X-clusive Interview with Alfredo Flores!

On November 2nd, 2009, a short 10-minute thriller made it's way onto Youtube. It was quite fun, and even though it wasn't Shakespeare by any means, the work and discipline that went into making it was quite apparent. It inspired me. It was another reminder that acting and film making - however serious the role or film can be - should never lose it's fun side. Once that's gone, everything else falls apart. I have acted in a lot of student and indie films, and have had so much fun doing it, that watching this film made me really feel as if I was a part of the experience myself.

The film in which I speak of is called "BOO!" , and it's about a girl being stalked on her birthday and must survive the night! It stars such names as Samantha Droke (Poor Paul), Brandon Smith & Tiffany Thornton (both from Sonny with a Chance), Francia Raisa & Allen Evangelista (both from The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Chris Hunter (South of Nowhere), and Mark Hapka (Days of Our Lives).

The film was directed by David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place) and his cousin Johnny Salvatore. It was shot in 2 days - no funding, no major equipment - just a camera, a light, and a bunch of friends! Guerrilla film making at it's best! The film belongs to the YuteTV production label, which was created by David Henrie. YuteTV's purpose is to inspire young filmmakers to go out and make movies! BOO! was made with very little - just a little passion, a camera and some friends - and it's proof that it can be done! How awesome is that?

Now, someone who should get some credit is the man who shot BOO! himself, Mr. Alfredo Flores! Alfredo is a music video director with a deep passion for film making and music! I had a wonderful opportunity to interview Alfredo, and we talked a bit about BOO!, but more so, who the man behind the lens really is.

Enjoy!

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Marco Gennuso (MG) - First off, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this! For the many people who want to know..........Who is Alfredo Flores?

ALFREDO FLORES (AF) - Alfredo is a guy who moved from NJ to LA with a dream and has been fighting and working for that dream since day 1.

MG - When did you realize that film making is something you wanted to do?

AF - Funny story. 1998 I believe. I was 9 years old. I saw Mariah Carey's "Honey" video on TV. It was VH1 Pop Up I believe. They were in Puerto Rico riding on jet ski's and I thought "man I want to do that!"

MG - How did you get started in the biz?

AF - I moved to LA about 2 years ago and I started doing anything I could possibly do to meet people and work in production. I landed an internship at UNCLE and the rest is history.

MG - Ahhh, a hustler! Very much like me! What are some of your favorite music videos?

AF - My favorite videos of all time generated in the late 90's early 2000's (Heartbreaker, Toxic, 99 Problems) and of course, every Michael Jackson music video.

MG - Everyone I know who loves music videos has always mentioned TOXIC, lol. Music videos are, atleast in my mind, a very underrated form of art. What is it about them that interests you so much?

AF - Music. Music is my art. Ever since I was young music has driven every aspect of my life. I love performance, choreography, lighting, style - and when I think of a way to combine them all, I think music video.

MG - I'm pretty diverse when it comes to music. I love different genres for different reasons, and try to keep an open mind. Who are some of your favorite artists, and what's playing on your Ipod now?

AF - I love everyone, as well. From Kings of Leon to Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Paramore, Taylor Swift.......it's endless.

MG - Editing is such a daunting task, and another form of art that's highly underappreciated. Which process do you enjoy more - the filming or the editing?

AF - Thats so hard to say. I love the filming because you get to connect with the cast and have a good time. You get to plan out shots and create solutions to problems. Then in editing, if I get a good cut, til this day I still get excited. So thats a tough one.

MG - We're all inspired by others doing what we love to do. Anyone you dream of working with?

AF - Always dreamed of working with Michael Jackson and to know that I no longer have the opportunity it makes me want to create and envision like he did.

MG - Yeah, I feel the same way about some actors that I've looked up to who are no longer with us, or are on their way out. You ever watch a music video and think, "Damn, I wish that was MY music video!" ?

AF - Plenty of times. There are so many great videos out there and I want to do every single one!

MG - Who are some of the people you've loved working with?

AF - I'd have to say working with Mariah Carey has been my favorite thus far. She was the reason why I had this passion. Paul Hunter directed "Honey" and she was the artist. It was unreal.

MG - What was the hardest project you had to work on?

AF - Each project I have done has different challenges. They all vary and that is what is so unique about production. Nothing is ever the same.

MG - I've seen some of the behind-the-scenes footage of artists you shot on your Myspace, really great stuff! I've always wondered how that stuff works exactly.....Are you ever told to cut certain things out?

