and 1 spilt a drink they replaced it free of charge and cleaned up the mess it is always clean and tidy i found the staff very helpful and all tickets where checked i to think the kids club is great for the local kids gives them a safe place to go at the weekends good job guys keep it up“

Ann Caulfield said “the staff are so friendly and polite, the facilities are always clean no matter what time of the day you visit. The food and drink are ever so cheap, the new seats are comfortable and have lots of leg space. All in all a real good night out, of which i dont get many.“

Angela Evans said “its just like the good old days when families spent time together watching a great film, pity prices werent the same as years ago but on the whole a fantastic cinema with friendly helpful staff and good comfy seats. love seeing good movies with my 3 great kids. keep up the good work and contiue showing fab films for all ages . pat yrselves on your backs !“

Jason Hill said “i love the apollo cinema,because,i love the coffee,the munchies that are on offer,and the staff are so friendly,not forget the comfy leather seats that are available,.“

Clair Zumba-Farrant said “We love the Apollo, especially more so since the revamp…in a sad way (no offence to the town) but you walk through the doors and you dont feel like you’re in Rhyl anymore….this is a good thing for Rhyl though…just what it needs. It bright, roomy, classy. The staff are friendly. We love it.“

Tina Percival said “I love the apollo cinema because you allways make us welcome and find the time to help us “

Nadia Nicholson said “I love the apollo because, my little boy is 6 yrs old and wont sit still but everytime we go to the apollo he is so quite and still its lovely“

Congratulations to Gemma and Tina, the two lucky winners of a brilliant @ArthurChristmas Goody Bag kindly supplied by @ApolloCinemas Rhyl. Winners were chosen using Random.org.

No related posts.
Apollo Cinema Rhyl, The Local Cinema Loved By Movie Fans is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Are Spoilers Actually Good For Us?

stephwoo286 — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 06:17:08 +0000

Because researchers are committed to spoiling any and all manifestations of fun, new research has come to light suggesting that knowing how a story ends may not actually damage our enjoyment of it. One of three versions of several short stories, (two with a paragraph that revealed essential plot details and a third unaltered version) were given to the participants. The results showed that people who had had the story spoilt for them rated the stories higher.

So not only are spoilers apparently not harmful, they’re actually better for your enjoyment? This is precisely the opposite of what most people feel about hearing plot details before they’re revealed to them. Drop a spoiler in polite conversation and you expect to see someone boil with rage and hit you square in the chin. They’ll at least put two hands over their ears and drown out your spiteful words with an enthusiastic chorus of ‘La-La-La-La’s. So, is there something to this, or are these researchers simply too used to spoiling their conclusions because they’re forced to write abstracts ?

Why Spoilers May Not Ruin Experiences

A close friend of mine is immune to spoilers. Quite how she manages this is beyond me: personally, knowing exactly where a plot is heading ruins the fun. Reading a list of spoilers in preparation for this article would have been like having my parents tell me the contents of each and every present under the tree, if I hadn’t already heard most of them elsewhere. That in itself is significant: spoilers do have a certain pull to them. But so do black holes. And when I’ve read about a twist, my interest in a plot becomes inevitably stretched.

The argument in the research is that the brain finds it easier to process stories when you know what they’re building towards, and it’s certainly true that revisiting something you’ve learnt the conclusion can be a rewarding experience in itself. The Sixth Sense is a fantastic example of this, as you can see how the script works around the facts established at its conclusion. Information concealed from the audience can sometimes be central to understanding a character’s motivations, making it difficult to empathise with them.

So there is definitely a case for self-spoiling to bring your audience up to speed. In fact, some of my favourite shows and movies are self-spoilers. An observant geek can see Leela’s parents in Futurama two seasons before their identity is revealed. And the affecting animated wartime drama Grave of the Fireflies opens with the words ‘September 21, 1945… that was the night I died.’ The former would have been irritating if it were more obvious, but very few people ever figured this out ahead of time. The later is enhanced by the revelation: the tone of the film is sufficiently tragic that the death of its protagonists were certain from the beginning, so why continue to patronise the audience? And then there’s the fact that you can only once see something for the first time. All those people who obsess over Star Wars movies seem to do pretty well out of revisiting the films periodically.

