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So, last year I was bored one night and decided to try and work out my top 10 films of 2010, it ended up taking a while. This year wasn’t any easier. There have been loads of amazing films come out this year, so it’s been hard to cut it down to a top 10, let alone order them. Also, like last year, i’ve still yet to see a shit ton of films that either haven’t been released in the UK yet, or i’ve just not been able to see (Shame, Another Earth, Like Crazy, Melancholia, Young Adult, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo….etc) 

So, this is (my) top 10 films of 2011. Obviously no one will agree with my list, but that’s why it’s my list, so I implore you sad lonely bastards, like I, to make a top 10 of your own, which I can then read and disagree with too. Eventually, through this, we’ll create a circle of sadness to flow through the internet’s veins like a deadly disease…

EDIT: I was just about to publish this post when I read it back. Originally I had written a paragraph on each film, explaining why it’s on the list, but reading it back I just sound like a twat trying to be funny and sound all film smart. Just, if you like the look of a film, watch it, you don’t need someone to try and convince you..

LET US BEGIN…

10. SUBMARINE

9. SUPER 8

8. WARRIOR

7. HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN

6. 50/50

5. RED STATE

4. KILL LIST

3. THE TREE OF LIFE

2.DRIVE

1. BELLFLOWER

I do just want to say one quick thing about Bellflower. It’s not just the film itself why it’s my favourite, but everything that surrounds it. If I have half the amount of passion for making films as Evan Glodell and Team Coatwolf have, then i’m happy.



Well, that’s my list. What’s yours? 

Blogging, something that I just don’t get. I get it, I just don’t…get it. That doesnt make sense. Writing about your work I get but then incorporating writing about yourself, I find difficult, which is weird because I love myself. That was sarcasm, somthing that is hard to portay whilst blogging. As is the same when it comes to me talking about work. “Explantaiton” in real life is somthing that I struggle with. Maybe it’s caffeine but i’m pretty sure it’s just my mind being a dick. I can’t fluidly explain something with words from my mouth, and find it even harder making it sound comprehensive in text.  

(  [Edit] Good example of this; The paragraph you have just read above was written 3 days ago. I take a while to write these. ) 

Getting away from excuses that don’t matter, I haven’t written 1 blog post over this whole project. The project is now finished, so I either 1. Now write a blog that covers this whole project, having a little info on each week and an overall conclusion paragraph, that will probably start with the word “overall”, at the end as i’ve seen others do, OR 2. I don’t. As 2 would be lazy and very much add to the rudeness of me not writing anything over the last 2 months, I humbly except choice 1. Prepare for boredom beyond belief, I apologize.

Week 1: We all started to come up with ideas for our horror short. Our group worked well together which was a nice thing to see as it was obvious that it would make the whole project a lot more fun and easy. There were a few ideas but we went with mine as it was the most developed at the time. This was just a priliminary idea for a film. We worked on it over a few days but after having a tutorial and then starting to realise that the story was a bit undeveloped we went back to the drawing board.

Week 2: Over the weekend we all came up with an idea individually to pitch to eachother on monday. Mine was aconcept based on the idea of loss and the horror that would cause it. I had some pretty big visual ideas which would be tricky to do, so I worked on ligistics and a Pre-Vis animation to see if it would be possible. (It involved a train) Turns out it would be possible, and look pretty great too. So I pitched this idea and showed everyone a basic storyboard I had done over the weekend. The idea went down well, but after everyone pitched their ideas we we realised they all could pottentialy work. We couldnt decide on which to do so we sent a short synopisis for each of them to Liam, to see which one sounded best. Heim was chosen so we went forward with it.

Week 3: We started of week 3 trying to get everything in order for the story of Heim. As much as the back story was intresting, it was obvious we wouldnt have time to explain it fully in the film. We started the script which I finished, and Tom started the storyboard. We then went to our first potential location for the interior shots. It was an abondoned asylum which was PERFECT for the film. Alas, in the end we couldnt get permission to film inside it.

Week 4: The main part of week 4 was the pitch. It went ok, but during it I started to see some of the faults in the film, as we all did.

Week 5: For this week, which was the last week before the holiday, everyone in the group worked really hard to patch up the story and try and find actors and locations. Ollie found 3 pottential actors we could use, all of which sounded very up for it.

