Seth Harris

Film Review – Super 8 and Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Super 8 (2011, dir. JJ Abrams)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977, dir. Steven Spielberg)

Movie nerd confession: I had not seen Spielberg’s Close Encounters until a night ago. It was one of those films that I never felt compelled to watch as a child, and now after seeing it, I think it isn’t a movie for kids. In many ways its a fairy tale for adults. Yet, it still evokes that same sense of awe and mystery all of Spielberg’s work does. Super 8 is most definitely a massive nostalgia trip for my generation, accurately mimicking the tropes and tone of the Amblin films of my youth.

Continue reading “Film Review – Super 8 and Close Encounters of the Third Kind”

Best Television 2011 – Jan thru June

When I’m not watching movies…I’m probably working my way through a television series. These are my favorite television programs that I have watched the first half of this year. It’s a mix of both old and new, from the States and the U.K.

Game of Thrones Season 1 (HBO)

Hands down the highest quality drama on tv the first half of the year. I remember seeing the teaser commercials for this, didn’t really know much about George RR Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice series, I’m not the biggest high fantasy lit fan, so I came into it with moderate expectations. How those expectations were exceeded. This is the first drama since Lost that has gotten to me so emotionally. Martin and the people at HBO understand you have to give a damn about your characters and then the worldbuilding can happen. This series, based on the first of four books, follows the members of the Houses Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen. There’s a lot of political intrigue, espionage, a whodunit style story, and just basic character development that adds up to a television series that makes me blot out all other distractions when I watch it. HBO proves once again that, if you have a property you want to develop for television and want to have creative freedom to make it the best, you go to them. Never in a million years would the networks have the guts to take the risk on a show that is this amazing.

Continue reading “Best Television 2011 – Jan thru June”

Film Reviews – Amer and Sheitan

Amer (2009, dir. Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani)

Sheitan (2006, dir. Kim Chaprion)

I happened upon two very different, but equally stylish French horror films recently and these really show up the dull slasher flicks that American horror cinema has devolved into.

Continue reading “Film Reviews – Amer and Sheitan”

I’m Back! and my Top 10 Narrative Films of 2011 (as of June)

Now that school is out till August 8th, I will be trying to post much more often on here. Starting out with a look at my top ten favorite films I’ve seen in 2011 so far. Without further ado:

Continue reading “I’m Back! and my Top 10 Narrative Films of 2011 (as of June)”

5 Reasons Why I Love Doctor Who

I can remember being a wee tot and watching Tom Baker era Who on PBS. I don’t remember many details about it, other than the ridiculously long scarf. Years later, I remember watching the painful American television attempt to bring Who onto primetime. And it seemed that the entire Who franchise was a thing of the past until 2005 when Russell T. Davies revitalized the franchise. I saw Series 1 of the Davies run back in 2007, but circumstances prevented me from keeping up with it until now. In the last month I have ravenously torn through three seasons and four specials. Here are some of the reasons why Doctor Who, out of all the many sci-fi franchises, stands as my favorite.

Continue reading “5 Reasons Why I Love Doctor Who”

Film Review – The Fighter

The Fighter (2010, dir. David O. Russell)
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams

What is interesting about David O. Russell’s current film, The Fighter, is how the way the story is told parallels the situation our lead, Micky Ward (Wahlberg) finds himself in. He is the younger half-brother of Dicky Eklund (Bale), a former big time boxer whose career fell apart after he became addicted to heroin. The opening scene of the film is about Dicky’s pomposity and grandiose nature overshining Micky. This is the situation Micky finds himself in consistently. Despite Dicky’s failings as a son and a father, everyone seems to love him and give him an infinite number of chances. Even Micky’s boxing career seems to be one big stepping stone in Dicky’s comeback. While The Fighter treads into dark territory it still comes off as the feel good movie of the year, in an honest way with its audience.

Continue reading “Film Review – The Fighter”

Film Review – 127 Hours

127 Hours (2010, dir. Danny Boyle)
Starring James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, Treat Williams, Clemence Posey, Lizzy Caplan

Aron Ralston couldn’t be contained and he wasn’t going to let anyone hold him back from exploring deep canyons or scaling perilous cliffs. That rush of adrenalin as he tackled the impossible was everything, and like most addicts, he damaged a lot of relationships for the sake of his rush. Director Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire) takes Aron’s story of survival and will and transforms it into something transcendent that becomes incredibly philosophic. The film succeeds based on two factors; the acting of James Franco and what is essentially a masterclass in film editing as storytelling.
Continue reading “Film Review – 127 Hours”

Winter 2011 Mix

Here’s a digital music mix for Winter 2011, songs to fit snowy days shut in.

Tracklist

1. We Are the Sleepyheads – Belle & Sebastian
2. Fallen Snow – Au Revoire Simone
3. Union Hall – Foreign Born
4. Cold World – The Electric Soft Parade
5. Kids – MGMT
6. Til Dreams Come True – PG Six
7. Nomenclature – Andrew Bird
8. Empty Room – Arcade Fire
9. Big Louise – Scott Walker
10. Terrible Love – The National
11. Too Dramatic – Ra Ra Riot
12. There Are Many Of Us – Aska Matsumiya
13. Hold It In – Jukebox the Ghost
14. When They Fight, They Fight – Generationals
15. Day Is Done – Nick Drake

Film Review – The Bad Seed

The Bad Seed (1956, dir. Mervyn LeRoy)
Starring Patty McCormack, Nancy Kelly, Eileen Heckart, Evelyn Varden, Henry Jones

Contemporary audiences would probably be bored and not find this film scary. Contemporary audiences are dopes on the whole, though. This piece of pernicious, regressive cinema is one of the tightest horror pics I’ve seen. What makes it such a juicy little piece of evil is the context. Its the repressive Red Scare 1950s where wholesomeness and purity is slathered on suburban streets like whitewash. Children especially are angelic and your neighbors can pop in when ever they choose. This is also the height of psycho-analysis, where Freud’s phallic fantasies are holy and it becomes acceptable, and encouraged to visit the shrink. Into this tense situation, we’re given Rhoda Penmark (McCormack), the sweetest little blonde in pigtails you ever did see. Rhoda is absolutely perfect, her parents and teacher agree. But Rhoda doesn’t like having what she wants withheld and she will take it, no matter the cost.

Continue reading “Film Review – The Bad Seed”

Author: Seth Harris