Film Junk » Jay C.

Klenginem: Eminem in Klingon

Jay C. — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:26:27 +0000

I'm going to need Reed Farrington to re-translate this shit back into English to assure accuracy. Until then, enjoy Klenginem: the Klingon Eminem. Thanks to Charlotte for the heads up on this one.

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Cantankerous Episode #9: Watermelon Popsicles

Jay C. — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:55:23 +0000

Thankfully, I've had this episode of Cantankerous on hold for a while now, in case of emergencies and such. With Sean in Japan and no Film Junk podcast for this week, I thought it might be a good idea to break the glass and pull the Reed Alarm (a sound so obnoxious it will drive even the most jaded businessmen fleeing out of an office building, fire or not). This week Reed talks about his watermelon popsicles, Beatles rock band, a clogged urethra and the death of MJ, among other things. It's time to sit back, remove your pants and light your face on fire. Cantankerous, Episode #9, is here to stay. NOTE: Unfortunately, I do not have the technical skills to update our many Cantankerous feeds, so until Sean returns from Japan, you will have to simply download the mp3 below. Thanks for your patience dudes. Download the MP3 (63MB) Cantankerous Archives Subscribe to the podcast feed:

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Toy Story 3 Trailer Online

Jay C. — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:34:50 +0000

Guess what. The trailer for Toy Story 3 is online. I looked at it with my eyes and have come to the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing to say about it. I enjoyed Toy Story 1 and 2 (2 was better) and I imagine I will see part 3, but I find it funny that Pixar seems to be immune to all of the usual hostility thrown at frivolous sequels. I mean, really? We need a Toy Story 3? When talk of a District 9 follow up started floating around the blogo-gine, people stomped their feet in protest, deeming such an act as an unnecessary cash grab that would ultimately detract from the original. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather spend more time exploring Blomkamp's futuristic Johannesburg then Andy's college dorm room. That aside, the colours are bright as usual and Randy Newman's voice is a tender reminder that I Love LA. Is this shit in 3D? I bet it is. Kiss all of those beautiful colours goodbye my friends. Hopefully our local theatres offer a 2D option on this one. I still think the human characters look like real dolls, even if they might contain more polygons in their eyebrow hairs this time around. On the plus side, I think the original characters might retain enough charm to bring something worthwhile to the screen, as long as Joan Cusack doesn't shit the bed with another buzzkill song about her debilitating case of separation anxiety. Pixar, I don't even have to see the film to say 'you've done it again'! Check out the trailer below:

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The Complete Monterey Pop Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:55:10 +0000

I’ll just come clean right off the top here and admit that this was my first time watching D.A. Pennebaker’s Monterey Pop and although it’s definitely a great film, it’s probably my least favourite of the three big music festival documentaries to come out of the late sixties/early seventies. There’s something about the grandiose cluster-fuck nature of Woodstock that appealed to me — along with the split screens of course — and Gimme Shelter’s cynicism was the perfect end to the short lived era of ‘Peace and Love’. I think the thing that drops Monterey Pop down a notch or two is the fact that it’s too devoted to the performances; an accusation that is obviously a personal one, as I would imagine most people watching this film are hoping for exactly that. Perosnally, I’m more interested in the logistics of the festival and the people who attend it, and although the film does touch upon this, it’s so secondary that it takes up a fraction of the already short 79 minute running time. Monterey Pop does boast some now classic performances that aren’t short in theatrics. There’s the iconic image of Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar ablaze on stage and of course, Pete Townshend destroying his Gibson as the Who annhialate the unsuspecting audiences ear drums, sending chunks of instruments hurdling towards the crowd. It all adds up to a sold concert film that just doesn’t do much to subvert or transcend the subject matter, but definitely sets the groundwork for others to build upon. Criterion has given Monterey Pop the full HD treatment with a faithful transfer, remastered Dolby Digital and DTS-HD Master audio and a load of supplemental materials. Fans of Criterion’s past releases will be pleased to hear that the D.A. Pennebaker supervised digital transfer retains its filmic qualities with a fine sheen of grain and no unnecessary artificial digital enhancements. Really a great package overall. Of course, if you end up picking up the The Complete Monterey Pop Festival box set, you’ll also get an additional blu ray disc including the short films ‘Jimi Plays Monterey’ and ‘Shake! Otis at Monterey’, both of which have also been remastered in HD. This is a must have for documentary fans and classic rock aficionados.

