Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Lots of Very Cool 'Up' Concept Arthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/14/up-concept-art-pixar/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/14/up-concept-art-pixar/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/14/up-concept-art-pixar/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Now that Pixar's Up has officially landed on DVD and Blu-ray, artist Paul Conrad has posted a bunch of the concept art from the film that he worked on, like the above image (which I pieced together) that includes the original digital photo that inspired "Paradise Falls" alongside the faux magazine article that Ellie first thumb-tacks in their living room. Some interesting tidbits we learn from Conrad's blog:
  • According to one image, Paradise Falls was at one point called Angel Falls.
  • Initially, 185 Wilderness Explorer Merit Badges were created for Russell, though they only used 47 in the film (see all 185 over at Conrad's site).
  • The bird's name was originally Gary, and then later changed to Kevin.
  • Additionally, several soda cap badges were also created eventually leading to the single Grape Soda cap that young Ellie pins on young Carl (see all the soda cap designs over at Conrad's site).
There's also tons more over on the site, including concept sketches for the airlines tickets, collectibles in Carl's living room, sketches for the map of South America, a jet stream image that Russell was to show Carl in the film, and a story about the mailbox hand prints. Check out a couple more below and the rest over at Conrad's site.

Gallery: 'Up' Concept Art

Paradise FallsSoda CapsEarly Postcards

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]]>pixarupErik DavisSat, 14 Nov 2009 13:02:00 ESTMaking The (Up) Grade: Galaxy Questhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/14/making-the-up-grade-galaxy-quest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/14/making-the-up-grade-galaxy-quest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/14/making-the-up-grade-galaxy-quest/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Paramount Home Entertainment has employed an interesting tactic in 2009 releasing certain films on standard-definition months ahead of their debut on Blu-ray. This was the case with the first three Friday the 13th films, and now it's the case with Galaxy Quest; I don't have the numbers in terms of either awareness or sales, but I wonder how many dutiful consumers pay attention to both editions and choose to wait, as opposed to buying one only to see it become obsolete just a few short months later. In any case, what's most important is that most of all of the films released this way thus far are fan favorites, and especially Galaxy Quest is a classic in its own right, all of which is why the new Blu-ray release is the subject of this week's "Making The (Up) Grade."

What's Already Available: Paramount originally released Galaxy Quest on DVD in May of 2000, and in addition to the film, the single-disc release featured deleted scenes, an "On Location in Space" feature, a Thermian-language audio track, cast and crew bios, and production notes.

Paramount's Deluxe Edition was released on May 12, 2009, and featured a new transfer as well as several new bonus features, including "Historical Documents: The Story of Galaxy Quest," "Never Give Up. Never Surrender: The Intrepid Crew of the NSEA Protector," "By Grabthar's Hammer, What Amazing Effects," "Alien School - Creating the Thermian Race," "Actors in Space," "Sigourney Weaver Raps" (yes, you read that right), deleted scenes, the Thermian audio track, and the theatrical trailer.

What's In The New Set:

Continue reading Making The (Up) Grade: Galaxy Quest

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]]>alan rickmanAlanRickmandean parisotDeanParisotgalaxy questGalaxyQuestjustin longJustinLongmaking the up gradeMakingTheUpGradesam rockwellSamRockwellsigourney weaverSigourneyWeavertim allenTimAllenTodd GilchristSat, 14 Nov 2009 11:03:00 ESTThe Original Pitch for 'Monsters, Inc.'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/monsters-inc-original-pitch/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/monsters-inc-original-pitch/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/monsters-inc-original-pitch/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Kudos to Cinematical reader Kashif Pasta for sending this our way. On the latest episode of the Creative Screenwriting Magazine Podcast (which I didn't know existed, but now do and will totally listen more often), Up and Monster's, Inc director Pete Docter revealed the original pitch for Monsters, Inc. -- which was very different from what eventually hit the screen, and kinda reminded me of Where the Wild Things Are in a sorta-ish way. On this blog, Kashif separated the segment of the podcast where Docter reveals the original pitch (which came at about 22 minutes in), and it went something like this:

