Of course I had seen better days, but considering I had an assignment due in a little under two hours, time was not my friend. I had to tell a story. I had to tell a story with images and video and a certain amount of narration. Shouldn’t have been too hard, right? I mean, telling stories is right up my alley. Didn’t stop me from putting it off until the last minute now did it? Well, here I am now, and I’ve still got a story to tell. So what should I say?
Or is that too dramatic for my classmates to take in? If only I had a clue about what to say.
Luckily, I consider myself a smart guy. Maybe I’ll think of something to show the class before I have to sell my possessions, move to Thailand and live on a beach with a radioactive monkey for the rest of my life. Fingers crossed!
Welcome to another addition of Jammin’ with Geoff! Big news happened out of Pinewood Studios this morning as you may have already heard. Sam Mendes, director of such incredible films as American Beauty, Road to Perdition and the most recent addition to the James Bond franchise, Skyfall was on the scene at 6am EST to unveil with great anticipation the title of the 24th feature and the follow up to the worldwide phenomenon that was Skyfall.
The whole video is below, but if you can’t wait like I did, just skip to 2:00. If you’re a huge Bond fan like I am, you’ll be glad you did.
Epic, right? Did you see that car? If I could sell my future romantic life for that car, I would! Because let’s face it, I ain’t getting lucky any time soon!
The first thing that caught my eye was the impeccable choice of name, also viewable below.
Fans of the franchise will know that SPECTRE – which stands for Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion – was an old-school terrorist organization that Agent 007 frequently came into contact with in the earlier years. Sadly, the memorable organization or it’s head hasn’t been featured on screen in over 30 years. Well luckily, after settling a dispute over ownership of the famed group of foes, SPECTRE will be making a big return in terms of plot and is also getting the great honour of being the title of the freaking film!
Another thing that has me as excited as a kid at Christmas is the amazing cast. Returning of course are Mr. Daniel Craig as James Bond 007, Rory Kinnear as Tanner, Chief of Staff, Ben Wishaw as the youngest Q ever, Naomi Harris as the gorgeous Eve Moneypenny, and taking over after Judi Dench’s unfortunate departure, Ralph Fiennes as M. They added so much to Skyfall and can’t wait to see them again for Spectre. A new inclusion to the MI6 family is Sherlock’s Andrew Scott as a fellow named Denbigh (It’s pronounced “Den-bee”. I had issues too). Joining him as new inductees to the film are Dave Bautista playing a henchman known as Mr. Hinx, Monica Belluci as Lucia Sciarra, Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann, and two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz as the main villain Bond will go up against.
Now many people figured that given Mr. Waltz’s status in the film, and then the reveal of the title, he’d be playing old school Bond baddie Ernst Stavro Blofeld. But on the IMDb page, he’s listed as Oberhauser. So from appearances sake, Blofeld will be waiting to return to the Bond franchise.
HOWEVER!!! I am of the belief that Waltz could still be Blofeld and here’s why. Recently, a ton of movies have been doing the ol’ bait n’ switch with characters. Star Trek Into Darkness revealed Benedict Cumberbatch’s villain John Harrison to be a classic Star Trek villain by the name of Khan. Skyfall made a pair of big reveals when Naomi Harris’ Eve was unveiled to be the iconic Moneypenny. Even Ralph Fiennes went from being Gareth Mallory to the new M. So who knows how many people will be knocked unconscious by Christoph Waltz simply for teasing him about his “real identity”. Only time will tell.
I do know one thing, I’m gonna be counting the days until November 6, 2015 when Spectre makes its big unveiling. Wouldn’t blame you if you did too.
Greetings movie buffs! Welcome to another addition of Jammin’ with Geoff. I’m Geoff the Movie Guy, your gracious host and today I’m gonna tell you about the wonder of Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic Interstellar.
Now before we begin, let me just say I am a colossal fan of Chris Nolan’s work. From The Dark Knight Trilogy to Inception and even Memento, it’s hard for me to dislike his projects. All that having been said, I just want you to know that currently, Interstellar is #13 on the Internet Movie Database’s Top 250 Movies of All Time. That’s pretty damned high. It sits at a solid 8.9 out of 10, above Inception at #14 and below Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back at #12.
It’s pretty incredible that Interstellar is ranked so highly, but it’s also pretty sad. This is a website where the movie-going public and film lovers like myself have decided that Interstellar was better than Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, Forrest Gump, Goodfellas, and CASABLANCA!! Only 12 movies outrank it including Schindler’s List, Pulp Fiction, 12 Angry Men, The Godfather, two of the three Lord of the Rings movies, and The Shawshank Redemption which sits comfortably at #1.
