FRED Entertainment

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  • Party Favors: Walk Like A Man

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    DES MOINES – During the 20th Century when a young boy or girl wanted to know how to be an adult, they’d learn from the movies. This education was not from merely emulating the stars in Hollywood films. There were thousands of movies made for the classrooms that covered nearly every subject a young mind needed to absorb. And thousands of those 16mm films found their way into Skip Elsheimer’s A/V Geeks educational film center.

    Skip tours the country giving presentations of the films in various theaters, museums, art galleries and occasionally a classroom. He’s sharing another batch of gems in two new DVD sets from Kino. How to Be a Woman and How to Be a Man are instructional, inspirational and horrific. Strange to see what professionals thought was great advice. Here’s a little sampler from How to Be a Woman:

    Here’s an overview of How to be a Man:

    The footage of Skip at the AV Geeks archive was shot by me. It must also be revealed that Skip once lived in my closet. It was a really big closet. This was supposed to be an interview with Skip, but he had to go under the knife for surgery. We wish him a speedy recovery. Ironically he’s scheduled to screen various medical films at the Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia on January 23. Are you ready to see “Cell Wars” in the land of Parking Wars?

    The two sets received a major plug on CBS’s Sunday Morning that led to sell outs at Amazon. Both DVDs are back in stock. If you want to find out what various health films Skip has in the collection or tour dates, visit www.avgeeks.com.

    UNDERCOVER BLAHS

    Is CBS serious about airing Undercover Boss after the Super Bowl? The show looks about as interesting as watching a marathon of corporate inspirational videos. As if any of these bosses are going to show themselves as dispassionate boobs who spend more time on the phone with their brokers finding out when they can dump their stock options.

    I Get That a Lot is a Candid Camera segment that’s flatlined. As if anyone isn’t going to guess Gene Simmons or Paris Hilton is really working a minimum wage jog. What would be more interesting is getting Hollywood’s hard working supporting actors who appear in every film, but you don’t know their names. Where’s Jane Lynch, Stephen Tobolowsky or Glenn Plummer? Actors who people will wonder if they saw them in films or their college yearbook. That is comedy.

    The show I’m looking forward to is Fox’s Baptism of the Stars Thrill to the sight of Hollywood Heathens getting wet for Jesus. It’s going to be their big Easter special.

    EXTREME LEFTOVERS

    Can you imagine how bad it would be in the ’70s if you were at a party with James Caan, Warren Beatty and Wilt Chamberlain? What are the odds of you getting close to a woman’s phone number let alone her hotel room keys? If you saw their cars parked outside a nightclub, go home. You’d have better odds scoring at a convent. This trio slept with enough women to fill a World Cup stadium.

    Rumors now swirl that Rip Torn once had a threesome with Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima.

    DA PLANE

    For all the Retro TV action that’s taking place as either digital sub channels or on regular broadcast in certain places like Chicago, there’s a piece of programming missing. Does any channel in America have a Saturday night line up that includes The Love Boat and Fantasy Island? If you want to create a nostalgia night, why not give us Captain Stubbing and Mr. Rourke with a cast of 100s of stars as their guests? These were the ABC crown jewels with Ernie Anderson’s iconic voice warning us that if you didn’t have a social life, you could take a staycation with a cheap cruise and a tourist trap.

    For those of you who want to semi-recreate the night, you can get the first season of Fantasy Island and the first two seasons of The Love Boat on DVD. But it’d be sweeter if a plucky programming could reunite these cheesterpieces of the ’70s and ’80s on the night they mattered.

    REVISIT THIS BAND

    As part of desire to plan ahead, my new year’s resolution for 2011 is to make the J. Geils Band cool once more. And I’m not talking about the “Freeze Frame” and “Centerfold” era band that dominated MTV for a couple weeks. I’m talking about the band that wailed on “Whammer Jammer.” Peter Wolf is the type of vocal dynamo you don’t get anymore. He’s not merely singing. He’s calling in urgent air strikes on his baby’s heart. This is the type of music that shouldn’t be listened to in a smoke-free bar. Dig up the live stuff to get that shot of distilled mayhem.

    MORE FOOD

    Why do all these competition cooking shows send their chefs to Whole Foods with a $100 to buy all their groceries? Imagine how much more food they could buy a normal supermarket or even a farmer’s market with the same amount of cash. You can’t get a decent chicken thigh for less than $10 there.

    BLACK BELT FESTIVAL

    Jim Kelly is finally getting his due with Urban Action Collection. Three of his better films are on this low budget set with Black Belt Jones, Three the Hard Way and Hot Potato. You should know Kelly from his ass kicking turn in Enter the Dragon where he held his own with Bruce Lee and John Saxon. This trio contains more of his inner city karate skills. Three the Hard Way is a classic with Kelly teaming up with Jim Brown and Fred Williamson. The fourth film is Black Samson. I recently caught the trailer and it’s just strange. Rockne Tarkington roams the ghetto with a giant club and a full grown lion. Here’s a strange piece of trivia: Rockne was the only black actor to speak on The Andy Griffith Show. If you have a little left on your gift cards, enjoy those Badass Cinema classics of the ’70s if you have a little left on your gift cards. You might want to also pick up a bottle of Colt 45 Malt Liquor to properly appreciate the thespian greatness of Kelly and Tarkington.

    It’s a perfect appetizer while waiting for Black Dynamite.

    WORLD’S WORST DAD

    DVD SHELF

    Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs: The Totally Warped Animated Adventures attempts to revive the 22 year old Star Wars spoof as an Adult Swim-esque cartoon. They were smart enough to get Mel Brooks, Joan Rivers and Daphne Zuniga to voice their characters. Unfortunately RIck Moranis isn’t Darth Helmet. Instead were given Dee Bradley Baker with a rather forgettable tone. While they supposedly made 13 episodes, only 4 are included on the DVD. Fans of the movie will get a laugh or two from the continuing spoofs of science fiction films. However the series doesn’t go beyond the humor of the movie. Mel Brooks supposedly over saw the cartoons, but it seems he’s more concerned about Broadway adaptations of his old movies. There’s just little things missing from Spaceballs that makes it a pale impersonation of the original film instead of taking the characters to an animated galaxy.

