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2 posts tagged Film

Oct
07

AnyClip: It’s a Winner

I went to the NY Tech Meetup last night and got to see a demo of AnyClip for the first time.  I’ve been psyched about this project since I first heard about it (send me an invite!) and what I saw exceeded my expectations.

AnyClip is a tool that is useful.  Hallelujah.  We need more useful products being developed.  It answers a question that I frequently ask: “Where can I find that clip from that movie?”  People love movies - it’s a multi-billion dollar industry and that’s not going to change anytime soon.  Not only does AnyClip provide instant gratification in finding a scene you’ve been aching to see again, but it rekindles an interest in  a movie.  Both of these points are important.  You log on to AnyClip with a mission, and you leave with passion.

AnyClip is data heavy.  It crowdsources and uses algorithms to find the most relevant clip(s) for your search query.  Last night, Nate typed in “flux capacitor” and the first result was the infamous Back to the Future scene.  This morning I typed in “flux capacitor” on YouTube to see if it would generate the same results.  The first two results were videos of people’s replications of flux capacitors (they failed - and I don’t care), and the third result was titled “Hot Girl wants Flux Capacitor.”  It’s obvious that AnyClip is a powerful tool for 1) finding desired clips through keyword search queries and 2) finding relevant clips through general interest search queries (e.g. typing in Times Square will yield multiple movie clips shot in Times Square or containing content/dialogue around Times Square).

So who gives a shit about this product aside from movie geeks?  You don’t have to be a movie geek to like movies.  At least once a week I find myself thinking about a particular scene.  I’d go rewatch it if it wasn’t such a painstaking and time-consuming process.  AnyClip provides immediate gratification.  It’s like that song that’s stuck in your head and the only way to let it out is to figure out what it is and then listen to it.  Same thing goes for movie clips.

The only issue with AnyClip is that it’s an absolute legal disaster.  The only way I see this project being able to sustain itself is if it goes the Spotify route.  It’s going to need the consent and support of major movie studios.  Ultimately, I think it should be the studios who back the project, just like the record labels backed Spotify.  Like I mentioned before, AnyClip is a service that rekindles the flame between a consumer and a movie - this is a win for studios.  I think there’s a viable business model in there somewhere, whether it’s a premium service or it capitalizes on affiliate revenue sharing with major brands/sellers like Netflix and Amazon.  Either way, I’m excited to see this project grow some legs.  I think it’s poised to go far.

Aug
29

This review contains spoilers.  Read at your own discretion. I saw Inglorious Basterds last night with my family (including my 93 year old grandmother).  It was the quintessential Jewish bonding experience.  The movie was practically perfect.  I left with a certain glow about me.  There have been countless films about WWII Nazi Europe, a majority of which tell a similar story: Nazi cruelty, the plight of the Jew, battles and military missions, etc.  Tarantino takes this time in history and makes it entirely his own.  He turns it on it’s head and plays it out the way in which we all desire.  It gives us everything we need to feel glorioulsy triumphant at the end of the day.  As my brother described it, it’s two and a half hours of porno for Jews.  I’ll break this review into four distinct categories: Dialogue, The Basterds, Cristoph Waltz, and The Story. Dialogue: True to Tarantino form, the dialogue is impeccable.  With fluid and sometimes wildly humorous transitions between French, German, English, and Italian, we get an array of suspenseful, tension filled, and pleasantly obscure dialogue.  Each character assumes his own persona, but it’s those of Brad Pitt, Denis Menochet, Mélanie Laurent, and Christoph Waltz which shine the most.  Relative to other Tarantino films, it trumps the Kill Bills’ quirkiness and rivals the esoteric and didactic style of Pulp Fiction’s Samuel Jackson and John Travolta. The Basterds:  The movie is a misnomer.  It’s not entirely focused on The Basterds.  It follows the plights of numerous characters, but it’s that of The Basterds which is most engaging.  They’re a crew of Nazi-killing American Jews led by Tennessee native Brad Pitt.  They kick ass in the most unabashed, inspiring, and merciless-bad-boy-let’s-fuck-them-up way possible.  My only complaint is that I wish there were more Basterd scenes - I was craving some serious action. Cristoph Waltz:    Do not pass go.  Do not collect two hundred dollars.  Just give this man the Academy Award.  Before Tarantino found him, his claim to fame was that of a German TV actor.  I can assure you that will no longer be the case.  This is the breakthrough performance of a lifetime.  International stardom is on the horizon for this guy and he deserves it more than anyone else out there.  He’s the only Nazi character in a movie with whom you’ll fall in love. The Story:  Perfection.  The movie is divided into 5 disctinct chapters, two of which are stories in and of themselves.  They’re suspenseful, the music is perfectly scored (what else would you expect from Tarantino?), and the plot is magnificent.  Like I mentioned before, Tarantino took this piece of history and did exactly what he wanted to do with it - he burned Hitler and his council to the ground, but not before shooting off their faces with machine guns.  It’s the most bombastically victorious WWII movie out there. I’m not one for writing long reviews, or even reviews in general for that matter; however, this movie inspired me to do so.  It really is just that good.  If you’re a Tarantino lover, you’ll be thrilled.  But more importantly, if you’re looking for an all-around satisfying, feel-good experience, this is it.  In his own sick and twisted yet genius way, Tarantino has struck gold again.

