Movies and Books
• The Weatherman
There are a handful of actors that, for the most part, never take shitty roles. Ewen McGregor, Samuel Jackson, and Nicholas Cage come to mind.
When I think of Mr. Cage I think dry, determined, and committed. He does have a pretty serious face in most of the movies he has been in, that does not make his characters one dimensional, however. In that, he always seems to portray ordinary folks with quasi-ordinary lives (I wouldn't say extra ordinary). Remembering movies like The Rock, Face Off, Con-Air, and the grim 8mm, help bring my observation to light. One of the more extraordinary roles he has played recently was in Lord of War (a movie that I have yet to see :S ). In all these instances he becomes one of the few actors that sway me into seeing a movie based on his appearance alone. It is easy to say that if Mr. Cage is in a movie, then I eagerly give it a chance, with high expectation, looking forward to a good movie.
Here is Yahoo's synopsis of the movie: "Popular Chicago weatherman, Dave Spirtz, has a shot at the big time when a national morning television show calls him for an audition. Professionally, Dave is on top of the world, but his personal life is in complete disarray. Dave's painful divorce, his dad's illness and trouble with his kids have him poised on the knife's edge between stability and disaster. The harder he tries to control events, the more he finds life, like the weather, is completely unpredictable."
The movie has some unexpected raunchy moments. The result is well executed, "situational humor". Rated "R", the film does have quiet a bit of swearing but it is not excessive to the point of unnecessity; the characters swear when they are angry and on the edge, much like real people do (unlike in a Tarintino Film). One such instance is the use of the word Camel Toe. This come about when Spritz's dad hear some boys calling Sprit'z daughter this when he is picking her up from school. They call her that to offend her, and in her child-hood-nieveity, she does not understand the term. Later, when questioned if she knows what it means, she says, "It means I'm tough. You know like a Camel Toe. Camel's Toes are tough they have to walk across the desert, and sand and hard, hot, rocks. So... it means I'm tough.". One of the better examples of the film's, odd, situational humor.
--If you don't know what a Camel Toe is you can read about it HERE (courtesy of Wikipedia).--
One of the more subtle elements of the film is it's sound track. Unfortunately I did not sit through all the credits long enough to see how many songs were borrowed from pop-culture; however, listening, it seems that the soundtrack was home-made specially for the movie (like Fight-Club's). In most places, it is pleasant and upbeat. Something that, if I had a little more money to spend, i might actually consider purchasing on CD.
Similar to Fight Club (one of my favorite movies for content and execution) in another manner, was this concept of Mental Narration. Whereas the film progresses we actually receive a story told by the main character. As if the film is a mental recount of events for his own benefit. What this results in is an intimate bond formed by the Narrator and the audience; as events unfold we are allowed to see exactly what the Narrator feels about them, and other characters. This is one of my favorite cinematic devices. The film is not just a montage of events, but a collection of memories told from the Narrator's point of view.
There are other characters as well that make the movie interesting enough to keep your eyes open. One of them, Spritz's father, (Michel Cain: who has been in Bewitched and Batman Begins this year), lends fatherly advice throughout the whole movie, but also a sense of innocence. As he is an older gentleman, he is not well versed in pop-culture, and this makes for some amusing moments. As an actor Cain lends a wide array of talent to the role that, given the odd bond between Spritz and his father, is at times nothing short of moving.
The one thing not too well received about this movies it it's honesty. It is not "The feel good movie of the year". It is also not one of those "life affirming movies". Spritz has real world problems that are tailored specifically to him, but not so far fetched that we cannot sympathize. Few things go right for him anymore, and most of us have been there. I will not spoil the ending for you, but I will say this; thought the movies does not end so horribly that you will be in tears it does not end on a high note. It will leave you thinking and perhaps wanting to tie up loose ends in your own life. It will not leave you with warm fuzzies. Some people cannot handle a mirror being forced in front of them.
I give it a 4/5
Nicholas Cage: +1
Situational Humor (that is humorous): +1
Good Soundtrack: +1
Mental Narration: +1
Good Synergy between Actors and Character: +1
A Downer Ending: -1
• Other quasi-Cage related news.
I just finished a book (something I have not done is quite some time). Given my recent interest to Mage: the Awakening I found a series that is similar and captivating in it's own right. The book is the first in a series know as the Dresden Files, written by Jim Butcher. White-Wolf has suspended the writing of Werewolf and Mage fiction almost indeffinately. As a result they are only publishing fiction novels for their Vampire: the Requiem line. This leave the fans of Werewolf and Mage starved for novelised material set in in the World of Darkness. However, if you are a Mage fan then there are the Dresden Files.
While they are not set in the Official World of Darkness, and while Jim Butcher has no ties to White Wolf publishing, the Dresden Files are Magey enough for fans of that game line to imagine that these could very well be White Wolf. The stories happen in and around Chigaco, coincidentally, the same city that White-Wolf has chosen to be their newest game line's Signature city.
The stories are about Harry Dresdent, Wizard (Mage) and Private Investigator. The first book lets you glimps small portions of his past, all the while showing how he is a moral, and just, indiveidual. Though he means well, he admits that Magic is both a sience and and art, and though he has a firm grasp on both aspects Magic, a ever changing substance, always has a way of getting away from him (Paradox?)
What the hell does any of this have to do with Nicholas Cage? Well he is the executive producer of The Dresden Files a TV- Pilot/Movie for the Sci-Fi channel. More info on that as it leaks.If you want to read more about it you can go HERE.
If you are intereseted in Jim Buthcer, Harry Dresden, of the Dresden Files you can read the first few chapters of each of the books at Jim's websited above. Here are links to the first two chapters of Storm Front; Jim's First book in the Dresden Files.