    The Marine 2 stars Ted DiBiase Jr. instead of John Cena as the elite marine who bumps into trouble on his vacation. This time the WWE wrestler gets taken to a Thailand resort with his woman for the grand opening. Turns out a few of the locals aren’t liking the place. They attack the resort and take the VIP guests hostage. It’s up to DiBiase to take kick a little ass to get back his woman and lay down the international law. The biggest star in the film is Michael Rooker (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer). He’s not even the villain which is good for DiBiase. Rooker is out of his league when given an evil role. DiBiase does play it a little more convincing than Cena in this sequel. It does help that the action is focused around the resort. The takeover scene is plays well with numerous explosions and an attack force wearing tribal masks while unloading automatic weapons. The bonus features include extended and deleted scenes with Muay Thai Fighting. Crack open a beer and enjoy the beatdowns courtesy of the son of the Million Dollar Man. You can also get it in Blu-ray to see a more vivid tropical terror.

    Make It Or Break It: Volume One, Extended Edition takes us inside the highly competitive world of female gymnastics. The pressure is on for these girls who have only a few years to achieve Olympic glory. The 10 episodes on the boxset introduce us to the hopefuls at the Rocky Mountain Gym. They call it “The Rock.” There’s a lot of politics to go along with the floor routines. A new Russian coach arrives with visions of making it big for his little trainees. This show is properly aimed at kids who like to watch gymnastics, but fear being flung through the air and tearing apart their knees. It allows people to realize there’s tons of hardwork and backstabbing before you can get on the balance beam.

    10 Things I Hate About You: Volume One adapts the teenage cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew into a weekly series. Larry Miller returns in the role of Dr. Walter Stratford, but nobody else from the film steps down to the small screen. There’s a new Kat (Lindsey Shaw) and Bianca (Meaghan Jette Martin) giving strife to Patrick (Ethan Peck) and Cameron (Nicholas Braun). The series is aimed for the kids who think high school is the key to romance. Each week Bianca attempts to become part of the popular kids at school. This is followed up with another reason why Kat has to turn everything complicated. The show is a single camera 30 minute sitcom so things don’t get bogged down too long. This is a sitcom for the tween that wants more from the Heath Ledger movie.

    The Boys Are Back is Clive Owen (Children of Men) in a bit a weeper. He’s a sportswriter who loses his wife to cancer. He now has to deal with raising their young son and his teenage son from an earlier marriage. He’s got to find time between his work to care for the boys. It’s bit of a male version of a Lifetime film. Scott Hicks who directed Shine gives the tale an arthouse polish that elevates the material above a made for TV movie. If they remade this in America, Clive Owen would be begging for a slot on ESPN’s Around the Horn. It is refreshing to see a dad-centric film. Owen’s face shows the burden of his new life as single dad.

    Surrogates is about people who control androids so they no longer have to leave their houses. It’s kinda like Avatar without blue people, Roger Dean album cover landscapes and that pesky anti-American message brought to you by News Corp. Bruce Willis is the last human willing to roam society. He’s an FBI agent investigating the murder of a student linked to the creator of the robo-clones. Action director Jonathan Mostow and his crew keep the action tight and barely over 80 minutes. The film represents the rebirth of Jack Noseworthy. It’s a good entry for your Bruce Willis Buttkicking Marathon 2010. Bonus features include a commentary track from Mostow.

    I Heart Jonas brings together seven episodes of the series as a Valentine’s Day gift. Although this year, there will only be hearting done to Joe and Nick Jonas since Kevin is now married. The show does its hardest to make the three brothers act like the Monkees of the 21st century. The slow paced editing cuts down on the chaos and insanity that made the Monkees an iconic musical comedy. Also doesn’t help that the brothers aren’t secretly rebelling against their cute pop star image. They seem content being pure pop for a teen audience. They won’t be sneaking Frank Zappa onto the set. The highlight of this batch is “You’ve Just Been Jo Bro’d” with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. Remember when she defended their promise rings against the foul mouth Russell Brand.

    thirtysomething: The Complete Second Season brings us the rise of Miles! Is he the savior to Michael and Elliot or their doom? This was a strike shortened season so there’s only 17 episodes. My favorite part is all that cutting edge ’80s technology and shoulder pads. Here’s a teaser for the show.

    The Keeper takes Steven Seagal out of his reality show and punches him back into the world of cinematic whoopass. He’s an ex-cop that was screwed over by his devious partner. He grabs a gig as a bodyguard to a rich guy’s daughter. However his bad luck streak continues when the gal gets kidnapped by mobsters. Seagal refuses to take a third strike on his record. He must track her down and bring the pain on those that would sully his reputation. It’s a modest production on scale with a Walker, Texas Ranger. Although they overload the explosives in Seagal’s gaze. There’s no bonus features. I wanted my Seagal audio commentary, but I guess he wants to keep the secrets of his industrial strength hairdo. It’s big non-thinking action fun from the TV cop.

  • Trailer Park: Zachary Levi – Part 1

    By Christopher Stipp

    The Archives, Right Here

    I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.

    Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on TWITTER under the name: Stipp

    bitch_slap_posterBitch Slap – Giveaway

    When I was at Comic-Con a year and a half ago I can remember this being one of the most memorable interviews I ever conducted. I say conducted as I think conduct was what in order when I was told that the interview I was about to participate in was going to happen in bed.

    Sure, you get that sinking feeling when you’re faced with having a conversation with three really lovely women about a movie that is being talked about with the kind of delight the film no doubt was going for. Part pulp, part exploitation, and all fun I don’t believe this movie will require you to do anything more than just enjoy the spoils of their labor.

    To that end, and to celebrate the film’s debut today in theaters and on VOD, January 8th.

    I’ve got a SIGNED Bitch Slap poster sporting the signatures of  Julia Voth, America Olivo, Erin Cummings, Kevin Sorbo and Zoe Bell, a SIGNED mini-sheet poster (just the girls), one unsigned poster and the full BITCH SLAP 11 card collectible set.

