My Movie News

It’s kind of strange how things work sometimes.

If you read this site regularly (anyone?) you’ll notice that I haven’t been doing many updates these days. I’m not sure exactly what to attribute this to. It could be due to lack of interest, or lack of interesting occurrences in Hollywood. Or an existential crisis.

I usually do quick internet searches for notable stories or movie releases worth mentioning, but lately, I’ve come away empty-handed. I just don’t seem to care anymore. There’s nothing interesting to talk about, nothing important to relay, nothing that sufficiently addresses the underlying uncertainty of “what exactly am I doing this for?”

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to my own life, my own aspirations, trying to figure out the patterns that have prevented me from attaining true happiness – the kind that can weather temporary setbacks, that keeps you afloat amidst oceans of negativity. Having recently reached that quarter-century milestone, I feel a sense of inadequacy, a sense that my ideal and real self are poles apart.

I’m nowhere near the person I had always set out to be, or imagined I would become at 25. I don’t have a best-selling book, and the self-help guru within has yet to emerge. What’s worse, all the goals that once gave way to a secure sense of identity have unraveled like a loosely fastened knot, detaching a boat from its dock. And here I am, stranded without a paddle in a sea of confusion, hit with the realization that dreams are sometimes just illusions, and degrees don’t always come with guarantees.

In short, I am having a Quarter-Life Crisis. It’s kind of like the mid-life crisis, but for us young folk. Apparently it’s a phenomenon – as in, there are tons of others in my age-bracket going through the same thing. It’s even on Wikipedia, which means it’s true. John Mayer sings about it too.

So what exactly does all this have to do with my movie blog?

Well, I was starting to wonder if merely watching and writing about movies was a waste of time, time that could be better allocated towards self-discovery perhaps. But suddenly, by a random hybrid of chance and fate, I came across a movie that happened to address the very issues I’ve been facing.

It’s called How to Be starring Robert Pattinson (who’s no doubt a household name, having starred in two Harry Potters and all). Rob’s character, Art, is a socially maladjusted 20-something who’s determined to overcome his depressive existence by seeking the guidance of a self-help author, whom he invites to live with him in his parents’ home. Comedic developments are sure to ensue on this road to self-actualization.

But it’s more than just a comedy. It’s one of those instances of art imitating reality, and not an overly-stylized MTV reality of airheads and jocks and a backdrop of sprawling mansions, but a reality of actual relevance – a reference to a life its audience actually knows, though one they may not fully understand. This is a movie that speaks to the subset of our generation who still don’t have it all figured out, who harbor fears about the future and who still wonder “What is this really all about?”

Of course, I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I can’t say whether it satisfactorily addresses these issues. Maybe I’ll decide that it’s a weak attempt at exploring the concerns of the undecided young adult, or that I actually can’t relate to it at all. Maybe I’ll hate the movie.  But final verdicts aside, discovering the film at that exact time was the impetus I needed – to continue writing about and watching movies, to see that it isn’t a complete waste of time, and to realize that there is a certain normalcy in being undefined. For now, at least.

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I havent really come across much exciting movie news, nor have I viewed any new films worth mentioning. Except, of course, that little box-office record smashing blockbuster beast, we refer to simply as “the bat-man.” But praising the movie would just be reiterating everyone else’s sentiments. That it was the greatest super-hero movie ever made. That Heath Ledger’s Joker was the most amazing character portrayal ever in the history of comic-book movies. That none is more suited to embody the batman than our beloved Christian Bale (not even Michael Keaton, and especially not you, George Clooney) That it merits multiple viewings because one simply isn’t enough and that the score was so good, I had to Youtube each and every one of the tracks just to re-live all those pivotal moments. I could go on, but I’ll leave it at that. (Ok, maybe that last one is just my own personal revelation) but the end theme (Track 14 “A Dark Knight”) still gives me shivers whenever I listen to it.

It conjures up residual memories of Batman fleeing from those ferocious hounds like a shadowy vigilante escaping his fate, vanishing into the darkness. The orchestra wails a commanding masterpiece, like a roaring gust of wind ascending from beneath his cape, lifting him from the murky depths of a dark, despondent city only to have him diminish into the shadows – banished into an oblivion, a fate unfitting for a hero. Because he is, as the narration goes, ” the hero that Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now”, and the music thunders on, tumbling like the stony hedges off a rocky mountain. “And so we’ll hunt him, because he can take it”, the symphony escalates, suspending my heart like a pendulum swaying slowly, heavily to the haunting ambient. “He’s not a hero”, the vibrational forces now pulling me into a gripping entanglement of awe, anticipation and calm excitement, “He’s a silent guardian, a watchful protector… A DARK KNIGHT”. (Oohhh! In your face, Spiderman!) An epic ending befitting a grand tale of destruction and salvation, of a protagonist waging an internal battle between good and evil, condemned to endure in solitude the haunting echoes of a city consumed by crime, continually caught in the crossfires of fear and chaos.

Wow. Quite an extraordinary movie indeed, bolstered by an astounding soundtrack.  And as the last scene demonstrates, the music really is the element that makes it all happen.

Cost for filming the caped crusader fight crime alongside his scissor-swivelling sidekick: A billion dollars. Pairing their respective alter-egos, Christian Bale and Johnny Depp in a movie – ANY movie? Genius. I mean, priceless. It seems like Hollywood’s finest minds have finally converged to produce this marvelous idea. Well, the latter idea that is.

According to various sources such as variety.com, the two are set to star in the onscreen adaptation of Brian Burrough’s “Public Enemies”, about the downfall of the notorious depression-era delinquents John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd.  Johnny Depp is slated to play John Dillinger, with Christian Bale on his trail as FBI agent Melvin Purvis.  I’m going to go on record right now and proclaim this the greatest cinematic pairing in Hollywood history. This is to movies what the Moonwalk is to music; it’s history-defining.

Of course, it only begs the question, “Why hadn’t anyone thought of this earlier?” There’s never been a more logical on-screen combination. Both actors are arguably among the more revered of Tinsel-town’s leading men. Both consistently deliver praise-worthy performances, often in edgier, complicated roles; both exude a subdued superstar quality combining cult-hero cool with mainstream magnetism. And both, in their own undefinable manner are just downright desirable. (Although I’m leaning more towards Christian Bale on this one!)

I honestly don’t think it can get any better than this. I mean, this duo alone outdoes the entire Ocean’s ensemble. (Hey, I don’t mind seeing Brad, George et. al onscreen, but that’s been done three times already!) Not to mention, the supporting cast for ‘Enemies’ includes Stephen Dorff (over whom I swooned during the Aerosmith-era), Giovanni Ribisi, Channing Tatum, Jason Clark and the the beautiful best actress Oscar winner, Marion Cotillard to smooth out the ruggedly resplendent roster.

The fate of the film lies at the helm of director Michael Mann, but with such immense talent at his disposal, this ingenius idea is guaranteed to be virtually fail-proof. However, if that doesn’t work, there’s always the batman/scissorhands storyline!