El Señor de los Cielos 5 – Todos los Capitulos
El Señor de los Cielos Quinta Temporada “El Final Del Gran Jefe De Jefes”
Aurelio desatará una vez más una guerra en México, pero en esta ocasión no será contra el gobierno, la DEA u otros cárteles… sino contra su propia familia. Después de que Emiliana lograra meterse en la vida de Aurelio Casillas y de que los federales lograran localizar a los prófugos más famosos de la televisión, el futuro de Aurelio y compañía parecía más negro que nunca. A lo anterior hay que sumarle que Mónica ya estaba casada con Víctor, y que en medio de su boda, recibió un tiro que al parecer es mortal y Ahora esta guerra ahora si es mundial y personal.
Aurelio Casillas después de haber acabado con su peor enemigo el Feyo Aguilera, decide darse por vencido y dejar que Monica se feliz con el Víctor, no obstante el día de la boda de Monica y Víctor los colombianos dirigidos por el ingeniero y la felina atacan a la boda donde lamentablemente pierde la vida Victor chacortita, Monica logra escapar con aurelio, Ismael y Rutilia mientras la felina y el ingeniero son detenidos por Rivero el tijeras huye junto con el hermano del cabo, en esta temporada Aurelio hace crecer mas su cartel ya que se le une ismael su hijo, su nieto el chemita, al igual que Aurelio tiene un amorio intenso con Emiliana y fruto de ese amor nace un nuevo hijo de Aurelio, tambien aparece una mujer muy hermosa,inteligente y capas de domar al mero mero su nombre es la reyna del sur, no bastando sus problemas se le suma otro cuando Luzma Casillas vuelve se convierte en un problema pa casillas ya que luzma trae a una amiga Veronica Elizalde quien al ver al papa de su amiga queda flechada y enamorada y empieza a seducir al mejor jefe y se desata una pasion entre los dos podra perdonar Luzma que su padre se meta con su mejor amiga,en esta quinta temporada podremos ver como Aurelio ya muy cansado del trabajo del narcotrafico decide retirarse y decirle al unico hijo varon Ismael Casillas que ahora toca el turno de el de seguir con el negocio asi que los ultimos capitulos de la ultima temporada veremos como Ismael casillas “El Señor De Los Cielos II” se hace temible ante todos cabe recordar que este apodo se lo puso ya que el es hijo del mero jefe el final de esta temporada queda incierta.
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Review of Movie "Baahubali - The Conclusion"
I received a call from my younger sister that the tickets had been booked and the family would be watching the movie "Baahubali-The Conclusion" in Telugu language on April 29th, 2017 at Eros Theatre in New Delhi. As usual, I was excited and assured her that I will be reaching the theatre directly after my working hours or I would take the permission to join them at the theatre. However, it was decided that I must reach home and accompany them. Each one of us was excited. However, my sister, who was at the driver's seat, was proud to announce that she has seen the movie in the Hindi language on April 28th, 2017. She was hyper about it as though it was a great achievement for her. Moreover, she wanted to compare the movie in both languages. She promised me that she will not share the story with me.
The theatre was jam packed and everyone wanted to watch the movie without losing a single scene. Each one of the individual arrived in time and took the possession of their sets. I wish we were so punctual in our classes too! Children demanded their parents for the large pack of popcorn and soft drinks. How could I miss them? I wanted to do two things together-watch and munch! Thanks the movie began on time.
According to the Central Board of Film Certification, the name of the movie was "Baahubali-The Conclusion". It was in Telugu language. It was coloured one and was cinemascope. The date of release was April 24th, 2017 and under the Universal category (that is meant for both adults and children). However, it was clearly mentioned that the movie must be watched under parental guidance. The name of the applicant to sign was Shri Y.N. Sobhandari for M/s Arka Media Works Entertainment LLP, Hyderabad and other signee was Shri Pahlaj Nihalani, Chairperson, CBFC, Mumbai. The duration of the movie was for 167 minutes and 30 seconds.
Wow! I liked the titles of the movie for following reasons:
a. Computer graphics and dummies were used for various kinds of animals shown in the movie like horse, elephant, parrot, pig, oxen, birds, ducks, bison, boar, falcon, swan, etc.
b. The team thanked agencies, digital cinema, travel partners, currency exchange office in Hyderabad, health care partner, social media channels, accommodation partner,chocolate and confectionary partner, nutrition, mobile, communication, Reliance Fresh to get various goods, multiplex and Jewellery partner, location and experience partner, stationary, messaging partner "hi", agency partner,beauty partner to "Lux", fitness partner, Make a Wish Campaign, merchandizing and licensing through ICICI Bank, Simba, etc. , insurance providers, their bankers were IDBI and Kotak Bank, Hyderabad, their financers, media and radio partners, etc. They did not forget the contribution and participation of single person also. That's something to be appreciated for the success of the movie.
c. Very elaborative and distinctive background was shown in the titles. This is must for capturing the attention and focus of the audience. Kudos for their thinking powers.
d. The movie was a combination of both real shots and multimedia graphical frameworks. Thus, attention of the children was at its maximum level.
e. Titles were providing, associating and linking the connectivity between Baahubali Part 1 and Baahubali-The Conclusion. The short story of the part One of the movie was showcased in the Titles of the movie (one must have perceived the audience in the theatre-I perceived that all of them were dumbstruck and not even a single person was blinking their eyes-I thought movies indeed play a major role in learning and educating ourselves, and there is no need to work hard with the individuals. This will do wonders in the classes of Law, Literature, History, Sociology and Journalism and Mass Media. ).
The movie was presented by K. Raghavendra Rao, production of an Arka Mediaworks and creative film by S. S. Rajamouli. The lyrics and dialogues were written by Manoj Muntashir. The music was by M. M. Keeravani. The cinematography by K. K. Senthil Kumar. Vivid colored sketches were introduced at the beginning of the movie with the song at the background. The producers of the movie were Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni. The screenplay and Direction was by S. S. Raja Mouli. The main star cast was Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Sathyaraj, Ramya Krishna, Nassar and Tamannaah. It was distributed by Arka Media Works for Telugu version, K. Productions for Tamil version, Global United Media for Malayalam version and Dharma Productions for Hindi version. It was released in 4K high Definition format.
Once the titles are over, the story begins for us. Our hero-Amarendra Baahubali- achieves his victory in the battlefield. The Queen Mother is proud of this achievement and declares that he will be crowned as the future king of Maahishmati. Her words turned out to be the festival moments for the people in the kingdom. However, her own and real son Bhallaladeva and husband are against her wishes. Her husband starts instigating Bhallaladeva against her. This is the turning point in the movie.
The Queen Mother instructs Amarendra and Katappa to take the tour of their kingdom in order to gain more knowledge of their subjects and well-being. Amarendra meets Devasena and is attracted by her charm and skills. They fall in love with each other. Soon this information reaches to Bhallaladeva and he makes a plan to create the differences between Shivagami and Amarendra. He tells his mother that he has fallen in love with Devasena and expresses his desire to marry her. The proposal is sent to Devasena from the side of Shivagami and is rejected by Devasena. The Queen is enraged at this attitude of Devasena and instructs Amarendra to capture, bind her as prisoner and present her at the court of Maahishmati.
Amarendra helps and protects the kingdom of Kuntala from their enemies called Pindaris. With his excellent skills, Amarendra overpowers Pindaris and saves the kingdom. Devasena was curious to know about the truth and demands to reveal his identity. She comes to know that Amarendra is the future king of Maahishmati and refuses to be the prisoner. He promises to protect her modesty and marries her. Both of them leave for Maahishmati. Shivagami comes to know about the truth and is not happy about it. At this time, she feels guilty for not keeping her promise to Bhallaladeva. This is the first point where the turning point of the story can be observed in the movie.
The differences between Shivagami and Amarendra kick off from this point. Soon Shivagami asks Amarendra to leave the kingdom with his pregnant wife. With the help of evil ideas, Bijjaladeva is successful in creating more differences between them. In one scenario, he declares that Amarendra is trying to assassinate Bhallaladeva in order to be the King. She orders Katappa to kill Amarendra secretly so that the kingdom is saved from disharmony between the royal family and the subjects. As a result, Amarendra is stabbed to death by Katappa, the queen is informed about the treacherous ideas of Bijjaladeva and Bhallaladeva and her mistake in judging her own people. In the meantime, Devasena gives birth to a baby boy and arrives to the palace after knowing the death of her husband. Shivagami announces that the new borne baby is Mahendra Baahubali and future king of Maahishmati.
Bhallaladeva is surprised and orders his soldiers to capture the Queen, kill the baby and imprison Devasena. The Queen escapes from the palace and dies soon. The baby is rescued by the common people and called as Shivudu. Soon he comes to know about his imprisoned mother Devasena from Katappa and falls in love with Avantika. He fights against the injustice and is victorious in the end.
Positive points of the movie:
a) No animal was hurt or exploited in any scene. They get full marks from all animal lovers, environmentalists and eco-caring philosophers and feminists.
b) This means that creativity was at its highest level in the media laboratories for the team members.
Otherwise they might have missed on the minute details of the particular scene. There is a need to applaud the entire team.
c) The Police Commissioner and his team were specially thanked for allowing the film unit to work on areas of Rachakonda in Andhra Pradesh for the shooting of some of the scenes in the movie.
d) The audience were clapping and enjoying the comic scenes present in the movie.
e) Elaborate efforts were taken to create awesome visual and audio effects in the movie.
f) Game was also developed on the release of the movie.
g) Care had been taken to portray the realities of the historical era9as this was a historical movie though not filmed on any particular king or queen or kingdom).
h) The Prince had been trained and educated in all the respective skills required for the future king in the movie. For example, the Amarendra Baahubali knew how to take risks, tackle the situations-both intentional and spontaneous one, presence of the leadership qualities, minute observation skills (for example when Prince visits the kingdom of Kuntala, he observes that the villagers were using their strong-built cattle for various purposes and same skill was helpful and used when there was the need of the hour to fight against the powerful army of Pindaris), being alert and helping the army of the other kingdom without delegating the work to others, etc.
i) Sensitivity of the Prince towards his own love, keeping promises, fighting against the evils, nurturing his own subjects, maintaining various kinds of relationships, sacrificing his own life for the sake of the kingdom and mother, protecting weak subjects and women are valuable and learning lessons for all.
j) No marginalization of the individuals was observed in the movie. This is the need of the hour in the contemporary society wherein women and children are equally treated and no partiality in giving or sharing of the knowledge. For example, Amarendra observes that Devasena is eager to learn about a special skill in archery and he readily teaches her the skill. This helps both of them to protect and fight against the enemies.
k) The individuals chosen for the respective characters are excellent and they matched with their roles.
l) Elephants were used in the battlefields in the historical times. Out of the 64 branches of learning in the traditional schools of education, it was mandatory for the Princes to learn about the treatment and rearing of certain animals like horses and elephants. This is something observed in the movie and eye-capturing one(one can compare this with the scene in the movie Jodha-Akbar wherein Akbar takes the initiative to control the mad elephant and this will be presented in another article of mine as a comparative study).
m) Medicinal value of turmeric powder and its remedial usage for the mad elephants is brilliantly showcased in the movie.
n) The feelings of the animals especially the elephants are shown in the scenes wherein the prince is equally sympathetic and cares for the royal elephant. Another point secured from the side of the environmental ethicists and philosophers.
o) The attitudes, qualities and characteristic features of the royal family have been very well depicted in the movie.
p) The importance of the non-communicative language has been very well captured in the movie and it is part of the human and animal culture. For example, "the warming" gesture shown by the Prince towards the "calmed down" elephant is very natural one. Elephants love their masters and other individuals caressing their trunks with hands. The different feelings exhibited by Devasena towards Amarendra in various scenes are appreciable from my side.
q) Extraordinary skills and techniques are observed in the movie. For example, while sitting on the elephant, Prince Amarendra pulling and shooting the flame carrying spear to burn the effigy of Raavan;
shooting of three arrows, using natural surroundings to fight against their enemies, etc.
r) Rights of the women and children are shown in the movie.
s) The world wide gross collections for the movie is Rs1725 crores.
Negative points in the movie:
a) Lot of time must have been spent by the individuals on the detailed working on each and every frame of the movie shot wherein the animals were used.
b) Children did not like too much of the fighting scenes in the movie.
c) First of the movie was the flashback and was interesting to watch. However, the second half seemed to be slightly artificial with the fighting skills of the army.
d) Why did not Devasena fight against her enemies as she herself was trained enough with various skills and possessed the leadership qualities? It was surprising.
e) The Queen Mother was very knowledgeable and always took her decisions in an intelligent manner rather than in an emotional way. However, the turning point of the movie was understood immediately when she was emotional for her very own son and unconscious feelings for love of her son soon manifested in the choice of her daughter-in-law.
f) There are many questions raised after watching the movie and they are-
1. Can a husband plot against his own wife in order to become the king?
2. Can a father instigate his own son to be against his mother?
3. Can royal male members speak in an abusive language?
g) Audience is under strong assumption that there will be a third part of the movie.
In the end, I will like to summarize my review in the following way:
1. No doubt there are spectacular visual effects and they indeed mesmerized the audience throughout the movie.
2. There was breathtaking suspense created in the movie for the audience. As the movie was running further on, one may feel the real suspense and uttering of the words" Oh! No".
3. The mood was of the audience was spell bound and atmosphere was amazing one in the theatre.
4. There were certain poorly placed scenes in the movie and they were not required at all.
5. There was no question of unsuccessful attempts in the movie. Otherwise, there could not have been an earning of an amount of Rs 1725 crores collected within 6 days of the release of the movie.
6. The details of the movie are narrated in a nice and clear manner.
7. There were exuberant sceneries in the movie.
8. The overall make up, dresses and Jewellery shown in the movie is simply irresistible.
9. There were perfect action and team coordination in the entire production of the movie.
10. One cannot tend to forget certain moments shown in the movie.
11. The plot was really good and different from the current movies because of which it has been a big hit with the audience.
12. This movie has been compared to the other popular movies like Sholay.
13. The movie was wonderful with the characters selected and their presentation in the movie.
14. There was hilarious momentum created through some scenes in the movie and enjoyed by the audience.
15. There were indeed some unexpected plot twists present in the movie.
16. There are certain scenes which are unbelievable and are pure creation of the imagination and hardwork.
17. It is indeed a phenomenal movie in South India as well as in North India.
18. Similar kind of hypes was present in the mythological movies of N.T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageshwara Rao in the past in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
19. The characteristic feature of Raj Mouli's movies seems to be rotating around suspense in each and every part. There is an assumption that Part III of the movie will be more suspensive by nature and this is confirmed by the film crew members.
20. The music was not very disappointing one.
21. There are elements of confusion in the movie. For example, if Bhallaladeva never married anyone, then how come his son was present in the story?
22. One can conclude that there was some kind of imitation present in the movie (due to the fact that earlier mythological movies were directed in Andhra Pradesh).
23. It is a typical South Indian movie.
24. Prabhas-the main hero of the movie-was a very moving portrayal of the character and it suited his personality also.
25. The quality of the film was awesome and I was impressed by its credible shots and creative ideas in the making of the movie.
26. This will be one of the classic and captivating movies for the coming years in the Indian history.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9739644
Holiday Gift Guide for the Movie Buff on Your List
So it's that time of year. Time to buy gifts for your friends and family yet again as the world all over celebrates this corporate, commercial, money-hungry, festive and generosity-filled holiday. Some of you may already have it all taken care of by now. Others may be last-minute shoppers like myself and think that even now is just the start of the shopping season. No matter which you fall under, there's bound to be at least a couple more on your list to check off. In this article, we'll give you some ideas for gifts for those movie buffs you may have on your list.
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1. Movies
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Of course a movie buff loves movies. However, this gift selection isn't as obvious as some of you may think. In fact, it could be one of the hardest choices for a movie fan there is. There are all types of problems that may arise here. You could pick the wrong format, the wrong medium, the wrong edition. Or you could plain and simple just pick the wrong movie. Or even more possible, buy them a movie they already own (afterall, they are movie buffs, chances are they have TONS of movies already making it even more likely to buy something they already have). Thus, that's why I recommend staying away from this selection unless that movie fanatic in your life has actively been hinting at a certain movie lately. In which case, go for it. Movies are definitely good for us movie buffs. But again, be careful in what you buy. Or at least save the receipt and don't be offended when that person needs to return your gift.
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2. Netflix
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Now for those of you wanting to get your movie buff some movies, but don't want to go through the headache of making sure you don't get the wrong thing, Netflix is your answer. Netflix allows that cinephile on your list access to all kinds of movies from the old to new, domestic to foreign, indie to blockbuster and so on. The great thing about this too, they get to choose which movies they want to watch, while you just pay for the subscription. Netflix Gifts come in a variety of plans and a variety of lengths. You can get your movie lover just the streaming package or you can choose a package which allows streaming, plus up to 1, 2, or 3 DVDs out at a time. These can all be bought in lengths from 1 month to 1 year. For instance, a streaming package for 6 months will run you about $48. Or you can go with 2 DVDs out at a time for 1 year for about $180. No matter what the choice, it's sure to be a hit with the movie buff in your life. It doesn't matter if they already have a subscription either as a Netflix Gift can simply be added to their already existing subscription and they'll get free months of their service.
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3. Fandango Card
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Of course every movie buff spends ample amounts of time at the theater. So, along the lines of the Netflix thing, another option is a Fandango gift card (or a gift card from a local theater). This gives your movie buff a gift that will keep on giving over the year as they revisit the theater. Each time getting to enjoy the big screen magic on your dime. The movie buff on your list will surely love a gift like this over the months as they get to catch all the latest releases.
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4. Movie Memorabilia
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Your typical movie buff is obsessed with movies in probably a way you will never fully understand. As such, this means everything about movies they enjoy. Thus, another good gift for that movie lover on your list is movie memorabilia. This ranges from movie posters, to shirts, to collector's items, to autographed items, to boxed sets, to film cells and artwork. You can even buy scripts/screenplays/props from their favorite movies online. With many online outlets that sell this type of stuff, the possibilities are endless once you know some of your movie buff's favorite movies or actors, etc.
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5. Movie-Related Books and Magazines
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As I stated before, chances are the movie buff in your life loves everything movie-related. This goes for books and magazines as well. Biographies on their favorite actors or movie-related books are good unconventional ideas for the movie buff in your life. There are plenty books out there designed for these types of people. From 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die to 1000 Films to Change Your Life to The 100 Best Movies to Rent You've Never Heard Of to even more specific books like 101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die. All would be a welcome treat for the movie buff in your life. Likewise, the movie buff in your life most assuredly likes to keep up with all things movies and get insights into the industry they so love. As such, magazine subscriptions that cater to these types are also good choices. These include print and online types. Though I will say you'll want to go beyond the more mainstream types of Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stones, etc. Instead, look into things like 'Boxoffice Magazine', 'Hollywood Reporter', 'Premiere', 'Empire' (UK), 'MovieMaker' or 'Filmmaker Magazine'. Likewise, you could also get them a subscription to online industry rags like Variety.com or ProductionWeekly.com.
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6. Universal Remote
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As you probably know, the movie buff in your life definitely has a love for electronics. This is especially true when it comes to their home entertainment setup. All of that gear can get out of hand though when remote controls begin piling up. Introduce the Logitech Harmony. The cream of the crop when it comes to universal remotes. This line of remotes from Logitech range from about $100 to over $300. Any movie buff would be happy to get their hands on such a remote control to accent their setup.
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7. Roku Box
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This is a great accompanying gift for a Netflix subscription. The streaming player allows the movie lover to use any of those streaming services to stream movies directly to their TV instead of having to watch on their computer or laptop. This is great for any movie buff who would much rather watch on their big screen TV rather than their little computer monitor. The Roku box allows for Netflix instant streaming on your TV. It also allows access to such services as Hulu Plus, Amazon On Demand and more.
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8. Blu-Ray Player
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Chances are your movie buff already has one of these in their collection. However, for those that don't a Blu-ray player is a great gift for the movie buff in your life. Providing for a high-definition movie viewing experience, the movie buff in your life will love the immersion of watching their favorite movies in pristine hi-def.
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9. Popcorn Maker
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Everybody knows: popcorn goes with movies like jelly goes with peanut butter. And for some reason, kettle popcorn just tastes better. So why not bring that theater goodness into the home of your favorite movie buff giving them the gift of snacks anytime they sit down to watch a movie at home. You can find many kettle popcorn makers for under $100. Any movie buff would find it cool to have their very own popcorn maker sitting in the corner of their room for access whenever they want to spend the evening watching movies (and trust me, they do this very often).
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10. "Gaming" Chair
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These provide the ultimate comfort when sitting in front of the TV for a movie. With built-in speaker systems and ultimate comfort, there are tons of stylish gaming chairs out there. Any movie buff would love one of these cool recliner/pedestal chairs to kick back and enjoy their movie-viewing experience. Not only does it just flat-out look cool and are they comfortable, but they also provide more immersion with the speakers in the headrest and subwoofers built into the chair that make you rumble along with explosions on the screen.
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11. Surround Sound System
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Speaking of sound, if your movie buff doesn't already have one, a surround sound system is always a welcome addition to their home entertainment experience. Providing an immersion of sound to accompany their viewing experience, a surround sound system is an absolute must for any movie buff that is looking to make the most of the home entertainment experience. Of course, this can be a costly gift, but the movie buff in your life will definitely be grateful.
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12. HDTV
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Since we're mentioning essential components, a TV definitely falls in that range. Obviously your movie buff already has one, but they're never opposed to a new TV (or even just a secondary TV). Whether it be a smaller LCD TV to put in their room or an upgrade to a top-of-the-line brand new 3D TV, TVs are always welcome. Your movie buff would definitely love you for this. With the pushing of 3D TVs, these are a definite hot item too which most movie buffs in your life would more than happily take. Again though, this is one of the more costly gifts, so expect to pay thousands for something like that.
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13. Movie Storage
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You probably know this already, but the movie buff in your life probably has a very extensive collection of movies. A collection they love to proudly show off as well. Of course such a collection can often become something of a beast that needs taming. Enter the realm of media storage. This actually comes in two forms as well: physical and digital. First we'll touch on the traditional physical form. This simply means cabinets and shelves. If the movie buff in your life doesn't already have the shelving for their collection, or is simply running out of shelf space, then a new shelf, rack or tower would be a practical and welcome gift for your movie buff in helping to tame that ever-growing collection and bring some order to it. Of course you have the digital front as well. This is the same concept as storing all of your music on your computer. Many companies make devices specifically for media storage like this. There are even companies like Kaleidoscope and PrimeArray which create systems that serve as storage and servers. This means all movies are saved on a digital storage device. The cherry on top though is that these devices then provide a means to share all that data across a network and have access to your entire movie collection with one click of a button on your remote. Having instant access to any movie in your collection without having to get up and change out discs, etc. These however can get extremely expensive. Some even more costly than the TVs themselves. But the techphile/cinephile in your life would love it.
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14. AFI Membership
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Every film buff is familiar with the prestigious American Film Institute. What better way to reward their passion for films than allowing your movie buff to become part of that institute by buying them a membership to the AFI. This can range from $60-2,500. Offering cool perks like movie tickets, exclusive release schedules and magazine subscriptions, an AFI membership also grants members admission to AFI events. On top of that, your movie buff would even be able to vote alongside industry professionals for various movie awards and accolades dealt out by AFI each year. To top it off, they would even get an AFI membership card to proudly show off to friends as a sign to their dedication to films.
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15. Film Festival Pass
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I'm sure you've heard of them. Sundance. Cannes. Attending these more prestigious film festivals are like a life-long dream for the movie buff in your life probably. They'd probably give an arm or a leg to get to experience going to the prestigious Sundance festival or Cannes or the Venice Film Festival. However, these events book well in advance and can be costly. Thus, they don't make good last-minute gift ideas. Though, I'm sure your movie buff would happily take a "rain check" on a gift if it means the promise of getting a pass to one of these festivals later on. Likewise, many bigger cities offer their own film festivals throughout the year. If you live near one of these, your movie buff would definitely love the chance to get to attend one of those as well.
So there you have it, a plethora of ideas to make sure the movie buff in your life has a happy holiday and make sure you come out on top with gift ideas for that movie buff (rather than being that relative that gives a crappy pair of knit socks for Christmas or such).
If you like this movie review and found it helpful, visit my site couchpotatoclub.com for other reviews of recent movies as well as the latest DVD and movie news.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5575944
Survival Movies - The Cream of the Crop and Those That Didn't Shine
Survival Movies, Best to the Worst!
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The popularity of survival movies has really grown over the past couple of years. I have rated these movies in three different categories. The categories are: realisticness, survival value and entertainment factor. Each of these is on a A - F Grading Scale with A being best and F being worst. These ratings are all based on my opinion so you may not feel the same.
Waterworld - Realisticness - D Survival Value - D Entertainment factor - C+
The Earth is now filled with water, but some people believe there is still dry land on the earth. This is one of the many survival movies about the fight over resources. As in many movies, this is a fight between the protagonist (Kevin Costner) and the antagonist (Dennis Hopper) and his cronies (called the smokers). This movie is fun to watch but I don't feel it was realistic or offered much in the way of survival value.
The Postman - Realisticness - B Survival Value - C Entertainment factor - B
I feel the reviews of this movie by critics don't give it justice. In this film, the United States is a very different place with little order. Many people have gone back to a dark ages style of living with no electricity, very little law, and a tyrant thug (Will Patton) trying to gain power. The protagonist (Kevin Costner), a drifter, finds a way to make a difference in the world even though he is originally only worried about his own livelihood and well - being. This was a very long movie, but I really enjoyed it and liked its sense of hope. I thought this movie offered decently realistic insight on what could happen with a breakdown of society and numerous years of lawlessness. It had a few areas that I think gave it some survival value, but overall, it was just one of the entertaining survival movies.
The Road - Realisticness - A Survival Value - B Entertainment factor - C
While I didn't feel this was one of the survival movies that lived up to my expectations, I feel it accurately portrayed the emotional rollercoaster that an end of the world situation would create. The characters in this movie were not able to trust anyone around them, and they lacked the resources necessary to carry on a normal life, which could be an accurate outcome in a real societal breakdown. I think this movie, while being boring in some spots, felt very realistic and showed the dreary outlook of the main character (Viggo Mortenson) in a post apocalyptic world with no hope. On the survival value front, I thought there were some topics to take away from the story line that would be useful in real life. I felt that this movie allowed me to realize that striving for happiness and wishing to live life to the fullest despite terrible circumstances is key to beating the end.
I am Legend - Realisticness - C Survival Value - B -
Entertainment factor - B This is another of the survival movies that I think showed great emotion. The main character (Will Smith) and his dog attempt to survive throughout this film despite the constant threat of zombies. I will say this movie has one of the saddest scenes in any movie I have ever seen, which makes the whole movie worth watching. This survival movie really shows you how important a companion is when you are lonely. Other than the importance of companionship, there were only a few survival lessons to be learned.
Book of Eli - Realisticness - C Survival Value - C
Entertainment factor - B I felt Book of Eli with Denzel Washington and Mila Kunis was worth the watch. This survival movie showed how important being aware of your surroundings is. Also in a disaster ridden world it shows how there will be people that will take power any way they see fit. The use of religion to control people is what the antagonist (Gary Oldman) uses to gain power. If you are a Christian or are religious this is definitely an important movie to watch because it shows how people can use religion and the Bible for good as well as evil to push their own motives. Even so, in the end, this movie didn't show the Bible or Christianity in a bad light. I thought the lesson of being aware was the best survival value it gave.
Jeremiah Johnson - Realisticness - A
Survival Value - B Entertainment factor - B Jeremiah Johnson (Robert Redford) is one of the best survival movies. This movie is about a man who wants to live as a hermit living off the land, who wishes to be left alone to do his own thing. This is the oldest movie on my list and also one of the best. I believe it has great survival value and is quite realistic. In one scene, Jeremiah Johnson finds a man who has been dead for a while with a note on him saying, "I, Hatchet Jack, being of sound mind and broke legs, do hereby leaveth my bear rifle to whatever finds it, Lord hope it be a white man. It is a good rifle, and killt the bear that killt me. Anyway, I am dead. Yours truly, Hatchet Jack." How can you not love this movie with a scene like that? This movie is great at depicting how to live off the land and be self - sufficient.
Castaway - Realisticness - B Survival Value - C Entertainment factor - B
Castaway, starring Tom Hanks, is a family survival movie. There is some survival value to this movie like starting a fire or taking an abscessed tooth out with an ice skate. The main character is involved in a commercial UPS type plane crash that leaves him stranded on an island with no other survivors. It illustrates how ingenious people can be when they do not have the conventional tools for survival.
Into the Wild - Realisticness - A Survival Value - B Entertainment factor - B
Into the wild is the true survival story of Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) who gives up his ordinary life to roam the US and live in Alaska. This is an ultimate adventure movie that shows how Christopher lived all by himself in the Alaskan wilderness with only what he could carry on his back. This film offered good survival value, and it taught me something very important: never eat wild plants unless you know exactly what they are and if they are safe to eat.
Zombieland - Realisticness - D Survival Value - D Entertainment factor - A -
This is really a comedic approach at the survival and zombie genre. While there is really no realisticness or survival value to speak of it, is very funny. This survival movie stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Emma Stone. During the film, they all come together to help each other survive a zombie infested world. In my opinion, one of the best cameos of all time occurs during this movie. Just watch and see!
28 Days Later - Realisticness - B Survival Value - C Entertainment factor - B
28 Days Later is a survival movie starring Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins). After a virus wipes out almost everybody on the planet, a few survivors come together to try and find a safe place to live. This was a good movie that portrayed what could happen if an epidemic were to spread very quickly. This survival movie does not have tons of survival value, but it still provides insight on the possibility of a nation or worldwide epidemic.
Mad Max/Road Warrior/Beyond Thunderdome - Realisticness - D Survival Value - D Entertainment factor - B
Mad Max, The Road Warrior, and Beyond Thunderdome are very entertaining and fun survival movies to watch, but they are very unrealistic. Mel Gibson stars as Mad Max, a man who lives in a post apocalyptic world who also tries to improve life for himself and others. There really was not much survival value in these movies, but there are cool vehicles with many types of weapons, which makes them entertaining.
Red Dawn - Realisticness - B - Survival Value - B Entertainment factor - A+
Red Dawn is not just one of my favorite survival movies, but also one of my favorite movies It has quite a few stars before they were household names (Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey). The Russians and Cubans have taken part of Colorado and are rounding people up, whom they believe to be threats, into camps. A group of high schoolers get together and live in the woods. They badge themselves the "Wolverines" and try to take back the land that was previously theirs. This is a great movie that provided survival value in the way of outdoor living, hunting and fishing. The other thing I love about this movie, that others have also expressed, is that when you finish watching this movie, you feel extremely patriotic and proud of the great people that live in the United States.
Rescue Dawn - Realisticness - A Survival Value - B Entertainment factor - C
This survival movie is the true story of Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German American fighter pilot whose plane is shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War and captured. I believe this film gives you a picture of how the living conditions in prisoner camps were. Additionally, it shows how important having a strong - will is when you need to get out of a seemingly dead end situation. There are many scenes in this film that have survival value, especially when they escape from the camp and must live outdoors and survive in the wild.