"Well, my idea was that what it was about was about a 30 year old man who is like an accountant or something, he hates his job, and one day he gets a book with some drawings in it that he did when he was a kid from his mom, and he doesn't think anything of it and he puts it on the shelf and that night, monsters show up. And nobody else can see them. He thinks he's starting to go crazy, they follow him to his job, and on his dates, and all this- and it turns out these monsters are fears that he never dealt with as a kid. And each one of them represents a different kind of fear. As he conquers those fears, the guys who he slowly becomes kind of friends with- they disappear as he conquers those fears. It's this bittersweet kinda ending where they go away, and so not much of that stayed

[...]

it sounds better as a pitch than it did at the time- anyway. "

Sounds like a pretty cool punch-in-the-gut kinda movie to me; something with real intense emotion. I like Docter in that way. I feel he likes to create these beautiful child-like movies with some pretty intense adult emotions behind them. It's part of what makes that Pixar crew so great and unique and powerful. You can listen to the audio from the Docter podcast over here.

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedincmonsterspeter docterPeterDocterpixarupErik DavisFri, 13 Nov 2009 22:29:00 EST'Hansel and Gretel' to Get the Nazi Zombie Treatmenthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/dead-snow-director-goes-from-nazi-zombies-to-hansel-and-grete/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/dead-snow-director-goes-from-nazi-zombies-to-hansel-and-grete/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/dead-snow-director-goes-from-nazi-zombies-to-hansel-and-grete/#commentsFiled under: , ,

By: Alison Nastasi

Gotta love those dark Germanic fairy tales. They are ripe with strange folklore, the supernatural, and some of the most grotesque creatures ever imagined. These stories are intrinsically woven into the fabric of horror culture. You would think there would be more amazing fairy tale film adaptations, but only a few immediately come to mind: The Company of Wolves, Little Otik, Snow White and the Seven Dwarf and Labyrinth. Perhaps they hold more magic on paper, but it's inevitable that filmmakers will continue to turn to these tales for inspiration.

Earlier this year it was reported that Tommy Wirkola, the Norwegian director behind the Nazi-zombie flick Dead Snow will make his first U.S. feature with Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. The film is being produced by Gary Sanchez Productions--the Paramount company run by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Chris Henchy and Kevin Messick.

Read the rest over at Horror Squad

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]]>Dante HarperDanteHarperDead SnowDeadSnowGary Sanchez ProductionsGarySanchezProductionsHansel and GretelHansel and Gretel: Witch HuntersHanselAndGretelHanselAndGretel:WitchHuntersTommy WirkolaTommyWirkolaCinematical staffFri, 13 Nov 2009 19:32:00 ESTScenes We Love: The Band Wagonhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/scenes-we-love-the-band-wagon/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/scenes-we-love-the-band-wagon/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/scenes-we-love-the-band-wagon/#commentsFiled under: ,




We have television to thank for a serious dance renaissance. TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars have introduced a new generation to the joys of the samba, the waltz, and the quickstep, while High School Musical (and now, Glee) brought song-and-dance production numbers back into vogue. Suddenly it seems like the world's gone dance crazy. Of course, geeks like me, who grew up watching the great movie musicals, have been dance crazy for most of our lives.

On this week's episode of SYTYCD, show producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe lectured a pair of dancers about the importance of telling a story through choreography, instructing them that technical proficiency isn't enough --the audience wants to understand who the characters are, what the relationship is, and what they're trying to convey. Well, if he'd wanted to illustrate that concept, Lythgoe could do worse than to point his young contestants at 1953's The Band Wagon, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. Directed by the great Vincente Minnelli, the musical tells the story of an aging hoofer who hopes to reinvigorate his career by starring in a hilariously awful musical interpretation of Faust, which turns out to be such a disaster that he and his comely co-star, along with the show's writers (Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray), have to create an entirely new show on the fly to replace it.