AF - All the time. There are certain things I have to cut out and certain things im not allowed to show. I do a rough cut which is my cut and the label or manager always gives me things that are not supposed to be in the videos and then I edit it down.

MG - Do you do any writing?

AF - Yes, I write everything I direct and I also collab with other writers.

MG - Last year you visited my hometown of Toronto. Tell us a bit about that. Did you like it here?

AF - Love Toronto. Love Franz. Love the Eaton Center. Visiting a lot of my friend's from Camp Rock, one weekend we shot Roshon's music video, so that was fun just being with everyone.

MG - OK, let's talk about BOO! I loved it, it was a lot of fun! How did you get involved with that?

AF - I got a call from Chris Rossi who was the producer of BOO and he asked for me to come in during a meeting.

MG - David Henrie says all you guys had was a camera and a light. That's pretty impressive, since the production value looks a lot higher than that. What kind of camera did you use?

AF - Yes, all we had was my camera - PanasonicHVX200 and an LCD light that I connect to my camera.

MG - How was David as a first time director?

AF - David is great. He is such a talented individual. There's always some type of idea coming out of his brain. Working with him, I'm constantly inspired.

MG - Was there any difficulty during it's 2-day shoot?

AF - YES! Plenty of challenges. Location lights turning off when we needed them. Finding an escape that was clean and understandable by the audience. Making sure we found points of the dialogue to make sure we hit (because the movie was improv) but it was the best time ever!

MG - Oh, I can definitely relate! So has David officially recruited you on to YuteTV?

AF - Yes, I am part of the YuteTV team!

MG - Why did BOO premier at a later date than originally planned?

AF - Technical Difficulties with the uploading.

MG - Any chance we'll ever see the gag reel?

AF - The gag reel!! Haha maybe. I don't know. Maybe. There sure were a lot of gags.

MG - If you weren't working with actors and shooting, what would you be doing?

AF - Honestly, that is tough. I can't see myself doing anything else. I would probably be teaching it.

MG - Any chance we'll see you in front of the camera instead of behind?

AF - Maybe. I want to act in a horror film really bad. Where I die or something. Other than that, no!

MG - Dude, I LOVE horror films! I just did a short one and I had to get all bloody, so much fun! Besides that, have you seen any good movies lately?

AF - Law Abiding Citizen.. Just saw that movie last week. Great movie.

MG - So, where do you want to go from here?

AF - I want to enhance my craft. I want to further my directing career with different artist.

MG - Any new projects in the works?

AF - Yes! GO CODE BLUE - PSA about teenage homelessness. I just directed this PSA and it is such a great cause. Im excited for it.

MG - What advice can you give to anyone trying to break in the biz?

AF - Never give up. Keep fighting for your dreams. It really is possible. I am proof of that!






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You can check out Alfredo's official Myspace at : http://www.myspace.com/alfredoflores

Or follow him on Twitter at : http://www.twitter.com/alfredoflores

And be sure to check out YuteTV! http://www.twitter.com/YUTE_tv

And finally, check out BOO! below!

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A Study of Wild Things................

I love this movie. It's so brave, so uncompromising, so ahead of what parents and society are ready to deal with when it comes to their children. And because of that, it will age beautifully like fine wine. When younger kids look back on this film as adults they'll open their eyes and say "Holy shit!".

Regardless of what anyone says, the only way to accurately judge it is to watch it for yourself. Everyone takes home something different from it. It is deep and it is heavy. Everyone complains Hollywood has no substance anymore, and yet a film comes along with lots of substance and no one's interested. Apparently parents think this film is not OK for kids, but a robot who yells "You crazy bitch!" and humps Megan Fox's leg IS. *sighs*

Well, in the meantime, for those of us who can appreciate fine art and a fantastic film that delves deep into the psyche of this young boy, I wrote a case study on what I think of all its hidden themes and representations.

BEWARE OF SPOILERS. DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE FILM !!!!!!


Everything that happens in the first 15 minutes foreshadows the rest of the film, to such ambiguous and delicate prevail. It's not so literal, so people who have seen this film multiple times are still debating what it all means. And unfortunately, most people just didn't get it. Unlike all the other crap out there, I guess people didn't expect to turn ON their brains at the door for this one.

The Snowball Fight :

The Snowball Fight at the beginning of the film = The Dirt Clod War. Both start out fun and innocently enough, but both end up badly. Max gets hurt and no longer wants to play. Alexander gets hurt and no longer wants to play. Actions always equals consequences, and that theme is repeated throughout the film.