Why They Probably Do

To me though, spoilers are more often than not completely unwelcome. In the UK, our soaps (Coronation Street, Eastenders et al) are infamously spoilt by their publicity departments. Gossip magazines here often contain the play by play of the week’s forthcoming plot and photographs teasing big story events (particularly around the Christmas/New Year misery corridor when viewing numbers are highest) are printed in the tabloids.

But whilst this proves that many live with spoilers comfortably, soap operas are hardly ambassadors for intelligent entertainment. Soap operas fill similar needs to reality shows: they’re enjoyable through their inevitability and familiarity. To assume that viewers who don’t read Emmerdale spoilers don’t know exactly what is going to happen ahead of time would be false.

Another example: the entire Star Wars prequel trilogy. Yes, the trilogy had multiple problems, but it seems to me that the biggest problem with them was that we never really wanted everything shown on screen. Everything from the Galactic council, to the force and, of course, Anakin Skywalker’s fall from grace was played it exactly as we knew it would be. Worse still, if you watch the Star Wars films chronologically, the mystery surrounding Darth Vader’s identity simply doesn’t exist. Though, let’s be honest, it’s pretty hard to go into watching The Empire Strikes Back not knowing that particular nugget of information!

Concealing some piece of information from your audience can be a clever technique. In many cases, it’s a twist on which the whole interest of the work depends on. The researcher’s findings are interesting, but I doubt they’d stand up to the mob-rage that most of us are capable of when someone gives away the ending. What do you think?

Steph Wood is a blogger and copywriter working for Claims4Negligence, a legal company who can handle your Car accident claim or claim for Medical Negligence, among other services

Related posts:

3D TV Is It As Good As They Say It Is?

3 Reasons Why Blog Comment Spamming Is Not Good SEO

Why adding videos to your post for effect is GOOD

Are Spoilers Actually Good For Us? is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Why Are We Obsessed With Time Travel?

stephwoo286 — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:04:27 +0000

What is it with films and televisions shows travelling backwards and forwards in time? No matter how vaguely science fiction or fantasy-themed our favourite shows, they often have time travelling themes lying below the surface (for better or worse). Here are just some of the not especially great reasons for the Time Travel theme:

Padding Out The Show

Some of our favourite time travelling epics actually use time-travel as a device simply to generate content. This is especially true of those franchises that just run and run. Doctor Who springs instantly to mind: at the beginning, its use of historical and science fiction settings was only really an excuse to show educational programming with a dramatic skew. As the audience showed themselves receptive to the Science-Fiction theme, the ability to pick absolutely any time period kept Doctor Who fresh. Sick of visiting Romans? Visit the Egyptians. Sick of the Daleks? Create a new villain, add a hundred years or a billion miles and visit whatever creature you fancy creating.

Star Trek has always been a particularly guilty party. Across the six main series’ about 45 of the episodes included time travel. True, the franchise had about 703 Episodes, but the number doesn’t include those episodes that used the ‘holodeck’ device to visit historical settings. And then there’s the eleven films, four of which feature time travel (and to be fair, three of them are the most refreshing things the franchise has ever done).

Nevertheless, time travel is often an imperfect device. Lest we forget, it’s the main plot point in disney’s cynical budget production Cinderella III. Time travel starts looking ugly when overused: Futurama probably went back and forth one time too many with straight to DVD movie Bender’s Big Score, offering extra detail on things we’d all forgotten to care about. We all knew New York was destroyed at some point. Now we know why. Will we ever know why we know why?

