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/Attention, SXSW Wannabes! The Panel Picker is Herehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/03/attention-sxsw-wannabes-the-panel-picker-is-here/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/03/attention-sxsw-wannabes-the-panel-picker-is-here/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/03/attention-sxsw-wannabes-the-panel-picker-is-here/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

So you wanna rake in the indie cred in Austin at next year's South by Southwest Festival? You have a skootch more than a week left to submit proposals for panels and/or rate the ones that have already been submitted for SXSW. But lucky for you, the SXSW Panel Picker is at your fingertips any time of the day or night. This cool new tool allows for everyone to have a say in what panels get okay'd for the festival.

According to the official site, "SXSW thrives on the creative intersection that takes place when great minds get together, and we feel the Panel Picker truly celebrates that. We believe that the real experts at SXSW are the people who bring the event to life - you, the thousands of people who attend every year. You know what you want to see, so this is your chance to help make that happen."

Previous panels include "The Incredible Shrinking (Expanding?) Film Critic Profession," which featured Cinematical's very own Scott Weinberg, "From Script to Screen," a Stanley Kubrick discussion, and much more. Get on your horse and head over 'cause the Panel Picker closes its doors on July 10th.

You can also stay up to date on all the latest SXSW-related film news and reviews over at the official blog. They gave Erik Davis' earlier post on the real girl behind SXSW's indie hit 500 Days of Summer a nice shout out, too. Even if you don't get your very own panel, you should do yourself a favor and hit up the festival since it's filled to the gills with enough media to burn your retinas and pop your eardrums. Plus, you can eat some BBQ with the peeps you Tweet at. Hey, just sayin'.

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]]>Austinpanelssouth by southwestSouthBySouthwestSXSWSXSW 2010Sxsw2010Jenni MillerFri, 03 Jul 2009 16:33:00 ESTDiscuss: The Curious Case of 'Drag Me to Hell's Buttonhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/07/discuss-the-curious-case-of-drag-me-to-hells-button/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/07/discuss-the-curious-case-of-drag-me-to-hells-button/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/07/discuss-the-curious-case-of-drag-me-to-hells-button/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

(Spoilers herein.)

Okay, so you lot have had two weekends now with which to see Sam Raimi's sublimely ridiculous Drag Me to Hell, and I'm seeing the debate that a couple of us waged out in front of the Paramount at SXSW last March coming back around on a grander scale, so I want to open up the floor.

Some have claimed that the third-act twist -- in which Alison Lohman's character mistakenly gives away an envelope with a quarter instead of an envelope with a cursed button and is consequently dragged to, um, Hell -- is telegraphed so far in advance that it takes the suspense out of the last reel or so, while others (including yours truly) believe that Raimi is smarter than that, and knows that we're in for this ride anyway, so even if we know that her efforts to pass on the curse are futile, we'll take a certain pleasure in knowing that her fate is sealed regardless.

Sure, Raimi could have simply cut out an insert shot of everything falling on the floor and mixing up, thus letting himself slightly, temporarily off his own hook. Lohman's character could have simply reached into her boyfriend's bag and grabbed the wrong one (oddly enough, the button falls out of her purse -- which she's holding -- but the quarter was placed in her boyfriend's bag, which is nowhere to be seen...). But he does seem to go just enough out of his way to let us know what's afoot. If you've seen the film, what do you think - rookie mistake or intentional wink?

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]]>alison lohmanAlisonLohmandrag me to hellDragMeToHellivan raimiIvanRaimijustin longJustinLongparamount theaterparamount theatreParamountTheaterParamountTheatresam raimiSamRaimisxswsxsw2009William GossSun, 07 Jun 2009 15:02:00 ESTNew 'Grace' Trailer -- Red Band Baby!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/31/new-grace-trailer-red-band-baby/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/31/new-grace-trailer-red-band-baby/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/31/new-grace-trailer-red-band-baby/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,




I'll keep this short: There's a horror flick coming out later this year called Grace. Lots of people (including me and Eric Snider) like it a lot, such as former Cinematical scribe (and mother of five) Kim Voynar, who went to the Sundance screening after I basically commanded her to. When I saw her later she was both grateful (for recommending it) and angry (for not seeing it with her). Then it hit Austin and earned even more fans -- and not just horror geeks, mind you, although they're the ones who seemed to dig it the most.

