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MONSTERS – Review
First, the raw numbers: this is director and writer Gareth Edwards’ first feature, the movie cost a purported $15,000, internationally speaking the film has grossed over 1.5 million dollars, this is the one film you need to see this fall.
One of the spectacular aspects of a movie that is labeled sci-fi even though we only really glimpse the science of the fiction at the very beginning and then near the end which, really, is the crowning achievement of this little film that could, is that this movie exists at all. Actor Scoot McNairy, last seen in the very sweet and gentile film In Search of a Midnight Kiss, and his co-star Whitney Able are essentially starring in a film where the plot centers around a NASA probe that fell to earth bringing with it a squid like race of aliens who were quickly quarantined and contained. Now, you have a photojournalist (McNairy) who is willing to comprise the boundary in order to get a story but finds his plans scuttled by his boss daughter (Able) needing safe passage out of this hot zone by any means neccessary.
What Edwards creates is not a visual feast, one would expect that out of a man who has built his reputation on crafting digital effects that ultimately won him a BAFTA award for his special effects work, but a movie that knows how to look like it was shot for millions more than it was. It’s a character piece that has as its backdrop an alien invasion, what it would be like to be a normal person in the middle of an incredible situation. McNairy shines in a role as a man who does more in simply interacting with his co-star than reacting like an unhinged hero that would ostensibly would have been his fate had a studio had its way with this movie.
That’s where this movie is brilliant, you understand. There would have been a ratio of monsters to humans on screen if anyone else but Edwards filmed this movie and it’s so much better for it. There are moments where you can tell that this movie was shot on location without any regard to proper staging or formal set-ups, there’s a real run and gun feel to its pacing, but in a movie where time seems like such a precious commodity as these kids attempt to make for the coast to get out of a situation that ultimately pays off with a delightful effects barrage at the end of the film that is wonderfully timed. Again, if we had large set pieces throughout the film it would have taken away from the jolt that the ending brings, it would not have felt as special as it does. As it stands, however, the movie withholds its science fiction payoff until you find yourself nearly demanding we get something on the order of a full scale alien invasion. It’s of little interest to me, however, as the power of this first feature comes in the form of the relationships we see blossom in a way that feels genuine and real.
Edwards is concerned with relationships as this is what millions in effects cannot buy: good performances. Believable performances. The allegory and subtext and everything else is just secondary to the moments we see where McNairy and Able come together in order to survive. It’s so much more satisfying to know that you can have special effects and good acting, the two not mutually exclusive, and Edwards genuinely delivers a special effects gut bomb that gives a preview of a filmmaker that is capable of going against what you’ve come to expect out of your action films. Edwards proves that reflection and human relationships can coexist with squid-like monsters that go bump in the night.
While some may take contention with any number of flaws that seem to be de rigueur for any nerd looking to pick apart a film like this for its construction it’s not deserving of anything less than high praise. Praise for being a movie that shows what going back to basics can do and how, if you just focus on the core elements of what a good story should include, it is nothing less than an amazing achievement and sleight of hand as Edwards makes you believe there is a lot more money up on the screen than there is. It’s there, though, it’s in the performances.
DEAD SET – Review
Without question, this is the program you should be watching on Halloween. Yes, after you’re done playing around watching movies that have no real scare value you ought to be tuning your television to IFC on Sunday night and look upon a UK production that found a fresh angle on the zombie genre. The premise seems deceptively simple yet is profound in not only defining the larger issue of what George Romero was going for in his own work but establishing a new benchmark for what it represents in the 2000’s.
Writer Charlie Brooker and director Yann Demange suppose what it would look like if a zombie apocalypse closed in and around the perimeter of a television show. Big Brother, to be exact. What it would look like if the self-obsessed and vain members of a reality program had no idea that a flesh eating horde was eviscerating and ripping through the innards of the staff tasked to film them 24/7? It would look and feel a lot like it does here and I couldn’t have been more tickled at not only the way things just explode early on in this 5 part series but that from a sociological perspective it is redefining the zombie genre for a legion of viewers who might get the implicit meaning of why these dead heads are all converging on this little studio which feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere.
One of the sheer delights of this program is watching Jaime Winstone who is utterly electric in not only conveying the right amount of terror but, when it’s needed, is able to be convincing as a person who is able to step up and get control of all the situations she’s put in. And the situations are numerous. From evading the initial invasion where the body count is high and everyone is a possible victim thanks to a cast that is all but unknown to laypersons here in the States. Part of the awfulness of modern U.S. interpretations of zombie horror is if you have a cast of folks people know it kind of takes the fun out of the randomness of it all. Who’s going to get it next? Who’s gonna die? All questions that are never taken off the table as Winstone, who plays Kelly, makes her way to relative safety.
The members of the Big Brother house, thinking that their being cut off from any interaction from their television producers is an elaborate stunt, are blissfully unaware at the gradual onslaught that is creepily coming closer and about to befall them. The politics of reality television, right in the middle of a story where people’s intestines are being consumed, are seamlessly woven into a script that is tight and moves at a pace that you find yourself hoping will slow down if to only take it all in.
Sure, there are moments of relative calm and introspection but the thing about this series is that it is building to something. It’s building to a crescendo where zombies are going to overrun the Big Brother house and we see how those living there deal with what happens when it does.
The ending, it should be noted, is one that completely satisfies. Not in a long time have I seen a story finish with as much bold dedication to knowing that the people who made this did so fully realizing there wasn’t going to be a second or third installment. Zack Snyder ‘s Dawn of the Dead had an ending that supposed there wasn’t going to be a next installment and Dead Set is no different.
