What’s on a Misfit’s Weekend Watch List?

Another long weekend is upon us and what other better thing to do than curl up on your bed, watch movies while guiltily eating bars and bars of chocolates? I’m having another Bridgett Jones moment, and I need cinematic intervention.

 

I have been hooked to this British TV series “Misfits” for the past weeks. It is my own unique way of dealing with emotions I can’t handle. The characters are way interesting and when I looked up for the casts on the internet, they are way interesting than the characters they play. And so because of my endless pursuit of movie nerdiness I feel I must watch the casts other works.

Joe Gilgun

 

For a guy who’s been through emotional struggle (in real life) it looks pretty easy for him to play Rudy Wade whose power is having another self, splitting off of his chest every time his conscience is bugging him off. Well, in fact his other self is actually his conscience.

This is England
This is England 86 (TV Spinoff)
This is England 88 (TV Spinoff)

“A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows. “

Lockout

“A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president’s daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates.”

Also, I have a secret love for Luc Besson movies.

Matthew McNulty

 

He plays a love-lorn power dealer, Seth.  His character is intriguing because he keeps you guessing what his motives are.  Is he a bad guy or a good guy?  In real life though, he is a really good-looking guy. Also, his neck tattoo is very sexy, I almost thought that it is part of his power.

Little Ashes

“In 1922, Madrid is wavering on the edge of change as traditional values are challenged by the dangerous new influences of Jazz, Freud and the avant-garde. Salvador Dali arrives at the university; 18 years old and determined to become a great artist. His bizarre blend of shyness and rampant exhibitionism attracts the attention of two of the university’s social elite – Federico Garcia Lorca and Luis Bunel. Salvador is absorbed into their youthfully decadent group and for a time Salvador, Luis and Federico become a formidable trio, the most ultra-modern group in Madrid. However as time passes, Salvador feels and increasingly strong pull towards the charismatic Federico – who is himself oblivious of the attentions he is getting from his beautiful writer friend, Magdalena. In the face of his friends’ preoccupations – and Federico’s growing renown as a poet – Luis sets off for Paris in search of his own artistic success.”

As a pretentious art fan, it is a shame I havent watched this movie yet.

Control

“A profile of Ian Curtis, the enigmatic singer of Joy Division whose personal, professional, and romantic troubles led him to commit suicide at the age of 23.”

Ian Curtis’s poignant life is made even more poignant by Sm Riley’s accurate depiction. I need to mention that I love Joy Division.

Robert Sheehan

 

Alright, I have a huge crush on this guys charming Irish accent , his messy brown curls and his goofy sense of humor. Although I can’t tell if it’s his character Nathan Young or his real self that I’m crushing on. Robert Sheehan looks more like a European Jay Baruchel. And he is just fun to look at. Sorry, my inner fan girl can’t be restrained.

Killing Bono

“Two brothers attempt to become global rock stars but can only look on as old school friends U2 become the biggest band in the world. “

If I have to draw a pie chart of movies that I love, films with music references will surely take up half of the chart.

Cherry Bomb

“Cherry Bomb follows teenagers Luke, Malachy, and Michelle as they embark on a wild weekend of drink, drugs, shop-lifting and stealing cars. But what starts out as a game turns deadly serious when the three discover that they can’t get off the wild ride they’ve set in motion.”

Rupert Grint and Robert Sheehan in one film, too much adorkableness.

Iwan Rheon

 

He made his character Simon Bellamy appear as if it was written for him. Or maybe it was, I did not really research it. His big blue eyes and deep baritone voice makes him more interesting as Iwan than as Simon.  And the fact that he was in Game of Thrones makes him even more awesome.

Wild Bill

“Out on parole after 8 years inside Bill Hayward returns home to find his now 11 and 15-year-old sons abandoned by their mother and fending for themselves. Unwilling to play Dad, an uncaring Bill is determined to move on. Although Dean the older boy has found a job and is doing his best to be a father to his younger brother Jimmy, the arrival of Bill has brought them to the attention of social services. With the danger of being put into care looming, Dean forces his feckless Dad to stay by threatening to grass him up for dealing. If there’s one thing Bill doesn’t want its to go back to prison. He reluctantly agrees to stay for a week o help fool social services that the boys are being cared for. Having never really grown up himself Bill quickly connects with Jimmy and through this new bond starts to realize what he’s been missing. He has a family, a place in the world.”