The Heart :

Max had made a heart out of Popsicle sticks with his sister's name in it. When he gets mad at his sister, he breaks it into pieces. On the island, Max draws hearts with his first initial in them. Clearly, he wants to be loved and doesn't feel loved enough. But because it's what he does back home, it's a clear sign of familiarity and comfort for Max. It could also show a sign of regret because he regrets breaking the plastic heart he made his sister.

Max's Bedroom :

- In Max's bedroom we see a Lego figure holding another Lego figure on its shoulders = Max rides Carol on his shoulders. The Lego figures are also standing in a self-made nest = the fort Max and the Wild Things build.

- There is a little city made out of toilet paper rolls on Max's desk = the model city that Carol built.

- Max's dad gave him an Earth Globe that reads "To Max, owner of this world, love Dad" = Carol tells Max he is the "owner of this world".

- There is a ball made of rubber elastics by Max's bedside = the huts the Wild Things sleep in.

- Stuffed animals = Wild Things. This is probably the most literal translation between the two.

In The Classroom :

Max's teacher warns the class that the sun will die, but that the human race will probably fall to natural disasters before then, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, global warming, etc. All this could lend itself to the vivid imagination used for the violent and crashing waves that take Max out to sea when he runs away from home. It also shows that kids are very affected by what they learn, and thus too much knowledge leads to fear. Max is scared the sun is going to die. He tells Carol, and at first Carol brushes it off as nonsense. But later on we see that Carol has also been affected by it. He suppresses his fear of such knowledge and only lets it out when he's in a fit of rage...............just like Max. Just like children. Just like adults.

The Story :

Max tells his mom a story about a vampire that lost all his teeth because he bit a building. None of the other vampires wanted to be friends with him because without any teeth, he couldn't be a vampire any more. So everyone left him. The End. On the island, Carol tells Max what it feels like when everything falls a part; it's like loosing a tooth, then all your teeth start spacing out, then before you know it, all your teeth are gone. A broken family? Divorce? Being ignored? The story itself foreshadows the story of Max's journey with the Wild Things; He pretends to be a King and the Wild Things are in awe of him. By the end, when Max is revealed to be just a regular boy, the Wild Things feel betrayed and Max feels all alone.

Moving along to the Wild Things. These creatures are far more human than most humans in movies. They are complex, and honest. They are adults as much as they are kids. They still don't know any better, and Max guides them as their King. The irony is Max is still a child himself, and is dealing with his emotional heartbreak through these monsters. Each Wild Thing represents not only Max, but other people in his life :

Carol - Carol is the lead Wild Thing. He IS Max, but he also plays the role of father-figure. Max doesn't live with his father, and it is incredibly obvious he wishes his family could be together again. He views Carol as the father figure that isn't present. Carol is Max as a young boy when he is frustrated and sad, but he becomes Max's father when he is wise and caring, in charge, and leading the other Wild Things (his "family"). Max's Earth Globe reads "To Max, Owner Of This World, Love Dad". Carol takes Max along for a ride on his shoulders (as a father would with his son) and tells him he's the "owner of this world".

But Carol also harbors a temper. One must wonder what kind of relationship Max had with his dad. Were they best friends? Was his best friend taken away when his mom and dad split up? What if Max didn't like his dad? How does the relationship between him and Carol change if that's the case? I would assume that Carol would be the father Max always wanted. Or maybe he's the father Max had, but no longer sees. We know nothing about Max's father, so this is all left for interpretation. Which is beautiful.

Near the end, Carol has a falling out with Max. In fact, he turns against him. He feels extremely betrayed and is disappointed in Max when he finds out Max isn't even a King. This supports the idea that perhaps Max is extremely disappointed in himself that his father left him, and in his mind because he isn't a King and only "regular", he wasn't good enough for his dad to stick around. He partly blames himself.

K.W. - I have no idea what "K.W." stands for, and I'm not even going to try to guess, but there is no doubt that she plays the mother role in all this. She is kind, accepting, nourishing, understanding, level-headed, and compassionate. Her and Carol aren't talking. We don't know why, but something happened between the two of them that has lead them both ashtray. And even though they still try and tolerate each other, they are very distant and can only do so every so often. In fact, they only tolerate each other when Max tries bringing them together. Carol and K.W. are Max's mom and dad who are separate. Further proof of this is when Carol shows Max the model city he built. In it, there is a little toy miniature of Carol and K.W. in love, sailing on a boat.