The performances are thoroughly delightful in this entire series as the ever increasingly small amount of space not occupied by flesh eating corpses leaves us with a showdown that won’t leave you hungry. You cannot do better than free on Halloween night so treat yourself to a series that will reaffirm that there is still blood running through the veins of this genre, that there is still something worthy to say about the culture we live in and the zombies that roam within it.
Ten You Need to Dig Up – Ray Schillaci
Every Halloween critics and fans alike start a ten best list omitting a lot of good scares for the season. We are well aware of the impact “The Exorcist” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre and “Halloween” had on our sleepless nights. Even some of the more obscure have made the people’s ten; “Re-Animator” “Phantasm” and “Basketcase”. This is why I have gone to the trouble of finding some overlooked gems that are classics in their own way. All of the following can be rented at Blockbuster, Red Box or Netflix. Below I’ve given a brief description, free of spoilers. Enjoy.
The Burrowers ““ A creepy little horror/western yarn that succeeds in bringing both genres together for the fans. A family of settlers disappears under mysterious circumstances and a rescue party find themselves immersed knee-deep in sub-humanoid terrors. Not as intense an experience as “The Descent” but edgier than 2004’s western/horror opus, “Dead Birds”.
Midnight Meat Train ““ What can one say about a story by Clive Barker? When filming the man’s vision you either sink (like “Rawhead Rex”) or swim (“Hellraiser” or “Candyman”). This one swims a 10 minute mile. MMT stars Bradley Cooper before he became a big name and the foreboding charms of Vinnie Jones (“Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels” “Snatch”). A photographer tracks down a serial killer on the subway trains. What transpires is not for the faint of heart. Brutal, gruesome and poetic, this tale has been eerily realized to film. It would be a crime not to experience this one on Blu-Ray.
Grace ““ One word”¦ Nasty. This film is wrong on so many levels, but the bizarre storyline coupled with the unnerving direction insists that you watch it through to the end. A woman who has had several miscarriages is almost able to carry to term, when she is told a month or so before that she is carrying a dead fetus. She insists on continuing to carry it to term. What happens from there is the stuff Hitchcockian nightmares are made of.
Zombie Strippers ““ I know what you’re saying, “Jenna Jameson? Why is this on a list of any kind?” For those who loved Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s “Grindhouse,” you will find this film fitting that bill. It’s all in the name of fun and gore. The acting is capital “B” and the effects are a joy. It caters to the lowest common denominator with its nudity and over-the-top violence. It also has many of us laughing out loud because it never tries to take itself seriously, but does deliver on a very primal level.
Teeth ““ This one hurts (especially for us men). A gruesome little independent entry involving a young woman coming of age and discovering her period is not the only thing that is about to give her trouble. Hint; it comes equipped with teeth and spoils any chances of a serious relationship. What’s a girl to do?
Splinter ““ One of those rare movies that makes you question, “What in God’s name am I watching?” A claustrophobic edge-of-your-seat thriller that has several people barricading themselves in a gas station convenience store in the middle of nowhere while some mutated splintery thing attempts to absorb them. A great cross between the John Carpenter favorite, “The Thing” and the classic, “The Blob”. Except this entity has spines and breaks apart bone and flesh while interacting with it. This shocker is an utterly gruesome display of sights and sounds.
Shallow Ground ““ A movie that is are hard to watch even during the credits. A naked teenage boy covered in blood is discovered by a small town sheriff. The mystery; where is he from and whose blood is on him? This is a true nail-biter that can be very difficult to watch for some. Don’t let anybody tell you the ending.
Let the Right One In ““ You might have heard of the American version, “Let Me In”. But no matter what you have heard, it will not prepare you for the most beautifully told vampire movie ever made. It’s both subtle and frightening. The acting is top drawer along with everything else. The only qualm I have is that the Magnet DVD release has not been true to the original subtitles from the theatrical release and you should not watch this film dubbed. It would be a crime. You may not understand what the actors are saying (except when you read the subtitles), but their voices are haunting along with the imagery.
Coffin Joe Trilogy ““ This one caters to the little kid in all of us that happened to catch what was scary when viewing “Fright Night with Seymour” or “Chiller Theater”. This foreign horror trilogy is all about the original boogeyman from Brazil. Banned in several countries, but seemingly mild by today’s standards, director/actor Jose Mojica Marins brings a wonderful sense of forbidden nostalgia. The soundtrack alone is creepy enough. Coffin Joe’s goal in life is the continuity of his blood. He seeks the perfect woman to have his perfect child and all others will suffer a gruesome death, along with any that stand in his way.
Trailer Park of Terror ““ The name states it all. A trashy, kitschy horror flick bringing sex and gore to the forefront without batting an eye. It also comes with a dash of gallows humor that gives it an irresistible must-see factor for All Hallows Eve. A youth ministries pastor and his small troubled high school flock happen to have their bus breakdown near the trailer park from hell. Beware of trashy redneck zombies!
There you have it, films to spice up your holiday season. They may not rank up there with such holiday classics like “Miracle on 34th Street” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but they are a good mix of films if you’ve grown weary of “Psycho” or “Night of the Living Dead” for Halloween. If you wish to venture further into the unknown, check out these titles as well; “Dead & Breakfast” “Altered” “Behind the Mask” “Fido” “Dead Snow” “Alien Raiders “and “Dance of the Dead”. All are worthy of your Halloween viewing pleasure. Have a safe and happy one.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: 25TH ANNIVERSARY – Giveaway
It was fate.