Continue reading Scenes We Love: The Band Wagon

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]]>cyd charisseCydCharisseFredAstaireMGMthe band wagonTheBandWagonvincente minnelliVincenteMinnelliDawn TaylorFri, 13 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST'Mr. Fox' Deserves a Fantastic Feasthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/mr-fox-needs-a-fantastic-accompanying-feast/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/mr-fox-needs-a-fantastic-accompanying-feast/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/mr-fox-needs-a-fantastic-accompanying-feast/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dear Alamo Drafthouse or any other movie theater that serves food with movies,

I just saw Fantastic Mr. Fox and afterwards I realized something that no one seems to have mentioned so far: This is totally a foodie movie. It's not foodie like Julie & Julia, where the characters are baking desserts and decapitating ducks and invoking the spirit of Julia Child ... but food is a central part of the story . The three main bad guys each are rumored to only consume a single type of food or drink, and Mr. Fox is obsessed with getting his paws on some of these delicacies. There are feasts, there are large plates of French toast and desserts, there is a significant cider incident -- in short, this movie is awash in food and drink.

Therefore, I strongly suggest that you offer a feast to accompany some screenings of Fantastic Mr. Fox. It took me days to recuperate from Alamo's feast for The Simpsons Movie, but boy was it worthwhile. Alamo does feasts for all kinds of fancy foodie movies, and any other movie it likes ... this is one I hope is not forgotten, even though it is opening in Austin around Thanksgiving, when people have turkey feasts on the brain.

Continue reading 'Mr. Fox' Deserves a Fantastic Feast

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]]>Alamo DrafthouseAlamoDrafthousefantastic mr. foxFantasticMr.FoxfeastfoodiesmenuJette KernionFri, 13 Nov 2009 15:48:00 ESTDiscuss: When Movie Marketing Crosses the Linehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/discuss-when-movie-marketing-crosses-the-line/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/discuss-when-movie-marketing-crosses-the-line/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/13/discuss-when-movie-marketing-crosses-the-line/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A quiet storm has been brewing on the Internet over the ethics of spoilers, all in response to The Fourth Kind. It started when Cole Abaius at Film School Rejects took arms against the myriad of bloggers, critics, and tweeters who had been relishing in discussing the veracity of Universal's new alien abduction movie. His post was in part a reaction to a new column started at SciFi Squad that addresses the actual science behind science fiction, which is a perfect podium for an article titled What's The Real Truth Behind The Fourth Kind?

Long story short, Cole feels that to address the claims of the movie (whether or not it is indeed "based on real events") is to spoil the director's vision of how the movie should be seen, and even though you're not spoiling anything that happens during the film's run time, you're ruining the experience. Obviously I disagree. I think there are people who actively want to know whether or not its documentary footage is actual footage or the flights of fancy of screenwriters and producers. It's a fine line to walk, that's for sure, but ultimately the question is whether or not such discussion undermines the suspension of disbelief the director clearly intended to be there. It's an issue Cole and I have been going back on forth on for a few days, but now there's a twist involved, proving even further that the situation surrounding The Fourth Kind is quite unique.

Universal just settled a lawsuit filed against the studio by the Alaska Press Club for the news stories The Fourth Kind PR department manufactured under the guise of being legitimate news articles from the Alaskan Press. So the question I present to you is, are fake news stories crossing the line?

Continue reading Discuss: When Movie Marketing Crosses the Line

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]]>EthicsCommitteefact vs fictionFactVsFictionfeaturedspoiler ethicsSpoilerEthicsThe Fourth KindTheFourthKindPeter HallFri, 13 Nov 2009 12:02:00 ESTWatch: The 5 Worst Homemade 'Risky Business' Dance Videoshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/worst-homemade-risky-business-dance-videos/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/worst-homemade-risky-business-dance-videos/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/worst-homemade-risky-business-dance-videos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One of the most iconic movie images of the 1980s is that of Tom Cruise, clad only in socks, underwear, dress shirt, and sunglasses, dancing to the strains of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll" in Risky Business. Guitar Hero recreated the scene for a series of commercials last year, which apparently put it into the heads of quite a few young people that they should do the same thing in their own homes. As the video evidence shows, this was approximately as bad an idea as it sounds like it would be.

We've chosen five of the worst ones and posted them after the jump. The first is courtesy of BuzzFeed, and it's the best reminder that the film was called Risky Business for a reason. I love that even though the girl seems to be legitimately injured, they still posted it on YouTube. Why let a simple thing like a concussion keep you from Internet fame?

That one, and four other bad ones, after the jump.

