Pop Culture Lists

Have all original films come out now? When a new film is on the horizon, we ponder about which other films it reminds us of.

Taking it Higher – Five Ways First Day of Camp Makes Wet Hot American Summer Better

Posted on by bryzmangous

Netflix’s original programming has been a revelation over the last couple of years, storming in with bold and interesting new releases. So this makes it totally fitting that the subject I chose to focus on is, in fact, a re-visiting of old material. In 2001, Wet Hot American Summer was released in cinemas to a muted reception but quickly became a cult classic with a cast of emerging stars, such as (MTV Movie Award-winner) Bradley Cooper and (winner in our hearts) Paul Rudd. To be perfectly honest with you, I always felt that the WHAS-train had left me at the station. Despite its sometimes brilliant moments, I thought the film often missed its target at absurdist humour and this left me feeling underwhelmed. So I was all the more surprised at how much I enjoyed Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. Whereas the film focuses on the last day at Camp Firewood, the series tells the story of the first (the clue is in the title). After I watched the series and film in quick succession (I refuse to use the word ‘binge-watch’), I found that the prequel series added to the depth of the film and to my overall enjoyment. Here are 5 scenes that I think add another layer of awesomeness to re-watching the film (and there are going to be spoilers, so go watch it now!).

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Five Reasons We Are Excited for the London Film Festival

Posted on by bennyshep

The August Bank Holiday has come and gone. The fall is upon us, which that could mean one of two things depending on your place of birth. The only things that are certain from both definitions are that the days are shorter and grimmer now, like in Salford. To elevate us all from this misery, the British Film Institute have come along, announced their programme for the 2015 London Film Festival and charitably given us something to look forward to.

The London Film Festival feels like a bit of an oddity compared to other major festivals, lacking both the volume of premieres or buzz that the “Big Three” of Berlin, Cannes and Venice exude, but also thankfully the frantic marketplace atmosphere of something like Toronto. It is simultaneously difficult to choose what to attend and, I imagine, difficult to organise as, not only have the majority of films already premiered elsewhere, but they are also generally receive a broad UK release fairly soon after the Festival’s final curtain closes. This is even further pronounced this year as one of the Official Competition entries has already received limited cinema release in the US (Tangerine) and another will hit Netflix just over a week after its initial screening in London (Beasts of No Nation). Still, if one avoids the Galas, there’s plenty of opportunities to find films that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. Here are five things that have us excited for the LFF. Read More

Ballers: The Grand History of Pro-Wrestlers on Film

Posted on by bryzmangous

Finally, the Rock HAS COME BACK to HBO.  Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson has been a very busy man since turning to film in 2001 and his latest project will be a full TV series for the aforementioned channel.

Ballers, produced by Mark Wahlberg, features Dwayne plays Spencer Strassmore, an ex-football legend trying to make the career leap into management.  The result looks like a cross between Jerry McGuire & Wolf of Wall Street and has been gaining a lot of excitement since its trailer release.

Undoubtedly, Dwayne Johnson has been the most prolific actor/wrestler in recent years with varying degrees of quality (For every Fast Five, there’s The Tooth Fairy).  Some may argue he has been the most successful, but there is a long list of other wrestling stars, big and small, who have tried their hand at breaking into the movies and it’s easy to see why; half of their job is acting and they’re in as good a shape as any action star.

So, I’d like to take a moment to congratulate and commiserate some of the best and worst performances put in by pro-wrestlers in film;

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Pop Culture Lists – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Posted on by bennyshep

Great news everyone! If you’ve been looking at your day as a 17-hour gap that needs to be filled with watching men of various sizes walk from place to place, while giant computer-generated armies flaccidly wave swords at each other in the background, you are in luck! The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is out now and completes Peter Jackson’s second trilogy in Middle Earth. It’s got us at Aut Hors HQ wondering which five cinematic armies we’d pick for a two-hour battle sequence.

1) The 300, 300

They stood against many, they dined in hell, they fought in the shade and they inspired generations of society pub crawls – they are the 300. Although I wouldn’t say this is a particularly good film, the action is fun and I’ll be damned if you can say it hasn’t become iconic. With an all-star cast, inspiring speeches from Gerard Butler and more male torsos than you can throw a Persian army at, they more than make a formidable force. – Sam Sheppard

2) The Seven Samurai, Seven Samurai

Who needs 300 men when seven will do? It’s certainly cheaper! Not only is this a truly great film, but these seven samurai definitely provide both the heart and the laughs on this list. They inspire both the village they protect and us, the audience, to stand up in the face of bullies – a very noble act. Furthermore, they manage this through sheer badass-ery – what more could you ask for from a group of misfits? – Ben Sheppard

3) The Empire, Star Wars

The epitome of totalitarian might – Star Wars’ imperial forces make for an army that expands the entire galaxy and they’ve got it all: formidable space ships, impractical yet unquestionably cool land vehicles, and waves upon waves of faceless soldiers that you can feel absolutely fine about when the protagonist murders a couple of dozen of them at a time (they’re even called storm-troopers in case your conscience was giving you trouble). What sort of additions will we see to this mighty force in the new films? Some target practice wouldn’t go amiss. – SS

4) 24th Regiment of Foot, Zulu

Worse than the aforementioned sci-fi Empire, the British Army circa 1880 did not comprise a great bunch of people – a fact made explicit by real-world history but less so in this particular film. So why does Zulu work so well? Three words: glorious Welsh baritones. – BS

5) Arnie, various

Ahaaaa play on words! But in all seriousness, the godfather of action could take on all the above and top it off with a hilarious one-liner. Take Arnie from any movie – even Jingle All The Way (t’is the season) – and he’ll beat some puny Hobbits and their hairy friends any day. Let’s all celebrate Arnie with one of the many YouTube quote montages out there. – SS

Pop Culture Lists – The Purge: Anarchy

Posted on by bennyshep

The end has nighed, society has broken down and the apocalypse has happened – or at least for one night according to the Purge: Anarchy. So we at Auts Hors have been pondering if anything were legal for one night, what long unrequited film fantasy would you live out? Anything goes and Ethan Hawke better watch out! As an aside, who on the big, bad, butt kicking, list of dystopian bad asses takes the bad ass biscuit? It’s time for the team to name names and chew bubble gum, and we’ve just run out of bubble gum…

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