Alone Across Australia - Realisticness - A Survival Value - B+ Entertainment factor - B+
This is survival documentary is not well known, but still provides pretty great survival value. The only reason I saw this was because I attended a small independent film festival in my town. This is the story of Jon Muir and his dog that set out on a trip across Australia with only him, his dog, and what he could carry on his homemade cart. This is a great look at survival and has the highest survival value out of any of the survival movies I have reviewed. Out of all the movies I've ever seen, this film probably has the saddest scene because what happened in the movie was what happened in real life. If you get a chance, definitely watch this documentary. The only problem is it is difficult to find and usually expensive because of its rarity.
Joshua T Collier a lifelong outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman. His website http://www.beattheend.com is a resource for those trying to learn more about survival and prepping. With so many how to articles you will be able to survive in any situation. Check out Beat The End to learn more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7336801
The World of Movie Distribution Is a Tough Place
The world of movie distribution is a tough place. After fighting and sweating to finish a movie you're mentally and physically exhausted.
You just want to take a break and rest, but you can't because finishing a movie is only half the battle. It's time to enter the world of movie distribution.
Movie distribution is a tough place for filmmakers new to the grind. It's hard to switch off the creative mind to deal with the business side of selling movies.
What I've learned the hard way is the movie distribution really starts with promoting and marketing a movie.
Social media is an inexpensive way to get the word out about your movie and create a killer viral buzz online.
It's cool to go the film festival route to get your movie seen by viewers and potential film buyers, but over the years from talking to other filmmakers there is a common feeling that the film festival scene is too crowded now.
U.K. filmmaker Wayne Daniells from LiarDice Films told me his last trip to The Cannes International Film Festival was a ruthless feeding frenzy.
There were a glut of movies and producers were fighting to get the attention of movie distributors.
All in all Wayne expressed that it was a waste of time and money pitching his film there. I've heard the same opinion from other filmmakers that are frustrated with the film festival scene and no longer see it as a good way to secure movie distribution.
I personally like the direct route of contacting movie distributors to see if they're interested in being sent a screener. This is where it helps if you have already been promoting and marketing your movie online using social media.
Movie distributors are more interested in acquiring movies that already have a strong online presence.
I'm strictly speaking from a true independent movie perspective. Studio budget movies are an entirely different animal when it comes to the world of movie distribution.
When it comes to movie distribution for an indie produced film the way it normally happens are independent producers and filmmakers take the risk making the movie without any guaranteed movie distribution deal in place.
They usually have to shop it around to sell it. That's been my personal experience so far. I've never created content with a movie distribution deal in place.
It's like writing a screenplay on spec, but you're dealing with a movie. Promoting and marketing a movie through social media is an absolute must.
Start early before you're movie is even finished. That way when you begin contacting movie distributors you're movie will already have more appeal because people are talking about it.
Movie distributors that cater to releasing independent movies do very little marketing for most of the titles they release.
If you're movie doesn't have any actors or celebrity names attached to it then it won't get marketed outside of the standard insert in a movie distributor catalog.
So once you do secure a movie distribution deal you're already giving your movie a boost by promoting and marketing yourself.
My mind is all over the place today, so let me get back to finding a movie distribution deal. Hold up please. A nice Miller Lite would help me focus right now.
That's much better now. There are different ways to land a film distribution deal. You can spend the money doing the film festival route. Deals get struck all the time at film festivals.
But honestly there is a glut of film festivals. The number of film festivals is way out of whack compared to the number of movie distributors that release independent films.
Skipping the film festival circuit works for many independent movie producers that don't have name actors in their film or know their story won't appeal to an art house crowd.
Hiring a film sales representative is a good call if you skip the film festival scene all together. A film sales representative or producer's rep has contacts with movie distributors to get your movie screened.
Plus many of them can get you into magazines like Indie Slate and MovieMaker to make your movie look more appealing to movie distributors.
They also watch your back when it comes to movie distribution agreements. When filmmakers look at movie distribution agreements it can be overwhelming.
There is lots of legalese "mumbo jumbo" in there designed to lessen the amount of money you make from movie royalty payments or a straightforward buy-out of your movie.
Unless you have experience reading movie distribution contracts it's easy to get taken advantage of. I'm in the habit know even if I have a films sales representative like "El Tigre" watching my back I still read all contracts completely.
You will be surprised at the hidden fees and costs some movie distributors try to get over on a filmmaker with in of all places, the contract definitions section.
My film sales rep and I once found a flat fee of $50,000 for marketing costs in the definitions section.
Hiring an entertainment attorney is another good move, but usually is too costly for a truly independent filmmaker. Plus from my own experience an entertainment attorney is not as helpful as a film sales rep with securing a movie distribution deal or getting you some press.
That's not really the job an entertainment attorney. They're great when it comes to negotiating your movie distribution contract. But most won't get you a deal like a film sales rep. You can bring them in after you have a deal on the table.
I had two sharp entertainment lawyers that saved my ass from getting burned when it came to sell a reality show I produced called "America's Wildest Bachelor Parties." They got me a producer friendly contract and got me paid on time each quarter. I'm glad I hired them.
If it's just not in your budget to hire a film sales rep or entertainment lawyer you can still secure meaningful movie distribution hustling hard yourself.
Promoting and marketing your movie online is followed up by putting together a clean and neat film package to send to movie distributors. Keep it simple with a DVD screener, one-sheet artwork, tight synopsis, tagline and very short bios for key cast or crew that have previous IMDB credits.
To get a list of potential movie distributors see what companies are releasing movies in the same genre as yours. The Internet makes it pretty easy to find contact information nowadays.
Movie distribution companies usually have a contact page for film submissions. Follow the guidelines and mail off your film package. They get a flood of film submissions, so be patient if you don't hear back right away.
Movie distributors have certain times they are aggressively seeking films to fill their catalog and other times they have all they need for now. I have the buying months written down.
Once they get your film package they will Google your movie. That's where having been promoting and marketing your movie online really stands out. It takes more than only having a website or blog.
You need some press and backing from online film bloggers to make your movie standout in the eyes of movie distributors.
I dedicated a chapter about movie distribution in a book on indie filmmaking I wrote. It might help you with more detailed movie distribution information. All the best with marketing and selling your movie.
Get the inside scoop on writing, producing, directing, and movie distribution at Slice Of Americana Films [http://www.sidkaliflicks.com/about/]. Check out the life and times of filmmaker Sid Kali.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7017498
Indie Film Financing and Movie Distribution - Dancing Nude
Indie film financing and movie distribution reminds of what it would feel like dancing nude on stage (much respect for exotic dancers at Larry Flynt's Hustler Club!). You show up to pitch your movie project and need to be able to dance to a film investor's music. It's their stage and not yours as an indie filmmaker seeking film funding. They want you to make a sellable movie which appeals to movie distributors so the production can make money.
Most investors I've met with are not interested in putting hard money into indie art house films because those are tough sells to movie distributors and overseas film buyers aren't usually interested in seeing them. The dialogue and scenes of certain art house type films don't translate well to foreign buyers and movie viewers. Action, horror and skin does not need subtitles for people to follow the story is what I've been told by distributors. Talking head movies can make no sense to viewers that don't understand subtle lines spoken in a foreign language.
Independent film financing continues to change as indie movie distribution gets more financially shaky. The place it's hitting indie movie producers hardest is right at the source - film financing. Film investors right now aren't feeling excited about putting money into movies that do not have bankable name actors. This is not like so-called indie movies that have A-list actors or are produced for millions of dollars. Those type of indie film passion projects you can make once you've made it in the entertainment business at the studio level.
Indie film investors and movie distributors won't expect you to have an A-list actor, but they do want producers to have actors (B-list or C-list or D-list) with some name recognition or celebrity. The first question film investors and movie distributors ask is who the cast is. This is where most indie movie producers are blown out of the water because they have an unknown cast of actors. Plus there is a glut of indie movies being made because technology has made it more affordable to make movies.
The bright side is that entertaining indie movies are being made that might not otherwise ever have seen light of day before. The downside is meaningful movie distribution (getting paid) for indie produced films continues to shrink as indie films being made rises (supply and demand 101). I talked to one movie distributor that caters to releasing independent films and they told me they receive new film submissions daily.
They were honest saying they get very sellable movies and ones that are less than appealing, but with so many movies out there they no longer offer a majority of producers advance money against film royalties or pay a lump cash "buy-out" to secure distribution rights. Their business viewpoint is most indie filmmakers are just happy seeing their movie released. The term they used was "glorified showreel" for an indie filmmaker to display they can make a feature film. So, they acquire many of their movie releases without paying an advance or offering a "buy-out" agreement.
Not making a profit from a movie does not make financial sense for film investors that expect to see money made. When people put up money to produce a movie they want a return on their investment. Otherwise it's no longer a movie investment. It becomes a film donation of money they're giving away with no expectations. I've been on the "dog and pony show" circuit meeting with potential film investors and learning invaluable lessons.
I'm in the habit now of talking to indie movie distributors before writing a screenplay to see what types of films are selling and what actors or celebrity names attached to a potential project appeal to them. This is not like chasing trends, but it gives producers a sharper picture of the sales climate for indie films. Sometimes distributors will give me a short list of actors or celebrities to consider that fit an independent movie budget. Movie sales outside of the U.S. are where a bulk of the money is made for indie filmmakers.
Movie distributors and film sales agents can tell you what actors and celebrity talent is translating to movie sales overseas at the indie level. These won't be A-list names, but having someone with some kind of name is a great selling point to help your movie standout from others. Brief cameos of known actors or celebrities used to be a good way to keep talent cost down and add a bankable name to your cast.
That has changed lately from my conversations with distribution companies. Movie distributors now expect any name talent attached to have a meaningful part in the movie instead of a few minutes in a cameo role. Cameo scenes can still work if there is a visual hook that grabs the attention of viewers in some way. But having name talent say a couple of lines with no special hook won't fly anymore.
Another way to make an indie film in need of funding more attractive to investors is to attach talent that has been in a movie or TV show of note. Their name as an actor might not be that well-known yet, but rising stars that have appeared in a popular movie or TV show can give your movie broader appeal. If you cast them in a supporting role keep working days on the set down to a minimum to save your budget. Try to write their scenes so they can be shot in one or two days.
When you're pitching to serious film investors they will want to be given a detailed movie budget and distribution plan on how you plan on making money from the film's release. The Catch-22 that happens a lot is that most movie distributors that cater to releasing indie films won't commit to any deal until they've screened the movie.
There is not built-in distribution like with studio budget films. Film investors that are not traditionally part of the entertainment business can get turned off when a producer does not have a distribution deal already in place. They don't understand the Catch-22 of indie filmmaking and distribution. This is where a movie producer really needs to have a solid pitch that explains the financial dynamics of indie film distribution.
Most film investors will pass on an indie movie producer's financing pitch that mentions self-distribution in it. From a movie investor's business perspective it takes entirely too long for an indie movie to generate money going the self-distribution route. It's like the old school way of selling your movie out of the trunk of your car at places, but now it's done online using digital distribution and direct sales via a blog. That's a long grind that most investors will not be interested in waiting around for. Moving one unit of a movie at a time is too slow of trickle for investors.
A possible way around the Catch-22 is to reach out to movie distributors while you are pitching to film investors. With a firm budget number and possible cast attached you can gauge to see if there is any meaningful distribution interest in the movie. It's always possible a distributor will tell you that they would offer an advance or "buy-out" deal. They usually won't give you a hard number, but even a ballpark figure of what they might offer can let you know if your budget makes financial sense to approach movie investors with.
I know one savvy indie movie producer that makes 4-6 movies a year on very reasonable budgets and knows they're already making a profit from the advance money alone. The film royalty payments are a bonus. The producer keeps budgets extremely affordable and streamlined at every phase of production. Once you have a track record with a distribution company you know what you can expect to be paid. Then you can offer film investors a percent on their money invested into the production that makes sense.
Social networking with other indie filmmakers lets you hear what's happening with movie distribution from other people's real life experiences. A cool thing I've been hearing about is that there are film investors that won't put up money to make movie that is going to be self-distributed, but they will roll the dice on a feature that is going to specific film festivals. Not the art house film festivals. The ones that are very genre specific like for horror or action films. Like Screamfest Horror Film Festival or Action on Film (AOF). Film buyers attend these events and meaningful distribution deals are made.
Independent film financing and movie distribution are areas of the entertainment business all filmmakers will have to deal with and learn from each experience. I was in the hot seat today pitching to a film investor. I've streamlined the budget as much as I can without making the plot lose steam.
The jam I'm in as a producer is there are hard costs that cannot be avoided that include lots of gun play including two rigging shots where baddies get shot and are blown backwards off their feet. Badass action films need experienced and seasoned film crews to pull-off hardcore action shots off clean and safe. The cast I want to hire has the perfect appeal and name recognition for this indie action movie to rock viewers. There is nothing that can get lost in the translation in this film for foreign film buyers and movie viewers.
What I think got lost in the translation with the potential film investor today is if I keep taking out below-the-line crew to save money I'm going to have to do rewrites to the screenplay to take out action scenes. These are selling points that will hurt sales if they are written out. But it's my job as an indie filmmaker to balance a budget that appeals to film investors. We'll see how this goes. This is indie filmmaker Sid Kali typing fade out.
Get the inside scoop on writing, producing, directing, and movie distribution at Slice Of Americana Films [http://www.sidkaliflicks.com/]. Check out the life and times of filmmaker Sid Kali.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6512969
10 Reasons Why It's Time For You To Rent Movies Online
There was a time, in the not so distant past, when a trip out to your local video store with the family was a weekly or monthly treat. If you were fortunate enough to have a bigger video rental store that had multiple copies of new releases and thousands of DVDs on hand, there was a good chance you could find movies to suit everyone. But a few things have happened since those days that have rendered video rental stores all but obsolete.
For starters, big box outlets such as Blockbuster have been driven out of the bricks and mortar video rental business to seek salvation online. For most of us, our video stores are nothing more than corner convenience stores with a few hundred movies on hand at any time. Space is at a premium for these guys so they can only afford to have a few copies of new releases along with a smattering of older movie rental titles on hand at any time. It's a bit frustrating to drive out only to find the movie you had your heart set on is always out.
In addition, next day returns and the inconvenience that it implies, usually finds us racking up late fees that often would have worked out cheaper for us if we'd bought the DVD instead. And what if you're heading out on a road trip or to the cottage for a weekend - 24 hour rental periods just don't cut it for a lot of us. And what about the actual rental fee? $3 or more per movie rental? Everyone with a cable or satellite subscription has access to pay-per-view movie rentals, and the concept is quite sound. The downside is that typical pay-per-view rentals cost $5 or more. I'm not sure the convenience is worth that much more.
Maybe it's time you rent movies online!
Why? Well, rather than run on about online movie rental and why it's the right option for you, allow me to state my case with the following list of 10 Reasons It's Time For You To Rent Movies Online!
1. Selection. If you rent movies online from instant movie streaming or DVD by mail providers, you will generally have access to anywhere from a few thousand up to 80,000+ movie and TV titles to choose from. Your local video store probably can't hold a match to that kind of selection.
2. Availability. In all but a few rare exceptions, the movie you want is always available. Most DVD by mail services have hundreds of copies of individual movie titles on hand. Instant movie streaming services like Netflix have no limitation on how many subscribers watch individual movie titles. If you rent movies online, your favorites are almost always available.
3. Savings. When you rent movies online from DVD by mail services, they typically have subscription plans that allow several DVD rentals, some even unlimited, per month for monthly fees as low as $5.95. Even if you only rent movies online only twice per month, you are already ahead. With instant video streaming services, typical plans run from about $8+ per month or, if you opt for a per rental provider such as iTunes or YouTube, you will typically pay $0.99 - $3.99 per online movie rental. Though the latter may be close in price to what you are currently paying at your local video store, you need to factor in both points 1 and 2 (Selection, Availability) and, more importantly, point 4 which is "Convenience".
4. Convenience. Your local video outlet or convenience store will never be as easy for you as when you rent movies online. Bottom line - shopping for an online movie rental from your computer, tablet or TV means you never have to leave the house for movie night again. And online movie rental providers are open 24/7 which means, you can rent movies online anytime you want, day or night, from just about anywhere. Instant video streaming services allow you to choose a movie and start watching right away. DVD by mail services will deliver movies to your mailbox, for free, within 1 - 3 days.
5. No late fees - ever! This is a big one for me and perhaps for you as well. When you rent movies online from instant video streaming services you generally have up to 30 days to start watching your movie and 24 to 48 hours to watch it as often as you like. After that period has elapsed, the rental is automatically deleted from your rental library. If you rent movies from an unlimited subscription provider such as Netflix then there is no limitation on the number of times you watch a movie and you never have to remember to return it. On the DVD by mail side, they don't have due dates or late fees. Instead, they usually put a cap on how many DVD movies you can rent at one time. You can hold on to them for days, weeks or months and send them back when you are done. This is especially handy when renting children's movies as, we all know, they could watch the same movie several times a day for days on end.
6. Browsing. Your local video store will generally have a wall or section devoted to new releases. The rest of their catalog will either be organized alphabetically or by genre or not at all. Browsing for movie titles can take hours if you're undecided. When you rent movies online, all providers offer easy to use websites that allow you to search for movies alphabetically, by genre, by year, by director, by actor, by rating and more. Picking a movie to watch online is a cinch.
7. TV Shows and special genres. I know this kind of falls under "Selection" but the fact is, most smaller video stores just don't stock Seasons of your favorite TV shows. And they generally don't carry much in the way of Foreign Language films, Documentaries or more obscure movies.
8. Interactive features. One nice thing about online movie rentals when browsing your provider's website is the ability to watch trailers, read viewer reviews and many also offer a suggestion feature that will provide you with similar titles for you to check out.
9. Flexibility. When you rent movies online for download or to watch instantly, you have a myriad of options as far as devices go. You can watch on Internet enabled TVs, BluRay players, gaming consoles such as Wii - Xbox - PS3, PC, Mac, tablets and other handheld devices. Granted, not all services allow you to stream on all of these devices, but you definitely aren't limited to just watching on your TV.
10. Options. Most small towns or neighborhoods may only have a few video rental stores for you to choose from and most with more or less the same selection and pricing. When you rent movies online, you have more options at your disposal. You are free to choose a DVD by mail or instant movie streaming provider and if you don't like their selection or service you can try out a host of other providers. None of them have long term contracts to bind you to their service.
And, although this is supposed to be a list of 10 reasons to rent movies online, here is one more. Many online movie rental services offer free trial periods from 2 weeks to 1 month so you can test out whether or not you like the service.
For help on choosing the right service for you to rent movies online, visit RentFilmOnline.com [http://rentfilmonline.com].
Marc Roberge is a Computer Sciences educator, business owner and web master. You can find him at dodisdodat.com [http://dodisdodat.com].
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6322095
My Most Anticipated Movies of 2011
As we kick off a new year in cinema, I thought I'd take time to look ahead at the films we'll be hit with over the course of the year. In this article, I'll be going over what my 15 most anticipated movies are for the year. Now it should be noted, these aren't the movies that I feel will be the best of 2011 necessarily. Rather, they're the ones that, as of the time of this writing, I am anticipating the most. So without further ado, here are my most anticipated movies of 2011.
1. Sucker Punch
Director: Zack Snyder
Writer: Zack Snyder and Steve Shibuya
Stars: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens and Abbie Cornish
Release Date: March 25, 2011
Genre: Action Fantasy Thriller
What is it: A young girl is institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the facility.
Why it should be good: Really hot and badass chicks wearing schoolgirl outfits and other skimpy clothes, with swords and guns, coupled with Snyder's awesome visual flair? Yea, definitely count me in. The trailer for this thing just looks completely awesome. From the style to the action, even the story (while seeming a bit out there) seems cool. I'm beginning to thoroughly enjoy Snyder's work. If The Adjustment Bureau could be this year's new Inception due to its mindfuck story, then Sucker Punch could absolutely be this year's Inceptionmeets The Dark Knight meets 300 meets Inglorious Basterds due to it's style and epic adventure, yet dark tone with alternate realities. This movie just oozes style and badass-ness and I really can't wait for what is sure to be an absolutely entertaining, epic adventure.
Why it could suck: Snyder can be a bit off his mark sometimes. While Watchmen was enjoyable, it did get a bit boring. And Legend of the Guardians is said to suffer from some pacing issues as well and has drawn mixed reviews from critics. Though to be fair to Snyder, he wrote neither of those movies, but is responsible for the writing (or at least screenplay) of the badass 300.
2. Sherlock Holmes 2
Director: Guy Ritchie
Writer: Kieran and Michele Mulroney
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry
Release Date: December 16, 2011
Genre: Action Mystery
What is it: Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty.
Why it should be good: I'm a big Sherlock Holmes fan. The Doyle stories still stand as my favorite books today. I love Sherlock. He's such a badass. And finally, a movie seems to have captured that pretty well. The first was one of the better portrayals of Sherlock I had seen. Rather than being portrayed as a snooty, 'proper' and sophisticated Englishman, he was shown with all the rough edges that Doyle wrote him with. While the movie was indeed Hollywood-ized beyond anything you'd find in the books, it was a fun adventure and quite an enjoyable movie. Guy Ritchie is a very good filmmaker as well. For these reasons, and my love for Sherlock, I'm very much eager to see how Part 2 turns out, especially as they go head-to-head with Moriarty. Also, I'm eager to see how well Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,etc) does in her Hollywood debut.
Why it could suck: New writers. The original writers from the first aren't coming back instead Kieran and Michele Mulroney are taking over the job. So let's see how they handle it. Relatively new to writing, the two previously wrote Paper Man which didn't fair so well with critics.
3. Paranormal Activity 3
Director: Tod Williams
Writer: Christopher B. Landon and Michael R. Perry; characters by Oren Peli
Stars: Katie Featherston
Release Date: October 21, 2011
Genre: Horror
What is it: Well, we have no idea what this one is going to be about as nothing has been given. However, the first movie followed a couple that were being haunted by an evil spirit who possessed Katie. The sequel (which was more of a prequel) followed Katie's sister's family as that same spirit haunts them and their baby. This all culminates to the two stories converging at the end of Part 2 where it gets to the point where Part 1 ends and we see what happens after the whole event. Undoubtedly, Part 3 is set to pick up where Part 2 and 1 left off. What happens from there? Your guess is as good as mine.
Why it should be good: The first Paranormal Activity became something of a cult phenomenon/sensation. Hailed as the scariest movie of the year, people flocked to the film making it a huge success. And rightly so in my book. It was a minimalistic horror movie that took it back to the roots of the genre by using tension and suspense to really instill fear and terror in the minds of the audience. Part 2, while some people seemed to not like it as much as the first, did more of the same. I actually thought Part 2 was pretty much right on par with the first. And the ingenious storytelling that created a parallel prequel to the first was definitely cool. The creator and writers of this franchise have really shown that the horror genre can be revived and doesn't have to be all about gore and such. They've done a good job with instilling that fear in the audience as well, tapping into that fear, leaving the audience's imagination to run wild while being completely captivated. I expect no less from the third.
Why it could suck: If you feel the second was worse than the first, then you may be in for some disappoint when you find out the same writers and director of the sequel are back. However, like with Part 2, Oren Peli (the creator of the franchise) is still very much involved and is serving as producer on this film.
4. Paul
Director: Greg Mottola
Writer: Nick Frost and Simon Pegg
Stars: Nick Frost, Simon Pegg and Seth Rogen
Release Date: March 18, 2011
Genre: Sci-fi Comedy
What is it: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) reunite for the comedy adventure Paul as two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage takes them to America's UFO heartland. While there, they accidentally meet an alien who brings them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever. For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smart ass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town-a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost). Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman that they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. And as two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.
Why it should be good: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost back together again. That should be enough. Seriously. When these two guys get together it's gold, as evidenced by Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. This might be my favorite duo around these days. They'll also be pairing up to write this which is always a good thing as well (well, this will be Frost's first real writing job, but Pegg has been responsible for their first two outings together). Now, they won't be reuniting with Edgar Wright for this one, instead they'll be teaming with the director of Adventureland andSuperbad, two movies which I definitely enjoyed. On top of all of that, they have comedic star Seth Rogan joining them. Sounds like quite the team really and I'm rather excited for what I'm sure will be a very funny movie, and possibly end up being the comedy of the year.
Why it could suck: You do have to wonder if some of that magic from Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz will be lost as Frost and Pegg carry on without Wright. I think they're great comedic talents though and can stand on their own. And the somewhat all-star get-together should compensate.
5. The Adjustment Bureau
Director: George Nolfi
Writer: George Nolfi; Based on Short Story by Philip K. Dick
Stars: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Terence Stamp
Release Date: March 4, 2011
Genre: Thriller
What is it: Just as he is on the brink of winning a senate seat, politician David Norris (Matt Damon) meets a ballerina named Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). Though David is smitten, mysterious men conspire to keep him away from the beautiful dancer. David learns he is up against the powerful agents of Fate itself, and, glimpsing the future laid out before him, must either accept a predetermined path that does not include Elise, or defy Fate to be with her.
Why it should be good: Honestly, this sounds like it could be this year's Inception. With plenty of mindfucks going on, it's a thriller involving different levels of reality and mysterious forces. Matt Damon really tends to shine in these types of movies. The trailer has me rather intrigued and looks like it could provide quite an enthralling adventure. While this is Nolfi's directorial debut, he did write The Bourne Ultimatum, thus will be teaming up with Damon once again. The movie is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, whose work has been the grounds for such movies asBlade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, Paycheck and A Scanner Darkly. So with presumably some good source material, and a writer that can definitely do the part (as illustrated with The Bourne Ultimatum) we could be in for a real treat.
Why it could suck: This is Nolfi's first time in the director's seat, so we'll have to wait and see if he's in over his head. Furthermore, it is being billed as something of a romance thriller. So let's hope they don't go overboard with the romance part and make it some sappy romance film for which they sacrifice some of the plot to focus on the romance.
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Stars: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane
Release Date: May 20, 2011
Genre: Fantasy Action-Adventure
What is it: Jack Sparrow and Barbossa embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too.
Why it should be good: Some people have hated them. Some have thought they've gotten worse as they went along. I've found the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise to be a fun adventure. Just a fun movie with plenty of adventure, some cool special effects, and just good times. And maybe it's my man-crush I have on Depp, but I'm absolutely thrilled to see him back as Jack Sparrow. The character is so much fun and always provides for some entertainment. Should be interesting to see how they go about freshening up the franchise as well as they get a new cast of characters while Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann are out.
Why it could suck: It's a Hollywood sequel, those always have chances of sucking. Also, the exclusion of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann could put a damper on things. While there is a chance that it could freshen it up, there is just as much a chance that some of that magic might be lost as they look to replace those characters. Also, while we do get the same writers back, we have a new director taking on this sequel. Pirates seems to be out of Rob Marshall's comfort zone (best known for Memoirs of a Geisha and Chicago) so we'll have to wait and see how he can handle an action adventure of this scope.
7. The Hangover 2
Director: Todd Phillips
Writer: Todd Phillips, Scot Armstrong and Craig Mazin
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha
Release Date: May 26, 2011
Genre: Comedy
What is it: Not a lot is known about the plot of this sequel. What is known is that the gang is back to get into more trouble as they travel to Thailand. And Phillips promise a lot of fucked up surprises and hilarity.
Why it should be good: The Hangover was hilarious I thought. The cast of the original had good chemistry and the writing was hilarious. It provided for several laugh-out-loud moments and was one of the funniest movies of the year (one of the funniest I've seen in a while too). Hopefully, getting the gang back together will provide for more hilarity that the first one delivered.
Why it could suck: New writers. The writers from the first aren't coming back and have been replaced. Instead we get Scot Armstrong and Craig Mazin that have brought us such garbage asSemi-Pro, Starsky and Hutch, Scary Movie 4 and Superhero Movie. If their past work is any indicator of their talent, the writers could really butcher this franchise.
8. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Director: Michael Bay
Writer: Ehren Kruger
Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson
Release Date: July 1, 2011
Genre: Sci-fi Action-Adventure
What is it: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets, which could turn the tide in the Transformers' final battle.
Why it should be good: I've enjoyed the franchise so far. While Part 2, was blasted pretty well by critics, I didn't hate it that much. Granted it wasn't as good as the first, but I still found it fairly entertaining. And the movies are always a fun visual treat. Also, Michael Bay. I still have no idea why he receives so much crap while James Cameron is given a pass. Bay is just as adept a director as Cameron is. Anybody that still likes to tell me there's a difference between Pearl Harbor and Titanic will kindly receive a "fuck off" as you buy into the pretentious drivel. At least Bay knows his place (a mindless action director who can make pretty movies and fun explosions). Whereas Cameron believes his some gift to cinema which often leads to his films being poorly written, yet pretentious as hell. Seriously, I'll take Armageddon, Transformers, The Rock and Bad Boys over Titanic, Avatar, Aliens, and T2 any day of the week. Even though, yes, I know that will enrage many people and get me flamed for that opinion. Now, this movie (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) surely won't be a great cinematic piece. But as a mindless "let's make some cool special effects scenes and also blow some shit up" type of movie, it should be entertaining.
Why it could suck: Well, if I had to pick one movie from the franchise that was better, it's definitely the first. The writer for this third film, unfortunately, is the same writer from Part 2 rather than the first. Also, it's still Michael Bay. He's not the greatest of directors.
9. X-Men: First Class
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Writer: Jane Goldman, Ashley Miller, Jamie Moss, Josh Schwartz and Zack Stentz; story by Bryan Singer
Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence
Release Date: June 3, 2011
Genre: Sci-fi Action
What is it: Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-MEN.
Why it should be good: A look at when Xavier and Magneto were younger. A backstory to where it all started. For such a thrilling franchise, this could be a nice take on the story and provide quite some entertainment and thrills. Plus, having directed movies like Kick-Ass andStardust, Matthew Vaughn is, I believe, much more adept at creating a movie like this than say a Jon Favreau or such. Vaughn also has the enjoyable Layer Cake under his director's belt, which very much shows off that he learned well producing Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels andSnatch. Furthermore, his friendship and learning under the great Guy Ritchie, only further adds value to his role as a filmmaker. Meanwhile, the writers have brought us such movies as Stardustand Kick-Ass as well as TV shows such as Fringe and Chuck. Also, it has a pretty good cast.
Why it could suck: Well, those writers did also bring us The Sarah Connor Chronicles andAndromeda. Also, prequels sometimes have a tendency to not do so well. It's, sometimes, almost as if a prequel is a last resort when the writers have run out of ideas of where the current story can go, so they decide to go back and cash in on the name once more by filling in some gaps from the beginning. I guess only time will tell if this becomes a Batman Begins (ie a very good prequel movie that did very well to reboot the franchise) or it falls more in line with The Scorpion King (ie a complete waste of my time that probably shouldn't have even been made).
10. Source Code
Director: Duncan Jones
Writer: Ben Ripley
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga
Release Date: April 1, 2011
Genre: Action/Sci-fi-Thriller
What is it: An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.
Why it should be good: The trailer just makes this like it could be a cool creative story that provides for an entertaining thriller that could keep you on the edge of your seat. This is Duncan Jones sophomore release, after 2009′s highly acclaimed Moon. So, if he delivers again, we could have a nice treat on our hands and he could solidify his place as a talented filmmaker. I also really enjoy Jake Gyllenhaal. I think he's a great actor and should do fine in leading this movie. Vera Farmiga is also a really talented actress and one I definitely don't mind seeing. Meanwhile, Michelle Monaghan isn't too bad either.
Why it could suck: This is coming from an unproven writer. And while Duncan Jones' Moon was well-received, it's not rare that a filmmaker comes in to become something of a one hit wonder. Let's just hope Jones can deliver a worthwhile follow-up.