Continue reading Watch: The 5 Worst Homemade 'Risky Business' Dance Videos

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]]>featuredrisky businessRiskyBusinesstom cruiseTomCruiseyoungpeopleinunderwearEric D. SniderThu, 12 Nov 2009 21:32:00 ESTDominate the Virtual Multiplex with 'FlickPicks'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dominate-virtual-multiplex-flickpicks/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dominate-virtual-multiplex-flickpicks/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dominate-virtual-multiplex-flickpicks/#commentsFiled under: ,


As much as some people hate to talk about the box office side of the movie business, every film buff at least thinks about the opening haul at one point or another. There are those who idly glance at who landed in first place or who took third -- and then there are those who make financial predictions that require actual decimal placement. Regardless of which side you find yourself relating to, I at least guarantee that every single film geek has looked up showtimes at their local theater and groaned at the line-up, wondering why aren't they showing the new Indie X or how coming Blockbuster Y is still taking up two screens.

Well now there is a website that combines the fascination of what's popular with the frustration of trying to decide what's popular. It's called FlickPicks and it lets anyone who signs up become a virtual movie theater owner for free. It works a little like this: You have Monday through Thursday to choose what films you're going to show and how many screens each film is going to occupy. On Friday FlickPicks locks down your selections and then once the numbers roll in on over the weekend, invisible computer elves calculate how much money your hypothetical theater made and assign points accordingly.

Continue reading Dominate the Virtual Multiplex with 'FlickPicks'

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]]>box officeBoxOfficeflick picksFlickPicksmovie gamesMovieGamesPeter HallThu, 12 Nov 2009 19:18:00 ESTFive Radio Flicks That Rocked the Big Screenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/best-radio-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/best-radio-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/best-radio-movies/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I've always been drawn to radio on the big screen. It seems antithetical -- a sound format being so perfect for a medium full of sound and imagery. Video killed the radio star ... right? Nevertheless, radio leads to wonderfully aural expression that gives film that extra little something, whether that be the perfectly pitched voice of a radio DJ delighting in word play or the perfectly placed song that evokes any number of emotions. Word play and great music -- they've always been my weakness.

Therefore, naturally, I'm all sorts of excited for this week's cinematic slate, which not only includes disasters, tough women, and fantastic foxes, but also a little flick called Pirate Radio. This ensemble comedy has been a long time coming. In fact, it's been almost a year since we first got to see a trailer for the film that not only features a cast including Nick Frost and Bill Nighy, but also marks the return of Philip Seymour Hoffman to the retro radio seat. Oh yes, Lester Bangs is back, only this time he calls himself The Count.

To get you in the mood for true pirate radio living on a tried and true ship, check out five great on-screen radio moments after the jump. (Warning: Some are NSFW.)

Continue reading Five Radio Flicks That Rocked the Big Screen

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]]>Almost FamousAlmostFamousCinematicalfeaturedGood MorningGoodMorningPirate RadioPirateRadioPump Up the VolumePumpUpTheVolumeradio filmsRadioFilmsTalk RadioTalk to MeTalkRadioTalkToMeVietnamMonika BartyzelThu, 12 Nov 2009 17:15:00 ESTEva Mendes on Nudity: "I Go For It"http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/eva-mendes-on-nudity-i-go-for-it/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/eva-mendes-on-nudity-i-go-for-it/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/eva-mendes-on-nudity-i-go-for-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Eva Mendes in 'The Spirit'Shocker! Displaying a positive attitude that should warm the heart of any moviegoer who loves the female form, Eva Mendes declares: "If I feel it's appropriate to show some nudity in the scenes then I go for it." She told Fox News: "As much as I use my sexuality, I have never felt exploited. I feel like it's on my terms and I have no problem with it."

Speaking as someone who first noticed Mendes when Ethan Hawke opened a door in Training Day to reveal her lying naked on a bed, I say: "I have no problem with it, either." The actress is promoting her appearance in Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, which opens later this month (and prompted our own Jeffrey D. Anderson to wonder if the remake was a good idea in the first place.) Mendes has been willing to bare portions of her body for several films, but it's not like she's leisurely walking around naked in any of them. Instead, they're more like brief flashes, tantalizing glimpses that are either frankly sexual (We Own the Night) or fanboy flirtatious (The Spirit, pictured).

