Yep. I know it's late for the announcement of The Best Film. Hey, I had reasons. But you know what they say. Better late than never. And unlike some memebers of he Academy, I have seen this year's nominees which are 12 Years A Slave, American Hustle, and Gravity. And the winner of the Basement Blog Film of the Year is:
American Hustle.
American Hustle is a story of survival in the early eighties. And unlike the Academy, I do think a movie with comic elements can be the best film of the year. Anyway, you won't get a better ensemble cast performance than American Hustle.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014
12 Years a Slave review
There's a scene in director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave which depicts the surreal horror of American slavery of the early nineteenth century. In it, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a slave, is lynched but not raised off the ground. He struggles to breathe. Against this act of inhumanity, is a pastoral scene of the plantation and the slaves who work around Northup as if he doesn't exist. It's one of many scenes in a magnificent piece of filmmaking.
12 Years a Slave is the true story of Solomon Northup, an African American living in Saratoga Springs, New York. He's a free black man and a talented violin player. He's given an opportunity to play in a circus but it's a ruse by two white men who drug him and sell him to slavery. The film covers Northup's twelve years of life as a slave. Based on Northup's book of the same name, John Ridley composed a screenplay that often tells the story in flashbacks. At first, it's disjointed but as the film goes on, the narrative makes sense and works well. You see the movie depicts Northup when he's a slave but shows us his other life, one that he had before he was kidnapped. It's a a depiction of Northup's humanity. He had a wife and two children in New York.
McQueen and Ridley don't sugarcoat the despicable nature of slavery. There's beatings, lynching and rape. McQueen juxtaposes the peaceful agrarian countryside with scenes of great inhumanity. His camera angles, editing and framing of shots display not just a competent director but a brilliant artist who understands the artistic nature of film. McQueen doesn't rely on fast cutting to maintain your interest. It's his eye for visual that will captivate you. He's a painter with film. Yet, he doesn't let anything detract from the narrative.
12 Years a Slave is the American horror story. It's one that tells of slavery, inhumanity and prejudice. It is one of the best movies of 2013. The grade is A.
12 Years a Slave is the true story of Solomon Northup, an African American living in Saratoga Springs, New York. He's a free black man and a talented violin player. He's given an opportunity to play in a circus but it's a ruse by two white men who drug him and sell him to slavery. The film covers Northup's twelve years of life as a slave. Based on Northup's book of the same name, John Ridley composed a screenplay that often tells the story in flashbacks. At first, it's disjointed but as the film goes on, the narrative makes sense and works well. You see the movie depicts Northup when he's a slave but shows us his other life, one that he had before he was kidnapped. It's a a depiction of Northup's humanity. He had a wife and two children in New York.
McQueen and Ridley don't sugarcoat the despicable nature of slavery. There's beatings, lynching and rape. McQueen juxtaposes the peaceful agrarian countryside with scenes of great inhumanity. His camera angles, editing and framing of shots display not just a competent director but a brilliant artist who understands the artistic nature of film. McQueen doesn't rely on fast cutting to maintain your interest. It's his eye for visual that will captivate you. He's a painter with film. Yet, he doesn't let anything detract from the narrative.
12 Years a Slave is the American horror story. It's one that tells of slavery, inhumanity and prejudice. It is one of the best movies of 2013. The grade is A.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Riotous: "Exclusive Alternate Scene" from "Gravity" featuring Christopher Reeve as Superman
Okay, some smart aleck decided to make this fake deleted scene from Gravity which features Christoper Reeves as Superman. The result? Hilarious.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
A Chinese American's view of #CancelColbert
There's been a movement to cancel Stephen Colbert for a piece he did making fun of Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and his charitable organization "Washington Redskins for Original Americans." You see Colbert announced his own organization called "The Ching Chong Ding Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever." The point of the piece was to show how clueless Snyder was by continuing using a racist term for his team and then naming a charitable organization with the same racist term, "Redskin."
Look, I'm a racially Chinese man. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. I've endured racist epithets all my life. One of the most common is what I call "Chinese speak." That's when a person uses nonsensical Chinese sounds to make fun of me. So I understand Colbert's use of those rhyming words to describe a character he uses on his show.
But was Colbert's piece racist? Stephen Colbert plays a fake conservative. Think Archie Bunker. He often accurately portrays their positions. And he's usually clueless. He's lampooning Fox News' Bill O' Reilly. And frankly, when I hear or get a racist comment, most of the time, it almost always comes from a conservative. So, Colbert's racist character Ching Chong Ding Dong is character invented by a fake conservative to make fun of some conservatives. You can see why conservatives hate Colbert. Regardless, it's brilliant. Hey, he's won Peabodys and Emmys. But take it from this Chinese American. It was not racist. You've got to take it in context. Colbert was making fun of racism. Dan Snyder uses a racist term for Native Americans to name a charity to help them. Colbert uses a racist Chinese term to name a foundation to help Asians. Get the insanity? He's not trying to put down Asians.
Below is Stephen Colbert's very funny response to the controversy. It features "traitor" Asian actors.
Look, I'm a racially Chinese man. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. I've endured racist epithets all my life. One of the most common is what I call "Chinese speak." That's when a person uses nonsensical Chinese sounds to make fun of me. So I understand Colbert's use of those rhyming words to describe a character he uses on his show.
But was Colbert's piece racist? Stephen Colbert plays a fake conservative. Think Archie Bunker. He often accurately portrays their positions. And he's usually clueless. He's lampooning Fox News' Bill O' Reilly. And frankly, when I hear or get a racist comment, most of the time, it almost always comes from a conservative. So, Colbert's racist character Ching Chong Ding Dong is character invented by a fake conservative to make fun of some conservatives. You can see why conservatives hate Colbert. Regardless, it's brilliant. Hey, he's won Peabodys and Emmys. But take it from this Chinese American. It was not racist. You've got to take it in context. Colbert was making fun of racism. Dan Snyder uses a racist term for Native Americans to name a charity to help them. Colbert uses a racist Chinese term to name a foundation to help Asians. Get the insanity? He's not trying to put down Asians.
Below is Stephen Colbert's very funny response to the controversy. It features "traitor" Asian actors.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Stephen Colbert takes down ABC's Good Morning America's new set to appeal to Millennials
ABC's Good Morning America introduced a new set to appeal to millennials. It's ludicrous as it features gigantic smartphone computer screens where young people can interact. And did I forget? It has a fooseball table. Great comic fodder for Stephen Colbert. Here's his riotous video.
Stephen Colbert rips Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder
Stephen Colbert destroyed Washington Redskins owner for having a charitable organization called "Washington Redskins for Original Americans" that is designed to help native Americans. One problem here, Danny Boy. The term Redskins is offensive to Native Americans since they consider it racist. Good stuff for comic fodder and sarcasm. Here's Stephen Colbert with his Sports Report.
Reds Opener: The shape of things to come?
Yesterday, the Cincinnati Reds lost their opening day game to the hated St. Louis Cardinals, 1-0. The Reds had runners on first and third with no outs in the eighth inning. They could not score. This was an issue last year. The Reds had offensive problems. They could not hit with runners in scoring position. And Reds rookie centerfielder Billy Hamilton struck out four times. Can't steal bases without getting on base. Let's not hope this is a metaphor for the season.
Tomorrow is another game. Time to start a winning streak. One hundred and sixty one games to go.
Tomorrow is another game. Time to start a winning streak. One hundred and sixty one games to go.
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