Regret

Some of our earliest examples of time travel in entertainment actually play on a quite noble theme. Dickens’ A Christmas Carol may not involve wormholes, or complex time machines, but the visions of the past and future that the three spirits show Ebenezer Scrooge have a greater emotional impact than cold science. Through them, Scrooge is reminded of the joy that Christmas once brought him, allowed him a glimpse of people’s low opinions of him, and showed a future in which he dies unappreciated.

One of the main reasons for our love of time-travel then, is that it allows us to rewrite all our regrets. It’s a Wonderful Life plays with this when suicidal George claims to regret his birth, and is shown just how his absence would have effected everybody. Whereas A Christmas Carol changes a bad man into a good man, It’s a Wonderful Life shows how regret can be misplaced, because George is already a deeply good man who has earned the love of his friends and family.

Regret is a natural part of the magic of film-making, as is recalling the past and wondering what we would have done differently. Audiences react well to this type of time travel because it engages them directly, and makes them think about the actions they’ve taken in their own lives.

A Fish Out Of Water

The truth about the past is that it’s pretty much hilarious. Everything from the way people dressed to the hack and slash way they cured major illnesses deserves a good belly laugh, despite the fact that people at the time would have found amputation funny. Many films have specifically tried to play with this by sending someone from the modern day to the past (The Back to the Future series was always the best example, strangely always having little to do with ‘the future’). Or sending someone from the past to the present (The sixties nostalgia of Austin Powers was a good opportunity to laugh at mini-skirts and psychedelic as well as the spy movie genre). Or even sending people from the future to the present (Star Trek IV famously played on having a Russian crew-member Chekov walking around asking Cold War era Los Angeles where their ‘Nuclear Wessels’ were).

In this way, time travel is no different a device to having Bill Murray bemused by the culture of Tokyo in Lost in Translation (though this is perhaps an unfortunate example, since Tokyo has often been considered a futuristic city). And this is no coincidence: ultimately, film has always been about revisiting the past, taking a long look at the present, and dreaming of the future.

I guess time machines are everywhere in TV and film, because TV and film are actually both time machines. So over to you guys: what are your favourite time travel shows and movies?

Always on time, Steph Wood is a copywriter and blogger for The Watch Department, a UK-based Designer Watches stockist selling Ladies and Mens Watches.

Related articles

Time Travel or Something Didn’t Happen = 0 (shsolutions.wordpress.com)

I’ve Invented Time Travel So You Won’t Rob My House (thelaughinghousewife.wordpress.com)

No related posts.
Why Are We Obsessed With Time Travel? is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Will Inception net Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar or is he the modern day De Niro?

Rick — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:59:11 +0000

On December 14th, nominations were announced for the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The category for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama is deep, led by Colin Firth’s sublime performance in “The King’s Speech”. Though not necessarily snubbed, conspicuously absent was Leonardo DiCaprio for his portrayal of professional infiltrator of dreams, Dominick Cobb, in Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller “Inception”.

It is easy to dismiss an actor’s relevance in a film built largely on awe-inspiring special effects and a mind-bending plot, but DiCaprio submitted compelling work, giving the film a touch of humanity and elevating it to a plane higher than most of similar ilk ever reach. The actor’s most essential function is to bridge a personal connection between the audience and the material, to create a living breathing human voice out of written dialogue, to manifest a three-dimensional on screen persona in some artificial environment concocted by a mad director with visions of a world far stranger than the veritable one in which we live. Leo DiCaprio fulfilled this function to the very lip and he did so in the genre that arguably has the highest degree of difficulty in being relatable on a gut level. “Inception” is a decidedly technical, if not intellectual, film that demands an audience’s attention to detail or else get left behind. But all the technical jargon and pseudo-science can never rise above curious distraction if not buoyed by a real human presence. This is what DiCaprio provided and this is why he deserves at least an honorable mention among the finest male performances of the year.