I was in line buying the one thing any film fan should be squandering their cash on this week when I heard I had a package at home. As I put down my copy of the Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary I opened the FedEx that arrived and what should I see staring back at me but 5 copies of these little beauties. I was in love for no other reason than I can now share what is, ostensibly, one of the best adventure movies of the 80’s.
Long before Robert Zemeckis made 3D films with kids that have creepy hollow eyes he made a movie that captured the zeitgeist of a young generation that was already in love with Alex P. Keaton, Michael J. Fox. The series of films, and let’s be completely honest and say that part 3 isn’t as strong as the other two, represent a solid trilogy that is more than worthy of a double dip in that the slew of extras that we get make this more than a worthy reinvestment. Again, this thing is packed to the gills with content and should be considered a necessary addition to your collection.
For those wanting a copy of one of the best box sets to come out this year all you have to do is simple: Send me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and just let me know who was the first person to step foot in Marty McFly’s shoes before Fox replaced him.
It’s just that easy, people. And, before he gets an itchy trigger finger, if your initials just happen to be RS you aren’t eligible so don’t even bother clogging my e-mail box with a desperate plea for one.
For those wanting to know what extras you can expect on this bad boy here they are:
New 25th Anniversary Restorations Deliver Perfect Picture and Purest Digital Sound Available
Blu-ray Exclusives
# U-Control
# Setups & Payoffs: Note key scenes and see how they play out as you watch the movies
# Storyboard Comparison: Compare key scenes in the movie with the original storyboards.
# Trivia Track: Get inside trivia and facts while you watch the movies.
# Pocket BLU: Experience Blu-ray in an exciting new way with the app for iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, Android and more
# BD-Live: Access the BD-Live Center through your Internet-connected player and download even more bonus content, the latest trailers and more
# My Scenes: Bookmark your favorite scenes from the movies
Bonus Features
# “Tales from the Future:” 6-part retrospective documentary featuring all-new interviews with Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Director Robert Zemeckis, Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton plus Executive Producer Steven Spielberg
# “In the Beginning…”
# Time to Go
# Keeping Time
# Time Flies
# Third Times the Charm
# The Test of Time
# The Physics of Back to the Future
# 16 Deleted Scenes
# Michael J. Fox Q&A
# Archival Featurettes
# The Making of Back to the Future Parts I, II & III
# Making The Trilogy: Chapters One, Two & Three
# Back to the Future Night
# The Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy
# Behind-the-Scenes
# Outtakes
# Original Makeup Tests
# Nuclear Test Side Ending Storyboard Sequence
# Outtakes
# Production Design
# Storyboarding
# Designing the DeLeorean
# Designing Time Travel
# Hoverboard Test
# Designing Hill Valley
# Designing the Campaign
# Photo Galleries Including Production Art, Additional Storyboards, Behind-the-Scenes Photographs, Marketing Materials and Character Portraits Music Videos
# “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News
# “Doubleback” by ZZ Top
# Back to the Future: The Ride
# Q&A Commentaries with Director Robert Zemeckis and Producer Bob Gale Feature Commentaries with Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton
The Creepy, the Weird and the Wonderful: 2010 Int’l Horror and Sci-fi Film Festival by Ray Schillaci
This year’s horror and sci-fi film fest out of Tempe, AZ oozed talent that had some squirming in their seats, if not occasionally running out of the theater due to the intensity. You know you have something when you get a reaction like that ““ especially when the rest of the crowd applauds your film in the end. I’ll get to that one later. But first, kudos to the professionals that graced us with their films, generous Q&A’s and signings; actor/producer/ director Adam Busch (Drones), Charles Cyphers (The Fog), Lance Henricksen (Aliens) and the fetching Tiffany Shepis (2010’s Night of the Demons). Also, a big shout out to Midnight Movie Mamacita, Andrea Beesley-Brown for presenting us with a great 35mm print of Dario Argento’s classic fright fest, “Suspiria.” Patrons and filmmakers alike relished the eclectic and ghoulish atmosphere provided by the festivities and many first timers were already anticipating next year’s festival.
An added bonus was the abundance of creative shorts by both horror and science fiction filmmakers. Unfortunately, I somehow missed the winners of the horror shorts; “The Furred Man” Best Horror Short and “Abra Cadaver” Best Horror Student Short. But I can only imagine what they were like since the competition was so stiff (pun intended). I will try to get a copy of them and report back. I do have to congratulate some of the noteworthy filmmakers that received an enthusiastic response. In the horror cateGory, Richard Holmas’ “Rise of the Appliances” gave rise to big laughs. You can only imagine, but the visual is better. Rory Lowe’s “The Midge” was a creep fest and literally got under our skin. “The Familiar” directed by Kody Zimmerman was a unique vampire tale with clever dialogue and good acting. It was a perfect pitch for a cultish full length feature. Then two absolute standouts were Voltaire’s “DemiUrge Emesis” and Rebecca Thomson’s over-the-top “Cupcake: A Zombie Lesbian Musical”.
I could not possibly give enough praise to “DemiUrge Emesis” for the sheer creative power it emits with a wonderful narration by Danny Elfman. Voltaire is a true visionary with his unique and short animated tale of a mummified cat that is tormented by the skeletons of its past meals. The process used is similar to “Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Corpse Bride,” but the outcome feels richer in its presentation ““ even though it is a short. Voltaire flew in from New York to do a Q&A and entertained us with the making of his short subject and was a wealth of information regarding the process he so admires. He did mention that he can be found on the internet with his other short films, but warned that if we look him up there would be two Voltaires ““ “one dead French guy and me”. The word around the festival was that he already has a very strong cult following.