Mendes was open in talking about 'turning up the heat and turning up the sexuality' when appropriate, admitting that it's "no accident" that she appeared in an "amazing" Calvin Klein advertising campaign that caused American TV censors to tremble badly. I think it's refreshing to hear an actress admit that she uses all of her assets on her terms, rather than feeling ashamed or exploited. Good for her!

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]]>Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansBadLieutenant:PortOfCallNewOrleanseva mendesEvaMendesmovie nudityMovieNuditytraining dayTrainingDaywerner herzogWernerHerzogPeter MartinThu, 12 Nov 2009 14:15:00 ESTDave Matthews, Gogol Bordello Are Larger Than Life in 3D HDhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dave-matthews-gogol-bordello-3d-concert-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dave-matthews-gogol-bordello-3d-concert-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/dave-matthews-gogol-bordello-3d-concert-movies/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gogol BordelloAEG and Action 3D are betting on music lovers that will want to catch their favorite performers in a movie theater -- on the screen, that is. According to Variety, the two companies have already been getting footage from different festivals for their limited-run, 3D-only concert movies, which will be offered in a similar manner as U2 3D. The first series of movies will be footage of concerts from Dave Matthews (yay?), Relentless7, Ben Harper, and Gogol Bordello. The only group that sounds like it would wow music fans in 3D is Gogol Bordello, a gypsy punk band known for their outrageous live shows and songs like "Start Wearing Purple."

However, AEG is also behind the recent release of Michael Jackson's film This is It, along with Sony, which has made $186 million worldwide so far. While concert movies with built-in audiences like the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds have been similarly successful, I'm not convinced that semi-random concert series will really put bottoms in seats. And for all you Phishheads, AEG has apparently already "filmed several 3D live sets of Phish from Festival 8 in Indio, Calif., in late October. According to [John Rubey, president of Network Live, a division of AEG Live], the company plans to roll out 'best of' edition from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits as followups to the Matthews feature in 2010." So get your Birks and tie-dye ready to jam out, man!

I think it's a cool idea to offer people the chance to see their favorite bands up close and personal if they can't see them live, but there isn't anything to rival the actual live experience. Granted, you're not usually that close to the stage and some jerk just spilled beer on your shoes and someone else is singing along to every song and/or shouting "WOO!" in your ear, but that's all part of the concert experience, right?

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]]>3DAEGBen HarperBenHarperDave MatthewsDaveMatthewsGogol BordelloGogolBordelloHDMichael JacksonMichaelJacksonMiley CyrusMileyCyrusPhishRelentless 7Relentless7This Is ItThisIsItU2Jenni MillerThu, 12 Nov 2009 13:32:00 ESTJames Cameron Never Wanted to Make 'Titanic'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/james-cameron-titanic/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/james-cameron-titanic/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/james-cameron-titanic/#commentsFiled under: ,



Perhaps the most comically brilliant interview of the month will come sandwiched between naked ladies as a lengthy chat with James Cameron will be featured in December's issue of Playboy. While we don't have the actual interview for you to read, Playboy sent over a whole batch of quotes that were just too good to resist. Based on the quotes, it would appear the interview covers everything from Cameron's directorial approach to his inspiration (Star Wars) to his personal life (married five times) to his films to Christian Bale's famous on-set tirade ("Man, I have to take my hat off to this guy. I could not pull a rant like that if I had to.' I mean, I can get on a roll but not like that. I just had to bow down.").

And speaking of his films, Cameron was quite candid when Titanic came up, admitting there was only one reason why he wanted to make that film and it wasn't to get Kate Winslet topless. "I made Titanic because I wanted to dive to a shipwreck, not because I particularly wanted to make the movie...Titanic was about 'f*ck you' money," he said. And on Kate Winslet almost dying while filming: "[On the set of Titanic] we simply let Kate [Winslet] think she was nearly drowning. A little sputtering and coughing does not count in my book, because I have almost drowned several times...Anybody who signs on [with me] is going to be tested." Right on! James Cameron: The director who will let you think you're dying in order to get the best performance!

Check out a few more choice Cameron quotes after the jump (like why you'll never see him on Twitter), and you can read the entire interview in the December issue of Playboy, which hits newstands and online on November 13th.

