The Phantom Menaced

Posted on January 18, 2012 by jaycluitt

So George Lucas is apparently retiring from making movies, citing the reason that whenever he makes a film (or tinkers with an existing one) the Internet explodes with criticism, snide remarks and unremitting hatred, for a filmmaker previously revered for making some of the most popular films ever made. To quote the bearded one in a recent interview with the New York Times, “Why would I make any more, when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”

Yes, he sounds like a whiny schoolchild, but he makes a fair point, and although I don’t blame him, I must admit I’m disappointed. The Star Wars films are excellent, and you can expect to read my List post upon them soon (we had a lovely little Star Wars marathon weekend last month), and I even enjoyed the prequels. If it wasn’t for them, I’d have gotten into Star Wars much later (remarkably, I saw the films in episode order rather than release date), and found the most recent Indiana Jones film enjoyable and a very entertaining film, just not as good as the rest in the series. FYI, it was still voted onto the list, so I’m not alone in this reasoning.

If you don’t like a film, by all means don’t recommend it to your friends, and even write a negative review about it if you like, but no-one is forcing you to see it, and what right do you have to contact the guy who made it and piss on his cornflakes? If you don’t like his films, don’t see them. If you don’t approve of his modifying the films he’s already made or converting them to 3D, don’t buy them. If they’re really that bad, enough people will do the same, they’ll make no money and he won’t make any more, but don’t ruin the enjoyment of anyone who does like his films by encouraging him to not make anymore. Lucas continuing to make films does nothing to you whatsoever.

Belated New Year’s Post

Posted on January 11, 2012 by jaycluitt

Woah, I’ve been running this blog for over a year now, and in a few weeks I’ll be a year into this godforsaken challenge, thats 20% of the way through! Only four years left! And still over a thousand films! I’m not sure about this, but I’m told 2012 has usurped 2011 for position of What Year It Is, so this is as good a time as any to make some blog-related plans.

Firstly, I’ve still got a few overdue posts to write (31, but who’s counting?) and I’m currently 14 films behind where I should be on my schedule, and about 7 hours behind if you’re working it out that way instead, so the main goal really needs to be to pull my head out of my arse and catch up. I’ve been doing pretty well recently, last weekend being the most productive blog-wise since records began, and I need to keep this up. I’ve stopped watching films recently, other than LoveFilm, Movie Night or when someone else wants to watch one, in the hope that this will give me more time to write posts, and it seems to be working. I’m going to give myself until the end of February (but I’m aiming for January) to catch up on post writing and film watching, and after that I’m going to work like buggery to keep on top of it.

Secondly, the blog looks a bit dull, doesn’t it? I quite like the logo (a neatened up scribble I made at work one day) but it could look better, and I’ve got some ideas for the side bars, so watch this space.

Thirdly, this isn’t supposed to all be about the list. When I started this blog I wrote a couple of random posts, and started a small section called Second Chance, where I watched a film that everyone says is crap, to give it another shot (shockingly, most of them still were) and once I’ve caught up on the list posts, then I’ll kick start the other posts too. I have other opinions as well, you know.

And finally, the name of this blog is Life Vs. Film, yet it’s all about film, so let’s get a bit more life into it, shall we? Although my life largely revolves around the world of movies, but I do other stuff to I’d like to discuss or showcase. I read a lot, cycle, and am an amateur craftsman, baker and chocolatier, so expect to see some of this discussed in the upcoming decades. I’ll try and tie it all into movies as much as I can though, fear not.

So that’s what 2012 may hold for my little corner of the web. I’ve also been dabbling in twitter recently (more on this later), so please feel free to follow me on @LifeVsFilm, joining I think just Aisha and a load of fake accounts. Wow, all that and I didn’t even mention the Mayans. Ah balls.

Most anticipated films of 2012

Posted on December 22, 2011 by jaycluitt

2011 is drawing to a close, and let’s be honest, it hasn’t been a terrific year for film, but worry not, in just over a week a new year will be upon us, and its already looking like a cinematic doozy. Here’s my pick of what’s likely to be saucering my eyes next year:

The Avengers

Marvel’s dream team of superheroes line up to face a world threatening attack, as well as each other, in Joss Whedon’s epic ultimate crossover.

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Portal 2

Posted on March 19, 2011 by jaycluitt

Let’s take a moment to stop watching films off the life-impeding list, and talk about video games. Although I don’t get to play on the PS3 as often as I’d like, when I do I like nothing better than to settle down with a bout of Portal (or Half Life 2) widely believed to be one of the greatest computer games of all time. A sequel has been supposedly in development for many, many agonising years, and now it would appear that a release date has been set. “But wait!” I hear you cry, “surely this is a blog about films? I mean, the blog has the word ‘film’ in it, and every post to date has mentionned nothing but them!” and yes, I would admit that you are correct, but I feel this post complies within these rules, as recently it was announced that Portal 2 will feature the voiceovers of both Stephen Merchant and, epicly, J.K. Simmons, one of my favourite character actors, of whom I have been a fan from his work in the Spiderman films and the work of Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno, Up In the Air). Upon it’s release (April this year, but I think that’s just in America) you can expect my Challenge watching to decrease for a little while, but fear not, I shall do my best to keep watching and letting you know if they’re any good or not, as well as probably updating you on the hopefully-awesome game.

Is 3D killing cinema?

Posted on February 6, 2011 by jaycluitt

Yesterday, my girlfriend and I wanted to see Tangled. We want to see it in 2D, as I refuse to pay an extra £2.00 per person to see the exact same film (£3.00 if you include the glasses), with an added third dimension. I don’t care if it’s more immersive, it’s the same film, I don’t care. It’s just another way of draining my hard earned money out of my pocket, where it’s busy keeping the moths warm. However, the optimum times for watching the film were only showing in 3D, so we didn’t go, we went home and watched Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer instead. I may never forgive cinema. We’re going to see it tonight instead, in 2D, but if we weren’t such social outcasts that we didn’t have two consecutive weekend evenings free, we wouldn’t see it, and the Gods of Movies would never see our readies.

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Scream 4

Posted on October 24, 2010 by jaycluitt

With the recent release of the trailer for Scream 4, I wish to express my excitement about this forthcoming film. I feel that, in the ten years since the release of Scream 3, the horror genre has progressed significantly, with the introduction of the torture-porn sub-genre in the likes of the thankfully now finishing Saw franchise and the nauseating Hostel films (I still can’t watch the bit with the eye in the first one) as well as the near constant onslaught of remakes, prequels and ‘reimaginings’ of existing films, be they masterpieces or less so.

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