Feb 9, 2015

Haven't seen anyone talk about The Judge. I thought it was decent, predictable, but at least decent. One of the better movies I've seen come out in the past year.

 

Feb 10, 2015

Today is the 20th anniversary of Billy Madison and I wrote about how it launched the Happy Madison empire for BDCWire:
http://www.bdcwire.com/snl-in-review-how-billy-madison-launched-an-empire-20-years-ago/

@Twan @Bleed @Mike Tyson @Woody @Dew @Narsh

 

Feb 10, 2015

Haven't read it yet, but I will though.

 

Feb 11, 2015

I think this Kanye x Seacrest interview can apply to the Academy Awards

 

Feb 12, 2015

What's a film I should watch specifically for editing? I feel like it's the part of the process I overlook the most.

 

Feb 12, 2015

There are probably differing opinions on this here, but in many cases I find it difficult to the separate the quality of the editing from the quality of a film overall, since it's typically such a vital part of a filmmaker's toolbox. Rhythm, timing and duration have a pivotal impact on a film's effectiveness to an audience, even if it's harder to pinpoint or evaluate than say...acting. In this sense, I think the Academy has the right idea as Best Editing most of the time has gone to the eventual Best Picture winner.

Of course, many movies use long duration takes where staging and camerawork are clearly more crucial than the editing. Furthermore, there are numerous examples where editing can indeed stand out over other aspects of a movie. For example, Inception is a film that comes to mind, where I don't particularly like it, but its climax, cutting across four different dreamscapes, is admittedly well done.

 

Feb 12, 2015

Hmmm, taking what I've learned so far into consideration leads me to believe I should watch a good film with bad editing. Otherwise it's too superfluous too point out well. Maybe one with a director's cut that fixed some issues related to sequencing and pacing. Seem like a credible idea?

 

Feb 12, 2015

Perhaps...I think just considering what editing actually accomplishes (a sudden jump in time, space or perspective; sequencing of images) makes one more aware of it and conscious of how it's being employed. In Scorsese's Hugo, editing is equated with magic and I think that's apt as it is cinema's trick. In reality, we view the world in one, uninterrupted take in real time from a solitary perspective; editing is the manipulation of that.

 

Feb 13, 2015

I agree with everything Twan said.

The Editors Guild recently announced their list of the best edited films of all time, which you can find here.

I'd recommend the following films for the following reasons.

JFK (its use of historical footage; it's the first time I really understood the power of editing, even though I didn't even really like the film all that much).

Raging Bull (its incredible use of sound editing, which incorporates animal sounds as a way of emphasizing the animalistic nature of the fights, as well as its merging of the various time periods together).

Memento (still a great example of how a film can be assembled backwards, one that is also directly related to its narrative).

2001: A Space Odyssey (the cut of all cuts, a bone is thrown into the air and we cut onto a spaceship, and hundreds of thousands of years have passed).

Breathless (the birth of jump cuts, really, but the film does a great job showing us how those jump cuts can really provide the film with an incredible amount of energy and life; what would this film look and feel like without it?

Boyhood (a cut jumps us ahead a year, sure, but where and how that cut is introduced is everything).

Birdman (editing here helps achieve the feeling of an unbroken take; its cuts are hidden, like Rope, but when and where and how).

 

Feb 13, 2015

Appreciate it guys. I had been short sighted in forgetting sound editing. Just remembered that Blue Valentine/Pulp Fiction/Primer were obviously the product of mindful editing as well as a few other nonlinear films. Will definitely watch/rewatch some of these soon. I found a couple of people saying to watch a film backwards at some point so that the structure of the film becomes more apparent. Might try that for kicks as well.

 

Feb 13, 2015

Random but...the Kingsman: The Secret Service looks like the most unappealing s--- ever. It's like the anti-Twan. I don't think I can even force myself to hate-watch it.

 

Feb 14, 2015

I heard good things about its costume design.. same Costume Designer as A Single Man.

:/

 

Feb 14, 2015

by the way @captain awesome great article on 'Billy Madison' just read it.

 

Feb 14, 2015

My future Twitter Banner.. just have to resize it.

 

Feb 15, 2015

Bros im watching whiplash right now and the s----s so f---ing goooood

Dude just got hit by a car and kept walking like a boss...

Now he just tackled dude!!

Oh yeah and of course the acting, directing, editing has been so on point

Can't belive I waited this long to watch it

 

Feb 19, 2015

I put this together pretty quickly, but to get in the spirit for Sunday...this is my rough ranking of every Best Picture winner:

http://letterboxd.com/aversaci/list/best-picture-winners-ranked/

@captain awesome

 

Feb 20, 2015

I Finally saw Birdman, my most anticipated film of 2014, i had to wait so long for a decent torrent but it was worth.

I don't see how anyone can dislike this movie, it's a great combination of a mainstram movie with an indie spirit. Birdman is a very complete film that knows how to balance the gifts it has, you have great performances, amazing photography, soundtrack, Story, direction, pretty much everything. The Camera Style might have feel like it dragged a bit at times but it didn't represent a problem to me.

Despite Boyhood is a superior film and my favorite i honestly don't have a problem with Birdman or Budapest Hotel Winning at the oscars


This goes at the top of Iñarritu films, this would be my ranking:

1) Birdman 9/10
2) 21 Grams 9/10
3) Amores Perros 8/10
4) Babel 7/10
5) Biutiful 7/10

Overall: 8/10

 

Feb 20, 2015

Interesting and to each their own -- but Unforgiven is better than, say All About Eve and On the Waterfront? Annie Hall #2?! :-o

 

Feb 20, 2015

d--- @Twan isn't a James L. Brooks fan. That makes me wanna cry.

 

Feb 20, 2015

It Happened One Night should be higher imo and I didn't expect The Departed to be so high; props on the list though, makes you realize how not a whole lot of truly great movies have won best picture :/