Continue reading James Cameron Never Wanted to Make 'Titanic'

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]]>avatarcinematicalfeaturedjames cameronJamesCameronplayboytitanicErik DavisThu, 12 Nov 2009 12:43:00 ESTTheir Best Role: Brad Pitt and 'Fight Club'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/brad-pitt-best-role-fight-club/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/brad-pitt-best-role-fight-club/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/brad-pitt-best-role-fight-club/#commentsFiled under:



Welcome to a new series here on Cinematical where we select an actor or actress and the role we think is their all time best.

Brad Pitt has taken on a myriad of roles over the years. He's fly fished, hunted down sadistic killers, played a romantic devil, dallied in thievery, suffered through pain in his Achilles, and even showed up as the notorious Jesse James. And while he may have earned Oscar nominations for his turn as a mental patient in 12 Monkeys and a backward-aging man in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, his best role lives in cult fandom as the corporation-loathing anarchist Tyler Durden in Fight Club.

I know. It's strange of me to pick this role out of the list -- especially in light of his time in 12 Monkeys. Fight Club was the film Edward Norton got recognized for -- not so much Brad Pitt. But it's Durden that always stuck out to me -- a marked turning point in Pitt's career.

From the very beginning, Pitt's work was rife with reinvention. He started as the clean-cut and cute young actor, from uncredited time as a preppy partygoer in Less Than Zero to shilling Pringles in bubbly '80s commercials. Then his hair grew out a little and he played the seductive J.D. in Thelma & Louise, ushering in a period of grunge and long-haired loverdom. He dated Juliette Lewis, played a trashy ex-con in Kalifornia, and made a name for himself as a rugged heartthrob, balancing vampiric times with Tom Cruise in dramatic period pieces. However, just when the path seemed set, the year 1995 rang in with the back-to-back power of Se7en and Twelve Monkeys. Things were starting to change.

Continue reading Their Best Role: Brad Pitt and 'Fight Club'

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]]>Brad PittBradPittCinematicalfeaturedFight ClubFightClubTheir Best RoleTheirBestRoleTyler DurdenTylerDurdenMonika BartyzelThu, 12 Nov 2009 12:02:00 ESTMegan Fox's Scratched SNL Hitler/Michael Bay Jokehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/megan-fox-michael-bay-hitler-snl-joke/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/megan-fox-michael-bay-hitler-snl-joke/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/12/megan-fox-michael-bay-hitler-snl-joke/#commentsFiled under: , ,



If you have a few minutes today I'd strongly recommend reading this fascinating five-page New York Times Magazine story on Megan Fox called The Self-Manufacture of Megan Fox. I know, you're not really interested in reading another "OMG, she said that!" article on the overly hyped, sexified actress, but this one is a little different. Yes, it touches on just about everything controversial that's crossed her plate -- from her much-publicized spat with Michael Bay to her longterm off-screen relationship with Brian Austin Green -- but it also digs beneath the surface and exposes the way in which she's sort of self-manufactured her own image depending on where she is and who she's speaking to in order to expand her brand, which, she'll admit, isn't the most glamorous or family-friendly, but it's what's keeping her working.

Fox admits that she got herself into the whole Michael Bay mess, and wonders why no one came to her defense when that nasty crew letter surfaced online ("I think it's because I'm a girl. They left me out there to be bludgeoned to death"). Another interesting fact was that they were going to include a Hitler/Michael Bay joke when Fox hosted Saturday Night Live, but dropped it because it wasn't appropriate. Fox explains, "They wanted me to do a Q. and A. with the audience for the opening monologue. And Hitler is in the audience. Hitler stands up and says, 'Why did you compare me to Michael Bay?' " Fox laughed. "Which is funny, but we can't do that."

Watch the actual monologue and read more after the jump.