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TIFF Review: Harmony Korine’s Trash Humpers

Jay C. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:57:03 +0000

It's too easy to write off Harmony Korine's latest film as mere artsy fartsy film school bullshit. I'm the first to call foul on the self-indulgent and pretentious tendencies of some filmmakers, but there's a fine line between art and shart (shit+fart), and Harmony Korine's Trash Humpers tap dances its way right down the middle, eliciting a wide arrange of emotional responses from those who are willing to embrace the outright chaotic VHS aesthetics. Trash Humpers made its trash humping world premiere at the Scotiabank Theatre to a partially unsuspecting Toronto International Film Festival crowd. Luckily, Harmony Korine was in attendance and was sure to warn the masses that if they were 'prone to walkouts', they might as well do so immediately; a comment that was likely more sincere than the chuckling audience had thought. He then provided a bit of a preface to what we were about to see, insisting that Trash Humpers isn't so much a movie but rather an artifact of sorts. A fictional piece of found footage that one might come across at a garage sale or discover stashed away in the closet of an abandoned old house. I guess the easiest comparison would be The Blair Witch Project or Cloverfield meets Jackass, but I'm more reminded of the period in the 90's when it seemed like every TV news magazine show featured stories of wild teens going on crazy paintballing, mailbox smashing, home invading rampages, all caught on home video! It was under this premise that I felt Trash Humpers retained its credibility as something beyond a shitty art film. While it's certainly not accessible in any fashion, it does have its moments of humour, sadness and pure creepiness. For anyone left dumbfounded by the recently released 'trailer', you'll be pleased to hear that Trash Humpers does have a somewhat loose plot. A small gang of elderly folks -- and an apparent female burn victim played by Korine's sister -- document their reign of terror in a small neighbourhood, engaging in glass breaking, firework lighting, home invading, and yes, trash humping. Those curious about the meaning behind the title of the film will be pleased to hear that it's indeed quite literal. In fact, the first image we see is some vigorous garbage can humping, something I didn't think would be as hilarious as it was. It was the dedication to the act combined with the audible rhythmic banging that hit my sweet spot. There's also some great commentary provided by the man behind the camera; another elderly gentleman portrayed by Korine himself. His cackling laugh combined with some repetitive catch phrases may ride the nerves of some, but I found it to be quite funny. He actually gives a pretty great monologue in the third act, suddenly reminding me that yes, these are supposed to be human beings of some sort. Once you get past the aesthetics and the surreal nature of it all, Trash Humpers is pretty straight forward. A band of outsiders raging in a world that for whatever reason, has cast them aside, be it due to age, physical deformity or flat out social retardation. The VHS presentation is aesthetically unique, but more importantly, through Korine's sheer dedication to the conceit, supports the believability of it all. The film remains 100% commited to its concept. Due to our tight schedule of screenings, I totally missed out on a follow up Q&A session with Harmony Korine, which is unfortunate as I imagine it would've been hilarious, if not enlightening. Either way, Trash Humpers will go down as one of my more memorable TIFF experiences and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this one. Direct to VHS release? -- Jay C.

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Play Time Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:37:33 +0000