    If you’re feeling randy just shoot me a line at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and I’ll enter you to win one of these prizes. And if you’re still unsure if this movie’s right for you just read the following synopsis:

    Bitch Slap is a post-modern, thinking man’s throwback to the “B” Movie/Exploitation films of the 1950’s – 70’s as well as a loving, sly parody of the same.  Inspired by the likes of Dragstrip Girl;, Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill; Kung Fu Nun and the pantheon of Blaxploitation films, Bitch Slap will mix girls, guns, outrageous action and jaw-dropping visuals with a message”¦ don’t be naughty!

    At its core, Bitch Slap follows three bad girls (a down-and-out stripper, a drug-running killer and a corporate powerbroker) as they arrive at a remote desert hideaway to extort and steal $200 Million in diamonds from a ruthless underworld kingpin.  Things quickly spin out of control as allegiances change, truths are revealed, other criminals arrive for the score, the fate of the world hangs in the balance and they are forced to confront a villain much worse than they ever expected”¦ themselves.  It’s the ultimate morality tale as, one by one, they realize the whole she-bang was a set-up and one of them may not even be human…

    What also makes Bitch Slap different is a complicated “B” story device that runs throughout the film to illuminate character, backstory and relationship histories not previously revealed.  Like the film Memento, these scene flashbacks take place in reverse, so by the end of the film, you have a wholly different take on who these women are and why they are behaving so badly.  Bet you never saw THAT in Jailbait Babysitter!

    So grab your popcorn and fasten your safety belt.  With “Cult Classic” written all over it, Bitch Slap is gonna be one wild ride”¦

    Freestyle, IM Global and Epic Slap will premiere BITCH SLAP in theaters and VOD January 8, 2010

    YOUTH IN REVOLT / LEAP YEAR – Review

    leapOne insult after another with nary a punchline to be found.

    What’s astounding about Leap Year, the latest in a long line of painful movies where we are to believe that a woman has mistakenly thought the love of her life is the man she’s with but that it’s not until they meet a strapping, charismatic man before they forsake everything they’ve built in their lives just to be with a stranger they invariably know for a relatively short period of time. It’s an insult to an audience to try and sell an idea that a woman (played by the usually charming Amy Adams) who is willing to fly, on her own accord, to Ireland in order to ask her boyfriend to marry her in a leap year in an act that seems passionate and kind and romantic and incredible yet manages to fall out of love with that man. It defies all rationality to think how a woman could do this yet Anand Tucker tries to sell a comedy that just seems sad, pathetic, and speaks ill of a heroine who just comes off as easily impressionable and just plain, well, easy.

    Through a series of situations which exist and play out in farcical fashion, one such moment involves Adams indiscriminately destroying the world’s smallest hotel room and shoehorning a piece of a sub-plot which is there, I assume, to help those who have difficulty with pesky subtly and nuance, we are to trust in this tale of love that wasn’t meant to be yet obviously will.

    The logistics that this movie defies is truly astounding and noteworthy. After not being able to find a rental car, in what I can only believe is some remote outpost of humanity but  exists mere hours away from a bustling metropolis of Dublin, Matthew Goode, who plays his one note character as best as one could expect, becomes the de facto transporter although he really, truly, doesn’t want to. The level of stupidity this script shows in its obviousness staggers the mind.

    Love abounds, as it usually does, after a series of unbelievable moments that involve a wrecked car, stolen luggage, missed trains, an outdoor wedding reception (I thought this was February in Ireland), a forced kiss that betrays Adams’ purpose in the first place, and through tiny moments of revelation that show just how right these two are for one another when, in fact, it feels like how it would happen in a fairytale. At one point, after Adams seems trapped in a Bermuda Triangle when trying to find some mode of transport that will just get her to Dublin, she buys a ticket for a train that will take her there. She’s had enough of Goode, as is usually the case with a woman who feels she is being weighted down with a fop , and sits on the train’s platform. The train, we’re told, will take more than two hours to get to the station. Goode motions to Adams in taking a walk to the ruins of a castle where he can extemporaneously talk about the mythical history of the runs and, by proxy, explain how this story will end with the two of them together. Won’t take more than fifteen minutes, he says. She relents, goes, listens to the story, and, wouldn’t you know it, the train shows up. Running will do no good here, as would be the logical deduction that we just told the train wouldn’t be there for two plus hours, and there is nary an explanation as to what worm hole that train appeared from or what just happened. Compound this moment a dozen or so times and you’ve got yourself Leap Year.

    How can Adams walk around Ireland at the end of February wearing nothing but a dress, high heels and a light overcoat with no problem at all? How can a dog bark without moving its head? Why on earth would she strip nude and shower in front of a stranger? How could she demolish a rented room without once noticing the detritus falling around her and stopping?  Your logic is no good here as you’d be a fool for trying to piece together the broken shards of this film.

    Much like Gavin Hood straying from what he seemed to be strongest at, creating emotionally charged and deeply affective films, and instead deciding to craft a prosaic movie about a mutant with metal coming out of his hands, Tucker seems to want this kind of career pathing. This movie suffers from the kind of inane traps that plague bad romantic comedies but it’s ironic in that the movie engenders neither romance nor comedy. Sure, we are given situations where comedy is supposed to flourish, Adams finds herself blowing out a small village’s power supply after trying to plug in her BlackBerry, she accidentally destroys her guide’s car, she muddies herself after tumbling down a muddy mountain, but it’s all very ham fisted even by romantic comedy standards.