Continue reading Megan Fox's Scratched SNL Hitler/Michael Bay Joke

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]]>featuredhitlerjudy garlandJudyGarlandmegan foxMeganFoxmichael bayMichaelBaynew york timesNewYorkTimessnlthe wizard of ozTheWizardOfOzErik DavisThu, 12 Nov 2009 10:32:00 ESTTop 10 Annoyingly Ambiguous Movie Endingshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/top-10-ambiguous-movie-endings/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/top-10-ambiguous-movie-endings/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/top-10-ambiguous-movie-endings/#commentsFiled under: ,

No Country for Old Men

Yesterday, we posted a very funny video from College Humor that resolved some classic ambiguous endings in film: The Graduate, Lost in Translation, and so forth. But it reminded me that sometimes these vague endings can be truly irritating and frustrating. I hate sitting through what is shaping up into a good movie experience, then the end negates the whole film, makes no sense, or just plain ends without warning or closure.

Sometimes these ambiguous endings are great: I felt the ending of The Wrestler was just right, and I also liked the way the recently released A Serious Man concluded. Sometimes these unresolved endings are meant to pave the way for a sequel, which is great if you happen to have the sequel there with you, but when it's a new movie, you just want to throttle the filmmakers. Here are 10 movies with endings that make me want to throw a popcorn box at the screen, or find the filmmakers and demand an explanation. It goes without saying that I'm about to spoil the endings of 10 films, so you've been warned.

Continue reading Top 10 Annoyingly Ambiguous Movie Endings

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]]>CinematicalEndingendingsfilmmovieJette KernionWed, 11 Nov 2009 23:02:00 ESTFree Flick of the Day: The Last Days of Discohttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/free-flick-of-the-day-the-last-days-of-disco/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/free-flick-of-the-day-the-last-days-of-disco/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/free-flick-of-the-day-the-last-days-of-disco/#commentsFiled under: ,

Whit Stillman hasn't made a lot of films. In fact, there are only three: Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco. All filmed in the '90s, his trio of movies morphed from upper-class teen Manhattanites, to heading out into the international working world, and finally to a look into the end of disco. Unfortunately, the last was sadly overlooked because another big disco fest hit the big screen -- 54 -- which may have been terrible, but with the likes of Mike Myers and a big-name cast, it was the flick in the spotlight.

Nestled in the shadows was The Last Days of Disco, starring Chloe Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale as two young book editors who fill their nights with dance and banter while looking for romance. Each night, as they head to the club, they come across a myriad of faces, from the Stillman pro Chris Eigeman, to the likes of Mackenzie Astin, Matt Keeslar, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Beals, Burr Steers (recently directed 17 Again), and even Drew's mom, Jaid Barrymore. They gossip, discuss intellectual pursuits, analyze Lady and the Tramp, and even purr over the sexiness of Scrooge McDuck -- all to a classic disco soundtrack.

If you love satire, and a mixture of surreality intermingled with spot-on dialogue (think intellectualism on the back-drop of all-out glam), you've got to check it out. Best of all, should you adore watching this for free, you can then pick up the new Criterion on sale at Barnes & Noble, where they're having their wicked 50% off sale again.

Watch The Last Days of Disco over at SlashControl!

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]]>CinematicalFree Flick of the DayFreeFlickOfTheDaySlashControlThe Last Days of DiscoTheLastDaysOfDiscoWhit StillmanWhitStillmanMonika BartyzelWed, 11 Nov 2009 19:35:00 ESTJason Reitman's Interview Pie Charthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/jason-reitmans-interview-pie-chart/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/jason-reitmans-interview-pie-chart/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/jason-reitmans-interview-pie-chart/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Jason ReitmanJason Reitman, whose next film Up in the Air comes out on December 4th, posted a very funny image on Twitter recently - a pie chart detailing the different things that people have asked him in recent interviews. The top three were about George Clooney (111 people), the economy (96 people), and his next project (78 people). The fourth is a little more confusing, as it just reads "Real People," so apparently 77 people asked him about real people. Maybe they wanted to know if the people being laid off in the movie were real people? Who's to say what goes through the murky depths of the mind of a journalist?



I humbly ask Jason Reitman to make a pie chart of his answers. Here's what I picture it to look like.

111 people: "Clooney is such a prankster! But he's also a great serious actor. He's the Cary Grant of our times. Sometimes we have moustache contests."

96 people: "The economy sucks. Seriously though, I've never been laid off, but if I had to be laid off, I'd hope George Clooney would do it."

