Road Trip

A simple premise executed expertly. Our heroes have to get to the home of one of the guys girlfriends to intercept a video of him making out with another girl. It will never be hailed as a cinematic masterpiece but it’s damn funny. Of course there are hiccups along the way and moments that will make you laugh out loud as well as cringe inwardly.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

John Candy and Steve Martin in one of those films that you either love or hate, but it has to be essential watching for anyone who claims to be a fan of the road trip genre. Martin is attempting to get home to celebrate thanksgiving with his family, everything seems to be going well until he meets up with Candy, and from then on in it is one disaster after another. What should have been a short trip turns into a nightmare of a three day journey which of course takes in planes, trains and automobiles. No stretch of the imagination for where the title came from then.

National Lampoon’s Vacation

National Lampoon may conjure thoughts of Animal House, another stalwart of a classic comedy collection. Though the National Lampoon output may have lost something over recent years, Vacation is the genre at its best. Chevy Chase takes the lead, captured at the peak of his career and carries the humour right through the film. The Griswolds are heading out to a theme park and of course the journey goes less than smoothly. There is something about this film that reminds you of when you were a kid and your parents’ bundled you into the car for an impromptu day out somewhere.

Dumb And Dumber

Acclaimed as one of Jim Carrey’s best roles the movie has an odd storyline which leads to all kinds of scenarios, all involving a briefcase. This has to be one of the most comedic road trip films, and offers plenty of quotes that you can’t help but drop into conversation.

Little Miss Sunshine

Road Trip meets Coming of Age but with something of a twist. Rather than travelling in a SUV like the stylish Ssangyong Korando, the family travel across country in a Volkswagen minibus! The humour is dark, with some dark undercurrents running through it, and you will be made to feel uncomfortable in parts. There are plenty of dysfunctional characters that make up the screen family, but you can’t help but identify with at least one of them along the journey. You will sympathise with them, cry with them and of course laugh with them too. All of which combine to make it one of the must see road trip films of all time.

]]> http://www.mynewmovies.net/five-of-the-best-road-trip-movies-of-all-time/feed/ 2 http://www.mynewmovies.net/the-best-casino-movie-ever-casino/ http://www.mynewmovies.net/the-best-casino-movie-ever-casino/#comments Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:49:36 +0000 admin http://www.mynewmovies.net/?p=1962 Released in 1995, Casino was the ultimate casino movie. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and it is based on the book Casino written by Nicholas Pileggi who co-wrote the film’s screenplay.
Robert De Niro plays Sam “Ace” Rothstein – a gambling handicapper. The character is based on Frank Rosenthal who was the boss of a number of Las Vegas casinos, including the Hacienda and the Stardust, and worked for the Chicago Outfit who ran organised crime.
In the movie he is established as a manager of the Tangiers casino in Las Vegas by the Mob and his role is to oversee daily operations. Sharon Stone plays Sam’s wife Ginger.
Nicky Santoro (played by Joe Pesci and who is based on the real character Anthony Spilotro, the Mob enforcer) is sent to the casino to ensure that the Mob got their cut of revenues by skimming it off the top of the takings; you can’t do that at an iphone casino.

Nicky has some anger management problems and before too long he is banned from every casino in Vegas. He subsequently forms his own team of gangsters and stages a number of robberies and shakedowns.
Two important developments are Sam and Nicky finding out that Ginger is financing a former boyfriend Lester Diamond and an incident in which Sam fires Donald Ward for incompetence which evokes the ire of Pat Webb – Donald’s brother and Gambling Commissioner. In revenge he arranges for Sam’s casino license application to be rejected. Sam subsequently goes public and accuses the city government of corruption. Unhappy with this publicity Sam is ordered by the Mob to return home but he blames Nicky and a huge row blazes between the pair of them.
Sam then finds that Ginger, by now heavily into alcohol and cocaine, has gone to Los Angeles with Lester and the pair are planning to flee to Europe with Amy, Sam and Ginger’s daughter. She is persuaded to return, but soon starts an affair with Nicky however it falls apart and Sam kicks her out.

The police eventually get to the bottom of the skimming operation and the casinos are closed down and the bosses arrested. In a desperate bid to prevent anybody testifying against them, the bosses organise the assassination of everyone else involved. Sam escapes a car bomb which he thinks was placed by Nicky, but Nicky is also murdered and Ginger dies of a drugs overdose.
The old casinos are demolished and are replaced by a new generation of them.