Where the Golden Globes overlooked him, should the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences so honor him in their 83rd ceremony on February 27, 2011, Leonardo DiCaprio, at the age of 36, would be nominated for the third time in the Best Lead Actor category, with “The Aviator” and “Blood Diamond” being his two previous. In comparison, the venerable Robert De Niro at the age of 36 was also nominated three times (“Taxi Driver”, “The Deer Hunter”, “Raging Bull”), winning once for the role of noxious boxer Jake LaMotta in “Raging Bull”. So it seems DiCaprio has staked out an A-list and critically acclaimed film career that began auspiciously with “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”. He has even been taken under the wing of Martin Scorcese, the same director who has collaborated on so many film classics with Robert De Niro. However I suspect that though he may get nominated he is unlikely to win.

So, what’s missing in Leo DiCaprio’s acting mosaic? Why hasn’t he quite reached the iconic status or pop cultural significance of a Robert De Niro or Al Pacino? He has given many fine and varied performances. He has carried dramas, period pieces, quirky independent films, gangster flicks, Shakespearean re-conceptualizations, James Cameron blockbusters and now of course a sci-fi thriller.

My best guess is that he lacks a definitive moment in film. Some would argue that his definitive moment was his “I’m The King of the World!” exultation atop the Titanic’s bow, but I would say that is more representative of the film’s iconic status and was even co-opted by James Cameron upon accepting his Oscar for best director. More precisely, DiCaprio lacks a definitive moment in the form of a monologue.

A powerful monologue resonates with audiences long after they have left the theater. It showcases the best that any individual actor has to offer and gives him the freedom to flex his creative abilities and highlight all the nuances and idiosyncrasies that separate him from any other actor. A monologue has the highest degree of difficulty but carries with it the greatest possible payoff, for the audience and the performer alike. A powerful monologue, simply put, wins actors Oscars.

It’s merely a fun exercise to compare contemporary actors with the legends of yesteryear. Leonardo DiCaprio is sure to carve out a career of his own that doesn’t need to be measured against the likes of Robert De Niro. Nonetheless, as a fan of his it would be great for him to deliver a monologue on the level of Robert De Niro’s “You talkin’ to me?” Here’s hoping director Clint Eastwood and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black gives him that monologue in the upcoming biopic “J. Edgar” in which DiCaprio assumes the role of the FBI’s first director J. Edgar Hoover.

Related articles

Leonardo DiCaprio Dresses Down For Art (socialitelife.com)

Leonardo DiCaprio Tops the List of 2010′s Highest Grossing Actors [Money] (gawker.com)

Green Actor And Activist Leonardo DiCaprio Named Highest Grossing Actor Of 2010 (ecorazzi.com)

No related posts.
Will Inception net Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar or is he the modern day De Niro? is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Saturday Six – Thor And Other Comic Book Adaptations!

Karen — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:34:15 +0000

Yet again it’s time for this weeks Saturday Six and this week topic was chosen by myself and there is only one question with six answers. With the upcoming movie “Thor” coming to our cinema screens soon, it inspired me to give you this weeks Saturday Six based on Comic Books made into films, so this week question is..

Name 6 of your favourite comic book to movie adaptations and why you like them?

There we go, one question with six answers for you to have fun with…

Ok, that’s it, thanks for taking part and I’m looking forward to everyone’s answers. Don’t forget to hit the “Tweet” button to ReTweet this weeks Saturday Six.

Anyone using Twitter can be part of the process by tweeting me a topic, I will then pick one randomly and the chosen topic will be used and the tweeter will have a DoFollow link to their website or blog as a thank you.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you would like to nominate a topic then simply tweet me @BlazingMinds with your nominated topic and the hash tag #Sat6

Related articles

Thor Trailer Officially Released! (screenrant.com)

First Shadowy Teaser Poster for Marvel’s ‘Thor’ is Revealed! (firstshowing.net)

No related posts.
Saturday Six – Thor And Other Comic Book Adaptations! is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Saturday Six – Favourite Movie Soundtracks

Karen — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 09:24:48 +0000

I thought we’d have a bit of a change for this weeks Saturday Six, so I thought we could have a “double” question, just for a change So this weeks topic was chosen by myself and there is only one question with six twelve answers..