Now let me get to what’s right with the movie. Visually, it’s a stunner. When the Oscars come around, I’m sure this will be a technical contender. Of course, when you make a movie about a team of people who go into space to travel through a wormhole to find a planet more habitable than the dying Earth they left behind, it better be pretty damned… well pretty. And of course, Mr. Nolan has assembled a top notch cast. Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, the amazing Lynn Redgrave and frequent Nolan collaborator Michael Caine all lended their immense acting experience to enhance the viewing pleasure of the movie.
However, there are some things I wish to nitpick, but some of them are spoilers. If you’ve seen the movie and want my opinion, or if you just don’t care to see the movie period, click here.
Anyway, the movie ended in a bit too storybook fashion. It made me feel like a child a bit and the writing for that section was lacking. So I give Interstellar a 7.2 out of 10. Still a decent film, but had it really put some effort into a solid ending, I might think it could deserve a spot on IMDb’s Top 250.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll catch you next week with another addition of Jammin’ With Geoff! See you again, this side or the other.
Now my one little problem with the movie, and all things considered, it’s a pretty big problem. This is a problem Mr. Nolan runs into occasionally with his films: a flaw in the writing. At one point during the film, when all hope seems lost and mankind’s existence is doomed, it turns out that LOVE is the only thing that can transcend time and space. We’ve heard that story a million billion quadriceptillion times. (By the way, I made that last word up) Anyway, using the whole “Love across Time and Space” thing, we find out the things warning us about the impending doom of the planet was ourselves in the future from another dimension.
Welcome to another addition of Jammin’ With Geoff! This weeks discussion is a simple one. Namely, when are sequels okay and when are they like taking a cheese grater to your forehead? With these questions in mind, I take a look at the release of a brand new sequel by the name of Dumb and Dumber To.
My brand, simply put, is film commentary. Movies will be the main subject every week and with each week, a different topic will be centered around it. Previous topics included my passion for film, my five favourite war films in honour of Remembrance Day, and what movies to be excited for in 2014. The reason behind my doing this is simply because I love movies and believe that everyone can relate to enjoying a good movie, being inspired, delighted, terrified and moved by a movie and because they take us away when we want to get away. It’s a universal theme. My sub-group I’m aiming for is film aficionados in the 18-44 bracket.
Welcome to yet another edition of Jammin’ With Geoff. Remembrance Day is only a few days away, so on this week’s episode, complete without music for a more serious touch, I will count down the Top Five War Films of all time. Will your favourite film make the list? Have a listen below and find out.
In case you’re reading this, thank you for taking another interest in Gammin’ with Geoff. But if you’re new, welcome! Good to have you, and it’s Gammin’ pronounced ‘Jammin’ if you were confused. On this week’s addition, I’m going to be talking about the film Fury. First off, before I get too into it, wow, what a movie. It was compelling, dark, and incredibly realistic. It took the gloves off and pulled every punch it had and then some. Have a listen, check out the official movie site here.
So one of the hardest times of the school year is upon us. I’ve seen this season mess with my friends to the point they’re injecting coffee into their veins and pulling their hair out until they could pass for Dr. Evil. I hate to see this happen to my friends, so I’m offering up these little tidbits of advice that have gotten me through some dark times. With any luck, they’ll work for you as well as if not better than they have with me. Enjoy!
My favourite season of the entire year is upon us: Oscar Season. It’s the time of the year when the best movies come out and when I can sit on my hands in anticipation over how excited I am for those movies to come out. Now recently, I was privileged enough to see the best film of the year so far. It was Gone Girl and I was moved, disturbed, and captivated at how brilliantly executed the adaptation of the Gillian Flynn novel was. Now as good as Gone Girl was, I’m certain there are still better films to come, so without further ado, I present to you the five films I am most anticipating for the rest of 2014.
#5. The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
Now I saw the last two Hobbit movies on the same night I watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy for the first time (I know, blasphemy). One of the most inspired pieces of casting in film history was putting Benedict Cumberbatch’s magnificent voice into the terrifying dragon known as Smaug. The way he left us at the end of Desolation of Smaug was the best hook you could use to pull people into the seats to watch Battle of the Five Armies and I’m sure I’ll be sitting in the theatres like so many of you just to see how this epic trilogy concludes.
#4. Foxcatcher
Steve Carell is so much more than a funnyman. Don’t get me wrong, Anchorman and the TV show The Office are two prime examples of his comedic wit. But ever since seeing him do drama in The Way Way Back, I’ve wondered if he can do it again. Now that he’s taking on the true life role of schizophrenic millionaire John du Pont in Bennett Miller’s Cannes Film Festival hit, I can’t help but wonder just how evil he has become.
#3. Interstellar
The Dark Knight trilogy is now a distant memory for Christopher Nolan. Well done and congratulations on a solid set of films. Now he has this mysterious film about a group of astronauts who leave Earth to search for a more inhabitable environment after most of their current planet is dying. With a cast of gigantic star power, led by no other than our latest Best Actor winner Matthew McConaughey, Mr. Nolan sure has my sense of curiousity tingling.
