Short But Sweet: Up (2009)

Romantic Moment #4

Up (2009)

In Up, young Carl Fredrickson is a huge fan of Charles F. Muntz. He goes to the theater to watch his reels over and over. There he meets Ellie, a fellow Muntz fan, who takes him to her secret hideout, an old house that is falling apart. The two end up growing up together, getting married, and restoring the old house. They move in there and hope to create a family, but unfortunately Ellie is infertile. Instead the two plan a huge trip to South America and begin saving up. Just as they have enough money, Ellie becomes sick and dies.

A few years later, Carl has become a crotchety old man. He gets into an argument with a construction worker over damage to his mailbox and Carl injures the man. The court orders him to a retirement home, but Carl refuses to go. Instead he blows up a gazillion helium balloons, turning his house into a hot air balloon.

 After Carl has taken flight, he discovered a wilderness boy (i.e. boy scout), Russell, had been on the porch in hopes of getting his merit badge for assisting the elderly. When they reach South America their crew grows to include a tall flightless bird Russell names Kevin and a dog with a collar that enables it to speak English, Dug.

They run into a pack of dogs all with the same collar and discover that they were created and are owned by Charles F. Muntz. Muntz had discovered a new type of bird, but no one believed him, and after that left forever. When Muntz hears of Kevin, he thinks the two are trying to steal his discovery, going after Kevin with Carl and Russell having to save her. It is an extremely fun and adorable film.

****Most Romantic Moment****

The most romantic moment has to be the Carl and Ellie scenes. They don’t last very long but are extremely adorable. You see the ups and downs of married life and how strong their love is to work through disappointments, accidents, problems, etc.

Even when Ellie is dying she makes sure to leave Karl a note in her scrapbook in order to make sure he continues with his life.

Perfect!

I hope that if I ever get married I have something as special as they do.

Who needs riches or anything really if you have a love like this.

To start Romance is in the Air: Part III, go to I Can See Your Beauty: The Breakfast Club (1985)

For the previous post, go to A Tender Toll-Booth Token: While You Were Sleeping (1995)

For more on Disney, go to Right to Vote

Say Something Human: Warm Bodies (2013)

Say something human. Say something human.

So when this film first came out around Valentine’s Day I wasn’t really into watching it. It sounded really dumb, a romance between a zombie and a human? It sounded very much like a rehash of Romeo & Juliet.

I mean the main guys name is R for Romeo and Julie for Juliet

I’ve never been a big fan of the Rom-Ror (Horror-Romance), as the tend to be kitschy and just not my thing. I also hate how zombies are portrayed in the media these days. I don’t like how they have moved away from the Romero version, Night of the Living Dead, and have made zombies these super creatures. I mean how can something that is dead and decomposing have super strength, move super fast, and are these crazy intense creatures.

However, a TON of my friends went and saw it and really liked it. So when my boyfriend wanted to watch it, I was down.

I have to say that the film was better than I expected. I really liked the dialogue and the awkwardness of R the main zombie.

So the film starts out with their having been a zombie apocalypse (Although we are not told what caused it). Our main character, R, has become a zombie.

R: [voice-over] I wish I could introduce myself, but I don’t remember my name anymore. I mean, I think it started with an ‘r’ but that’s all I have left. I can’t remember my name, or my parents, or my job… although my hoodie would suggest I was unemployed.

He has some of the best dialogue as he talks about his awkwardness and angsts all over the place.

R: What am I doing with my life? I’m so pale. I should get out more. I should eat better. My posture is terrible. I should stand up straighter. People would respect me more if I stood up straighter. What’s wrong with me? I just want to connect. Why can’t I connect with people? Oh, right, it’s because I’m dead. I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. I mean, we’re all dead. This girl is dead. That guy is dead. That guy in the corner is definitely dead. Jesus these guys look awful.