10. Wayne’s World

9. Bram Stoker’s Dracula

8. Sister Act

7. A Few Good Men

6. Batman Returns

5. Lethal Weapon 3

4. Basic Instinct

3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

2. The Bodyguard

1. Aladdin

Over the last decade there have been four films with exception soundtracks that I remember time and time again. If you’re looking to recreate a film with a great soundtrack, then be sure to look through the Audio Network Stock Music library to find that perfect track for your project. Let’s take a look at these four movies:

Lost in Translation (2003)

Director: Sofia Coppola. Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson.

This movie follows the journey of two strangers who meet in mediocre circumstances whilst abroard in Japan. They are both fed up and seek the comfort of each others presence as they develop a warm and loving friendship. As they journey through the unknown landscape of Japan, they realise there is also a lot they don’t know about themselves.

The beautiful soundtrack to this film was comprised from a collection of alternative, obscure and underrated indie tracks, which made the careers for a number of the acts involved. Although the songs weren’t powerful or sometimes ‘complete’, they worked really in the setting of the movie, and perfectly complimented the scenery, atmosphere and emotions of the characters. Lost in Translation is a fairly slow film, with a short script allowing the music to really take centre stage and contribute to the overall experience. Artists featuring on the 2003 film include Jesus & The Mary Chain, Phoenix and Air.

 The Social Network (2010)

Director: David Fincher. Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake.

We all know the familiar story of The Social Network; the colossal uprising of the online phenomenon Facebook. The movie follows the story from one idea to a reality as a young Zuckerberg creates a social online network at Harvard University in order to get popular. The site really takes off and a plethora of legal battles ensue as the various ‘rightful owners’ approach Zuckerberg for what is truly theirs.

The film was an original score by Trent Reznor, formerly of Nine Inch Nails fame. It would be unfair to say this soundtrack was totally underrated, because that isn’t true as it won the award for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures at the 2010 Oscars. Nonetheless, the dark electronic sounds of this soundtrack weren’t an obvious fit for the film, but they came out on top in the end, perfectly depicting the struggles and turbulence the students had setting up the website against the odds.

 Watchmen (2009)

Directory: Zack Snyder. Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Cugino.

Watchmen was portrayed by a relatively unknown cast, but the visual direction of Zynder and the carefully chosen soundtrack really brought this film to life. Watchmen follows the story of washed up ‘super heroes’ set in an alternate history around the Vietnam War. They reform to track down a killer who appears to be slowly picking off old masked heroes, and what they uncover is far bigger than they first thought.

The music was carefully selected for the messages and meaning of the lyrics. The songs are often melancholic, ironic and based on political issues and views that contrast what’s actually happening in the film. Highlight tracks include Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, Unforgettable by Nat King Cole and The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan. The visuals are spectacular too, as Synder is a master of his craft. When paired with the eloquent music, you have a really special film that is a treat for the senses.

 Steve uses royalty free music from Audio Network for a film project he is working on. Music for films and production music should be at the heart of any visual project, and using the right tracks can be hard, but ultimately, rewarding.

]]> http://www.mynewmovies.net/underrated-movie-soundtracks-fantastic-stock-music/feed/ 2 http://www.mynewmovies.net/5-men-behind-the-action-of-bond/ http://www.mynewmovies.net/5-men-behind-the-action-of-bond/#comments Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:00:07 +0000 admin http://www.mynewmovies.net/?p=1900 It’s easy to sit back and watch James Bond films, believing in every moment that James, shaken not stirred himself is pulling off all of those awesome moves. Of course, while Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and even Sean Connery sat back with their feet up, a stunt man was putting his neck on the line to make the guys in the smart suits look good. Here, we take a look at a few of the best stunt men in the business.

Rocky Taylor

Rocky Taylor is famous both for acting as stunt double for two different Bond’s in one calendar year, as well as breaking the world record for driving a spinning car through a plate of glass! At the ripe old age of 64 Taylor is still prepared to risk life and limb for nothing more than thrills, and for this, we salute him!

Ben Cooke

This is Ben Cooke – the man who was behind the wheel for Casino Royale’s famous chase scene. Ben has been involved in every manner of stun scene in a variety of films, and is still very much at the height of his career. thanks to an incredible fitness regime which means looking every inch as honed as Daniel Craig himself, Ben should be pretty busy for many years to come.