Then there was “Cupcake”¦” What can you say about a short that manages to stuff itself with zombies, lesbians and musicals? Rebecca Thomson is totally out of control and throws everything in ““ including the kitchen sink, in her whacked out gore fest, in-your-face, politically incorrect musical. Does it work? Yes, for the most part, with some big laughs. It’s no “Rocky Horror,” but what is? The opening is shockingly funny with two old ladies singing about how they prefer having zombies roam their neighborhood than having the lesbians as neighbors and the lyrics are Raunchy. That’s just half the fun. When the zombies and lesbians clash the results are beyond outrageous. MPAA would have a field day never letting this short see a mainstream theater. But Thomson never went in with that notion. Her short is bawdy, flagrant and highly contagious. The audience was laughing, cheering and probably gave it the loudest applause of any short or feature at the festival. “Cupcake; the Zombie Lesbian Musical” is a real crowd pleaser for those with open minds.
The sci-fi short winners were well deserved with Jesse Griffith’s “Cockpit: The Rules of Engagement,” Best Sci-Fi Short and Anders Overgaard’s “Kontakt” Best Sci-Fi Student Short. “Cockpit”¦” had not only a very cool look to it, that set it apart from some of the bleaker entries, it also reminded one of the Twilight Zone episode with the gargoyle on the wing of a plane. The setting is 2103 and the one rule in fighter combat is keeping a mind controlling alien race away from Earth. The added bonus to our enjoyment was having the always welcomed Ronny Cox as one of the stars. “Kontakt” also came equipped with a distinct visual style that was both mysterious and intriguing. The story involving a UFO obsessed teen who finally gets to experience his dream or is it a nightmare?
Other notable sci-fi shorts were “One Small Step” demonstrating what really happened on that historic day on the moon ““ wonderfully realized. “The Necronomicon” makes for a great SNL faux commercial. “The Adjustable Cosmos” is a wonderful piece of creative animation regarding three worthies in the fifteenth century attempting to change the Emperor’s horoscope. Finally, Adam Varney’s “S.P.A.G.H.E.T.T.-1” won me over with its over-the-top premise that seems to fall in line with other pieces blending history with horror or sci-fi ala “Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter”. A Southern scientist deceives his former assistant in order to change the outcome of the Civil War.
In the sci-fi feature category the most notables were a couple of bizarre conspiracy driven tales and a Stephen King story. “Zenith” a retro-futuristic steam-punk thriller focuses on two men in two time periods. Their search for a grand conspiracy leads them to question their own humanity. Complex and fascinating, “Zenith” keeps us guessing all the way up to the end. It’s not a pretty picture with its harsh take on where we are going, but it definitely has something important to offer.
It was the Stephen King story, “Everything’s Eventual” a film by JP Scott that took home the Best Sci-Fi Film Award. Sad to say I missed this one too. But I did catch the winner of Best Sci-Fi Screenplay and the judges were right on the money with this one. Conspiracy driven, “Lunopolis” written by Matthew Avant was engrossing to the end. Shot like “Paranormal Activity,” but far more complicated and intense. If it was not set in the near future (and instead present day) it could cause a real stir. It starts with a frantic call to a radio station that eventually leads to an investigation (ala Ghost Hunters) in the Louisiana Atchafalaya Basin where an enormous underground facility is discovered and a very bizarre looking machine is found. From there, mysterious men in suits, religious cults and an internet phenomenon spin a wild tale that leads to the end of the Mayan calendar.
Finally, horror truly ruled the day with two one-word-titled films creeping neck-to-disembodied-neck. Elias Matar and Edward E. Romero’s “Ashes” won Best Horror Screenplay and Chris Witherspoon’s “Rage” won Best Horror Film. This was so close and let me tell you why. The intensity that Witherspoon demonstrates in his direction and editing technique is gut-wrenching. If there is the slightest kink in the armor of the exercise (and demonstration) of “Rage” it is a minor (and please let me emphasize “minor”) flaw with the screenplay. Both points were actually brought up to producer Shawn Smith and director Chris Witherspoon and although they had reasonable explanations, the film would have knocked it out of the ballpark if those points were addressed in the script, which is why Elias Matar and Edward E. Romero edged them out of Best Screenplay with “Ashes.”
Matar operates like a skilled surgeon when addressing horror. He has carefully constructed a film that could have easily been just another entry in the Zombie genre. But Matar wanted much more than that, instead he preferred a pacing that unsettled us and eventually caught us off guard. He and Romero show affection for their characters and in turn, they are not just victims waiting to die. In fact, we are the victims for caring and Matar succeeds on many levels bringing the horror of a frightening infectious disease to life. Upping the ante on the talent meter is lead actor, Brian Krause who displays warmth and dismay in a wonderful versatile performance. This slowly unnerving film cannot help draw comparisons to Greg Bear’s eerie and gripping book “Blood Music” and the early works of David Cronenberg, which makes Elias Matar a talent to be watched for in the future.
As mentioned before, “Rage” was the big winner not only with the award but the audience as well, at least, most of the audience. Either some could not handle the mounting tension or the certain scene (sending patrons running out of the theater) that I will not mention to avoid a spoiler. What I will say about that scene is that you hear more than you see and that’s probably what makes it so hard to sit through, but it is integral to demonstrate the “rage” that follows.
It’s akin to seeing the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” for the first time. You think you see all sorts of things, but you don’t. Kudos to director Witherspoon for the impact he made on his audiences at the festival. This is not just a tale of violence; it is a complicated story involving infidelity and a mystery behind who is actually chasing our protagonist. That’s what makes this film hit us so hard ““ aside from Witherspoon’s taut directing and editing. Witherspoon exposes the true horror of infidelity like it’s rarely been done before.