Holiday: Over the holiday everyone worked hard on their inidivual roles. Ciaran, Tom R and I went to RAF Watton to try and find an location for both our interior and exteriour shots, as we found photos of greats spots there on the internet. We walked around for a while looking until we were told to leave as it we were unkowlingly working on a landing strip for gliders being flown by 16 year olds that day. The gliders taking of near us should have been an incling, but it was a hot day…soo….we were stupid. So we were told to leave, which we did 2 hours later after searching around more of the sheltered areas of the site. Unfortuanlty we couldnt find anything. A few days late me and Ciaran found a tiny bunker in Shipdham and a large barn next to it. It wouldnt work for the film, but I came up with an idea of using a still of the bunker then on AE, putting that on the barn to sort of look like some kind of old bunker(y) type building. It didnt look brilliant but it would have to do. Our exterior was sorted, now we just needed a building for inside shots. For this, we were able to use Ciaran’s Dad’s warehouse. We had a whole floor to shoot on, which as Brilliant! So we had our locaitons and everything else was mainly sorted…and then it happened! That’s a little to dramatic. The actors who were going to be our 3 main characters decided not to do it. 2 couldnt be bothered it seemed and 1 went to the extent of giving himself a blood clot just so he didnt have to do it. (Again, sarcasm) 

Week 8 (Filming week): With no actors, and only one day left until shooting we started to worry. Someone came to our resuce though, that man is called Tom Cowles. He was able to get 3 of his friends to do it at extremly short notice, which was amazing. SO, on to shooting. We started with our interiour scenes. We shot the last scene first as we had only our main actor until the others turned up later. The scene went great and the set for it looked brilliant. In the afternoon we then shot what all of the middle part of the film. Took some time but we finally got it done by around 7. For a few days our actors wernt availbel because of college, so whislt we waited to shoot the last scene (which would be the first) we started on the edit. Ollie was the editor and started straigt away getting a flow for the last 2 scenes. Ciaran also started on some early sound work too which sounded great already. Finally on the sunday night before the start of the last week, we shot the first scene. We were quick as the sun was going down, but the footage turned out looking great. That night I edited together the first scene so it was ready for monday. 

Week 9 (Final week): The last week we were all busy getting everything finished, especially Ollie editing and Ciaran doing the sound. I then did the 2 fx shots we have in the film on after effects to put on the timeline. Ollie did an amazing job editing it all, giving the film a nice flow. And after a lot of work with the dark footage he had to work with, Tom. R was able to colour correct it brilliantly. Then Ciaran put his soundtrack on, and it made the film 1000 times better.

Now here’s that conclusion part I spoke about: Overall I think the film has turned out good. My personal view is I don’t really like it that much, but I don’t really like any of the films I make after making them. It’s not that I think they’re necessarily bad but I think being critical on my own work helps me on future projects. And it will mean even more to me when I’m finally proud of a piece that i’ve made. Hopefully that will be over the summer as I put everything I’ve learnt from this year in to a project that i’m very much looking forward to starting on properly. (Again) Overall the group has worked brilliantly, both together and individually and i’ve been very lucky to have fun whilst working hard with people who really love film.

So this blog is finished, I apologize for not updating weekly and for the nonsensical bullshit above.

Goodbye.

Well, thanks for asking anonymous, fictitious stranger! I’m not sure. Excuse? I don’t really have one. This project has been so much fun to work on, for both films, but I’ve never really felt the need to update on the work that was happening for it. Mainly because the work was slow. The main parts of the process of making the two shorts were quite spaced out and I never knew what to write on here. I’m not great at writing about the work i’m doing without reading it back and instantly deleting it because of my own embarrassment and anxiety. I’m no Woody Allen, but it hits me like a brick wall when I read it and it’s just me going on and on and on. I know if this happens I should just not read it back, it’s kind of like looking down when your about to bungee jump, but you can’t help. You look down, then you look back up, eyes to the sky, jump over the rail back to safety, unclip yourself and go cry in the bathroom for 2 hours. Or at least that’s how it would be for me. BUT CHRIS, isn’t tumblr for going on and on and on? Well, yes, your correct again stranger, handsome one you are, your correct. It is, for some.

I am happy with my two final cuts. I was able to make my first horror with 100% creative freedom, which was a brilliant experience! To get to a point. This assignment has been amazing fun to work on and I finally got to work with sound, which I always wanted to learn about. I also was able to create my first animation, which was, again, so much fun to make. I can’t wait to get back and start on the genre project. It’s another group project, which is great as I think there will be a good separation in genre choices. For me, I shall be getting another taste of horror. Hopefully this time a bit more violent, brutal and darker than the last.

One more thing. Chris, how did you get through this blog without deleting it? I’m presently biting down on a large chunk of mahogany, to take away from the pain of what i’m about to send swimming on to the net.

Goodbye.

I was bored and as there’s nothing to do over Christmas apart watch films and let Christianity finally do something good, by bringing  presents to me like I’m some fucking kid in a manger, so I decided to try and come up with my top 10 films of this year. This was 2 weeks ago, I have only just finished. It’s only until you do a list like this when you realise how many great films have been released this year. I wont be going much in to plot or detail about the films as I don’t wont to spoil any of the them.