Derek Lea

Could not imagine him in mountain hardwear

Derek Lea not only has the distinction of being a stunt doubler for James bond – he has also taken time out to show current Prime Minister David Cameron how to throw the perfect punch! of course, David is normally working hard to keep in shape for his next role. Derek has been working in the industry for the last twenty years, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Bob Simmons

Bob Simmons sadly passed away over twenty years ago, but that doesn’t mean that he is not remembered well and fondly by people who know and understand the stunt man profession. Bob was well known for his involvement with the James Bond films, and was involved in every film directed by Terence Young until his death in 1987. He played Bond three times for Sean Connery, and is known to be the only person who has been filmed in the gun barrel silhouette intro scene without actually playing the part of Bond.

Rick Sylvester

The Guardian newspaper once complied a list of the top ten best stunts ever pulled, and it was no surprise to see that Rick Sylvester had been singled out for pulling off an incredible base jump followed by a ski straight off a ledge, followed by a sky dive which resulted in a last second parachute pull which revealed the famous union jack parachute top – a fabulous moment in cinema. Rick Sylvester apparently had to wait at the top of the mountain for two weeks to be able to pull the stunt off properly in the right conditions – that’s dedication! there’s no doubt that e would have got through an incredible amount of ski wear during the shoot – the materials they used on those days were not water proof at all. Stunt men like Rick Sylvester would probably put today’s stunt men to shame. No special diets, old fashioned equipment, but courage and skill in abundance and the will to be creative with the laws of gravity!

]]> http://www.mynewmovies.net/5-men-behind-the-action-of-bond/feed/ 3 http://www.mynewmovies.net/art-institutes-and-americans-for-the-arts-announce-ninth-annual-poster-design-competition/ http://www.mynewmovies.net/art-institutes-and-americans-for-the-arts-announce-ninth-annual-poster-design-competition/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:50:01 +0000 admin http://www.mynewmovies.net/?p=1893 The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts is one of the leading nonprofit organizations in the nation. They are specialized in advanced arts as well as arts education.  Today, the institutes have announced that they are taking the entries for Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts announce ninth annual Poster Design Competition for the year 2012. The entries will be received through the 3^rd February 2012. The winners of the competition will be able to earn a complete tuition scholarship for studying at one of the top Art Institutes. There are forty-five Art Institute Schools, where you will be able to get admitted in.

This Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts announce ninth annual Poster Design Competition of this year challenges the high school graduates and the high school seniors from United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

The competition is to design a poster that will express the new theme of the competition. The theme is “You Can Create Tomorrow”. The contestants will be able to compete in two various categories such as high school graduate/adult and high school senior. All you have to do is to fill up the entry form for the competition and prove your talent.

But why do we feel the need to laze our days away in front of the box while scoffing luxury chocolates by the handful?

The answer; we need that feel good factor!

We all feel a little down and depressed in the winter months due to lack of sunlight but we also feel a little guilty at Christmastime as we have plenty while others do not.

So what is the solution?

A few feelgood Christmas movies to lift our spirits? Or maybe we should try giving to those less fortunate than ourselves, as that is the whole meaning of Christmas spirit isn’t it?

Or what about getting out there in the chilly air and getting some exercise to work off that turkey dinner and make us feel better… No need to buy mountain hardware, you aren’t going rock climbing, just getting wrapped up for a brisk walk. All these things would give you that feel good feeling, so what are you waiting for?

But while you’re feeling in the mood for a movie why not take a look at this top ten list of Christmas movies for adults.

 It’s a Wonderful Life

George Bailey (James Stewart) contemplates suicide after $8,000 is lost by his Uncle Billy on the way to deposit it at the bank on Christmas Eve. Of course, George will be held responsible for this and he wonders if his family and the town would be better off without him. That is, until an Angel named Clarence shows him otherwise.

The Christmas Cottage

This the story behind Thomas Kinkade’s painting ‘The Christmas Cottage’. After Thomas (Jared Padalecki) discovers his mother is behind with her mortgage repayments, the amateur artist decides to go professional to save their family home from repossession. So he seeks the guidance of an aging mentor to show him the way.

The Holiday

Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz)  and Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) have been unlucky in love and decide they need to get away. So just before Christmas vacation they surf the ‘net for ideas and choose to swap their house through a  home exchange website. Amanda is off to a lovely old cottage in Surrey, England and Iris to a beautiful modern home in Los Angeles. But little do they know that love is just around the corner for both of them...

While You Were Sleeping

Lucy (Sandra Bullock) leads a lonely life as a fare collector in Chicago and with no family to speak of she dreams of being married to handsome commuter Peter Callahan (Peter Gallagher) whom she sees everyday at the station. When Peter is mugged and knocked onto the tracks, Lucy rushes to save him from an oncoming train. She then poses as Peter’s fiancee at the hospital and ends up meeting his family while Peter is in a coma. The whole family love her and think she’s fantastic, including Peter’s brother Jack (Bill Pullman). And there begins the love story.