“Rage” starts off with issues in a marriage, later revealing that the husband, Dennis Twist, has rediscovered the love for his wife and wants to break off a dalliance with his mistress. She questions his intentions and feels as if he is actually separating from her due to a jealous boyfriend that just got out of jail. Good enough reason to leave anyway. Not much later, Dennis unintentionally provokes the wrath of a dark helmeted motorcyclist. “The Duel” commences throughout the day starting with taunts and eventually escalating out of control. It’s not so much who is the mysterious biker, but what the wrath he brings that is so horrifyingly haunting. By the time it’s over the viewer may be left with one of those, “that’s f*cked up” moments. The closest reference I can use is “Fatal Attraction” where the viewer keeps saying, “Oh no, don’t do that!”
That is not a weak point in this intense thriller. That is director Witherspoon getting under your skin and making you curl up in a ball and not wanting to go there. Mr. Witherspoon was very hands on in the making of his vision. He was not only the director and one of the producers, but he also multi-tasked as writer, cinematographer, editor, visual effects man and the Biker. As mentioned before the pacing is near perfect (if not for a brief unneeded recap sequence) and beautifully shot, making the film look much more expensive than it is. “Rage” proves to be far more horrific than pure violence.
In addition, there were two films at the Int’l Horror & Sci-Fi Film Fest that nearly defy description and will probably cater to a much targeted audience. Stuart Simpson’s “El Monstro Del Mar!” and the mad geniuses behind last year’s “Tokyo Gore Police” presenting “Robo-Geisha.” Neither of these films is fit for normal consumption, but do merit a mention because of their flagrantly giddy use of satisfying the ten year old minds of grown men.
“El Monstro”¦” starts off super charged with plenty of promise accompanied by three tattooed retro beauties on a killing spree. It immediately reminds one of a cross between “The Devil’s Rejects” and “From Dusk till Dawn.” This would not be bad if the promise was fulfilled. Instead it eventually peters out in a bloodbath duel with a monster from the deep, a Kraken. Yes, it is as ridiculous as it sounds, but apparently done all in the name of fun. Later, “EMDM” proves to be more like an early Roger Corman flick rather than a retro-fitted Tarantino homage treat.
And, then there was “Robo-Geisha.” The depravity of it all is filled with ass swords, a vomiting giant robot, machine gun tits and so much more. I literally found my mind melting as I tried to crawl my way out to the lobby to enjoy the company of a gore girl, a contestant from the “Beat the Geek” contest or one of the many vendors that proved far less taxing on my sanity. All kidding aside the festival was one of those rare treats one must experience during the Halloween season, a true holiday staple for Tempe and the Madcap Theaters.
Instead of piling on two reviews for Bill Plympton’s work last week I decided to split this one up, his latest short film, The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger.
With all the praise heaped on Fincher and Sorkin’s “the social network,” coupled with one of the most emotionally charged trailers I have seen in years, the studio appeared to tout the film as an amazing experience. It suggested a representation of a timely and impactful moment that has made a tremendous change in so many lives. But that is not what the film is about. Instead it proves to be as detached (allegedly), as the lead character himself, Mark Zuckerberg co-founder of facebook. This is not to say that director, David Fincher and writer, Aaron Sorkin’s latest opus is anything less than an exercise in fine filmmaking. But they have missed a very important mark that the trailers merely touched upon”¦how facebook affected so many (and still does) of us in so little time. Yes, the trailer did tease us with, “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” Interesting premise, but is there any cost if we don’t give a shit about that person?
But his antics do not go unrecognized. He is quickly approached by some fellow Harvard students (wonderfully underplayed by Armie Hammer) regarding an elitist type social network. Zuckerberg is aware that he is about to be used. After all, these guys come from a more affluent background and are not only juniors, but the lacrosse stars of the school. They have the germ of an idea, but no clue as to how to bring it in to fruition. Zuckerberg on the other hand sees the potential and seizes the day by getting a sixteen week head start and uses (literally) his best friend to finance the project with the upfront promise of an uneven partnership (70/30). He later enlists the aid of Napster founder, Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake in a very juicy role), to develop facebook with his own vision and everyone else be damned. And, they are, as the facebook social network grows with lightening fast speed catching the attention of f**kable groupies, big investors and A-hole lawyers.
How do you look at a blank canvas and create a world where you are held back by language but want to tell a story that anyone can understand?
I should not have liked this film simply based on its premise.
Bradley Rust Gray has made a film that champions life and love the way it happens, unfolds, and dissolves: slowly.
Do I think it’s right that my seven year-old knows who Michael is, that she can tell you why Dwight is the best part of the show? Further, does it make me proud that she has a vested interest in why Jim and Pam love each other?
A movie that showed the kind of grit and dirt that ought to have been there all along, Robin Hood was a pleasant surprise.
When I went to see The Beatles LOVE, the Cirque du Soliel Vegas production, I was a marginal fan.
We’ve talked about this before. I’m awful at history.
Trying to understand why Gordon Gekko is such a failure in this film is to understand what it is that got Wall Street firms, and the American economy, in trouble in the first place.
I am thankful for shows like this.
Some could very well say that from 1973 to 1985 Martin Scorsese delivered us his golden years of film greats defining the very era upon their release (it was another five years before he hit his stride again with 1990’s “Goodfellas”). Imagine a resume that includes such cinematic landmarks as “Mean Streets,” “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Taxi Driver,” the heralded documentary ““ “The Last Waltz,” “Raging Bull,” the very quirky “King of Comedy” and the much under-appreciated cult classic “After Hours”. For Scorsese to tackle the Chinese puzzle that Joseph Minion had handed him which walked the fine line of dark comedy and thriller is a feat in itself. To execute it successfully without compromising the artistic integrity over big studio mentality (Warner Bros.) was a miracle. “After Hours” was Marty walking a tightrope without a net and gleefully arriving unharmed and with tremendous applause.