    Much is made for fires and the one thing you would grab should you find your home engulfed in them. The importance of this is stressed like a mantra that is repeated over and over again in an effort, I am to believe, to make sure you absolutely positively get that this will be important later. At one point Adams’ great epiphany comes when she thinks about pulling the fire alarm in her posh new apartment after we learn that Scott only proposed marriage after finding out that the only way for them to get into the uber exclusive tenement, which required an interview with a committee at the beginning of the film, was to feign being married or at least on the road to it. Scott obviously comes off as the typical bad boyfriend who only cares about materialism, the fire alarm shows how he only wants to save his electronics (Gasp! He must not love her and must only worship false, electronic deities!), and the scene ultimately shows how bad the script written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont actually is. To wit, the writing team who brought us Made of Honor, Surviving Christmas, Josie and the Pussycats, and The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas obviously feel comfortable with keeping expectations low as any movie that wants us to trust in their ability to give audiences something entertaining only end up failing, once again, to think this is anything but a movie for simple-minded bumpkins who don’t realize they’re being insulted.

    youthYouth In Revolt, in contrast, only suffers from being too well-written.

    Director Miguel Arteta ought to be praised for his ability to bring one of the best novels about adolescent lust gone wretchedly wrong in every way, the visual character he brought to Chuck & Buck and Star Maps is here in its essence, but there is a fundamental issue that hobbles this film from being the teenage classic it could be. It’s the expediency with which events transpire and then expire from the movie that only serves to confuse viewers who aren’t familiar with the life and times of Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) as he pursues the girl of his dreams, Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday), but the story is rife with comedic possibilities and the handling of the things that made the book wonderful only feel rushed here.

    Writer Gustin Nash‘s hand feels present in every scene as we go from plot device to plot device, we aren’t allowed to let the story breathe on its own, as if Nash wanted to be sure to include as many bits as he could from the book in order to remain faithful to it. Who could blame him, at almost 500 pages there is an inordinate amount of laughs to be found within the pages as writer C.D. Payne developed this over sexed and overly intelligent protagonist with the flourish of a great storyteller, for wanting to do so but the result is a greatest-hits compilation of scenes that sometimes feel jarring as a viewer.

    This isn’t to say the film is bad. Far from it. It’s perhaps one of the frankest explorations of what “good” young men have to do in order to satiate that side of themselves which, here, makes for good comedy. Nick is deftly played by Michael Cera, who is able to carry not only the meek personality which seems to come naturally to the actor but is able to transform into his daring alter ego, François Dillinger, with gentle ease. It’s Dillinger who had the greatest opportunity and latitude to go for the laughs in this movie and he does so with gusto. As he compels Nick to do what he is unwilling to do on his own, Cera morphs from a smart, frustrated boy into the kind of man we have never seen before on camera. You believe Cera is capable of the destruction and perversion he partakes in simply by playing off of himself with charisma and aplomb. From suggestive remarks about violating the body of his girlfriend, to possessing the affectations of an English speaking Frenchman with a pathological bent, the film is a delight when these two share the camera.

    As well, Adhir Kalyan, who plays Nick’s friend Vijay Joshi, is a superb compliment to Cera as the two of them feed off one another in the kind of patois this film excels at when it’s not speeding through scenes. Again, we are briefly shown how these two become friends and aren’t really allowed to appreciate how vital Vijay is to what becomes one of the movie’s best set pieces. As an aside, I wish we would see more of Adhir as he’s more than competent to jostle with Cera for laughs on screen. However, a lot of the issues regarding this movie’s quick pace, however, stem from this movie’s first act.

    Adapting the novel seemed too much for Nash as what we get in the first third of this movie is a lot of rushing. We move from one moment to the next, inserting pithy scenes from the book to fit the moment, without ever delving into the characters of the book or the implication of what it means in the grand scheme of things. It not only implicitly casts a pall on a book that is packed with pure comedy but, explicitly, it has the effect of cheapening this movie’s intent which is to show how one pervy boy with a pathological streak manipulates those around him. To wit, Zach Galifianakis plays one of Nick’s mom’s boyfriends. He is introduced, used for a few scenes, and is crumpled up just as quickly as he came on the screen like a piece of detritus that needs to be swept away in order to make room for other characters. This is the case for the rest of the movie, characters coming and going in order to introduce everyone in this book’s universe, along with their strange proclivities. Zach feels there almost in a utilitarian capacity as he’s the driving force to get Nick out of town so he can meet Sheeni, he’s the one who buys the camper that ultimately meets a fiery finish, and he conveniently meets his demise just at the right time in order to progress the journey. There’s nothing wrong with making every moment contribute to the whole, and for there to be reasons why something is in a movie, but the end result is mass confusion as these contrivances just make everything feel too convenient, too pat.

    The issue that this movie never deals with, then, is why Nick and Sheeni are willing to go back and forth with this relationship. We know Nick’s reason for sure but it doesn’t ever feel genuine and it certainly doesn’t earn its ending which feels rushed and shoehorned in as if someone happened to look at their watch to see that the movie was about to break 90 minutes. We ought to feel the penultimate moment these two kids share is well-deserved but the way in which they finally consummate their relationship just doesn’t work.

    It’s sad that the relationship that could have spoken to so many pent-up and sexually frustrated boys everywhere is relegated to the backseat of a movie that seems determined to drive the shortest route between two points instead of taking the longer, more scenic route. The result is a movie that certainly could have detailed the life of this young man on the road to finally getting some but it’s a journey that speeds by too fast to appreciate how we got there.

    Zachary Levi of Chuck – Interview

    I’m used to interviewing celebrities one time. Many of the times they’re enjoyable, sometimes they’re fantastic, and some other times are completely awful. It’s the latter ones where I secretly wish their career commits seppuku just to ensure I never even remotely have the chance to talk to them again.

    Zachary Levi is a special case in that I have talked to him a handful of times and every time, absolutely every time, he’s just a kind, open, honest, naturally funny guy who doesn’t put up a superficial front and genuinely thinks about answers before he gives them. He also likes to talk. A lot. That’s really fine for me as when we had a chance to spend a long conversation talking about Chuck’s near demise and the future of network television in general last summer at Comic-Con there was a sense of calm with the actor about all the hullabaloo surrounding the show’s direction. He was passionate when talking about the effort a lot of fans put into making the public aware of the precarious position the show found itself in as it closed out it’s second season. So passionate was Levi about rolling up his shirt sleeves to save the show, Levi literally rolled up his shirt sleeves. Making sandwiches at Subway, coinciding with the series finale, it was a clever sponsorship drive that asked fans to purchase subs, writing a comment or two about how much they wanted the show to stay on the air, Levi didn’t let this oft abused rallying cry on the Internet to save yet another show go unnoticed.