All these films and maybe more for the Labor Day weekend.  I might spend a night at the beach after I’m done with this, or maybe watch a gig, or maybe just stare at cat photos online. Who knows?

Have a great weekend, you.

Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington, Not Just an Online Hype

A films’ fame can sometimes be defined by the hype it creates especially online. And by hype we mean the title appears on your feed a number of times daily. Personally, I am not a fan of Tagalog comedy movies which I’ve always viewed as unintelligible, only good for the laughs type of thing. But after reading reviews from bloggers and film enthusiasts, I was sold. Well not really because the ticket I had was free.

Director, Jade Castro and the cast at the Iloilo City premiere of Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington. And yes there isn't any sequel yet.

Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington is generally a satirical, horror-comedy which revolves around the acceptance of the third sex in the society. Now there’s the catch. It has actually a social impact, a great point that I always love to see in movies.

**Spoilers ahead.

The movie starts with young homophobic Remington, cursed by a gay whom he ridiculed. When he was about to turn 21, he started to have dreams of masked macho men and when he woke up he seemed to have manifested the symptoms of gayness. Against his will, he was speaking the language, dressing up in tight blouses and falling in love with his best friend. The problem is, there is a serial killer going around killing only the members of the third sex. Will Remington be a victim of the killings? Will he be saved from the curse? If yes, who will save him? Those are the questions where the story is majorly built from. Now for the answers to that question you have to see the movie when it opens on August 31st.

What made this movie so entertaining? The flamboyantly comedic nature of gays, mostly. But with director, Jade Castro’s clever take on the scenes it went from a comedy to an intelligent movie. It is thought provoking maybe for serious movie goers but for people whose there just for the laughs, it will leave them some realizations too. He was able to focus on each of the characters well. And all characters were well portrayed, especially Remington, played by Martin Escudero. Escudero effectively shifted to a colorful personality and transformed back to being swoon worthy. He did it so effortlessly. Hopefully he’s not gay. There was a lot of laugh out loud moments in the movie triggered by Eugene Domingo and Raymund Lee’s script.

Overall, this movie is something I would definitely see even though Captain America is showing on the other room. More importantly this movie has changed my view about Filipino comedies. This film definitely deserves the hype that the people build up for it.

Or if you want a more convincing proof, here:

The Alejandro Jodorowsky Experience

There are movies that you watch, enjoy then forget but there are movies that haunt you even when you’re wide awake. A great example of the latter kind is an Alejandro Jodorowsky movie.

Alejandro Jodorowsky gained a cult following with his predominantly surreal, avant garde movies. I havent explored the elite world of art films yet thus I might havent seen that much of unconventional interpretation as his. But it wont take a hardcore critic or expert to recognize the originality of his works.

Alejandro Jodorowsky as Fenix in Santa Sangre. This man is a sick genius, I mean the director not the character, or both actually.

The first thirty minute of his Santa Sangre would gross you out if it wont make you throw up. But just sit through the gross nude scenes, the bloody animal mutilations and the scriptless conversations because the last thirty minute would redefine your film preference. The plot is somewhat similar to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Throw a pop corn party with friends and count how many f words they’ll spit. Certainly the movie would make you curse.

I actually don't know how to interpret this scene. He kills women and burry them, one night at the grave he's seeing visions of these dead women.

If Santa Sangre appeared as if its B grade thriller slash porno, his filmed hallucinatory journey, The Holy Mountain looked as if it’s a grand multimillion Nolan production. Well, it might just be since it was produced by Allen Klein of The Beatles Apple Inc. The movie opened with a psychedellic color scheme that would make you feel that you are on acid even though you actually dont know how that really feels. Expect someone to cry sacriledge when the next scene shifts to a fly infested face resembling Jesus Christ, he got up and smoke a joint with a midget. The film’s surrealism is definitely a brain boner. It revolves around sensitive topics, greed, religion, lust etc. It can be a rebellion against an established belief, an eye opener or just a mere product of lsd.

The electric love machine that produces mechanical orgasm depending on how the operator handles it. Very creative.

George Harrison had been casted to play the thief but he refused the role after being required to do this. I'm totally not kidding.

Overkill or artistry, Alejandro Jodorowsky is definitely a different film experience. It can unexpectedly open up that thinking part of you. After all, you dont just see a film, you watch it.