Another example is when K.W. steps on Carol's head during the Dirt Clod War. Carol and K.W. start arguing and Max hides behind a corner and observes the two, frightened. It is a stunningly accurate portrait of a child who is watching his mommy and daddy fight. Then there's the dynamic between K.W. and the Owls, known as Bob and Terry. Bob and Terry are K.W.'s friends, and she asks Max if they can live with everyone in the Fort they built. Max asks her, "Well....what about Carol?" and K.W. replies, "I can still like Carol and be friends with Bob and Terry". Meaning? "I can still date other guys, and still love your father, Max". Bob and Terry represent the boyfriends Max's mother has had ever since his dad left.

And lastly, and probably the most beautiful, is when Max hides inside K.W.'s stomach. Carol has turned against Max and is running after him. K.W. tells Max to hide inside her to be safe, so he does. K.W. expresses her disappointment in Carol, stating he's always too "difficult". This gives Max time to think and ponder on his own feelings. He replies, "He doesn't mean to be that way, K.W. He's just scared......". Max is self realizing why he acts out and is such a menace. Because he's scared. He misses his family, and wants to go back home. He wants his mommy. This conclusion is met while Max is inside K.W.'s stomach = the baby inside it's mother's womb.

Douglas - The voice of reason. He is Carol's right hand man, but also Max's conscience. He is always willing to give good advice. Whenever Carol does something wrong or outrageous, Douglas is the one who'll try and correct the matter. He makes the most sense out of the situation. When Max is breaking down the Wild Things' huts, Douglas asks him, "What are you doing? These are our homes, and we've worked really hard to build them!". Whenever Douglas steps in, Max is unknowingly second-guessing his actions and what the consequences might be. Douglas would most notably represent the family therapist in the real world. One can imagine how many (if any) couple counseling sessions Max has been to, and if Douglas is the creation of such examples. At the end when Carol rips off his arm, sand pours out. Douglas has failed, and the family is falling a part. He can't hold them together. When Max sees Carol and Douglas sitting on top of a cliff, you really get the sense that Carol had just gone through one of Douglas's in-depth therapy sessions. And the reason why Douglas never gets his arm back? Well, just like Max's family situation and many others in real life -- you can't fix everything.

Judith - Max's sister. She's grumpy, she's uninterested. She doubts Max. She questions his authority. And just like Max's sister, she could care less, quite frankly. There raises an issue about respect in the household, and what position Max has. Obviously, he would want to be the ruler of the house, pretending to be King and all. It would appear he feels inferior compared to his sister. She's older, and doesn't want to play with Max. She'd rather go out with her friends. When Max commands, "Be Still!", Judith asks, "Why?". During the Dirt Clod War, she talks back at him and tells him he's not allowed to talk back at her or her boyfriend Ira, and if she wanted to eat him up there's nothing he could do about it. Basically, Max's sister has authority over him, which he hates. She also manifests herself into the cynical side of Max. In the beginning, when Max is at the kitchen table he asks his mom, "Frozen corn? What's wrong with real corn?". Which is exactly what Judith would say.

Ira - Ira is Judith's boyfriend. He represents his sister's friends. Older kids that any young boy would look up to and want to be friends with. When Max starts the snowball fight, it's all out of good intentions. Why? Because Max wants to play. He wants to be friends with them, too. He wants to be just involved with them as his sister is. Ira is a gentle giant. He is good at digging holes. Perhaps those holes represent the widening gap between Max and his sister through her friends. Besides, Ira dug holes into trees, and trees represent a family unit, like a Family Tree. And a Family Tree with a hole in it is just as painful as a hole in the heart.

Alexander - Alexander is the shy, lonely, ignored side of Max. Always off to the side. Nobody really listens to him. He is still very childish, and hasn't reached the maturity level of the other Wild Things yet. He pretty much is the weakest link, which is exactly how Max feels like within his family. Alex is always looking for K.W.'s affection, just like Max is always looking for his mother's affection. He throws a tantrum when he is hurt during the Dirt Clod War, just like Max does when he gets hurt during the snowball fight. Alexander sits down by himself and contemplates what happened. Just like Max lies in bed, thinking about the actions he just took when he trashed his sister's room.

The Bull - Depression. He's large, he's all black, he's always sulking and by himself. Nobody really talks to him or bothers him for anything. He is the quintessential form of depression and pain manifesting itself in Max's heart. He's also scary. Scary because Max knows nothing about him. Scary because the unknown itself is scary. And in the end the Bull finally speaks, and you realize things aren't really that bad.

The End :

Things aren't exactly resolved when Max leaves the Wild Things, and that's because his family life is not yet resolved. Will it ever be? Maybe, we don't know, but that's life. Max learned to control the Wild Things on the island, and now he must learn to control himself in the real world. He returns home regretful and worried. He eats his soup and chocolate cake. His mother sits across from him and stares at him, peacefully. She dozes off to sleep. Max just looks at her for a long while. There is an unspoken forgiveness and understanding between the two. In the end, his mother was there to welcome him back and make him food, like any good, loving mother would. Because despite everything, Max doesn't mean to be bad. Like Carol, it's because he's scared, and he's used his emotions and imagination run wild to illustrate and identify that. Max is a good boy in a lot of pain.

Aren't we all?

Thank you for reading.

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Movie Review : Where The Wild Things Are

"LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!!!" - Max


Every once in a generation a film comes along that changes everything. Sometimes the change is sudden, other times it'll take years before it's appreciated for the gem that it is and given the credit it deserves. Where The Wild Things Are will be a bit of both, I think, and it has definitely made an undeniable impact on me.

Based on the 1963 children's book written by Maurice Sendak, Where The Wild Things Are tells a story about a boy named Max who is sent up to his room without supper because he was misbehaving. Or as the book calls it, "making mischief". There, Max creates a world of his own and befriends a gang of vicious looking creatures. The book is mostly just pictures, and the actual story is only 10 sentences long.

To be honest, I never really liked the book as a kid. It scared me. It confused me. And I didn't "get" it. Why the hell was this kid playing with monsters?! They were big, and there were many. They were freaky looking things and this little kid - who could have been ME - sang and danced and howled with them! That is something that always confused me, as I was of the thinking variety that kids (or at least ME, anyway) are NOT supposed to play with monsters. We're not supposed to play with dangerous and gigantic mean looking things! Wild things! What the hell was this kid doing? Did he not worry that at any time these creatures could eat him up?! Even as I grew up and matured, I still never cared for the book. I didn't understand the story, whatever story there was to understand in just 10 simple sentences.

Fast forward to present day - Friday, October 16, 2009 - and I couldn't be anymore in love with this story as I am now.

One may ask, How can they make a movie based off 10 sentences of a children's book? Well, it isn't any different throwing a pitch to a studio, now is it? Pitching your story or movie would be about 10 sentences, maybe even less. The way I see it, the 1963 book IS the pitch for this movie, and everything else is what director Spike Jonze and writer Dave Eggers came up with themselves. Not to mention Maurice Sendak was involved with the creative process every step of the way. What Spike and Dave have done is create another world unlike anything I have ever felt in my entire life watching movies. And that's the gift they've given to us; a world we feel, and not just google over because of its strong visuals.

This is a coming of age story, but don't mistaken its visuals and funny looking characters as anything other than what this film is, which is a DRAMA. Yes, it's funny, and violent, and sometimes scary, but it's a drama first and foremost and because of that, none of it's seriousness or art direction is ever compromised.

In the film, Max runs away from home and sails to a far away island inhabited by the Wild Things. Once there, the creatures make him their King, and through them, Max learns that the world he's created is just as complicated and messed up as the world he lives in back home.


"FEED ME WOMAN!!! I'll EAT YOU UP!!!" - Max


Max is played flawlessly by newcomer Max Records. He plays one of the most realistic 9 year old's I have ever seen on the big-screen. This wasn't acting, this was something else. He's funny, and charming, and playful, and adventurous, and a great storyteller. He is also very agitated and ignored. Not taken seriously. And always left alone. He is a child in a grown up world, where his mother shares her love with her boyfriend, and his sister cares more about boys than playing in Max's snow fort. Max is violent, too. He lashes out, as I'm sure we've all seen kids do. I've done it a million times as a kid; scream and stomp my feet and talk back to my mom. In many ways, I'm still very much that way. Stubborn and hardheaded. And boy, when Max puts on his wolf costume, all bets are off.

James Gandolfini voices Carol, the lead Wild Thing, and he couldn't have done a better job. The dynamic between the Wild Things and Max isn't always simple, and unlike most films of this type, it isn't as plainly spelled out for you. I couldn't help but feel a riddle of emotions ranging from fear, to anger, to joy, to sadness all throughout the film. The themes Max deals with are so pure and real. They're exactly what the tag line says , "There's one in all of us........", it's also a clear indicator that it's referring to not only the Wild Things, but the child, as well. Children carry just as much emotional baggage as adults do, and I am forever thankful this film addresses that instead of trying to sugarcoat everything with fancy CGI and stupid Pop Culture jokes.

Now, I can go on and on about how terrific the voice acting is or how beautiful the Wild Things looked, but I won't. This film is all about Max, because without Max, these Wild Things don't exist. The creatures are all fragments of Max's emotional and psychological state. They're dangerous, and bossy. Strong, and mischievous. Sad, and lonely. Confused, and conflicted. And they love to play and smash things! But Max ran away from home to run away from his mounting problems with his family, and instead of escaping that world, he unknowingly brings it with him. Once he gets settled in, Max throws all his worries away because he is now the King of this new world, and he has all these awesome "powers". All the games he plays and creates with the Wild Things are nothing short of a distraction. What's really going on beneath the surface is pain. He soon realizes that no matter who you pretend to be, you can't run away from your problems. Your feelings will eventually catch up with you. How the Wild Things are written is pure genius because even though each Wild Thing represents Max's inner workings, every scene and conflict that arises between all the characters could be interpreted many different ways. Even though Carol seemed to be a direct representation of Max, I couldn't help but feel that perhaps he was also his missing father-figure, as well. All the monsters seemed to be interchangable between Max's emotions and people from his past.

If you didn't know, this film was in some deep water with the studio because they wanted Spike Jonze to add more "pixie dust" to his movie. Spike didn't want to go that route -- and neither did Maurice Sendak. Before long, it became a complicated process between the studio and Spike Jonze over artistic differences. In the end, after 2 years and additional scenes were filmed, Spike was able to make the film he set out to make. All I can say to that is THANK GOD Spike was able to pull it off. THANK GOD the studio didn't make this film into another tired, redundant, and stupid kiddie fest.


"TO MAX, OWNER OF THIS WORLD. LOVE, DAD".


You see, we have great films for people of all ages such as Wall-E, The Incredibles, Shrek, Up............but none of them are important. They're all fluff. Yes, they look nice. Yes, they have good stories and emote lots of feelings. But they all play it SAFE. They all follow the same formula over and over again : Story, Action, Jokes. Story, Action, Jokes. Story, Action, Jokes. And we can't forget mixing in a fare share of Pop Culture references. Where The Wild Things Are will prove to be as TIMELESS as The Wizard of OZ because it breaks the mold and dares to be different. It dares to take that big giant leap forwards and treat kids with serious emotional delicacy. Nothing in this film feels dated. The humor is born from the character's personalities and their predicaments, not cheap Pop Culture jokes. NEVER does this film EVER treat kids like idiots, like the majority of kids movies. In fact, by the end of the film, you get the sense that Max is probably just as much an adult as his mother is. This film is BRAVE, and deals with the troubled world inside a child's mind head on. Face to face. Shoulder to shoulder. This film is IMPORTANT and quite a learning experiment for anyone wondering why we feel what we feel, even as adults.

Disney and Pixar should be kicking themselves in the nuts right now. It seems the best work they do if based on how better they can make everything look. The stories are always the same. I could only imagine the crap fest this film would have been if the studio got their way. We would have ended up with another Narnia - and although the first Narnia is great and all, the very real and heavy material from the book is lost within the bubblegum pop of the film. Where The Wild Things Are is based off a 10 sentence book, and yet it managed to produce more heart and a much deeper message than any children's book hundreds of pages long. Why is that? Because Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers, and Maurice Sendak set out to create something real, dangerous, and innovative. They took a risk, made a choice, and stuck with that choice from beginning to end. Spike Jonze has said himself that this isn't a film for 9 year olds, but a film about BEING 9 years old.

It's mopey. It's sad. It's depressing. It's funny. It's exciting. It's marvelous. It's everything bad and good rolled up into one. It's everything straight forward and black and white inside a child's mind. It's everything conflicted and gray inside a child's mind. It's unsure, then confident. It's cautious, then fearless. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions and thoughts. Many, many emotions and thoughts. The very last scene with Carol and Max made me cry. I tried so hard to keep it in, but if I did, I would've done more harm than good. And the very last scene of the film is genius : Max is stuffing his face with soup and cake while his mom watches him, peacefully. He stops and stares back. She smiles and closes her eyes, falling asleep. Max continues to stare........his eyes saying everything it needs to be saying. There's nothing happening, and yet EVERYTHING is happening. There is forgiveness and a quiet undertsanding between the two of them. Max is left a changed boy, and I too am left a changed man.

