Gangs of New York

Gangs of New York (2002) is a Historical Crime Drama which begins when Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) witnesses a great battle over American freedom between several gangs- one of which, his father, “Priest” Vallon (Liam Neeson) is the head, the “Dead Rabbits,” with the belief that immigrants own the land just as much as the ‘natives.’ The head of the opposing force is Bill “The Butcher” Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis), who feels that the Irish crawl into New York to steal the jobs and he wants them out. In the battle, Priest is slain by Cutting, and the story jumps 16 years into the future, where Amsterdam moves from a home for boys just outside New York back into The Five Points of New York where he was born. The Butcher is in charge of the district, and even has wealthy politicians eating out of his hands. Amsterdam reunites with a childhood acquaintance, Johnny Sirocco (Henry Thomas) who shows him the gang runnings in the town as they stand, now. He also introduces him to Jenny Everdeane who Johnny is hopelessly enchanted with, though she’s a devilish pick-pocket who doesn’t exclude him from her line of work. Amsterdam quickly sees the influence that The Butcher has over Five Points, and he embarks on a mission to move up in the district, even though that means getting closer to The Butcher, himself. His goal to avenge his father is just under the surface, however, and the question of American Freedom hangs in the air in a time of gang wars, and the fast approaching draft in The Civil War.

Martin Scorsese, the director of this picture, grew up around the setting of this story. He noticed early on in local graveyards how many layers the city had under its belt. His interest in the city’s history only increased when he read The Gangs of New York by Herbert Ashbury, written in 1928. Scorsese was enthralled with the idea of American Freedom between Americans, themselves, during the time of the Civil War. In the mid 70s, he decided to produce a film on the subject. He laid out a cast he would choose and everything, but he was an early director, and mostly penniless so he put the idea on hold. Later, in the early 80s, he had the fame and ability to produce this epic. He bought the rights to the story and with the help of writers Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan, he wrote the script. It was not for 20 more years, however, that the story gained the financial ability, perfect cast, and flawless writing to begin production. To make sure his historical facts were correct, Martin Scorsese contacted Tyler Anbinder, the author of “Five Points,” and a professor of history at George Washington University. The film was given a budget of $83 million dollars on first serve, and DiCaprio and Scorsese both took approved cuts on their salary to make it work. The entire set was built by hand, overseas in Cinecitta, Rome. It was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards that year.

By far the most striking things about this film are the costumes and sets, and there are hundreds of costumes. The set is enormous and well-crafted. It’s incredible what $83 million dollars will get you… perfection. The colors are alive and vivid. If you’re going to make a Civil War epic, this is the way to do it. Aesthetically, this is what every period piece dreams of being.

The second most striking thing is the character portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis of “The Butcher,” who is based on the real character William Poole of the same period, also called “The Butcher,” but who died about a decade before the climax of this film takes place. I had never seen this actor in anything before his work in this film, and I found his performance unique amongst the other actors, and very moving. He truly captures the essence of the New Yorker’s Civil War attitude against the union. His character was the most interesting, and his performance was the most engaging. Scorsese went to great lengths to learn the official “New Yok” accent of the times, citing recorded works by William Blake, and reading phonetically spelled dialogue in plays from the era. Day-Lewis was so committed to learning the speech that he’s reported to have spoken in the accent even out of character on the set for the duration of shooting.

 As far as directing goes, Martin Scorsese is one of the most committed, awe-inspiring directors I know of. Scorsese is nothing of not dedicated and precise. He goes to great lengths to produce a piece of art worth watching. In an era for film in which craftiness becomes more and more computer dependant, and characters more one-dimensional, Scorsese is a lingering breath of fresh air. He even hired an Italian man called, “The Magician,” who was infamous as a 30-year pick-pocket, to teach Cameron Diaz to do as he had. Scorsese is one of the giants of 20th century film making, and he continues into the 21st century as the same. I would recommend anything he touches, for it’s sure to have admirable qualities.

My general opinion of this movie is that it’s not the most unique thing I’ve ever seen. It’s not going to be my favorite film. It’s not the most well-acted, and it’s not the most well-written. That being said, it’s a fantastic film, and one that I openly recommend to anyone who enjoys epics, or Martin Scorsese’s touch as a director. This is a film that makes you want to learn the true story because it’s so horrific that it couldn’t be true… but a large part of it is. I don’t ever recommend learning fact from fiction because it’s backward and uneducated, but when a work of fiction inspires an audience to seek the true story, it’s doing something right, and that’s being done in this story. Like Titanic, it leaves a lingering impression and a want to see it again.