Four Christmases

On Christmas morning happy couple Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) are off to Fiji to avoid spending Christmas with their two sets of divorced parents. But Fate has a cruel twist up its sleeve, they don’t get to Fuji and they end up visiting all four parents all in one day! As the day wears on they begin to realise they don’t really know each other that well after all. This is exacerbated by remembering all the stuff that happened to them as they were growing up. Is their supposedly perfect relationship without marriage and kids really what they want?

Homeless For The Holidays

Jack Baker (Matt Moore) leads a perfect upper-middle-class life right up until he loses his job as an executive. He then has to master the horror of working at a burger joint to cover the bills but it soon becomes clear that he can’t survive on such poor wages and if something doesn’t change soon they will be homeless by Christmas.

Die Hard

John McClane (Bruce Willis) is going to spend Christmas with his estranged wife in L.A. He is heading to her company’s Christmas party but soon discovers that all the partygoers, including his wife, have been taken hostage by terrorists. Their leader, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) is demanding the release of terrorists from prison in exchange for the lives of the hostages, but is secretly plotting to steal millions in bearer bonds from a vault in the building.Of course, McClane takes all the terrorists on single handed!

The Preachers Wife

When Reverend Henry Biggs  (Courtney B. Vance) prays to God for help with his failing marriage to choir mistress Julia (Whitney Houston) and to stop his church being under threat by property developers, he doesn’t expect his prayers to be answered. God sends him an Angel named Dudley (Denzel Washington) to help out but it seems Dudley sets to cause him even more trouble.

The Family Man

Jack Campbell (Nicholas Cage) is a successful business man. He loves his single life, his Ferrari and his job. But one day he wakes up in a different life, a life where his old girlfriend is now his wife and he’s a father of two kids. He has a minivan instead of a Ferrari and works at a Big Ed’s as a tyre salesman, instead of a president at an investment house. However, he soon learns to live this life and realises just how much was missing from his bachelor existence.

Trading Places

Louis Winthorpe (Dan Ackroyd) is a successful business man who works for two brothers at their company Duke and Duke. The brothers are constantly bickering and this time it’s whether it’s environment or heredity that determines how well a person does in their life. Winthorpe bumps into a street con-artist named Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) and thinks he is going to rob him so has him arrested. Well, when the Duke brothers see how different Valentine and Winthorpe are, they decide this will bring an end their argument. They decide to place a bet on how Winthrope will do without a job, his home and his dignity, while giving Valentine, Winthorpe’s job to see how he copes.

Here’s hoping everyone enjoys their winter break whatever you are up to…

The call or siren attraction of such shows and new films aren’t the nostalgia they evoke to current audiences (who may not even remember seeing the original), but in the curiosity they may have in finding out how the cultural icon that is the program or older movie is going to be reworked and revamped. The most recent excellent updating of an iconic concept was Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a movie that deeply exceeded expectations but actually being subtle in its emotional treatment of the main character (a drug induced humanized, sentient ape), using state-of-the-art computerized effects to make the fantasy of the smart animal revolution frighteningly real.

The ability of modern moviemakers to combine this kind of dramatic sophistication with the kind of popcorn excitement that will draw bodies to the Cinema in Oxford, is quite impressive when it works. Then are the dozens of duds, like the recent big-screen version of Yogi bear, that make one long for the nuclear annihilation of all filmmakers who dared to make such a poor adaption of the cartoons to the big screen. What often happens in the case of the latter, is that the bookkeepers decide to bog down an original entertainment concept with “elements” that will satisfy the kiddies, the action hounds, the rom-com moms, or other demographics.

The commercial considerations in making and composing a film can actually interfere with what ever positive elements the original movie or TV show concept had, resulting in a mess. Once in a while, the balance between re-imagining the old while satisfying the new audience to create a solid product, as with the recent remake of the Mechanic. The old Charles Bronson movie from 70s is given a nice facelift in this action vehicle (although some may not like the excess graphic violence and sex). The success of remakes often have as much to do with the cast of actors and director making the right choices, that with the nature of the source material – making the whole thing a head and shoulders tossup, trying to figure out whether a new movie will be a smash, or trash.

One of most interesting news about The Dark Knight Rises Scenes is that they are filmed all around the world. The Crew filmed in India, London, Glasgow, Los Angeles, New York, Newark and Pittsburgh.

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