#2. Big Hero Six
I’m a sucker for the animated. When I first saw the trailer for this movie about a big bouncy inflatable robot, I was laughing to the point of tears. This is a film I get more and more excited for every time I see a poster, a commercial, even the title has me squealing like a schoolgirl. Disney for me cannot do wrong and I’m severely hoping this will be no exception.
#1. The Imitation Game
The ingredients are all there. World War II drama, check. Biopic, check. Brilliant man shamed for being different, big check. This movie about mathematician Alan Turing breaking the Nazi Enigma during the war and then being condemned for being a homosexual captured the Grolsch Audience Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and since then has been riding a steamroller of popularity. Many are already calling it Best Picture material, but only time will tell if they’re right. I personally cannot wait. Mr. Cumberbatch, wow me.
If you asked me, I’d be able to tell you exactly how many movies I’ve seen in my lifetime. Just to save you the suspense, it’s 1,381. I currently own 400+ movies. I used to have a book keeping track, but I lost it. The very first movie I remember seeing was Pocahontas in the movie theatre in 1995. I still go to movie theatres regularly. The vast majority of the movies in my collection predate 1990, the year I was born.
So why the grand obsession with movies? Why this fascination. Well, if you recall my last post, you’ll know that I have Asperger Syndrome and one of the “quirks” involves a fascination with a specific thing. And as it turned out, cinema happened to be my passion. I think of movies every single day. I try and slip movie lines into conversations with my friends and sometimes, they don’t even notice. However, those that know me best always know to follow up my line with, “What’s that from?” The oldest movie in my collection is All Quiet On The Western Front which currently sits at #7 on the American Film Institute’s Top Ten Epic Films. #1 was Lawrence of Arabia, which sadly, I’ve only seen half of. To be fair, it is close to four hours in length.
Yes, there are legendary films which every film connoisseur should view that I haven’t. I have some movies in my collection that I’ve never watched! I just have them so I can save them for a rainy day. Some of the greats that I’ve never seen – take a deep breath, you can question and beat me up later – include A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Citizen Kane, and even Full Metal Jacket. I know, I’ve sinned. But keep in mind, only seven movies in my top 20 were made after the year 2000. Yes, my taste in film is expansive, classic (or old as some people call it), and vastly different from my friends. While most of my friends are squirming with anticipation for Friday to see Annabelle, a movie about a series of hauntings surrounding a creepy looking doll, I’m shaking with excitement over Gone Girl, based on the book of the same name where a woman disappears on her 5th anniversary and her husband is being suspected by the media as the killer.
Yup, when it comes to movies, I’m the oldest 24-year old in the world.
My name is Geoffrey Mendelssohn. I’m going to be 24 in two and a half weeks and I’m currently in my fourth college program. Normally, stuff like this wouldn’t surprise anyone except maybe for the fact that I have Asperger Syndrome. In case you don’t know what it is, Asperger Syndrome is a social disability similar to Autism only higher-functioning. The funny thing about me having it is that if you knew me ten years ago, nobody thought I’d do more than leave my own house and make friends at a school, let alone a college. Then, somehow, I managed to graduate from high school as Valedictorian, graduate two more college programs – one of which on the Dean’s Honour List – and move out of my parents’ place into an apartment with a dear friend. I even managed to impress my friends by singing Frank Sinatra in front of 300 students while getting my legs waxed. Here’s the link, just skip to 5:20. I’m in the Waldo shirt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoA6AnaHAsI
That was two years ago. After that, an infliction called Epilepsy was found in me after I had a grand mal seizure in my parents’ house. Or to be more specific, the bathroom which was less than two feet wide and I’m 6’5. After the diagnosis, I had come to a point where I thought my new illness would affect my life. It led me to leave my third college program, work for a year, suffer a breakdown, then see a career counselor about what I wanted to do with what I had.
Radio turned out to be the best answer. So after applying to Humber’s Radio Broadcasting program extremely late, I was accepted. I’m not sure what it is that they saw in me during the interview, but I must’ve stood out because I’m still here and for the first time in a long time, I have one incredible vision of what I intend to do with my life. Of course I have struggles. What life doesn’t? I take each challenge as a chance to learn and failing only builds character. Winning is easy, anyone can win. You don’t however learn as much when you win as you do when you fail, and I’ve learned enough to fill the Encyclopedia Britannica. People never even ask me about my Autism or Epilepsy anymore and I rarely think of it. Have you thought about it since I last mentioned it? If you have, you’re not focusing on the real me. I’m just like you, and hopefully, if you are like me, you want to change the world too.
radio humber life 