Being John Malkovich

Being John Malkovich (1999) is a Satirical Fantasy Drama in which Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) dreams of being a world famous puppeteer… or, at least, a working one. Instead, he performs on the street portraying adult themes in an otherwise childish medium because no one will give him the time of day. His wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz), urges him to get a day job while he waits for his puppetry career to kick off, and after being slugged by a girl’s father who witnesses his presentation of Abelard and Heloise on the street, he ends up at Lester Corp for a job interview. The firm is located on the 7-½ floor of the building, which cuts the ceiling so low that the employees must duck to walk the halls. Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) likes Craig and he gives him a job as a filer in the firm. At his New Hire Orientation, Craig meets Maxine (Catherine Keener) who he falls instantly in love with. But, as she tells him, if he ever got her, he wouldn’t have a clue what to do with her. Between a house full of his wife’s animals, Dr. Lester’s obscene fantasies about the secretary, Floris (Mary Kay Place), and Maxine’s adamant rejections for Craig’s flirtations- though she has no qualms about teasing him- Craig stumbles upon a hidden tunnel within Lester Corp that leads directly into John Malkovich’s brain.

This film was written by Charlie Kaufman, who later directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He wrote the script originally on the idea that it was about a man who fell in love with someone other than his wife... needless to say, the film branched out considerably from there, mostly on ideas that Kaufman just found entertaining. The concept of Malkovich was, in fact, one of the last details to come into the script. He showed it to Francis Ford Coppola to direct, but it was passed down to his son-in-law, Spike Jonze, who agreed. They pitched it to multiple companies where it was continuously shot down. Eventually, Propaganda Films bought the piece to produce it with Single Cell Pictures, and pitched it to numerous studios including New Line Cinema, who famously asked, "Why the fuck can't it be called Being Tom Cruise?!" They did not take the project. The film was given a budget of $10 million, and it kicked off into production with John Malkovich as planned, and certainly not with Tom Cruise.

The writing in this movie is spectacular. The plot is so well developed, and the characters so put together that it’s one of the most humorous and seamless satires I have ever seen. There isn’t a single moment that makes you feel like “Oh yeah, this is reality,” and yet, there’s nothing quite so underwritten as to suggest that there’s no WAY it could be reality. The writers were incredibly dedicated to treating this story- preposterous as it was- as a real situation, and they covered all the bases of, “What would happen if?” The concept itself is also completely original, interesting, engaging, and easy to work with. This film could have been TERRIBLE, but the writing was precise and deliberate and provided an excellent spine.

The actors in this movie couldn’t have been more well chosen. This is an atypical role for John Cusack, who did a tremendous job as a pathetic, naïve little man. This is the first role of Cameron Diaz’s that I’ve gotten to thoroughly enjoy. Let’s not forget about Malkovich himself… he is the PERFECT person to have this movie be about! John Malkovich really is one of the great American actors of the 21st century, and he really is someone who the general public has no idea about! There are not many actors you can say that about and have it be so true as with John Malkovich… he’s also so wonderfully eloquent and vocally demanding, that his lines, character, and even his delivery of “Craig” when Craig is supposedly controlling Malkovich are perfect. The scene of Craig enacting his puppetry through Malkovich in “The Dance,” is phenomenal and unforgettable.

The sound and cinematography of this film borders on the experimental due to the subject matter. It’s not every day you see a film like this- or any day, unless this is the film you happen to be watching. When inside Malkovich, the sound is both louder and muffled. The shots are bordered by black to form a circle- which I wouldn’t say I agree with. I understand the choice, because it does distinguish between what is an objective shot in the film and what is supposedly seen by Malkovich, however the human eye has such wide range that I felt as though being shot that way made me feel LESS like I was inside of John Malkovich than a regular shot would have. Perhaps a fish eye lens- or something in that family that’s not as distorting- would have been a better idea? I felt that the shots combined with the audio made me feel as though I was in a box looking out when inside Malkovich, which is not what the characters claim to feel when in his brain, but I did think it was an interesting effect.

I think EVERYONE going into film or writing or acting or philosophy should see this movie. It’s very amusing, very creative, shot well, well acted, and even though it’s over two hours long, there is no point in which it is boring. One the film is set up (and it’s set up well) as a satire, you can’t go wrong with it because it’s just unpredictable. There are many things that are displayed in this movie that can and should be learned by filmmakers before they try to put something out there. Even if you don’t like the film, I still think it’s influential enough that it should be viewed, because there really isn’t anything quite like this.

Ru Paul's Drag Race

RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-2011) is a reality television series in which Drag Queens from all over the world are selected by Miss RuPaul herself to compete to become America's Next Drag Superstar- for the period of one year, until another is chosen- based on their Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent. The third season just wrapped up, 13 candidates arrived in the work room on day one to get acquainted, knowing full well that one of them would not be returning the next day, every day, until only one would remain: the winner. Like all reality TV, the show offers its viewers an element of drama- and when you're dealing with Drag Queens, that element is usually primed and perfected- in a counterpart called, "Untucked," which follows the girls off the main stage during critiques and into the Lounge, where they dish on each other's wardrobes, potential, and personalities.

The show is directed by Nick Murray, who has done work in the past on Dr. Phil, and Ian Stevenson, who's track record is a little longer, with names like The Mole and the reality series The Biggest Loser. RuPaul himself acts as a counselor and role model to the younger Queens, giving advice and help as needed, whereas RuPaul the Queen Bee serves as Head Judge during Runway challenges in the climax of every episode.  In the seasons, there have been multiple different judges. As of Season three, the staples were Santino Rice of Project Runway and Michelle Visage, a former R&B Artist, as well as the occasional join in by Billy B, make up artist extraordinaire. The show features a guest judge weekly, sometimes relating to the challenge itself. Examples from the third season include Latoya Jackson, Eliza Dushku, Amber Rose, Aisha Tyler, and Wayne Brady, to name a few.