What Heronski found in the footage that was once thought complete, the movie on display here showing the lengths to which the Nazis wanted to craft their own narrative that stretched the truth about what was happening inside these claustrophobic walls of half a million Jews that were contained within 3 square miles. From retakes that had poor, starving children looking just as forlorn and despondent as they did the first time they were put in front of the camera to the indignities that women had to suffer as their nude bodies were objects to be film and exploited, as if they were cattle to be assessed, are things of nightmares. Yael wanted to make a movie that went beyond outrage, to showcase the pure and unrepentant horror that were these men who took this film, and she did exactly that.
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: Thank you for fitting me into your schedule. You are probably all sorts of busy.
HERSONSKI: I have no idea. Eventually when we see the children just gazing at the window shop of the meat store that’s all they had to do was just stare. Period. We had something like seven takes of this same action. I don’t know what their problem was. Maybe the lighting was not satisfying. I have no idea. But one thing is clear here. This is one of the most amazing moments I read in the protocols of the Nazis with the camermen. It was written in German so I read it slowly. “It was very difficult for us to shoot this film…” And I’m sure, at this point, I’m going to read an emotional confession and the next line is, “because we didn’t have enough lighting equipment.” It was difficult because they didn’t have enough film equipment.
CS: And that’s interesting because I know there are some documentarians out there who use this form as a platform to push their own theories, theses, as they have an idea of how the world looks and craft that as they see fit. I think this is one of the reasons why this film works is because it doesn’t demonize ““ it literally takes the risk of showing the events as they happened and to let the horror speak for itself. It’s a risk I think some filmmakers have taken and I think you did it as well. That must have just clawed at you, you must have wanted to make some kind of comment about the filmmakers and where they were coming from.
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: What drives you to keep putting out albums? Many bands from the mid-90’s who had some popularity are all but extinct yet you keep producing quality material.
TIM: Well, we really don’t think about the songs in that way. We don’t talk about changing or not changing. We just try to strive for the sounds that we’re hearing for each song. The first two albums are dramatically different from what we’ve made over the last twelve years or so, since Birds of My Neighborhood.  It took a little while for us to find our way.
What I love about modern film distribution is that first-run films are sometimes available to see in your house before you’re able to see them in the theater. Such is the case with Neil Marshall and Michael Fassbender’s newest film, CENTURION, which is currently available on VOD, XBOX, VUDU and Amazon.com. Now, CENTURION also opens in theaters August 27, 2010 if you care to see it with a bunch of other like minded individuals but I am thrilled to see that the models of getting movies to people how they want, when they want, are evolving.
There was always the sense that leaving my plastic water bottles in the sun weren’t the best thing to do.
So, how would you explain why anyone should be interested in a movie about a woman who once bedded fascist Benito Mussolini, had a kid by him, and then was ditched as the madman gained prominence in Italy? “Just see it” would be my refrain.
Quick, what’s the Barnes Foundation?
Absolutely, one of the most entertaining films I’ve seen all year.
GEORGE GALLO: Hello.
GALLO: No. Chris produced the movie and it was his personal money to help make the film. He is the best partner I ever had in terms of a person that has skin in the game. I think he respected me because he knew I made Local Color with my own money and now here I was turning around and making a film using his money but I knew what it was like to be spending your own money every day. I’m always very respectful of other people’s dough. I know some filmmakers just don’t give a shit. I’m a working class kid. I watched my father go to work every morning and come home. I have an appreciation of what a dollar actually means to someone. Just flagrantly round around spending someone else’s money is just not who I am. I convinced Chris, certainly, that to make the movie look enormous without wasting money I do know how to make a movie and look, this was a fairly expensive movie, but I think that the picture looks twice as expensive as it is.
GALLO: I would say, yeah. Almost everyday was a surprise. The script was solid structurally. And a lot of the dialogue that was written is still in the movie but I think a fair amount isn’t and the one thing I do as a director that I think you have to do as a director is that you have to keep your writer hat on when you’re writing and throw that hat away when you are directing. There may be other directors that may tell you differently ““ Tarantino might have a different view on it ““ but I’m not as into the sanctity of the word but what I am into is absolutely believing everything that I’m seeing in front of me.
One of the things that struck me as I watched The Disappearance of Alice Creed, a ferocious first feature from writer/director J Blakeson, was that even though a lot of this was shot in a confined space it does not take away one iota from the thrill of what the movie aims to accomplish. What it aims for, you understand, is to have a story so good that it could all take place on a theater stage without nary a change in scenery.
I was seventeen-years-old in 1973 and going to as many “R” rated movies as possible. It was a thrill going without my parents and even a bigger one when I found something that went beyond the simple-minded T&A or Hershel Gordon Lewis gorehound reissue. I cannot remember what prompted me to take the RTD bus all the way to the El Portal Theater in the middle of a sweltering hot & humid San Fernando Valley summer day to see a limited run, PG rated movie about a cop and the motorcycle he hated. It could have been a combination of an ultra-cool poster, a kick-ass trailer and a few critics that were going gaga over this flipside of “Easy Rider”. Whatever it was, “Electra Glide in Blue” will forever be one of my favorite films that to this day surprises everyone I introduce it to.
I love this movie.
I was there. Game 7. I was 10 at the time and there was no such thing, in 1985, as DVR’ing the thing so I could see whether I showed up on the screen.
