To Resume on Blogging: Maleficent is the focus on discussion!

Hey all! This is Artistic Noir or Jaleen81 finally back (well somewhat lol) I've been watching some good movies lately (ones that aren't on my list to discuss) and I just had to talk about this one in particular so here goes!

Maleficent is a movie that was released in the movies earlier this year; I was given the privilege by one of my neighbors to have a look on this movie. Part of me low-key wanted to see it, but I was like "oh dear another remake -_-" but this actually blew me away completely. Reason for that is one I would have never guessed a character such is strong as she is would be a flightless fairy. We are in the era where the antagonists are the protagonists and vice versa. I always believed that not all villains are evil because they are; no, there had to be a huge drive to become evil. I used to watch the cartoon Disney movie called Sleeping Beauty and always believe the women were damsels in distress that needed a quote-on-quote prince charming, but after a while, it becomes a cliche that is totally overrated. The Maleficent in the cartoon isn't the exact same as in this recent movie. You'd think she's a sorceress with a rod and a companion crow aiding her every whim. And actually from the theatrical trailers, I was thinking that, but when seeing it, I actually wished I saw in theaters. The movie also have good funny moments too!

All she wanted was to be loved and help others, but someone she loved betrayed her and took her wings just to get fame and fortune! It have this Delilah and Samson complex where using someone to gain something and becomes weak, but she only became weak when the iron is around her. Which also reminded me of how Superman was weak around Krytonite. The man did have love for her otherwise, he'd kill her, but also it would have defeated the purpose unless she was reborn again and become nothing of pure evil as a new being. I was actually thinking that on the count she would manipulate Aurora, but she was trying to save her from a curse that was unchangeable. The prince she once knew was no more;  you'd kind of understand that he wanted to be rich and not poor, but to stoop this low for some riches...bad move! Then he uses the wings as some kind of trophy and practically was obsessed over the fairy and forgotten all the reality in the world. His wife was dying; didn't care or when his daughter the princess came, he treated her as if she was an object. Nothing more. I think he regretted on what he did to get to where he was and therefore, killed him and a kingdom. I love the continuity of the symbolism: of the simplest objects and moments that led up to the climax. What really impressed me on top of it all, was when the prince wasn't Aurora's true love. I was so glad they finally brought out a strong message after so long! I was thinking since the bird was turned into a man and he did aided the three fairies that tried to keep her until her 16th birthday, he would be the true love, but not at all. It was the main character all along, but it made sense. She realizes that it wasn't the princess' fault that her wings were taken from her, it was the love that she thought would be with her. I even started to tear up and I gotta say if that happens, that means that really made me want to watch the movie more because it was that good. It appealed to my emotions greatly. I also felt some of the fairy forest like background kind of reminded me of Avatar (not the Last Airbender lol) movie. Whoever did the costumes, they were on the T with that one and really paid attention over detail. It's interesting that she was only temporarily evil even with a name with (Mal) which in Latin is bad. She should have been called (Ben)eficent but I guess we all have to stick to what we know and remember as a child right?
Anyway, I'd totally give this a 10/10 on my scale of movies! I might watch it again after blogging. I didn't expect the crow being turned into a lot things because of Maleficent. Great twist! I also love how this and Once Up a Time (Television Series) is revealing a lot about these so called royal families not being so good! Angelina Jolie was perfect for the role as the protagonist then antagonist and then protagonist again female character. 

Update!

I might have to make a few arrangements lol. I was so biased on the last posts but now as I learned and matured, I will be a critique but in a fair way. :)

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (film)

A lot of people tend to forget that Buffy The Vampire Slayer was actually a film before it became a series. It was originally a comedy/action filmed starring Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens and even had Hilary Swank as well as David Arquette; many others. What others tend to really forget that the movie and the show are both different in the aspects of genre. In the movie Buffy was a teenage cheerleader the typical clichéd one, who wanted to have the typical life, but was interrupted by Merrick the watcher (Sutherland) kept finding her and telling her about her fate as a vampire slayer. Lothos wanted her for other reasons. Merrick taught her how to be a vampire slayer, and she kept having these pains (mistaken for cramps) but it was also to signal a vampire was near. Plus the two differences that the tv series was at a different place called Sunnydale High, while the movie was Hemery High School. Now the tv series did have some comedy but it was mostly horror. If I’m not mistaken Buffy in the show wasn’t a cheerleader there and then also she had actual friends that were known as the Scooby Gang. In the film, Buffy had friends but they were backstabbers, hell one of them slept with her boyfriend, and she later on fell for Oliver Pike, ironically was the damsel in distress. It’s a funny film, I was shocked to see Paul Reubens as a vampire, I guess after seeing him as Pee-Wee Herman, it startled me. The rest I wasn’t too shocked, Sutherland was on Animal House, and the Kristy Swanson made appearances on John Hughes’ films the 80’s films like Pretty in Pink (as the Duckette) and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (as Simone Adamley) and then on another film called Hot Shots! It was a parody film. That was in 1991 (non John Hughes). Buffy the Vampire Slayer came out in 1992. While the show came out in 1997 and ended in 2003, Sarah Michelle Gellar was the leading role as Buffy in the show. I watched bits of it when I was younger, at the time I didn’t even know they had a movie about it, I mean they still used the main idea, the main character destine to kill vampires. I like the movie; it was funny. I like the fact even though it was a comedy it does bring out factual morals about life, like people want to be popular, there's backstabbing, followers, etc.

No Small Affair review

I took upon myself on checking out this movie. I was looking for a laserdisc of Pet Shop Boys’ It Couldn’t Happen Here, but I know that was too rare to be in Amoeba; however,  I caught up something that will probably forever spook me. I saw this movie No Small Affair and right behind it Liar Liar . I often told people that Jon Cryer resembled Neil Tennant and then Jim Carrey as Chris Lowe(possibly) in a movie based on them, hope I would be able to do it and then another look like on another artist. It was scary to see them right next to each other, and then the same day(kind of the next day), the movie came on, looked like fate to me. I thought the movie was pretty clichéd my pretty funny and fascinating. It’s basically about a photographer (Cryer) mistakenly took a photo of a singer (Demi Moore) by accident while he was taking a photo of the street sweeper and was on a journey to find her, and then both taught each other about life and love. Familiar faces were Jennifer Tilly, George Wendt, Elizabeth Daily,(also a voice over actor), Tim Robbins, and Jeffrey Tambor. It was a brief movie but it was funny and it was almost ironic because Cryer is acting with Ashton Kutcher(Moore’s ex-husband) on the new Two and a Half Men. This movie was released in 1984 in Columbia Pictures. I have two formats of this movie: Laserdisc and DVD. The DVD has a different photo of the movie. The quality was alright, I think it could have been a bit better, that’s just me. I personally didn’t know that Cryer was in a movie before Pretty in Pink(another good movie). I think it’s stil worth watching. This is a Jerry Schatzberg film.

My thoughts on the movie Weather Girl

I came across this movie through one of my best friends: Angelique, in the library. She asked me what did I want to watch on her NetFlix and I said whatever you want and then told me to pick a favorite actor, I had so many, but I chosen an actor I'm starting to really enjoy, his name is Jon Cryer. The only movie I seen him in was Pretty in Pink with Molly Ringwald. Then he's on the show my aunt, mother and grandfather watch is called Two and a Half Men. Anyway, Angelique and I came across this movie called Weather Girl, and thought it would be something fascinating and actually we did! It was pretty cliched, but it was a pretty good comedy. Funnily not only Jon Cryer was featured in the movie but two more people from Two and a Half Men were in the movie as well: Marin Hinkle (plays Judith in the show) and Jane Lynch( plays the psychiatrist in the show from time to time). This movie was about a weather girl name Sylvia she was 35 years old, and for some, that means the person is old or getting old, she dealt with someone name Dale the anchorman who is also on the news cast that was cheating on her with a younger women. Sylvia exposed herself and Dale on national television and quit her job and stayed in with her younger brother only to get back on her feet. She couldn't stand to be called "sassy" it was practically a stereotype for her but, she's perky, but it's just her personality couldn't really help it. She had to encounter with all kinds of tribulations in the real world, tried to find Mr. Right and wanted part of her "life" back which wasn't much really. She fell in love with the neighbour Byron which was a computer geek, which she didn't and couldn't understand him or thought he wasn't her type. Then having a job as a waitress and realizing what she had before wasn't so much, she was in tears in the beginning and her make-up was smeared and after she gotten her life back but a better way of it, she showed those people at her previous job that she's moved on and is one tough cookie. Cryer doesn't play a major role in this movie, he played one of the men that Sylvia was trying to go out with, which is ironically in Two and a Half Men, he have trouble with women but apparently he knew what he wanted. Marin Hinkle played one of the women that was trying to cheer Sylvia up which turns out she really wasn't a friend to begin with, if I'm not mistaken, I would need to watch this film again and Jane Lynch played the manager of the restaurant, she was tough but she had a heart towards Sylvia which made her stronger. This film was released on July 10, 2009, which is funny because that's Neil Tennant's birthday from the Pet Shop Boys and then Jon Cryer in my honest opinion, kinda looks like Neil Tennant a wee bit. That's just me, this movie was pretty good, for something pretty cliched, it had me thinking about how even people with money go through difficulties in life. Will edit this post when I watch this movie again.
The cast can be seen on various websites.

Hanson - Weird

I remember when I first heard of this song, it was the end credits to the 1997 movie "The Borrowers" It have people like John Goodman, Tom Felton, and many others. I thought the movie was comedic and something that people who are unique can relate to. The song would play at the end of the movie, and I would rewind it over and over, because something about the lyrics is so beautiful and sad because it is very true. I heard them singing it when they were older, I think it sounded way better when they were younger, only because from speaking from a young person's point of view, it would make sense because a lot of teens build up low self-esteem and something like this would definitely be worth listening to.

"Weird"

Isn't it weird? Isn't it strange?
Even though we're just two strangers on this runaway train
We're both trying to find a place in the sun
We've lived in the shadows, but doesn't everyone
Isn't it strange how we all feel a little bit weird sometimes
Isn't it hard. Standing in the rain.
You're on the verge of going crazy and your heart's in pain
No one can hear though you're screaming so loud
You feel all alone in a faceless crowd
Isn't it strange how we all get a little bit weird sometimes?
Sitting on the side waiting for a sign, hoping that my luck will change.
Reaching for a hand that can understand, someone who feels the same.
When you live in a cookie cutter world being different is a sin.
So you don't stand out. But you don't fit in. Weird.
Sitting on the side waiting for a sign, hoping that my luck will change.
Reaching for a hand that can understand, someone who feels the same.
When you live in a cookie cutter world if you're different you can't win.
So you don't stand out but you don't fit in. Weird.
Isn't it strange how we all feel a little bit weird
Strange, how we all get a little bit...
Strange, 'cause we're all just a little bit weird sometimes.

It was also co-written by Desmond Child which is another popular figure in the music world. The song made wonder have the Hanson Brothers plus Desmond Child ever felt that way. I know the majority would. At first I thought it was a female that was singing it but when I learned more about Hanson on "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders", I heard of their other song "Mmm Bop" as popular and successful it was, I thought "Weird" would have hit better because, it's a song that anyone can really relate to, I didn't see where it hit anywhere but the UK. Sweden, and Australia. I'm not knocking off the success of "Mmm Bop" I was just making a point that "Weird" sounds a bit better for it to hit higher and receive more praises than it did.

"Weird" did well in the UK, peaking at #19 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming their fourth Top 20 hit there. It also did well on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, charting at #12. In Sweden the song peaked at #21. (wikipedia)

I personally think this song is overlooked, meaning that they really didn't give it much of a chance, It felt like a Number one song to me. They did have other few songs that gotten better chart positions in different areas, but I believe this one should have gotten a better chart topping position than it did. I was in shocked when I read about it was in the Top 20, I would think more of Top 10 at least! It shocked me when it was charted this way. The music video could have been better, but I did like it. The song was the band's 3rd album single from Middle of Nowhere.

"The version of the track used in the video differed slightly from the album cut. The video version contained extra backing vocals from Isaac and Zac Hanson and contained a different intro." (wikipedia) On a brief note, there's another version, it's the rare demo one, it's on youTube, I prefer the album version. For it to be a pop song, it gives a different tone of pop, I think in terms of thinking twice when bullying others. I too, can definitely relate to the song. 

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

I love John Carpenter's Halloween franchise, but the only one that I thought it wasn't all that good was the third one which is the Season of the Witch. I thought it would have a witch involved with Michael Myers, but it wasn't. It had to do with an malevolent business man making masks for children and when they watch some commercial about the masks, and a flashing pumpkin, then all hell breaks loose. The masks would have bugs, snakes and any poisonous or deadly critter killing the children. Then having robots who look like people killing off anyone that know what is going on. I know it could be Carpenter's style considering another person did it.

 A large Halloween mask-making company has plans to kill millions of American children with something sinister hidden in Halloween masks. The rating for this was 3.9/10. I have to agree because, I mean if you have the first two about a killer and you change it and it had nothing to do with Michael Myers except advertizing it on a television. That's going to leave fans in question, about what does it have to do with Michael Myers? Now if it was another title of some sort, then it would have been okay probably have a better rating. But being as it may, that it's part of the Halloween franchise, it's expected to get a poor rating. I mean the plot needed to be a bit better, it was very cliched. Cliched as in that the businessman was very well liked and then turned evil because of being tradition to the 'real' meaning of Halloween and it was more of a thrill kill too. What's worse is that it was obvious that his first victims of the commercial and the masks was his best seller and his wife and child. I didn't even find it scary either, I guess apparently not a lot people either.