As far as Reality TV goes, the show has a great concept. Competition shows generally do very well because America loves a competition, and to watch one involving something you love is always good. This emerged as really the first televised Drag show in the US, setting a standard and opening people up as far as the idea of Drag Queens go. To the general public, Drag Queens are still something of a spectacular, rather than a person, or even something seen as disturbing. This is not the case. Drag can be compared to acting, make up artistry, performance art, and sometimes stand up comedy.
This show brings Drag Queens right into your living room, and gets you into their heads. In my opinion, this is one of the most successful reality shows I have ever seen, for many reasons, and the GLAAD Media Awards agree, awarding the series with, "Outstanding Reality TV Show" for the year.

I will not discuss certain eliminations or who won the Drag Race in any of the seasons, but- focusing soully on season 3- I will go into some of my favorite characters. The first of which is Shangela LaQuifa Wadley. Miss "LaQuifa... I said WHAT?!?!" Wadley. Shangela was the first to be eliminated on season two of RuPaul's Drag Race and surprised the cast with her last minute entry into season three. When she appeared on season two, she was only a baby in the art of drag, having only done it for a couple of months... it's truly amazing that she made it onto the show, at all. Come season three, she had a little over a year under her belt, and she had made quite a stir in the LA Drag scene. She's known for her stand up, singing and dancing, and wit. Unfortunately, what Shangela is NOT known for is her skill at beating face. Many a girl gives the baby queen a hard time in the show for not knowing how to blend properly, using a bad wig, or a wrong color. But, rest assured, "If Shangela's got somethin' to say about you, she gun say it TO you," as she likes to say. This Southern Lady has a few things to prove this time around.

Raja, otherwise known as Sutan Amrull, is a make up artist in the truest sense of the word, and a runway girl, tall, thin and tan. She also hails from LA, where she does make up work with big name celebrities like Adam Lambert- a close friend- and also worked for several seasons on America's Next Top Model alongside Tyra Banks as lead makeup artist. She's one of the oldest contestant, in her thirties, but doesn't look her age, and it certainly doesn't slow her down. She takes a perfect picture, and she pumps down the runway with power that no other girl displays, but she comes up short in moving footage, making her appear over-thought and jittery, as well as choreographed dancing. She's gone one Hell of a spirit, though, fashion, fashion, fashion, and a killer sense of humor. The judges might just be in love.

Delta Work is a plus size queen, and my favorite one I've seen thus far. Big queens in the past haven't quite been able to represent. This queen has it all. With one of the most genuinely sarcastic and blunt personalities the show has seen, she's hilarious, clever, and very hard working. She also beats the Hell out of her face. Such beauty in a big girl is not always easy to come by (simply because of a lack of confidence) and that is where Delta sometimes loses herself. She tends to fall back on being big- probably because she too is from LA, where body type plays such an essential role in one's life (LA is bullshit, no one should take them seriously :P) and it tears her down, a little. Her nerves may get the best of her at times, but Delta is gorgeous, fabulous, and certainly fierce. Might I just add... I want that dress.

Manilla Luzon was always my second choice for winner, even from the start. She's start, quirky and cute- even though the other queens tend to call her annoying. She acts at the drop of a hat to perfection and always looks stunning in a seamless blend between glamor and camp that some of the lesser contestants simply cannot accomplish. From the parody of a pineapple, to the Philippine First Lady, to the sexiest Big Bird you've ever seen, Manilla is one crazy chick. She's also in a relationship with season two contestant, Sahara Davenport, known for her ballet dancing and thin frame. Even when the pressure cooks, Manilla looks flawless, and she does her best. Her queeny attitude is infectious and adorable. But, unfortunately, for me, she was always runner up.....

Yara Sofia was always my favorite queen, right from the start. I loved her aesthetic, a mixture of strong, dark, wickedness with a cooky zany personality and a perfect body. She too is simply fabulous at knowing her own face, and creates some of the most insane headpieces I have ever seen. To quote Aisha Tyler, "that face-make up was, 'What, what,"." From Puerto Rico, she often struggles with her English, and on speaking challenges, she falls shorter than she'd like to-- or into the "Charo stereotype" that angers some of the other girls. One thing I absolutely adored about Yara was her ability to make friends without taking sides. Through all the backstage cat fights and drama drama drama, Yara pulled a poker face. She never said a bad word about anyone when things got heated, unless she herself was PERSONALLY offended by that person. Yara is a sweetheart, and provided us with the most emotional lip sync I have ever seen. Yara is a thing of beauty, and is my favorite queen of seasons past and all put together. Latina!!

The show has finished now, but it can be viewed at logotv.com to see the first, second, or the third season. The show is currently casting again for season four, which will air in 2012! Remember... if you can't love yourself... how in the Hell you gonna love somebody else, can I get an amen?