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/Cinematical Seven: Movies That Pull an All-Nighterhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/cinematical-seven-movies-that-pull-an-all-nighter/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/cinematical-seven-movies-that-pull-an-all-nighter/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/cinematical-seven-movies-that-pull-an-all-nighter/#commentsFiled under: , ,



I've had my share of all-nighters, and sure, some of them were for a perfectly legitimate reason like studying, but I'll be honest with you: most of them were for reasons that for the sake of propriety, I shouldn't go into here -- and I know I'm not the only one. Who doesn't have a story about that one great night? Or that one party that couldn't be missed? Exactly, we all do, and maybe that's why we all love a good story about some wild and crazy all-nighter.

This Friday, audiences will be treated to another tale full of all-night shenanigans with I Love You, Beth Cooper, which follows a high school nobody who changes everything when he utters those five words during his graduation speech. So just like every 'all-nighter' film to go before it, Cooper is about breaking out of your comfort zone and watching the best laid plans go to waste -- and usually our hero or heroine gets to fall in love along the way. So with that in mind, let's take a look back at seven other films that are about our search for a good time.

1. The Allnighter
Well, you can't have a list about all-nighters without including this 80's turkey starring The Bangles' lead singer, Susanna Hoffs. Even Joan Cusack (the patron saint of 80's comedy) couldn't save this story about a group of girls looking for a good time on their last night before graduation. The Allnighter was written and directed by Hoff's mom, and was meant to be the singer's big break into acting. Unfortunately for her, the film was so bad that not only did it fail at the box office, it managed to turn the gal off from ever pursuing a film career at all.

After the jump: find out which other all-nighter flicks made the list...

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Movies That Pull an All-Nighter

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]]>80scinematical sevenCinematicalSevencorey feldmanCorey HaimCoreyFeldmanCoreyHaimdazed and confusedDazedAndConfusedharold and kumarHaroldAndKumari love you beth cooperILoveYouBethCooperjeff goldblumJeffGoldblumJonah HillJonahHilllicense to driveLicenseToDrivelistMichael CeraMichaelCeraNick and Norahs Infinite PlaylistNickAndNorahsInfinitePlaylistsuperbadJessica BarnesThu, 09 Jul 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Rewind: Actors Who Could Play Siblingshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/cinematical-rewind-actors-who-could-play-siblings/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/cinematical-rewind-actors-who-could-play-siblings/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/cinematical-rewind-actors-who-could-play-siblings/#commentsFiled under: ,



(Cinematical Rewind is a new column that showcases some of our favorite posts from the past few years. Here's Jeffrey M. Anderson's famous Cinematical Seven from 7/22/08)

Occasionally Hollywood cobbles together random members of the A-list to play family members on film, even if their genes obviously come from opposite ends of the earth. If the actors are good enough or if the chemistry is there, sometimes the combo can work, such as Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman as brothers in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead or Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor in Cassandra's Dream. Other times, it stretches credibility, such as Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman in The Darjeeling Limited. My all-time favorite oddball casting is in Sidney Lumet's Family Business (1989), with Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick playing grandfather, father and son. (Huh?) At the same time, there are actor combos out there who just scream to be paired up in a family capacity. Remember Julia Roberts and Kyra Sedgwick in Something to Talk About? Well, neither do I, but that pairing was perfect. Here are a few others that could work:

1. Christian Bale & Samantha Morton

I don't mean to harp on that old "Bad British teeth" thing, but both Christian and Samantha have front teeth that seem to curve slightly upward in the center, so that their pearly whites tend to disappear under their top lips when they speak. As a result, both speak with ever-so-vague sibilant 'S'es -- Christian more so than Samantha. (It's fairly inconvenient trait for a Bruce Wayne trying to maintain his secret identity.) But aside from that, they both have dark, intense eyes and they certainly both project a similar, singularly dedicated mood onscreen. (Christian is the big brother, three years older than Samantha.)

Gallery: Actors Who Could Play Siblings

Zooey Deschanel & Chloe SevignySteve Martin & Dennis QuaidNicole Kidman & Naomi WattsGretchen Mol & Charlize TheronMeryl Streep & Natascha McElhone

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]]>chloe sevignyChloeSevignychristian baleChristianBaledennis quaidDennisQuaidhelen huntHelenHuntleelee sobieskiLeeleeSobieskisamantha mortonSamanthaMortonsteve martinSteveMartinzooey deschanelZooeyDeschanelCinematical staffWed, 08 Jul 2009 22:02:00 ESTThe Pretty Princesses of Sci-Fi and Fantasyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/the-pretty-princesses-of-sci-fi-and-fantasy/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/the-pretty-princesses-of-sci-fi-and-fantasy/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/the-pretty-princesses-of-sci-fi-and-fantasy/#commentsFiled under: ,



Move over, Disney! When it comes to princesses, the sci-fi / fantasy genre has you completely outnumbered, outgunned, and outdressed.

Actually, I find the genre's obsession with princesses rather strange. Not on the fantasy end, mind you, as that genre draws heavily on European fairy tales and dynastic history, and will always find room for royal courts. But you'd think those galaxies far, far away would steer clear of European titles and class systems, and invent new systems of government. But let's face it, few labels evoke such a specific and exotic image as that of "princess," and slapping it onto your heroine does half your screenwriting for you. All you have to decide is if she carries a weapon or prefers a tiara, or if she's comfortable enough to coolly wield both in the name of duty. Luckily, the sci-fi / fantasy genre is rife with examples of all three. So drop a curtsy, and check out the list of my favorite genre princesses. And bow to Erik Davis for hatching the idea while you're at it.

1. Princess Leia Organa (Star Wars)

Princess Leia may not have been science fiction's first princess, but she's the one they all have to measure up to. Every girl since 1977 has thrilled to the fact that the head of the Rebel Alliance was a woman, and that no one (not even the cocky Han Solo, who needed her more than she needed him) raised an eyebrow at the fact. As if being fearless, diplomatic, intelligent, and one hell of a shot wasn't enough, she was also a Jedi like her father before her. No wonder Yoda seemed so calm when Luke flew off to his possible doom. Leia was the ace in the hole.

Read the rest at SciFi Squad

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]]>ArwenEowynfeaturedFlash GordonFlashGordonhellboy 2 the golden armyHellboy2TheGoldenArmyLord of the RingsLordOfTheRingsprincess auraprincess leiaPrincess NualaPrincess Sorshaprincess vespaPrincessAuraPrincessLeiaPrincessNualaPrincessSorshaPrincessVespaspaceballsStar WarsStarWarsthe princess brideThePrincessBridewillowwonder womanWonderWomanxena warrior princessXenaWarriorPrincessElisabeth RappeWed, 08 Jul 2009 12:32:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Race Against the Clock!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/cinematical-seven-race-against-the-clock/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/cinematical-seven-race-against-the-clock/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/cinematical-seven-race-against-the-clock/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

'Back to the Future'

3 - 2 - 1 ... There's nothing like a ticking time bomb to give any movie a sense of urgency. Whether it's a literal set of explosives (as in Speed), a new ice age (The Day After Tomorrow), alien attack (Independence Day), hostage execution (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three), fatal poison (Crank), or the threat of loved ones being killed (Nick of Time), it's an honorable tradition to ratchet up the tension by pitting heroic characters in a relentless race against the clock.

This week marks the home video release of Alex Proyas' Knowing, a somewhat insane thriller in which astrophysicist Nicolas Cage comes to believe that future disasters can be predicted -- and races against time to stop the next one. You have to see it to believe (or mock) it. If you're in a countdown frame of mind, here are seven more entertaining thrillers that feature seriously motivated heroes trying to avert disaster. Consider this a starter list; see if you can be the first one to list your favorite(s) in the comments section. Go!

7. Back to the Future (1985)

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is just an ordinary high school student, doing a favor for good old Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) when he finds himself transported back in time 30 years. Before he knows what's happening, he's dodging Oedipal issues and trying to make sure his parents fall in love before he is gone, baby, gone. He is highly-motivated, to say the least, resulting in a pulse-quickening race in which a literal clock plays a major role.

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Race Against the Clock!

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]]>back to the futureBackToTheFuturebeat the clockBeatTheClockcountdownd.o.a.DOAescape from new yorkEscapeFromNewYorkKnowingrace against the clockRaceAgainstTheClockringurun lola runRunLolaRunthe man who knew too muchthe manchurian candidateTheManchurianCandidateTheManWhoKnewTooMuchPeter MartinTue, 07 Jul 2009 22:02:00 ESTQuick List: Romance for Boyshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/quick-list-romance-for-boys/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/quick-list-romance-for-boys/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/04/quick-list-romance-for-boys/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



It's funny, but I've been watching Kevin Smith movies for a long time now, but it was only as I was reading through Total Film's list of the Best & Worst: Kevin Smith, that I realized something that I never really thought all that much about before -- and what was my big epiphany? Well, I finally discovered that Smith's films in the end are just rom-coms with poop jokes. Smith may have been considered a foul-mouthed stoner for most of his career, but now that I've looked beyond his shtick, I've finally come to the conclusion that the guy is a big old softy. Which got me thinking: Is there such a thing as romance for boys?

Now if you're the observant type, you've probably noticed I'm not a dude, so what do I know, right? But I've been told time and again that I'm not the 'average girl' (whatever that means) when it comes to my movie tastes, so I'm going to put that theory to the test, and get in touch with my masculine side to create a list of romantic movies for men.

After the jump; My 5 picks for boy-friendly romance...

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]]>40 year old virgin40YearOldVirginfeaturedHigh FidelityHighFidelityjohn cusackJohnCusackjudd apatowJuddApatowkevin smithKevinSmithpt andersonPtAndersonPunch Drunk LovePunchDrunkLoveromanceJessica BarnesSat, 04 Jul 2009 17:03:00 ESTFlickchart: Easily the Coolest Movie Site of the Yearhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/flickchart-easily-the-coolest-movie-site-of-the-year/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/flickchart-easily-the-coolest-movie-site-of-the-year/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/flickchart-easily-the-coolest-movie-site-of-the-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Dictionary.com defines "addiction" as "the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice," and I offer the definition of such a basic word to illustrate a point: I am addicted to Flickchart.com. Tickled, fascinated, enamored, and addicted. It's a remarkably simple idea: You log in and you're offered two films. You pick which one you like more. (There's also a "haven't seen it" option, so be honest!) Then you repeat that process over and over for three hours until you realize it's 4am but you want to vote on just a few ... more ... pairs...

Flickchart is still in its beta mode, but it looks like the plan is to open the doors wide in mid-July. But what's coolest about the site is not the fun of picking your favorite movies ... it actually collates all your choices into one massive and mathematically unimpeachable list of YOUR favorite films. My advice is to pick the flick you like more, not the one you think is more reputable. Gone with the Wind is great, obviously, but Die Hard gets my vote. Also fun: You can post comments on specific matchups, as I did last night when greeted by a choice between Catwoman and Double Team. (Halle got the vote for being pretty.)

After the jump I've included a nifty little trailer that illustrates how Flickchart works (and a few cool notes), but of course you should visit the website and nose around a bit. Membership is currently accessible by invitation only, but it seems like they'll be opening the doors soon. Aw, what the heck? The Flickchart fellas say "Any friend of Cinematical is a friend of ours, so click right here to bypass the invitation process and log right in! Enjoy! (Add me as a Flickchart friend if you like: scottEweinberg. Just like on the Twitter.)

Continue reading Flickchart: Easily the Coolest Movie Site of the Year

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]]>Scott WeinbergSat, 27 Jun 2009 21:03:00 ESTYour Daily Argument: Are These the Best Movie Trailers?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/your-daily-argument-are-these-the-best-movie-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/your-daily-argument-are-these-the-best-movie-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/your-daily-argument-are-these-the-best-movie-trailers/#commentsFiled under: ,

Trailers have been part of the movie-going experience for almost a century, dating back to when they were shown after the feature (hence "trailers"), not before. Today, many people cite the coming attractions as one of their favorite things about going to the movies, and what's not to like? A trailer often has every single good thing about a movie, condensed into 2 1/2 minutes. That saves you a lot of time.

The scholars at IFC.com have compiled their list of the 50 greatest trailers of all time, presented in the very popular one-item-per-page format that all Internet users love. Great trailers aren't necessarily for great movies. In fact, a lot of these selections are for bad movies. It's the trailers that are good. And what constitutes "good"? IFC says, "Ultimately, we decided that the best trailers are those that most effectively combine art and commerce, and that sell and entertain with equal skill." Amen to that.

I'll be a spoiler and tell you their choices for the top five: Jerry Seinfeld's Comedian at #5, Miracle on 34th Street at #4, followed by Cloverfield, Psycho, and, in the top spot -- the best trailer of all time -- Alien. What do we make of the fact that the top three (in IFC's estimation) are for thrillers? And what did they leave off the list?

We've got the Alien trailer from YouTube after the jump, where no one can hear you scream.

Continue reading Your Daily Argument: Are These the Best Movie Trailers?

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]]>aliencloverfieldcomedianfeaturedmiracle on 34th streetMiracleOn34thStreetpsychotrailersEric D. SniderThu, 25 Jun 2009 17:02:00 ESTDiscuss: Director's Cuts You're Dying to Seehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/discuss-directors-cuts-youre-dying-to-see/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/discuss-directors-cuts-youre-dying-to-see/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/discuss-directors-cuts-youre-dying-to-see/#commentsFiled under: ,



In a world of cinematic double-dipping, studio interference, hard-to-reign-in directors, and a mania for deleted scenes and more-more-more footage, "director's cuts" have become common place. Rarely is it any big deal when a new cut is released -- there's often more footage to share, package, and sell off to fans.

Sometimes things slip through the cracks. The rediscovered footage of Metropolis -- or Clive Barker's Nightbreed for example -- they reveal a world where film clips disappear, only to be found years later, to our delight. And then there's other footage that should never see the light of day, the stuff that should slip into a vortex forever, like Richard Kelly's director's cut of Donnie Darko. But what about the cuts we haven't seen, but are definitely out there?

Continue reading Discuss: Director's Cuts You're Dying to See

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]]>Across the UniverseAcrossTheUniverseCinematicaldirectors cutsDirectorsCutsDiscussEyes Wide ShutEyesWideShutFriday the 13th Part 7FridayThe13thPart7Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With MeTwinPeaks:FireWalkWithMeMonika BartyzelThu, 25 Jun 2009 12:32:00 ESTList This: The Worst Movie Songs of All Timehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/list-this-the-worst-movie-songs-of-all-time/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/list-this-the-worst-movie-songs-of-all-time/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/list-this-the-worst-movie-songs-of-all-time/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Movie music has certainly changed over the years. What was once the domain of an orchestra and studio musicians is long gone, and now the top-40 soundtrack reigns supreme. Sometimes it works, like in the case of Martin Scorsese's use of pop music, and sometimes it really doesn't -- and that's where today's list comes in. SPIN has compiled what they say are the worst movie songs of all time, so make sure your earplugs are handy because we're about to look back at the Top 10 Worst Movie Songs, Ever!

So let's get right to the list, shall we? Grabbing the top spot for the worst of all time was P. Diddy and Jimmy Page's Kashmir update for Godzilla, Come With Me. But if you thought that song was bad, wait till you get a load of the other nominees, including Vanilla Ice's Ninja Rap, Limp Bizkit's Take a Look Around from Mission Impossible II, and Nickelback's Spider-Man song, Hero. Judging by SPIN's list it seems like 'geek' movies took most of the hits -- although how Evanescence's theme for Daredevil escaped I'll never know. But rather than complain about what wasn't included in SPIN's list, I've decided to make my very own list of great and not-so-great movie songs.

After the jump: My Top 10 Favorite (and most hated) songs from the movies...

Continue reading List This: The Worst Movie Songs of All Time

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]]>featuredgodzillalistmission impossibleMissionImpossiblemusicsongsspidermanJessica BarnesTue, 23 Jun 2009 17:15:00 ESTThe "Red" and "Blue" of Horror Filmshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/22/the-red-and-blue-of-horror-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/22/the-red-and-blue-of-horror-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/22/the-red-and-blue-of-horror-films/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Can a horror movie have a political agenda? Well, that was the question I asked myself after reading '15 Horror Movies Socialists Could Love''. So as I started to think back to all the hacking and slashing I'd seen over the years, I looked for some some pattern or connection between what I choose at the box-office and what I do at the polling station -- and what did I come up with? Well, I'll get to that, but first I wanted to take a moment to look back at some of the films that have gained a reputation with critics and fans alike as movies with a so-called conservative or liberal state of mind:

'Red State Horror':

Friday the 13th (1980)
Conservatives supposedly love this movie because it's all about no-good kids getting what they deserve. Sexy teens don't stand a chance in this franchise from the moment they take a drink, get high, or get naked. Plus, it's one of the few horror films with a moral about the importance of a good work ethic.

Frankenstein
It's science vs. religion in the story of a man who presumes to know more than God...and I think we all remember how that turns out.

Lost Boys
Family values are all over this one, and when a divorced mom pays more attention to a her love life than her two sons, look what happens. So even with a pot-smoking grandpa, plenty of critics agree that this film is all about Regan's America and the triumph of family over no-good, rock n' roll loving, motorcycle-driving youth gangs.

Tremors
2nd Amendment fans praise this tale of a band of locals fending off giant worms and the gun-toting survivalists that help save the day -- Take that Brady Bill!

Check out the rest at HorrorSquad!

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]]>conservativesdrag me to hellDragMeToHellfriday the 13thFridayThe13thlast house on the leftLastHouseOnTheLeftliberalslistpoliticsthe lost boysTheLostBoysvampirewes cravenWesCravenzombiesJessica BarnesMon, 22 Jun 2009 17:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Most Contrived Rom-Com Scenarioshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/18/cinematical-seven-most-contrived-rom-com-scenarios/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/18/cinematical-seven-most-contrived-rom-com-scenarios/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/18/cinematical-seven-most-contrived-rom-com-scenarios/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Let me make this clear: when I say that I'm compiling a list of the most contrived rom-com scenarios, I'm not saying that they're automatically the worst -- although a glance at the titles doesn't exactly stray far from that correlation. Tomorrow's The Proposal finds Sandra Bullock forcing Ryan Reynolds into marriage for the sake of holding off immigration authorities and keeping her/their jobs (I guess it's not too soon to remake Green Card and Picture Perfect after all), so we're talking about seven plot points along those lines of high-concept, close-quarters thinking, with some (dis)honorable mentions along the way...

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Most Contrived Rom-Com Scenarios

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]]>50 first dates50FirstDatesadam sandlerAdamSandleramy adamsAmyAdamsbilly wilderBillyWilderchris nothChrisNothdrew barrymoreDrewBarrymorefailure to launchFailureToLaunchforces of natureForcesOfNaturegreen cardGreenCardheather locklearHeatherLocklearhilary duffHilaryDuffhow to lose a guy in 10 daysHowToLoseAGuyIn10Dayshugh jackmanHughJackmanjack lemmonJackLemmonjohn cusackJohnCusackkate beckinsalekate hudsonKateBeckinsaleKateHudsonleap yearLeapYearmarilyn monroeMarilynMonroemeg ryanMegRyannora ephronNoraEphronpicture perfectPicturePerfectsandra bullockSandraBullocksarah jessica parkerSarahJessicaParkerserendipitysleepless in seattleSleeplessInSeattlesome like it hotSomeLikeItHotthe perfect manthe proposalthe wedding singerThePerfectManTheProposalTheWeddingSingertom hanksTomHankstony curtisTonyCurtiswhile you were sleepingWhileYouWereSleepingyouve got mailYouveGotMailWilliam GossThu, 18 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTTop 10 Stormtrooper Crossovershttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/17/top-10-stormtrooper-crossovers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/17/top-10-stormtrooper-crossovers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/17/top-10-stormtrooper-crossovers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



San Diego ComicCon is almost upon us, and you know what that means -- stormtrooper costumes. Lots and lots of them. The white-armored villains have become so prevalent at every geek gathering that they hardly attract much notice, so they've had to get creative. Nowadays, you see Imperial Stormtroopers breaking rank and adding all kinds of weird and wonderful things to their standard issue armor, and becoming something weirdly meta in the process. Some of them, like the Elvis Stormtrooper, have become con celebrities in their own right (he's even got his own website, where he's reached a Kirk Lazarus level of crossover) and you can barely escape a con without a photo of them.

Galactic Binder has collected ten of the best stormtrooper crossovers they've seen. Seeing so many gathered in one place suggests that costumed Stormtroopers are becoming so ubiquitous that they'll soon attract as little attention as a plain Stormtrooper. Hell, maybe ordinary troopers will become so rare that spotting one will be like seeing a unicorn in the wild ...

So, check out the gallery below, and tell us your favorite. I'll echo Galactic Binder and give a special gold star to the samurai stormtrooper for going full circle by referencing Kurosawa.

Gallery: Imperial Stormtrooper Crossovers



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]]>DragonConImperial StormtroopersImperialStormtroopersSan Diego ComicConSanDiegoComicconStar WarsStarWarsStormtrooper crossoversStormtrooperCrossoversWonderConElisabeth RappeWed, 17 Jun 2009 19:02:00 ESTThe A-List Stars Who Haven't Tainted Themselves with Sequelshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/17/the-a-list-stars-who-havent-tainted-themselves-with-sequels/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/17/the-a-list-stars-who-havent-tainted-themselves-with-sequels/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/17/the-a-list-stars-who-havent-tainted-themselves-with-sequels/#commentsFiled under: ,

With Hollywood's neverending desire to milk every story and success for all its worth, it's easy to assume that no one is impervious from part 2, 3, 4, 10 -- especially A-listers. Part of the reason for their success is starring in successful films, and the better a movie does, the better the chance we'll get at least one sequel. But did you know that some of the biggies have only stuck to numero uno?

Movieline has a great post up about the A-listers who have headed for sequel land, and those that have stayed blissfully away -- and they're not necessarily the actors you'd guess. Some are easy: Brad Pitt and Clooney had those Ocean's films (and does it count that Clooney once got some tomato revenge?). Ben Stiller is all about the sequels. Clint Eastwood got dirty for Harry in 5 films.

But who hasn't return for a part 2? I'll give you one: Denzel Washington. However, the site does point out that the actor is set for an Inside Man follow-up, so his status could change. But can you guess the others? There are 3 actors and 1 actress. Make your guesses below and then head over to Movieline to see if you're right. One of those names will probably be quite a surprise until you think about it. And, is there any sequel-free A-lister they missed?

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]]>A-listersCinematicalDenzel WashingtonDenzelWashingtonfeaturedsequelsMonika BartyzelWed, 17 Jun 2009 13:02:00 ESTAre These the 10 Best Recut Trailers?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/16/are-these-the-10-best-recut-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/16/are-these-the-10-best-recut-trailers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/16/are-these-the-10-best-recut-trailers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Recut Trailer collageWhat has the combination of YouTube and inexpensive editing software wrought? For one thing, the opportunity for fans to fashion their own movie trailers, recutting footage to honor or, more commonly, ridicule well-known films. The practice has become so commonplace that online video sites are now jam-packed with fan-made, recut trailers that should never have left the privacy of their creator's computer. To help sort out the good from the bad (and the ugly), our friends at Urlesque have compiled a list of "The 10 Best Recut Movie Trailers."

They date the phenomenon back to 2006 and the recut trailer for The Shining, transforming Stanley Kubrick's horror picture into a "fuzzy, family-friendly comedy replete with a Peter Gabriel song to give the whole thing some 'extra polish.'" Their Top 10 includes one that goes the opposite direction, from family-friendly comedy to horror picture (Toy Story), as well as a couple that rescue romantic comedies by emphasizing their more hair-raising possibilities (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle), along with a few surprises. Head on over to Urlesque to watch all ten.

Of course, centuries before motion pictures were invented, the Greeks were parodying epic literature. The first movie parody may have been 1922's Mud and Sand, starring Stan Laurel. Fan-made or recut trailers are simply the latest variation on a theme. Thanks to technology, industrious fans now can crank out amazing, funny, clever, or silly recut trailers almost as soon as the originals appear.

What are your favorite fan-made / recut / remix trailers?

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]]>fan madefan-madefan-made-videosFanMaderecut trailersRecutTrailerssleepless in seattleSleeplessInSeattlethe shiningTheShiningtoy storyToyStorywhen harry met sallyWhenHarryMetSallyPeter MartinTue, 16 Jun 2009 10:02:00 ESTDiscuss: The Rules of Unlikely Attractionhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/discuss-the-rules-of-unlikely-attraction/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/discuss-the-rules-of-unlikely-attraction/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/discuss-the-rules-of-unlikely-attraction/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wonders never cease... At an early age, I got used to the strange looks from my friends when I listed the actors and stars I was most attracted to -- especially once I saw Dead Zone and became enamored with Christopher Walken. From then on, I steered clear of discussions about hot stars, or prepared for the horror-filled recoil if I did pipe in. It's gotten better over the years, but was never fully defeated until now.

I'm not sure how it's happened, but Nerve compiled a list of the "twenty sexiest ugly people alive" -- those people with unusual features who still have oodles of lusty charisma -- and none of my faves are on there. No Walken, Eric Roberts, Gary Oldman, Elias Koteas... I must be losing my touch. Instead, their picks in the movie world include Danny McBride, Danny Trejo, Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Steve Buscemi, and Mickey Rourke -- with the massacred face. Some of the guys I'm right there with, but man, Swinton? Not only did she make the list, but she's the only actress on there (excluding Sandra Bernhard's acting stints and Courtney Love's fleeting gigs). Ouch.

Do you agree with their picks? Better yet -- who are the names that hit you right to the core while passerby look on with confusion? And why? For years, I couldn't discern my own taste until a friend said: "You love larger than life men." And that was just it. When that charisma seeps out of the screen, no scar or sneer can fight it.

Do you have a favorite sexy ugly star, or are you purely a fan of the perfectly hot and symmetrical?

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]]>CinematicalDanny McBrideDanny TrejoDannyMcbrideDannyTrejoJohn C. ReillyJohnC.ReillyMickey RourkeMickeyRourkesexy ugly starsSexyUglyStarssteve buscemiSteveBuscemiTilda SwintonTildaSwintonunlikely attractionUnlikelyAttractionMonika BartyzelFri, 12 Jun 2009 17:32:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Terrific Train Thrillshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/11/cinematical-seven-terrific-train-thrills/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/11/cinematical-seven-terrific-train-thrills/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/11/cinematical-seven-terrific-train-thrills/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Top: 'Runaway Train,' bottom: 'Spider-Man 2'

I'm not certain when, exactly, my long-time fascination with trains was born, but it probably started the first time I walked through Union Station in Los Angeles, a cathedral dedicated to mass transit that opened in 1939. Opportunities to ride the rails were few and far between, so I treasured any chance to experience a train trip vicariously through the movies. Eventually I moved to New York and, still later, visited Europe, banking thousands of hours on all manner of subways and trains. Still, I've never had a personal train trip as thrilling as those I've enjoyed at the movies. With Tony Scott's The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 racing into theaters tomorrow, let's honor a few of the films that have provided terrific train thrills of the cinematic variety.

1. Runaway Train
The other movies on this list feature excellent scenes set on or around trains or subways (see also "Honorable Mention" and "Sensational Subway Scenes" after the jump) but Andrei Konchalovsky's thriller, based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, spends the majority of its running time on a train speeding through the bitterly cold, snowy winter landscapes of Alaska. Jon Voight and Eric Robert are two hardened convicts who've broken out of prison and, by chance, happen upon the just-departing train. When the engineer suffers a heart attack, the cons are at the controls of an out-of-control beast they cannot hope to master.

2. Spider-Man 2
I'll dance around needless spoilers by saying there is a coda to the runaway train scene that caught me unaware, filled with grace and humanity. That elevates a very good, thrilling, fast-paced suspense sequence involving helpless passengers and the heroic, masked Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as he fights Doc Ock (Alfred Molina).

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]]>emperor of the northemperor of the north poleEmperorOfTheNorthEmperorOfTheNorthPolerisky businessRiskyBusinessrunaway trainRunawayTrainspeedspider-man 2Spider-man2subway thrillersSubwayThrillersterrific train thrillsTerrificTrainThrillsthe taking of pelham 1 2 3the taking of pelham one two threethe wrong trousersTheTakingOfPelham123TheTakingOfPelhamOneTwoThreeTheWrongTrouserstrain thrillersTrainThrillerswallace and gromit in the wrong trousersWallaceAndGromitInTheWrongTrousersPeter MartinThu, 11 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTList This: Top Ten Sci-Fi Comedieshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/06/list-this-top-ten-sci-fi-comedies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/06/list-this-top-ten-sci-fi-comedies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/06/list-this-top-ten-sci-fi-comedies/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


In spite of the some rather negative early reviews, I plan on plunking down my cash to see Land of the Lost this weekend. It's a silly move, but I can't help myself; I blame my addiction to Danny McBride. Plus, I wasn't around for the original series, so it's not like Ferrell can mess up any childhood memories. But it did get me thinking; sci-fi and comedy are two genres that usually work pretty well together, right? So what does any movie geek do in this situation? That's right, we make a list. So now I present in no particular order, my top ten sci-fi comedies:

1. Hellboy
So technically, maybe not a pure sci-fi flick (it has gadgets...does that count?). But you definitely can't argue with funny; and it made for a nice departure for those of us tired of seeing our heroes 'brood' all the time.

2. Innerspace
Most people I know hate this movie; and to be fair, it hasn't aged well. The F/X are a little creaky, and Meg Ryan is downright annoying, but when I saw this film as a kid it was the height of hilarity -- score one for nostalgia.

3. Idiocracy
How could you not love Mike Judge's vision of a dystopic future where the #1 rated TV show is Ow! My Balls!

4. Ghostbusters
When it comes to sci-fi comedy, Ghostbusters is the granddaddy. To this day I consider it one of the funniest films ever made; and thanks to Bill Murray, I grew up to be the smart-a** that my family and friends know and love.

5. Sleeper
Woody Allen and sci-fi probably aren't two things that most people think would work well together. But Allen transplanted his nebbish New Yorker into the future, and still managed to make jokes about sex and health food stores.

After the jump; the final five...

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]]>back to the futureBackToTheFuturedanny mcbrideDannyMcbridegalaxy questGalaxyQuestghostbustershellboyidiocracyland of the lostLandOfTheLostlistSpaceballsJessica BarnesSat, 06 Jun 2009 20:03:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Wicked Hangovers on Filmhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/04/cinematical-seven-wicked-hangovers-on-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/04/cinematical-seven-wicked-hangovers-on-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/04/cinematical-seven-wicked-hangovers-on-film/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



If Benjamin Franklin is right (and I suspect he is) that beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy*, then hard liquor may be proof that Satan exists, and laughs at our agony the morning after indulging. But if there's a silver lining to a hangover, it's that it inspires a movie actually called The Hangover, allowing us to laugh about our own drunken antics ... and sigh in relief that they've never been bad enough to land us with a tiger, a baby, or a Mike Tyson punch. Then again, depending on what college or parties you've attended, you may have preferred to wake up with all three and a missing tooth rather than whatever or whoever you found yourself with. It doesn't always stay in Vegas.

So, in honor of the hard-partiers in The Hangover, here's seven wicked hangovers captured onscreen. It's difficult to narrow it down to just seven, so I've tried to represent just about everything except Cocktail. There's individual scenes, dark tales, and laugh out loud fratboy antics here, and ranked completely at random. They might actually make you think twice about accepting another shot of tequlia. Of course, if we ever learned from cinematic example or past experience, we'd probably never bite the lime or shout "Nastrovia!" more than once in our entire lives.

*There's no proof Franklin ever said this, but let's just lie and say he did

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]]>28 Days28DaysBASEketballcinematical 7cinematical sevenCinematical7CinematicalSevendude wheres my carDudeWheresMyCarleaving las vegasLeavingLasVegasSummer 2009Summer2009the big lebowskiThe HangoverThe LibertineTheBigLebowskiTheHangoverTheLibertineWicked HangoversWickedHangoverswithnail and iWithnailAndIElisabeth RappeThu, 04 Jun 2009 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Actors Who Need to Return to Their Rootshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/02/cinematical-seven-actors-who-need-to-return-to-their-roots/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/02/cinematical-seven-actors-who-need-to-return-to-their-roots/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/02/cinematical-seven-actors-who-need-to-return-to-their-roots/#commentsFiled under: , ,



With never-ending zeal, Hollywood looks back to the good ol' days with remakes and re-imaginings. But it's always the plots; always the stories. What about the actors? If there was any way that looking to the past would be beneficial, it would be grabbing those actors of today and getting them to dip back into the roles of yesterday -- the gigs that made us love them, but were so soon forgotten or cast aside.

Between casting ruts and earnest attempts to foster specific career paths, actors all too often leave their well-loved roots in the past, becoming an entirely different sort of performer. Very rarely do we get glimpses of those early years, and as nice as it is to see glimpses of former glory in a skit that pops up on SNL or Funny or Die, it's not the same as a feature-length, starring gig.

What follows are seven actors and actresses who are ripe for a return to the past. Naturally, this is only the start of a very long list, so be sure to add your picks in the comments.

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]]>Billy CrystalBillyCrystalCinematicalEric RobertsEricRobertsJane FondaJaneFondaKate HudsonKateHudsonSean PennSeanPennSusan SarandonSusanSarandonTom HanksTomHanksMonika BartyzelTue, 02 Jun 2009 22:15:00 ESTDiscuss: Underrated Raimihttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/30/discuss-underrated-raimi/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/30/discuss-underrated-raimi/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/30/discuss-underrated-raimi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



The old-school Sam Raimi fans are having a ball this weekend (I hope) with the director's long-awaited return to horror, the very cool Drag Me to Hell. And of course all of you know Mr. Raimi as the director of the Evil Dead trilogy and / or the Spider-Man trilogy, but it's easy to forget that this filmmaker has one rather impressive batting average. Doubly so if you're into good-time matinee-style genre flicks! So here's a chance to look back over some of the man's other films, mostly ones you've heard of (and probably seen by now), but flicks that are certainly worth a fresh look every now and again. I'll start with one of my true favorites ...

The Quick and the Dead (1995) -- Raimi's ode to the old-school western is an addictively entertaining mixture of A) a great ensemble, B) tons of nifty visuals, and C) tongue-in-cheek affection for the old-fashioned western tales. Plus it's not every day you see Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio shoot it out amongst themselves. And if you're a fan of character actors, this movie is an all-you-can-eat buffet of colorful performances: Keith David, Kevin Conway, Lance Henriksen, Tobin Bell, Pat Hingle, Gary Sinise, and on and on it goes. Great fun, especially if you love westerns.

Darkman (1990) -- Long before he was handed the keys to Spidey's cinematic web, Sam Raimi was already thinking about superhero movies. And he didn't even bother going with an established character! He and his brother just created one called Darkman! Just about everything that works so well in the Spider-Man series is included here, from the playful tone and stylish action to the crafty compositions and strong performances. Liam Neeson as a faceless vigilante! How can you not love that?

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]]>a simple planASimplePlanCrimewaveDarkmanDrag Me To HellDragMeToHellEvil Dead trilogyEvilDeadTrilogyfeaturedFor the Love of the GameForTheLoveOfTheGameSam RaimiSamRaimiSpider Man trilogySpiderManTrilogyThe Coen BrosThe Giftthe hudsucker proxyThe Quick and the DeadTheCoenBrosTheGiftTheHudsuckerProxyTheQuickAndTheDeadScott WeinbergSat, 30 May 2009 21:02:00 EST