Name 6 of your favourite Movie Soundtracks and also a favourite track from each one?

There we go, one question with six twelve answers for you to have fun with…

Ok, that’s it, thanks for taking part and I’m looking forward to everyone’s answers. Don’t forget to hit the “Tweet” button to ReTweet this weeks Saturday Six.

Anyone using Twitter can be part of the process by tweeting me a topic, I will then pick one randomly and the chosen topic will be used and the tweeter will have a DoFollow link to their website or blog as a thank you.

If you would like to nominate a topic then simply tweet me @BlazingMinds with your nominated topic and the hash tag #Sat6

No related posts.
Saturday Six – Favourite Movie Soundtracks is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Friday The 13th – Movie Review

Ryan — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:32:48 +0000

At last I have gotten round to writing another post here on Blazing Minds. I am fond of writing film reviews on this site and last night (thanks to the fact I couldn’t sleep and the movie was on Sky) I got round to watching the remake of Friday 13th.

I have to say, I wasn’t that impressed.

The problem with reinventing a series like this one is that you still know what is going to happen. Jason comes into the fray, kills a lot of drunken teens and then gets killed by someone that has never harmed someone in their entire life. All of this always tends to be a waste of time as he just comes back at the end. This movie was no different to the others and in my opinion; most of it was almost laughable.

Okay they had few fan favourites thrown into the mix like the red barn where he gets hung in one of the earlier movies and of course the hockey mask. Throw in the machete and you have Jason pretty much complete and it is worth noting that it doesn’t take a fantastic actor to play him. Also fans will note a wheelchair can be found in Jason’s lair which represents the paraplegic he killed in film two as well as his mother’s sweater, you need to look carefully for these.

Speaking of the actors, they weren’t as bad as some of the older films and although I don’t like him (thanks to my girlfriend fancying the pants off him) I will admit that Jared Padalecki played his part well.

The only thing that really does annoy me about the films in general is the fact that it just wouldn’t happen. Jason’s death was inevitable and the way in which he was killed off wasn’t that great. After killing him surely you would just get out of there that same night. Why on earth would you wait until morning, throw the body in the lake and then try to leave. It just doesn’t reflect on what a person would do.

All in all I would say this film stuck to the Friday the 13th roots which although not a bad thing it was just not good enough to reinvent the series. I certainly cannot see a sequel for this coming any time soon.

So although mostly complaining about the movie I would still give it a fair 6.5/10

Related posts:

Shark Night 3D, Jaws For The 21st Century! – Movie Review

Unknown: Movie Review

DVD Review: 2012 Movie Apocalypse

Friday The 13th – Movie Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Saturday Six – Favourite Animated Movies

Karen — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:36:33 +0000

Yet again it’s time for this weeks Saturday Six and this week topic was chosen by myself and there is only one question with six answers..

Name 6 of your favourite animated movies?

There we go, one question with six answers for you to have fun with…

Ok, that’s it, thanks for taking part and I’m looking forward to everyone’s answers. Don’t forget to hit the “Tweet” button in the SexyBookMarks to ReTweet this weeks Saturday Six.

Anyone using Twitter can be part of the process by tweeting me a topic, I will then pick one randomly and the chosen topic will be used and the tweeter will have a DoFollow link to their website or blog as a thank you.

If you would like to nominate a topic then simply tweet me @BlazingMinds with your nominated topic and the hash tag #Sat6

Related posts:

Saturday Six – Favourite Movie Soundtracks

Saturday Six – New Moon and Vampire Movies

Saturday Six – Top 6 Favourite TV Shows

Saturday Six – Favourite Animated Movies is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Saturday Six – Books Made In To Films

Karen — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:01:05 +0000

I know it’s been a while but never fear it’s time for the return of this weeks Saturday Six and this week topic was chosen by myself and inspired by the review of Alice in Wonderland here on my blog so this week there is only one question with six answers..