Unfortunately I’ve yet to see a few that I really want to, mostly because they don’t get released here in the UK until 2011 so some films that I’m pretty sure would be on this list (Blue Valentine, Enter the Void, True Grit, 127 Hours…and a few fifty others) will not be.

So if the 3 (optimistic) of you lonely people, who somehow have nothing else to do, are still reading this, here is my list:

10. CATFISH

DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER, JUST GO AND WATCH THE FILM. And if you see the film, tell me, because I want to talk about it! But I don’t want to say anything more, as it will ruin the film. And it’s not because I don’t Know my thought and opinion on the film, it’s because it’s a film that doesn’t deserve to be spoiled. I did really enjoy Catfish though. Very well made, and it gets even more interesting after you’ve seen the film as you can research it. 

9. CYRUS

I’m a massive fan of Jay and Mark Duplass and so as soon as news came out from Sundance 2010 about their new film Cyrus I couldn’t wait to see it. I loved Baghead and recently saw The Puffy Chair which was also a really fun, honest film. Plus I really enjoyed Mark Duplass in Humpday. So from those films I’ve realised how natural and different their style of filmmaking is. The way they use a very vérité style of camera work makes all the scenes feel so natural and real, plus giving the actors the freedom of improvisation really helps it boost that natural feel. The cast is brilliant and there is just enough mix of comedy, romance and drama.

8. RED, WHITE & BLUE

I read an article about Red, White & Blue online after it played at SXSW this year, and it sounded great, then saw the trailer and it looked great, so when I got the chance to watch a screening of it at Uni, I was very much looking forward to it. It’s so beautifully shot with an amazing setting of Houston, Texas. The characters are so well written and interesting and to go with that the acting is brilliant, especially from Noah Taylor who’s character definitely changes quite drastically throughout the film. Plus it has some beautiful gore, and to put it blunt, it has balls to have some of the scenes it has.  I really hope it finds distribution as it deserves it, plus, I want to see it again!

7. KICK-ASS

Kick-Ass was probably the film that I was most looking forward to seeing this year. Luckily my high hopes didnt let me down when I saw it, as I loved it. It’s just a very fun film to watch. It has a brilliant balance of comedy, drama and violence that comes together to make the film amazing entertainment. Plus the direction by Matthew Vaughn, especially during the action sequences, is so fun and just suits the films brilliantly! One of the things that I loved most was Nic Cage’s performance, which was, to put it short, awesome. Some will disagree, they are wrong. Kick-Ass was financed independently and something that most people who would go to see it wouldn’t know, is that it’s a British film. Which, in my opinion, makes it 10 times better as if you ask a member of the British public to name a British film, they would most probably mention something that involves Danny Dyer and a football-induced  fight, which makes me depressed beyond help. So THANK YOU Kick-Ass!

6. FOUR LIONS

Four Lions is one of the best comedies in years. It’s characters are beautifully written by Chris Morris, and it’s totally original story is a pleasure to watch. You really feel empathy for these characters even when their motives are to become terrorists. The genius satirical comedy you see really shows how much of a brilliant writer Chris Morris is, and for his directorial feature debut he does an amazing job of suiting the script with beautiful comic timing. Finally the dramatic scenes really hit you hard as they should, even on multiple views.

5. MONSTERS

Monsters is an amazing film that shows a glimmer of hope for low-budget independent British cinema. I had no idea who Gareth Edwards was last year and now, in just the space of a few months, he’s become a hero of mine. Sounds sad, and is, but he is someone that literally just went out and did it. He used the skills he has in visual effects to create a realistic post-apocalptic world that is used as a background to a love story. And that’s the main reason I love this film. The whole deadly wild alien part is a beautiful background for a 50’s style romance to blossom….while trekking through a dangerous forest that everyone gets killed in. I loved the cinematic look to what was just essentially a film shot on a prosumer camera.  I can not wait to see what Gareth Edwards does next!

4. THE VICIOUS KIND

The Vicious Kind tells the story of a broken man. It’s not a happy film (you can tell that by the title) but it does have a spine of this amazingly written dark humour throughout. The thing that stands out from this small film the most is the amazing performance by Adam Scott. He went to being my favourite actor this year because of this film. His role of Caleb is supposed to be an un-likeable character but you just cant help but feel bad for him, and that’s what makes it so good. The different emotions that flow out from this film are incredible. The direction has that beautiful low budget indie feel and the blend between direction and script by Lee Toland Krieger is perfect. I don’t think it would have carried that emotion if someone else directed his script. 

3. SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is another film that I couldnt help but look forward to this year. I had been following the set videos from Edgar Wright since it started production in early 2009. I realised that my sad lonely wait for the film was worth it when the trailer came out showing a glimpse of something brilliant. Then when I finally got to see it I watched in awe. I couldnt help but love every second of this incredibly fast paced, original, funny, visually amazing, brilliantly executed, well cast, well researched beast of a film. No one could have executed this like Edgar Wright. He has made a visually insane piece of art here and the sad thing is not enough people saw it. Hopefully it will grow in popularity over the years though as it fucking deserves to.

2. INCEPTION

Everyone knows about Inception so there is nothing to explain about it. So i’ll just say my reasons why it’s my second favourite film of 2010. I loved the visual beauty, the characters, and of course the direction but the best thing was obviously the amazing story. It was like watching someone solve a Rubix Cube behind their back, then trying to figure out how they did it. That person would be Nolan, and he would be laughing at your dumb face the whole time. Is that a good analogy for it? No, probably not, but it’s what I thought. Certain people can bitch and complain about this film being obvious and over-hyped but when you have the amount of dumb-fucks who rush to the cinema for things like Twilight, which then undeservedly makes a shit-ton of money, those certain people should be glad when a film like this does well commercially, because films don’t make over 800 million dollars from just Chris Nolan fans alone. Those annoying dumb-fucks went to see it too, and luckily a lot seemed to like it, and maybe, JUST MAYBE, they will change their view on what a good film is and stop shouting Twilight quotes at me like I’m a fucking doll.

1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK

The Social Network is not a film about Facebook, it’s a film about relationships. Characters that are separated so beautifully in their individual ways. Characters that unfortunately are most probably quite fictional, even being based on reality. Aaron Sorkin wanted to write a brilliant, smart and poetic script and he did, but to do that he had to bend real history of these people. The factual Facebook side is intriguing as a lot of it is real, but these relationships, these characters, this beautiful dialogue  definitely defines “Based on.” And as much as it’s sad as these are real people, especially Zuckerberg, that have been changed for film purposes, I cant help but not care, as they are written so perfectly. The dialogue from the first scene at the bar and then throughout was so poetic and perfect I just could not lose concentration for a second. The only person who really could get annoyed by this film is Zuckerberg as they’ve portrayed him as an asshole, which I’m sure has been blown up for the film, but I’m also sure he’ll be fine in his mansion made of money. And I like Zuckerberg, I’ve watched a lot of interviews with him, and he doesn’t even seem to pissed about the film. Jessie Eisenberg made this film incredible. The way he delivers his lines as this character is, again, poetic. Fincher’s direction is perfect, no one could have made a film the same. The scenes are timed beautifully and the whole coloured look to the film just adds to how brilliant it is to watch.

So there it is, The Social Network is my favourite film of 2010. I await people who feel the need to complain about my choices, GO!

What is your Top 10 of 2010?

I was in all week last week to get everything finished in the edit with Ciaran. We used a lot of the feedback that we got in the group crit to tighten up the film, and cut it down a bit to get it under 5 minutes 30 seconds. On Thursday I was in to do the colour grading. I thought the footage we had, if it was to much like the original footage, it would look quite boring, as it did in the crit, plus it was a fabrication of our characters mind, so had to have something different to it. So I desaturated  it and tried to have the colour looking more like the light that lit the subject. It went down well with mostly everyone I showed it to on Friday. Unfortunately someone changed it all for the theatre scene while I was not in the room, which looked pretty bad as it didnt match the light and it looked to much like raw footage, plus like I said it is a fabrication of our characters mind, so it just looked wrong for the film. So me and ciaran had to stay until 6 re-editing it and watching it render. So that was lovely of whoever it was to waste our time. By the end of friday everything was finished with the edit, which was a great feeling, but also I was nervous as I have no idea how its going to go down.

I then used the weekend to write the critical analysis essay. I have never been good at writing essays but I do really want to try and improve on them. The only essay I have ever received a good grade on (that I can remember) is one where I analysed Inglourious Basterds. That one though was just a straight analysis. I struggled to write about the film and theory’s in the space of a 1000 words and I think it may just come across as bullshit. I tried though, and enjoyed analysing a film like The Squid and the Whale as it has a lot more depth to it than a lot of other films.

The last few months have been brilliant. I have learnt more in this short space of time on the course already than I did 3 years at college, which was just frustrating be taught at. Also to be surrounded by people who love film is awesome. Over the break I’m going to start working on ideas for the sound project which ive been excited about as sound in film is something that I have never been taught until I got on to the course.

For my critical analysis essay I will be using The Squid and the Whale. I have chosen this as the narrative in this film is explored beautifully by 4 amazing and dark characters. Its an incredible tragicomedy that has more honesty and emotion than most films iv’e seen and the style is just beautiful. It goes together with favourite films of mine with the same style, drama and humour like The Vicious Kind, Passenger Side, Cyrus, Greenberg and Humpday.