NO school like the OLD school

Guess whose back ladies and germs!!!! Okay so since I was very busy with my internship the past couple of weeks I really did get time to hit the cinemas, but fear not, I thought this would be the perfect time to review my all time favourite classic movie: SCARFACE.

Okay where do I start, there’s so much to say. Okay let me start by saying that; if you haven’t seen this classic, you not living right (serious face). But not all hope is lost, hopefully after this epic read, you’ll be convinced.

Allow me to break it down:

After a quarter of a century, a return to the big screen now further magnifies the brutal unsubtle of Brian de Palma's 1983 gangster movie, itself a reworking of Howard Hawks's 1932 film. De Palma and screenwriter Oliver Stone cleverly transpose the action to Fidel Castro's "Mariel" expulsion of jailbirds from Cuba in 1980. Among the dodgy flotsam winding up in Miami is Tony "Scarface" Montana, ferociously played by cock-of-the-walk Al Pacino, shrilly insisting on his anti-communist political status, but thirsting for sex, money and blood. Tony parlays a successful hit job on an old Havana compañero of Fidel's into a connection with the local drug lord - and from there his inexorably growing addictions to power and cocaine propel him to the top, and over it.

Pacino's performance is always intensely watchable (although even in 1983 he is developing his mannerism of ending a scene by shouting throwaway lines over his shoulder as he swaggers off) and his very first scene, under interrogation by US immigration cops, is a cracker. The early career of Tony and his buddies in sunny, breezy Miami Beach is nice to watch and De Palma's handling of Tony's first bungled drug deal is tremendous: with the camera drifting enigmatically back and forth between the motel room carnage to the waiting getaway car. But there is also something a little stately about the dramatic pace and that 1980s synth score, and also a quaint sort of Kung Fu/Bond movie aesthetic to Scarface, with its lairs and spot lit country homes, its perimeter fences and its dozens of disposable henchmen fatally greeting Tony's "little friend". (Incredibly, two new movies this week reference the famous line and a third is a reworking of the basic Scarface plot.)

I am struck once again by the strange facial similarity between Tony's wife Elvira, played by Michelle Pfeiffer and his sister, Gina, played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Deliberate psychological insight? Or a just an accident of style? The movie is dwarfed by Raging Bull and GoodFellas at either end of the decade, and I'm not sure if it really is a satire on America's new Reaganite dawn, but it's still a must-see for Pacino's potent and influential performance.

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Yours Sincerely

Mr Ndlazi

Proudly Mzansi

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The film is about two cops, trying get recognition by busting thugs. Loads of humour, but then again its comedy its meant to make us laugh. I would call it a com-action film. Comedy and action film which was directed by Andrew Wessley.

The cast is people you already know from the comedy scene. Some are really good comedians but acting my brothers and sisters is something they should forget about. The film is not really predictable, yes it has a happily ever after ending but it has a humour twist in it. 

The concept was not original at all. When watching the film it will remind you of movies like Rush Hour and 21 Jump Street. But hey the director defended this by saying the originality prevails through the set, the actors and the locations. Watch the film, its a comedy with potential

Temptation

Being a supporter of both Spike Lee & Tyler Perry, I would have to say the main problem I've had with Tyler's films is the constant need to mix serious drama or tragedy with farce/comedy. That's what bothered me the most about "Madea Goes to Jail" - Tyler's most commercially successful film grossing over $90 Million at the box office. The scene in which two powerful actors - future Oscar Nominee Viola Davis (The Help) talks to Derek Luke's (Antwone Fisher) character about the guilt he has carried for years due to the past rape of his friend brought laughter from the audience when it should have brought tears with Derek Luke's tears. The laughter came from Madea being thrown into the mix. Serious, heart wrenching moments are constantly interrupted by Madea. 
 
Now, with "Tyler Perry's Temptation" mockery, farce, & Madea have been completely removed, replaced by compelling story making with a thought provoking message. The quality of this film is on the level of "The Family That Preys" which was a great film whose only weakness was one dimensional characters that should have been fleshed out more. "Temptation" is better than that film because Tyler has done a great job with this script featuring three dimensional well rounded characters. The 3 primary characters of the film, the husband, the wife, & the guy who brings the temptation, are neither all good nor all bad, but a mixture of both. 
 
"Scandal" is one of the best shows on tv, but it has almost glamorized adultery & seduction. In conversations with some of my peers and my generation, I have come to realize that adultery is much more common than we think. It is not frowned upon, but some think that it's nothing wrong to sleep with someone's husband or someone's wife. When I mentioned to one of my friends about my attraction to a married woman, they were like, you should get that. I mentioned that I would never disrespect this woman, I respect her marriage, I'm a Christian. My friend was like, so what. "Temptation" is not as exaggerated as Idris Elba's "Obsessed" or "Fatal Attraction"; it's actually more realistic than those films, and I'm sure many of us can relate to it. This film deals with how powerful & how destructive seduction can really be. Hopefully, "Temptation" will be a warning to those faced with adultery that choices have consequences, now or later.

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The Hangover 3

 

So being the loving boyfriend that I am, I decided to take my girlfriend out on a movie and lunch date. We both have a great sense of humour, so choosing a movie was a mutual thing. So we chose to watch the much anticipated Hangover 3.

