Director Movies

If a psychopath, serial murder, and lots of guts flying are involved,
then you know you are watching a Hollywood Horror film. It is now quite
boring and unsurprising how the ending will turn out: only the 2 leads
will survive. Viewers are complaining how predictable the plot always
turn out to be.

Hollywood then is making a new strategy to keep the viewers
interested: remake Asian horror films never seen before in the US.

The Ring started the trend. Based from the Japanese horror film,
Ringu, it turned out to shock American viewers. Its plot is quite opposite
with usual those of American horror films. It is not all murder and
blood; the story is very original about a young girl named Sadako
(Samara in the American version).

Japanese horror films tend to be very subtle making them twice as
scary. Hollywood just added more sound effects to adapt to the
usual American audience.

But American horror moviemakers still need to learn a lot. Surveys and
movie reviews show that majority still prefer the original Japanese
version.

By The Ring’s initiation, many Asian horror movies are remade by
Hollywood at present: One Missed Call (Chakushin Ari)starring Shannyn Sossamon,
The Grudge (Ju-on) starring sarah Michelle Gellar, The Eye starring
Jessica Alba, and Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara) starring Jennifer
Connelly.

Hollywood has finally taken cue on searching for new ideas on different
countries. This may be a good start to capture a better reception for
their films worldwide.

Clueless started it all. When Alicia Silverstone uttered the the phrase “tragically unhip”, the whole teen world began to feel conscious.

Modern teenagers are considered handfuls by their parents. They are too busy being “hip” that they just forget their own manners.

Teen films are usually about “modern” issues on teenagers like rebellion and identity crisis. The plot usually targets liberated and sensitive topics like sex, drugs and alcohol. Teens desperately want to blend and peer pressure is intense that any form of common sense just goes out the window.

I can remember one 18-year-old girl from a very conservative family who, after her first semester in college, came home pregnant. She told her parents she “did it” because she was mocked by her classmates for her virginity. This destroyed her whole future ahead.

Another 17-year-old boy died of heart failure because of a strange reaction to cocaine. He was pushed by his friends to try some so that he’ll be one of the “in” crowd.

Sex and drugs are very sensitive issues that should be discussed seriously with a mature adult and not among juvenile minds whose main goal is to be “hip”.

So is Hollywood to blame for this? Since the showing of Clueless in 1995, teen flicks became “hip” and at the same time became more obscene. Most are apparently encouraging rebellion and self-alienation from their families.

Most leads in teen films are girls with perfect hair and skin and guys with gorgeous cars and can have any girl they like. This has indirectly triggered issues on identity crisis, self-esteem and alienation.

Furthermore, this pulled issues on teenagers (especially young girls)having plastic surgery. They apparently forgot that they are in the awkward stage; that it is perfectly fine NOT to be perfect.

So parents should always have constant connection and communication with their children especially at this stage. Monitor movies that they watch, magazine they read and games they play on the net – just do it discreetly as it may possibly push them in the opposite direction if you won’t. Explain to them that it is alright to be confuse at this stage and it is alright to ask.

The definition of being “hip” will constantly change as time pass that you can’t really keep up. But manners and self-discipline will shine through even at the day when denims will go out of fashion.

So it doesn’t matter if you have “granola breath” or you don’t always go to trips “toward the mall” as long as you are not “clueless” about your values.

James Bond. Enough said.

Ian Fleming hadn’t known it (or maybe he did) but he created a character that will probably breath in the box office for probably years more to come.

James Bond started as a novel character by Fleming in 1953. Bond was featured in two short story collections and twelve novels that time. Almost a decade after, Dr. No, the very first James Bond movie, came to the big screen – and that started one of Hollywood’s favorite icon.

Agent 007, as Bond was also known, starred in a total of twenty-two movies to date. And others are still coming.

Fast-paced, action-filled and original, Bond films are loved and obsessed by movie-goers over the years. One would say, “Did you see the new Bond movie?”, and another one would automatically reply, “Who didn’t? It was awesome”.

Yes, the latest James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, earned millions of dollars during its first week of release– no surprise there.

James Bond is barely a character anymore – he is a legend.

“I am Bond. James Bond.” – one of the most popular Bond lines; James Bond was actually named after the author of a field guide book Birds of the West Indies, he was also an ornithologist – a Caribbean bird expert. Fleming had wanted a plain name for his exciting character.

And as if the character is not interesting enough, actors who were chosen to portray Agent 007 are preys to public speculation as well. The very first James Bond was Sean Connery; he did Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Lived Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, and Never Say Never Again. The latest is Daniel Craig with the 2006 Casino Royale, the currently showing Quantum of Solace and the upcoming (in 2010) Bond 23.

Other James Bonds include George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore. And you may not know it but David Niven and Roger Nelson also played Agent 007 in less popular movies.

James Bond, agent 007, will most likely remain in our hearts and in the heart of Hollywood. He will not live only twice but will be immortal just as diamonds are forever.