11. Battle: Los Angeles
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Writer: Christopher Bertolini
Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez and Bridget Moynahan
Release Date: March 11, 2011
Genre: Sci-fi Action
What is it: A Marine platoon faces off against an alien invasion in Los Angeles.
Why it should be good: The official trailer makes it look so damn bad-ass. Maybe that's in part due to the great song selection for the trailer, but it looks just completely thrilling. It looks to be a sci-fi action movie that actually has some depth too. It sort of reminds me of Independence Day but with the seriousness, depth and emotional-center of some type of good post-9/11 movie. It's like we may finally get a really good sci-fi movie with the heart of the best war movies, coupled with the awesome actual and visual treats of some of the best sci-fi/alien movies. Eckhart is a good actor that should do well in this movie as well. Also, the writer's only past feature film work was The General's Daughter which I thoroughly enjoyed. So if that's any indication of the type of writing we'll get for Battle LA then we should definitely have a compelling story to go with the visual flare of it all. Likewise, Jonathan Liebesman has brought us The Killing Room which I felt was a fairly enjoyable suspense/thriller movie.
Why it could suck: Liebesman also brought us Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginningwhich was garbage. On top of that, movies like this can often take themselves too seriously and often times become pretentious and/or preachy and just plain unimaginative with no real heart to the movie (I'm looking at you War of the Worlds). Let's hope they avoid that here.
12. Cowboys and Aliens
Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof; based on the comic book by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
Stars: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde
Release Date: July 29, 2011
Genre: Sci-fi Action-Thriller
What is it: A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys are all that stand in their way.
Why it should be good: It just looks fun. It's like Indiana Jones meets Men in Black with a good western feel to it. This also comes from the writers that brought us such movies as Transformersand Star Trek, and such TV shows as Alias, Fringe and Lost (though in my book "Lost" might be a bad example, though others seemed to enjoy it). Also, there's a good cast (Craig, Ford and Wilde), coupled with a nice supporting cast which includes Sam Rockwell and Paul Dano. At the end of the day, it may end up being a mindless action movie, but still looks to be fun.
Why it could suck: Jon Favreau. I'm sorry, but the guy hasn't sold me. People seem to like him, but I'm not entirely sure why. The guy hasn't delivered any really great movies. And only a few decent ones. Well, Elf I thought was really funny. Both Iron Man movies were really nothing to write home about though. Both were enjoyable, but they definitely weren't spotlights in their genre. And the second one was panned quite a bit (though I enjoyed both, but the second was a bit lacking). And that's really the only movies (Iron Man) that he's done in this genre/realm. So that doesn't give me a big vote of confidence in the guy. His other movies: Zathura was crap andMade was decent. Nothing else to note really. On top of that, the writers did also give usRevenge of the Fallen, which I enjoyed well enough, but wasn't on par with the first Transformersmovie. And they're also responsible for such things as The Island and Legend of Zorro.
13. Apollo 18
Director: Gonzalo López-Gallego
Writer: Brian Miller and Cory Goodman
Stars: None Given
Release Date: April 22, 2011
Genre: Sci-fi Horror-Thriller
What is it: Apollo 18 is a found-footage movie that claims to be "a film about the real mission to space in the 1970′s that was canceled by NASA." With the tagline "There's a reason we've never gone back to the moon", while implying a government cover-up of monsters existing on the moon.
Why it should be good: With these found-footage movies, they tend to go terribly wrong or be very entertaining. This one is looking to go the way of the latter. It's giving a fresh take on the rising sub-genre and taking us to an interesting location. Furthermore, it's basing itself on some real actual events, thus adding some extra layer to it. The viral marketing on this movie is going along nicely and the film has become something of a hot ticket. Gonzalo is a Spanish-born director who has had a couple of critically-acclaimed films in the past as well.
Why it could suck: It's kind of the nature of the genre. If they don't hit they mark, then they tend to really suck. Couple that with a pair of brand-new writers, and there are no guarantees for this movie. I'm getting a feeling though that this will end up being up there with Paranormal Activity.
14. Unknown
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cromwell; based on the novel by Didier Van Cauwelaert
Stars: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger and January Jones
Release Date: February 18, 2011
Genre: Drama Mystery Thriller
What is it: A man awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman, he sets out to prove who he is.
Why it should be good: Liam Neeson is a bad-ass. Watching the trailer, I'm reminded of Neeson's past movieTaken. Seems to be that similar mystery action thriller type movie. And I absolutely loved that movie. Neeson made it a very good film showing off his bad-assness in it. If Unknown turns out to be as good as Takenwe'll have a very entertaining movie on our hands. Didier Van Cauwelaert, whose novel the movie is based on, is an award-winning author with multiple best-selling novels. The novel this movie is based on has met plenty of praise. So, we're sure to find that the story/source material is good.
Why it could suck: Two virtually unproven writers. While the source material may be good, they could mess it up and adapt a bad screenplay. On top of that, the director is responsible for such things as Orphan and House of Wax, neither of which were that good.
15. Red State
Director: Kevin Smith
Writer: Kevin Smith
Stars: Melissa Leo, John Goodman and Michael Angarano
Release Date: TBA (Screening at Sundance 2011)
Genre: Horror Thriller
What is it: A horror film in which a group of misfits encounter fundamentalism gone to the extreme in Middle America.
Why it should be good: Kevin Smith. Smith is one of my favorite directors around. While last year's Cop Out was rather bland, this year he returns to writing his own material with Red State. Furthermore, he'll be treading into a new genre with his first horror movie. I love Kevin Smith as a writer/director and have been fond of pretty much all of his work. From Clerks to Mallrats to Clerks II to Jay and Silent Bob, everything Smith has actually wrote and directed, I've enjoyed really. Couple that with the enjoyable John Goodman and the "fresh off an Oscar-worthy performance" Melissa Leo, and we should be in for a real treat.
Why it could suck: As stated before, this is Kevin Smith's first venture into the horror genre. Some writers/directors find that there are just some genres that they can't do, while they're better suited for another particular genre. We'll have to wait and see how Kevin Smith's foray into the horror/thriller genre goes.
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My 2010 Movie Awards
So, we have finally closed the book on 2010. Now, as we transition into the new year, this is when most people reflect back on the year before. In the movie world, this is also when critics and movie lovers take the time to review the past year. Not to mention, this is awards season. With the Critics' Choice Awards in just a couple of weeks and the Oscars less than two months ago, suffice to say the red carpet is officially out.
Today, I'm going to throw myself into that very ring as we bring you Couch Potato Club's 2010 Movie Awards. Up front, though, I would like to go ahead and say, I'm going to do this different than those big award shows. For one, you'll see some of the typical categories, but likewise there will be some off-beat ones. Also, call me crazy, but I believe the biggest factor in judging a movie is its entertainment value. Granted all of the other little facets of making a movie help to make a movie better, however I believe entertainment succeeds a movie's technical prowess in order to define whether it is good or not. So, you won't be seeing me awarding these "artsy" movies just because of their "cinematic achievement" (whatever the hell that is). Instead, I'll be judging on good ole entertainment value (with acting, story, etc. playing factors).
So, without further ado, here are the winners of the first annual Couch Potato Club Movie Awards.
Best Film: Inception
For me this came down to Inception and Black Swan. I've honestly spent days mulling it over in my head which would be my movie of the year. However, in the end, Inception wins out. Inceptionwas also perfect in a sense. With intelligent writing, good acting, fun action, great cinematography and so on and so on, the movie proved to be awesome style with great substance. Nolan proved once again here why he is one of (if not THE) most sought after filmmakers today. A narrative genius. After watching this movie, it made me realize what a god-send Nolan is to Hollywood really. Everybody in Hollywood should be taking notes. This is exactly how a blockbuster movie should be done. Let's not kid ourselves, blockbuster action movies will continue to be the bread and butter of Hollywood for some time to come. While this is alright, the problem usually lies in that they're so shallow and cliche and just "eh". They usually just rely on cool action sequences and awesome looking special effects. Not Inception, though. This movie provides all that, but then actually brings substance to that style giving us an engaging and mind-bending/intelligent storyline to go with it. This perfect blend makes Inception my movie of the year.
Best Actor: James Franco - 127 Hours
I've said it before and I'll say it again: you want to test the merit of an actor? Throw him in a movie where he is pretty much the only one ever on-screen and he has to carry the entire movie himself. Where the whole weight of the entire movie rests most assuredly on his shoulders. Will he shine? Will he crumble? This is the test. Others have proven themselves in the same way (Will Smith, Tom Hanks). And truly I believe this (and the "retard role") is one of the biggest ways to test an actor and see if he's one of the greats. So, enter James Franco and 127 Hours. Playing a mountain climber that gets trapped under a boulder and is all alone, Franco is left to carry an entire film on his own. Does he succeed? Damn right he does. With flying colors at that. Keeping it interesting, conveying a range of emotions throughout the film and sucking you in all on his own, Franco clearly shows he had the mettle to tackle such a daunting task and come out on top. For that reason, he's my actor of the year.
Best Actress: Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Natalie's performance in the Aronofsky psychological thriller is absolutely brilliant. Her best work to-date in my opinion. Playing a role that requires her to eventually transition from sweet little naive princess girl to girl-gone-wild (in a dark side kinda way), she hits every beat without missing a step. I believe the biggest factor for a good actor/actress is range. Anybody can shine in a part that was just made for them (in line with their natural persona), but range and playing different personas/characters is where an actor/actress can show their true prowess. In Black Swanalone, Natalie Portman has shown, in just the 2 hours, that she has more range than most actresses around. She exhibited more range in one performance than most do in their entire career. For such a brilliant performance Natalie Portman gets my vote as actress of the year. I don't think this is even up for debate.
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale - The Fighter
Here's another that I feel is just a given and isn't up for debate. Bale absolutely stole the show in every scene he appeared in The Fighter. The weight loss alone shows Bale's dedication to his craft. Furthermore, the way he was able to lose himself in that crackhead persona and into the role of Dicky Eklund just further proved what an amazing actor Bale is. To really show you how brilliant his performance was, the video clip of real-life Dicky during the credits showed you just how well Bale nailed that performance. It had to almost be like looking in a mirror for Dicky.
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Yes, the supporting cast of The Fighter was just great. They're the ones that kept this movie afloat. Leo's turn as the "white trash" overbearing mother was great and was another (along with Bale's performance) that really helped this movie shine. Without these two, The Fighter bombs.
Best Director: Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
Like I said, best film was down to Black Swan and Inception for me. Aronofsky's work here was damn near perfect. This was a brilliantly directed movie. From the camera shots to the music to the story-telling to what he got out of his cast, Aronofsky did a great job in conveying this thriller story very aptly on all levels. As one of my favorite modern directors, it's no surprise that Aronofsky continues to impress year after year.
Best Screenplay: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin - Black Swan
For me, screenplay/story is probably the biggest factor in determining whether a movie is entertaining. Afterall, without an intriguing and entertaining story, then your movie is just going to suck. That being said, it's no surprise that this, for me, came down to Black Swan and Inceptionagain; the two movies vying for my Best Film award. However, in the end I have to go with Black Swan edging out in this category. The story was great in my opinion. Very thrilling and intriguing story that left you on your seat the whole while through. To top it off, though, was all the subtext present throughout the film. From the "life imitates art" to the "greed can consume us all" to the commentary of how much pressure can be put on an entertainer and the risks they ensue when losing themselves in a performance in order to be "perfect". This script had it all and fired on so many cylinders. Truly was a great story and I loved how the main character's life began to mirror the very character she was attempting to play on stage.
Best Ensemble Cast: The Fighter
I guess after the previous supporting awards, this should come as no surprise. However, I will say I was also seriously considering The Town for this award which had a very good all-around performance from its entire cast. However, the cast of The Fighter performed well in all areas. Even Mark Wahlberg was decent enough (and I don't particularly care for him). Though, he was the weak link and his actual character was boring. However, everyone else turned in fine performances that, as a whole, really pulled you into the family in the film. Then the performances of Bale and Leo really just pushed the overall ensemble over the top. Meanwhile, Amy Adams delivered a very good performance as well standing out.
Breakout Performance of the Year: Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
The movie itself, I found was fairly overrated. However, Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone did an absolutely wonderful job of playing the role of Ree Dolly. If not for her, the entire movie would have been a wash. However, her performance was very nice to watch. It made it even more worthwhile as I got to witness that this girl is actually a very adept actress. Before this, I had only seen her in 'The Bill Engvall Show' where she plays the typical cliche ditzy teenage girl. Which, honestly, there are a million and one girls in the nation that could pull that off. Watching her go from that ditzy teenager to this gritty and convincing performance was definitely a treat for me and showed me her worth. For that, she receives my Breakout Performance of the Year award.
Best Action Movie: Inception
Inception wins here. Of course being my Best Film of the Year, it's going to also win in its specific genre category. The movie fires on all cylinders for an almost nonstop joyride, especially for the last half of the film. The last half especially, with the gun fights and chases and fights, etc. prove to be an adrenalin rush of action. Again, this is pretty much the Hollywood-action-blockbuster film perfected.
Best Comedy: Get Him to the Greek
Ok, here's where some might disagree with me (if they haven't already). However, it's my belief that Best Comedy movie should mainly be based on which movie was the funniest. Granted, there were movies I liked better overall that fall into the comedy category (Scott Pilgrim), but on the laugh scale they didn't touch Get Him to the Greek. Russell Brand is just hilarious. And his part as the typical rock star was great and hilarious. Even "P Diddy" (who I hate) had me cracking up during this movie. For me, it really was the funniest movie of the year.
Best Animated Movie: How to Train Your Dragon
Yep, I'm doing it. I'm kicking Pixar to the curb this year and letting someone else have Best Animated prize. Granted, I really enjoyed Toy Story 3, but for me How to Train Your Dragon was just the better movie and was more fun. It was cute, funny, inspiring in its own way and refreshing. I really enjoyed the movie. How to Train Your Dragon was one of those that had heart and depth and was really beautiful (both story-wise and animation). One that truly appeals to both adults and kids alike.
Best Horror Movie: Paranormal Activity 2
I loved the first one and the sequel proves no different. Paranormal Activity has been something of a savior for the horror genre I believe. And part 2 makes it a saving grace for Hollywood as the franchise goes mainstream. With good pacing and 'storytelling', Paranormal Activity 2, like its predecessor, brings the art of tension and suspense back to a seemingly hollowed out genre. It does a great job of really getting into your imagination and letting it run wild, in turn terrorizing yourself. Really a refreshing movie in the genre, I can't wait for part 3 this fall.
Best Thriller: The Town
Yes, I realize Black Swan is a thriller, and I absolutely agree that it's the better movie. However, like the comedy movie, I feel the Best Thriller movie should be judged pretty much solely on the "thrill" aspect. And while Black Swan did engulf me and keep in thrilled, The Town pulled that aspect off a bit better. Maybe because the action of it catered to that, I don't know. However, The Town just had me really on the edge of my seat from start to finish pretty much. The action was good, the movie was so intense and the whole of it just never let up once it took off running, that I couldn't help but be enthralled as I went on that thrill ride.
Best Docudrama: The Social Network
Social Networking has been spreading like wildfire in the past years, so it comes as no surprise that it would eventually become the basis of a film. The Social Network isn't just any film though. Becoming one of the most talked about movies of the year and making a real movie to be movie of the year, the movie is a great all-around film that everybody should see. And it might be one of the most significant films of modern day (that or its counterpart 'Catfish').
Best Indie Film: Buried
Another thriller that just keeps you enthralled throughout (yes it seems I have a thing for thriller type movies). With such a minimal set and minimal story and cast, Buried just seems like it's set to disappoint. Despite all these risks though it manages to succeed and become a very thrilling and captivating movie, with Reynolds carrying it well.
Best Fight: Zero-Gravity Hallway Fight - Inception
The visuals and special effects was just one facet of what made Inception so awesome for me. And this fight scene was one of those that stood out above the rest. Creative, cool to watch, action-packed, it really was just a really fun fight and pretty awesome.
Tearjerker of the Year: Toy Story 3
Did I personally cry? No. However, Toy Story 3 I feel is the movie of the year that will most likely make someone cry. Maybe it's the connection after having grown up with the series. Maybe it's just the depth of emotion created in some scenes that hit home for most people in a real-life way. Whatever it is, Toy Story 3 is sure to get the waterworks running for quite a few people. With scenes like the incinerator scene and Andy's final time with the toys (especially when he realizes Woody is in there and he ends up parting with the toy that started it all), Toy Story 3 definitely has its moments that truly tug on those heart-strings.
Best On-Screen Couple: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
Both of these actors are some of the better young actors around today (Gosling being my choice for best actor under 30 even). They really show their worth here in this movie as well. Giving great and powerful performances the two shine on the screen together. The chemistry between them is absolutely marvelous and the genuine/real emotion they convey over the course of the movie provides for a good watch.
Best Villain: Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman) - Scott Pilgrim vs the World
Jason Schwartzman is just unconventionally hilarious most every time I see him. His appearance in Scott Pilgrim was just icing on the cake for a very good movie. Classic Schwartzman provided humor and intelligence to the role, standing out as my favorite villain of a movie filled with villains.
Worst Movie of the Year: The Last Airbender
I'm not even going to say anything. Everybody knows it sucks. Shyamalan again proves, that despite his last movie (The Happening being horrible) that he can still outdo himself and make a surprisingly worse film than he ever has. The guy is spiraling out of control straight down the drain.
Most Overrated Movie of the Year: The Kids Are All Right
I'm sorry. It wasn't that good. The acting was decent. Mark Ruffalo was pretty much the saving grace of the movie. Other than that the movie was so pretentious and contrived and just flat out boring. Not nearly as good as people made it out to be (not even the performances). Wasn't funny or humorous at all. And the movie definitely does not deserve even being considered as a Best Film nominee.
Most Underrated Movie of the Year: Kick-Ass
Sure, the movie got decent reviews, even did moderately well in its opening weekend. However, I feel Kick-Ass was just underappreciated for the year. Quite frankly, the movie, well....kicked ass. In fact, it may go down as one of my Top 10 or 15 favorite movies of the year. It's one of the best comic book adaptations I've seen in a long while. For me, it was even better than it's competitorScott Pilgrim. A truly awesome and fun movie that should have been given more credit. Very entertaining and more people should give it a shot.
Best TV Show (Drama): The Walking Dead
Admittedly, my typically TV show viewing consists of sitcoms/comedies. However, there are a few dramas I watch here and there. This year's The Walking Dead proved to be one of those new shows that drug me in and made me love it. Making me eager to see the next season, and disappointed I'll have to wait so long.
Best TV Show (Comedy): Modern Family
With a funny ensemble cast and very funny writing, Modern Family has proven to be one of my favorite new TV shows recently. And with 'The Office' being hit or miss anymore, Modern Familyis the one that consistently has me laughing the most. Most notably, Eric Stonestreet as "Cam" always makes me laugh and really steals the show almost every time he appears. His performance is what puts this one over the edge for me. Though, Big Bang Theory and Jim Parsons performance do come in a very close second for me.
If you like this article and found it helpful, visit my site couchpotatoclub.com for other articles on movie -related subjects as well as the latest DVD and movie news and reviews.
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Movie Crazy
Are you movie crazy? No, I don't mean crazy for Harold Lloyd's comedy Movie Crazy from 1932 about a young man with little or no acting ability, desperately trying to be in the movies. I mean, are you crazy for movies period? I must admit I'm a cracker for movies. So, all those who consider themselves movie crazy raise your hands. Yup, that's almost everybody. Why are we movie crazy? Why do we live in a movie crazed society? Hey, what are movies anyway?
Movies are ideas and/or stories brought to an audience through emotion by sound and a sequence of seamless images. Thanks to Google Search.
How popular are movies? Well, the keyword "movies" boasts a mind boggling 1.1 billion and growing number of searches on Google's search engine alone. And the keyword "movie trailers" has collected a whopping 127 million plus searches. Watching movie trailers on the internet has become a popular past time for many. I know my husband's one of them. He loves to watch his movie trailers.
This past year alone has brought in an astonishing box office revenue of 29.2 billion dollars worldwide just for 2009. Movies are watched and made worldwide. The language gap has been dissolved due to the addition of subtitles. Now we can all share in the universal movie experience. As well as being universal, movies are made for everyone young and old. Why you can even see generations at most Disney or kid movie showings. There is something out there for everyone no matter what your age.
We celebrate movies and we celebrate the stars in our movies. We bring them into our homes by way of TV shows dedicated to stars like ET, ET Canada, Access Hollywood and TMZ to name a few. We grab supermarket tabloids like The National Enquirer and Star scanning the latest celebrity gossip and stuff them into our shopping carts when no one is looking.
We have Oscar parties like we do Superbowl parties and even bet or at least announce our opinions on who the winners of the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, MTV Awards, etc. will be. Then there's the classic TV shows like 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' that we turned on faithfully oohing and aahing over the content like it was fine wine. The show ran for over 10 years (March 1984 - September 1995). What a run! What a concept! We actually got to tag along and drool over the extravagant homes, lifestyles and dream vacations spots of the stars. Today, you can watch similar shows like MTV's 'Cribs' and VH1's 'The Fabulous Life of....'
If you're more of a home body you don't have to leave the comfort of your own home to see a movie. You can literally channel movies through your TV's regular cable or on specialty movie channels like Thrill, The Movie Network, HBO, Movie Central, Showtime, Turner Classic Movies, etc. And that's after you've clicked through the TV movies of the week, recorded movies on your PVR or sent your kids to the video store to rent one of this week's new releases. Oh, and not to mention you can buy movies from your brick and mortar video store down the street or even online on eBay or Amazon.
How do we get our golden tickets to these grand palaces? We buy cereal boxes and cut out cardboard vouchers, we use our air miles points or exchange reward points to turn cash into movie tickets. We fill out contest forms in hopes to be chosen as the lucky few to attend pre-screenings to our favourite movies before they even hit theatres. We also line red carpets around the world and tune into celebrity interviews on our favourite daytime and night-time shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman, Oprah and Regis & Kelly.
What beats the movie experience? Nothing. We cue up for our tickets, purchase our favourite goodies, grab the latest Famous or Tribute magazine for casual light reading before our movie (while devouring our real buttered popcorn or bag of liquorice). The lights go dim, the screen widens and the picture and sound arrive simultaneously. We anticipate the movie previews while watching the nuisance commercials and then there they are. Those big beautiful coming attractions in all their glory. We whisper yeas or nays or give a thumbs up to our pals seated beside us for the next movie adventure we'll be planning. Then if we're lucky, that is, the guys will get to hear the bellow of the THX sound effect that roars around the theatre. (Hey, guys you can hear it on YouTube or download it as a free mp3 or ring tone). Then the wait is over. Whoopee! And the adventure begins...
Again, why are we movie crazy? Could it be because movies are inexpensive; a cheap date; or an economical family outing. Is it that the encounter can be even more enhanced through the Imax or 3-D experience. Or does it go deeper. A chance to escape the real world if only for a few hours. Movies evoke emotion whether it's excitement, laughter, terror, sadness, inspiration, faith, love, etc. Maybe you're on an unpredictable adventure, figuring out a mystery or watching a family deal with loss. Movie's take us away; anywhere we want to go. Even the theatre itself is an experience as we've discovered. The lights, sound, feel, big screen, comfy oversized fabric chairs, convenient cup holders, popcorn and munchies from the snack stand, etc. The movie experience really touches on all our senses. What movies have stirred you emotionally lately?
The movies are one place where you can choose what you want to see and feel. If I want to be happy I'll go see a light hearted comedy. If I want to be thrilled I'll go see a thriller or horror. And if I want to entertain my little niece and nephew I'll go see the latest animated movie, etc. Then there's the rest of the genres that fill out the movie experience: action and adventure, crime and gangster, drama, epics/historical, musicals/dance, science-fiction, war, documentary, westerns, biopics, chick-flicks, detective and mystery, disaster, fantasy, film noir, guy films, melodramas/weepers, road films, romance, sports, supernatural, etc.
Movies bring people together. They are something to talk about at the watering hole at your 9 to 5 job, chat amongst your Facebook friends or discuss in forums. We can talk about the worst movies we've seen or our all time favourites. We can quiz each other on movie trivia, quotes and songs. We can read or write reviews on movies, look up movie ratings and purchase books on movies. We can even get the latest Hollywood gossip sent to our email boxes or go online to peruse blogs such as Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy blog.
Is there any other advantage from movies other than the whole entertainment experience? Actually, there is. Many professional therapists are using movies to help people in crisis. There is a therapeutic movement using---you guessed it---movies. It's called Cinema Therapy. Cinema therapy is used because it's readily available (there's a movie theatre in every city pretty much) and the subject matter of most films are familiar to everyone. It also enhances the rapport between both the client and the therapist. Who doesn't want to talk movies.
Other benefits include the release of emotions such as when we laugh during a comedy our laughter releases stress, tension and/or pain. A tear jerker that makes us cry releases built-up/blocked emotions. How about movies that touch on relationships or parenting. These observations and/or lessons can bring us closer together with people, make us analyze our current situations/relationships or make us realize we've got work to do.
And if there's one last thing that solidifies our movie crazy mentality it's our want or longing to actually be in a movie and/or meet a movie star. Well, this just in---you can do both. Have you heard the term TV or movie extra? If you want a better than bird's eye view of making of a movie and to encounter a movie star or two sign-up to be an extra. You'll get paid, fed, be on set and maybe bump elbows with your favourite movie star.
JC Wiebe is an author, blogger and manager of her son, actor Cainan Wiebe (The Sandlot 3, 16 Wishes and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse). For more information and step by step guides for child extras and actors get JC Wiebe's ebooks: Extras! Stars, Sets & Soda Pop: The Child Actor Series and/or Get Started as a Child Actor: The Child Actor Series. Ms Wiebe's acting blog can be found at http://www.KidsInMovies.com where she shares her on set experience, knowledge and advice with parents who want to get their kids into acting.
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Horror Movie - Attracts the Movie Lovers
Industry of movies offers numerous kinds of movies. These are particular genres of movies which entertain us. They make us laugh, make us cry and sometimes makes us scare also, but in any case we get entertained and feel excitement. Main movie genres can be categorised into 11 kinds. These 11 kinds of movie genres are Action Movies, Adventure Movies, Comedy Movies, Crime & Gangster Movies, Drama Movies, Epics/Historical Movies, Horror Movies, Musical (Dance) Movies, Science Fiction Movies, War (Anti-War) Movies and Westerns.
As name suggests each genre of the movie is filled with the named element, such as action with great stunts, comedy with nerve-tickling sequences and like that. Along with traditional genre movie kinds there are also non-genre movie categories. Some of these non-genre movie categories may be Animated Movies, Classic Movies, Cult Movies, Children Movies and like that. Whatever the genre is whatever the categories are, this is a true fact that movies entertain truly and they lead us to a whole new world of fantasies.
The movie show most beautiful faces, most ugly faces, most tender love-filled heart and at the same time the most ruthless heart, that is, we can see every emotion of our life in these movies. The movies have great dance sequences, music and views. No one can spare oneself with the magic of these movies. Social movies spread good message for making the society a good place for living. These films inspire us a lot. Movies do impart education in that sense.
One genre of movie which attracts a huge mass of movie lovers is horror movies. The horror movies have strange characters with unusual faces and body structures. These movies show sound effects which are very scary that causes chills and shudders. Horrors movies excite us also and they are full of spine-chilling sequences.
Horror movies have often a terrifying and shocking finale. They scare us while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror movies feature a wide range of styles, from the earliest silent Nosferatu classic, to today's CGI monsters and deranged humans. They are sometimes combined with science fiction. Here the menace or monster is related to a corruption of technology, or when Earth is threatened by aliens. The scariest movies show sequences of an old and deserted big palace with no one, but a ghost and a group of people meet him or her in bizarre consequences. These movies are full of special sound effects and light effects.
Everyone loves to get oneself scared by watching these horror movies. It scares, excites and sometimes makes us laugh under fear also. There are many sub-genres of horror movies also like slasher, teen terror, serial killers, satanic, Dracula, Frankenstein, etc. You would love to move away in a fantasy land with these movies so often. Movie industry has produced many excellent horror movies. Some of the top rated horror titles are Psycho, The Innocents, Dead of Night, Peeping Tom, The Wicker Man, The Haunting, Theatre of Blood, Dracula, Brides of Dracula, Dead Man's shoes and Dr. Jekyll And Sister Hyde to name a few. The horror movies are generally a tale of repression, superstition and sexual hysteria. These movies boast excellent cinematography, superb acting and seriously scaring moments.
It is very difficult to find the movie of your choice particularly in horror movies genre. New-age online shopping portals are offering many titles under this category. They have classical horror movies, cult horror movies, scariest horror movies and like that. The titles available wouldmesmerise you for sure. Shopping for these titles is also very easy and full of fun. Just check one of these sites and you can see lots of excitement is waiting for you.
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Movie Poster Collecting
There is a great deal of history behind movie posters and movie poster collecting. Jules Cheret, who created 2 movie posters in the 1890's, was the artist given credit for creating the first movie posters. By the end of the first decade of the 1900's, movies had become a great source of public entertainment. In this time period, the movie poster would become a standard size known as the one sheet measuring 27" x 41".
In the early days, the names of actors did not appear on the posters, which the movie studios liked, because it meant paying actors less money. It was in this early period in movie history, however, that movie studios realized movie stars were as much of an attraction to the moviegoer as the movie itself. Thus, the movie star was born, and movie posters began showcasing actors' names along with the title of the movie.
By the 1920's, the golden age of silent movies, movie posters became more artistic and spectacular, with accomplished artists being hired by movie studios to paint portraits of the stars for posters. By the late 1920's, movie poster images became sharper due to a new printing process developed by the Morgan Litho Company.
In the 1930's, also known in the movie industry as "The Golden Age of Movies", another style of movie poster was created, the half sheet. Major movies would sometimes get more than the two styles. However, due to the depression, many movie materials were being created more cheaply, causing a loss of quality in movie posters.
The dawn of World War II in 1941 saw many of the movie stars heading off to war and war was the major theme of movies at that time. The movie industry cut advertising costs and used cheaper paper for posters due to the paper shortage of wartime.
By the 1970's, movie posters used photography, occasionally using drawing and painting styles. Movie posters at this time were being printed on a clay-coated paper, which gave them a glossy finish. Star Wars and Star Trek posters were the most popular posters of the time and are still collected by many today.
In the 1980's, the age of the special effects blockbuster, the mini sheet was invented, and video stores became popular, thus the video store poster was created. Today, reprints of movie posters are mass-produced and sold in many stores or are just a click away on the Internet.There are several types of movie posters. Because of their rarity, the avid movie poster collector has concentrated on movie poster or theater art. These are the posters that are delivered and displayed by the movie theaters and then intended to be thrown away. Another type of movie poster is the commercial poster, which is mass-produced for direct sale to the public. Video posters are distributed to video rental stores for advertising material. Cable and TV posters are use as promotional material for TV stations for their programming. Like theater art, video posters and cable and TV posters are not produced for the public. Although not as valuable as theater art, these types of posters are still popular among collectors. Special promotion posters promote a movie along with a product. Finally, there are anniversary issues, limited editions, and special releases that are released in limited quantities and are gaining favor with the theatre art collector. Other types of movie posters include advance posters that promote a movie well ahead of the movie's release. The award poster, which indicates that a movie has won an Academy award. The combo poster, advertising two movies instead of just one. The popular double-sided poster that has art on both sides, with the artwork reversed on one side of the poster. There are featurette posters highlighting short films or cartoons, review posters for when a movie gets a good review, serial posters for movie serials, and special distribution posters.