The fact that Jacques Tati's Play Time flopped financially and bankrupted its director into never making a film again is proof that pushing the boundaries of what a film can look like and how it can make you feel requires a bit of risk taking and perhaps, even a bit of an ego. In 1968, Play Time was a film that nobody seemed to want, but Tati had the urge to tell the story (or non-story) and ended burying himself in the process. I suppose that's what artists need to do sometimes. It's too bad it has taken all of these years for this masterpiece to finally be recognized as the achievement in fimmaking it truly is. It's important to note that I went into Play Time with little to no knowledge of what the film was about or the history of the production. I knew it had comedic elements and I was aware of Jacques Tati's re-occuring role as Monsieur Hulot; a clumsily endearing, mostly silent, possible prototype for Rowan Atkinson's Mr.Bean. While Tati's previous films focused on Hulot, Play Time uses him in moderation. He is one member in a cast of dozens whose motivations and actions are ultimately driven by the "modern" architecture and technology that surrounds them. Paris has been paved over and metallized. Any signs of the old world exist only in the form of tourist souvenirs and brief reflections in the constantly opening and closing ultra-chic pane glass doorways. The film is separated into six sequences, all contained within a twenty four hour period. Although many of the characters wander in and out of these segments, M. Hulot, along with a young American tourist, seem to be the connective tissue. There isn't really a plot per se, but rather a sequence of situations: a group of tourists attempt to navigate a modern airport while M. Hulot becomes lost in an office building and accidentally makes his way on to the floor of a trade exhibition, after which an old friend invites him to his apartment for a drink. Eventually all of the characters end up attending the opening night of the Royal Garden restaurant as its owner and architect attempt to deal with some shoddy workmanship and a series of technical flubs. It's like a comedy as seen through the eyes of Caden Cotard; right down to the multiple Hulot's and an open faced apartment complex with only giant planes of glass separating the tenants intimate ongoing's from the outside world. This design choice allows Tati to play an entire 15 minute scene from the street, looking in on M. Hulot's visit, with only the sound of cars and the occasional pedestrians passing by. It's that sort of confidence that probably doomed Play Time out of the gates, but can now be looked at as a bold choice that succeeds in overcoming any accusations of self-indulgence. There isn't a single close up in the film and many scenes, like the apartment sequence, are filmed from a distance. The choice to film Play Time in the 70mm makes way for some amazing wide angle shots filled with numerous characters acting out multiple miniature stories at once. Add Hulot to the mix and you've got a Where's Waldo?-esque complexity that finds you scanning the screen to pick up on the sometimes simultaneous sight gags that are littered throughout the film (Something that probably worked even better on the big screen). Audio also plays a huge role in Play Time as Tati uses goofy sound effects for both comedic effect and to help identify the action in some of the wider, more complicated shots. However, I must say the true star of Play Time is the design. When Terry Gilliam is engaging in sexual intercourse with his wife, it is my belief that 50% of the time he is thinking of Jacques Tati's Play Time. It seems clear to me that this film may have been a major influence on Brazil, and the DVD introduction by fellow Monty Python-er Terry Jones seems to support this theory. It truly is a beautiful looking film. I was blown away to discover that the entire city -- minus the exterior of the restaurant and the final shot of the film -- was constructed as a set! This certainly answered my somewhat naive questions regarding the real life architecture of Paris. I'm really not sure how this film could've been made any other way. I don't think I've seen a movie that so heavily depends on the interactions between its characters and sets. The choreography of the comedic set pieces are directly connected to the meticulously detailed surroundings. Right down to the bar stools, neon signs and door handles; everything is designed to work practically, look great and serve the overall choreography. With a brand new blu ray release, this is one film that benefits in many ways thanks to a strong high definition transfer. Criterion has put together a great package, with a sharp and brilliant picture, great audio and a good collection of supplements that touch on the troubles Tati went through in getting Play Time on the big screen. A wonderful film and a sincerely amazing experience. -- Jay C.

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Cantankerous Episode #8: Obsessive Compulsive Frugality

Jay C. — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:59:04 +0000

Cantankerous is an irregular podcast where Jay and Reed Farrington get together to bicker and pick each other's brains about such random topics as philosophy, science, and Reed’s obsessive collecting. It's that time again! What a wonderful treat! Cantankerous #8! I just checked the archives to find out when our first show was recorded: December 2007. We've done 8 episodes -- INCLUDING the video special -- in almost a year and a half! That's gotta be some sort of record for the least prolific podcast on the internet. Anyways, it's time to get down to business. This week/month/year we talk about, among other things, Reed's physical deformities, the benefits of plastic surgery, the best way to preserve Star Trek waffles and Reed tries to figure out why Asian people's eyes are the way they are. Stimulating, yes? Go ahead and give'r a listen and let us know you're thirsty for more! Download the MP3 (80MB) Cantankerous Archives Subscribe to the podcast feed:

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Our Short Horror/Comedy ‘Colore non Vedenti’ is Officially Online!