This is my first Bollywood experience.
I didn’t a chance to see this movie when it came out theatrically months ago but I couldn’t be more eager to see what Louis Leterrier concocted. I am an unabashed fan of both The Transporter and The Incredible Hulk so it’s only right to be at least interested in knowing how the man created a 450 million dollar box office juggernaut.
To review this film with the usual sets of criteria usually reserved for any other movie would be unfair.
You must, must check this film out. If you only make enough to buy 1 DVD, and Lord knows that is the least of your problems if you’re on that tight of a budget, make this one you get this month as this movie has still stayed with me months after seeing it. It’s available now from Oscilloscope Laboratories so do what you can to witness one of the brightest spots of the spring movie season.
Not that many of you would care but after 9 months of gestation I am utterly delighted and tickled to introduce my newest daughter Nina Elizabeth.
A television show that jettisons you back to an age when classroom instruction meant listening to an old coot ramble on about things that seemed antiquated to even the most basic of thinkers, Look Around You is a show that really isn’t for everyone.
The issue with Despicable Me isn’t so much that it’s a good, albeit mediocre, kids film but it is the film’s contentment with just being average that genuinely holds the movie back from being anything more than forgettable.
I once had a job where it was my job to obtain truck freight.
Words escape me when describing the fun I had watching this film.
Filmmaker Adam Elliot is a master storyteller and has the Oscar gold to prove it but Mary and Max is perhaps his true masterpiece.
I had no idea what to tell my daughter when she asked how the Grand Canyon was made here in Arizona.
Bizarre.
This is a great contest for some lucky readers out there and I’ll tell you why: this movie was marketed by someone who got it in their head to spin as a what if. What if Jason Bourne ended up in a warzone?
Run to the theaters before this gem is lost in the summer shuffle. “Cyrus” is the best comedy of the year. It may be the best comedy of this decade, because we have not seen anything like it since the outrageousness of such underground subversive classics as “Harold and Maude” and “Where’s Poppa?” Now mind you, I know those movies are not for every taste, but my lord what a breath of fresh air “Cyrus” is. Both uncomfortable and downright hilarious at the same time, “Cyrus” soars to the heights of cult classic with the combination of talents; its three stars John C Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei and writers/directors Mark and Jay Duplass.
A movie that, on the surface, looks like it does not say much The Maid is a wonderfully deceptive movie about one woman’s life who seems so much a part of, yet detached from, one family’s journey. Somewhat taken for granted by the family that employs her, the maid Raquel (Catalina Saavedra) simply is a fondly thought of woman who helps act as the rudder for the lives she literally cleans up after.
Forget about the easy lines of “The revolution will be televised” when seeing a movie about the tyrannical rule exerted by the forces of the Burmese military junta that suppress any public declaration questioning their authority. You think marching around your town with a picket sign is the work of brave people? Try doing it in that country.
It’s been far too long since I’ve treated all of you to a dip into the revival pool. So I had to dig down deep to exonerate myself with something so fun, titillating (love that word ““ it brings out the eight-year-old boy in me) and downright obscure that perhaps you will find this piece worthy enough to continue on with. In today’s words “A Boy and his Dog” is the shits!
A movie like this is vitally important to the dialogue process.
COWAN: I think it was the combination of “What’s the real problem here” and the real problem is bigotry spoken over the pulpit, right?
CS: And I think that one of the overriding things, at least I was thinking looking at my notes, was why did the church see something in California as an issue that they really wanted to try to get behind?
CS: In the movie as well, at what point, again it started out as a project on the homeless gay teen population in Utah, at one point did you see that activism involves more than just holding a sign or saying something out loud, that it actually involves getting involved and doing things? 
COWAN: I believe in a population that can get “when we know better, we can do better.” I always talk about he civil rights struggle and how at one point people had televisions and on the television they saw the police use night sticks on African American brothers and sisters and they saw the fire cannons and saw the fire hoses turned on these people and saw how inhumane that was. And they saw the beam that bigotry leveled on people and their families and I really think that’s why our film is important.
The tagline to the 2010 version of the A-Team is that There Is No Plan B. Unfortunately, there seems to have been no Plan A, either.
I know some people ragged on this film for its silliness but I loved this picture in a real affectionate B-movie way.
“NoNames” was the big winner and obviously struck a chord with anyone from the mid-west. This is the simple story of people growing up in small town Wisconsin with very few choices and those who pick the wrong ones. The ones that tread the wrong path have little joy to look forward to but the local bar and partying in the back of their cramped trailers. For them, success would be staying out of trouble, getting their own home (that was not a trailer), maintaining a decent job, finding love and keeping it to the best of their ability. These are obviously not priorities in the lead character’s life, Kevin, played by James Badge Dale and that’s the frustrating part of watching his life spiral out of control.
Now for something really different; when was the last time you were truly taken on a journey that left you breathless? In the 70s there were a multitude of such films that explored the human condition and left one with so many deep conversations at small coffee shops; Michelangelo Antonioni’s “The Passenger” Nicholas Roeg’s “Walkabout” and any one of John Cassavetes’ films of that era. The Phoenix Film Festival was treated to such a personal event with Jason Lehel’s “Gaia,” an amazing journey of self realization for one troubled young woman. It appears that Lehel may be cut from the same creative cloth as those mentioned.
