Nightcap 2/21/15 random reviews, 50 shades and Randi's links

there's no time to look cool when you gotta blow up the bad guys-Hubert

An early Nightcap is due tomorrow being the Oscars so in addition to the regular review I'm running some You Tube alternatives to the telecast and a preview post for the New York International Children's Film Festival.
---
Everyone is getting all hot and bothered about the 50 Shades of Typing, er, Gray film. Is it good, is it bad. What does it mean for society.

Most people I know don't care...about the film.

What they do care about is the abuse in the books and the fact that they are worrying that the controlling nature of the relationship in the film and books hits the borders of abuse. I can not say if it does cross the line or not. I have not read enough of the original book to say that it is anything other than not particularly well written and I have not seen the film, not do I have any intention of seeing the film.

What I can say is that the way the commercials make the film look it is kind of abusive. In the commercials its not the "do what I say or I'll beat you" sort of thing but it;s a "if you want all of the cool stuff I'm showing you you'll do what I say"  sort of abuse. And yea that's abuse. quid pro quo behavior like that is definitely abuse especially since the girl is suppose to be so naive.

As for the physical stuff, if you are consenting adults and you enjoy that sort of thing go for it. The key is you have to have consent. I'm not sure what the deal is with the books but I've heard there is rape and all sorts of other unfun stuff there in what is suppose to be a grand romance.

I've been around the block a time or two I know at least one young lady who would have given Gray a run for his money- but they at least knew when to reign it in.  On the other hand I've also had friends who were abused to the point of near suicide because of the tactics Gray employs in the books. Controlling your partner for shits and giggles is abuse- even if it starts as consensual.

Am I for banning the film or anything like that?  No. That sort of stuff is out there and there is no point in hiding it. I am also not for banning what people do in the bedroom. What I am against is making the controlling nature of someone like Gray sexy so that women and girls who don't know any better think that's the way to go.Its not the way to go since guys who are going to control your life are going to shit all over you and potentially kill you.
---
I saw a couple of recent releases in the past week-

JUPITER ASCENDING is a mess. Give it points for trying to do something, but its a mess. I think I would have liked it more if I didn't want to smack the shit out of Eddie Redmayne. I'm definitely going to try it again on DVD.

IMITATION GAME is the story of Alan Turing who cracked the Enigma machine in World War 2. I have three things to say as a result of seeing it:
1. Its a good film lacking in a certain complexity it seems to think the advance math gives it.
2. Watching it I discovered why I don't like Benedict Cumberbach-he has one facial expression. yes he's vocally great, yes he can move his body- but he always seems to have the same expression on his face no matter what happens in any movie
3. I desperately want a film that focuses on Turings achievements during the war  that doesn't feel the need to add in his suicide as if that some how defines him or what he did better than the mere fact that what he did was miraculous whether or not he he was gay and met a sad end.

AMERICAN SNIPER is good. I don't know what more to say other than I don't know why we should care about this guy in particular. Frankly he's a bit of a dick so I don't know why we should care. I mean he's guy who kills people, and? Beats me.  I will say that I like that it doesn't feel like an Eastwood film. Its not bad but Oscar material? I think not.
---
And as always we close out with Randi's links

Matthew Monagle has started a new blog CinExpectations
You can't expect everything to remain on the internet
Someone built a robot from CASTLE IN THE SKY
Do films need to be accurate?
Cult Classic T-Shirts
A New Sherlock Holmes Story?
Kim Jong-il and the great Movie Star Kidnap plot (Thank you Bully)
---
This week expect some new stuff, some old stuff and some stuff tying into the Children's Film Festival plus reports from Film Comment Selects and todays Tezuka screening at The Japan Society