    It was this kind of effort, small as it may have been, that speaks volumes about the man who goes into work and gets to play a secret agent on TV every week.There is no affectation when he speaks, it’s just a guy talking about a career who’s just thankful to have one. It doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s conversations like this that remind me how much better interviews could be if people were just more, well, human.

    Chuck is indeed back for its third season starting this Sunday night with a two-hour season premiere at 9/8c before returning to its regular night and time, January 11th at 8/7c.

    chuckCS:  One of the things that marked this year, this season, for Chuck was the number of people who came out wanting to be sure the show was saved from the network chopping block.  What was your take on how that swell started?  I know a lot of people in your position would say “There’s nothing we can do about it” but what was it like to have all those people come out and say, “Please save the show?”

    LEVI: It certainly gives you an appreciation of what you do.  Being a working actor and getting to do what I love to do is already awesome.    For the most part, no matter what you do somebody out there likes it and somebody out there will find you at some point and say “Hey, I love your work” even if it’s a horrible piece of crap, which is sometimes the case…

    (Laughs)

    But, with this I think we’ve collectively all been pretty proud of what we’ve accomplished ““ what we continue to accomplish.  So on top of just that and appreciating it that way and knowing that your fan base, your core demographic fan base which is ““ we live and die by Comic-Con ““ because Chuck would be here.  Chuck would be at the Chuck panel ““ which would be a very out of body experience.  Wait a minute?  That’s me!

    CS:  There are hotel keys with your face on it”¦

    LEVI:  I know man.  That has been that way for three years now.  Warner Bros. has done a great job at doing that.  All those little things certainly help.  I remember when Jerico was about to get canceled the first time and all the fans went crazy and they worked in unison and sent tons of peanuts to CBS and it worked.  It got 13 more episodes for Jerico.  But I feel like what’s happened is kind of like ““ and I’ve never seen it happen like this before ““ where a fan really had a kind of moment of genius – when some people sent Nerds, those little candy Nerds, to NBC which is all effective in some way because they are passionate fans, but at the end of the day it doesn’t change the problem.  It doesn’t solve the problem.

    The problem is television is failing.

    The formula doesn’t work anymore.  Back in the day you had 3 options.  CBS, NBC, and ABC and there was no cable, no DVR’s, no Internet, so if you were going to be home, which a lot of people were on any given night, Nielsen’s worked.  You could see a cross section there. 70% of the audience is going to be watching the Cheers finale and they have to watch the commercials through and in that way you could offer free entertainment like that.  You could force commercials down people’s throats but you can’t do that anymore.  So more and more people, especially audiences of a show like Chuck that are tech savy, are watching it online.  They are watching it on DVR and so, as much as I think they like to think that that still counts. It actually doesn’t. Even networks and studios say “Well, every little bit helps” but they know it doesn’t really work out that way.  Because, at the end of the day, advertisers are only looking at the live numbers.  They need to know if we spend this amount of money on advertising, who’s actually seeing those commercials.  And live numbers are the only ones that count.  Really.

    So, it makes it very difficult.  The roundabout way of getting to our very dedicated fans, Wendy Farrington, a smart cool chick, she was watching the show one night and worried about the show getting canceled because that was the word on the street that it was on the chopping block. And she saw one of the scenes where Big Mike is chopping away on a Subway sandwich and thought, “If we can get enough fans to actually patronize one of the main sponsors, actually spending money that directly connects to, it’s not just wasting your money on peanuts or Nerds and making some statement.  “So what if we’re not watching the commercials.  We know who is behind the show and we will spend money and buy their product?”  So she came up with this idea, wrote it up, came up with a mission statement and that got picked up virally basically by everybody.  Some of my fan sites asked for my take on it and I told them what I’m telling you, that I think it’s a fantastic idea.  It’s a real idea and not just people swarming their fists around saying, “No, no, please don’t.”  We get it.

    zachary-levi-meb2009The rubber has got to meet the road somewhere.  And so that, mixed with a couple other variables, allowed us to come back for a 3rd season.  I think it’s really kind of blazed a trail and I think if network television is going to survive in this new DVR, internet, downloadable world, why not like that?  Why not just have one main sponsor and harken back to what TV used to be?  How about Borax? I don’t know.  But as long as it’s an easily consumable product. Unfortunately for car makers, you can’t be a Toyota and hope that people will go buy a Civic, or a Celica, I mean.  All of that combined to create a perfect storm of this is really happening.  It was weird because at first your pride takes a hold a little bit.  You think, “Why aren’t we picked up?  We are a good show and critics like us, a lot of critics love us, our fans love us, and yes, we only do 7 million live but there’s a number 5 if you count all the DVRs and download and DVD purchases.  That’s a lot of people.  Right?”

    So, at first I was a little bummed.  I thought it just sucked that this show gets picked up right away and this show is back and we’re still waiting and hanging on but as we went through this whole process what I realized is A) it gave me an appreciation for what we do, like I was saying because it’s humbling especially today.  Being out there in front of a packed hall of 4,000 fans that are dedicated to the show and that’s just a sampling because there are people that stood in line but couldn’t make it into the room and what we do impacts them in some way enough for them to be there with us today and it’s really, really, really humbling and to be here at Comic-Con because we live and die by these very fans that joined the cause and picked up the torch or whatever analogy or metaphor ““ it’s only right that whatever time we can spend with them to say, “Thank you.  I only have a job today because you guys cared enough to Tweet about it or blog about it or emailed it to other friends.”

    We also have fans that just bug the heck out of their families and friends ““ check out Chuck ““ did you see Chuck? ““ Chuck, Chuck, Chuck, you know?