R has his best friend M (Romeo’s best friend was Mercutio, R’s best friend is M) who they grunt together and spend some time together. He mostly roams around the airport collecting items and spending time by himself. Very much like WALL-E

R craves human flesh, “but at least [he’s] conflicted about it.” One thing he discovers is that if he eats human brains then he can experience their memories, which causes him to feel human again.

Now some way away, those who are humans have quarantined themselves in a city, building up a giant wall and have armed guards to keep the zombies out. One day Julie, a human and the daughter of the man in charge, goes out with her boyfriend, and others to forage for food. Her boyfriend, Perry,  is played by James Franco’s brother Dave.

Look at the smile on baby Franco, what a cutie!

R sees Julie and is attracted to her, and tries to get closer to her. They get attacked by zombies, and R gets shot by Julie’s boyfriend. R kills Julie’s boyfriend, and takes his brain. When he eats the brain, he gets the memories of Julie and Baby Franco together, strengthening his like for her. R knows that Julie will be in trouble if left there, and takes her to his hideout in the airport.

The two spend a lot of time together, eventually falling in love (although Julie doesn’t realize it right away). They also play cute ’80s music (which I love). R saves her from other zombies, but realizes that he needs to take her back to her own kind. Even though the two being together is changing him and causing him to become a person again. He also tells her about how he killed Perry, Julie’s boyfriend. (Romeo killed Juliet’s cousin Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet, R kills Juliet’s boyfriend Perry. Betrayal!)

It turns out that not only is R is changing, but his friends are too. They all start becoming more humanlike. R realizes this and goes to tell Julie sneaking himself into the human enclave.

Meanwhile, the Boneys sense that the zombies are changing and becoming more humanlike. Boneys are zombies when they have reached the point of no return, they become skeletons and get super strength and speed.

Now this I didn’t really care for as I didn’t like how the zombies were so powerful, they are supposed to be decomposing people! GET IT RIGHT!!!!

Shame on you director!

R goes to warn Julie and he finds her with her friend, Nora. (Nora is supposed to be the Nurse.) Now Nora is pretty funny. When Julie tells her that she has feelings for R, Nora responds how any sane person would.

Julie: I actually miss him.
Nora: You… you miss… him…
Julie: I know, I’m so stupid.
Nora: Like… like you’re attracted to him…
Julie: No, I don’t…
Nora: Like… he could be your boyfriend? Your zombie… zombie boyfriend?… I mean, I know it’s really hard to meet guys right now, with the apocalypse and stuff. Trust me. And like I know that you miss Perry. But Julie, this is just weird. Like, I wish the internet was still working so I could just look up what whatever it is that’s wrong with you.

When R comes, both Julie and Nora are excited to hear about the Zombies reverting back to being human, but realize their is no way they will get close to Julie’s dad the way R looks so undead. So Nora does the only logical thing; MAKEOVER!

The films end with a showdown, Boneys vs. Humans/Zombies. Julie & R find themselves cut off from escape, and they jump off a building into a pool. R uses his body to sheild Julie from the impact and saves her. She kisses him and the kiss turns him back into a full human.

The film ends with zombies and humans living together again, the zombies becoming more and more human everyday.

The film wasn’t that bad, it was a standard teen film, the angst and dialogue of R is really good. It had some great music in it like “Missing You” and “Hungry Heart“. If you can get past the clear Shakespeare shout-outs it should be a fun watch.

Here’s a cover photo I made for my facebook cover page this year:

Feast Your Eyes On My Accursed Ugliness: The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Feast your eyes! Glut your soul on my accursed ugliness

I love this movie so much that words fail to express how I feel. This movie was the one that not only was my gateway into horror films, but also caused a life-long love affair with classic cinema.

It all started one day at the library. I was about six years old and complaining to my mother that I couldn’t find any books to read. Nothing just felt right. You know what I mean, when a book synopsis just connects to you, and you know you need to take it home to read?

So my mother eager to get home, pulls a book off the shelf and suggests that I read it. Instead of paying attention to whatever novel she had in her hand, I saw the one behind it. It was The Phantom of the Opera; a slender, abriged, children’s version.

It became my new favorite book and I would check it out all the time, completely annoying my mother.

Later on I read the original, whole  version; which I also love. It is written so well, if you haven’t read it yet I highly recommend it.

I just connected with this poor man. He was bullied and betrayed because he was disfigured. No one paid attention to his genius in building and composing. He was living a life alone in isolation. I wanted to go underground with him.

I would have gone off with him and loved him unlike Christine Daaé, she’s a total jerk and loser.

Anyways, not long after I was flipping the channels and stopped on TCM. I love TCM (Turner Classic Movies) with a passion. I wish I could watch it 24/7 as they show the most amazing films ever.

Anyways, so that day they were doing a biography on Lon Chaney, and mentioned that he played the Phantom. I was now sucked in and had to watch. The film was the biopic Man of a Thousand Faces. Lon Chaney quickly became my favorite actor as I just fell in love with what a genius he was. He used to wait outside the movie studio, using his make-up to change his apperance to better fit roles. His most famous one being of course, the Phantom.

Afterwards, they held a marathon of his films, but I stopped watching as they didn’t show the one I wanted to see. I now had to watch the 1925 film! I did more research and found out that it is one of the first films to use color, only being able to for the Masque of Red Death scene. It was supposesed to be one of the most dramatic scenes in the film.

I now absolutely HAD to see that film. I went and rented it, hoping that it would be as good as it sounded. It was better than that! The film was not only horrtastic, but simply, and honestly amazing! It also stayed very close to the book, making only a few changes, and doing a much better job than some other versions (the 1943 one, so bad 😦 ).

Now I know that silent film isn’t for everyone, but I suggest that you check it out.

So we start off the film with someone lurking in the catacombs of the opera house. We don’t know who he is or what he is after. Then we switch to the opera house, and the creme de la creme of the elite milling about. Everyone is settling down as the show is about to start.

We see the ballerinas on stage dancing away.

Reminds me of Degas

Meanwhile in an office upstairs, the opera house is being turned over to new owners. Owners who know nothing of what lurks in the belly of the building.

For there lies the Phantom and a friend. A Persian man that had traveled with him since the Phantom has been abroad, but no one knows more than that.

So the new opera owners have gained a lot of problems with their purchase. Besides having to pay the phantom money, give him box 5, and a few other amenities; he is also demanding that they replace Carlotta with Christine, the girl he has been coaching. Needless to say, this is very upsetting for Carlotta.

I refuse to be treated in such a manner

In fact the Phantom has threatened Carlotta if she does not stay away. Carlotta is most unhappy; and leaves declaring she will not sing that night.

Instead Christine Daaé sings beautifully. She is also noticed by the stupid Vicomte de Chagny. I really dislike Raoul, Team Phantom all the way!

In the book Raoul struck me as a real annoying guy. Like one who is always trying to do different things; but only does them halfheartedly, always expecting someone to bail them out of a jam. Then again I could be biased.

Anyways Stupid Raoul notices Christine and tries to get with her. But she is not as receptive, in fact telling him kindly to get lost as she has her career to think about.

Stupid Raoul goes to leave, but actually, is secretly waiting outside her door to spy on her.

Now for anyone out there; if you tell a person you want a relationship to end and they don’t listen and spy on you, you need to call the police and get rid of them. I can’t believe him. Raoul just went from stupid to stalker. I mean who listens outside their ex’s door like that? Who does that?

So Carlotta decides to sing anyway, even though she has been warned that bad things will happen. The Phantom makes sure that she will never want to sing again.

“Erik: Behold! She is singing to bring down the chandelier!”

So Christine goes to her room and Raoul being the creep he is  follows her. Erik, the Phantom, calls to her and tells her to go through her mirror; which is really a trapdoor. The Phantom built the Opera House, so built himself a home underneath the Opera House along with tons of secret passage ways and hideouts.

The Phantom takes her to his subterranean home, across a hidden lake.

