To those in the know, Layer Cake is the landmark British crime drama of the 21st century. Since 2004, it has continued to impress audiences, and for two solid decades it is still going strong, gaining new fans as it finds its lane along with other captivating and gritty stories of narrative quicksand like The Game. It’s clever, complex, serious as cancer, but also one entertaining ride book-ended with one of the best opening sequences and closing shots of all time. To the fans out there, you’ve helped make it resonate. To those yet to be initiated, welcome, you are in for a treat. The film had a proper release…
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Back to the Orchestra: The Sound of VCRs, Analog TV, and Flying Cars
Some things have certain smells that have the capacity to transport to a very specific place. Be it your mother’s cooking or the perfume of the one you shared your first kiss with, you can go to a specific memory and relive it over and over. How about the cinema? Can the smell of stale popcorn, artificial butter flavoring and dirty carpets take you some place? The same thing happens with sounds and music. Film scores have been part of cinema ever since sound was incorporated into the reel. Can you imagine Indiana Jones fighting Nazis without John Williams’ score in the background? Or Marty McFly riding his skateboard without Alan…
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Editorial: The Sacredness of Family Values in Netflix’s ‘Ozark’
5 years, 4 seasons, 44 episodes. And still some things remain left unsaid. In Ozark, a middle class family is forced to move to a remote place after a big secret is revealed. I won’t share much because some things are best if seen, but after 5 years of knowing the Byrdes, it’s hard to imagine if they had stuck together like they did, if their lives hadn’t been threatened at first. It’s not that they should welcome the horrible set of events. In a scene that’s on the season finale, the Byrdes survive a horrible accident without a scratch. This is an act of god. Note the lower case.…
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Editorial: What is the Perfect Summer Movie?
If you hadn’t noticed, the days are getting longer, and the heat just won’t quit. What does that mean? Looking at the calendar, today is the first day of Summer – a time when the world eases into that time-honored tradition of watching movies in the cool of the cinema. But what to watch? Something loud? Something scary or funny? For my money, I’m looking for the perfect Summer movie. Now, if you’ve been burned by trailers misrepresenting films or giving everything away, a perfect film is not an easy thing to find. What is the perfect Summer movie? The answer is up to you. To help answer that, I’m…
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A Decade Full of Memories: The Life and Times of Go,See,Talk!
Hey, GST fans. Today is a special day in Internet history. I’m proud to share with you that it’s been a full decade since I started this site! For this anniversary/editorial post, I wanted to write more than a catch-all piece recapping highlights from the previous year. Well, there is some of that below, but I hope this look back can also offer a way forward – tips along with lessons learned – for aspiring film journalists or hobbyists like myself. In a way, I’m speaking to me in 2009, and on that note, I can’t help think of Christopher Lloyd’s famous line from Back to the Future, “My God. Has…
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[Fantastic Fest 2018]…Four Years Covering the Best Damn Fest There Is
Since starting GoSeeTalk in 2009, I’ve attended Fantastic Fest four times (oddly, I have been on even years since 2012), and 2018 might just take the cake. In three-and-half days I saw 11 movies, wrote 4 full reviews & 6 mini write-ups, conducted 3 interviews, slept roughly 7 hours in total, downed dozens of beers, and had the best damn time yet! But it’s not just the quality of films that make for a great time. The more time I spend at festivals, I find what keeps me coming back are the personal experiences more than the narratives playing to die-hard genre film fans. And believe me, I have my share…
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Great Scott!!…’Back to the Future’ Turns 30
This is heavy. 30 years ago, lightning struck the clock tower of an unassuming California town, and the world hasn’t been the same since. Back to the Future is an incredible piece of filmmaking – full stop. Further, it is one of the rare occasions where a film’s legacy is only eclipsed by its fun factor. The landmark film has inspired countless filmmakers, artists, and entertainers…there are even Back to the Future LEGOs if that tells you anything. The impact it’s had on pop culture shows that the property has truly captured the hearts of an entire generation. In fact, years ago, we created a blog event titled “Films That…
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Strange and Wondrous Times: Six Years on the Web and A New Baby At Home
A few weeks ago, Brad Bird’s latest film, Tomorrowland, hit theaters. It’s had a mixed reception but we can’t really weigh in on the consensus. Why? We haven’t seen it yet. How did we not see one of the most anticipated films of the year? Well there’s a reason for that (that little nugget I’m holding in the header image has something to do with it), and, truth be told, I’ve missed a few other very notable films this year as well. I lead off with mention of Brad Bird specifically to bring up a line from his 1999 film which has been going through my head for many months…
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Exclusive: Director Jorge R. Gutierrez, Composer Gustavo Santaolalla, and Reel FX Creative Team Explain Story, Music and Mexican Heritage in ‘The Book of Life’
Back in August, writer/director Jorge R. Gutierrez gave a small presentation to select local press outlets at Reel FX studios. While there, we got to hear all about his film – from its humble beginnings to the nearly finished product – which is a co-production between the Dallas-based animation studio and 20th Century Fox. Last month we posted an article about our exclusive tour of the Reel FX studio, as well as our 1 on 1 interview with Gutierrez and his team. This follow-up post will take a closer look at The Book of Life and explain the design of the film, give insight into the symbolism in the story, as well as touch on…
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2014 Fantastic Fest Recap: The Best and the Rest of the Best Damn Fest There Is
Any film festival that you are lucky enough to attend as Press will find you struggling with, among other things, 1. seeing as much as you can, 2. writing about as much as you can, and 3. somehow finding time for sleep so you can keep doing both. Ah, tis a wonderfully viscous circle if ever there was one. Well, as with the best of intentions, sometimes your review aspirations have to yield to personal health (and sanity). You’re there to enjoy the fest after all, so the main thing is that you don’t get burned out. Pace yourselves dear friends, pace yourselves. In 2012 I learned that sometimes a festival…
