by Enoch Bolles
Monthly Archives: December 2018
Music Video of the Day: Circus by Britney Spears (2008, dir by Francis Lawrence)
“There’s two types of persons in the world. The ones that entertain and the ones that observe.”
Ten years ago, this song helped me get through the most difficult December of my life and, for that reason, it is today’s music video of the day.
To be honest, despite the fact that this is one of my favorite Britney songs, I nearly didn’t pick Circus for music video of the day because the song was co-written and produced by the infamous Dr. Luke. But you know what? The song may have been written by him but Britney makes it her own and this video isn’t about him. Instead, it’s about the circus that is everyone’s life. When Britney emerges in control, it’s a reminder that we all have it in us to put on the top hat and take control of the circus. It’s a slightly silly video but that’s what makes it so great. It’s a fun video and Britney appears to be happy, which was a huge relief back in 2008.
This video was directed by Francis Lawrence, who is today best known for directing all of the Hunger Games film, with the exception of the first one. He also directed Red Sparrow but we’ll forgive him for that. (Speaking of circuses, he also directed Water For Elephants.)
Enjoy!
Christmas With 007: ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (United Artists 1969)
(Okay, so technically ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE isn’t a Christmas Movie. But neither is DIE HARD, though many consider it to be because it’s set during the holiday season. Well, so is this film, and it’s as close as you’ll get to a James Bond Christmas Movie, so I’m gonna go with that!)
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE was the first Bond film to not star Sean Connery . Instead, newcomer George Lazenby was given the plum role of 007. Lazenby was a model whose claim to fame was a British TV commercial for a chocolate bar; despite having virtually zero acting experience, producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli offered him an audition and gave him the part. Critics of the time derided Lazenby’s performance, more due to the fact that he wasn’t Sean Connery than anything else. Looking back on the film, he isn’t bad at all; he handles the…
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Artwork of the Day: Murderer’s Holiday (Unknown Artist)
Unknown Artist
Music Video of the Day: Night Mail by Public Service Broadcasting (2013, dir by Rob Hackett)
For today’s music video of the day, we have Public Service Broadcasting’s Night Mail.
Both the song and the video were inspired by a 1936 British documentary called Night Mail. The documentary (clips of which are seen in the video) was a 21-minute film about a night in the lives of the London to Glasgow nightly postal train and the people who staffed it.
All in all, it’s a nicely atmospheric video from one of my favorite groups.
Enjoy!
Song of the Day: Poison (by Secret)
This is definitely not your “Poison” of the early 1990’s BBD (Bell Biv Deveo) days. This time it’s the 2012 mini-album release for the South Korean girl group Secret. The quartet took a year off before launching a comeback which saw the mini-album’s release and a new sexy and feminine look. It was a far cry from their previous cutesy image.
The song is a combination of many influences from jazz (a repeating saxophone section) to pop R&B (reminiscent of late 90’s and early 2000’s) to hip-hop with it’s layered beats. All of these influences make for a nice uptempo beat that the video is still able to mine for a nice sexy, sultry concept video that shows the quartet unleashing their femme fatale aspects.
The video itself is a more story driven than most K-pop videos of the time. With the girls (or should I say ladies) decked out in British women’s spy fashion mixed in with detective film noir femme attire. While the theme calls to mind Spillane, Hammett and Cain, the dance choreography screams R&B and Hip-Hop. From the choreo matching the song’s percussive beats to the body rolls and get-low moves.
While all four ladies of Secret gets a chance to shine in the song, the video itself is taken over by the visuals of group Leader Hyosung and group Visual and Maknae (youngest in the group) Sunhwa. Both Hana (rapper) and Jieun (Main Vocalist) don’t shrink from their own roles despite the first two having a much more visual impact and presence in the video.
I must agree with all who have seen the video and some of their stage live performances of the song, Hyonsung plus thigh-highs stockings were and, still are, a killer look. A visual good enough to kill for.
Artwork of the Day: Here Comes The Grinch
by Erin Nicole
Music Video of the Day: Cycles by Tove Lo (2018, dir by Malia James)
For today’s music video of the day, I’m taking a little break from all the holiday music to share the video for Tove Lo’s Cycles. The song is about being trapped in a never-ending relationship loop, a theme that is perfectly captured in this video by one long take of Tove Lo performing while the world spins around her.
Enjoy!
The Phoenix Critics Circle Lifts The Favourite Out Of The Ashes
On Sunday, the Phoenix Critics Circle announced their picks for the best of 2018 and The Favourite was their favorite!
Click here for a full list of nominees and check out the winners below!
BEST PICTURE
The Favourite
BEST COMEDY FILM
Eighth Grade
BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM
Annihilation
BEST HORROR FILM
Hereditary
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Roma
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
BEST MOVIE BASED ON A COMIC BOOK OR GRAPHIC NOVEL
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
BEST ACTOR
Ethan Hawke, First Reformed
BEST ACTRESS
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Richard E Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
BEST SCREENPLAY
Deborah Davis & Tony McNamara, The Favourite
BEST SCORE
Nicholas Britell, If Beale Street Could Talk
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Swings Into The Hearts of the Utah Film Critics!
On Sunday, the Utah Film Critics reminded me why I love awards season.
After a few weeks of the same three or four films winning award after award, the Utah Film Critics decided to go against the conventional wisdom and, as best picture of 2018, they selected the animated film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse!
Obviously, the Utah Film Critics aren’t as influential as the National Board of Review or the Golden Globes or even the Critics Choice Awards. If I had to choose between the two, I’d say that Black Panther has a far better chance of becoming the first comic book movie to be nominated for best picture. Still, it’s always fun to play what if.
(Also, Utah deserves credit for giving acting awards to both Elsie Fisher and Hugh Grant.)
Anyway, here are all the winners out of Utah!
Best Picture: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (RU: Roma)
Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (RU: none)
Best Documentary Feature: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (RU: Minding the Gap)
Best Non-English Language Feature: Roma (RU: Burning)
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma (RU: Ryan Coogler, Black Panther)
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed (RU: Christian Bale, Vice)
Best Actress: Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade (RU: Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born)
Best Supporting Actor (tie): Hugh Grant, Paddington 2 and Russell Hornsby, The Hate U Give
Best Supporting Actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite (RU: Elizabeth Debicki, Widows)
Best Original Screenplay: Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade (RU: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Phil Lord & Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (RU: Audrey Wells, The Hate U Give)
Best Cinematography: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma (RU: Rob Hardy, Annihilation)
Best Original Score: Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury, Annihilation (RU: Nicholas Britell, If Beale Street Could Talk)
Through the Shattered Lens 