Name your favourite 6 books that have been made into a film that you enjoyed watching?

There we go, one question with six answers for you to have fun with…

Ok, that’s it, thanks for taking part and I’m looking forward to everyone’s answers. Don’t forget to hit the “Tweet” button in the SexyBookMarks to ReTweet this weeks Saturday Six.

Anyone using Twitter can be part of the process by tweeting me a topic, I will then pick one randomly and the chosen topic will be used and the tweeter will have a DoFollow link to their website or blog as a thank you.

If you would like to nominate a topic then simply tweet me @BlazingMinds with your nominated topic and the hash tag #Sat6

Also if you take part in the Saturday Six you can join the Saturday Six Twub..

No related posts.
Saturday Six – Books Made In To Films is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Valentine’s Day Film premiere Report – Guest Post from Duncan Heath

Duncan — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:13:45 +0000

I was recently lucky enough to attend the European film premier of ‘Valentine’s Day’ in Leicester Square, London. I say lucky, but it will probably be the last film premier I attend, as although it was a great experience, it doesn’t half make you feel insignificant.
My girlfriend got the tickets from a contact that couldn’t make it, and it sounded very exciting when she broke the news to me that we would be hitting the red carpet with all the celebs. It was unfortunate that the film was Valentine’s Day, but I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The evening started off quite stressfully actually. The tube at London Victoria was closed, the queue at the taxi rank was a good 30 people long, and we had about 20 minutes to get to the Odeon in Leicester square. We eventually got a taxi, but had to grind to a halt when driving down The Mall to let Prince Charles and his police escort out of Clarence House where he lives. I promise I am not making this up; it seems Charles had somehow wangled some tickets to the premier as well, and no one in London was going to stop him getting there. With the traffic at a halt we had to run the rest of The Mall, through Trafalgar Square and arrived at the cinema in our finest attire with bright red faces and panting like huskies.

The red carpet walk was a bit of blur to be honest. Whilst the celebrities hogged the flanks, soaking up the camera flashes and screaming fans, we sort of shuffled down the middle, trying not to catch the eye of any reporter who thinks they may have seen our faces somewhere before. Before we knew it we were inside in the lobby and being hastily shown the door to the viewing room. On the other side of the room a section had been cordoned off for the rich and famous, who sipped champagne and tried very hard to maintain their forced smiles. I paid a visit to the bathroom and then went to wait outside the ladies for my girlfriend, who was also trying to avoid the dreaded ‘mid-film bladder pain’. As I was waiting for her to appear, who came out of the bathroom but none other than Jessica Alba. I smiled at her, but I’m not sure I registered on her radar as she just ignored me. Finally my girlfriend reappeared and didn’t ignore me. Who needs Alba anyway!

The film was quite enjoyable. Nothing really happened apart from a number of attempted ‘Love Actually’-style serendipity story lines. But it was one of those films you don’t have to try very hard to keep up with, and can just enjoy the music and lovey-doveyness of it all. Unfortunately I was sat next to an obnoxious girl who had just been on the last serious of Celebrity Big Brother (no names). She played with her iPhone for about half an hour, chatted constantly to her minion whom she brought along to hold her bag, and then got up and left. Funny how she was able to stand outside for two hours on the red carpet, in the freezing cold, posing for photos and giving interviews…but thirty minutes in a cosy cinema was just too much!

All in all it was a great experience and a fun film (Taylor Swift was the best character to my astonishment). Watch it on DVD when it comes out by all means, but pick a day when you’re either hung over or just want to zone out for a bit. The premier itself though felt very fickle and more about everyone trying to get their five minutes in the lime light, rather than showcasing the film itself. Ironically, the ideas of ‘love’ and ‘romance’ never really seemed to come into it

Related posts:

Stuff – Guest Post from Angus

Hugo Cabret 3D – Film Review

Ladies, Report Says Some Three-Fourths of Google+ Users are Male

Valentine’s Day Film premiere Report – Guest Post from Duncan Heath is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

My Top 10 Favourite Movies!

Karen — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:05:44 +0000

I was just reading a blog post titled “Top 15 Cover Songs of all Times” so I thought I would do a top 10 of my own, so after thinking about which I could do, music, places etc I finally came up my Top 10 Favourite Movies.

Now I know there are going to people out there that don’t agree with some of these, but these are movies I have in my collection and the ones which I have watched and enjoyed the most.

Blade Runner (The Final Cut)

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Sin City

The Crow

Clerks

Once Upon The Time in the West

Lord Of The Rings

Duellists

Akira

Appleseed

So there you go, my top 10 favourite movies, from my DVD collection

No related posts.
My Top 10 Favourite Movies! is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Saturday Six – New Moon and Vampire Movies

Karen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:45:22 +0000

Yet again it’s time for this weeks Saturday Six and this week topic was chosen by myself and there is only one question with six answers..

There seems to be a lot of buzz over the new Twilight movie New Moon, but what are your six favourite vampire movies and why?

There we go, one question with six answers for you to have fun with…

Ok, that’s it, thanks for taking part and I’m looking forward to everyone’s answers. Don’t forget to hit the “Tweet” button to ReTweet this weeks Saturday Six.

Anyone using Twitter can be part of the process by tweeting me a topic, I will then pick one randomly and the chosen topic will be used and the tweeter will have a DoFollow link to their website or blog as a thank you.

If you would like to nominate a topic then simply tweet me @BlazingMinds with your nominated topic and the hash tag #Sat6

Also if you take part in the Saturday Six you can join the Saturday Six Twibe.. And don’t forget to vote for me at my interview at BlogInterviewer.

Related posts:

Saturday Six – Favourite Animated Movies

Saturday Six – Hot Weather

Saturday Six – Favourite Movie Soundtracks

Saturday Six – New Moon and Vampire Movies is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Saturday Six – Films in 3D

Karen — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 07:45:45 +0000

Yet again it’s time for this weeks Saturday Six and this week topic was chosen by myself and there is only one question with six answers..

Name 6 films that you would love to see in Real 3D and why?

There we go, one question with six answers for you to have fun with…

Ok, that’s it, thanks for taking part and I’m looking forward to everyone’s answers. Don’t forget to hit the “Tweet” button in the SexyBookMarks to ReTweet this weeks Saturday Six.

Anyone using Twitter can be part of the process by tweeting me a topic, I will then pick one randomly and the chosen topic will be used and the tweeter will have a DoFollow link to their website or blog as a thank you.

If you would like to nominate a topic then simply tweet me @RemBeatZ with your nominated topic and the hash tag #Sat6

Also if you take part in the Saturday Six you can join the Saturday Six Twibe.. And don’t forget to vote for me at my interview at BlogInterviewer.

Related posts:

Saturday Six – Books Made In To Films

Saturday Six – Blogversary

Saturday Six – That Christmas Spirit

Saturday Six – Films in 3D is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Patrick Swayze dies aged 57. This time it’s true!

Karen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:33:13 +0000

Most of us will remember sometime back in May a rumour racing around the twittersphere of the death of the actor Patrick Swayze due to pancreatic cancer.

But sadly it has now been confirmed buy the report from Associated Press that he has now lost his battle against cancer and has died at the age of 57.

LOS ANGELES — Patrick Swayze has died after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Swayze’s publicist Annett Wolf says the 57-year-old “Dirty Dancing” actor died Monday with family at his side. He came forward about his illness last spring, but continued working as he underwent treatments.

RIP Patrick Swayze 1952 – 2009

Related posts:

Patrick McGoohan, The Prisoner Dies aged 80

Can Apple’s Steve Jobs Get Privacy with His Health Issues?

HBO’s True Blood is True Camp.

Patrick Swayze dies aged 57. This time it’s true! is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter