Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/SDCC Panel: Disney's 'Escape to Witch Mountain' and 'Tron 2'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/25/sdcc-panel-disneys-escape-to-witch-mountain-and-tron-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/25/sdcc-panel-disneys-escape-to-witch-mountain-and-tron-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/25/sdcc-panel-disneys-escape-to-witch-mountain-and-tron-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,



This was a real accidental panel for me to have attended. The lines proved impossible to navigate for Fox and Summit, and I lacked the studio credentials to bypass the Hall H morass -- so I ducked in as soon as it was quiet and prepared to relax to Disney. But the Race to Witch Mountain panel was anything but relaxing. It wasn't full, but those who were there were serious diehards of the original, so the questions thrown at director Andy Fickman, and stars Carla Gugino and Dwayne Johnson were a little intense. Here's the key points, gleaned from the Q&A:

-- Race is not a sequel or a remake, but a re-imagining. They went back to the original book for inspiration, and tried to incorporate everything, but while writing a new mythology.
-- All were huge fans of the original, which drew them to the project. Johnson is particularly fond of Disney projects due to his young daughter, Gugino jumped at the chance to do a departure from the original.
-- Delving deeply into the UFO movement, essentially a UFO story.
-- More action packed to keep with the book, and also to keep up with the likes of the Harry Potter movies. Fans of the original will find Winnebagos to delight them, new fans won't have to have seen the old ones to get the story.
-- Gugino plays a "discredited astrophysicist" and Johnson a cab driver. The kids are aliens. Much ass is kicked by all the characters.
-- The original kids, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann, are in it. People went absolutely crazy at this, and it's hinted their part is large, but no other details were forthcoming.
-- Fickman said the closest comparison to the movie was 48 Hrs or the Bourne movies. Seriously.

Tron is back ... and after the jump ...

Continue reading SDCC Panel: Disney's 'Escape to Witch Mountain' and 'Tron 2'

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]]>andy fickmanAndyFickmancarla guginoCarlaGuginoDwayne JohnsonDwayneJohnsonIke EisenmannIkeEisenmannJeff BridgesJeffBridgesKim RichardsKimRichardsRace to Witch MountainRaceToWitchMountainSan Diego ComicConSanDiegoComicconSDCC 2008Sdcc2008Tron 2Tron2Elisabeth RappeFri, 25 Jul 2008 01:46:00 ESTSDCC Panel: Robert Rodriguez's 'Red Sonja'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/sdcc-panel-robert-rodriguezs-red-sonja/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/sdcc-panel-robert-rodriguezs-red-sonja/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/sdcc-panel-robert-rodriguezs-red-sonja/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Above: Rose McGowan licking blood off a sword

The room was packed for the Red Sonja panel today featuring Robert Rodriguez, Rose McGowan and director Doug Aaroniokoski, and images of Rose McGowan in that skimpy metal bikini were everywhere (what you see above was one of around 2,000 t-shirts handed out. Below are easy-to-read notes on this particular panel:

-- Red Sonja will hit theaters in the fourth quarter of 2009 (one imagines for Christmas)
-- Robert Rodriguez is acting as a "hands on" producer, and will co-direct a good chunk of the flick. Not only is he doing this for Red Sonja, but he's also negotiating to produce a new Conan film. It seems as if they would eventually (if both are popular enough) cross promote between films.
-- The tone will be darker, like the book, and when asked if it would be R rated, Rodriguez said, "My name is double 'R'!"
--Also on tone and scope, McGowan (who's quite lively and quick-witted in person) said it's "hard, cold, dirty and bloody." And that she's looking forward to "taking a big giant sword and killing a lot of people."
-- Training is already underway, and McGowan is working with the same swords experts who helped out on Matrix and Ninja Assassin.
-- Rodriguez also admitted that Barbarella is officially off, and that Red Sonja has taken its place. He said financing of $70 million did come through from Germany for a shoot next year, but he's obligated to shoot something else for Miramax. He's negotiating right now to direct a "huge summer movie" -- but he wouldn't say which.
-- On the character, Rose McGowan said: "I will not have a mullet!" The crowd cheered.
-- Red Sonja will be shot on location (scouting now) and will use some green screen.
-- Asked who should star in the new Conan, RR shouted: "Danny Trejo!"
-- On Machete becoming a film, RR said they have plans to turn it into a Mexploitation triple feature disc (and somewhere on that disc will be a trailer for a sequel to Planet Terror.)
-- On Sin City 2, Frank Miller has finished writing the script, but no one knows whether or not that's going to happen with each working on different projects.

P.S. For those who think Rodriguez and McGowan aren't a couple anymore, check out this candid snapshot (taken right before RR kissed RM on the forehead).



Gallery from the panel below. My opinion: It looks pretty hot, and while I've bashed McGowan in the past, I'm willing to give her a chance to kick some ass here. This will be her time to shine.

Gallery: Red Sonja Comic Con Panel

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]]>cinematicalcomic conComicConfeaturedred sonjaRedSonjarobert rodriguezRobertRodriguezrose mcgowanRoseMcgowansan diego comic conSanDiegoComicConErik DavisThu, 24 Jul 2008 20:02:00 ESTLive From SDCC 2008 -- Preview Night Madnesshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/live-from-sdcc-2008-preview-night-madness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/live-from-sdcc-2008-preview-night-madness/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/24/live-from-sdcc-2008-preview-night-madness/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



What a day! It's so awesome to be back in San Diego, quite possibly the prettiest city in the United States. The weather is perfect and breezy, the town bedecked with ComicCon banners, and even the light rail is decorated with the girls of The Spirit. It's mecca for geeks and movie lovers alike. I'm absolutely wiped, though. This is the first Preview Night I've ever attended and surprise, surprise, it's the craziest one on record! As always, the Exhibit Hall is a dizzying wonder.
I toured with two con newbies (one of whom is my fangirl mom) and their bewilderment is hilarious. "I just -- wow. I never thought it was this huge! And so many people!" The hall was already packed, some of whom are already in costume which is a dedication I can't even muster. Every booth had an enormous line and for nothing in particular -- when you ask those waiting so patiently, all you get is "NECA." "Mezco." "Mattel." When you ask what hot exclusive they're waiting for, they just shrug and say "Whatever they've got. It's exclusive." Ah, the collectibles market!

Continue reading Live From SDCC 2008 -- Preview Night Madness

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]]>ComicCon 2008Comiccon2008SDCC 2008Sdcc2008WatchmenElisabeth RappeThu, 24 Jul 2008 10:05:00 ESTLive from SDCC: Preview Night Gallery!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/live-from-sdcc-preview-night-gallery/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/live-from-sdcc-preview-night-gallery/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/live-from-sdcc-preview-night-gallery/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Cinematical fought through the massive crowds tonight on the convention floor to bring you tons and tons of photos from the 2008 San Diego Comic Con Preview Night. While we didn't spot too many people dressed in costume (except for a group doing a Batman theme), there were some very, very cool toys, games, statues, posters and movie props. Among the larger attractions was Nite Owl's ship from Watchmen (pictured below -- see inside by clicking through the gallery), a huge Iron Monger statue (in gallery), James Bond's hot set of wheels (in gallery), a ginormous Star Wars exhibit, with Star Wars: The Clone Wars statues alongside dudes in Storm Trooper attire (pictured above), as well as monitors displaying the new video game, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (which looks hella cool).

Check out a few images from Preview Night below, then definitely make sure to head on over to the gallery to see what this year's San Diego Con is all about.

P.S. Masters of the Web panel tomorrow morning, 10am. Be there! Say hello! Make it look like I have friends!



Nite Owl's ship from Watchmen (more images from inside the thing down in the gallery).



Our friends in Batman gear!

Cinematical's Official Comic Con Hub

Gallery: 2008 Comic Con Preview Night

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]]>2008 san diego comic con photos2008SanDiegoComicConPhotosbatmancinematicalcomic conComicConfeaturediron mongerIronMongersdccstar wars the clone warsStarWarsTheCloneWarsErik DavisWed, 23 Jul 2008 23:15:00 ESTLive from SDCC: Time to Get Our Con On!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/live-from-sdcc-time-to-get-our-con-on/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/live-from-sdcc-time-to-get-our-con-on/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/23/live-from-sdcc-time-to-get-our-con-on/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Cinematical has officially arrived in beautiful, sunny San Diego! We somehow found a way to get our press badge before anyone else, and I'm here with our first 2008 San Diego Comic Con gallery -- featuring images of all the cool little goodies they gave me when I picked up my badge. Among the lot, there was an issue of Mad Magazine that tackles Botchmen (instead of Watchmen), trading cards, stuff on the new Batman LEGO video game and a massive events guide. They'll be letting us into the convention in just a few hours for preview night, so I'll slide in there and see if I can't bring back anything cool to show you. But before we get to the gallery, let me just say this: If you've never been to San Diego, get your ass over here because this town is gorgeous!

Last thing (and most importantly): Check out Cinematical's official Comic Con hub for all the latest and greatest from San Diego, as well as Moviefone's awesome Con hub. It just launched now and it's a little empty (and lonely), but we'll be filling her up soon enough.

Time to get our Con on fools! Be back later ...

Gallery: Comic Con 2008 Arrival

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]]>2008 san diego comic con2008SanDiegoComicConbotchmencinematicalfeaturedmad magazineMadMagazinesdccwatchmenErik DavisWed, 23 Jul 2008 18:32:00 ESTCinematical's Comic-Con Preview!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/cinematicals-comic-con-preview/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/cinematicals-comic-con-preview/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/cinematicals-comic-con-preview/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



In less than 24 hours, myself, Scott Weinberg and Elisabeth Rappe will be in San Diego, overdosing on all things geek for the next five days. That's because the 2008 San Diego Comic Con is upon us, and there are literally hundreds of different things to do. We'll be sitting on panels (catch yours truly on the Masters of the Web panel), attending panels, interviewing stars, hanging with Storm Troopers, playing with cool toys, going to screenings (Fanboys, Tropic Thunder, Mutant Chronicles, etc ...) and, well, getting our dance on at some of the coolest parties this side of the galaxy. It's intense. We're excited. And if you're not able to attend, then you best be checking out Cinematical all day long later this week as we'll be shoveling out tons and tons of content.

And speaking of content, here's a taste of what you can expect from your pals at Cinematical:

Panel Coverage:

Masters of the Web
When: Thursday, July 24th -- 10am.
Who: Robert Sanchez (IESB.net), Garth Franklin (Darkhorizons.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com), Erik Davis (Cinematical.com), John Campea (TheMovieBlog.com), Brad Miska (Bloody-Disgusting.com), Eric "Quint" Vespe (Aintitcool.com), Devin Faraci (CHUD.com), Paul Christensen (Movieweb.com), and Kellvin Chavez (Latinoreview.com). Moderated by directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank 2, The Game). Room 32AB

Watchmen
When: Friday, July 25th -- 11:55am
Who: Zack Snyder, Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson

Gallery: Watchmen



Much, much more after the jump ...

Continue reading Cinematical's Comic-Con Preview!

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]]>cinematicalcinematicals comic con previewCinematicalsComicConPreviewdeath raceDeathRacedrag me to hellDragMeToHellknowingmasters of the webMastersOfTheWebmax payneMaxPaynepineapple expressPineappleExpresspushsan diego comic conSanDiegoComicConterminator salvationTerminatorSalvationthe day the earth stood stillthe mummy 3the spiritTheDayTheEarthStoodStillTheMummy3TheSpirittwilightwatchmenzack and miri make a pornoZackAndMiriMakeAPornoErik DavisTue, 22 Jul 2008 22:02:00 ESTLAFF Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Armyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/29/laff-review-hellboy-2-the-golden-army/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/29/laff-review-hellboy-2-the-golden-army/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/29/laff-review-hellboy-2-the-golden-army/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



I stumbled out of Hellboy II: The Golden Army feeling as if my imagination had eaten too much. In terms of sheer spectacle and visual invention, Hellboy II is an absolute knockout, frames stuffed with bizarre creatures and mystic runes and arcane weaponry and wondrous design. And yet, Hellboy II has more than a little heart to it; it's scrappy and self-aware, and never out of touch with what it is. Adapting Mike Mignola's post-superhero retro-styled comic series Hellboy for the second time, writer-director Guillermo del Toro corrects some of the mistakes of the first Hellboy, makes a few mistakes of its own, picks itself up, keeps going. And, on the way, knocks the back of your eyeballs for a loop. As our British friends say, Hellboy II: The Golden Army does what it says on the tin: It is a sequel about a character named Hellboy (Ron Perlman), and yes, an army of golden warrior-robots is involved, the mystical weapon of mass destruction that the elf-prince Nuada (Luke Goss) hopes to seize control of so as to wage war against humanity ... I know I'm getting ahead of myself. Then again, so does Hellboy II, right from the jump, and it doesn't slow down.

Continue reading LAFF Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

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]]>featuredguillermo del toroGuillermoDelToroHellboy 2 The Golden ArmyHellboy2TheGoldenArmyJeffery TamborJefferyTamborJohn HurtJohnHurtLuke GossLukeGossMike MignolaMikeMignolaron perlmanRonPerlmanselma blairSelmaBlairseth mcfarlaneSethMcfarlaneJames RocchiSun, 29 Jun 2008 18:32:00 ESTLAFF Review: Largohttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/29/laff-review-largo/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/29/laff-review-largo/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/29/laff-review-largo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Operating out of a small space on Fairfax, the nightclub Largo quickly became more a legend than a venue. Intimate and loose, part of the appeal of Largo is that you literally never knew (I only use the past tense as the club has moved from its Fairfax location to a larger venue on La Cienega in the past month) what, or who might turn up. Largo's where Jack Black and Kyle Gass did some of their earliest work as Tenacious D; Jackson Browne's dropped in to sing a few songs. John C. Reilly has hosted casual, extemporaneous chat shows there; composer Jon Brion (best known for his work on Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love) has held shows where he alternates constructing songs out of intricately arranged loops of instrumental figures he records live and composes and conducts on-stage with spirited cover versions of requests shouted out from the audience.

Co-directed by Largo manager and co-owner Mark Flanagan and Andrew van Baal, Largo recreates the Largo experience; loose, smart, random and unique. Mixing concert musical performances with snippets of comedy, the final film makes you feel like you've been to Largo, even as the more elegant notes in the black-and-white composition and the vignettes of the club's rhythm and tempo between the acts make it abundantly clear you're watching a film that was constructed and not just a tape that was turned on.

Continue reading LAFF Review: Largo

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]]>Aimee MannAimeeMannAndrew BirdAndrewBirdDavid GarzaDavidGarzaFiona AppleFionaAppleGrant-Lee PhillipsGrant-leePhillipsGreg ProopsGregProopsJon BrionJonBrionlargoMichael PennMichaelPennNickel CreekNickelCreekpatton oswaltPattonOswaltSarah SilvermanSarahSilvermanzach galifianakisZachGalifianakisJames RocchiSun, 29 Jun 2008 14:02:00 ESTLAFF Review: Big Heart Cityhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/28/laff-review-big-heart-city/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/28/laff-review-big-heart-city/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/28/laff-review-big-heart-city/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Frank (Shane Andrews) is coming back to L.A. after some time away. He looks into a job, where the supervisor Larry (Seymour Cassel) says he can have the position " ... on account of you came all this way and you ain't drunk." Frank goes to the apartment he shares with his girlfriend, Rita, but she isn't there. He leaves her a note every time he steps out, but she doesn't seem to be getting them. And as Frank gets from point a to point b riding the busses and walking the sunburnt streets of Los Angeles, we have to wonder where he's going and where he's coming from. ...

Written and directed by Ben Rodkin, Big Heart City consciously evokes the 'beautiful loser' cinema of the 1970s, from the unrepentantly conflicted nature of Frank's character down to the presence of longtime John Cassavetes collaborator Cassel. Shot on 16 millimeter film -- a rarity in the digital video age -- Big Heart City not only has the grit and grain of old-school technology but the grit and grain of old-school storytelling. Frank goes to work; he goes to the track; he rehearses the stories he tells Larry, although we can't be sure if he's trying extra hard to convince Larry or convince himself. And the longer Frank waits for Rita, the more we see him bend and break under the strain of cruel hope.

Continue reading LAFF Review: Big Heart City

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]]>Ben RodkinBenRodkinBig Heart CityBigHeartCitySeymour CasselSeymourCasselShawn AndrewsShawnAndrewsJames RocchiSat, 28 Jun 2008 15:02:00 ESTToronto Shaping Up to be a Spectacular Festhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/toronto-shaping-up-to-be-a-spectacular-fest/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/toronto-shaping-up-to-be-a-spectacular-fest/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/toronto-shaping-up-to-be-a-spectacular-fest/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mike Jones over at Variety's The Circuit Blog posted yesterday the first 27 films announced for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)and, not surprisingly, most of them hail from previous fest premieres at Cannes, Berlin and SXSW.

The Gala Presentation will be South Korean director Kim Jee-woon's The Good, The Bad and The Weird, which I saw at Cannes earlier this year and loved. Somewhat reminiscent of Tears of the Black Tiger, the film is a crazy, busy Western that centers around a map to a treasure happened upon by a (seemingly) bumbling fool, who ends up being pursued by a good-guy law-enforcement type, a wicked bad guy dressed in black, and, at one point, an entire army. It runs a little long, but it's funny and sharp, with a spectacular chase sequence near the end and a nice final payoff. Toronto film fans should really enjoy this one.

Continue reading Toronto Shaping Up to be a Spectacular Fest

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]]>24 city24Cityadorationari folmanAriFolmanatom egoyanAtomEgoyandardenneshungerjia zhang-kekim jee-woonKimJee-woonlinha de passeLinhaDePassenuri bilge ceylanthe good the bad and the weirdTheGoodTheBadAndTheWeirdthree monkeysThreeMonkeystiff2008toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalun conte de noelUnConteDeNoelwaltz with bashirKim VoynarFri, 27 Jun 2008 13:32:00 ESTThe New Fantasia Lineup is Announced; Horror Nerds Rejoicehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/the-new-fantasia-lineup-is-announced-horror-nerds-rejoice/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/the-new-fantasia-lineup-is-announced-horror-nerds-rejoice/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/the-new-fantasia-lineup-is-announced-horror-nerds-rejoice/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You know what I call 18 consecutive days of horror, sci-fi, action foreign, indie, obscure, and generally weird movies? Well obviously I call it heaven, but most normal people refer to it as Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival, which runs every July and throws a couple hundred features and shorts to a very ravenous crowd of genre freaks. And with folks like Mitch Davis, Tony Timpone, and Todd Brown (among others) on the programming end, you could probably just book a flight to Montreal without even checking the official Fantasia website.

I'm still not sure if I can make the trek up north next month, but I have been invited and (based mainly on the recently-released full lineup of flicks) I can pretty much guarantee that the current registrants are in for one hell of a good time. Among their selected titles, I can very strongly recommend All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, Dance of the Dead, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, Let the Right One In, Mother of Tears, [REC], Stuck, and Timecrimes -- plus they're offering solid titles like Fear(s) of the Dark, The Objective, Red, Second Skin, and Spine Tingler. Among the stuff I'm still drooling to see: Babysitter Wanted, Dark Floors, Midnight Meat Train, Pig Hunt, Repo: The Genetic Opera, and (of course) a new Uwe Boll flick. Plus this festival seems to offer more "Asian weirdness" movies than you'll ever find in one place. At least a dozen that look and sound certifiably insane, unless you'd define Tokyo Gore Police and Negative Happy Chain as "mainstream."

For a complete schedule, lineup, trailer bank, and tons of geeky goodness (in your choice of English or French!), click here and then here. (Montreal's not all that far away...)

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]]>actionbizarrefantasia film festivalFantasiaFilmFestivalforeignhorrorindependentjuly 3July3montrealscience fictionScienceFictionScott WeinbergFri, 27 Jun 2008 11:32:00 ESTLAFF Review: Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Storyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/laff-review-boogie-man-the-lee-atwater-story/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/laff-review-boogie-man-the-lee-atwater-story/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/laff-review-boogie-man-the-lee-atwater-story/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Before the pre-festivals press screening of Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story, the new documentary about the life and death of Republican political operative Lee Atwater, two separate Rolling Stones songs were running through my head. "Street Fightin' Man, " possibly inspired by Atwater's reputation as a dirty trickster of the higher order, and "Sympathy for the Devil," perhaps springing from Atwater's deathbed renunciation of many of the things he'd done; both associations sprang from the little I knew about Atwater. Thanks to the work of director Stefan Forbes, I now know a lot more; I now know so much, in fact, I'm not sure what to think.

Combining archival news footage with interviews from people who knew Atwater and some who, interestingly, only knew him through the public ramifications of his work, Boogie Man paints a complex portrait of a complex figure: A race-baiting political operative (Atwater may or may not have been behind the infamous 'Willie Horton' ad that cost Michael Dukakis the election in '88) who nonetheless loved to listen to, and play blues music; a man who sprang from the South who helped elect Eastern elites like George H.W. Bush; a man whose pupils in the modern political art of war, Karl Rove and George W. Bush (who worked with Atwater on his father's campaign) turned their back on him as he lay dying.

Continue reading LAFF Review: Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story

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]]>Boogie Man The Lee Atwater StoryBoogieManTheLeeAtwaterStoryGeorge H.W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorgeH.w.BushGeorgeW.Bushkarl RoveKarlRovelaff2008Lee AtwaterLeeAtwaterlos angeles film festivalLosAngelesFilmFestivalJames RocchiMon, 23 Jun 2008 20:02:00 ESTLAFF Review: Paper or Plastic?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/22/laff-review-paper-or-plastic/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/22/laff-review-paper-or-plastic/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/22/laff-review-paper-or-plastic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Watching Paper or Plastic?, the new documentary about the regional qualifiers and Las Vegas final of the 2007 National Grocery Bagging Competition, I was surprised to note the presence of something that's hard to come by in 2008: Sincerity. I don't mean just that Paper or Plastic? never mocks, knocks or condescends to the seven contestants from every corner of America the finale brings together -- although it never does -- but more that co-directors Alex D. da Silva and Justine Jacob not only found an event to observe but also a spirit to celebrate. The seven contestants we meet want to win; their friends and family support and surround them; they're part of a long tradition of competition. And da Silva and Jacob gradually, gently pull us into the world of competitive grocery bagging until, by the end of the film, I was literally at seat's edge watching a contestant race to beat the clock thinking Oh, God, don't forget the Life Savers ... they deduct points for that. ...

But while you're being entertained by Paper or Plastic?, you're also getting a fairly solid glimpse at modern life. One grocery executive notes that the "courtesy walk" taking a customer's well-bagged groceries still matters: "That's the last place Mrs. Consumer still has an impression of the store." And as freaky as the phrase "Mrs. Consumer" sounds in this day and age (all I can imagine is Donna Reed, with apron and pearls), you also realize he means it. Another grocery executive fan of the Championship notes "It's like American Idol; you never know where the stars are. ..." you realize that while what he's saying is a subtle comment on our modern celebrity culture, he, too, also means it.

Continue reading LAFF Review: Paper or Plastic?

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]]>laff2008los angeles film festivalLosAngelesFilmFestivalnational Grocery Bagging CompetitionNationalGroceryBaggingCompetitionPaper or PlasticPaperOrPlasticJames RocchiSun, 22 Jun 2008 15:02:00 ESTLAFF Review: Must Read After My Deathhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/21/laff-review-must-read-after-my-death/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/21/laff-review-must-read-after-my-death/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/21/laff-review-must-read-after-my-death/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



If Tolstoy had lived in our time, he might have expanded on his famed quote from Anna Karenina to note that happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way ... and that's demonstrated through their documentary. Following in the archival-confessional mold of such documentaries as Tarnation and Capturing the Friedmans, filmmaker Morgan Dews has created Must Read After My Death -- or, rather, assembled it, from decades of photographs and home movies and Dictaphone recordings found in his grandmother's home after her passing. Dews doesn't interject himself into this material; at the same time, he's made the decisions that shape it -- the inclusions, the deletions, the things we linger on, the things elided over.

Must Read After My Death is, first and foremost, a portrait of the marriage between Allis and Charlie. Allis is a mother and home maker, but the need to be perfect chances at her, chokes her; Charley travels for work, a charmer and hearty man's man whose easy charm makes it entirely too easy to ignore his family. Hoping to make Charley's distance more tolerable -- or, at least, more entertaining -- the family purchased a Dictaphone, and sent audio recordings back and forth. These recordings -- made in quiet contemplation or moments of anger, some heavy with things unsaid, some thick with the sounds of rage and desperation -- are the aching heart and wounded soul of the film.

Continue reading LAFF Review: Must Read After My Death

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]]>2008 los angeles film festival2008LosAngelesFilmFestivallaff2008Must Read After My DeathMustReadAfterMyDeathJames RocchiSat, 21 Jun 2008 17:02:00 ESTCineVegas Review: Dark Streetshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/21/cinevegas-review-dark-streets/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/21/cinevegas-review-dark-streets/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/21/cinevegas-review-dark-streets/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



There are many things to admire about Dark Streets, a film noir set against a 1930s backdrop of jazz, blues, and booze. Unfortunately, the story isn't one of them. It's your basic Chinatown-inspired tale of double crosses and femmes fatales, with dialogue that has the form of the classics but not the content. Take this exchange, for example, between a nightclub owner and the singer who has been displaced in his affections by a new girl:

HIM: You're a great belter, but we've got a real chanteuse now.
HER: She can chanteuse my ass!

Yeah. Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame you ain't.

But plot and dialogue aside (and sometimes those elements really are secondary), Dark Streets effectively creates its world in other ways. Sharone Meir's sumptuous cinematography and smooth, fluid camera movements bring the nightclub performance scenes to life, while the rest of the film plays with light, shadows, and colors. Director Rachel Samuels, in her third feature, shows a singularity of vision that will serve her well later, when she gets a better script to work with. (This one is by Wallace King, based on a play by Glenn Stewart.)

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]]>cinevegas2008dark streetsDarkStreetsEric D. SniderSat, 21 Jun 2008 14:02:00 ESTCineVegas Review: Visioneershttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/20/cinevegas-review-visioneers/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/20/cinevegas-review-visioneers/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/20/cinevegas-review-visioneers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Most of the individual components of Visioneers are not new, nor are the film's ideas particularly deep. Yet somehow the combination, written and directed by brothers Jared and Brandon Drake -- in their first film, amazingly -- feels fresh and invigorating. It's a high-concept comedy, but it's down-to-earth and accessible, even a little touching. It's a terrific start for a pair of new filmmakers.

The setting is a dystopian version of modern-day America, where the Jeffers Corporation is the most powerful entity in the world. Even the U.S. president kowtows to the monolithic company, whose employees are called "tunts" and "goobs" and work at ill-defined tasks at various bureaucratic levels. As with most firms in dystopian movies, it's never established what, exactly, the Jeffers Corp. does, but its influence is felt everywhere. Common people greet each other with the "Jeffers salute," which looks suspiciously like flipping the bird.

Our hero is a Level 3 tunt named George Washington Winsterhammerman (Zach Galifianakis). He's the supervisor of a little pod of employees who work in a depressing office where an automated voice announces, every 60 seconds, how many minutes remain before the weekend. Everyone is generally disheartened and depressed, but this has been enhanced in recent weeks as citizens have been spontaneously combusting due to stress.

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]]>cinevegas2008visioneersEric D. SniderFri, 20 Jun 2008 21:02:00 ESTLAFF Review: Wantedhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/20/laff-review-wanted/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/20/laff-review-wanted/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/20/laff-review-wanted/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



When Wanted was announced as the opening night film for the Los Angeles Film Festival, there was a mild outbreak of head-scratching over the choice; why start a film festival loaded with independent and foreign film with a big-studio action movie? The fact is that the opening-night LAFF premiere of Wanted -- directed by a Kazakh director who made his name in Russia, loosely based on a series of comics by a Glasgwegian Scot, starring America's most notable movie starlet opposite a Glasgow-born lead actor and shot with Prague standing in for Chicago -- doesn't say much about the LAFF as a film festival and doesn't say a single thing about L.A. as a real city, but it says plenty about L.A. as a company town with a global span. Wanted's a corporate product, but, thankfully, it's an excellent one -- the two-fisted, double-barreled high-octane guilty pleasure summer action movie you've been waiting for. Wanted is speedy and spiffy and shiny as a bullet, and it's got about as much actual weight when it stops moving.

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]]>CommonDavid OHaraDavidOharafeaturedJames McAvoyJamesMcavoyMark MillarMarkMillarMorgan FreemanMorganFreemantimur bekmambetovTimurBekmambetovWantedJames RocchiFri, 20 Jun 2008 12:01:00 ESTCineVegas Review: Happy Birthday Harris Maldenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cinevegas-review-happy-birthday-harris-malden/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cinevegas-review-happy-birthday-harris-malden/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cinevegas-review-happy-birthday-harris-malden/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



If a comedy troupe like Broken Lizard or The Whitest Kids U Know had made Lars and the Real Girl, it might have turned out like Happy Birthday Harris Malden, a sweet, funny, and very odd comedy about growing up and accepting reality. It's the work of a Philadelphia filmmaking quintet called Sweaty Robot, and the opening credits are no more specific than that: "Written and directed by Sweaty Robot." I like that. The film is about friendship, and it was made by a group of friends.

Granted, making a movie with a bunch of your friends isn't always a good idea -- Adam Sandler, I'm looking at you -- but Harris Malden benefits from Sweaty Robot's familiarity and camaraderie. While it has some jokes that probably only the guys themselves think are funny, the film is so good-natured and charming, almost innocent, that even when I wasn't laughing I was content. It's a movie that wants to be your pal, and hey, doggone it, what's not to like?

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]]>cinevegas2008happy birthday harris maldenHappyBirthdayHarrisMaldensweaty robotSweatyRobotEric D. SniderTue, 17 Jun 2008 17:02:00 ESTCineVegas Review: Your Name Herehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cinevegas-review-your-name-here/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cinevegas-review-your-name-here/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cinevegas-review-your-name-here/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Your enjoyment of Your Name Here might depend on your tolerance for mind-bending narratives and acid-trip weirdness. Mine is low, I'll tell you that up front. But "Your Name Here" deserves credit for being different, and Bill Pullman's central performance is probably the most bizarre and demanding of his career.

Written and directed by first-timer Matthew Wilder, our story is set in Los Angeles in July 1974, when a trippy sci-fi writer named William J. Frick (Pullman) -- clearly modeled after Philip K. Dick -- is informed that he owes more than $100,000 in back taxes. If he could finish his latest novel, he could probably pay the bill. Trouble is, he's stuck on putting into words the spiritual epiphany he had on March 2, which he wants to incorporate into the story.

That's about the last part of the film that makes any kind of normal sense. Next thing you know, Frick is being approached by Nikki (Taryn Manning), a hot actress -- "the poor man's Ali McGraw," someone calls her -- who wants him to help her with the disaster epic she's currently shooting. Then Frick is being hurried onstage somewhere to accept an award. Then Frick is in the balcony, watching a version of himself deliver a spiel to an audience. Then Frick is being threatened by Kroger (M. Emmet Walsh), a government operative who demands to read Frick's account of the March 2 thing. Frick insists if they'd just let him go, he could go home and WRITE it, but that's not an option.

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]]>bill pullmanBillPullmancinevegas2008your name hereYourNameHereEric D. SniderTue, 17 Jun 2008 08:02:00 ESTLive from CineVegas: What Happens in Vegas Gets Photographed in Vegashttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/live-from-cinevegas-what-happens-in-vegas-gets-photographed-in/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/live-from-cinevegas-what-happens-in-vegas-gets-photographed-in/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/live-from-cinevegas-what-happens-in-vegas-gets-photographed-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Somehow, I have remembered to take photos on my vice-filled journey through the CineVegas Film Festival, and while a lot of them didn't come out as I planned, you can see a couple (along with a bunch from Getty Images) in the gallery below. You'll find shots of the parties, of the fest in motion, of fire-breathers in bikinis, of naked women covered in paint (ahem, see above), of singing sensation Bijou Phillips, and even a candid shot of the world beer pong champion (I think you'll be able to figure out which one that is). Wish you were here!



Gallery: CineVegas 2008 In Pictures

CineVegas 2008 in PicturesCineVegas 2008 in PicturesCineVegas 2008 in PicturesCineVegas 2008 in PicturesCineVegas 2008 in Pictures

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]]>cinevegasfilm festivalFilmFestivallas vegasLasVegasPatrick WalshMon, 16 Jun 2008 17:32:00 EST