The Yeti Rants

*personal confession. When a particular person is on your mind too much, it's hard to concentrate. Since I want my posts not to suck.. I've been waiting till things cleared up to write something coherent...


I'm a movie fan. I wouldn't call myself a film student or a connoisseur. I'm a movie fan. I like films. I watch and go to the movies a lot. I pay the $8 for popcorn and a drink because I realize that it's where the theaters make their real money, and I want to make sure that one of my favorite entertainment mediums gets supported. I enjoy all sorts of movies. Pop culture films by Kevin Smith, awful cheesy horror flicks, thought provoking films like Pi and Memento, and fun comic book films. I don't ask a lot from my movie, just entertain me for a couple hours. Despite that low standard, some films still end up failing. Can anyone say Alien Vs. Predator? I knew you could.

I am NOT a fan of Hollywood. Hollywood represents yet another distillation and corruption of an art form. Much like the RIAA, the MPAA has taken the art out of film making and sacrificed it for the sake of things like unions, profit margins and blockbuster films. It's not about the quality or the art of the film anymore. It's about the box office take. Compromise the story to make it pander to the lowest common denominator. Take all the controversy out because people might get offended. Don't' make people think, do the thinking for them.

Along with that, the politics of Hollywood can go out the window. I don't ask the guy working a Best Buy what he thinks of the current political climate. Why? To be honest, I don't really care. I feel the same way about Hollywood. Stars that use their fame to pander retarded political messages can stick it as far as I'm concerned. I don't care if your liberal or conservative, shut up and be an actor, actress or director. Putting a message into a movie is fine. You want me to think about something by telling a story about it.. Bully for you. Don't hit me over the head with it though, let me form the opinion.

Having said all of that, can someone tell me why it is that we seem to be indundated with remakes and rehashings lately? Amnityville Horror, Miami Vice, The Fog, Starski and Hutch, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Dukes of Hazard are just a few of the ones that are or have been made? Shouldn't these films stand on their own? Do we really need to see a remake of a film that's not even twenty years old?

Maybe it's my age showing. It seems to me though that the corporate machine has driven not only the soul out of Hollywood, but the desire to be creative as well. Don't come up with new ideas, rehash the old ones because the nostalgia hounds will run out to view them. Use a tried and true name, don't establish one of your own. Do what's been done, but put your "twist" on it. No creation, only revisiting. The indy movie circuit is the only place where we get fresh ideas anymore. Where directors and small companies try to make it on their own.

I just don't understand the lack of creativity. I refuse to believe the theory that there are only 32 stories and everything is just a rehashing of those 32 plots over and over. What other reason is there for this lazy disregard for creativity? Granted, I'm not the most motivated when it comes to my creativity. I have four novels sitting unfinished.. But I'm not getting PAID to be a writer either. It's a hobby for me. I just think it's disturbing that this sort of creative outlet not only for myself but for others is being stifled in such a very disturbing way. Is it nostalgia for the past that's doing it? People don't want to take the risk on something new? I don't' think that's it. I think it's the fear from the corporate backers that don't want to have a movie bomb on them. Better to dupe audiences opening weekend and make our money back instead of actually putting out something that we believe in.

Are we this culturally bankrupt? Have we really lost this much of ourselves that even our creativity is falling to the wayside? I wonder.

On that note, I'm going to take a STAB at a movie Review. I've never done one before, but since I have delusions of journalist you'll all have to deal. If it goes over well enough, I may make it a regular Yeti rant feature.

Sin City
Directors:Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller
with special guest director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast:
Bruce Willis..........John Hartigan
Mickey Rourke..........Marv
Clive Owen............Dwight
Jessica Alba............Nancy Callahan
Rosario Dawon............Gail
Elijah Wood............Kevin
Benicio Del Toro..........Jack Rafferty
Michael Clarke Duncan............Manute
Brittany Murphy..........Shellie
Nick Stahl..........Junior/Yellow Bastard
Josh Hartnett..........The Salesman
Michael Madsen..........Bob
Alexis Bledel..........Becky

My first thought when the movie was over was Wow. Overload.

I saw a preview for it a few weeks ago, and it brought back memories of a graphic novel that I had seen sitting on shelves for years but never bothered to pick up. I've always been a fan of Frank Miller's Batman work, but never really got into picking up Sin City off the shelves. So, I'll admit to not being a fan of the comic books.

The good thing is the film stands on it's own. It is most definitely a comic book movie, with some film noir attitude thrown in for good measure. If you are a fan of Philip Marlowe type atmosphere then this is going to be your cup of tea. With a decidedly dark and violent twist.

Touching on the plot, it's three interwoven stories about various characters living in (Ba)Sin City (the B and A have been shot off the sign). Marv (Mickey Rourke) is a thug looking for vengeance against a murdered hooker who was kind to him. Dwight (Clive Owen) is an exmurderer who is trying to save the whores from Old Town in being caught between the mob and the crooked cops. Finally Hartigan( Bruce Willis) is one of the few clean cops in town just trying to get one last little girl saved from the corrupt machine before he retires. All the acting performances were believable and well done. As with most movies of this type, there is a parade of stars across the screen, but fortunately it does not detract from the movie in any way.

Visually the movie is stunning. It's filmed in digital black and white, and color is used for emphasis (much like in the comic book I'm assuming). Blood, eyes, lipstick, hair color, all of these things will appear in color on certain people, the most disturbing being the gold eye of Michael Clark Duncans Manute. Cars jumping over brick streets, cops flying through railings, hero's riddled with bullets but somehow making a last gasp to save who's needed, it's all there and it all looks wonderful.

The movie could have used a little editing. At 2:06 it seemed to run a little long, but it was worth sitting through. I got lost a little along the way, but seemed to get drawn back in rather quickly. I understand that it was Rodriguez's desire to remain faithful to the source material that prevented him from cutting things, but as a movie fan, I'm always up for a little editing for pacing sake.

All in all an excellent film, but one that you MUST leave the kids home for. Anyone offended by gratuitous violence, nudity and anti-heros need not apply. Odds are if you were offended by Pulp Fiction, this movie will make you outraged. If you loved Pulp Fiction (like myself) you'll be on board.