Christine is amazed and kind of freaked out being there with him. All she can focus on is the fact that he is wearing a mask. Erik starts telling Christine his life story, and the sadness it has brought him. She ends up fainting, and he carries her to his guest room; beautiful and full of things she will love. It has a whole wall of shoes!

The next day everyone is in an uproar as Christine is missing! She wakes up to hearing the organ being played by the Phantom. He has been working on an opera for a long time.

“Erik: Since I first saw your face, this music has been singing to me  of you and of –love triumphant!”

While he is romantically sharing his feelings, Christine is determined to rip off his mask.

Lon Chaney is truly amazing! I mean look at him! He is so awesome looking! So creepy! He is such a genius, devising his own make-up. The Phantom’s makeup was designed to resemble a skull. Lon Chaney attached a strip of fish skin (a thin, translucent material) to his nostrils with spirit gum, pulled it back until he got the tilt he wanted, then attached the other end of the fish skin under his bald cap. For some shots, a wire-and-rubber device was used, and it cut into Chaney’s nose and caused a good deal of bleeding. Cheeks were built up using a combination of cotton and collodion. Ears were glued back and the rest was greasepaint shaded in the proper areas of the face. The sight was said to have caused some patrons at the premiere to faint.

Christine is completely shocked at his apperance. Mary Philbin, the actress who played Christine, reaction to the unmasked Phantom was real – she had no idea what he would look like until that exact moment.

So the Phantom is upset, but Christine has to stay with him. He is not about to let her go. Now I know that is not appropriate behavior, but I feel so bad for him. She loved him until she saw his face, Now he has nobody. 😦

Then they have the most amazing scene ever! This was one of the first films to have color! They do this huge masquerade scene in color and he comes as the Red Death! It is too fantastic for words. I cannot describe it, you will have to watch it. His entrance, his outfit, etc.

Erik: Beneath your dancing feet are the tombs of tortured men! Thus does The Red Death rebuke your merriment!

Christine escapes from the Phantom and sneaks off with Raoul. They make plans to run away together, but little do they know that the Phantom has overheard everything.

Christine prepares to do her last performance, and as she is doing so, the Phantom comes and spirits her away. His only friend, a Persian courtier who has been with him through everything, goes to Raoul to lead him to Christine.

They go through the secret passage, but end up accidentally in the Phantom’s torture chamber.

The Phantom gives Christine two choices; she can choose to hit this ceramic scorpion,which means that she has chosen to marry the Phantom and be his forever, or the grasshopper which means death to Raoul and the opera house. The grasshopper if pressed will light a fuse of the gunpowder that is packed throughout the opera house and interconnected. Everything will blow! The scorpion is connected to a switch that will pump water into the bottom of the opera house and soak all the gunpowder and keep the opera house from blowing up.

She chooses the scorpion, but as the water starts to come up and drown Raoul. Christine asks the Phantom to save his life, that she will do anything for him if he does. He pulls Raoul out and then takes off with Christine, as the Parisians are hunting him down.

Grab your torches and sharpen your pitchforks!

The villagers follow in pursuit. As they are running, Christine throws herself out of the carriage. The Phantom goes to her, but the villagers are too close and he takes off. Raoul goes to Christine, and the Phantom is “killed” by the people.

I’ve never been a fan of that idea, you can’t kill the phantom, he’s unbeatable!

I love him! Is that sad and pathetic?

That’s the post for today. More to come! 4 days ’till Halloween!

Here’s poster I made for my cover page on facebook in honor or Halloween. Hope ya love it.

To start Horrorfest from the beginning, go to I Don’t Belong in the World

For the previous post, go to They’re Coming to Get You Barbara 

For more on The Phantom of the Opera, go to My Favorite Movie Lines

For more on classic horror films, go to I Want Friend Like Me

For more films based on books, go to Quite a Horror Story

For more films that spanned countless remakes, go to I Bid You Welcome

For more of my favorite quotes, go to I’m No Warrior, I’m an Assistant Pig-Keeper