    (Laughs)

    LEVI: I was telling a reporter and the lady from the Chicago Tribune ““ and people like yourself ““ anyone in the media who through all that and before we went on the chopping block, during the season we’ve gotten a lot of love and I’m sure their viewers were saying, “OK, enough of this freakin’ Chuck ““ I get it, you like the show, OK.”  But they are constantly plugging the show and constantly giving us love.  So I really feel that, not that we are the first to stick around because of that kind of love ““ Arrested Development stuck around because of critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base, and winning a couple of trophies didn’t hurt – but even despite that it wasn’t enough for Fox to keep them around, so three seasons and then it was done.  And there are people that still today say, “How could they possible do that?  It was the best show on television.”  And it was.  It was an incredible show but it was ahead of it’s time I think.  And being ahead of your time isn’t always the best thing because audiences still hadn’t caught on to the single camera comedy in that way.  Scrubs has stayed around and weathered some storms and now it’s going to keep going and I’m sure there are fans that are really happy about that.  Then also, so through the process I went from being like that really sucks that we weren’t renewed to seeing all the outcry and outpouring of the love of our fan base and the critics because everybody picked it up: Entertainment Weekly, and E, and TV Guide, and People.  The show that might go away”¦it’s Chuck.  And then I realized that we are getting lots of free press out of this.  This is really good.  And then you start to think about it in the bigger scheme of things like stuff that only later on in hindsight ““ you think clearly God had a bigger plan than all this because now this is keeping us fresh in people’s minds because we are not going to be on the air again until March 1st possibly and that’s all I know.

    CS:  That’s like another writers strike.

    LEVI: Yes.  Fortunately it won’t be that long until we go back to work but nonetheless, that’s a long time off the air.  We certainly benefited tremendously from not being quietly renewed in the night.  We fought for it.  Our fans fought for it.  Our critical fans fought for it and we’re back.  And, I feel like because of that, now it’s almost like our fans are part owners of the show.  They are all shareholders.  “Yeah, we fought for that and we got that back.”  It wasn’t just because the numbers were so great that 15 million people are watching it and of course you are going to get renewed.  No man, it was the strong, the proud, the Marines”¦

    (Laughs)

    LEVI: And nerds everywhere.  When I was in the UK right before the finale I was in Birmingham ““ Adam Baldwin and I were at a Comi-Con out there and doing some signings and stuff and it was right before the finale and my publicist was calling me saying that a lot of people are asking, both editorial and fan sites, asking what we are going to do for the finale.  “Are you going to do a footlong finale thing with the grassroots thing?” and the girl who started the thing was in the UK and I met her there for the first time.  I think she was from Philadelphia and there happened to be a Subway there.  I didn’t even know they had them there because it’s called the Underground there.

    (Laughs)

  • Trailer Park: Amber Borycki

    By Christopher Stipp

    The Archives, Right Here

    So, I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.

    And now, you can follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp. Some weeks you get lucky with the kind of information that people are talking about. This week a debate about whether video games are art and the new trailer for MOON created some waves.

    sop_field_300x250Quick announcement for those readers living in Phoenix (surprisingly, there are a lot of you out there) there is a screening of Kevin MacDonald’s (ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) solidly casted film, STATE OF PLAY. The movie boasts the talents of Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren and Robin Wright Penn so at the very least it’ll be pretty to look at.

    The sneak screening is this Tuesday night, April 14th at Tempe Marketplace. Those interested know the drill. E-mail me at Christopher_Stipp@Yahoo.com and I’ll make it happen.

    The film’s synopsis:

    Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party’s contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.

    D.C. reporter Cal McAffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron, who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della try to uncover the killer’s identity, McCaffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is ever safe.

    sin_nombre-posterfinAs well, I’ve got a screening for SIN NOMBRE this week for Arizona dwellers.

    The film, which is just a phenomenal debut from filmmaker Cary Fukunaga, is testament to the brilliance of those who are just looking for a change to tell the stories they believe in.

    SIN NOMBRE is playing this Thursday, April 16 at 7 pm at the Harkins Camelview in Scottsdale, Arizona. E-mail me to get on the list…

    Sin Nombre is an epic dramatic thriller written and directed by Student Academy Award winner Cary Joji Fukunaga in his feature debut. The filmmaker’s firsthand experiences with Central American immigrants seeking the promise of the U.S. form the basis of the Spanish-language movie.

    Sin Nombre tells the story of Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), a teenager living in Honduras, and hungering for a brighter future. A reunion with her long-estranged father gives Sayra her only real option ““ emigrating with her father and her uncle into Mexico and then the United States, where her father now has a new family.

    Meanwhile, Casper, a.k.a. Willy (Edgar Flores), is a teenager living in Tapachula, Mexico, and facing an uncertain future. A member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang brotherhood, he has just brought to the Mara a new recruit, 12-year-old Smiley (Kristyan Ferrer), who undergoes a rough initiation.

    While Smiley quickly takes to gang life, Casper tries to protect his relationship with girlfriend Martha Marlene (Diana García), keeping their love a secret from the Mara. But when Martha encounters Tapachula’s Mara leader Lil’ Mago (Tenoch Huerta Mejía), she is brutally taken from Casper forever.

    Sayra and her relatives manage to cross over into Mexico. There, they join other immigrants waiting at the Tapachula train yards. When a States-bound freight train arrives one night, they successfully rush to board ““ riding atop it, rather than in the cars ““ as does Lil’ Mago, who has commandeered Casper and Smiley along to rob immigrants.

    When day breaks, Lil’ Mago makes his move and Casper in turn makes a fateful decision. Casper must now navigate the psychological gauntlet of his violent existence and the physical one of the unforgiving Mara, but Sayra bravely allies herself with him as the train journeys through the Mexican countryside towards the hope of new lives.

    I also have 2 DVD giveaways: THE MINDSCAPE OF ALAN MOORE and A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY – 10TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION

    alanAlan Moore writer, artist and performer is the world’s most critically acclaimed and widely admired creator of comic books and graphic novels. In The Mindscape of Alan Moore we see a portrait of the artist as contemporary shaman, someone with the power to transform consciousness by means of manipulating language, symbols and images. The film leads the audience through Moore’s world with the writer himself as guide, beginning with his childhood background, following the evolution of his career as he transformed the comics medium, through to his immersion in a magical worldview where science, spirituality and society are part of the same universe.