This movie ditches the formula setup of the first two installments, in favor of a more boring story revolving around Alan (Zach Galifianakis) who has been in a downward spiral since the sudden death of his father, Sid (Jeffrey Tambor). Alan’s dutiful brother-in-law Doug (Justin Bartha) recruits fellow “Wolfpack” members Stu (Ed Helms) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) to stage an intervention and convince Alan to seek treatment so that he can better himself, and his life.

Of course, what should be a simple road trip and drop-off is sidelined by the sudden appearance of a gangster named Marshall (John Goodman), who reveals to the Wolfpack that they have a mutual friend in one Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong), who recently escaped from a Thai prison and is on the lamb. Marshall kidnaps Doug as ransom for the Wolfpack’s service in luring Chow out of hiding; however, the wily Chow is not so easily caged, as the Wolfpack quickly (and painfully) discovers that they have been scammed by Chow.

In all honesty I think it’s redundant, the jokes are over rated and also very cliché. They should have just left the legendary Hangover 1.Sequels are a hard act to follow, and this one was an epic fail. But Alan is a legend (haahahahahah) his just special.

Out of 10 well, because Alan and Chow are legends, I’ll give it a 5. But that’s just my thoughts, which are of paramount importance.

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What ya say?

Yours Sincerely

Mr Ndlazi

 

 

 

Lesson 2

Hi there boys and girls!!!
In case you were wondering what criteria I use to judge movies, then this might give a bit of insight, then maybe you can try it and become a world renowned movie blogger like myself (i wish LOL)


1, A well written-script with active characters who make decisiosn that lead them down a path.
2. Well-written dialogue that sounds natural.
3. Good actors and actresses that add their own touch to th emovie.
4. A great story. A simple story told in the right way is better than an intricate story with a million plots that don't connect. It's about connecting with the audience, not a million special effects and explosions.
5. Evokes emotiones--after all, if we want to watch a comedy, then we should be laughing. If we are watching a horror movie, we should feel scared. If we are watching a drama, we should feel for the characters. You never want to have an audience sympathize with your characters, but rather emphasize.
6. An invigorating climax.
7. All loose ends in the movie come together at the end for a powerful ending, even if it's simple. (unless the purpose is to set it up for a sequel).
8. Good setting that parallells the story.
9. Good transitions between scenes that are both efficient and creative. As a screenwriter, you always want to enter a scene as late as possible and exit a scene as soon as possible. Don't bore the audience with stuff that isn't important.
10. Good production that makes the story believable.

That"s how it done boys and girls. Now get your movie tickets and start judging.( excuse the pun)

Yours Sincerly
Mr Ndlazi

The Genius Great Gatsby

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 After this post I should actually stop blogging, because in my humble opinioin I doubt Im ever going to see such an exceptional movie in 2013. WOW is an understatement, this film is brilliant. So as mentioned in my previous blog, im very familiar with the Great Gatsby as i studied it in matric. But in matric I had no choice because it was part of the learning curriculum, so I was forced to oblige or fail dismally. Though this time around it was from my own free will to go watch the movie, and boy was it worth every cent. I walked in the cinema Sakhile Ndlazi and I came out a different man. Its so much better with 3D, theres something about three dimensional viewing that makes you become part of the story and almost an extra character. For a moment I felt like I touch and even kiss some of the characters, its so real in 3D. The cinematography is also very stunning it indicates that a lot of work and effort went in to it,it colourful, bright and alluring. The costumes are also very exceptional, although it is set in the old jazz times, it feels so modern. The plot is as follows in the novel (if you've read the novel) but witha few altercations. In the end we dont see Gatsby's father like the novel suggest, But who cares,LOL. And if di Carprio is not getting an Oscar for this, Im not ever setting my foot in a cinema.


And if u planning on taking ur boyfriend or girfriend (or both LOL) this is the perfecrt ideal love and romance film.

As I mentioned before, I walked in the cinema Sakhile Ndlazi and came out a different man.

Your sincerly.
MR Ndlazi

Lemme school you first!!

So I know i promise to talk about Gatsby this week, but to my detriment, its only going to to in cinemas this coming friday 17th May. But fear not my chilren, this gives me more time to school all those who dont have a cooking clue what The Great Gasby is all about.

 

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American  author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Generally considered author Fitzgerald's magnum opus and best-known work, The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism and excess, creating a portrait of the Jazz Age that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream.
Visiting Long Island's north shore and attending lavish parties at mansions is said to have inspired Fitzgerald's setting for The Great Gatsby. He first began planning the novel in 1923, desiring to produce, in his words, "something new — something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned." Progress was slow, however, and Fitzgerald completed his first draft following a move to the French Riviera in 1924. His editor, Maxwell Perkins, felt the book was too vague and convinced the author to revise over the next winter. Fitzgerald was ambivalent about the book's title, at various times wishing to re-title the novel Trimalchio in West Egg.
First published by Scribner's in April 1925, The Great Gatsby received mixed reviews and sold poorly; in its first year, the book only sold 20,000 copies. Fitzgerald died in 1940, believing himself to be a failure and his work forgotten. His work, spearheaded by The Great Gatsby, experienced a revival during World War II, and the novel became a part of high school curriculum in the following decades. The book has remained popular since, leading to numerous stage and film adaptions. The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary classic and a contender for the title "Great American Novel The book is consistently ranked among the greatest works of American literature and of all-time.

Now that we got that out of the way,lets go watch the movie.

Mr. Ndlazi