This review contains spoilers.  Read at your own discretion.

I saw Inglorious Basterds last night with my family (including my 93 year old grandmother).  It was the quintessential Jewish bonding experience.  The movie was practically perfect.  I left with a certain glow about me.  There have been countless films about WWII Nazi Europe, a majority of which tell a similar story: Nazi cruelty, the plight of the Jew, battles and military missions, etc.  Tarantino takes this time in history and makes it entirely his own.  He turns it on it’s head and plays it out the way in which we all desire.  It gives us everything we need to feel glorioulsy triumphant at the end of the day.  As my brother described it, it’s two and a half hours of porno for Jews.  I’ll break this review into four distinct categories: Dialogue, The Basterds, Cristoph Waltz, and The Story.

Dialogue: True to Tarantino form, the dialogue is impeccable.  With fluid and sometimes wildly humorous transitions between French, German, English, and Italian, we get an array of suspenseful, tension filled, and pleasantly obscure dialogue.  Each character assumes his own persona, but it’s those of Brad Pitt, Denis Menochet, Mélanie Laurent, and Christoph Waltz which shine the most.  Relative to other Tarantino films, it trumps the Kill Bills’ quirkiness and rivals the esoteric and didactic style of Pulp Fiction’s Samuel Jackson and John Travolta.

The Basterds:  The movie is a misnomer.  It’s not entirely focused on The Basterds.  It follows the plights of numerous characters, but it’s that of The Basterds which is most engaging.  They’re a crew of Nazi-killing American Jews led by Tennessee native Brad Pitt.  They kick ass in the most unabashed, inspiring, and merciless-bad-boy-let’s-fuck-them-up way possible.  My only complaint is that I wish there were more Basterd scenes - I was craving some serious action.

Cristoph Waltz:    Do not pass go.  Do not collect two hundred dollars.  Just give this man the Academy Award.  Before Tarantino found him, his claim to fame was that of a German TV actor.  I can assure you that will no longer be the case.  This is the breakthrough performance of a lifetime.  International stardom is on the horizon for this guy and he deserves it more than anyone else out there.  He’s the only Nazi character in a movie with whom you’ll fall in love.

The Story:  Perfection.  The movie is divided into 5 disctinct chapters, two of which are stories in and of themselves.  They’re suspenseful, the music is perfectly scored (what else would you expect from Tarantino?), and the plot is magnificent.  Like I mentioned before, Tarantino took this piece of history and did exactly what he wanted to do with it - he burned Hitler and his council to the ground, but not before shooting off their faces with machine guns.  It’s the most bombastically victorious WWII movie out there.

I’m not one for writing long reviews, or even reviews in general for that matter; however, this movie inspired me to do so.  It really is just that good.  If you’re a Tarantino lover, you’ll be thrilled.  But more importantly, if you’re looking for an all-around satisfying, feel-good experience, this is it.  In his own sick and twisted yet genius way, Tarantino has struck gold again.