Yeah, I know it's been a way long while since I've dropped any blogging here, it's true. I'm happy to tell you that you can blame the Brattle Theatre for my return (for at least one post)—the Brattle and their "Wright On! Edgar Wright and His Influences" series, screening this weekend. If you're not already familiar with writer-director Edgar Wright, I kind of envy you. If I could watch his stuff for the very first time all over again—Man! It's like… It's like…
It's like when Dorothy wakes up after her house lands in Oz and the movie goes from black and white to color…
Leave it to me to describe a real-life experience with a movie reference, right?
And then leave it to me to describe seeing a movie as a real-life experience. =)
So, it's some seriously good s#it is what I'm saying.
Maybe you've enjoyed a couple of his films without knowing that they're his? There's…
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (co-writer + director)
https://youtu.be/7wd5KEaOtm4
ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (co-writer)
https://youtu.be/7NWtW699XME
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (writer w Simon Pegg + director)
https://youtu.be/z-lmF5DAssU
HOT FUZZ (writer w Simon Pegg + director)
https://youtu.be/KOddZELDPmk
THE WORLD'S END (writer w Simon Pegg + director)
https://youtu.be/hFo7eJR2cvc
These are all playing this weekend on the big screen at the Brattle, along with films that resonate with and/or inspired them, and you should see ALL of them if you can. The "and His Influences" films…
RUN LOLA RUN. A modern classic. One of those films that while I was watching, I felt had carved my experiences into before this movie and after (HARD BOILED is another). For lovely kinetic choose/chase-your-own-adventure show-don't-tell storytelling, can't be beat. Hrm… Now that I think of it, could be an exciting double feature with FURY ROAD.
https://youtu.be/3ea0mG4ahRk
DEAD AND BURIED. This is one I haven't seen yet, but—hey!—a small town sheriff vs. walking dead? What more do you need to know?
https://youtu.be/8ZmlEh34unM
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978). The title pretty much says it all. A different kind of zombie threat, social sci-fi at its best. Also, how can you *not* want to see this sexy-nerdiness?
https://youtu.be/52vK2-Dv1TA
HARD BOILED! O. M. G. When I first saw this in 1993, it totally flipped the poles of my movie-going world. Mind-blowing. This is John Woo at the height of his brotherhood bonding, cops and killers with codes-creating, bullet-ballet choreographing powers. And w Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, and Philip Kwok as his dancers! Of course, it's over 20 years later, so if you've had your eyes open at all in that time, you may end up with some deja vu to more recent action fare that's attempted to re-create bits and pieces of Woo's HARD BOILED firefights and motifs, but very few filmmakers and films can make it all work. Y'know, it's such a rare opportunity to get to experience HARD BOILED in the theater—I kind of hate to say it, but if you can only see ONE of these movies this weekend, it should be this one.
https://youtu.be/jAtxZHuJNW4
I really love it when Tequila sends his girlfriend flowers. Brilliant. =)
If you get the chance to see some of both the influences and Wright's films, you'll see that the films pair off as "alternate universe" versions of each other: RUN for PILGRIM, DEAD for DEAD, HARD for HOT, and INVASION for WORLD'S END. Such cinematic candy! =)
The three films playing on Sunday—SHAUN OF THE DEAD, HOT FUZZ, and THE WORLD'S END—have come to be known as the Cornetto Trilogy (I'll explain AFTER you've seen them all =), a trio of hilariously brilliant genre-loving/busting/crossing/redefining films Wright conjured with front men and co-creators Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. If you can, I *highly* recommend you grab some friends and commit to the triple feature. It is a joyful ride. Sitting down to watch these films is like when a friend would bike over to your place, ring your doorbell, and ask your mom or dad, "Can [your name here] come out and play?" And you can! It is a damn good time.
So! Your mission—and you SHOULD choose to accept it: see any and all of these movies this weekend if you can. They are Good.
That number again: Wright On! Edgar Wright and His Influences at the Brattle Theatre!
Keep on keepin' on~
P.S. If you'd be so good as to look beyond the weekend, you'll see that three badass cinema classics will be screening on Monday and Tuesday: CASABLANCA (bring your best gal or fella, and some tissues, cuz, umm, high pollen count, yeah), GASLIGHT (perhaps you want to send a message to your gal or fella? =), and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (in honor of Harper Lee's new novel, GO SET A WATCHMAN, which will be on sale after the screening at midnight).
And on Wednesday, Edgar Wright returns (for a couple of minutes) for the full GRINDHOUSE (aka PLANET TERROR + DEATH PROOF + trailers)!
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