Jay C. — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:11:01 +0000

It's way overdue, but our short film project 'Colore Non Vedenti' is now officially complete and online! What started off as a ten minute Film Junk short for Halloween of '08 slowly grew into something a little bigger than expected, resulting in a months long process that was definitely a fun learning experience. A big thanks to all of those who helped get this thing finished -- be sure to read the end credits! -- and a big thanks to the Film Junkies who waited patiently for this to finally come to fruition! I hope you guys enjoy it. You can check out the final film embedded below or head to www.colorenonvedenti.com, where you'll also find multiple commentary tracks -- featuring Jay, Sean, Reed (Gerry), Tom Baychuck, Roman and star David Tompa -- and some behind the scenes video diaries! This whole thing was basically an exercise in no-budget filmmaking that gave us an opportunity to be creative and experiment, and I love the idea of throwing these things up online for everyone to see. I hope you enjoy!

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Repulsion Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:05:28 +0000

I've been meaning to remedy my ignorance when it comes to the work of Roman Polanski. For some reason, I've never really gotten past his 'hits' and explored any of his earlier works like Knife in the Water or The Tenant. Thanks to the Criterion Collection's recent blu ray release of 'Repulsion', Polanski is, in my eyes, no longer simply the old cop guy from Rush Hour 3. I'm not even sure what Polanski is 'known for'. Wait...let me ammend that. I do know what he's known for. I'm not sure what Polanski is known for in regards to the themes and stylistic choices prevalant in his film work. I have read about such things, but I haven't seen enough of his films to formulate my own opinion on what makes a Polanski film a Polanski film. However, I'm not a complete idiot. I have seen Rosemary's Baby and it's pretty clear that Repulsion is culled from the same brand of suspense driven surrealism. For starters, they even both have female leads! (An observation I made completely on my own, independent of any online research.) In Repulsion, the majestic Catherine Deneuve plays Carol; a quiet and repressed young beauty salon assistant that seems unusually shy and clearly has some issues with intimacy. Her constant day dreaming results in a number of unhappy snooty clients and simply makes her look like a total flake. When Carol's sister decides to head out of town with her boyfriend, she's left alone; a helpless French girl in London dealing with her building anxieties as the walls literally start to crack and cave in around her. Going in to this film with practically zero knowledge of the film, I found myself a little thrown by the seemingly complex but ultimately straight forward story. It's strange because so much of the film is presented as this dark, surreal fever dream which left me searching for something deeper within the plot. I was questioning what was real and what was a hallucination. What is wrong with Carol? Is her aversion to men a clue? Polanski's slow burn approach both builds suspense and slightly frustrates as Deneuve's character seems to be acting like an apathetic, inconsistently emotional and abnormally timid flake (twice I've used flake now. nice.) for no apparent reason. The kind of person you just feel like shaking by the shoulders and yelling 'Speak the f*ck up and get over yourself!'. There always seems to be something supernatural lurking around the corner, but Polanski is much more interested in psychosis over the paranormal. Everything in this film seems to be 'cracking up' in one way or another. I think it's fair to say that David Lynch's Eraserhead may have been directly inspired by this film as they share some similar themes and imagery -- specifically the dead rabbit on the platter. In the end, some might find Repulsion's conclusion almost disappointingly ordinary. However, a second viewing without a need to try and figure it all out would probably benefit a film like this. It's a great example of how our perception of a story can change simply based on whether or not we go into the film with the expectations of a subjective or objective experience. In this case, I am excited for a more informed re-watch. Summarizing the technical qualities of these Criterion blu ray releases has become somewhat redundant. Let's face it; they're putting out some of the best looking BD discs to date. Not only are their choice eclectic, but their resistance to noodle around with digital noise reduction and edge enhancing techniques has given us some organic, film-like presentations that are the best representations of the original 35mm prints. In the case of Repulsion, Gilbert Taylor's black and white photography is given the treatment it deserves and is further proof that a 40+ year old colourless film does truly benefit from the HD treatment. -- Jay C.

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For All Mankind Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:21:45 +0000

It's easy to forget how much of an accomplishment the Apollo moon missions were. Looking back on it now, it seems like the entire event is represented by the same over-saturated stock clips and sound bytes, robbing it of any sense of passion, adventure or danger. Let's just think about this for a second; these men were strapping themselves to the end of a 36 story rocket and being shot into space...in the 60's. The moon landing pre-dated the invention of the VCR. If I have yet to blow your mind, Al Reinhert's For All Mankind might just do the trick. Although there's been a recent boom in space documentaries, For All Mankind was one of the first that took the steps to revisit the hundreds of hours of NASA footage filmed by the astronauts throughout the moon missions. The result is a stunning collection of never-before-seen images that give audiences a whole new perspective on the Apollo missions, ranging from the awe of space or the flight control room minutia. Some of the most interesting images come from camera angles initially created for the single purpose of observation by project engineers. It was Reinert's good sense of visual storytelling that convinced NASA that this footage, previously considered uninteresting to the general public, actually contained an element of beauty worth sharing with audiences. Although For All Mankind is structured as one long moon mission, it's actually pieced together from footage shot across many. This is fairly evident once we hit the Apollo 13 crisis, used as a point of conflict in the middle of the film. There's even some Gemini footage thrown in for good measure. I can only imagine the challenge faced by Reinert in his attempt to construct an engaging story out of hundreds of hours of seemingly random footage shot not with the intentions of storytelling, but rather scientific documentation and publicity. The result is a compelling adventure that has its ups and downs and successfully communicates a sense of claustrophobia and danger as well as awe and inspiration. It's also worth noting that Brian Eno, in collaboration with Roger Eno and Daniel Lanois, provides amazing score containing what I feel is one of the prettiest pieces of music ever written. The Criterion Collection's blu ray release of For All Mankind lives up to their previously set expectations. The picture quality is top notch, presented in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio and retaining a natural film grain. The colours are especially vibrant, especially when compared to the source material, as displayed in the supplemental materials. Speaking of which, we get a slightly updated collection of bonus features with the addition of a fairly interesting making of documentary. Here's something that blew my mind: I'd always wondered how NASA retrieved to footage from the jettisoned missile pieces. The solution is insanely cumbersome by todays standards; the camera would automatically eject the magazine, which then would fall back to earth -- complete with its own heat shield and parachute system -- only to be scooped up mid air by net wielding airplanes. Crazy! For those of you who haven't seen For All Mankind, you're in for a real treat with this high definition edition. Anybody who purchased the previous standard version of the film; you might want to consider upgrading. Criterion continues its reign over the blu ray kingdom with yet another worthwhile release. -- Jay C.

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Second Inglourious Basterds Trailer Even Better Than The First

Jay C. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:37:20 +0000

I was already sold on the idea of a Quentin Tarantino WW2 film, but after the release of the second trailer for Inglourious Basterds, I'm even more solder! This time around we get a little more info on the plot and a good look at Mike Myers in full on Brit mode. Am I the only person who is actually happy he's in this film? I'm also totally down with Brad Pitt's characterization and I'm totally fine with the little I've seen of Eli Roth. He seems to be holding his own here. The thing that excites me the most is the idea of the climax (I'm assuming it's the climax) taking place at a movie premiere. It looks to be Tarantino channeling Brian DePalma at his best. I seriously love a good set piece. One that totally indulges in the geography of the scene and analyzes every single detail. Also, the X-Ray vision bomb shot speaks volumes and excites me to no end. Check it out and share your thoughts in the comments!

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Weird Web Wednesdays: The Kids Get Theirs.

Jay C. — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:10:56 +0000

It's that time again! This week's Weird Web Wednesday © is dedicated to all of those people out there who have put up with whining, screaming, crying children ruining dining experiences and disrupting movie theatres the world over. That's right; it's time that the kids get theirs. We've got some falling, head hitting and christmas prank goodness! Also, in honour of Father's Day, we've got some wonderful video's of someone's Dad's homemade music videos. We may not shower him with praise, nor mention his name in song. And sometimes it seems that we forget the joy he spreads as he goes along. But it doesn’t mean that we don’t know the wonderful role that he has had. And away down deep in every heart there’s a place that is just for...Weird Web Wednesdays©, only on Film Junk®!!! Xbox Xmas Prank Kid Smashes Face Against Playhouse Fat Kid Dancing Jurassic Park: HEY!!! Worst Parents Ever Funny Zach Galfianakis Interview The Christian The Saint The Charge Glory Day

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