Chapter 1,
Chapter 2.
There are a handful of actors that, for the most part, never take shitty roles. Ewen McGregor, Samuel Jackson, and Nicholas Cage come to mind.
When I think of Mr. Cage I think dry, determined, and committed. He does have a pretty serious face in most of the movies he has been in, that does not make his characters one dimensional, however. In that, he always seems to portray ordinary folks with quasi-ordinary lives (I wouldn't say extra ordinary). Remembering movies like The Rock, Face Off, Con-Air, and the grim 8mm, help bring my observation to light. One of the more extraordinary roles he has played recently was in Lord of War (a movie that I have yet to see :S ). In all these instances he becomes one of the few actors that sway me into seeing a movie based on his appearance alone. It is easy to say that if Mr. Cage is in a movie, then I eagerly give it a chance, with high expectation, looking forward to a good movie.
Here is Yahoo's synopsis of the movie: "Popular Chicago weatherman, Dave Spirtz, has a shot at the big time when a national morning television show calls him for an audition. Professionally, Dave is on top of the world, but his personal life is in complete disarray. Dave's painful divorce, his dad's illness and trouble with his kids have him poised on the knife's edge between stability and disaster. The harder he tries to control events, the more he finds life, like the weather, is completely unpredictable."
The movie has some unexpected raunchy moments. The result is well executed, "situational humor". Rated "R", the film does have quiet a bit of swearing but it is not excessive to the point of unnecessity; the characters swear when they are angry and on the edge, much like real people do (unlike in a Tarintino Film). One such instance is the use of the word Camel Toe. This come about when Spritz's dad hear some boys calling Sprit'z daughter this when he is picking her up from school. They call her that to offend her, and in her child-hood-nieveity, she does not understand the term. Later, when questioned if she knows what it means, she says, "It means I'm tough. You know like a Camel Toe. Camel's Toes are tough they have to walk across the desert, and sand and hard, hot, rocks. So... it means I'm tough.". One of the better examples of the film's, odd, situational humor.
--If you don't know what a Camel Toe is you can read about it HERE (courtesy of Wikipedia).--
One of the more subtle elements of the film is it's sound track. Unfortunately I did not sit through all the credits long enough to see how many songs were borrowed from pop-culture; however, listening, it seems that the soundtrack was home-made specially for the movie (like Fight-Club's). In most places, it is pleasant and upbeat. Something that, if I had a little more money to spend, i might actually consider purchasing on CD.
Similar to Fight Club (one of my favorite movies for content and execution) in another manner, was this concept of Mental Narration. Whereas the film progresses we actually receive a story told by the main character. As if the film is a mental recount of events for his own benefit. What this results in is an intimate bond formed by the Narrator and the audience; as events unfold we are allowed to see exactly what the Narrator feels about them, and other characters. This is one of my favorite cinematic devices. The film is not just a montage of events, but a collection of memories told from the Narrator's point of view.
There are other characters as well that make the movie interesting enough to keep your eyes open. One of them, Spritz's father, (Michel Cain: who has been in Bewitched and Batman Begins this year), lends fatherly advice throughout the whole movie, but also a sense of innocence. As he is an older gentleman, he is not well versed in pop-culture, and this makes for some amusing moments. As an actor Cain lends a wide array of talent to the role that, given the odd bond between Spritz and his father, is at times nothing short of moving.
The one thing not too well received about this movies it it's honesty. It is not "The feel good movie of the year". It is also not one of those "life affirming movies". Spritz has real world problems that are tailored specifically to him, but not so far fetched that we cannot sympathize. Few things go right for him anymore, and most of us have been there. I will not spoil the ending for you, but I will say this; thought the movies does not end so horribly that you will be in tears it does not end on a high note. It will leave you thinking and perhaps wanting to tie up loose ends in your own life. It will not leave you with warm fuzzies. Some people cannot handle a mirror being forced in front of them.
I give it a 4/5
Nicholas Cage: +1
Situational Humor (that is humorous): +1
Good Soundtrack: +1
Mental Narration: +1
Good Synergy between Actors and Character: +1
A Downer Ending: -1
• Other quasi-Cage related news.
I just finished a book (something I have not done is quite some time). Given my recent interest to Mage: the Awakening I found a series that is similar and captivating in it's own right. The book is the first in a series know as the Dresden Files, written by Jim Butcher. White-Wolf has suspended the writing of Werewolf and Mage fiction almost indeffinately. As a result they are only publishing fiction novels for their Vampire: the Requiem line. This leave the fans of Werewolf and Mage starved for novelised material set in in the World of Darkness. However, if you are a Mage fan then there are the Dresden Files.
While they are not set in the Official World of Darkness, and while Jim Butcher has no ties to White Wolf publishing, the Dresden Files are Magey enough for fans of that game line to imagine that these could very well be White Wolf. The stories happen in and around Chigaco, coincidentally, the same city that White-Wolf has chosen to be their newest game line's Signature city.
The stories are about Harry Dresdent, Wizard (Mage) and Private Investigator. The first book lets you glimps small portions of his past, all the while showing how he is a moral, and just, indiveidual. Though he means well, he admits that Magic is both a sience and and art, and though he has a firm grasp on both aspects Magic, a ever changing substance, always has a way of getting away from him (Paradox?)
What the hell does any of this have to do with Nicholas Cage? Well he is the executive producer of The Dresden Files a TV- Pilot/Movie for the Sci-Fi channel. More info on that as it leaks.If you want to read more about it you can go HERE.
If you are intereseted in Jim Buthcer, Harry Dresden, of the Dresden Files you can read the first few chapters of each of the books at Jim's websited above. Here are links to the first two chapters of Storm Front; Jim's First book in the Dresden Files.
Chapter 1,
Chapter 2.