With the popularity of movie posters has come the necessity to create various sizes of posters. The first and most widely used poster is the one sheet, which is usually 27" x 41". The subway, also known as the two sheet, is larger but not exactly two times the size of the one sheet. The 3 sheet is three times the size of the one sheet measuring at 41" x 81". The 6 sheet is six times the size of the one sheet measuring of 81" x 81". There is also a 12 sheet approximately twelve times the size of a one sheet, and the colossal sized 24 sheet measuring 246" x by 108". Other sizes include the mini sheet, which is usually much smaller than the one sheet and comes in a variety of sizes, and the stock sheet issued for cartoons or other shorts.
As with all collectibles, condition is a great factor when placing a value on posters. A movie poster's value is determined by demand, rarity, and condition. Poster collectors use the same grade system used by comic book collectors: mint (perfect), near mint, very good, good, fair, and poor.
For those who want to be serious movie poster collectors, you will need to know some things about taking care of your movie poster art.
Tips to retain the total collectable value of movie posters
Never alter the appearance of a poster. Do not fold, bend, tear, or punch holes in it even to hang it on your wall.
Never place a movie poster in direct sunlight. UV lights can also be harmful.
Don't write on your poster, even on the back. Marks on the back can sometimes be seen from the other side, taking away from the poster's value.
Never put tape on the front of a poster even to repair tears. If you do use tape, use acid free tape available from an art supply shop, and place the tape on the back. For expensive movie art take it to a professional to be restored. Posters can be restored the same way rare comic books are professionally restored.
When shipping posters use thick poster tubes or bubble envelopes.
For long time storage, frame, or place the poster in a plastic bag or tube, and keep it in a cool dry climate.
When framing a poster do not dry mount it, and use an acid free backing board.
Now that you know a little more about movie posters and movie poster collecting, go ahead, start collecting!
Posterlovers.com - Search through the world's largest available collection of posters, fine art prints and photos. Liven up your walls with wall posters and art prints.
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Why Disney's "Frozen" Is a Bad Movie
I just finished watching the popular Disney movie, "Frozen", for the second time. The hype surrounding the movie was obnoxious and everyone was saying that, "'Frozen' is one of the best movies of all time." Watching it my first time around, it wasn't great; the bar was set pretty high and my expectations didn't meet up to the reality of the movie. But after my second time watching it, it has solidified in my brain that this movie is one of the worst Disney has ever produced.
There's actually a funny history surrounding this movie. Walt Disney wanted to make this movie all the way back in 1943. "Frozen" was supposed to be Disney's adaptation of the popular fairy tale, "The Snow Queen", written by Hans Christian Anderson (Get it? Hans, Kristoff, Anna, Sven. Good job, Disney). "The Snow Queen" actually has, what would be Elsa, as the villain. They decided they couldn't create the movie in the 40s because they couldn't find a way to adapt it to a modern audience. They tried again in the late 1990s, but the project was scrapped when one of the head animators on the project, Glen Keane, quit. In 2010, they scrapped it again because they still couldn't find a way to make the story work. Then, in 2011, they finally decided on making Anna the younger sister of the Snow Queen, which was enough for them to create "Frozen".
"Frozen" was directed by Chris Buck (known for "Tarzan") and Jennifer Lee (known for "Wreck-it-Ralph"). The bar was set pretty high for me seeing as both those movies were well above the standards of a "kid's movie". The story was going to be just like the fairy tale, but then, Christophe Beck composed the hit song, "Let it Go". The production team went crazy; instead of trying to fit the song into the movie, they rewrote the entire plot and Elsa's entire character to fit the song. I have never heard of an entire movie being changed to fit one song. Because of this, it's blatantly obvious that no one could decide on anything in this movie. Since Elsa isn't the antagonist, there really was no real evil force. The Duke of Weaselton is brought up to be the villain in the beginning when he states, "Open those gates so I may unlock your secrets and exploit your riches. Did I say that out loud?" Why do you want to unlock the secrets and exploit their riches?
The Duke has absolutely no development to the point where he doesn't even have a name. He barely even gets screen time. So if he isn't the villain, who is? Well, in the last 15 minutes of the movie, Anna's fiance, Prince Hans, is brought up to be the villain, stating he wants to rule a kingdom and he can't because of his 12 other brothers. This comes out of absolutely nowhere. There were no hints, no evil glances, no sidebars or monologues, nothing. He even gives out blankets and hot soup to every person in the kingdom of Airendale. Prince Hans even says, he will protect Airendale because Anna left him in charge and "will not hesitate to protect Airendale from treason" when the Duke states he wants to take over. I can't stand it when they get so lazy as to just throw in a villain at the last few minutes because they couldn't actually bring up a real villain. Prince Hans states that he wanted to take over and he was going to kill Elsa and all this other crap, but Elsa was just about to be killed and he saved her life. Why would he save her life if he wanted her dead? None of it made sense and it irked me the entire movie.
Frozen recycles animation and character models from their previous hit, "Tangled". The main characters, Elsa and Anna, use the same exact model as Rapunzel from "Tangled". This controversy has been huge around the internet, calling Disney "lazy" and the such. Personally, I was okay with this. Disney is known for recycling animations (which can be seen here). Even though it was really strange that Elsa and Anna had the same exact face and body structure and the only difference between them were the freckles and their hair, it didn't bother me too much. But, during the coronation scene, Elsa says to Anna, "You look beautiful." Pretty ironic if you ask me.
The movie starts off with Elsa and Anna playing together with Elsa's ice magic. It's cute at first, but then Elsa strikes Anna in her head and they have to "thaw out the ice" or something along those lines. So they ask the trolls to heal her and they wipe Anna's memories of Elsa having magic. Then, they lock the castle doors so no one can ever see Elsa and lock Elsa away in her room to never speak to her sister again. This is where it all starts to go downhill. None of it made sense. Why would you wipe Anna's memories of Elsa having magic? If it was easily fixed, why not just explain to her that they can't play with Elsa's magic anymore because it's out of hand? She would've known the consequences afterwards. It's like if you touch a hot stove; you're curious, you touch it, you burn yourself, you never touch it again. The fear solidifies subconsciously. Even if you could explain why she needed her memories erased, why was Anna locked inside the castle doors too? Anna had no recollection of the events, even at the end of the movie, so why was Anna being punished for something Elsa did? They could have easily allowed her to talk to the townsfolk and have a good time outside the castle while Elsa was locked away.
There's this motif throughout the movie about locked doors; they lock the castle doors, Anna knocks on Elsa's door and she never answers, Anna and Prince Hans sing the song, "Love is an Open Door", Anna says to Elsa, "All you know is how to shut people out." I found the motif pretty clever until they forced it down my throat. When Anna reaches the ice castle, she knocks on the door. When the door opens, she says, "Well that's a first." It's a giant punch in the chest when you think you've analyzed a motif and you can go on and on about how amazing the directors were for putting it in there, but then the directors hold your hand and forcefully say, "Hey! This a motif! You should totally love us for this!" I would've been okay with it too if they just didn't put that one line in the movie. When you read a book and you analyze it, the author is trying to let you come to the conclusion yourself and let you discuss it. It's the same with movies. There was no need to forcefully tell us that this was a motif. Doing so was actually counterproductive. It popped my bubble.
This lead me to the question, "Why was Anna the main character?" Here's a checklist of every plot-moving event in the movie:
Elsa strikes Anna so they have to lock the castle gates and Elsa can never talk to anyone ever again
Elsa is becoming queen
The entire kingdom gets frozen over because of Elsa
Elsa arguably has the best song in the entire movie
Anna has to find Elsa so that Elsa can save the entire kingdom
Hans has to kill Elsa to become king
Everything centers around Elsa. So why have Anna be the main character? Anna didn't have any real character development in the movie while Elsa was completely fleshed out in every scene that she's in. Just watch the scene from her song, "Let It Go"The entire song is about her "letting go" of her fear and coming to terms with her powers and being herself. This would've made a for a better plot; a woman finally coming to terms with herself, society trying to shut her down, and her fight to be accepted as who she is. Instead, it's about Anna trying to find her sister so her sister can save the kingdom. It's like Phil being the main character of Hercules or Mushu being the main character for Mulan. It doesn't make any sense. Anna isn't as interesting as Elsa. Sure, she's funny and relate-able, but that could easily have been Elsa. Everyone can relate to not fitting into the social norms. So I reiterate, why have Anna be the main character?
Speaking of Anna, they said the only way to save her was "one true act of love". There were many "true acts of love." Kristoff bringing her to the trolls, Olaf giving her that pep talk, Kristoff bringing her to Hans to save her. All of these were "true acts of love", but none of them counted because it didn't "fit the dynamic of sisterhood." The whole dynamic between Elsa and Anna felt so forced to the point where I stopped caring halfway through the movie. Mostly because Anna doesn't actually evolve as a character until the very end of the movie. Even then, the development isn't that major.Olaf is another thing that felt so force-fed. It was cute that the snowman Elsa and Anna created when they were young became a real living being and helped Anna out on her quest, but he didn't do much. At all. He sings a song about the summer, makes a ton of jokes, gives Anna a pep talk at the end of the movie, more jokes, then that's it. He doesn't really face much adversity, making him extremely 1 dimensional. It's obvious they put him in there just to be cute and to target a wider audience. There's a test that I use to explain 1 dimensional characters; if you can replace the character with a lamp, and the plot could still advance, then the character didn't need to be there. I promise you, if you watch the movie again and follow that test, you'll understand exactly what I saying. What's worse is that he could've actually been a catalyst to Anna regaining her memories of her sister and finally realizing why she feels the way she does. But instead, he's nothing but a comedic relief that has no part in the plot whatsoever.
The whole movie and plot felt so rushed and like no one could agree on anything. From the villains to the plot to the characters; it's all rushed. It felt like they said, "Hey, "Tangled" was great! Let's just take the stuff we used from "Tangled" and get this movie off our checklist after 70 years." But, there is one thing that did surprise me; the soundtrack. The music was phenomenal. Every song felt very broadway-esque and fit the scenes perfectly. "Let It Go", "Love is an Open Door", and all the rest of the songs made my heart soar and gave me hope for the next Disney titles to have music on par with the classics like "Mulan" or "The Lion King".
And that's my opinion on Disney's "Frozen". Honestly, this movie was just plain bad. I say, wait for it to go on Broadway and see it there. I firmly believe that the Broadway musical will be light-years better than this atrocity. They'll have more time for production, more time to explain and develop their characters and plots, and the effects will be really sick. I can't wait to see how they bring up Elsa's Ice Castle! If you don't agree with any of my points, do feel free to leave a comment with your opinion! Unless you're gonna argue that this movie wasn't targeted to my demographic and that it was "made for kids". I will then point you in the directions of the masterpieces known as "Tangled", "The Lion King", "Mulan", "Brave", and almost every other Disney movie before this. I would love to see what everyone else thought of the movie!
*DISCLAIMER* This is my opinion. This does not reflect on anyone else on this website.
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Why The Movie "After Earth" Is Important
I was born in 1976 and outside of "Blaxploitation" movies, there were no African American action or science fiction stars. My favorite movies included "Tron," "Superman," "The Last Star Fighter," and "Dune." The heroes in those movies had super powers, super intelligence, and had to dig deep to overcome extra-ordinarily difficult situations, often at great personal cost. It is worth noting here that the stars of these movies were all Caucasian males, and none of them looked like me. Hell, in most of the movies with a futuristic theme there was not even a Black person cast as an extra! As if, as Richard Pryor so eloquently put it, white people were not expecting us to be in the future.
It is no secret that many action, fantasy and science fiction movies contain ancient magical and mythological elements incorporated into the fabric of their stories; to see titans, gods, goddesses and fairies as characters in modern day cinema is a fairly commonplace occurrence - with one caveat, these characters almost never appear in movies written or directed by Blacks, or with an all Black cast.
When it comes to Black cinema we have few choices for our movie going pleasure. We have comedies, action comedies, the all important "Jesus Will Fix It" film and "Hot Ghetto Mess Drama," (usually not the good kind), and last but not least is the "Catharsis Drama" - movies about profound suffering and abuse and how the characters where able to somehow carry on after being both victimized and traumatized. Few Black writers explore the realm of science fiction, fantasy, or create movies with a magical or mythological theme.
To add levels of depth and subtle complexity to their stories, adept writers and directors are able to use the archetypical and symbolic elements of the heroes and heroines of ancient mythological stories and folk and fairy tales. Many times these elements are used so skillfully as to be hardly recognized by the majority of the movie going public, but to the trained eye, these elements are obvious.
It takes study of classical literature, world mythology and symbology in order to use the above mentioned story elements with any level of effectiveness. Study that many burgeoning African American film makers seem all too willing to ignore in their movie making process, as these elements are often sorely lacking in the plots and storylines of the majority of Black cinema.
The "After Earth" screenplay was written by Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan, with the story by Will Smith, tells the type of story that Black entertainment hasn't seen the likes of in a very, very long time.
Some critics dislike this movie because they know what Mr. Smith is trying to accomplish with this type of movie, and they don't like it. While Smith's traditional audience may be slow to co-sign this movie for two reasons, one is they are not used to seeing African Americans play these types of roles, (although they will pay top dollar to watch Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Keanu Reaves play these roles over and over again,) and two, they don't really understand the themes portrayed in this movie due to the fact that as a culture, we were stripped of our initiatory practices and our stories, and as a result we are used to seeing these types of roles played by White or Asian actors and actresses.
By and large, the legends, folklore and traditions of Africans and other indigenous cultures, have been demonized through religion and western culture, and so it seems we shun the magical and fantastical images of ourselves as sorcerers, demigods and heroes.
Why "After Earth" is Worth Watching
Below I will outline various elements of the movie "After Earth" that make this movie worth seeing over and over again. Fathers, if you have been looking for a movie to take your sons to that will help you to begin a profound conversation about rites of passage and growing into a man, you'll want to check this out.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!! - We are going to be discussing the story and plotline from this movie and by doing so parts of the actual story are going to be revealed. If you don't want to spoil the movie before you've seen it, STOP NOW, and then come back after you've seen it to participate in this analysis.
Initiation
Let's begin by taking a look at the theme of initiation that runs throughout "After Earth".
Initiation was important in indigenous tribes because it was a system by which the young boys and girls of a given culture or tribe were guided through in order to educate, prepare and move them through the phase of childhood into adulthood and all the attendant rites and responsibilities which adulthood entailed.
Training
Initiation always begins with education and training, and in the movie we begin with the main character training with his military academy class. Readers will take note that cadets in the military go through a process of initiation designed to strip them of their life as a civilian to remold them as a soldier, and make no mistake, this system of initiation was taken from the ancient indigenous cultures of Africa and passed down through other cultures and societies throughout the world.
Training involves physical and mental exercise and tests designed to give initiates/cadets control over their bodies, their emotions and their minds.
It is at this point in the movie that we find that young Kitai, while exhibiting impressive physical abilities is lacking in emotional and mental control, issues which he will be forced to deal with later on in the movie.
Below is an outline of initiatory steps as experienced by the ancients and portrayed in "After Earth"
Trek Through Nature in Solitude With a Mission to Complete
Initiate Versus Nature, Beasts, and Self (FEAR)
Initiate must face and overcome several trials in order to reach their goal (manhood)
Endurance (Breathing linked to inhalers)
Initiate must protect and ration limited amount of supplies, ie; food, water, medical
Handling confrontation with potential danger.
It is worth noting here that Kitai failed his first encounter with danger (the monkeys) spectacularly! His Father told him to take control of his Power and watch what he creates. Kitai could not control his fear and anxiety and thus created a scenario where his life was in danger and forcing him to flee from the confrontation he created out of fear. In initiation, this is to be expected. The initiate must fail in order to understand what can result from recklessness and unchecked fear.
This same scenario played itself out in the movie Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, when Luke was sent into the "Cave of Darkness" by Yoda. Luke took FEAR into the cave with him and was confronted by it in the form of his Father, Darth Vader - though this Vader was purely a creation of Luke's fearful thoughts.
More Steps on the Path
Facing medical emergency - poisoning by river leach and self administration of anti-venom.
Surviving the elements - finding thermal heat vents and shelter to keep warm during cold spells.
Defying Authority or "The System" in order to do what is right.
Leap of Faith - Jumping off a cliff in the hopes that his brash act will carry him to his goal.
Surviving a predator - The Raptor or Hawk representing Heru*
Assisting Mother Nature to defend her children - fighting for the lives of the baby hawks against the attacks of the feline predators.
Divine Aid - Initiate is pushed to his physical limits and thus transcends and is able to make contact with the spirit world where he is able to make peace with his dead sister and is given the aid and the protection of his spirit totem, the hawk.
Initiate reaches physical goal but must still go higher in order to reconnect spiritually with his Father - Kitai finds the beacon however it does not send the signal. Out of anger and frustration he hears the spiritual voice of his Father telling him to take a knee, (lower his physical nature so that he may listen to his higher "spirit" nature) - his father then tells him that he must go higher, to the top of a nearby mountain so that he can send their beacon signal (plea for assistance) into the heavens.
Initiate must face and overcome his fear here symbolized by the "Ursa" monster. Note here that "Ursa" is another name for a Bear which in some native tribes had to be faced and overcome by the young teens of the tribe in order for them to become men.
Initiate has to enter the Cave of Darkness/Fear. It is here that the monster reveals itself to the initiate and must be fought to the death.
Initiate is hurled into the abyss and must experience death. This death is not a physical one usually, but represents the death of the childish nature of the boy and the birth of the man. Fear, doubt and disbelief dies here, and the man, the warrior is able to be born. Initiate is put in mortal danger in order to force a change of mind and heart.
Upon reaching the mountaintop, the initiate is able to completely conquer himself and as a result his own fear and is thus able to destroy the monster and send a beacon into the heavens to receive a rescue and a return to his heavenly home.
By completing his task, the initiate is able to return home and redeem (save) his Father who was symbolically dead and in the underworld or in a deep soul sleep from which only the sons sacrifice could save him. **
Archetypes
The makers of "After Earth" also make use of archetypes to help them tell their story. According to the Concise Encyclopedia an "archetype" is "Primordial image, character, or pattern of circumstances that recurs throughout literature and thought consistently enough to be considered universal." Literary critics adopted the term from Carl Gustav Jung's theory of the collective unconscious. Because archetypes originate in pre-logical thought, they are held to evoke startlingly similar feelings in reader and author. Examples of archetypal symbols include the snake, whale, eagle, and vulture. An archetypal theme is the passage from innocence to experience; archetypal characters include the blood brother, rebel, wise grandparent, and prostitute with a heart of gold."
Some of the archetypes that "After Earth" makes use of include, the "Father," wise and valiant, yet fundamentally separated from his son, due to some perceived weakness or character flaw within the Son. The Son has let his Father down in a profound way, which has caused emotional and physical detachment.
The archetype of the "Son/Sun" in movies has the son following in his Father's footsteps, while at the same time trying to make his own mark. He loves his Father but is resentful of him because he knows that he has fallen short of his Father's expectations and/or achievements and he yearns to be like his Father and even to surpass him, in order to gain his love and respect. It is the Son's job ultimately to redeem or save his Father, which makes him a suitable replacement for his Father, and which earns him the right to become a Father in his own right.
The steps that the Father and Son archetype takes in the movie "After Earth" are listed below.
Son in search of Father
Son fails to achieve an expected goal, and is judged by Father to be a failure. In After Earth this is unspoken, though in some stories the Father tells the Son outright that he is a failure.
Father and Son embark on journey to attempt to mend the rift between them. (This is a mask for the beginning of the initiatory journey.)
Father and Son encounter disaster, which only the two of them survive, leaving the Father severely wounded and having to rely on the Son for salvation.
Father demands absolute obedience and adherence to his rules and commands as he does not fully trust the mental and physical abilities of the Son.
Son is sent out to face the elements and enemies alone, but with the "spiritual guidance" of the Father. In After Earth, the spiritual guidance of the Father is represented by the com-link that keeps them in voice communication, and the "All Seeing Eyes" or cameras that the Father deploys in order to observe his Son's progress and to watch out for danger.
Son VS Father - The Son begins to question his Father's authority when his Father exhibits a lack of faith that the Son can accomplish his goals. This is perhaps the MOST important part of the movie when Kitai chooses to outright disobey the direct order of his Father. The lesson is this: when authority is wrong or becomes oppressive, it must be disobeyed by the hero in order for justice to be done.
Son Disobeys Father and is Cutoff, Cast Out or Cast Down. Being cut off from communication with the Father is symbolic of being cast down from heaven, which was shown literally as Kitai took a leap off the top of a waterfall in disobedience to his Father's order that he return home. This event caused his communication link to his Father to be broken, leaving the Son alone and without guidance at a critical stage of the mission/initiation.
Son Forced to Face Enemy (FEAR) Alone - In the movie fear is represented by the Ursa, which is a monster that tracks its enemies through pheromones released when its prey is afraid. This creature can literally smell your fear. It is only when the Son has mastered himself that he can overcome the fear inside him, which the Ursa beast in the movie symbolizes.
Son Redeems (SAVES) Father, Returns Home a Man, Understands and Becomes Father.
The Heru Mythos
Every hero story you have ever read or saw played out on the silver screen is based on the mythos of Heru. Heru was an ancient African deity or Neter (force or aspect of nature) and the template for all good kings. You can read about his exploits in "The Passion of Osiris (Ausar)" and "A Tale of Two Brothers". These tales come down to us from the land of ancient Kemet, now called Egypt.
In the myth Heru's Father Ausar (Osiris) is betrayed and murdered by his jealous brother Set. Ausar is resurrected as the spiritual ruler of the underworld or afterlife. As a ruler, he is perpetually made to sit on a throne and cast his judgment on those who have recently passed on. [This is shown symbolically as Kitai's Father Cipher was stuck in the chair inside the ship and using the ships camera's (spiritual eyes) and the comm. Link (spiritual communication) to watch over and provide guidance to Kitai]
The throne motif is important as it was foreshadowed in After Earth by the soldier in the wheelchair, who approached the General and his Son. Upon approaching the General, the soldier declared that the General had saved his life and asked to be "stood up," or in Biblical terms, "made upright", by his companions so that he could make a proper salute to his hero (savior). This theme would play itself out again as the General would make the request "stand me up", so that he could salute his son -this particular movie sequence represents the son "redeeming" or "saving" his Father.
Getting back to the mythos of Heru... after his father Ausar (Osiris) is murdered and his brother takes over the kingdom of Kemet, it becomes the mission of Heru and is Mother Auset (Isis) to get Heru on the throne as the rightful ruler of the land. Heru has to go through years of training under the auspices of his Mother Auset, His Aunt Nebhet (Nephtys) and the diminutive Bes who is the Neter of child birth, happiness and war. It is Bes who trains Heru to be a warrior. In the movie Star Wars Yoda played the part of the trainer (Bes) to Luke Skywalker (Heru).
The symbol of Heru was the Hawk. He was often depicted with wings and having the head or mask of a hawk. In the movie After Earth we see the relationship of the Hero to the Hawk in the "Leap of Faith" sequence where the hawk chases Kitai down and then carries him off to her nest to be food for her baby chicks. Kitai awakes while being nibbled on by the newborn chicks, but finds that the hawk nest is under attack by feline predators intent on eating the chicks.
Kitai helps the hawk to defend the nest but fails to keep the predators from killing all of the baby birds.
The hawk mourns the loss of her baby chicks with a screech of rage and begins to follow Kitai in the air, which seems menacing in the beginning, but we find out later that the Hawk has bonded with Kitai and she later drags him to safety and protects him from the cold by using her own body heat to keep him from freezing. This is an obvious symbol of Kitai's mythic relationship to Heru the Neter*** of the Sun and the Sky... the original sky - walker.
After many contentious battles and adventures, Heru, with the help of his Mother would go on to gain rulership of the land of Kemet (Egypt) and thereby redeem his Father Ausar (Osirus).
It is important that you know that the story of Ausar (Osiris) and Heru (Horus) has been told and retold across the world and can be found in many variations, the names and characters and even some of the circumstances may change, but the root of the story remains the same. It is the duty of the Son to succeed his Father as ruler of the land or EARTH, but only AFTER he has proven himself worthy to do so. So you can see that the movie After Earth has a lot more depth to it than meets the casual eye.
There are many other examples of the mythological and archetypal symbolism that are incorporated into the movie After Earth that I was not able to touch on like the Mother as the "Queen of Heaven," or the Sister as the "Spiritual Guardian" of her Brother. This movie is chock full of all the elements that make a great story and I for one feel that the story of After Earth was masterfully told. I'm looking forward to more of this type of movie from not only Will Smith and crew, but from other Black film-makers as well.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
*Also known as Horus, Heru was an ancient Kemetic (Egyptian) Neter (Deity) of the Sun and Sky, his symbol was the hawk. Heru was often depicted with the head of a hawk and the body of a man.
**Kitai's Father Cipher being trapped in the innards of a spaceship evokes the symbolism of Jonah in the belly of the fish as well as the Ausarian (Osiris) mythos of Ausar sitting on a throne and providing spiritual guidance to Heru from the spirit world.
*** Neter means aspect of nature or divine nature. Neter has been translated as God and Goddess.
By Keith D. Young
If you like this article and you're interested in reading more like it, check out my website at- http://www.AfroPerspectives.com
Written by Keith D. Young. All rights reserved.
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Upcoming Zombie Movies
The latest Zombie Movies of 2013-14
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Zombies have of late gained a large amount of interest in pop culture. The reasons might be myriad - a morbid fascination with apocalypse situations, a metaphor for the way that most people allow themselves to be herded like sheep, a growing fear stemming from recent virulent diseases that have wreaked havoc on populations. Whatever the reasons may be, Zombies now have their own genre despite seeming mindless, no pun intended.
Though first featured in White Zombie (1932), it wasn't until the premier of Night of the Living Dead (1968) that Zombies in movies really garnered attention from the majority of the viewing public. A slew of Resident Evil movies later, Zombie movies were regarded as a completely action and horror oriented subject. With the release of Shaun of the Dead (2004) though, Zombie movies have been explored for their comic value, thus bursting the dam on what can be done with thousands of mindless, smelly creatures all intent on eating those still alive. The success of AMC's The Walking Dead, a zombie apocalypse survival television series, has promptly brought on the year of the zombie, with more than a dozen films and ventures that attempt to cash in on the success that these undead freaks of nature have achieved. Here we take a look at some of the Zombie movies set to be released soon:
World War Z - One of the biggest zombie movies to be released yet, WWZ stars Brad Pitt in the leading role as Gerry Lane, a United Nations worker whose task is to coordinate resistance and help stop the global Zombie epidemic that threatens to tear down human civilization. Based on the eponymous book by Max Brooks, the director, Marc Forester portrays the Zombie cadres like a colony of ants whose strength is in numbers. With a budget in excess of $200 million, Paramount Pictures is set to release the film in June of this year. This is likely to set a record as the highest grosser of Zombie movies 2013-14.
Warm Bodies - Based on a book by Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies is a Zombie romantic comedy that explores Zombie love. Jonathan Levine, who wrote the screenplay and also directed the movie, ventures into the untested by providing a Zombie's perspective. Nicholas Hoult stars as Zombie who shows signs of human emotions towards Teresa Palmer's character and the movie explores the possibility of humans and zombies living in a harmonious environment. Released early February of this year, this Zombie movie has already grossed over $100 million, making this a must watch for any Zombie movies lover.
The 4th Reich - Combining the two greatest villainous entities in Hollywood, this Sean Bean starrer terrifies movie goers with Nazi Zombies. Directed and written by Shaun Robert Smith, this World War 2 era movie portrays an elite team of a British Infantry Division as they go about killing Nazis and eliminating the threat of Zombies created by Nazi scientists during their experiments to create a superior human race. Set to be released late this year, The 4th Reich is another in a long list of WW2 movies, but with a slightly undead twist.
Invasion of the Not Quite Dead - A dark comedy thriller about the inhabitants of a small island off the coast of England that is turned into Zombie death trap by a deadly virus, this is one of the more entertaining Zombie movies, written and directed by Anthony Lane is not one to miss. Starring relatively well known Andrew Ellis and Ajay Nayyar, the movie promises a unique look at how a small group of survivors face the rigors and challenges of escaping Zombies.
Wyrmwood: This is an Australian movie set to be released in late 2013, with post-production work going on. The movie is styled after the Will Smith starrer I AM LEGEND, and falls in the action category of Zombie Movies 2013-14. Written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, the movie stars Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradey and Leon Burchill. The story revolves around Jay Gallagher, whose character loses his family on the eve of a zombie attack. He teams up with a friend and together they drive through the Australian Bush to the safer interiors, battling the undead on the way from the comfort of a fortified van. This movie seems to have a better storyline when compared to many of the other Zombie movies 2013-14 has to offer.
R.I.P.D - Also known as Rest In Peace Department, is a Zombie action comedy that has a star studded cast. Ryan Reynolds plays a recently murdered cop and joins the likes of Kevin Bacon, Jeff Bridges and Mary-Louise Parker who along with others and forms a team of undead police officers. With a release date in mid July 2013, this Zombie film portrays the undead as the good guys who use their undeadness to fight crime. Directed by Robert Schwentke who has blockbusters like Red (2010) and The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) under his belt, this is one of the better Zombie movies 2013-14 and is sure to exceed all expectations.
The Harvard Zombie Massacre - Another Zombie movie that is presently in pre production, it is set in a Harvard University campus overrun with Zombies. The twist that sets this movie apart from the rest of the Zombie movies is that these particular Zombies aren't as mindless as one might suspect. Produced by Warren Zide of American Pie and Final Destination fame, the film chronicles how America's most brilliant minds can survive an onslaught from the most brilliant Zombies. This horror comedy written by Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit will be released late 2013 or early 2014.
Movies set for release in 2014:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - An adaptation of the classic Jane Austen story of a woman's quest for independence and love, the screenplay has been reworked to include her fight to eradicate a growing Zombie threat. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are provided with zombie flavored distractions from their pristine 19th century English manors and questions of morality and marriage are superseded by the need to survive. Though the film is still in its planning stage, its unique twist ensures that it will generate a great deal of interest, and not just with zombie movies lovers.
The Curse of the Buxom Strumpet - A dark comedy set in the early 1700's and starring Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Judi Dench, this Zombie movie focuses on the accomplishments of a lord of fictional Upper Trollop, a small town in Oxfordshire, England. Based on E'gad Zombies!, a short film by the same director, Matthew Butler who worked with Ian McKellen, this movie promises a showing like none other, partly due to the tremendous acting talent and also due to the unique settings. Set to be released early 2014, this is one of the Zombie movies that will set itself apart from the rest.
The zombies are taking over the movie theaters and cinemas, after the last few years which were dominated by the vampires and werewolves. Every big Hollywood studio and the not-so-big ones, not to mention the independent movie makers are trying to cash in on the latest craze for the undead, set off the by the popular television series. Zombie movies are invading the cinemas and theaters around the world and there seems to be no stopping the undead, anytime soon.
I am a freelance writer. Writing is my passion and I love doing it.
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Movie Rentals Made Easy
For years, movie lovers have been able to rent their favorite films and enjoy them in the comfort of their own homes. A number of major rental stores along with countless independently owned mom and pop stores have helped to make renting and watching movies a favorite pastime for many. This is a cost-effective and simple solution for those who prefer not to spend the time or money it takes to go to movie theaters.
The outstanding thing about renting movies is that a film can be watched over and over until the rental time is up. This is a preferred option for individuals who would rather spend one small price to watch a movie as many times as they want versus spending significantly more to watch it in the theater only once. Advances in technology have brought about several easy ways to rent movies.
One method of renting movies is to have them streamed to a television, cell phone, or computer device. This way of watching rental movies requires a wireless internet connection. Streaming movies to an electronic device means that individuals don't have to deal with the hassle of keeping track of and returning movies on time. Movie-streaming services usually require users to pay a flat monthly fee in order to gain access to a library of films they can watch as often as they like. Several major movie-rental companies and countless other newer companies now offer this method to their customers. Many cell phone companies have jumped on the bandwagon and also offer movie-streaming services as well. This way of renting movies is attractive because it allows for streaming on portable devices that have wireless connections. Users can watch movies on their laptops and other portable devices wherever there is a wireless connection such as in coffee shops, bookstores or public libraries.
In recent years $1 movie-rental kiosks have made their way into grocery stores, outside convenience stores and in various other locations. The concept for most of these movie-dispensing machines is that you can rent a film at the cost of only $1 per day. In order to use this method, users enter their credit card information into the machine and select from a menu of films that are available from that particular kiosk. If the movie is returned after the first day individuals are only charged $1 per film. If it is returned later, then the credit card will be charged according to how many days it was out. Some prefer this straightforward method of renting because there is no contract required. Renting from a $1 movie kiosk is also attractive because of the low price of the rentals.
Cable and satellite television companies also provide an easy method for their customers to rent movies. Many premium television providers allow users to order films from their cable or satellite box remote controls. Movies are available for rental the same day they come out on video so users don't have to feel that they have to wait longer than those who buy films from a store. Typically, customers who have movie-renting features also have the option to watch the film as many times as they want within a 24-hour period.
Having rental-movies delivered by mail is probably the oldest method of avoiding having to go to a rental store, and it is still an uncomplicated and convenient process. A lot of companies couple this feature with streaming programs. Often customers have access to a wider range of movies if they choose to sign up for a rental program that has both streaming and mail-order service. In order to encourage customers to use their mail-delivery service, some companies provide a limited amount of movies available through their streaming service while providing a much larger movie inventory through the direct-mail service. Many mail-order services allow customers to keep movies as long as they want within a 30-day period. Depending on the user's account, customers can sometimes rent up to three movies at a time for one flat monthly rate.
Movie-rental, cable, and satellite television companies have made it simple to rent films. In recent years, many mobile phone service providers have also joined the movie-rental business. The variety of rental options available to consumers makes it easy for almost anyone to watch their favorite films on television and other electronic devices. Renting movies really is all about which method each person prefers.
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How to Write a Movie Review?
In website content writing, writing movie reviews can be fun. We all love to watch movies and sometimes we want to know what other's opinions are about a particular movie before deciding whether to watch the movie or not. Therefore article writing about a film you watched will help others to make a decision. Let's discuss some tips to write a good movie review.
All of us have diverse opinions about a film. Article writing a review gives you a way to express your opinion and also helps others to know about the same.
Before you start content writing about a movie, you need to watch it. You can either watch these movies online or rent a DVD or visit your nearest multiplex. There are many websites that allow streaming of movies online.
Once your movie is chosen, getting acquainted with the theme of the movie is very important. Go online and gather some information about the actors in the movie. Check out their previous and upcoming works, whether they have any awards to their name, do they expertise in a particular style of acting, etc. also in content writing, it is important to read about the movie that you have chosen. Read what the movie is all about, whether it is sequel or a remake, the rest of the cast and crew, etc. This information will help you to compare the performance of the cast and crew in the movie of your choice to their earlier work. This is important as it will provide more solidity to the article writing for your review.
You will automatically form an opinion about the movie once you have seen it completely. Try and frame one single sentence that will highlight your opinion about the movie. This sentence will help you give an overall rating to the movie and at the same time your readers will have an instant idea about your opinion. In content writing, such sentences form a solid platform for your review.
While content writing for a review one important aspect is to grab the attention of your reader instantly. This is applicable to any form of website content writing. Your readers must draw interest from what you have to say about anything. Regarding article writing for movie reviews, start your article with a quote from the movie itself. Then gradually explain to you reader how the quote is applicable to the rest of the movie.
Next step is to discuss about the movie in brief. While content writing a review, always give a vague outline about the movie and do not disclose the entire story. You will want to give a general idea to the readers about the movie and not write to make them refrain from watching the movie. If they need to know the entire story, they will have to watch it. Always keep this in mind while article writing for a movie.
You must back your opinion about the film with proofs. Explain exactly why according to you, the movie was a drag or a hit. Mention noteworthy scenes and at the same time those that you thought were unnecessary. While article writing about the movie, you must mention about the script of the movie giving your opinion whether it was a good or bad script.
You must make your review enjoyable. It does not matter whether you enjoyed the movie or not, your article writing for the movie must be engrossing. From the beginning to the end your review should be interesting and at the same time brief.
Lastly, be honest with your content writing. Your motive to write a review must be to let others know about your opinion and not to stop anyone from watching the movie.
So, write a good review! We will be helped a lot with honest and sincere opinions about movies.
Bhavesh B Bhatia is an avid writer and regularly writes movie reviews and articles. Get in touch with him for latest movie reviews and other website content writing services [http://www.positivelycontent.com/contact.htm#].
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How To Download Movies Legally
The credit for bringing effective and revolutionary changes in media and entertainment primarily goes to the legit websites that provide their customers and visitors with satisfactory level of entertainment. The sites provide the customers with thousands of movies which they can view online. They have also provided them with the features of downloading such flicks on their PC's so that people can watch their preferred films at any time they desire. The problems related to the deficiency of flicks in the market or stores have also been resolved by such sites which provide the users with the rarest and oldest films that have been released even in the foreign countries.
People can find it quite beneficial for themselves to download flicks at their homes without having to spend unnecessary money on highly priced DVD movies that can either be bought or rented from retail shops. They don't have to worry about spending some extra on their car fuel merely because of their small and frequent visits to retail stores. Sometimes the stores are at a great distance and visiting them might not be so economical for you and your family. So, what's more useful than watching your favorite movie or video clip at home, sitting in front of your Personal computer or TV and have the movie downloaded in a short time. You can watch your personal favorite movies anytime by storing the downloaded file and you don't have to rent the same movie every time. Similarly, you might end up returning from the store empty handed merely because the store has run short of the movie or flick that you wanted. The online movie sites provide their users and movie lovers with a limitless collection of movies. Even the foreign movies can be downloaded from some well reputed and reliable sites that offer the movies in an authorized way.
By subscribing to a good movie site that offers movies along with a bunch of entertaining video clips, one can get access to thousands of movies and by mere clicking, he can view such movies online via live streaming. For such purposes a good web connection is required with stable speed in order to buffer the video or the movie efficiently. Moreover, online movie download features are also available via proper subscription to such legit sites. Another advantage of the legitimate online movie sites is that these sites are devoid of any sort of malwares or harmful viruses that can cause potential or even the slightest of trouble on you PC like slowing it down or corrupting the Hard disk data. So, these legal movie sites are totally safe to use and you won't get your PC get infected whereas pirated sites which provide P2P (Peer to Peer) file sharing often transfer infected file on your computer.
Furthermore, the online movie sites that provide the users with infinite number of movies also present the users with the feature of downloading the movie in any format they like. The movie quality is convertible too. People can download the movies in High definition quality. The high definition quality mainly includes two types of resolutions these days which are the720p resolution and the 1080p resolution. Apart from HD downloads; DVD quality movies are also downloadable here at some great legal movie portals. One can also get the movies in FLV or mp4 quality for his specific purpose. The movies can instantly be viewed online in any format or type too. This has certainly made the features of both watching and downloading from the same legal site, interesting and appealing. Those who possess alternatives of Microsoft Windows can also get such movies available for downloads on their devices or Pc's too. With a good personal computer and specifications, one can view online HD films easily without any interruptions or slowdowns.
I have reviewed a site that solves all the problems mentioned above. You can check out the review at my blog. You can chek out my imoviesclub review by clicking on the link.
Sam is the author of this article. Sam has various blogs in which he reviews services and products that he liked. In some of his blogs he has reviewed movie sites as well which allow you to download and watch movies at a one time and at a fixed rate.
You can check out his blog here:
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Bruce Lee Movies
We all know Bruce Lee from some particular fight scenes from his movies. There is the classic scene of Bruce versus Chuck Norris at the Coliseum in Rome in Enter the Dragon. There is the fight scene with a 5'7" Bruce and the 7'2" tall Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in "Scenes of Death". Who can forget the classic ending of Bruce running and jumping at his attackers in the final scene of "THE CHINESE CONNECTION"? With a lot of these classic movie scenes framed in memory, let's take a walk through Bruce Lee's movies.
This first movie, "GOLDEN GATE GIRL", takes us way back to 1941. Bruce was only a couple of months old when this movie was filmed in San Francisco, where Bruce was born. No karate in this film. Entering this early into show business gives us an idea that film making was introduced to Bruce at a young early age.
Bruce's first starring movie, "THE KID", was filmed in Hong Kong in 1950, when Bruce was 10 years old. In this film you are starting to see a very personable and involved kid, who played very well for the camera. Bruce Lee's father was a well known Chinese actor, who also starred in this film. Bruce Lee also worked with his father on a previous film, "THE BIRTH OF MANKIND", in 1946.
Bruce moved to San Francisco, California in 1959, then moved to Seattle, Washington to complete is high school education. He later attended the University of Washington, where he enrolled in the drama, and also studied philosophy. All through this time, Bruce practiced the Wing Chun Kung Fu he had learned in Hong Kong from Yip Man. Through Bruce's innovations, he mixed traditional kung fu, boxing, wrestling, and other fighting forms, to create his style of mixed martial arts, he called, Jeet Kune Do.
While expanding his practice and teaching of martial arts in the 1960's, Bruce never forgot his background in films. This led to several TV roles including, "THE GREEN HORNET" and "BATMAN", in 1966-1977. Bruce was also in "IRONSIDE" in 1967, "BLONDIE" in 1969, and "HERE COME THE BRIDES" in 1969. In 1971 Bruce also starred in some episodes of "LONGSTREET". What was unique about his LONGSTREET role is he starred as himself, and taught his form of martial arts and martial arts philosophy. In 1971 Lee pitched a modern kung fu western show to Warner Brothers, which, of course, he was to star in. Unfortunately, Warner Brothers used the concept of a Shaolin priest wandering the cowboy west and awarded the role to David Carradine. At the time, David Carradine had never had any martial arts training. This let Lee know he was limited in what types of movies or roles he could play in the U.S. TV and movie market. In all fairness to Warner Brothers, Lee's English may have been difficult for some people in the U.S. market to understand.
Bruce's first movie in the U.S. after the 1941 "GOLDEN GATE GIRL" was "MARLOWE", starring James Garner, as a somewhat rough characterized private detective. The movie was fairly mediocre, with Bruce playing a Chinese gang member who used karate and tore up James Garner's office. In one scene James Garner fights Bruce Lee and somehow beats him. This is not a movie Bruce Lee is very well known for.
With Bruce Lee's movie acting career going nowhere in the U.S., Bruce travels to Hong Kong and finds he is well known from the "GREEN HORNET" TV series. In Hong Kong TV series is known as the "KATO SHOW". With his popularity in Hong Kong and Asia, Bruce decides to try his hand in the Asian film industry. In 1971 Bruce Lee stars in "THE BIG BOSS", which is his first Asian Kung Fu/Martial Arts movie. This movie was filmed in Thailand, and became popular in Asia. Frankly, in my opinion this was not a very good movie. The fighting was not that good. The only unique part of the movie I remember was the bad guy throwing a knife at Bruce, which Bruce intercepts with a kick, which strikes the opponent in a killing blow to his body. The movie plot was based on workers in an ice factory being subjugated by the boss, who was also selling drugs. If I had never seen this movie, I would not have missed anything Bruce Lee represents. I'll give it one star for historical purposes. Note: in the U.S. market this film is also known as "FISTS OF FURY"
The real turning point in Bruce Lee's movies was "FIST OF FURY" in 1972. Note: in the U.S. this film was known as "THE CHINESE CONNECTION". This film is an absolute classic. In this film we are seeing more hand to hand fighting and less swords and knives that we saw in "THE BIG BOSS". This movie is definitive of a new class and genre of martial arts films. The storyline of the movie has Bruce Lee as a student of a kung fu school in the early 1900's. This was a period of time where Shanghai, in China, had been subjugated by European powers, and more recently by Japan. The Japanese held the power over the local police and treated Chinese like second class citizens. One day two Japanese came by Bruce Lee's school and left an insulting sign, taunting the Chinese. Bruce Lee incensed at the insult, took the sign back to the Japanese karate school beat everyone up. Things then escalated between the Chinese and Japanese with Bruce Lee essentially beating up all of the Japanese. The final scene has the Japanese and police coming to close the Kung Fu school and arrest Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee resists to the end with a flying kick straight into the guns facing him. There are a number of important points here. You have a country or part of a country which has been subjugated by a foreign power. The locals fight back. It pits the good regular people against the bosses. My school is better than your karate school. The real story line here is that Bruce Lee stood up for something, and stood against bullies. This message resonated with many people in third world countries at the time. This was a fight against oppression. The martial arts in this film were good. The story line made it great. If you are a Bruce Lee fan, this is a must see film.
With two recent martial arts movies completed, and a tremendous response at the box office, Bruce Lee is now a certified movie star Hong Kong and Asia. With this Asian movie success, Bruce Lee is getting more recognition as a film star from Hollywood. Bruce's next movie is "THE WAY OF THE DRAGON" or "RETURN OF THE DRAGON". This is the film shot in Rome with the epic scene between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. This film was the first movie Bruce wrote, directed, produced, and starred in. This was considered a martial arts action, comedy movie. The movie was fairly mediocre. The fight scene behind the restaurant showed Bruce's talents with empty hand karate, as well as using a bo staff, and nunchucks. Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris were friends and used to work out together. Bruce asked Chuck if he would like to be in his movie. Chuck asked who was going the win the fight between them. Bruce said, "Me, of course, it's my movie!" This fight was classic in that it was between two marital artists who respected each other, and vowed to fight to the death. This fight scene really spoke more about the essence of what a martial artist is and represents. This film is what really made Chuck Norris's film career. Good stuff! I'll give this movie one star for storyline and three stars for Bruce and Chuck's epic battle.
Bruce's next film was "ENTER THE DRAGON" in 1973. This film is significant with production being co-produced by a Hollywood film company, Warner Brothers, along with a Hong Kong company, Golden Harvest. Bruce Lee was a writer, editor, and star of this film. "ENTER THE DRAGON" also featured, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Robert Wall, Bolo Yueng, and a newcomer, Jackie Chan. Quality and story wise, this was a well produced movie, with good video, action, story line, and characters. According to one source, Bruce Lee wanted to show some to the good parts of martial arts and Chinese culture. The film cost about $850,000 to make, and made around 25 million dollars in the U.S. and 200 dollars million worldwide. This was a well put together film which I give five stars to. Due to Bruce Lee's death in 1973, this was the last film Bruce Lee made before he died.
"THE GAME OF DEATH" came out in 1978. This is the movie where Bruce Lee fights various martial artists up different levels of a pagoda. The main idea of this film was to showcase Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do techniques and how it is used to adapt to different fighting styles. The most stand out part of this film is Bruce Lee, 5' 7" tall fighting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 7'2" tall. Talk about extremes. In this case, Bruce found out Kareem's sensitivity to light, and defeated him. The Pilipino karate master, Dan Inosanto, was one of Bruce Lee's opponents in this film. Dan was the martial artists who introduced Bruce Lee to nunchucks. After three months, Bruce was better than Dan with nunchucks. Bruce also fought a Japanese karate master using a variety of techniques. I'll give this film three stars for the nature of the movie and how Jeet Kune Do is showcased. Bruce is probably best known from this movie from this yellow sweat suit.
To recap, Bruce Lee's first movie role was when he was a couple of months old. He acted in a number of U.S. TV shows and a movie, which showed his talents, but could not achieve stardom and a Chinese man. He rocketed to stardom in Hong Kong martial arts movies, and then finally received the recognition from Hollywood he deserved. More than an actor Bruce Lee re shaped martial arts, karate movies, and became a cultural icon. His popularity today, shows the significance of who he was, and what he gave us. He was truly a man before his time. We are fortunate to be able to see Bruce Lee from his movies.
Hello, At [http://www.websearchreviews.com] we like to look at martial arts from many aspects. As a life long martial artist, I enjoy the discovery of new techniques, styles, and practices which lead to better martial arts. From discovery, comes understanding. In this journey you learn from many sources and get some surprises in the process. Enjoy the trip!
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Top Ten Kung Fu Movies Of All Time - What Do You Think?
TOP TEN KUNG FU MOVIES
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Which are the top ten kung fu movies? There are a lot of great martial arts movies to choose from older classics to newer kung fu and karate movies.
1. Enter the Dragon. This classic Bruce Lee karate movie was filmed in 1973 and by many is consider one of his best. This movie stars Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, and Bob Wall. You will also a well known martial artist and body builder, Bolo, who has been in a number of kung fu and karate movies. In this film you will see Bruce Lee showing why he is a great martial artist, by use of his quick strikes, use of a variety of weapons, and adaptability in his kung fu techniques. Great movie! Enter the Dragon is a great showcase of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do style of martial arts. Four chili pepper rating.
2. Legend of Drunken Master. What's not to like about this movie. You will see Jackie Chan as a young karate student who learns a drunken style from his drunken master. Drunken Kung Fu is a unique form of the Shaolin karate style. Whether this is an actual kung fu style, or was created for film is in question. In this martial arts movie, you will see the drunken master's students fighting an evil Wushu gang, along with their master. The final fight scene is a hoot! Jackie Chan is magnificent in how he performs his drunken kung fu movements. The Drunken Master film doesn't take itself too seriously, and employs a good measure of comedy throughout the film. The martial arts fighting in this movie is very well done. This martial arts movie provides good entertainment value. Rated Four chili peppers.
3. Jet Li - Fearless. This 2006 marital arts movie is at the top of the list for a more serious drama oriented, historical, Wushu movie. Jet Li plays Chinese Martial Arts Master Huo Yuanjia. Master Huo began studying martial arts by watching his father instructing other students. Huo goes from being less than competent as a kid; to developing his Kung fun skills, and defeating all of his rivals. This goes to his head, and he gets cocky. From Huo's irresponsible fighting actions, he suffers tragedy. This tragedy leads to reflection and a change of attitude. Enter the European influence in China in the early 1900's. Master Huo becomes the Chinese Boxing Champion, who defeats foreigners, to create pride among the Chinese people. This is a great movie, with exceptional martial arts action and fighting. You will also like the character, hate the character, then love the character. There is little humor in this film, but a great deal of drama, like a Greek tragedy. I have watched this film four times already, and never get tired of it. Rated: 5 chili peppers.
4. Big Trouble in Little China. This kung fu comedy drama stars Kurt Russell and came out in 1986. While this film may not be on everyone's top ten kung fu list, it does stand out in the quality of the film, and the use of many Hollywood movie techniques. The story line is good with Kurt Russell somehow getting involved with kung fu warriors, a kidnapping, kung fu sorcery, and epic action packed scenes. The climax is when Kurt Russell must defeat Lo Pan, the mysterious kung fu master who is 2000 years old. There are no slow moments in this film. There is plenty of action, and many twists and turns. This martial arts movie provides good entertainment value, and is fun to watch. Rated: four chili peppers.
5. Karate Kid. This karate movie is the first of a series that came out in 1984, followed by two more Karate Kid movies with Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, and Elisabeth Shue. A new Karate Kid movie premiered in 2010, starring Jackie Chan, and Jaden Smith. This is a story of a smart-ass kid who learns about life and karate from an unassuming and controversial Okinawan karate master. Who today, has never heard, "Wax on, wax off". This is a story of a kid who wants everything instantly, but learns you have to work for anything of value. On the other part of the plot, you have an unscrupulous karate instructor at the local karate school, who teaches, win at any cost. This is where the two different karate worlds collide. Daniel is in the middle trying to learn Master Miyagi's subtle teachings, versus the Americanized competitive form of karate. The film's importance is showing that there are different levels of martial arts. Martial arts are as much mental, as physical. Learning martial arts involves much more than competing in tournaments. Rated 3 chili peppers.
6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was produced in 2000 to very good reviews. In fact, it won 4 Academy Awards, and received very high review ratings. This classic kung fu movie starred, YunFat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, and Ziyi Zhang. This in many ways is a classic kung fu movie with a Greek tragedy storyline. This film is huge in its range of scope, scenery, and story line. This film includes a search for a magical jade sword, and missing treasure. You also have a love story, and an assassin to deal with. The scenery in Western China's mountains, gives this film an extraordinary visual palette to enjoy. Some of the scenes of flying though the air were a bit strange, but, hey, it is a movie. This is a good movie with an abundance of expression. This is a classic kung fu epic. Rated five chili peppers.
7. Kill Bill. The first Kill Bill Movie came out in 2003. The second Kill Bill movie came out six months later, and completed the story line. This film was produced by Quentin Taratino, who is known for bloody and graphic films. This film stars Uma Thurman, along with David Carradine (Kung Fu TV Series), Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Vivica A. Fox, and Daryl Hannah. This is basically a revenge movie with Uma Thurman finding the other members of her assassin group and killing them for their betrayal. There are some scenes when Daryl Hannan, and Uma Thurman are studying under a Shaolin Master, which gives you a better underlaying of their training. The kung fu/karate movie has all the elements of a good film, with plenty of action, suspense, great characters, and uncertainty of where this film will lead. Great movie! Rated five chili peppers.
8. Billy Jack. Billy Jack is a relatively obscure American karate movie. This film stars Tom Laughlin, and came out in 1971. The character, Billy Jack, is part Indian, and lives out west on a reservation. Billy Jack has returned from the horrors of Viet Nam, and just wants to be left alone. The bad guys in the movie want to kill the wild horses and turn the horse meat into dog food. Billy Jack has a desert retreat to protect the wild horses. The bad guys pick on Billy Jack, since he is an Indian. Little do the bad guys know Billy Jack is a former Green Beret and Hapkido karate expert from Viet Nam. So we have classic story of good vs. bad, and the good guy trying to do the right thing. When it is time to fight, Billy Jack pulls no punches. While this movie did not win any awards, it told a good story in an American setting. This was not a fake David Carridine, doing kung fu. This was an American expressing himself with the skills he had learned to protect his family and friends. This movie is worth seeing if you come across it. Rated three chili peppers.
9. Kung Fu Hustle. The Kung Fu Hustle is a great film, with exceptional entertainment value. This movie, by far, is the greatest kung fu comedy to date. The story line is great with characters, bigger than life. The kung fu is fantastic and fun. The characters have a like-ability and stand out on their own. This film came out in 2004, and was produced by Stephan Chow. The movie stars Stephan Chow, Yah Yuen, and Oiu Yuen. This is a fun movie, and is definitive of great movie entertainment. Keep an eye out for the lady with the hair curlers, and a cigarette in her mouth. She has mastered special kung fu talents. Rated five chili peppers.
10. Shaolin Soccer. This is another Stephen Chow kung fu comedy, which predates Kung Fu Hustle. This film premiered in 2001. There are a lot of good karate scenes and special effects that keeps this film engaging. One particular scene has a young lady kung fu master working as a street vendor, making bread. It is so cool when you see her hand motions and how she spins the bread dough. There is something captivating about this scene, which gives you a better appreciation of the Chinese art of kung fu. The final scene where the hero uses kung fu to defeat the opposing soccer team is great. This film has high entertainment value, though the quality of the film is not quite up to Hollywood standards. Rated three chili peppers.
Leave me a comment about what you think are the TOP TEN KUNG FU MOVIES.
As a movie and martial arts enthusiast, I enjoy a good move, especially a good karate or kung fu movie. I decided to come up with a list of the best and influential martial arts movies of the past forty years. These ten films really standout. Let me know which kung fu movies you would add to the top ten. Cheers, Bob
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How To Host An Unforgettable Backyard Outdoor Movie Night
Have you ever wanted to re-live the experience of a summer night spent at a drive-in movie? A backyard movie event is the perfect chance to enjoy a movie under the stars with friends and family, without even needing to leave the comfort of your own yard. Here is how to create an unforgettable movie event in your own backyard.
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Theme
What type of event do you want to host? A date night to celebrate an Anniversary, a neighborhood block party, a birthday, family reunion or graduation are just a few occasions you can celebrate with a backyard movie night. A regular family film night can even be made extra special by making it into a backyard movie night with an inflatable movie screen.
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Pick the Movie
Once you decide on the type of event you want to host and the guest list, you can choose an appropriate film. If you are celebrating a birthday or graduation, let the honoree choose the movie. For a romantic date night, choose a favorite romantic film. If you are having kids at your backyard movie night, be sure to choose a family friendly movie.
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Equipment
Once you have decided on a motion-picture, it is time to make a budget and get in contact with a local outdoor movie production company. Many audio / visual production companies work with a wide variety of clients; from individuals who wish to host a small event at their home, to clients who need huge inflatable movie screens to accommodate thousands of guests.
The outdoor cinema production company you choose should have a screen size just right for your backyard flick night. The company should also be able to provide you with a projector and sound equipment to make your movie night an unforgettable, stress free experience much like a drive-in movie or movie theatre.
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Food
It's not movie night without food. You have several options here. You might make your movie night a potluck and ask everyone to bring a favorite movie snack to share, or you might provide snacks or a light meal like popcorn, hot dogs or movie theatre style candy. To really get the drive-in movie experience, you might even consider renting concession equipment like a popcorn or hot dog machine. You could keep the snacks simple or have a little more fun with it. Consider themed snacks to go with your film; chocolate to go with "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" or a meatball appetizer with "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs".
Set the Scene
Decorating and setting up your yard are other areas you can have some fun. Use lighting like Tiki torches or even Christmas lights to set a pretty scene and make it safer for guests to walk around in the dark. Consider heading to a local party store or putting your craft skills to good use and setting up themed decorations to compliment your movie. Lanterns, for example, would add an extra special touch to a "Tangled" backyard movie night. If you have a pool, a poolside movie is just right for a hot summer night. You might host a late afternoon pool party and barbeque, followed by a relaxing poolside movie night.
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Seating
There are several ways to set up the seating for your movie night. For kids, blankets or bean bags are a fun choice. Adults might prefer chairs or comfortable cushions. If you do not have enough chairs for all of your guests, you could either rent chairs or ask guests to bring a favorite chair. Consider low chairs like beach chairs so that everyone can see the movie.
Whatever the size, theme or reason for your backyard movie night; taking the time to carefully plan the details, decorate and choose the perfect movie will help ensure your movie night is one that will leave you and your guests with special memories.
Paul B. Murray is the founder and owner of Southern Outdoor Cinema, LLC, the LARGEST producer of outdoor movie events in the United States for professional sports teams, movie studios, film festivals, marketing agencies, Fortune 500 Companies and cities. Using cutting edge outdoor cinema equipment paired with a proprietary movie event planning system, Southern Outdoor Cinema helps clients create highly successful and highly entertaining outdoor movie events. To learn more about Southern Outdoor Cinema, visit http://www.SouthernOutdoorCinema.com
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Christmas Movies for the Whole Family
The best thing about Christmas movies is that they are wonderful for the whole family to watch together. These movies are specifically designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults alike. I want everyone to enjoy the holiday spirit not only during the Christmas season, but all year long with these family movies. This is why I compiled a list of Christmas movies which I believe to be among the best Christmas movies of all time. This list is specifically designed to be watched by the whole family, so if you are looking for movies of a more adult nature this may not be the list for you.
Number 10 on my list of Christmas movies is Jingle All The Way. I love this movie because it teaches a lesson to all the parents in the audience. Christmas movies are usually aimed at teaching children about the true meaning of these season however, in reality there are a lot of adults who need that same reminder. The story is both endearing and humorous. I believe that everyone can enjoy this movie.
At Number 9 on my list is The Santa Clause. This movie is different from most of the Christmas movies I have seen. As a member of the legal community, I had to appreciate the play on words in the movie. Children will love the fantasy of this movie, while adults can find humor in the underlying story. This is a great family movie, any time of the year.
Coming in at number 8 on my list of Christmas movies is Home Alone. This movie includes the use of practical jokes in order to catch a criminal. I love the creativity which was used when designing the practical jokes. This movie makes use of a very clean sense of humor which is appropriate for all age groups. Both parents and children will want to watch this movie over and over again.
Number 7 on my list is Miracle on 34th St. This movie is a classic and inspires the best in all of us. If you are looking for an uplifting movie that can really bring the spirit of the season to life, then this is the movie you are looking for.
At number 6 Elf. This is another Christmas comedy which has mastered the art of subtle adult humor while entertaining the whole family.
At number 5 on my list is The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. This story has always been one of my favorites. The remake of this movie, is nothing short of amazing. I watch this movie with my children every Christmas season, and it is still a hit year after year.
Number 4 goes to A Christmas Story. There is something about this classic Christmas movie that has spoken to generations of people, and it has not lost its touch. This movie is simply a must see for everyone who celebrates the Christmas holiday.
Coming in at number 3 is Alvin and The Chipmunks. While this is not your traditional kind of Christmas movie, it certainly speaks volumes to the spirit of the season. This movie is a perfect example of a movie which works all year long.
The runner up at number 2 is Scrooged. This movie is a wonderful remake of a timeless classic. There are lessons to be learned, and laughs to be had for the entire family.
Finally, at number one on my list of Christmas movies is All I Want For Christmas.
[http://www.christmasmovieslist.com] provides information on all of the most famous family Christmas movies
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How Can I Invest in a Movie and Make Money With a Movie?
You may have heard that movie investments, especially low budget movie investments, can be very lucrative. This can be true, and you may be excited about investing in a movie, but not know how to find a movie project to invest in. You may also be wondering about what to look for in a low budget movie project, and what to watch out for. This article will explain how to find a movie project to invest in, and how to determine if it has a good chance of being a successful movie that will produce a good profit.
In your search for a movie project to invest in, you can simply search the internet using the key words "how to invest in a movie" and you will get a good start in your search. You will find a myriad of different articles, relating to this topic and associated topics. If you keep searching, you will find some movie projects with budgets that are within the realm of what you want to invest, and which have a story line that appeals to you. The term small budget in this article means movies costing under $300,000.
You will also find investment opportunities for bigger budget movies, where someone sets up a company which is funded by a pool of small investors. The budget for the movie may be 10 to 50 million dollars, and you can invest only $50,000 to $100,000 if you wish.
It is most important to know that movies with budgets under $300,000 actually have a chance of earning a much higher return than budgets costing in the multi millions. For instance, with a budget of 30 million dollars, the movie will most likely have to get a theatrical release to make a profit. Because of the limited number of movie screens available, getting a theatrical release is difficult, with strong competition from large Hollywood studios for those limited screens. On the other hand, a movie that costs $300,000, can break even if it is shown on TV only once. With TV networks worldwide on the constant lookout for new movies to broadcast, it can be relatively easy to double or triple your investment with relative ease. Some movies costing under $300,000 have made over a hundred million dollars. This type of return is rare of course, but it is possible.
For any movie to make money, the story must be interesting and captivating, and have something unique and special about it. Movies that are based on a true story have a higher chance of success. And here is smoothing very important to know. A good story is more important than big name stars, or special effects. You can verify this by checking the movie listings on TV. You will see movies you never heard of, yet they have big name stars. It is because they were actually box office flops. Yes, they are good enough to get on TV, but they may never break even.
A low budget movie on the other hand, can make good money if it is only shown on TV. If it turns out to be exceptional, it can get a theatrical release, and make really big money.
One thing to look for in a low budget movie investment, is to see if the writer/director is putting their own money into it. The writer/director should have some past successes, such as some awards, and TV sales, even if they are just with short films. Most low budget movies are made by writer/directors who are moving up from short films to feature films. If they have already made some feature films, they are also likely to now be working on bigger budget films. The key is to find someone who looks to be a rising star, and to capitalize on their strong commitment to their movie.
I am making a feature length movie, and I am looking for investors. The budget is only $100,000, and you can invest as little as $5000. I am investing my own money in the movie. I have won some awards and sold my short films to TV. I have what may be the most complete movie investment website ever made, with all the details, including details that some people try to hide. Just looking at my website is an education in itself, and if you look, you will be entertained as well.
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Making Movies and Film Investors
There are extremely talented potential filmmakers out there that never make a movie because they just can't bring themselves to take the leap of faith. Saying yes to making a movie starts with an attitude that regardless if your movie is entertaining or terrible at least you give it an honest go to see if you got the fire in you to make movies.
In the world of making of movies, especially at the indie film level, there are zero guarantees that every aspiring filmmaker that sets out to go from screenplay to distributed movie will make it to the end. Making movies is risky creatively and financially. Sometimes a movie falls apart during pre-production, filming or in post-production for lots of different reasons.
Making a movie to me is like gambling. You try your best as a filmmaker to tilt the odds in your favor as much as possible so you can win. Professional gamblers make educated bets and so should filmmakers. The one thing that successful gamblers and filmmakers need is the attitude that they are going to go all in on their movie making risk.
Saying yes to making a movie is really putting your ass out there creatively and financially. Many indie films are funded through family, friends, online movie crowd funding or your own cash. I'm still on the fence if it's harder to say yes to making a movie with money from family and friends and your own pocket or to deal with film investors.
Honestly, using online movie crowd funding to me is risk free filmmaking. The people that donate aren't giving you money expecting to ever see anything back or get a return on investment. It's like gambling with a bankroll that's free. When I donate money to the people that set up shop outside of stores I don't expect anything back when I put money in the box or bucket.
It's like lending money to that one relative or friend that you know will never be able to pay it back, but you like them and still want to help them out without holding it over their head.
When you use money from family, friends, your own money or film investors cash there is a much stronger sense to get the movie done in my opinion. No filmmaker wants to face family, friends or film investors and say they couldn't finish the movie. Friends and family are always forgiving in the end, but you'll still feel an emotional letdown if you can't deliver a finished movie like you told them you would.
Film investors are not forgiving and will cut you off from future film funds. They can write off the loss, but your reputation will take a hit and you'll lose out on them investing in your movies in the future. Finding money to make movies is harder than making the movie. Without film financing you only have a screenplay and a movie making dream keeping you company.
I always like to try to put out the brutal honesty first before getting to the feel good part of things. The great thing about saying yes to making a movie is you're moving from being one of the people that only talks about making movies and never does it.
When you're not even in the game you can't win or lose. You sit on the creative sidelines as a spectator thinking "woulda, coulda, shoulda" about your movie making passion. When you mentally commit to taking the creative leap of faith you'll feel a rush of genuine excitement. That's living!
You're movie making fire is now lit and you're ready to roll. You're no longer going to be a talented potential filmmaker. You will be a filmmaker doer. Each movie project is different, but here are few thoughts that might help sharpen you're movie production. This isn't for aspiring filmmakers that want to write a screenplay that needs a million dollar budget.
Thoughts on Making Movies
First, think of your marketing and distribution plan before writing the screenplay. This gives you the chance to think of movie product placement and other marketing avenues you can write into the screenplay to boost earning potential.
Second, before writing a screenplay think about the film budget you will need and where you plan on getting that money. Indie filmmakers are masters at writing screenplays based on what their resources are.
I know it sounds like the craft of screenwriting should come first, but for a first time indie filmmaker it's important to understand making movies is a business. You need to be able to exploit, yes exploit, as many marketing and product placement opportunities as possible.
Family and friends will invest in you because of your relationship, but still respect their hard earned money like you would if they were film investors you didn't know. Avoid being sloppy with paperwork. Give them the same kind of investor package you would if you were pitching to a film investor that wanted a return on investment.
Make sure the locked screenplay is tight as possible before spending one dollar of film investor money. A screenplay that is overwritten and packed with fluff will burn through production money fast.
During filming don't take the approach studio budget movies do. You're not going to be able to have 20 takes of scene to get it right. There's not enough money in an indie film budget to shoot it with a Hollywood filmmaker mentality.
You're really have to get in there on set and kickass on scenes. Not every take you're going to love or even like, but it's a time issue when shooting indie films. You have to be able to accept you're not going to have the luxury of doing take after take.
When a scene is covered move on and don't look back even if it didn't turn out how you envisioned. Being take happy during filming will lead to you running out of money and having an unfinished film that will need finishing funds to complete.
Tackle post-production with the same attitude you did on set to get the movie done.
Film investors will ride your ass unlike family or friends when it comes to when the movie will be done, sold and their money paid. Don't get shaken or take it personally. The business world is not warm and fuzzy full of hugs and kisses.
At the end when you finish your movie you will have a feeling like none you've ever had before. It's a creative climax saying yes to making a movie.
It beats the hell out of only talking about making movies. Good luck with your future film and cheers.
Get the inside scoop on writing, producing, directing, and movie distribution at Slice Of Americana Films [http://www.sidkaliflicks.com/]. Check out the life and times of filmmaker Sid Kali.
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The Latest Era of Movie Rentals
The means for home entertainment are now very numerous and diverse. Movie rentals have come a long way since Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. The days of a video store are gone. With Redbox here, now you can get milk, vitamins and a movie to rent. On top of that you have the option to stream online. You do not need to leave your house to rent a movie. You can stream a movie to your TV, gaming system, or computer device using services such as Netflix.
Many people still consider movie watching a great way of relaxing and having a good time. If you are one of those people who enjoy watching movies and do so every time you get a chance, you probably already know that the days when you waited in line at the video store only to find that the movie you wanted to see was not on stock are over. Or at least they should be. Online movie rentals have been available for quite some time now, and more and more people prefer this form of renting movies, as it is more convenient.
Online movie rentals are a lot more than just convenient. We are talking about a huge selection of movies as well as affordable prices. Furthermore, what could be more convenient than renting movies from the privacy and comfort of your home and having them delivered to your door through mail? Or being out at the local grocery store picking up some things and grabbing a movie rental for a dollar. And just when you thought that things couldn't get any better, movie rentals become more and more convenient and fast, as electronic delivery is in the works.
As I have mentioned, you can stream a movie in minutes. Keep in mind you should have a decent high speed internet connection such as DSL, cable, or similar. Thousands of selections of movie are at your fingertips to watch anytime.
No matter what your movie habit or your tastes in movies may be, the online movie rentals have it all covered. Furthermore, they relieve you from any hassle and fuss that the traditional form of movie rental typically implies.
Many people argue that computers and the Internet have already had a great impact on our lives and that they are slowly turning us into less and less active people. But when it comes to being practical and saving precious time, the perspective changes tremendously. Why waste a lot of time and patience doing something when you have a far better alternative? Why not spend that time doing something you like, such as watching movies that will be delivered to you so conveniently through due to online movie rentals?
And if this service still doesn't seem too appealing to you for whatever reason, you should know that you have yet another chance at watching movies without any fuss or hassle whatsoever. I am talking about streaming movies, which allow you to view your favorite movies streamed to you over the Internet.
Of course, you may not find watching movies on your computer monitor too appealing or exciting. But technology is advancing and catching up to make your movie watching more and more pleasant and enjoyable. For starters, broadband speeds are getting faster and faster. Moreover, hooking television and computers, even wirelessly, has long been possible. Therefore, watching streaming movies can be just as nice as watching a video on your TV set.
What's the future of Pay-Per-View movies on your TV? Who knows. Can it replace movie theaters? I can see somewhat see the day being able to pay for a brand new movie right from your TV and never have to leave the comfort of your home to go to the movie theater. Everyone is busy in their careers and their lives and only getting busier. Think of the convenience of being able to watch a brand new movie at the theater in your home. Oh the possibilities.
All in all, streaming movies and online movie rentals are extremely popular and everyone who has tried them has found no reason not to go on using these services. Technology is advancing every day and presenting us, as consumers, with more and more opportunities. We can expect more and more products that will help us connect computers to our TV screens, as well as less and less expensive LCD monitors. In addition, more and more consumers will have a broadband Internet connection in their homes. Under these circumstances, it is almost certain that streaming movies represent the future of movie rentals.
John A. Calhoun
Entrepreneur and Author,
What Is Entrepreneur Success Tips
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Best Super Hero Movies Ever
I just finished watching Thor on Blue-Ray and I enjoyed it a lot. Who would have ever thought that a live-action Thor movie would ever be made. Especially if you had ever seen the Thor appearance in one of the Incredible Hulk TV movies years ago. The concept of Green Lantern is awesome but I never thought that a movie would be made. So while I'm waiting for a live-action version of the Legion of Super-Heroes I thought that I would mull over what I believe are the finest films in the ever-expanding genre of super-hero movies. I've limited myself to live-action films even though some of the animated stuff is really cool. I think it would be cheating to mix animated films with the live-action films. I've also limited the number of "best" films to 10 otherwise I quickly venture over into the realm of Return of the Swamp Thing and Steel. So here I go.
10. The Rocketeer (1991)
Any movie with Jennifer Connelly in it can't be too bad unless that movie is Hulk. The Rocketeer perfectly captured the look and spirit of the Dave Stevens comic book. Super-Heroes and Nazi's always go well together, like peanut butter and jelly.
9. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Not to be confused with "Hulk" which was mentioned above, this 2008 soft re-boot of the Hulk franchise is actually really good. While not a sequel this film moves forward without invalidating anything from the previous film. The movie explores the fragile psyche of Bruce Banner; evokes the best of the Bill Bixby television series and has incredible (no pun intended) fight scenes with the Abomination. Plus the love story with Betty Ross is kept to a minimum. What more can anyone ask for in a super-hero movie? The only thing I can think of would have been a been a cameo from Wolverine.
8. Blade (1998)
I didn't know a lot about Blade when I saw this movie. I still don't know a whole heck of a lot about Blade the comic book character but Blade the movie super hero is awesome. Martial arts, swords and vampires. So cool its scary.
7. Batman (1966)
Sure it's campy; sure Adam West is a little pudgy; sure Cesar Romero would not shave his mustache but this movie is just fun. Has there ever been a better Penguin or Riddler as played by Burgess Meredith and Frank Gorshin respectively? For that matter Lee Meriwether is #2 on the list of best Catwomen behind Julie Newmar and above Michelle Pfeiffer. In this movie we of course see the classic Batmobile but also the Bat-Copter, Bat-Bike and Bat-Boat. We also learn that Batman carries anti-shark repellent in his utility belt. This movie would make the top ten list just for the scene with Batman running around the pier with a bomb in his hands.
6. Superman II (1980)
Fifteen minutes of this movie is probably the greatest super hero movie ever made. The fight with Superman versus General Zod, Ursa and Non over Metropolis still stands up to this day. If only Richard Donner had been allowed to finish the movie. We would have been spared much of the camp (this is bad camp unlike the good camp in the Batman movie) added by Richard Lester. The cellophane "S"; teleporting Kryptonians in the Fortress of Solitude and the mind-altering "super-kiss" at the end of the movie (as if Superman didn't already have enough powers someone thought it was necessary to add a few more) unfortunately forces me to keep this movie out of my top five.
5. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Simply a good movie. No longer bogged down by the requisite origin story Peter Parker can just go and fight crime as Spider-Man. The scene with the passengers on the monorail protecting Spider-Man chokes me up a bit inside. "Spider-Man" probably would have made this list but no matter how much I liked Willem DaFoe as Norman Osborn I really disliked the Green Goblin costume in that movie.
4. Iron Man (2008)
Robert Downey Jr. playing a narcissistic self-absorbed self-destrucive person with a substance abuse problem...awesome casting. In one movie Iron Man went from B-list hero whom nobody but a comic book geek had ever heard of to a true cultural icon and being featured prominently on every Marvel kid's toy right next to Spider-Man. That's the goal for all of these movies (see Green Lantern above). Iron Man not only accomplished it but it is a very good movie on top of it. The only drawback to the entire movie is the closing fight scene between Iron Man and Obadiah Stane. I feel like the hero has to fight a bigger, badder version of himself has been done to death. For example it was done in the same year in Marvel's other film the Incredible Hulk. Ultimately, I thought the movie was more interesting when it focused on Tony Stark rather than Iron Man. It made for a good movie but I'm not sure if that is a great thing for a "super hero" movie so Iron Man only makes it to #4 on my list.
3. The Dark Knight (2008)
This movie made a bazillion dollars. Heath Ledger was awesome as the Joker. It's a fantastic movie. It's just so long (2 1/2 hours) and Christian Bale is screaming throughout the entire movie. I've always imagined Batman to have a stoic coolness...like Clint Eastwood. Any complaints I have about this movie, however, are quickly mitigated by a Batman and Robin flashback.
2. Captain America (2011)
What did I say before about super heroes and Nazis? Well it's even more true when the super hero is dressed up in an American flag. The Nazis don't stand a chance. I loved everything about this movie. Chris Evans was very convincing as Captain America and as Steve Rogers. Even the Red Skull didn't seem cheesy. All this and the Cosmic Cube too, I loved this movie. Captain America: The First Avenger is a great movie and well deserving of my #2 spot. There is only one movie that could beat it out.
#1. Superman (1978)
This is it. The Grand-daddy of them all. It may not be the first super-hero movie but it is definitely the first movie that you think of when you think about a super hero movie. Where Chris Evans was convincing in the role of Steve Rogers/Captain America, Christopher Reeve IS Superman and at the same time he delivers the definitive portrayal of Clark Kent. Others have played the role before and after Reeve but none have worn the cape more convincingly or confidently. Christopher Reeve truly made me believe that if a man could fly it would be him.
My name is Actionlad. Actually my name is Blake Anderson but when I'm out fighting crime with my Mom and Dad I go by the pseudonym or if you like nom de plume of Actionlad. Read about my adventures at [http://actionladsjournal.com/]
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Vocabulary Development Powered By Film Credits For ESL Learners
"When all think alike, then no one is thinking." - Walter Lippman
The development of technology plays a highly vibrant part in media evolution from outmoded to contemporary technology presentations for its messages to reach every individual consumers. As a result, the media does changes which are evidently observed among its genre such as films that manifest complex structures to impress audience. Furthermore, it can be perceived that from films' posters to their end credits, are unseen factors which tend to be highly pedagogical for English language acquisition when imaginatively and seriously handled by language educators. This inventive awareness anchors with the theory of audio- visual literacy which supports the said material for the enhancement of learners' linguistic and communicative competence. This concept fetches us to a solid idea that every film's features do not only function as purely entertainment but are possibly noteworthy in language achievement. In other words, every element it possesses may interrelate or unfold instructional strategies. One of its significant components is the end credits known as a list not limited to the cast and crew of a motion picture found at its ending. To be able to explicate its pedagogical value, an example of it is lifted from a movie, Edge of Darkness. The motion picture's final credits were dissected as inputs for innovative vocabulary teaching through series of constructed tasks' interplaying with single words, collocations, phrases, clauses, and sentences.
The Springboard
The material is an edited end credits of the film Edge of Darkness produced in 2010 by the film outfit, Warner Bros.
Edited Cast
Mel Gibson - Mr. Tom Craven Bojana Novakovic - Emma Craven, Mr. Craven's daughter Damian Young - Senator Jim Pine Caterina Scorsone - Melissa Wayne Duvall - Chief of Police Gbenga Akinnagbe - Detective Darcy Jones Paul Sparks - Northampton Police Detective Christy Scott Cashman - Detective Vicki Hurd
Gordon Peterson - interviewer
Timothy Sawyer -Dr. Sawyer
Molly Schreiber - reporter
Charles Harrington - neighbor
Lisa Hughes - news anchor
Charlie Alejandro - Boston Police officer
Cindi Alex - driver
Terry Conforti -wife of Senator Pine
Nicholas Grava -basketball player
Dan Marshall - hospital visitor
Robert Masiello -businessman
Gary Roscoe -newsroom editor
Edward Stanley -Radio Reporter
Vyvian Stevens -Tom Craven's friend
Darryl Wooten -TV News reporter
Adam Zalt -business traveler
Edited Crew
Film Director - Martin Campbell
TV and Movie Screenplays writers -William Monahan, Andrew Bovell
and Troy Kennedy-Martin
Producer - Tim Headington and Graham King
Co-executive producers- Jamie Laurenson, Gail Lyon, Lucienne Papon, and Kwame Parker
Musical scorer - Howard Shore
Cinematography - Phil Meheux
Film editor - Stuart Baird
Casting manager- Pam Dixon and Carolyn Pickman
Production Designer -Thomas Sanders
Art Director - Greg berry Greg Berry, Mark Satterlee, and Suzan Wexler
Set Decorator - Jay hart
Costume Designer -Lindy Hemming
Makeup Artist-Marleen Alter
Props man- Gary Alioto (carpenter)
Sound mixer -James Ashwill
Special effects technician -John baker
Visual effects artists -Stella Ampatzi, Suzette Barnett
Stunt performers -Charlie Alejandro, Rick Avery, Dean Bailey Peter Bucossi, and Jared Burke
Film location Manager - Gregory Alpert
Location scout -Gregory Chiodo
Transportation coordinator -Mike Davis
Some suggestions
Some recommendations about this teaching process may include but not limited to these enumerated ideas. Primarily, review your institutions 'curricula if they establish a close significance to the materials and the lessons you are planning to conduct. Your intended material should relate dominantly with the projected outcomes of your organizations' programs and if they do, examine the end credits thoroughly if they embody the vocabularies to be prioritized. Rip the credits from the whole film which may run for a maximum of three (3) minutes or less to suit the timeframe of your specific lesson. Play and pause the video of it during the discussion. You can simplify the credits according to students' needs before you deliberate. It is suggested that you construct a diagram or a schema to relate covered words. Teach vocabularies anchored with the strategies being introduced in Cambridge English teachers' courses such as illustration, pictures, word structures, mime, word association, word classification, context, synonyms/antonyms/hyponyms, definition, translation, realia, among others. In the event that you decide to modify the activities, it is proposed that you base your instructions from the taxonomy of objectives under the (6) six order thinking skills where they fall. By doing this, each activity's direction will function as your future upshots. Be aware that vocabulary learning deals with words, phrases, collocations and sentences. Produce a copy of the instructional input to be distributed or as an alternative, display a model onscreen while activities are being performed. To add, note that while activities are being completed, varied expressions will emerge to form the entirety of learned languages. When time constraint hampers activity engagement, some tasks may not be covered. It is suggested that you choose the necessary task/s that you can administer under a prescribed teaching session.
The Vocabulary Exercises
These are recommended designed tasks that one can employ, modify or pattern in vocabulary instructions out of a film's end credits. Additionally, some implications of each activity are practically discussed in relation to how leaners attain vocabularies while the rests of the exercises exude important rudiments of language acquisition as they are completed.
1. Construct two rows and classify female and male actors from the credits. Others were done for you.
Female Actors
1. Bojana Novakovic
2. Lisa Hughes
3. Molly Schreiber
Male Actors
1. Damian Young
2. Wayne Duvall
3. Mel Gibson
This activity implies a simple stage of learning wherein students are made to write, list, tell, point out, repeat or cite details. In relation to vocabulary development, students will be able to realize that words are composed of details, belong to a group, and are either general or specific. In accomplishing this, students are being exposed to the terms that they will soon be involved with.
2. Match Column A and Column B to relate individual cast's role in the film production.
Column A
1. Mel Gibson
2. Robert Masiello
3. Bojana Novakovic
4. Caterina Scorsone
5. Lisa Hughes
6. Molly Schreiber
7. Wayne Duvall
8. Gbenga Akinnagbe
9. Paul Sparks
10. Charles Harrington
Column B
a. detective Darcy Jones
b. reporter
c. Emma Craven
d. chief of police
e. a news anchor
f. businessman
g. Melissa
h. neighbor
I. Northampton Police Detective
j. Mr. Tom Craven
This has the same level with activity number (1) one. Additionally, it provides the thought that each word corresponds to another even if they are represented by persons' names, similar to the common understanding that each word has corresponding function/s. While they relate each word, there are expressions that will surface to be manipulated in connecting ideas. For example, "Mel Gibson acts as Mr. Craven," "Mel Gibson's role is Mr. Craven," "Mr. Gibson's role in the film is Mr. Craven." The words such as, acts, role, in, film emerged due to how ideas are going to be connected adding to the targeted expressions. At this point, we are made to understand that even a single word adds as an acquired vocabulary due to the functions it demonstrates under linguistically framed statements.
3. Fill-in the two columns to relate crew member's specific role in the film production. Five has been done for you.
Column A
Film Production Roles
1. Film Director
2. Screenplay writer
3. Film editor
4. Casting managers
5. Special effects technician
Column B
Film Crew Members
1. Martin Campbell
2. William Monahan, Andrew Bovell, and
Troy Kennedy-Martin
3. Stuart Baird
4. Pam Dixon and Carolyn Pickman
5. John Baker
This exercise exposes the students to vocabularies regarding the crew's roles and that relating the positions with the names will activate the utilization of additional languages. Furthermore, while they create relationships, learners are motivated to find out what these positions are all about by teachers' facilitation. To demonstrate, students connect the film director to Martin Campbell by the notion that both words-the name and the position refer to only one person. As a consequence, the students formulate a statement by the intervention of other expressions. Thus, in the first attempt, "Film director is Martin Campbell." In the second try, they invert by saying "Martin Campbell is director." The statements have missing words as noticed. With teachers' guidance, new expressions may arise leading to the formulation of linguistically correct responses. "The director is Martin Campbell," or "Martin Campbell is the Director." In a higher level, they would say, "The director of the film is Martin Campbell," or "The film's director is Martin Campbell," or "The film director of the Edge of Darkness is Martin Campbell." This activity illustrates an orderly increase of vocabularies through activated words to operate the target lexes.
4. Correct the words used to express the actors and their roles by placing appropriate articles- a, an, or the.
1. Molly Schreiber as an reporter
2. Charles Harrington as an neighbor
3. Lisa Hughes as an news anchor
4. Charlie Alejandro as Boston police officer
5. Cindi Alex as an driver
6. Terry Conforti as wife of senator Pine
7. Nicholas Grava as an basketball player
8. Dan Marshall as an hospital visitor
9. Robert Masiello as businessman
10. Gary Roscoe as an newsroom editor
11. Christy Scott Cashman as a Detective Vicki Hurd
12. Gordon Peterson as a interviewer
13. Timothy Sawyer as the Dr. Sawyer
5. Circle the appropriate word/s or phrases under the enclosed series to complete the sentences.
a. Film is similar to (script, movie, camera, shoot).
b. Cast composes (performance, performers, performing, perform) in the film.
c. Crew delivers (technical supports, acting, transportation, cinematography) generally.
d. Cinematographer is a (cameraman, gripper, scout, writer) who takes shots.
e. Screenplay writer is also a (scriptwriter, film editor, director, producer).
f. End credits are found (between, in the end, in the beginning, in the middle) of a film.
g. Producers (finances, finance, performs, fiancé) film productions.
h. Director mainly does (directing, stunts, producing, acting) assignments.
I. Actors are (performers, actresses, viewers, set decorators) in movies.
j. Opening credits are (found in between the first and the last, found at the end, found in the beginning, found after the middle) of the film.
k. Filming is (making films, done films, planned films, editing films).
l. Makeup artists beautify (directors', producers', cameramen's, cast's) faces.
m. Film script is the (story, title, credits, loglines) of the movie.
n. Stars are the (main actors, stunts, extras, locations) performing in films.
o. Film outfit is a (company, costumes, costume, musical score) of movies.
p. Musical scorer provides (background music, story, shots, posters) for the film.
6. Classify the words according to names of jobs, skills, and film materials or equipment and write statements using them according to their given forms.
(1) cinematography (2) cinematographer (3) decorating (4) acting (5) casting (6) scouting (7) scripts (8) director (9) directing (10) Editing (11) animating (12) special effects director (13) movie camera (14) coordinating (15) film editor
7. Complete the sentences using the given end credits- related words.
directed -directs- direct- directing- films- filmed- filming- film editing-
film edition- direction - see a film- who's in- stars- starred-producers-
script- film location- makeup artist- musical scorer- casting director- set decorator
1. Motion pictures are also known as ________.
2. The film______________ academy award-wining actors a year ago.
3. Did Martin Campbell________ that acclaimed movie?
4. A director _________ how actors will perform.
5. He is ________ the current film.
6. He ________ the famous movie Edge of Darkness in 2010.
7. ___________support film making financially. producer
8. The cast and crew are now ___________ the movie in Australia.
9. That was________ in Italy.
10. After he carefully did _______________, the motion picture was shown.
11. He showed an outstanding ____________. Critics praised his film.
12. Actors have to memorize the dialogues found in the __________.
13. My brother wanted to ________ about the space.
14. Charlize Theron ________ as an underdog friend in her current film.
15. Please see the _____________. Something is wrong with your hair.
16. The ___________should match the music with the film's theme.
17. The ___________found performers that can justify the given roles.
18. __________ this movie? Could it be Kevin Costner?
19. He studied__________in London.
20. Location managers search for _________.
21. ________don't have serious flaws.
8. Read the position- job connected words. Mark √ when you agree and × if you disagree.
(1)director-directs film (2) producer-producing film (3) actor-acting roles (4) screenplay writer-writing film script (5) makeup artist- decorating sets (6) film editor- writing script (7) cinematographer-taking shots (8) casting manager-editing films (9) producer-editing screenplays (10) art director- managing film setting (12) set decorator-transporting crew (13) costume designer-designing outfits (14) sound mixer- combining sounds (15) special effects technician -creating effects (16) stunt performers -doing film tricks (17) film location manager- deciding actors to play roles (18) musical scorer- finding places to film (19) location scout-searching for places to shoot (20) transportation coordinator -moving crews from one location to another to shoot.
9. Correct the factual mistakes if there are any in the sentences below.
a. The producers are the performers in the film's story.
b. The director writes the screenplay.
c. The makeup artist takes shots in film making.
d. The film editor looks for talents to perform roles.
e. A movie outfit is a company where products are made.
f. Props men do film directing jobs.
g. Set decorators furnish shooting settings to look like they are real.
h. Costume designers belong to the cast.
I. Sound mixers combine needed music during the editing of films.
j. Visual effects technician scout for places to shoot movies.
k. Stunt performers provide visual effects in the film.
l. Scriptwriters create film stories.
m. Warner Bros. is a film outfit.
10. Transform the given verbs into nouns.
(1) directing (2) cinematographic (3) scripting (4) producing (5) edited (6) decorated (7) scored (8) starring (9) filmed (10) write (11) designed (12) transported (13) mixed (14) scouted (15) shoot (16) visualizing (17) performer (18) performed (19) located (20) manages
11. Transform the given nouns into verbs.
(1) producer (2) director (3) score (4) script (5) decorator (6) edition (7) script (8) editor (9) film (10) location (11) star (12) direction (13) animator (14) decorator (15) location (16) costume (17) manager (18) mixer (19) coordinator (20) actor
12. Create a brief definition by using the given words. Use present simple tenses and be able to supply some missing prepositions.
1. A scriptwriter/ write/ script/ films.
2. A director/ direct / actors/films.
3. A cameraman/take/shots/ make/films.
4. Set decorators/ enhances/ beginning / end/ settings.
5. Producers/finances/ the making/ films.
13. Find the words that best complete the phrases from the list. Be guided by the enclosed word/s in each number and the prepositions that signal the correct missing expressions.
Princess Latifah - a biographical film- film making-a raging dragon- urban Australia -Meryl Streep- Winter- the Oscars- daybreak- 20th Century Fox- 1977- a burning building-Martin Scorsese- a witch-films
1. Filming in (season )
2. Filming at (unspecified time )
3. Produced by (outfit or production)
4. Directed in (specified time)
5. Performed a stunt in (film scene)
6. Decorated a set for ( director's name)
7. Was cast as (role)
8. Starred in (film title)
9. Scripted the story of (type of film)
10. A degree in (a specialization)
11. Special effects of (animated character)
12. Shot the film in (specific place)
13. Designed costume of (an actress)
14. A film that was nominated at ( award-giving body)
15. Acted in (media genre)
14. Complete the missing words in the dialogue. Be guided by the end credits' contents.
Ali: What's on at the cinema today?
Fahad: There's a film on called _____________.
Ali: What kind of _______is it?
Fahad: It's a suspense thriller.
Ali: Who are in it?
Fahad: ____________ and__________ among other
popular stars.
Ali: What film outfit is it?
Fahad: It's from _________________.
Ali: Tell me more about the movie.
Fahad: It has a good___________for it features outstanding camera
works from _________________.
Ali: He's really a talented _____________.
Fahad: Indeed!
Ali: Who wrote the _______________ of it?
Fahad: They're _________. ________, and_________.
These three are skilled screenplay writers.
Ali: Okay, let's see that film tomorrow.
Fahad: See you there.
15. Underline the correct meaning of each given statement.
1. 4 years ago, he did a BA in Film Directing degree successfully at Texas State University.
a. He studied film directing for three years at TSU.
b. He had a seminar in film directing at TSU.
c. He's studying at Texas State University.
d. He studied and attained BA degree in Film Directing at TSU.
2. The scriptwriter wrote a script revolving around the theme of war.
a. The film's story is about war.
b. The film's story will be about war.
c. The film's subject is on war.
d. Both a and c
3. He starred as a patriot in an award-winning motion picture in 2014.
a. He was with a patriot in a 2014 film.
b. His role was a patriot in an acclaimed film in 2014.
c. His performance was too much of a patriot in 2014.
d. Both a and b.
4. Cinematographic works result to audiovisuals.
a. Cinematographic works cater to the hearing and sights of audience.
b. Cinematographic works create photographs only.
c. Cinematographic works are understood using the eyes and ears.
d. Both a and c.
5. Film crew composes mainly technical support in film making.
a. Film crew performs basically supporting roles film making.
b. Film crew performs major and supporting roles in film making
c. Film crew does mainly mechanical backup in film making.
d. Both a and c
6. The stuntman covered-up a stunt for the actor.
a. The stuntman and the actor did a stunt together.
b. The stuntman substituted the stunt of the actor.
c. The actor did a stunt for the stuntman who failed to perform.
d. The actor was given a covered gift by the stuntman.
16. Complete the paragraph by placing the appropriate words in the blanks. Read the film credits before deciding responses from the provided list.
-film editor-story-credit-crew-casting managers- special effects-directed-producers- screenplays- film- performers-stars-cast- location manager- cinematography- Suzette Barnett
This _________ (1) is entitled Edge of Darkness shot in 2010. Its_______ (2) are composed of cast and __________ (3). The cast composes the __________(4) of the film while the crew is responsible for the different production's technical part. The ________ (5) includes Mel Gibson and Bojana Novakovic as father and daughter. It was __________ (6) by Martin Campbell in cooperation with Tim Headington and Graham King as _______. The film had TV and movie ________ (7) which were written by William Monahan, Andrew Bovell and Troy Kennedy-Martin. Also, this movie contained outstanding camera works of Phil Meheux which showcased his skill in ____________ (8). Being the ________(9), Stuart Baird made it a point that the film runs sequentially for audience to understand the __________(10) during the final editing. It was also made successfully through Pam Dixon and Carolyn Pickman as ____________ (11) who cast fine________ (12) that can truly justify given roles. In terms of ___________ (13), the featured scenes were so real due to the artistic craft of Stella Ampatzi and___________ (14). Finally, Gregory Alpert as a ____________ (15) added impact to the movie through great locations that established the story's theme and real-life settings.
17. Create hyponyms of the given words then deliver a talk about any of these.
(1) Film ( 2) actors (3) cast (4) crew (5) film outfits
18. Construct a movie poster by writing the cast and crew then deliver a talk regarding their positions and roles.
While it is observed that these several activities expose students to varied terms in film making manifesting content-based language learning approach, the intrusion of other expressions in the employment of this type of material aids to broaden the linguistic scope by allowing more words, phrases, collocations and sentences that aren't limited to this field. Consider the fact that while vocabularies are learned, many essential language points for the completion of the given tasks interfere. The teachers' strategic measures of incorporating these surfacing expressions could yield students' varied languages in which they can further extend to garner additional lexes supported by other naturally developing terminologies that are communicatively probable. These prevailing situations shouldn't be ignored due to their content and functional rudiments in coining words and statements linguistically. Likewise, repetitions of words that recur in the exercises were created primarily for learners' language exposures to give way for comprehension.
Source of edited film credit:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226273/fullcredits/
There are unseen rudiments that make films as interesting learning materials. Among these elements are the end credits which a teacher can operate creatively to augment learners' vocabulary proficiency. It is believed that employing it as a teaching springboard may result to students'' linguistic abilities such as to classify, define, differentiate, identify, transform, supply missing words, recognize word similarities and opposites; determine proper tenses, grammatical and factual mistakes; apply hyponyms and word classifications on vocabularies, and construct version of a given material for oral delivery. The ingenuity of employing the said input strives to achieve how film credits manifest pedagogical relevance created by innovative teachers to be adjustably administered under varied ESL learners' settings.
This concept produces series of exercises which can be patterned, modeled, employed, or modified for ESL learners. It is further suggested that teachers should always abide on the objectives of their institutional language curriculum before they deal with whatever innovation they can create to suit the needs of their learners. If mandated objectives are matched with creativity, an effective language teaching will most likely be achieved with the reinforcement of curriculum developers' positive judgement and encouragement towards classroom teachers' resourcefully-derived models.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9626250
How to Choose the Best Stretch Film for the Job
It's unitizing---assembling products into a single unit--usually on a pallet---that makes packaging and shipping both efficient and cost-effective. Unitizing products reduces handling costs and saves time. It ensures a safer, more efficient distribution process, while protecting products from damage and theft. Applying stretch film is one of the most common and most secure methods of accomplishing this.
The goal for choosing the best stretch film is to find one that fits your company's specific need without paying for unneeded properties. For example, loads that will spend most of their days in a warehouse or shipping container, don't need film with UV light protection. On the other hand, loads with lightweight film that don't fit snugly to the pallet corners are subject to punctured film and shifting loads. But if you've never used stretch film before or aren't happy with the film you're using, how do you know which one is right? Following are 6 considerations for choosing the best stretch film for the job.
Primary Cost Comparisons: Price/lb. vs. Price/ft. vs. Price/load
When talking to a stretch film salesperson, trying to figure out how their product compares to the product the consumer is currently using can be confusing. All film is sold by the pound. Traditional films that typically have higher gauges are actually less expensive per pound because they use less expensive plastic resins to make the film. The high performance films are more expensive because they are manufactured with better quality resins and can be layered. This is a more expensive manufacturing process. The high performance films generally end up costing less overall because the film's light weight offsets the more expensive price per pound
However, what really matters to the consumer is how much the film costs per foot. Even more important than the cost per foot is the cost per load wrapped. The argument for the newer high performance films is that even though they are expensive to make (cost more per pound) they are much lighter in gauge and therefore lighter in weight. For example, high performance film designed to replace an 80-gauge traditional film might be 20% more expensive to make, but it might require 50% less film to hold the load because it works just as well as the material that is 50% thicker. The end result in this example is that the user saves 30% on film costs by switching to the thinner high-performance film.
To precisely analyze price savings, wrap two loads. Then cut the film off of both loads and weigh it on a small sensitive scale. This will indicate the amount of film used for each load. Then multiply the weight of the film by the price per pound (ask your sales person for the weight of the roll or the weight of the case if it is not clearly marked) and divide by the roll or case price. This will yield the price per load. Multiply the price per load by the number of loads typical for each day, each week and so on.
Because there are so many variables with film, users must be very cautious to understand and confirm the math themselves and not to rely on the salesperson's math. Part of the process should always be to adequately sample the new material before accepting any change. The bottom line is that the new material must contain the load as safely and effectively as the old material. Following are four additional considerations for choosing stretch film.
1. Standard or High Performance
This is by far the most important decision. Much of the decision will be based on price, but it needs to be tempered by the requirements of the job. Not that long ago, before the advent of highly innovative stretch films, gauge (thickness) was just about the only thing that mattered. Now it is just one of many considerations.
Standard/true-gauged stretch film offers a great amount of stretch, tear resistance, and strength. The main drawback is waste, because it's not possible for the average worker to apply enough force to reach the maximum stretch potential of the film.
Economy/micron stretch film is a step down from true-gauged stretch film and often comes in a 57, 60, or 63 gauge. The main difference is the thickness and the amount of stretch potential. It is often stiffer and will not stretch as much as a true-gauged film. On the other hand, it is strong, more affordable, and can produce less waste.
Hybrid/multilayer stretch film is commonly used in place of lighter gauge film. It is manufactured in 47, 51, and 53 gauges. It has more layers, is stiffer and has less tear resistance than micron stretch film. Benefits include: lower cost, lighter rolls, and the need for less physical force during application.
The latest and greatest lighter-gauged (less expensive) high performance films are ideal for light to moderate, regular-shaped loads that won't encounter challenging transit or storage conditions. High performance stretch film offers excellent load retention, highly elastic film recovery, high-strength formulation and reduced film neck-down. In the high performance category, even light film gauges have elevated tear and puncture resistance, and excellent cling properties.
But where any or a combination of those conditions are present, heavier (more expensive) traditional films will be the better option and will save money in the long run (less risk of worker injury and damage to loads). Traditional films are considered foolproof and often result in fewer complaints from the warehouse. The precision with which they are applied is not as critical because the weight of the film may help offset a poor application by the worker.
Carefully consider the type of load and even the skill level of warehouse staff. Generally speaking, in a well-controlled environment with nicely cubed loads, the less expensive high-performance films will save money.
2. Hand Film or Machine Film
Hand-held dispensers can be as inexpensive as a few dollars while fully-automatic wrappers run well into the 1,000s of dollars. The general rule is that if the consumer is wrapping 15 or more loads per day, it's more cost-effective to use a machine than to wrap by hand. At that level machines justify their costs by reducing manual labor expense and the possibility of injuries. In addition to the productivity and liability issues, most machines pull the stretch wrap at least 200% before applying it to the load. This results in legitimate savings of up to 50% of film costs. A company that historically used a full pallet of hand film each month might reduce their usage to 6 pallets per year. This savings on film can pay for the equipment very quickly. Also, a machine-wrapped load is generally more secure than a hand-wrapped load. When stretch film is applied by machine:
• Production rates increase
• Labor costs decrease
• Injuries decrease
• Wrapping is consistent
• There is better quality control
• Considerably less film is used because film is stretched properly
So for companies that handle 15 or more loads per day, a stretch wrap machine will more than pay for itself. Following is a summary of hand and machine options.
Manual/Hand Wrappers
• Extended Core: An extension of the film's core creates a natural handle for wrapping. It's an especially economical option since it doesn't require any equipment. The downside is that it provides little control over stretch and is hard on workers' hands.
• Mechanical Brake/Pole Wrapper: A rigid structure supports the film core while a mechanical brake system provides the resistance needed to stretch the film. A pole wrapper is similar, except that the roll sits at the end of an extended pole. This reduces the need for workers to bend and reach during application.
Semi-Automatic Wrappers
• Turntable Wrappers: The load rests on a turntable that spins the load. The film roll automatically moves up and down as it applies the wrap. Stretch is controlled by the speed of the load's rotation and/or the attached pre-stretch feature.
• Orbital Wrappers: The film rests in a carriage housed on a vertical ring. The load feeds horizontally (or vertically in the case of a horizontal ring system) through the center of the rotating ring as the film is applied.
• Rotary Arm Wrappers: The load remains stationary as a rotating arm revolves around it, wrapping the load. These types of wrappers are best for lightweight loads or those requiring high rotation speeds which could otherwise cause the load to destabilize.
Automatic Wrappers
Automatic wrappers are similar to semi-automatic wrappers except that they include a conveyor system for automatic loading. The equipment also applies, seals, and cuts the film.
3. Blown Film or Cast Film
There are two basic methods of manufacturing stretch film---blown and cast. The manufacturing process determines the film properties.
Blown film is manufactured using the blown film extrusion process. The resin is melted, blown out in a giant bubble and air-cooled. This is a slower (more costly) process but results in higher quality. Characteristics are: superior strength, stretch, film memory, and puncture resistance; but poor clarity and very noisy during unwind. It has the superior strength to accommodate irregular loads.
Cast film is manufactured using the cast extrusion process. Instead of being air-cooled, the film is passed over cooling rollers. This makes the cooling process quicker and the product less expensive, but also inferior to blown in important regards, including strength and stretch. Typical characteristics of cast stretch films are: clarity, high gloss, quiet unwind, consistent cling and consistent film thickness. Following is a summary of differences between blown and cast stretch film:
• Strength: Blown is slightly stronger than cast and less likely to tear on a sharp edge.
• Film Yield: Blown films often top out at 200% stretch capacity because the manufacturing process is less controlled and precise. Some of the newer high performance cast films can be stretched to 300%.
• Film Memory: Blown has better film memory (shrinks back to its original size better after it has been stretched). Cast has less memory (this causes loads to shift).
• Load Retention: Blown holds better and won't stretch after it has been applied. While cast retains loads well, it will stretch after it has been applied to the pallet (this also causes load shifting).
• Puncture Resistance: Blown resists puncturing much better than cast, which will generally tear when over-stressed. Blown is more forgiving around sharp edges.
• Visual Clarity: Blown is not crystal clear. This can make reading and scanning harder, but it helps reduce distracting glare. Cast is clear; making reading and scanning under typical warehouse lighting easy.
• Rewind Noise: Blown tends to be very loud when it's unwound from the roll. Cast makes almost no noise.
• Film Cling: Blown has one-sided cling-this creates higher load retention. Cast has a natural cling on both sides. This can make pallets stick together. However, cast film can be manufactured with one-sided cling.
Because of inferior strength and film memory, cast is best for lighter loads with standard shapes. It also tends to be less expensive than blown-which makes it a good choice for less demanding high production applications.
4. Standard or Pre-Stretched
Pre-stretched film is stretched close to its ultimate breakpoint at the factory and then wound onto rolls. This means the film doesn't require nearly as much physical energy to apply as standard stretch film. This is the main reason that pre-stretched films are popular for hand wrapping. In fact, pre-stretched film applied by hand can create the same load stability as machine applications. The rolls are also light and easy to handle and can be applied with a walk-forward wrapping technique, which helps prevent slip and fall incidents. Basically, users get the same (or better) load stability with less product, less physical energy, and greater control.
While pre-stretched film is more expensive per foot than traditional film, it requires about half the amount of film, which can create a net cost savings (the film is much lighter and therefore less expensive per pound). Another plus is that pre-stretched film will naturally tighten after application. This unique film memory and its tendency to tighten after application are the most important reasons for pre-stretching film.
Jobs that make the most sense for pre-stretched film are those that require hand application-especially where workers don't have the strength to handle or tighten traditional film and/or where workers are handling irregularly shaped loads. Pre-stretched film should be used for loads no heavier than 1,200 pounds, since it is usually stretched too thin to hold a heavier load. It can be applied either by hand or with automatic machinery. Companies that position themselves as green can make a good case for using pre-stretched film since it requires less product.
Specialty Wrap
In addition to the 4 considerations mentioned above, there are specialty qualities that are very beneficial for some applications:
• Ventilated: Common applications include anything that needs heat and moisture to vent in order to avoid spoilage, such as produce and other food products.
• Colored/Printed: Using stretch film in a variety of colors or that is printed, makes it easier to identify products and spot tampering. It's also great for product coding and dating.
• Bundling Film: This comes in 2", 3", and 5" widths and replaces tape and string. It has the advantage of not leaving sticky residue or string marks. It's best for packaging small items together.
• VCI: Vapor-corrosion-inhibiting stretch film blocks moisture and contaminants, thus preventing rust and corrosion. It's excellent for products that come into contact with water and other rust/corrosion promoting substances-including rain and salt water vapor typical near seaside docks.
• UVI: Users that store loaded pallets outside for any length of time will need an ultraviolet inhibiting film. However, UVI films vary in how long they will provide protection before the UV properties begin to diminish (usually 3-12 months).
By now you should be fairly certain as to what you need, but probably need a little confirmation. Where can you go for unbiased advice? Look for an industrial packaging supplier that's been in the business for many years and has a stake in your satisfaction. A good packaging supplier will want to establish a long-term relationship based on trust, not a quick sale. So call us now for expert advice that will lead to immediate and long-term cost savings.
Call 1-877-222-5747 or Email Kim Calcagno kcalcagno@b2bind.com
About B2B Industrial Packaging LLC
B2B Industrial Packaging offers the best packaging products, service, and solutions for businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small growing enterprises. Servicing more than 4,000 active clients, they sell a variety of packaging supplies including steel strapping, polyester strapping, stretch wrap, edge board, and fasteners. B2B Industrial serves clients primarily in the Central Great Lakes, California and Texas, and operates a strapping tool repair facility that services the entire U.S. To contact B2B Industrial Packaging, call 1-800-413-2463 or visit http://www.B2BInd.com.
B2B Industrial Packaging and B2BInd.com are trademarks of B2B Industrial Packaging LLC. All other company and product names may be trademarks of respective companies with which they are associated.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7533696
Film Photography: Why You Should Try It Out
So I'm guessing not many of you guys are using film cameras these days. The few of you who are, good for you! This dying form of photography is still magical to me. I recently got into it again, on the sideline, and I definitely believe it's helped me as a photographer in general. Knowing that you cannot get an instant preview of your image makes you concentrate harder on your composition, exposure, and all other aspects of taking a photograph. The manual SLR that I am using makes me concentrate even harder, focusing and exposing manually, and as many people have already said, thinking about a photo BEFORE you take it often results in a much better shot. In addition, using a prime (fixed focal length) lens makes you concentrate even more!
You could be using a vintage Leica rangefinder from the '50s or '60s, a Japanese SLR from the '80's or '90s, but the film medium still remains the same. Sure, the newer ones do have autofocus and auto exposure, but other than that, the basic process of using film cameras is pretty much the same. You take your shot, you finish your roll, process it, and get your prints, or as more people do these days, get em scanned. You have no idea what you've shot until afterwards
Processing your own film can also be a very fun experience, especially once you know what you're doing (and it's not really that hard, especially when processing black and white film) - it also saves quite a bit of money, as photo labs that still do film are able to charge pretty ridiculous amounts for processing and printing/scanning film
Film comes in many formats, such as 135 (35mm) film, which is the most commonly used today, as well as medium format (120, 220 etc.) which is still used today by professionals.
In this post I am going to discuss the common 35mm film, which is what I have been using, and the different types, the various brands, and other factors that would help explain to you how your photographs can actually vary (and improve) based on the film you use
First of all, there are two basic kinds of film: negative film and slide film (reversal film)
Negative film is what most of you probably have used as a kid, if at all. This film is processed into 'negatives', where your images show as an inversion of the normal image i.e. light is dark, dark is light. Negative film comes in both color and black and white. Color negatives are sometimes known as "C41" - this name comes from the most common process of developing color negative films, which is C41. Black and white film is still called...well, black and white film
Slide film (or reversal film) is the other kind of film that I mentioned. Not as commonly used every day as negative film, as far as I know, slide film is processed into color transparencies, not negatives - i.e. the developed film strip will have the same colors as the original picture, unlike negatives where the colors are inverted. This is beneficial, as you can simply hold the transparency to a light source, and view the image, albeit in a small (36x24mm frame) size. A slide viewer is a little device with a light source and a magnifying lens: simply pop in your transparencies (slides) into the device, and you see a larger version of the image - no printing or scanning required to preview your shots. As far as I know, only color slide film is being manufactured currently. The last black and white slide film was the Agfa Scala film, has been discontinued for years now - however, if you really wish to get your black and white shots as transparencies, there are quite a few methods of processing ordinary black and white negative film which develops the negative film into a positive strip of transparencies. A lot of people send their black and white negatives to a company called DR5, who specialize in this process - however, do note that this is NOT black and white slide film, but simply a process of creating transparencies from negative film
An important difference between negative and slide film is the exposure tolerance. Negative film is quite flexible, and allows incorrectly exposed shots to be fixed to a great deal. Slide film is generally not so forgiving. This makes sense when you realize that you often view slide film directly (through a slide viewer or something), where as in a negative, you have to either scan it or print it - it's in this printing or scanning process that the exposure can be fixed. Some say that slides can be exposure-corrected if you print or scan them too, while some still insist that slide film is definitely not as tolerant as negatives. However, as a general rule, remember that negative film is definitely more flexible than reversal slide film, and if you're using slide film be sure to get your exposure spot on
Please note that what I'm talking about here is not the process of pushing/pulling film in the development process. You can push or pull both slide and negative film in the development process. For those of you who do not know what this means, push processing refers to a procedure that basically alters the film process so that the resulting negative or transparency is 'over-developed', which allows the exposure of an underexposed roll of film to be corrected. Pull processing is the opposite, 'under-developing' the film to correct an overexposed roll. For example, if a photographer intentionally (or accidentally) shoots an entire roll at the wrong ISO setting on his camera, it can be corrected via push or pull processing this film roll
When I mention that negative film is flexible, I mean that once a negative film roll has been developed normally, its exposure can STILL be corrected, generally to a greater degree than slide film allows. OK, enough about that. Moving on...
...there are distinguishing features of different types/brands of film that are noticeable in your results that you will learn to see, and form an opinion over. These features would include film grain, color saturation, contrast... and would work for different types of images, as well as ruin other types of shots. Playing around and experimenting with various types and brands of film will help you realize which film to use for which purpose. Another point to note is that, unlike in digital cameras, your ISO is fixed. You choose the film speed you want, and you're stuck with it until the roll is over. So do not buy a slow ISO 100 film roll and go shooting at night!
So, looking at the variables of different films, we have:
Film grain: this is generally based on ISO - as in digital photography, where high ISO speed results in image noise, higher film speed usually results in more film grain. This is suitable for some pictures i.e. if you're looking to get a gritty street image etc. but would not work with a landscape with sky and water where you're looking for smooth clean textures. Some types of film simply handle grain better than others, so this is where using films and seeing real results helps more than just reading about the theory. For example, Kodak Ektar is supposedly the finest grain color film in the world! Having used both Ektar (ISO 100) and Fuji Reala (ISO 100), I really cannot spot the difference between the two. However, using a black and white Kodak Tri-X 400, and compared to a Kodak T-Max 400, I find the Tri-X to be noticeably grainier than the T-Max. But like I said, some grain will accentuate a photo, and improve it...do not be afraid of grain
Color saturation: obviously applying only to color film, some film has the tendency to over-saturate and give artificial, fake colors - some films give beautifully natural colors, saturated just right, and some even have a slightly laid back look to it that looks great. Of course, some look flat and dull - you can safely avoid this type of film if you feel it's flat. In black and white film too, the tones of the grays vary with each film - some have harsh tones, and hardly show any definition between black and white, while some have lovely gray mid-tones, and others have a gorgeous silvery look to the grays
Contrast: yes, contrast varies too. To me, this is especially noticeable and important in black and white film. I prefer my black and white film to have a medium to high contrast - low contrast doesn't work for me, although I've seen great examples of low contrast black and white shots. So again, experiment!
From the different types of film I've used (I've been sticking to negatives), here are some characteristics that I've noted:
Fuji Superia/Superia X-Tra (200, 400): my standard color film. Cheap, reliable, very good. I love the colors on this. Not too contrasty, not very saturated... in fact I'd say the colors are slightly laid back. Grain is fine, and for ISO 400, I would never call it grainy. For random color shots, and especially to test new cameras/lenses, this is my go-to film
Fuji Reala (100): a professional grade film, this is one of the finest grain films I've used. Colors are more saturated than the Superia, but not too. Quite contrasty, and again, beautiful fine grain. Probably my favorite C41 film
Kodak Ektar (100): another professional grade color film. I'd say the grain is as fine as the Reala, although Kodak claims this to have grain finer than any other! Great colors too, and nice contrast. Like the Reala, I'd use this for landscapes, and avoid portraits - this sort of saturation is not very flattering for skin
Kodak Portra (160, 400): as the name suggests, this color film is designed for portraits, aiming at getting skin tones right, and avoiding extra saturation while maintaining nice contrast - it works great for portraits, yes, but I wouldn't mind using it for other work too. I do not necessarily feel that I need brighter colors for landscape work, as this sort of look works too, sometimes. Always experiment, do not stick to the 'rules'
Kodak Tri-X (400): a very grainy black and white negative film, quite contrasty and a bit harsh. Not my favorite. The first roll I tried was a disaster - the tones were too strong, the mid-tones were almost non-existent i.e. black seemed to jump into white...and the grain was too much for my liking. I had a feeling that this roll was expired (I forgot to check, always remember to check!) so I went out n got another - slightly better, but still too grainy for my tastes. The texture just seemed too harsh for me. Like I said, there's a time for very grainy film too, so by no means am I gonna stop buying Tri-X
Fuji Neopan Acros (100): my favorite black and white film. The grain is extremely fine, and the grays are lovely, almost silvery, and very, very smooth. Contrast is more than average, quite perfect in my opinion. Great for people photography, as well as street shots
Kodak T-Max (100, 400): a fine grain black and white film, beautiful contrast, and very nice tones. I suggest T-Max 100 for daylight street shooting: the contrast is not too high, and the tones are dark, darker than the Neopan film that I love, but very controlled and smooth - and at ISO 100, the grain is very fine. If you want to shoot in lower light or you just want a faster film, try the T-Max 400...the grain is still pretty fine, and it's got the same features as the 100. If you want that real grainy look, try Tri-X instead
Ilford HP5 400: a high speed black n white film, by the black n white legends Ilford. It's got the 'classic' look - quite hard to explain, really. I just like it. The grain is very controlled, quite fine...medium contrast, I'd say...a very nice general purpose film
Yeah, I think that's pretty much all I've tried so far. Told you I'm new to film too. Can't wait to get my hands on some more Ilford, as well as some Kentmere, Fomapan etc.
I'll try to end this off by just guiding you guys on how to pick out some film for some random purpose...OK:
Firstly, negative or slide? If you want black and white, it's gonna be negative. For me, another deciding factor is the film speed...I prefer negatives if I'm buying film over ISO 200 for some reason...grain on slide film is just not my thing. Also, you might want to check on places that process slide film (E6) - which is not nearly as common as negative processing. If you can't find a lab that does E6 slide processing, you have no choice but negative. And lastly, but importantly, remember that rule where we say negative film is more tolerable. If you have a very accurate light meter, and you think your exposure is going to be spot on, you can go ahead with slide. But if you have any doubts, or you want flexibility, definitely go ahead with the trusty negative film
Next, of course you're gonna choose black and white or color. Nothing to explain here
Film speed! Ah, this is crucial. ISO 100, known as daylight film, is obviously for shooting in daylight. Sure, this gives fine grain, but fine grain blurry shots taken at night are not gonna look good at ALL. I'd take sharp but grainy night shots any day over the blurry fine grain ones. So know what you will be shooting, where you will be shooting, and what time you will be shooting. Shooting in daylight does not mean you ONLY need to pick a slow (50, 100) film - like I mentioned before, try shooting some grainy street shots with a high speed film. But shooting at night SHOULD mean that you need to pick a high speed (400, 800) film
Lastly, pick out a brand that either you know by experience, or have read about (here, maybe!), that has characteristics that you want for this particular shoot. Colors, contrast, saturation, sharpness, grain/speed performance, texture - depending on what you're shooting, look at these factors and pick one
And then...stick it in your camera and go shoot!
But...and there's always a but...remember that in today's photography world, film is almost always scanned. Even when making prints, your photo lab will usually scan your film and make prints out of the scans, not using the traditional and probably less convenient method of making 'wet prints' in the darkroom. What this means is that, even though you will notice characteristics of your types of film, your final output can vary quite a bit in the scanning process. A shot with rather dull and lifeless colors can be enhanced a great deal, regardless of the film type you have used, using scanning software and Photoshop. Another shot of colors that seem over-saturated or gaudy can be controlled, faded, or even made black and white!
Of course, this can be good and bad. If you're scanning yourself, this gives you greater creative control over the final image, so if you really work at your scanning process, you can end up with some great results. However, if you get them done at the lab, you're sort of at the mercy of the lab guy. For example, I rescanned a shot that I got scanned at the lab...a shot of a flower, which the lab scanned as a red flower. My scan showed it purple. To this day, I'm not sure what color the flower really was, but this shows what can be done. I can turn the flower red if I want...or leave it purple...or make it pink...I have plenty of options, really. In the end, I just want to make it look how I think it looks best. And that's what I did (I left it purple) - but that really showed me how much of a role scanning plays, and how much your final result can be changed, no matter what the film brand or type that was used
But (but, again), there's a limit to what editing your scanned film can do. You're still gonna notice the characteristics of the particular film type you used, so no matter how good your editing skills are, it's still better to get a good film that you've had good experience with when you shoot with a specific purpose - you might not always be able to fix a flat, dead image on Photoshop. If you want today's shot to have bright colors, don't go for film that you know to be rather flat or dull in terms of color saturation - it'll always be easier to get the image you're looking for if you start with the right stuff first
And with that, I will shut up about different kinds of 35mm film! Remember that most of this applies to medium format film as well. However, as I've not used medium format film cameras (yet), I have refrained from going into medium format-specific details.
This is by no means a comprehensive guide on using film - there's so much more to the complicated and beautiful art of film photography, which I shall try to cover in more detail later on. But if you're new to this, I hope this has been enough to get you excited enough to get started!
Heshan
My Blog: http://pixelogist.me
Buy my images: http://500px.com/heshan/store/
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A Guide to 35mm (Camera) Films
5mm film cameras use a length of film enclosed in single-spool, light-tight, metal cassette to produce 36 x 24mm negatives, which is known by the terms "135", or "35mm" film.
The idiom 135 was introduced by Kodak in about 1934, and is little more than a numeric name to distinguish it from other film formats, e.g. 110, 120, 126, 127, 820, etc.
The alternative name of 35mm is descriptive of the width of the film, although in reality, the film is a tiny bit narrower than 35mm: it's actually about 1 3/8 inches wide, or 34.9mm, because at its inception, 135 film was made by cutting another standard size film strip - 2 ¾ inch - in half.
The are four broad types of film; colour, black and white, print and slide, although black and white slide film has become pretty rare.
Print film is also known as "Negative", since it produces a total inversion of the image captured (i.e. negatives), where light areas appear dark, dark areas become light, and colours (where present) are also switched into their respective complementary colours. The negatives are used to make prints, where the original image's colours and tones are restored.
"Reversal" film produces a positive image on a transparent base. The processed film contains an accurate reproduction of colour, and light and shade, and requires no further treatment. Reversal film produces "transparencies", which are commonly mounted in a plastic or card frame, and called "slides".
All films have a "speed rating", which is a measure of the film's sensitivity to light. Films with a lower speed are relatively insensitive to light, require greater exposure to it, and are called "slow" films. Higher speed films are relatively more sensitive to light, require shorter exposures, and are termed "fast" films. There are three measures of film speed you need to be familiar with.
The DIN system (Deutsches Institut für Normung) was published in 1934, and is a logarithmic scale, usually comprised one or two digit numbers.
The ASA system (American Standards Association) was adopted by Kodak between about 1943, and 1954, and is an arithmetic scale, usually comprised of one to four digit numbers.
The ASA scale is easier to work with because the relationship between film speeds is simpler to grasp. For example, a 200 ASA film was twice as fast as a 100 ASA film, and a 400 ASA film was twice as fast as a 200 ASA film. In other words, using 400 ASA film in preference to 200 ASA allows the camera to utilize an aperture setting one f-stop smaller, or a shutter speed one-step higher. By contrast, when using the DIN scale it wasn't as easy to fathom - on the hoof - that a 24 DIN film was twice as fast as a 21 DIN film, and a 27 DIN film was twice as fast as a 24 DIN film (you had to learn the speed increments).
In 1974, a new ISO (International Organization for Standardization) scale was adopted by the photographic industry, and this effectively combined the old ASA and DIN scales into one. In other words, 100 ASA or 21 DIN became 100/21 ISO, and 200 ASA or 24 DIN became 200/24 ISO. Cameras made before the mid 1980s may have ASA or DIN scales, or both. In reality most manufacturers stuck to the ASA/DIN system long after the 1974 changes.
There is one further film speed scale you will need to know about if you use a former Soviet Union made camera that pre-dates 1987: the GOST scale (but I'm not going to go into details here). GOST to ISO conversion tables are available on the Internet.
The relevance of film speed, of itself, it that is extends the capabilities of a camera to suit differing light conditions. For example, if you plan to shoot in a low light situation, or need to freeze motion, then a faster film is a good choice; but there is another aspect of film that needs to be taken into consideration, and that's its "grain" or "granularity".
Film is made from tiny fragments of silver, which under magnification look like gains of sand. They give film photographs their texture, which can be fine or grainy (or somewhere in between). Larger silver grains give film greater sensitivity to light, so faster films tend to have a more grainy texture, while slower films have fine grains of silver, and capture sharper images with much finer levels of texture attributable to the film. Today's digital age equivalents of grainy and fine grain descriptions would be "noise" and "high-definition" images.
For this reason, the choice of film speed is often a compromise between ease of shooting (i.e. the ability to use faster shutter speeds/smaller apertures), and the quality of the photograph sought. Fortunately, most film manufacturers (and good retailers) describe the grain qualities of their products, and this allows the photographer to choose the film that best suit their needs based on both speed and grain.
Today, the big four film manufactures that once fuelled the rising in popularity of amateur photography are still in the business of making films: Agfa, Fujica, Ilford, and Kodak (plus a few others whose names have less kudos). I cannot recommend any particular brand of film: they are all good, and some are better than others, but the choice ultimately depends on what you are going to shoot and how you want your film photographs to look.
In summary, any film for a 35mm camera will be described by a combination of: 135 or 35mm size identification, colour or black and white, negative or reversal (print or slide), ISO speed, and granularity. Some manufactures give their films a catchy name that sums-up all this information in a word, such as ColorPlus, or Velvia.
My 35mm film camera collection
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A Preview of the England Cricket Squad Ahead of the Stamford Series
Not much criticism can be levelled against England Captain, Kevin Pietersen at present, particularly as he is unbeaten in any match since his captaincy began in the summer. There are some who suggest that the England squad is a closed shop and there may evidence of that with the central contract award to former captain, Michael Vaughan and the inclusion of test match opener, Alister Cook for the Stanford Super Series. It is not absolutely certain of how much influence, Pietersen had with these decisions, but it is clear that he has endorsed them
With the best will in the world, Vaughan has had a very poor period with the bat in the past twelve months. He has averaged just 27 and has done precious little since he captained the side to their epic Ashes victory in 2005. He jumped before he was pushed from the England captaincy job and it is amazing how he managed to secure such a lucrative contract with the team. It is particularly galling when one considers his age and the fact that players like Ravi Bopara still have to continue waiting.
Admittedly, Bopara has been awarded a place in the squad for the Stanford twenty/20 million dollar series and he may get a nice reward if England goes on to win. However, an unofficial twenty/2o series is scant reward for a player who up until recently was being hailed as the next big thing in cricket. He still has time on his side of course, he has been included for the one day series against India and don top of that he has also been awarded an incremental central contract, which he will be hoping will be his passport for a permanent place.
Alister Cook's inclusion for the Stanford series is a real puzzler. He has no twenty/20 form and he was a major doubt for inclusion in the 50 over one day side. Kent followers will be particularly nonplussed by the decision, their two openers, Joe Denly and captain, Robert Key have been in superb form this season, particularly in one dayers. Both would have merited inclusion for both the Stanford and the India tour, but have been omitted. Key of course has had England chances in the past, but Denly, who has won many admirers this season, would have gained great experience. He surely would have been a better bet than Cook.
Graham Napier of Essex could have been another possible, certainly for the Stanford series, but in his case the selectors have probably got it right, believing that his record breaking one off performance in the twenty/20 cup earlier this year was insufficient to gain him a spot.
The Stanford Series gets under way on the 25th October and is a potentially revolutionary concept in Cricket, with its lucrative prize offerings and format. Stanford Series betting is predicted to big business for betting companies thanks to the expected high media exposure and live TV coverage.
James Smith has worked in the sports industry for several years and has a wide range of experience in the field, ranging from sports marketing through to sports journalism. A regular writer of sports articles at http://www.betting-directory.com
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New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo Wii Platformer) Modern Retro Game Review - Classic Mario Returns
All the rules, none of the spirit.
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That probably seems mean, but it this is the undeniable reality of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a platforming game for the Nintendo Wii which harkens back to the original Super Mario games. You would think that because this is the second game in the New Super Mario Bros. Series that there would be some noticeable updates, but in the end you get an all too similar experience, despite being on a bigger screen.
Now, don't take this the wrong way, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is not an awful game. Truthfully, it is quite a fantastic game. It does indeed introduce a few new features, like simultaneous 4 player multiplayer, which no doubt creates chaos and ill will towards your friends. And, to be expected, you are regularly introduced to Wii motion gimmicks, but when all is said and done you're left with a game that has no real surprises and this can do a lot to dwindle the amount of enthusiasm you have towards it.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii is somewhat longer this time around, where the last game in the series (and the more recent New Super Mario Bros. 2) two worlds were locked, having to complete certain objectives to gain access to them. This time you have access to eight worlds in the main story, and then once you've beaten Bowser, you then have access to a ninth secret world that allows you to play some more levels once you've aqcuired all star coins in a given world.
The controls are okay, I suppose. But it's certainly no Super Mario World. There are at times some questionable hit detection, either for or against you. Considering this is a 2D platformer with a 3D engine, pixel perfect collision simply does not exist. But even still, on just a few occasions I noticed some irregularities. That being said, I am new to the Nintendo Wii, having picked up one up so close to the Wii U release. So, I'm sure some of this is to be blamed on my inexperience with the control scheme, specifically when the game requires you maneuver yourself both in the traditional left-right-jump format as well as motion control to interact with your environment.
The level design in New Super Mario Bros. Wii is often hit and miss. Instead of building upon mechanics introduced in previous levels, often time the game will throw an entirely unique element to the game that you won't even see again. A boat ride in a dark cave where you control a flashlight with your motion controls comes to mind, or a floating platform that will sink if too many enemies are on it (and then they have the gall to throw a ton of mini goombas that latch on to you.) Fortunately, the gimmicks that are thrown at you are intuitive enough that this doesn't become a problem, and it does a lot to keep the game feeling fresh to the end when the levels themselves are in general nothing special, outside of a couple of cases. I really like the forest levels with pits of poisonous liquid, I don't know why. But I digress
Difficulty in New Super Mario Bros. Wii seems to be all over the place. In one level you might find yourself casually strolling while navigating some mildly challenging platforming obstacles, and the next level they'll throw a hundred bullet bills at you from every direction with no pattern as you navigate with both the Wii motion controls. To have the best experience with this game, you're pretty much expected to have played the older Mario games extensively, and while this isn't much of an issue for people who are experienced gamers, this can be somewhat frustrating for people who are new to gaming, which seems to counteract Nintendo's current market.
I can understand that after however many games in the Mario series there has been it can difficult to keep things fresh, but largely the levels in New Super Mario Bros Wii seem uninspired. It almost seems like a remix of classic Mario elements with modern mechanics, but it's not even close to the level of New Super Mario Bros 2, it's successor. That being said, it's nice to see some obstacles and certain enemies from previous games, and it's especially nice to ride Yoshi in 2D again.
If there's one thing that the New Super Mario Bros. Series does right, it's the final world. The Lava, the smoke, the deterioration. Everything just screams "This is it, this is the end of my journey." It perfectly executes the feeling of escalation before that climatic battle with the big Bowser. However, although the final battle is more than satisfying, I did find it a bit on the easier side, beating it in one go when other levels from a few worlds back were kicking my butt.
I'm not a huge fan of the Music here, although it does enough justice to serve as suiting background music, and it's devilishly catchy. As I write this the damn overworld theme keeps running through my head. Please Kill Me. Only the dead can be at peace from this suffering.
When all is said and done, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is definitely worth your purchase and play if you have not already. Just be prepared for a few frustrations here and there. Despite it's flaws it somehow makes you want to keep playing all the way through. It took me two days to complete, but only because I started later at night and I just couldn't coordinate myself with the sleep deprivation. It's a solid game, although perhaps not a primary example of a game you'd recommend when someone says they want to play a Mario Bros. game. This is definitely a game for the old Mario fans, and if you are member of that club you have no reason not to play it.
Anthony Luna is the Creator and writer for Retronomy, the retro game reviews website that delivers you content detailing history and commentary on the best (and the worst) from video game industry history. Strap on your nostalgia goggles and visit retronomy at [http://www.retronomy.net] today!
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Super Hero Movies Are on the Way Out
Now if the title doesn't upset a few people I don't know what will but recently Matthew Vaughn, the director behind "Kick-Ass" and the same man who is directing Super Hero movie "X-Men: First Class" has stated that he believes the current swash of Super Hero based movies will be coming to an end soon. He gives his reasons which include the quality of some of these movies and that he believes that audiences will grow tired of one Super Hero movie after another. But it has to be said that there is a sort of an irony here for a man who is directing a Super Hero movie to come out and say that basically the end is nigh.
But whilst it is ironic I have to say I agree with Matthew Vaughn and think the recent popularity for Super Hero movies could come to a crashing end within a year or two. Why, well let's look at the facts.
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Spoilt for choice
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Super Hero movies are not something new, they have been around for decades going back to the 1940s with the likes of "Adventures of Captain Marvel", "The Phantom" and "Superman". When I was growing up during the late 70s and 80s there was Christopher Reeve in "Superman" and then came the "Batman" movies but that was really it. But never have we had so many Super Hero movies making their way on to the big screen.
Whilst many will probably be salivating at all these Super Hero and comic book adaptations it does mean that where as once you were loyal to just one Super Hero now your loyalties are being tested, forced to split between several and there is only so far your loyalties can be split. Because quite simply if you are a fan of Spider-Man, Superman, Wolverine and say Iron Man by the time you watch Thor, Captain America or Green Hornet you struggle to embrace them.
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Much of a muchness
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Now I know that by what I am going to say will enrage comic book fans but so many Super Hero movies are just too similar. Yes each individual character may have some special power, costume or back story but the storylines generally follow a very similar path which sees the creation of said Super Hero followed by a battle with a nemesis or in the case of some - multiple nemeses, all of which is embellished by bit action and CGI.
As such there is going to come a time when audiences grow tired of watching yet another one of these movies only to end up watching the same old story with just a different character and star. And this ties in that a time will come when audiences will grow out of movies which rely on special effects and big star names to entertain and start turning there back on movies which have no originality or fail to deliver a different angle on an old storyline.
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Over kill
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Over the last decade the number of Super Hero movies being made has slowly increased and if we haven't had a new one with a new character we've had remakes, reboots, re-imaginations, sequels and off shoots. But whilst there was a time when you would get a new Super Hero movie and then there would be a few months before another one rolled along the number being thrust upon the cinema going public is creeping up to stupid proportions with a lot of these movies scheduled for release over the next year, many of which are leading up to big collaboration Super Hero movies such as "The Avengers". If you just take a look at proposed Super Hero/ comic book movies for next year there is Green Lantern, Captain America, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Priest and not to forget that "The Avengers" is in the pipeline as is "Batman 3", a Spider-man reboot and also another Superman movie and I know I have barely scratched the surface of Super Hero movies either in production, ready for production or awaiting the green light.
Now whilst this list I am sure will excite fans of these sorts of movies it ends up becoming a turn off for those who up till now have only enjoyed the occasional one. And as such there is a huge possibility that with so many of these movies hitting the big screen in a relatively short period time audiences will drop off to a chorus of "We don't need another hero". The knock on effect is that those big collaboration movies such as "The Avengers" could even end up being shelved by studios when they see public demand for Super Hero movies dropping off.
All of which could be avoided if the studios didn't go over the top in trying to capitalize on the popularity of Super Hero movies. If they spread all these movies out over a bit more time then there would be less chance of audiences, those who like a variety of movies, will grow tired of watching them and seeing them filling up the big screens. As it stands with all these movies going on there is a huge chance that they will burn out before some ever get made.
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What this all means
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Matthew Vaughn could well be right and he is not alone in thinking that the current popularity in Super Hero movies could be coming to and end. It all boils down to studios trying to capitalize on a popular trend but in doing so going over the top and in effect wrecking it's longevity by throwing too many of these movies at audiences in a short period of time, rushing through inferior movies just to make money whilst the rush is on.
For me I actually won't be sad to see the back of Super Hero movies, I actually grow tired of listening to comic book fans drone on about Super Hero movies as much as they probably tire of me droning on about the good old days of cinema. But for those who do love these sorts of movies, here's a thought: 20 - 30 years ago we went through superman and batman movies, those who grew up on those are now the ones making movies and choosing to make these superhero movies. That means in another 20 - 30 years time, those who have grown up on this swash of Super Hero movies will be the ones in charge making movies and you can bet there will be another resurgence in these movies.
Andy Webb writes movies reviews covering everything from the classics through to modern. Visit The Movie Scene to read reviews by Andy Webb.
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Top 10 Horror Movies
If you are a horror movie fan you already know how intense an experience these types of films can be. There are some horror movies that combine humor with the storyline as a way of letting the audience catch their breath. Other "scary movies" maintain the fright factor throughout the film. Which movies you like depends on your own personal tastes but here is a list of the top 10 horror movies of all time in no particular order. These are big screen events that every horror aficionado should see at least once.
1. The Blob
Who can forget this cool movie that dates back to the 1950s. This horror movie starred Steve McQueen as a young tough with a heart of gold who battled the fierce outer space blob of goo that was devouring everyone in its path. The remake of this horror classic was not nearly as good as the original version which became a drive in staple for a number of years. This was a movie that was created when people were less jaded and although the special effects are indeed laughable by today's standards at the time when this movie was released the audience let their imaginations provide them with the best scenes.
2. Jaws
This Steven Spielberg production still is one of the cinema greats and definitely deserves to be listed among the top 10 horror movies of all time. Who cares if no one really got to see a great deal of the marauding shark demon, this was another big screen flick that catered to imaginary fears and shocked audiences around the world with surprisingly little onscreen carnage being shown.
3. Friday the 13th
This modern day horror movie is still reeling in viewers and attracting new fans. Although an entire series of Friday the 13th films have been produced it is still the original that people remember best. Jason and that hockey mask are indelibly etched into the minds of all who have seen this "creeped out" thriller.
4. House on Haunted Hill
Is another early movie that still managed to latch onto those fears of the unknown and shock millions of frantic fans. This was a film that specialized in creating horror scenes that were more emotional than visual.
5. The Exorcist
During the 70s few films attracted the fervent publicity that this one did. When it was first released people stood in extraordinarily long lines for their chance to be part of the audience. Linda Blair shot to stardom as the young girl possessed by a demon and that scene showing her head spinning round like a top can still create chills for anyone who rents this movie. The fact that several people associated with this horror movie were injured or killed even led to conjecture that there was an "Exorcist" curse. Of course this type of gossip only made the movie more popular among the millions of horror fans around the world. The Catholic Church even had a few choice words to say against this film, but nothing was able to defeat this horror movie at the box office in its heyday.
6. Jeepers Creepers
This is a movie that was created along the lines of Friday the 13th. You have two young people who are drawn into an underworld of murder, horror and nightmarish fears as well as a hulking, maniacal killer who is set on wreaking carnage and destruction on anyone in his path. This movie formula has been the basis for a number of great horror movies and Jeepers Creepers found box office gold among an audience consisting mostly of teens and young adults.
7. Candyman
This was a 1992 release based on a story written by horror master Clive Barker. You have to love a horror movie that captures the supernatural effects of pure horror and blends them with those "oh, so believable" urban legends. By the time this movie is ending everyone in the audience is convinced that there is a "Candyman" lurking somewhere in their neighborhood.
8. The Sixth Sense
Paranormal activity has always been a staple for many horror flicks but this movie elevates extra sensory perceptions to a brand new level. The young boy who is the central character can really see and speak to departed souls. For him this is a traumatic fact because some of these lingering spirits are truly "horrific" to look at since most of them have suffered a violent death. The twist for this movie is that the psychologist who is helping the young "medium" deal with his fears is also one of these departed spirits but the kind hearted psychologist does not yet realize that he has died. This movie qualifies as a "tearjerker" as well as being one of the best horror movies of all times.
9. The Blair Witch Project
This horror movie was released in 1999 and it was created with a shoestring budget. It became a runaway hit even though there was very little to see in the way of true horror or special effects. This was a psychologically powerful movie that catered to people's superstitious beliefs and it raked in millions at the box office. College students, a New England town, witches and a video camera are the main components of this film. The plot is a bit disoriented and it is difficult to keep track of what is taking place on screen but the fear factor for this movie flew off the chart. Even today you have people who are convinced that this really was a project undertaken by a few intrepid college students who became victims of the curse of the Blair Witch.
10. Night of the Living Dead
This is another 60's black and white horror film that continues to be popular with audiences. The story begins in a graveyard where zombie-like creatures are walking about. These are dead people who have come back to life and are out to literally devour any humans they find. A small group of individuals hide in a house and attempt to fend off these monsters. The living dead are not easy to kill and resourcefulness is the key to survival. This is one of those horror movies that lets the audience use their imagination which is one of the reasons that it has become such a classic favorite.
There are many other great horror movies for people to watch and enjoy. Some of the newer movies are using explosive special effects and makeup to create intense scenes but true horror buffs realize that what you don't see can often be even more terrifying than what is recorded on camera. The best horror movies captivate your imagination early in the movie and allow you to become part of the action. Thanks to new technology it is easy for horror fans to choose to watch either older films or new releases. This means you have the best of both "fright filled" worlds at your fingertips.
Wadzanai Nenzou Is A Writer And Owner Of Inspirational Quotes Change Lives Website. She Is Addicted To Movies From All The Genres Some Of Her All Time Favorites Are Horror Movies. For More From Her Go To Her Website [http://www.inspirational-quotes-change-lives.com/moviequotes.html]
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The Best Movies For a Hangover
There are many strategies to surviving a hangover: find and devour satisfying food, remain horizontal for the majority of the day, avoid bright light, to name a few. Among the most fulfilling things you can do to counteract a killer hangover is watch a movie. Wrapped up in your coziest digs, warm in bed, watching a movie can be one of the best hangover cures out there.
A great way to pass the time and escape the horrors of your current reality, we highly suggest this hangover recovery activity no matter the degree of your suffering. It is important, however, to choose wisely when it comes to film selection. What may be your favorite sober movie could set a disastrous downward spiral into motion, sending you deeper into the inevitable depression that comes along with being hungover. Fear not! We're here to help you in the selection process.
Movies to Avoid When Hungover
Before we get to the best in post-hammered cinema, let's talk about what to avoid when choosing a hangover flick. Do not, under any circumstances, watch a movie that contains any of the following plots:
- Party Movies - usually a hilarious way to live vicariously through someone else's drunk adventure, watching movies that include party scenes are a surefire way to turn your stomach. One look at Jonah Hill's laundry-blue tinted mouth full-o-beer in Superbad will almost definitely send you over the edge.
- Complicated Movies - twists and turns can be the most exciting and interesting parts of a movie when you're feeling good. When hungover, avoid any movie that makes you think harder than "ginger ale or gatorade?". You've already been nursing the aspirin bottle all morning. If you choose to challenge yourself to figure out what the hell is really in the box at the end of Seven, you're running the risk of legitimate brain explosion. The simpler the better.
- War Movies - often times hard enough to watch on your best day, war movies are straight up brutal when you're hungover. Not only are the characters out there serving their country, being all "America's finest", which can make you feel like more of a loser, but the gore factor is dangerous territory. The only blood you're going to want to see on a caveday is the delicious cooked kind dripping from your medium-rare cheeseburger.
- Movies with a Homeless Protagonist - Do not, we repeat, DO NOT, make the mistake of choosing one of these Debbie Downers when hungover. Chances are, you already feel shitty enough. You're struggling. Press play on Basketball Diaries you're pretty much asking for a meltdown.
We have determined the worst possible movie to watch when down-for-the-count: The Wrestler. Talk about a "feel awful" movie experience. Mickey Rourke's character is so broken, so busted, drunk, high, down and out, viewing this when hungover will surely make you feel 100 times worse than you already do. Not to be a spoiler (let's be honest, you've had a few years to catch up at this point, folks), but things don't even remotely work out well in the end. Let's be honest. The Wrestler is a great movie... to kill yourself to.
Hangover Movie Criteria
Alright. Now that you're schooled in what not to watch when hungover, let's talk about what we're here to highlight - the best movies to watch when hungover. Qualifications for foolproof, good-time hungover movie enjoyment include:
- Movies You've Seen Before - a hangover is no time to try something new. You must rely on what you know to support you through this tumultuous time. Your go-to movies can build confidence, making you feel smart and comfortable in their familiarity. Sure, you've seen Karate Kid 6000 times. 6001 is most definitely the charm when you're hungover.
- Comedies - the most lighthearted, hilarious flicks you can find will surely comfort you on a caveday. Laughter is medicine. As you purge the poor choices of last night, go ahead and laugh away your sorrows with a good old fashioned funny movie.
- Animated Movies - How can you go wrong here? You can't. Kids' movies are made to make you feel good, and they're never going to push you over the edge in terms of being too sad or scary. Often times fantastical, kids' movies are a great way to escape into another world for a couple of hours. You're also most likely not making a huge time commitment with these films, so take advantage of your attention span mirroring that of a 5 year old and indulge in something silly and sweet.
Recommended Hangover Movies
Based on this criteria, we present to you, "The Four Horsemen of Hangover Movies".
1. The Hangover - what a gift to hungover-kind. Hilarious at every turn, The Hangover reassures you that no matter how terrible you're feeling in this hungover moment, it's not nearly as bad as these guys have it. You can relate to their perils, yet feel proud that even though you left your cell phone in the cab on the way home, you still have all your teeth and the closest tiger is still safe at the zoo. Despite being sort of a movie about drinking, there are essentially no drinking scenes in the entire movie, so your gag reflex can relax.
2. Iron Man - this flick touches upon many of our good-choice criteria. Derived from a comic book, you can tap into your childhood while marveling (yup, we said it) at the coolest modern day special effects. The fast paced action will keep you occupied while the over the top nature of the plot, gadgets, and fight scenes won't possibly make you feel like you're inadequate; no one's as smart as Tony Stark.
3. Monsters, Inc. - though probably not something you watched as a kid yourself, this movie is an amazing way to nestle into the comforts of childhood cinema. It's stunning to watch, as is the trend with Pixar's masterful films. It's hilarious yet touching, super cute and completely imaginary, so you can truly escape real life for a bit. Relax and enjoy (and maybe check your closet real quick on your way back to the bed, just to be safe).
4. Big Trouble in Little China - martial arts movies have been proven to have a profound effect on the biochemistry of the human brain when undergoing alcohol processing. The cheesy action combined with unprecedented dorkiness is both entertaining and confidence-building. We conducted a double-blind case study testing this theory. A control group was compared to subjects who had watched various martial arts movies during their hangover process. The results were profound. The most potent movie for hangover assistance turned out to be Big Trouble in Little China, the aka the "Godfather of Garbage".
In conclusion, when you're feeling like the sober world is crashing down around you, a movie can be a great way to check out and feel safe. By following our do's and don'ts you're sure to have a pleasurable viewing experience. Prep something tasty, prop up a few extra pillows and let yourself be immersed in a blissful, semi-comatose viewing state of being.
caveday • / kav-da / • noun: A day of which activity is minimized due to the effects of a colossal hangover.
Everybody is familiar with Cavedays. You're hungover. You hate yourself and your one-and-only plan for the day is to do everything in your power just to stay alive. Namely: nothing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4670102
The Nigerian Movie Industry (Nollywood) - The Origin (History)
Here is an abridged version (yet richly enlightening) from one of the articles i wrote concerning this subject matter.
Film exhibition began to thrive during the Colonial era, with Glover Memorial Hall playing host to a range of memorable films viewed by "potential Nigerians", in August 1903. However, the non-availability of proper records reflecting the title of the debut film exhibited has created a lapse in the precedent stock. Notwithstanding the lacuna, the way had been paved for the exhibition of more foreign films at the Hall and other designated venues.
The emotionally traumatizing "Master - Servant" relationship, evident in the constant assaults, batteries, intimidation, segregation, victimization, carried out by the Colonial masters on the colonized, with darkened clouds of resentment, vengeance, thirst for freedom, giving way to splattering drops of such thoughts, instinctively projected through the colonized intermittent in-subordinate actions, began to spread amongst the blacks. The British knew they had to thread with caution if they still wanted to play "god" in their lives when films such as Tales of Manhattan, Trailer horn, Tarzan series began to stir up a revolution in the hearts of Blacks across the globe.
Aware of the lethal power of insurgency which could be unleashed through the Film medium, the British out of fear for their lives and possible loss of the Queen's sovereignty took the bull by the horn, and swiftly created a Colonial Film Censors Board (FCB) in 1933 to censor and classify films before they were released for visual consumption by the public. Following the establishment of the board, Films such as "The primitive, primitive man, Dixie, Buffalo Bill, The Keys of the Kingdom, Sleepy Town Girl were tagged 'suitable' to be watched, while Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Clive of India, The Isle of Forgotten Sins, House of Frankenstein were considered unsuitable for viewing.
The Censor's body underwent a transformation process into the Federal Board of Film Censors (FBFC) from the aforementioned, and the laws from which the transformed body derived its powers ranged from the 1948 Cinematograph Laws of Nigeria, the Cinematograph Laws of 1963, to the 1963/64 Cinematograph Law and Regulations. The present National Film and Video Censors Board came into existence by virtue of decree, now Act 85 of 1993. The advent of Nigeria's Independence (1960) and the Republican status (1963), heralded the dawn of a new era in all sectors.
"The Yoruba Travelling Theatre Group" of the 60's and 70's can be referred to as the "Fountain Head" of movie productions in Nigeria. The veterans with great Theatrical skills and great performances took their works beyond the stage, and dove into the sea of film productions using the Celluloid format. Notable film makers on the Roll call of Honour during the Celluloid boom era of the 70's include Ola Balogun, Eddie Ugbomah, late Herbert Ogunde, Adeyemi Afolayan a.k.a Ade Love (father of Kunle Afolayan of the Irapada fame), Ladi Ladebo, Moses Adejumo, Adebayo Salami and Afolabi Adesanya.
The list of documented films produced during the 70's era and transcending somewhat into the 80's is simply astonishing and goes to show that the Movie Industry has been around much longer, contrary to the '1992 belief syndrome' most have been injected with. Such works include Kongi Harvest (1971), Alpha (1972), Bull Frog in the Sun (1974), Amadi (1975), Ajani Ogun (1975), Muzik Man (1976), Bisi, Daughter of the River (1977), Ija Ominira (1978), Aiye (1979), Kadara (1980), Jaiyesimi (1980) Efunsetan Aniwura (1981), Cry Freedom (1981),Ija Orogun (1982) Owo L'Agba (1982)
The cost of producing films in that era was financially back breaking, with Nigerians further frustrating the efforts of the filmmakers by opting to watch films of occidental and oriental origin at the Cinemas and Exhibition centres, rather than the locally produced ones. The Cowboy films were exhilarating to watch while the Chinese films paraded amongst others, the Legendary "Bruce Lee" in (Lo Wei's, The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury (1972), Way of the Dragon (1972), Enter the Dragon (1973), The Game of Death released in 1978) who exhibited Martial Arts dexterity, obviously a fighting technique alien, yet fascinating to us at that time.
Indian films in the late 60's and well into the 70's paraded renowned names like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra Singh Deol, Mumtaz, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil kapoor, Hema Malini, and produced hits such as "Bobby", "Sholay", "Kabhi Kabhi", "Dharamveer", "Amar Akbar Anthony". Their stars displayed great acting skills against the backdrop of love themes, and ear pleasing songs coupled with synchronized dance steps, produced with sound and special effects, though incomparable with what obtains today bought over the indigenes loyalty for their movies.
Thus, the Movie Founding Fathers began to face the challenges of recouping their investments, which gradually became virtually an impossible task, an anthem they constantly rendered much to the discomfort of potential financers. They counted their losses and licked their wounds sustained in the financial battle with every film they released. The deluge of VCRS in the 80's created a paradigm shift from the Cine to the VHS format, which made productions easier, faster and cheaper by a milestone in comparison to the former. Cinema houses and other Exhibition centres were finally shut down and the Baton of Cine film making slipped from the hands of the Founding founders as they attempted to hand over the movie baton to the next generation within the stipulated Baton Exchange Zone. The dream of becoming a re-nowned Movie Industry was shattered when the flow of the Film Relay cycle was broken.
Home Videos were produced which served as an alternative to the cinemas, and the name naturally stems from the fact that you could seat within the comfort of your home and watch the movies produced in the VHS format via your VCR. Film Makers capitalized on the gains of the Home Video concept offered, and began producing movies using the Yoruba language as the means of communication. However, the year "1992" has overtime been widely accepted as the triggering period of Home Video productions, with Ken Nnebue's "Living in Bondage" said to be the first movie made for commercial purposes using the Igbo/English language.
The movie no doubt struck the "Movie Well", which invoked a mass exodus of people from other spheres into the art of movie productions, having seen the opportunities that lay in the Gold mine region. Thus, did the Home Video Industry tagged "Nollywood" emerge.
The fact that "Living in Bondage" was ascribed with the honour of being the first movie made for commercial purposes and the one upon which the Home Video revolution was allegedly founded on, culminating into Nollywood, didn't go unchallenged. Late Alade Aromire before his death, ignited a controversial fire, insisting that his and not Ken's movie ought to have been conferred with such an honour. When confronted by a reporter on the issue he'd stated that Ken had produced over 40 Yoruba movies, and had started with "Aje N'yami".
There had been a flourishing movie industry before he came on board, so ken couldn't have started it.
The confusion stems from the Censors board of the day, whose hands were amputated by the Law it drew its powers from, (1963/64 Cinematograph Law and Regulations). The powers conferred on it to regulate the Industry did not extend to "Home Video". The present National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) did not exist till 1994. On this raging issue, Late Alade Armoire produced movies such as Ekun, Omije (pts 1-3), Obirin Asiko, Ayo ni o, Adun, Orire which were released to the public between 1985 and 1991.
Ken Nnebue still insists that his movie "Living in Bondage" was the first Home Video movie made for commercial purposes. His stand on the matter is rather shaky, having prior to the production of Living in Bondage sponsored commercial movies in Yoruba language such as Ina Ote, Aje N'iyami and others. Let's not forget the barrage of Yoruba TV dramas that were mass produced on VHS tapes and sold to the public before 1992. One can't fail to mention the legendary Eddie Ugbomah's movie "The Great Attempt" (1989), which would have made history as the 1st Nigerian cine movie in the video tape format to have been censored by the defunct Federal Board of Film Censors (FBFC) based on a "special concession" granted him officially by the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture at that time.
Unfortunately the strong contents projected in the movie were considered unsuitable for public viewing by the Board, hence the movie was never released. Tunde Alabi -Hundeyin's "Iyawo Alhaji" is officially on record as the first commercial (direct to exhibition hall) video film to be censored and classified by the NFVCB in 1994 at the National Theatre, (Cinema Hall) Iganmu. Despite the controversial fire raised, the global publicity given to "Living in Bondage" over the years invariably imputed the movie into our memory banks as the flag bearer of the Home Video revolution of all times. People, irrespective of Nationality, race, gender, and tribe are confronted with challenges on a daily basis. Some of these problems are of a global nature, while others are peculiar to various societies. Movies offer people the opportunity of telling their own stories, free from alien interference.
Nigerian movie producers leveraged on this and produced movies projecting our lifestyle, culture, local fashion, burning issues, problems plaguing our society, irrespective of the choking stench of tribalism perceived in all sectors. Movies were made for the viewing pleasure of Nigerians initially, (before the mass exportation craze), with messages to inspire, motivate, reprove, and correct anomalies especially in the Political, Social systems, to eschew violence and all forms of evil.
The tactical use of the English language as the communication tool, marketing strategies and execution through the use of trailers via T.V, Posters (now banned in Lagos State), recorded a boost in sales, and expanded the viewership base beyond the shores of our Nation to countries such as Ghana, Togo, South Africa, Kenya, U.S.A and even the U.K.. Unfortunately, the movies churned out at an alarming rate were technically deficient in key areas considered as germane in the production process.
The popular "shoe string budget" tag has become synonymous with the Industry's antecedent of making movies on extremely low budgets compared to other movie bodies in other countries, ($10- $15,000 initially), but currently stretches to $25,000, with a microscopic number of producers further stretching the seemingly financial limit to N 7,10,20 Million and more. The movies were and are still shot dominantly between 10-12 days, via Beta cam (now HDV cameras), were produced in the VHS format (now VCD & DVD), replicated in mass and sold by the Marketers who also doubled as Distributors.
Over a thousand movies were being churned out yearly by producers and utterly amazed by the staggering statistical data of movie productions, the International movie spotlight was shone on the Multi Million naira Industry "Nollywood". The Industry's net worth as at 2008 stood between an estimated $250 and $300 Million dollars. It is worthy of note that a Global cinema survey, conducted in 2006 by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and released sometime in May 2009, ranked Nollywood as the second largest producing movie body in the world behind Bollywood and ahead of Hollywood based on the numerical data of the movies produced.
So long... auggiepo@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4226728