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‘Film Student for Life.’ Category

  1. Film Review: The September Issue

    April 9, 2012 by me

     

    What it’s like: Behind the scenes of The Devil Wears Prada

    Why you’d like it: You get to see how an issue of a fashion magazine (Vogue) gets from concept to pages. There’s bickering, lots of longing, pensive looks from Anna Wintour (the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue), just how icy she can be, a photographer who is out of his mind with requests whilst on a shoot with actress Sienna Miller in Rome, over-the-top fashion editors, and underlings scared to say anything bad on camera, so they just look like deer in headlights. It’s a reality show for magazine snobs like me.

    Why you wouldn’t like it: It’s about fashion, and if you have no interest, you might get bored with the over-the-top/life-or-death attitude of it all (much like Anna Wintour’s daughter, who wants nothing to do with the industry)

    Film Student Perspective: The fast-paced nature of the doc definitely was made for mainstream, with story lines connected ingeniously through the use of music via The Fratellis or Ratatat. The dramatic (or dramatized?) storyline of bickering Editor-in-chief versus the Creative Director is the major plot point, with a sprinkle of theatrics with over-the-top photographers and fashion editors, especially Andre Leon Tally, who brings his Louis Vuitton cooler to the tennis courts. They obviously had money, because the production value of this doc is superb.

    Stefi’s Scope: Even if you don’t give a crap about fashion, it’s an interesting doc that combines music, drama, misunderstandings, and what does eventually end up on the cutting room floor of Vogue. It’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes of just how that magazine goes from concept to execution, all while being headed by the “ice queen”, Anna Wintour. It’s not your typical documentary. It’s entertaining, engaging, and comes with a killer soundtrack.

    Available on Netflix Instant.
    **I am starting (yet another) tradition for the month of April by watching Documentaries on Monday…it’s time to put my brain (and this damn unjustified Netflix account) to work!**

    Category Film Student for Life., Random Ramblings. | Tags: ,,, | No Comments

  2. Film Review: Bridesmaids

    April 6, 2012 by me

     

    What’s it’s like: The Sweetest Thing meets a milder The Hangover

    Why you’d like it: It starts off with a very awkward sex scene. It’s got crude jokes about bodily functions and sexual positions, but beneath all that, it actually has a storyline and heart.

    Why you won’t like it: It starts off with a very awkward sex scene. It’s got crude jokes about bodily functions and sexual positions. And if you can’t get past that, then you definitely won’t find the heart of the script.

    Film student perspective: I love that Milwaukee and Chicago were used, even if they were just the exteriors!

    Stefi’s Scope: I so enjoyed this film. Maybe because the script was so well-written (even though I’m guessing most of it was improv) and behind the crude humor and sex jokes (which, by the way, women do talk like this!) laid a story about a lost thirty-something trying to make sense of her place in the world. Yes, most of the secondary characters were one-dimensional (but hilarious). But can you really expect anything more from the film? I thought Kristen Wiig was fantastic. As was Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy (although an Oscar nod? Really?) Favorite parts included the “lucky carrot” bit (there is always one ugly carrot in the bag!), the Fight Club bachelorette idea (genius!), the bridal shower “goodie bag” (She does not get puppy!), and Jon Hamm playing a completely comedic asshole (nice to see him in another role other than Don Draper!)…oh, and DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON WILSON PHILLIPS! (I totally do the drum thing that Maya Rudolph does to that song!)

    My advice: take Bridesmaids in the same realm as Wedding Crashers, The Sweetest Thing (was I the only one who liked that movie?) and The Hangover, and laugh your ass off.

    Category Film Student for Life., Random Ramblings. | Tags: | No Comments

  3. Film Review: Forks Over Knives

    April 2, 2012 by me

    What it’s like: Food, Inc. meets scientific research/pretty graphs meets real life “before” and “afters”

    Why you’d like it: It gives an interesting perspective and scientific evidence to back up the theory that a plant-based diet (aka vegan-ism) can drastically reduce, if not eradicate, major heart diseases, osteoporosis, cancers and many other afflictions that affect the majority of the US populations. It has a little bit of a conspiracy theory of why the USDA claims we need animal meats and dairy as part of a “well-balanced” diet when there’s overwhelming evidence to prove that not having dairy or meats would be a better choice (they claim it’s because the USDA supports the farmers, and needs them to stay working). The before and afters of the people featured are mind-boggling…One guy went from 8 pills/2 injections a day to none in 8 weeks, while another one got rid of her diabetes all-together.

    Why you won’t like it: It’s about giving up food that is bad for you so you can live longer. Although never really preachy, you can’t help but be a little skeptical about certain medical practices. And the story sometimes gets lost in the research (although that research is kinda fascinating, at least to this one).

    Film student perspective: While some of the audio issues bothered me, (aka a major interview was done with a humming lavalier), I enjoyed the use of the 3D graphics and charts/graphs to easily digest the amazing research that quite literally proves that by adopting a plant-based diet, you can stop diseases in their tracks. The storyline went a little haywire in the middle (as it often does in documentaries), and sometimes the stories seemed a little out of order, but by the time you see the before and afters of the people mentioned, you’re impressed with how the numbers can’t lie.

    Stefi’s Scope: While I’m not going to give up my monthly hot dog binge, I was impressed by the statistics and overwhelming research that went behind the plant-based diet theory of reversing the effects of heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and in one case, even cancer. The proof really is in the pudding…or in this case, in the couscous.  While it didn’t make me throw up my dinner (much like Food, Inc. almost did), it does harp on the fact that you need to start being consciously aware of the food choice that you make because they are inextricably linked to how you feel. It’s really just a reminder to be mindful of what you eat, because, as the saying goes, you are what you eat. And while the occasional Jamoca Almond Fudge (back for a limited time! yay!) isn’t going to necessarily kill me, I might just add a little salad to those fish and chips I’m going to have tomorrow at Fireside…

    View it now on Netflix Instant, Hulu Plus

     

    **I am starting (yet another) tradition for the month of April by watching Documentaries on Monday…it’s time to put my brain (and this damn unjustified Netflix account) to work!**

     

    Category Film Student for Life. | Tags: ,,,,, | No Comments

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