The official Tumblr of the Cinema Studies Program at the University of Oregon. Check here for updates on news and film related events happening on campus and elsewhere. Feel free to ask questions and submit your own posts.
Posts tagged Edgar Wright.
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Oh Edgar Wright, why must you have so many projects that sound so equally good?
If you’re a follower of the genius behind “Shaun of the Dead” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” on Twitter, you’ll have spotted his tweet teasing his long awaited adaptation of Marvel’s Ant-Man.
The project was in existence for years, but it finally looks as though it’s getting into gear, and even though he’s attached to direct Johnny Depp in “The Night Stalker” and currently working on a script for “The World’s End” with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, “Ant-Man” may very well be his next film. Wright posted the image below on Twitter with the accompanying text: “Received this in the mail. What can it mean?” Oooooh, very mysterious eh? Ant-Man is a really weird and interesting choice for an adaptation, and with Joe Cornish (Attack The Block) set to co-write, I’m willing to bet that it’ll be a good one.
“Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” fans rejoice! The 2nd and presumably final draft of “The World’s End”, the last entry in Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright’s “Ice Cream Trilogy” is done!
Pegg himself just tweeted the picture of the script with this little nugget: “I know we took our sweet time but as soon as I get back from outer space, we can finish this thing once and for all”. Presumably he’s talking about wrapping up “Star Trek 2” before starting production on “The World’s End”.
It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen a full-fledged offering from the trio, though the break gave us some excellent flicks such as “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”, “Star Trek” and “Attack The Block”. Wright has comic book adaptation in the works, hoping to bring Ant-Man to the big screen, but depending on how eager the folks at Marvel are to get that one up and running we could see production for “The World’s End” by late 2012.
Check out this great article about why you should fight against the digital wave!
My Top 10 Films of 2011
Here are my top 10 films of 2011! Just a personal list. This is in no way represents the overall tastes of the UO Cinema Studies Program as a whole. But we’d also like to know: What are your top 10 for 2011?
Happy New Year!!!!!
1. Drive
Stands head and shoulders above the rest at #1. A fantastic film with a beautifully sparse script and style to burn. Albert Brooks is fantastic as a ruthless small-time mafioso. Ryan Gosling says more with his subtle facial expressions than words ever could. Violence comes in concentrated spurts, reinforcing the closeted instability of the driver’s psyche. Excellent soundtrack as well.
2. The Adventures of Tintin
I’ve loved Tintin since I was a wee child and was over the moon when I heard that a feature length film was being made. The Adventures of Tintin was without a doubt the most exciting film I saw this year. Nonstop action that barely lets you catch your breath between the amazing set pieces and action sequences. Sets the bar for digital animation. Unique in the sense that it’s markedly different from the more subdued pacing of the comic series. Superb fan service that does justice to the source material. I left the theater totally pleased.
3. Terri
This came out of nowhere. I heard about it a few days ago and decided to take a trip down to the video store to check it out. Terri was without a doubt the sweetest, most profound movie that I saw this year. It never becomes sappy or self-congratulatory. All of the actors are excellent. Jacob Wysocki, in his first role is amazing as the namesake of the film. It connected on a very personal level. I knew people like this in high school and Terri made me think about them in a whole new way. A terrific, surreal dark comedy.
4. Hesher
Hesher was another quirky dark comedy that I just looooved. Also criminally overlooked by critics and moviegoers. The film was so blunt in its sweetness, so foul mouthed in its morals and so weird that it was impossible for me not to like it. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is fantastic as the quasi-mythical metal head. The whole thing reminded me of some twisted Dr. Seuss book with a hard edge.
5. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
This was one of the films of 2011 that I was most excited about. It met ALL of my lofty expectations. Fincher managed to keep the stellar intrigue of the original movie and textual source material while adding on gobs of cool. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo simply oozed style, and Rooney Mara could very well become the pop culture icon of our generation in her role as Lisbeth Salander. Loved every second of it. Morbid, creepy, sexy, smart and all around awesome.
6. The Tree of Life
I was surprised at how many people left the theater when I saw this. I can certainly understand why people wouldn’t like it, but it never even came close to being worthy of a walk-out. Even if you’re totally lost in the philosophical narrative tangents that The Tree of Life takes you on, it is without a doubt the most visually striking film of 2011. The cinematography is worth the price of admission alone. It has reached this weird status of being a condescending film that basks in self-indulgence and shuns the average moviegoer. I take it for what it is without trying to over-analyze too much: a beautiful piece of cinema.
7. Hanna
Hanna was one of those tightly packaged films where everything comes together for a kick ass experience. The action, music, cinematography and editing all worked together like clockwork. A relatively simple story based with a Grimm Fairytale twist is kept afloat by a standout performance by Saoirse Ronan. The intense soundtrack, scored by The Chemical Brothers was perfection, pairing up perfectly with the expertly choreographed fight and chase sequences. A wonderfully realized art-house movie under the guise of an action flick.
8. Midnight in Paris
This was a great change in pace from most of the movies I saw in 2011. I love the idea of nostalgia, and Midnight in Paris was the embodiment of it. I usually write off Owen Wilson nowadays, but found him very charming. He channeled Woody Allen’s odd mannerisms very well, but still managed to make the role his own. The real star though was the city. Never before have I seen a film that managed to capture the magic of Paris so well.
9. Hugo
Hugo was another film that totally embraced the idea of nostalgia, but with a decidedly more intense focus. This was Scorsese’s love letter to cinema. I was taken by how well he managed to craft such an informative and educational children’s movie without becoming preachy or forcing it down your throat. It was great seeing so many references to the very things I’m studying at the Cinema Studies Program at the U of O. The 3D was excellent as well, and I usually hate 3D. A smart family film that leaves crap like Alvin & The Chipmunks in the dust. Martin Scorsese is truly a master of his craft.
10. Attack The Block
While Attack The Block wasn’t necessarily a laugh out loud type of film, it scored major points with me thanks to its razor sharp script and creative use of special effects (The design for the aliens was awesome). It was particularly cool to see issues concerning the troubled youth of inner-city London referenced in the clash between the protagonists and extraterrestrials. Excellent, bloody fun.