I have saved a most puzzling for last. There are times that life imitates art and other times when there is a bizarre collision that results in uncomfortable, nails on the chalk board, moments. Case in point; actress, Brittany Murphy’s recent passing in her bathroom colliding with the debut of her new movie on DVD, the cover displaying the actress dead in a bathtub”¦eerie. Now treading from eerie to damn creepy is Liam Neeson’s turn as a funeral director who claims to have a relationship with his (dead) clientele. For some, “After.Life” will be the equivalent of afterbirth; disgusting and tossed aside. But it’s not that easy for the curious at heart and as aggravating and unsettling it is to watch the film can be considered either a carefully crafted twisted piece of Grand Guignol or the demented work of a sick mind. I may save the last for another gruesome film oddity, “The Human Centipede”. After all, “After.Life” plays more with your mind than serving up stomach churning visuals.
How easy is it to take apart another Jerry Bruckheimer spectacle that hopes to follow in the footsteps of Cecile B. Demille or is that too lofty a goal to suggest? Perhaps it’s the idea of taking another ride, toy or video game and making oodles of money on merchandising via a movie while nearly forgetting the entertainment value. Whatever it may be, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is as convoluted as its title. Too bad, it didn’t have to be, had somebody taken a little more time with the story and direction. The movie had any number of classic yarns it could have emulated from, Ali Baba, Aladdin and so forth. Instead, gymnastics and CGI cover up plot holes, dead space and time filler.
I am hoping this is the movie I need.
There is nothing at stake for any of these characters. 
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: So, how was it to walk on that stage and seeing all those people?
HOLLOWAY: That’s right!
HOLLOWAY: Yes and the knowledge that, “You’re damn right I’m ready and I can certainly be on the level.”
Woody Harrelson is a human litmus test for what the ravages of war can do to an individual.
Let’s just get this right out of the way: I was sold that Over The Top was the probably the best movie to come out in the winter of 1987.
Yes, when you read a description that uses the words avant-garde 99% of the time you should run in the other direction. Most likely what you’ll get is a movie that is so into itself it negates the possibility of anyone else liking it.
So…I sat my four year-old and six year-old in front of the television to watch the latest from Scholastic Storybook Treasures in order to get an accurate bead of whether anyone else in their cohort class would find this fun or at least mildly entertaining.
Look, I’m probably the last guy in the world who this movie should have appealed to but the trailers got me.
Who lives in Arizona and wants to see Russell Crowe dispatch dirty peasants with a bow and arrow?
Such an endearing film, this movie from Kiyoshi Kurosawa explores some of the more quiet aspects of live in modern Japan.
When I was in Ireland I picked up a book called “Turn Left at Greenland.”
This is a movie that you ought to seek out and enjoy for the high level of screenwriting and visual flair for cinematography.
When last we left our hero, he was on a podium proclaiming himself to be the real iron man. There was much fanfare and celebration but how does Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) fare in issue 2 of this comic book character come to life?
Those who saw There Will Be Blood ought to err on the side of hyperbole when describing Paul Dano’s performance in that film.
I realize that this movie’s inclusion into such a testosterone fulled column is a little strange, weird even.
So, I was able to see the first 70 minutes of Toy Story 3 this week.
When I was in my formative years as a youth I gravitated to comedians like Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, eating up movies like I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, and, eventually, the whole Wayans clan in In Living Color. I never gave thought to the provenance of the black comedic experience in America. Either out of ignorance or sheer stupidity I never recognized the nuance of how comedy evolved within the black community and its rather tumultuous origins.
Fanfare please, for fun, excitement and a near technically flawless anniversary of PFF. Also, to the undaunted filmmakers who continue to provide a vision free of homogenized entertainment to a ravenously hungry public that is in desperate need of something more mature than CGI animals, flat comedies and pandering “movie-of-the-week” dramas that make their way to the big screen via inane studio deals. Now for the naysayers; yes, there were a few blips on the radar of technical difficulties, but compared to so many other film festivals PFF sparkled on their 10th anniversary.
In “Jeffie Was Here” Bedgood plays Alan who has his hands full with a thankless low-paying professor job, an over-sexed teacher’s assistant, a long-suffering girlfriend, unrelenting writer’s block and a pending road trip that needs funding. Enter Jeffie, the last person one would ask to share the ride with. He’s part wannabe musician, guru, tree-hugger and general pest. But Alan has his reasons for accepting his application and the results are priceless. Bedgood brings a fine mix of frustration/sorrow/regret and hilarity that has not been seen since the early days of Jack Lemmon. There have been comparisons to Tom Hanks, but I believe Peter Bedgood as Alan gives a far more sympathetic/pathetic performance than he’s been credited for. Also, Bedgood’s chemistry works amazingly well with the other performers. He could have been the center of attention, but instead he plays with his fellow thespians so well that nearly everyone’s performance shines brighter.
Then there is the character of the title, Jeffie. Director, Todd Edwards plays him with glee; annoying, scheming with a dash of bizarre innocence that keeps us guessing what is next on his agenda or does he even have one. If I had one criticism it would be the lack of an edge on the character of Jeffie’s part. If there was the slightest bit of danger that he exuded, the film could have set it itself up as a classic. After all, Jeffie holds all the cards. But perhaps the filmmakers did not want to take that chance with the possibility of alienating some of their audience. As it stands; “Jeffie”¦” has mass appeal.
From the very beginning we are treated to a couple of low budget filmmakers seeking out their break and accidently discovering a new way of making money and possibly getting creative in the long run if they manage to manipulate their subject matter as crime scene videographers. Director Todd Berger and Producer Jeff Grace play the indomitable duo with all the fixings of a great comedy team. The chemistry is hilarious and lends a goofiness that is unwelcome in the serious public servant world making the film funnier than we expected. Berger uses a courtroom as his device to tell the story where he is challenged by notable guest stars Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks) as the D.A. and director John Landis as a judge. How bizarre is that?