So I had made this website for a college project. I made a few posts and thought nothing of it. But then I had an idea to write about stuff. Which I think was my original mission statement. So this is a first part of a series of blog posts called Watch This Space; a bunch of reviews of films, TV shows and other pieces of media I've seen recently. So I'm going to write about two different films I saw a few days ago.
Paris, Texas
If you had to look at any actor who has had a long and varied career. If you're studying acting and if you have to acknowledge someone whose made an effect on film. That would by Harry Dean Stanton. I just recently learnt who he is and what films he's been in. Alien, Pretty in Pink, The Avengers and Twin Peaks. Paris, Texas was a rare starring role for him, the only other leading role was in this years Lucky which was before his death recently. But the film isn't just Harry Dean Stanton holding this film together. The plot is this, Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) is a amnesiac drifter whose been missing for 4 years in the Mohave. After being brought back to civilisation by his brother Walt (Dean Stockwell) Travis goes on a quest to find his wife (Nastassja Kinksi) with his young son Hunter (Hunter Henderson). The film is directed by Wim Wenders and written by Sam Shepherd.
I remember watching the trailer for this film on YouTube and someone said this "America Without the Makeup." Which actually sums up this film to a T. We have scenes where people go to locations and they are in dirty and old places. It also encompasses a feeling of loneliness. Travis feels like an outsider, Walt and his wife feel locked out the loop and Hunter doesn't know what's happening around because he's a kid. It also has beautiful cinematography and photography with glorious landscapes of vast deserts, skylines draped with very bright but dirty colours. It also has a very haunting score, Cancion Mixteca by Ry Cooder is a great guitar piece which creates a feeling of loneliness which I consider a theme.
The acting is also very, very great. Harry Dean Stanton gives a career best performance. He showed innocence, control, helplessness and friendliness, he has a great presence and when reads his lines perfectly especially during "I knew these people" monologue which is a perfect scene. Every word he says just rolls off and delivers it. Dean Stockwell is also good in the role of a brother trying to help but doesn't know what to do. Natassja Kinksi has small screen time but her scenes are very great. She creates this woman whose lived a long and mysterious past. Hunter Carson was also great as the son. He had this innocence to him and worked well with Dean Stanton.
This film is very great, if you have the time go watch it. I highly recommend it.
30 Days of Night
I don't watch much horror films or anything. The only thing I could count would be The Walking Dead. (I've also played the Telltale Games). I watch iZombie; but that's more of a cop show, Preacher; that's more of a supernatural thriller with comedy element; the two Blade films; but there more like action films and Army of Darkness; more comedy. But it was October and I had a hankering for a horror movie so I saw this when I scrolling through Netflix I decided to check it out.
Based on the 2002 comic book mini-series. The plot is when an small Alaskan town experiences 30 days of night, a group of vampires (their leader portrayed by Danny Huston) descend on a town, destroying any means of escape or signalling for help. Killing anyone insight. Meanwhile the sheriff (Josh Harnett) leads a group of survivors and makes sure they survive the month. Now most modern films relies on jump scares. It uses it's atmosphere to make it scary. The town in the dark with vampires roaming the town along with the minimal soundtrack create a sense of dread.
Because the setting is a small town you don't get overblown with characters, but then again that some of the characters are underdeveloped. The only ones that have development are the sheriff, his ex (Melissa George), the sheriff's younger brother, Beau and Billy (Manu Bennett). The other characters aren't that developed. Harnett does a good job being a person trying to keep his group under control, Melissa George is also good as the secondary lead, the younger brother is serviceable, but Manu Bennett is great as the deputy who is cracking under pressure and Mark Boone Junior was awesome in this every scene he was in I was invested in what he was doing.
The vampires in the film were cool. They were more cannibalistic and vicious, like rabid dogs. This film was released when Twilight was released so it created and upset toward the sparkly vampires that the general public saw around. They also have there own language, which make them sound like dolphins to me. The film is also violent, people get chopped up, beheaded, grinded and various other grisly fates.
The film is alright. Great horror, very violent and but with flaws but they can be overlooked. Check it out if you have the time.