When the movie ended, it was like The Dark Knight all over again. Satisfying, yet bitter sweet. Only this was for different reasons. Nobody moved. Everyone just sat there speechless as the track "Food is Still Hot" from the film's soundtrack played out. An elderly man beside me wiped his glasses, as they were covered in tears. The people behind me gave a silent "wow....". It took me a few seconds to catch my breath. This film knocked the wind right out of me, and then kicked me while I was down.

Where The Wild Things Are has left my eyes, ears, and heart wide open. This film is a staggering achievement in storytelling and film making. It boldly goes where other kids films dare not go, and it never apologizes for it. To quote Harry Knowles, "This is a children’s film, like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a kids film. And TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a great kids movie". For anyone not affected by this film, you're clearly from another planet. My greatest fear is that we won't ever see a film like this again. A modern-day masterpiece that will stand the test of time.

5/5


"DON'T GO. I'LL EAT YOU UP, I LOVE YOU SO" - K.W.

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Movie Review : Paranormal Activity

Lots of hype for this film. Lots and lots of hype. The good thing is it's a good little horror movie, the bad thing is it's not the "Omg scariest movie everrrrr!!!" that most people are saying it is.

Shot with a fancy HD camera, a couple decide to leave their camera rolling through all hours of the night so they can catch whatever paranormal phenomenon that's been happening in their house on tape. Shot for just $15,000, the film has already racked in over $3 million with a very limited release starting in L.A. and has spread to other cities as the weeks go by. Yeah, pretty impressive.

In the same vein as the Blair Witch Project - but thankfully nowhere near as nautious - the film takes its time to establish our two main characters and their relationship. Very simple and relatable people; funny, decent, human. The young couple next door. The only difference is they have a ghost in their house. The house itself plays a character in the film, as we start getting used to all the interiors and that dreaded staircase - second best horror staircase next to the original Black Christmas, 1974 staircase!

It's pretty funny to think how something as simple as a light turning on by itself can get an audience all riled up, especially when everyone knows there's really a production guy doing it. But it's that simplicity that a lot of modern day horror films have lost when trying to freak its viewers out that weighs the most positive with this film. Simple little quirks here and there, like the bedroom door moving ever-so-slightly, really makes a big impact within the world of the film because the performances are so genuine and believable. It's also funny to listen to people's conversations as they laugh amongst themselves during the movie - it only proves how scared they really are and are trying so hard to cover it up with laughter.

As the nights go by, the activity from this apparent ghost escalates more and more - and it doesn't help when boyfriend tries hiding his fears (like the people in our audience) by trying to act all tough, but only ends up pissing the spirit off.

What I didn't like about the film was even though the film is orchestrated beautifully, the high budget camera makes everything look too "Hollywood". It actually hurts the film throughout, and I sat there longing for footage that was perhaps cheap and gritty and a lot more..........real? Not to say the film doesn't sell the realism, it just feels real in a more "Hollywood" land. The Blair Witch Project pretty much still owns this film when it comes to plain terror because the footage was so cheap and raw and authentic. And regardless of how well the footage looks or the gags are played out in Paranormal Activity, it still screams cookie-cutter high budget. Another thing hurting the film I find, was everytime something was about to happen, you were notified of it 5 - 10 seconds before by this heavy sound creeping its way into the film. I don't know if it's actual music or the sound of the ghost approaching, but whatever it was, it wasn't scary and it killed any surprise the scene may have had.

I guess it all depends on what scares you. I've had my fare share of ghost experiences in real life, so maybe I'm a little used to these sorts of things, but I almost feel as though there wasn't anything new presented in this film. We've seen it all before, and people are really just terrified because they're mainly just scaring themselves. It's all head games - which is cool, too, but I wouldn't go out of my way to say Paranormal Activity is the scariest film of all-time. It's definitely one of the most entertaining ghost stories, however.

Another thing that I didn't like, and the absolute worst thing about the entire film, was the last 3 seconds at the end. I won't spoil it, but the movie originally had 3 different endings filmed, and either one of the two that wasn't used would have scored this film a higher rating. Instead, we get the plain, old, redundant crap that everyone seemed to eat up. GARBAGE! And it actually ruins everything that's been set up for you during the entire duration of the film about this evil spirit. I felt very cheated in the end.