78 people: "My next project will be with George Clooney. Actually, it will be catching up on all the sleep I lost talking to you people and answering the same damn questions over and over again."

In one jpeg, Reitman manages to sum up the exhausting paces that filmmakers, actors, musicians, et al are put through to get their names and faces and projects out there, the laziness of some journalists, and the terror that faces every journalist that wants to be good at what they do and engender an interesting discussion that is hopefully pleasant and/or illuminating (but at the very least not boring) for everyone involved, including the reader.

If you could ask Jason Reitman anything, what would it be?

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]]>george clooneyGeorgeClooneyivan reitmanIvanReitmanjason reitmanJasonReitmantwitterup in the airUpInTheAirJenni MillerWed, 11 Nov 2009 18:35:00 ESTTop 10 Reasons Why The World Won't End in 2012http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/top-10-reasons-why-the-world-wont-end-in-2012/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/top-10-reasons-why-the-world-wont-end-in-2012/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/top-10-reasons-why-the-world-wont-end-in-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Spoiler Warning: The world isn't going to end in 2012.

The most comical aspect of Sony's marketing strategy for 2012 is that it's got people actually believing that the world is going to end in the year 2012. Folks are so beside themselves that NASA has already intervened to try to combat the thousands of paranoid emails they've received, and now Discovery.com is doing their part to calm down the human race by attempting to prove that the world will not end on December 21, 2012, contrary to what those dastardly Mayans predicted.

What they've done is collected the 10 most popular doomsday scenarios and then systematically debunked each one by presenting, ya know, facts and stuff. So before your cousin Eddie tries to convince you that he totally know what he's talking about and the world is, like, totally going to end in 2012 because he saw it somewhere on TV at some point but he doesn't remember where, well, you might want to read up on what the Discovery folks have to say. Here are a couple examples:

4. An asteroid will smash into Earth.

A threatening near-Earth asteroid that's gotten the most press is the 900-foot wide Apophis. But its chances of collision have been downgraded to 1 in 250,000 at its next close approach in 2029. In theory, an uncharted asteroid or comet could come out of the blue tomorrow. But if we don't know about it today, the Mayans certainly didn't know about it 1,200 years ago. Earth-killer impacts are tens of millions of years apart. So there's no reason to be a doomsday clock-watcher.

More after the jump ...

Continue reading Top 10 Reasons Why The World Won't End in 2012

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]]>2012Erik DavisWed, 11 Nov 2009 13:32:00 ESTScenes (Songs) We Love: Anything, Anything 'Nightmare on Elm St. 4'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/scenes-songs-we-love-anything-anything-nightmare-on-elm-st/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/scenes-songs-we-love-anything-anything-nightmare-on-elm-st/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/11/scenes-songs-we-love-anything-anything-nightmare-on-elm-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



I have to tell you that this installment of Scenes We Love was a close one, because the more I searched for the scene in question from A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4: The Dream Master, the more I realized that it was a pretty terrible movie. The fourth installment of the horror franchise saw Freddy looking for some fresh meat after he had worked his way through the original "Elm Street brats". But like I said, this is about the song as well as the movie, so Dream Master (despite it's failings) lived to earn its very own Songs We Love thanks to "Anything, Anything", by Dramarama.

Now, no one would blame you if the name isn't ringing a bell, but Dramarama was an LA-based power pop band that made some inroads to fame before fading into obscurity in the early 90's -- with the exception of an appearance on a VH1 reality show, which seems to be the fate of most 80's bands. The song was used during a scene in which one of our young victims is practicing a martial art that will be utterly useless against Freddie, but one look at Andras Jones as Rick Johnson and this 13-year-old was in love (although I chose to overlook the Karate Kid headband). So even though "Anything, Anything" never really became a huge hit for the band, according to legend it is still one of "the most requested songs in KROQ [LA Radio] history" -- which I guess means I'm not the only one with fond memories of this tune.

After the jump: Dramarama's contribution to the Canon of Freddie...

Continue reading Scenes (Songs) We Love: Anything, Anything 'Nightmare on Elm St. 4'

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]]>Andras JonesAndrasJonesdramaramanightmare on elm streetNightmareOnElmStreetScenes We LoveScenesWeLovesongsJessica BarnesWed, 11 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST