Creativity With an Affinity for Darkness
The Dark Opera
  • Bio
  • Contact

Hey You, thanks for stopping by.

Scroll down for my latest work as well as for whatever's on my mind.

It's not all just dark stuff, so check back for a laugh, some motivation or for pure randomness.
 

I want to read a story

'Take Shelter' could be interesting, thought-provoking...and lame?

10/16/2011

0 Comments

 
'Take Shelter', a new movie by director Jeff Nichols, might be another in a long line of 'Look out, the end of the world is coming!' tales, but it might also be something else...it might be good! This film premiered in January 2011 at the Sundance Film Festival, and Sony Pictures Classics snapped up the rights to distribute the film. It also got rave reviews when it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May of this year, and it received the Fipresci award from the International Federation of Film Critics. In September 2011, Take Shelter was shown at the 37th Deauville American Film Festival, where it beat 13 other contenders to win the festival's grand prize.

So what makes this 'the apocalypse is coming' film different from others along the same line? Some would say that having Michael Shannon in the lead role makes all the difference. The actor is getting rave reviews for his portrayal of Curtis LaForche, a man who starts having dark apocalyptic dreams, and the movie centers on the dark road these dreams take him down. He keeps the dreams from his wife (don't they always?), and starts to build a storm shelter in his back yard. As usual with these types of scenarios, his behaviour starts to put a strain on his relationships.

Michael Shannon has been a critics favorite in other roles as well, appearing in 'Bug' with Ashley Judd, and earning an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in 'Revolutionary Road', which also starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DeCaprio. He will also be playing General Zod in the Superman film series reboot, 'Man of Steel'.

'Take Shelter' also stars Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life, Jolene) as Samantha LaForche, Curtis' wife, and Kathy Baker (Edward Scissorhands, Cold Mountain).

We don't know what is happening to Curtis. Is he really getting visions of things to come? Is it all in his head? I certainly hope that this film does not take the easy way out and make this all the product of an over-active imagination.

We'll have to wait and see...

Kevin B.
0 Comments

"The Raven" Trailer is out! Has John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe

10/7/2011

0 Comments

 
iTunes released the Trailer for "The Raven". While it doesn't boast anything special or fresh, I am still hoping that it turns out to be good.

Here, you'll find a Poe inspired murderer who seems to be playing games with the authorities, leaving clues behind at the murder scene (including an intriguing shot of a pocket watch being removed from someone's mouth). Poe (Cusack) himself becomes involved.

There's a love story element. Also it has that good old "find the person before they become my next victim" thing going on.

Anyways, take a look and see what you think 
I like its feel though. Almost has a sleepy hollowness too it?
0 Comments

Tim Hope’s wild short asks “I am the wolfman, do you know me?”

10/7/2011

6 Comments

 
Ever wish you were a werewolf? This guy too!

Here’s an oldy, but a goody. Some may know this as the shortened PS2 commercial version... This full version however, really properly showcases its moody strangeness, abstract qualities and randomness. The eerie and beautifully made start says nothing about the wildness you’ll experience on the tail end of this rollercoaster. There’s something to be said about the voice acting too, at parts, in particular the transformation, the tone is appropriately tense and excited  in  well delivered, well scripted weirdness.

The moon asks “...Kiss my white chalky lips; stroke my dusty brown face...”

Take a look:
I love the design of this thing. Anyone else agree?
6 Comments

PS3's Long Live Play Commercial is pretty sweet... and more than just for PS3 fans

10/5/2011

0 Comments

 
Playstation’s “Michael” Long Live Play Commercial is great. But it’s more than just for Playstation fans, hec, a few of the games represented are cross platform. If you wanna check out a pretty sweet commercial speaking to accomplishing epic challenges experienced only in video games then take a look.
Pretty well done if I do say so myself.

0 Comments

“Name the Common Point” Part II. For well wasted time at work and/or at home

10/5/2011

0 Comments

 
See if you can name the person, place, thing, idea, or whatever it is that movie #1 has in common with movie #2 for points. For example… 

(Difficulty: Easy (1 point)) 
 #1 Titanic (1997)
 And
 #2 Inception(2010)

Common point = Leonardo DiCaprio as lead actor

Good Luck! There is a total of 12 points! Please leave us your score down below in the comments

(Difficulty: Easy (1 point)) 
 #1 Edward Scissorhands(1990)
 And
 #2 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Common point =

(Difficulty: Easy (1 point)) 
 #1 Charlie and the Chocolate  Factory (2005)
 And
 #2 Batman Returns (1992)

Common point=

(Difficulty: Moderate (2 points)) 
 #1 Titanic (1997)
 And
 #2 The English Patient (1996)

Common point =

(Difficulty: Moderate (2 points))
#1 The Help (2011-10-05)
 And
 #2 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

Common point =

(Difficulty: Hard (3 points)) 
 #1 Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
 And
 #2 The Seventh Seal(1957)

Common point =

(Difficulty: Hard (3 points)) 
 #1 Metropolis (1927)
 And
 #2 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Common point =

0 Comments

Easy Rider’s philosophy and drug induced style is worth a watch

10/5/2011

3 Comments

 
“Easy Rider” (1969) is a movie directed by the late Dennis Hopper. It stars Peter Fonda (Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, 3:10 to Yuma) and Dennis Hopper himself (Blue Velvet, Speed). Jack Nicholson (the shining, the departed) also makes an appearance as a fellow jail cellmate!

Here, the movie starts at the tail end of a lucrative drug deal. Wyatt (Fonda) and Billy (Hopper) next venture out onto the open road headed for Mardi Gras, then... to who knows where. Theirs is a life of “Freedom” and they, a breed amongst the multitude of others; some portrayed in this flick as being able to live and be at peace with the bikers, while others are stacked against em. Yes, their adventure leads them to meet all sorts of people, though those people are generally extreme if not almost stereotypical in personality. Beyond being philosophical, the journey is also drug laden and is almost as much a drug trip as it is a commentary on a breed of people amongst the backdrop of an (arguably) evolving society.

The acting is good with Fonda’s reflective Wyatt, played with subtle inner turmoil, stealing the show. Only to be eclipsed (at least for a while) by a quirky and crude Nicholson.
The movies transition sequences have a drug induced style. So too has (and more obviously so) the Marti Gras section of the movie. Coupled with the ladder case is a fusion of sex and religious symbolism – a show that holds less shock today than it likely had at the time of this movie’s release.

To be sure, the movie speaks more to those times then it can translate to today on a relevant and important level; with the exception of its potential as a springboard for discussion on the topic of “what is freedom?”

(**Spoiler alert for both “Easy Rider” and “Vanishing Point” (1971) **)

While its conclusion doesn’t pack the same resonating impact as does a similarly fiery finally as seen in vanishing point...

(**Spoiler alert over**)

... It’s still a good watch at 7/10 on scale.

3 Comments

Spielberg’s “War Horse” Trailer looks and sounds to be a moving war piece.

10/5/2011

0 Comments

 
Here, in case you missed it, we have Spielberg’s “War Horse”. Let me tell you, the camera work looks beautiful. Judging by the music, the teary eyed person and the overall feel, it looks like this one’s aiming to be a tear-jerking inspirational type.

Take a look
That three part “be brave” at the end was a nice touch
0 Comments

Spielberg's "Tin Tin" International trailer has a little Zemekis going on

10/5/2011

0 Comments

 
Here, we have the new international trailer for “Tin Tin: The Secret of the Unicorn” Just to remind us that its release on December 21rst is something to get excited about. It’s a family show. It’s got Daniel Craig and Simon Pegg attached to it, not to mention it’s a Spielberg directed flick.

It doesn’t look too bad. Though there is some hint of Spielbergesque adventure, I can’t help but find that there’s some pure “I’ll take you on a CG 3D ride” a la Robert Zemeckis (The polar Express and A Christmas Carol)... Not that it’s a bad thing. It’s not like this movie won’t make enough to bring some of Tin Tin’s other adventures to the big screen in this format.

Take a look for yourself
<a href='http://video.uk.msn.com?vid=2c3838fe-e91e-4ac1-86b8-af598432aa92&mkt=en-gb&src=FLPl:embed::uuids' target='_new' title='MSN Exclusive: The Adventures of Tintin - trailer' >Video: MSN Exclusive: The Adventures of Tintin - trailer</a>
Weirdest thing... For some reason I can’t think about Tin Tin without also thinking about Marsupalami. Anyone else remember them? And what did you guys think of the Tin Tin trailer?   

- Josh
0 Comments
    Welcome to the Dark Opera

    Celebrating and Inspiring Creativity

    'Like' our Facebook page
    'follow' us on Twitter
    'Subscribe' to the Youtube channel!


    Blog Writers

    Josh
    Kevin

    Archives

    October 2016
    October 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Book News
    Book Reviews
    Comics
    Creativity
    Dark Things
    For Your Life
    Game Review
    Gaming News
    Humor
    Humour
    Ideas
    Inspiration
    Interviews
    Movie Collecting
    Movie News
    Movie Review
    Movies
    Movie Short
    Movie Trailers
    Movie Trivia
    Music
    Poetry
    Recommendations
    Series Review
    Site News
    Ultimate Hot Chocolate Recipe
    Website Update
    What To Watch
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.