In closing, Paranormal Activity is highly entertaining and effective. It's a great date flick; girls will be jumping in their boyfriend's laps and guys will be shouting with "courage" and excitement. Is this the SCARIEST film of all-time though, as everyone's been saying? Well, maybe if you're a pussy. There are scarier videos on Youtube, to be honest.

3/5

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Movie Review : TRICK 'R TREAT

This film was supposed to come out 2 years ago. I don't know the specifics as to why Warner Bros. shelved it after an apparent test screening left the film with rave reviews, but such is the uncertain and political life of showbiz. Thankfully, 2 years later, this awesome little gem finally gets to see the light of day..........just in time for Halloween!

Pumpkins, and costumes, and knives, oh my!

Quite frankly, this is EXACTLY what a Halloween-themed horror movie SHOULD be : Atmosphere, check. Pumpkins, check. Candy, check. Costumes, check. Murders..........?
Check, check, and check!

The film takes place on Halloween night, and people of all ages are out trick 'r treating. The movie intertwines 4 stories that - in the grand scheme of things - connect : the kids planning a cruel joke; a girl looking to lose her virginity with that special someone; the cold-hearted principal, and the old and creepy neighbour.

This film reminded me a lot of the good ol' Halloween films we used to cherish as kids, such as Hocus Pocus. Only this was like the rated R version of that. There really isn't much I can talk about without giving anything away, only because this film is loaded with twists and turns at every corner! I did notice, however, is that the title lends itself to the actual beauty of the movie and how it delivers; as the audience we are constantly TRICKED into believing something is going to happen or turn out a certain way, then it doesn't, and thus the TREAT is the twist to the outcome. Very clever indeed!

The film boasts quite an impressive cast, as well; Anna Paquin (True Blood), Leslie Bibb (Popular), Moneca Delain (Lost Boys 2: The Tribe), Dylan Baker (Fido), Tahmoh Penikett (Dollhouse), and Jean-Luc Bilodeau (Kyle XY). Not to mention Anna, Moneca, Tahmoh and Jean-Luc are all Canadian!

Trick 'R Treat is the quintessential Halloween film because most films of the genre never really focus on the actual event. Halloween is usually overlooked in these films and the story ends up focusing on everything else. The actual Halloween date has always been nothing more but a cheap tag-on created for effect. Change the date, and nothing else changes for those films. Not to knock John Carpenter's Halloween or anything; I love the original and consider it one of my favourites! But remove the title and the film is still the same -- Michael Myers doesn't change and neither does anything else in the story. I guess you can say the same for Friday the 13th, as well. Exactly what did the date have to do with anything besides the birth of Jason? Would anything different happen if Jason was coming after you and it was on Friday the 18th? Trick 'R Treat, on the other hand, relies on the ghastly holiday to create it's plots and intentions. That is why this is the best Halloween film out there -- because it's about Halloween! The film plays itself out with a very dark, yet tongue in cheek kind of vibe; one minute it's serious and you think, "Oh my God, is that child really going to die?", the next minute you're laughing out loud -- but with a sigh of relief!

With 4 interwoven stories taking place all on the same night, there is one character that seems to bring together the heart of the film, and that's the creepy little kid you see on the cover. I was so worried he'd be used as a gimmick to attract attention to the film and that he might only be in it for 5 minutes. Thank goodness I was wrong! Creepy, yet disturbingly cool looking, he is mysterious as much as he is deadly! Razor filled chocolate bars, anyone?! What's more, the kid himself (although you never get to actually see the actor playing him) is played by Quinn Lord, another fellow Canadian! The character himself is named "Sam" (which is made short from "Samhain" - the original name for Halloween according to it's Celtic roots) and was first created by director/writer Michael Dougherty's short film Season's Greetings, which is also available on the DVD. You see, we have Christmas and so we have Santa Clause. We have Easter, and with it comes the Easter Bunny. We have Halloween, and now we have Sam. The character itself was intended to be the official mascot for Halloween, and what a brilliant mascot it is!

All in all, Trick 'R Treat is to Halloween what A Christmas Story is to Christmas. It's Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps mixed together (for the younger crowd) or Creepshow meets Tales from the Crypt (for the older crowd). It's that mystery, history, and blistery about this ancient holiday season that incorporates the best into the film. To sum it all up, it's fun for anyone who wants a good laugh and a good scare, and few good twists that'll make you *gasp*! So put on your costumes and masks, take out the candy, dim down the lights, and pop this little treasure in! You'll be sure to have a wicked good time!

5/5

DVD/Blu-Ray available Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

Check out the trailer below!

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