    What I can tell you about watching this documentary is that is Alan Moore very much encapsulates independent thinking and raises it to an art form. Regardless of this stances on the metaphysical or the ephemeral Alan is able to distill some very complex thought patterns into cohesive narratives that at once entertain and mind bend.

    The documentary frames this writer as the master of his own donat, his own language. He is no ordinary writer, to be sure, and this documentary wonderfully dovetails with the WATCHMEN film in that here is a film that at once explains the why’s and how’s and then goes on to wrap your brain around the mysticism of Alan’s thought patterns. There are some more than excellent interviews with those he’s collaborated with and this documentary will more than satiate anyone wanting to know more about the man who has, in popular media, only been known as the guy who didn’t want his name attached to the film adaptations of his work.

    I have a few to give away and if you’re interested please stick the words “Alan Moore” in the subject line of an e-mail and shoot it over to me at Christopher_Stipp@Yahoo.com

    star-warsFeaturing interviews with hundreds of fans, movie executives, and high profile celebrities, A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY delves into the franchise that has made household names of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, R2-D2 and C3PO. As a new wave of Star Wars mania was being induced in “˜99, Jalal brought his cameras to Star Wars conventions, to boisterous nationwide premieres, into the homes of devoted fans showing off their treasures and collectibles and captured those who spent 42 days on line, just to be first to see The Phantom Menace.

    Interviews and archival footage featured includes Samuel L. Jackson, Joe Pesci, genre filmmaker Roger Corman, Meat Loaf, Dennis Franz, Andy Garcia, Jimmy Kimmel and Star Wars alumnus David Proust (Darth Vader), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Anthony Daniels (C3-PO) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca). Offering a complete, often hilarious, exploration of George Lucas’ crowning achievement that brings together a group of fascinating, passionate, hysterical — and often touching ““ fans, A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY is not just a film about overzealous fanboys.

    Instead, it plumbs the depths of a common, shared love that knows no boundaries and seeks answers to a stunning phenomenon that continues to live on like Yoda.

    I love documentaries like this. There is something about the examination of any subculture where I’ve had a passing interest. To wit, TREKKIES has set the bar for me in regards of simplicity and its lo-fi sheen. In the middle of this average documentary I not only came to understand why some will dress up and descend on conventions simply to indulge their passion as fans of this science fiction program. The interviews always draw me in, I cannot start this film without going all the way through and I suspect the same will happen for this documentary. It hits the notes it has to with its exploitation of the crazies who are genuinely into this but it also has some solid interviews with those who have inside the sphere, first-hand knowledge of the universe that George Lucas has crafted. Say what you will about the man but he has parted a lot of people with their money. This documentary absolutely shows where a lot of that cash has gone.

    I’ve got a few copies available to give away so if you’re interested please put “Galaxy” in the subject line and shoot me a note at Christopher_Stipp@Yahoo.com.

    ———————————————–

    HARPER’S ISLAND: AMBER BORYCKI

    harpersSometimes it’s just good to sit on something.

    I waited to release this interview with Amber Borycki of CBS’ Harper’s Island, now showing every Thursday night (and watch the show’s premiere online if you’ve missed it), as I’ve done this before. I’ve talked to a show’s talent and released the thing weeks before the show has even aired. Most of the time it’s a safe bet but if you’ve never heard of a program or watched it there is an inherent problem at times in making it meaningful to someone who hasn’t seen it.

    With Harper’s Island, though, I hedged a bet that it was going to well in order to have a little more than a passing interest in the following interview. But the bet wasn’t that risky in my own estimation. You had an excellent time slot that was poised to help this little show that could, you had a cast full of unknowns that only increases the tension for a murder mystery program in that you can’t cherry pick who is going to make it to the end but, most of all, and what impresses me, is that this show has a finite lifespan. I am just as a fan of Lost’s twisted and arching story lines but there is something fascinating in a program’s development that says to itself, “There will be someone dead at the beginning and there will be a resolution of it all by the end of 13 episodes.” If all goes well, there could be a different set-up for each batch of shows. Yes, it’s gimmicky in a way. However, where the rubber meets the proverbial road is whether the story and writing can sustain itself for these episodes; you could have any number of wacky premises but if each one was written well enough I could care less about how nutty the idea is.

    As it stands, and why I feel vindicated if only for a week, the debut of Harper’s Island last Thursday ranked first in viewers for its time slot (10.5 million) behind only stalwarts CSI and Survivor. Take it as you will in this fickle viewing pool of television viewers but I’ll strike while the iron is hot and introduce you to Amber Borycki, an actress who had her film debut in a breakout performance in 1984’s RUNAWAY by Michael Crichton starring Tom Selleck , Kirstie Alley and Gene Simmons of Kiss only to disappear for almost 20 years.

    Read on to find out why…

    HARPER’S ISLAND is on Thursday nights at 10 ET/PT

    amber-borycki-79401-89CHRISTOPHER STIPP: Tell me, what is it about this show ““ it’s one of those shows that has been shrouded in mystery with only a vague idea of what it’s about. What can you tell me?

    AMBER BORYCKI: Let’s see. There’s a lot I can’t tell you about the show. We are sworn to secrecy to our death actually. Do you want the premise of the show?

    CS: Briefly. Lay it out for me.

    BORYCKI: It is a one hour drama. They are calling it a horror-inspired drama or a 13 episode mystery event. Basically it’s about a group of friends and family and they travel to an island to celebrate a wedding and for Abby Mills who is the lead character played by Elaine Cassidy this is the first time she’s gone back to Harper’s Island since her mother was murdered there 7 years ago.

    I guess at the beginning spirits are really high and it’s all a big party but as the show progresses people are gripped by fear and are murdered one by one and everybody is a suspect. By the end of 13 episodes, the murdered will be revealed.

    CS: And this is one of the interesting things I found out about the show is that they are planning on spinning this into ““ if this season goes well, next season will be a completely different cast with a completely focus.

    BORYCKI: Yeah, they have to. There’s nobody left.

    (Laughs)

    CS: But, yeah, they are planning on making this more than just a one time thing.

    BORYCKI: Yes, that is the one thing we are allowed to say is that they are promoting it as everybody is going to go, one by one people are going to be picked off and by the end you will sort of find out who it is. I mean, pretty much everybody.

    CS: This seem right for a couple reasons. Why I like this is that they know there is a finite, definite end to the series. Can you shed some light about what they had in mind? You can see how this could have been stretched into 3, 4 or 5 seasons. Why did they want to shoot it all in one season and get it done with?

    BORYCKI: I think it’s just because it’s a new idea. The reason they are doing just 13 episodes is because they are calling this a mystery event. They are promoting it as kind of a mini-series. So, that way you are guaranteed, I think by July 13th, you are going to know who it is. That way, people who are watching the show ““ they have this anticipation every time. They know they are going to find something out.

    I think that’s the difference between a series like Lost. You don’t know when you’re going to find out the end. This way, you know the exact day you are going to get that reward for watching the series. It’s really like a horror movie stretched out over 13 episodes on TV. Like a really long horror movie ““ which is pretty cool.

    amberCS: Are they shooting this cinema-style or doing it kind of vérité like a documentary?

    BORYCKI: It’s actually done cinema-style. Like any other one hour drama. There is no hand held camera. It’s great, shiny and colorful. That’s one cool thing about the show is that it starts off in the beginning in the summer and it’s the wedding, it’s the parties, the heels, bright colors and sun but as the show progresses, the whole tone starts to change when people start getting killed and obviously if your friend or family member gets murdered you are not going to be putting on your heels and dresses anymore. Dressing in darker colors and jeans and the whole tone starts to change. A very cool visual effect ““ the palate changes as well.

    CS: Is that what brought you into this? Was it the premise that sold you, did someone have you in mind or is this one of those things you basically go in for and audition and see if you get it?

    BORYCKI: I auditioned, yeah. I auditioned for a show here in Vancouver, Canada where the show is filmed and I actually only auditioned a week before the show went to camera. They were still doing casting and it all happened super fast. I went in and Jon Turtletaub, our executive producer, Dan and Karim were there in the room and, right away, I knew walking in that I wanted to be a part of the show because of the energy in the room. They were warm, inviting and such great guys and were excited and it was a cool experience auditioning because they were so welcoming. I left saying I really wanted to work with these guys because they were so great. So, I’m really happy to be a part of it.

    CS: Speaking about Jon, I read some interviews with him. He’s an interesting guy to get on-board with something like this. Serial television isn’t something he gets a whole lot of involved in.

    BORYCKI: True. National Treasure fame and all.

    CS: Exactly. Can you share what brought him to do this thing? He said he was going to do National Treasure III.

    BORYCKI: That maybe a question you would have to ask him. I don’t really know exactly how he got involved in the first place. I just know that it was a collaboration of people that really wanted to try something new. Something that has never been done this way before. Yeah, it was kind of different. We were all really excited to work with him. Him coming into a TV series. He directed the pilot as well, which was great because we all got to hang out. To have him there with his film background and history really just worked for the show because it feels like a movie on TV. Like a 13 part movie. But in terms of how he got involved initially, I’m not sure.

    CS: Let me ask you a little bit about yourself. From 1984 until about 2003 you were basically absent from major productions but were doing a lot of theater. What brought you back in?

    BORYCKI: You must have looked at my resume!

    (Laughs)

    CS: Yes, I did….

    BORYCKI: The Runaway is on there and it makes me laugh because I did movie when I was a year old. It starred Tom Selleck and he actually rescued me from killer robots. It’s hilarious. Now we have all these cool I-Robot type movies and in this movie it looks like shoe boxes with guns sticking out.

    (Laughs)

    It’s all kind of funny. I’m in my crib and he comes in and rescues me. Magnum-style. I guess it was my parents. My dad is a writer and producer but I never did any child acting. I guess in high school started doing theater and musicals and came to acting that way and didn’t start doing TV and films until I was about 19. They left it up to me to find my own interest and it just sort of came back into my life and I realized that it was what I loved to do more than anything. That explain the “senior” hiatus?

    (Laughs)

    I took a little break. The Runaway took it all out of me!

    CS: Did the writers know ““ obviously one of the things about Lost ““ some of the guys didn’t really know where it was going to go when they got started, we just had the idea.

    BORYCKI: We asked them and yes, they knew. That was really funny because we would try to get it out of them all the time. There were people claiming that they were going to have mental breakdowns. I remember going out for dinner and one of our cast members was like, “Look, if you don’t tell me this… I can’t handle it anymore. I don’t know if I’m going to die. I don’t know if I’m the killer. I need to know this. I’m going nuts.” But it was like a game all the time. They did a really good job because nobody knew anything until the end. Top secret.

    CS: Well, what about for you? What’s on the horizon? What are you looking forward to?

    BORYCKI: I’m super excited right now because the show comes out in about a month and we have our billboards up, which is really cool. I’m in Vancouver right now but I’m heading down to LA tomorrow, actually, and the picture of our billboard has been circulating around and we’re sending it like on Facebook and emails. I love the websites where people are starting to talk about it. So, at this point I’m just super excited about the show and I’m going to head down to LA and be there for the pilot episode and we’re all going to get together and watch it. That’s the focus right now. I’m still auditioning for other things and thinking about what’s coming next but at this point, the focus is pretty much on that. There is some pretty cool press stuff coming up. They are doing a lot of extra stuff that goes along with the show. There’s the Harper’s Globe which is a website that CBS is doing which is kind of like a story of a girl, a local to Harper’s Island who writes for the paper and keeps a blog on what’s happening. Sort of an off-shoot of Harper’s Island. Things like that. Pretty cool stuff to watch out for.

    CS: That’s the frustrating thing about doing an interview like this because you can’t say a whole lot.

    BORYCKI: I know. I’m trying to be really careful. We had to sign our lives away to not say anything and it’s so hard. Even my best friends and family are asking me questions. My accountant the other day was asking. But I couldn’t say anything. I can only say what I can say. I don’t want to slip up.