The flick is still shuffling through the festival circuit, but Anchor Bay will deliver the DVD before year's end, and it looks like my pals over at FEARnet have scored the first look at the "red-band" (R rated) trailer for Grace. Click right here to take a look at the rather impressive new promo clip, and then come back for some friendly advice. (Pause.) OK, back? Good: This movie is not suitable for pregnant women. Frankly you should spend three years in jail if you show Grace to a pregnant woman. Ten years if you make it a double feature with Inside.

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]]>anchor bayAnchorBayFearNetGraceSundance 2009Sundance2009sxsw 2009Sxsw2009Scott WeinbergSun, 31 May 2009 11:03:00 EST'Best Worst Movie' Yields Good First Trailerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/01/best-worst-movie-yields-good-first-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/01/best-worst-movie-yields-good-first-trailer/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/01/best-worst-movie-yields-good-first-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Toronto's Hot Docs film festival kicked off last night, and among the acclaimed documentaries playing there is Best Worst Movie, which we reviewed at SXSW last March. The short synopsis: Michael Paul Stephenson was embarrassed to star in Troll 2 as a young lad, only to find himself and other members of the cast coming to terms with the film's growing cult popularity years later. The long version: life's a funny thing.

The Toronto Star's Peter Howell, in covering the film and its inspiration, has premiered the latest trailer for it -- see if you can't spot our very own Scott Weinberg in it (hint: he's not the super-genial dentist).

For any of you lucky readers in or around Toronto, it's showing tonight, tomorrow night, and Sunday afternoon. For more information, here's the official Hot Docs page and the official website.


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]]>best worst movieBestWorstMoviegeorge hardyGeorgeHardyhot docsHotDocsmichael paul stephensonMichaelPaulStephensontoronto starTorontoStartroll 2Troll2William GossFri, 01 May 2009 17:33:00 ESTNew 'Moon' Trailer & Poster! (Has Nothing to Do With 'Twilight')http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/10/new-moon-trailer-and-poster-has-nothing-to-do-with-twilight/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/10/new-moon-trailer-and-poster-has-nothing-to-do-with-twilight/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/10/new-moon-trailer-and-poster-has-nothing-to-do-with-twilight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Having not attended Sundance, last month's SXSW Film Festival was my first chance to catch up with Duncan Jones' acclaimed sci-fi drama, Moon, and I'm happy to say that my expectations were well-met, with Sam Rockwell giving what is bound to be one of the more uniquely layered performances of the year.* (You can read James Rocchi's review here.)

Well, it looks like the guys over at IGN got their hands on the trailer, which we've embedded after the jump and which carefully embraces the intrigue of the film's central conceit. Jones himself told us that the development in question isn't exactly a spoiler in his mind, but don't worry, we're not about to give it up here. All in all, it's a smart sell, and one accurately representative of the movie. AICN, meanwhile, happens to have one snazzy poster on display. Mere coincidence? We may never know...

Co-starring Kevin Spacey (sort of), Moon gets a NY/LA opening on June 12th before rolling out to other markets, where it'll should prove a welcome respite to the comparatively mindless summer fare.

*Trust me, I'm not just saying that.

Continue reading New 'Moon' Trailer & Poster! (Has Nothing to Do With 'Twilight')

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]]>duncan jonesDuncanJoneskevin spaceyKevinSpaceymoonsam rockwellSamRockwellWilliam GossFri, 10 Apr 2009 09:03:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Ways That 'Adventureland' is Not Like 'Superbad'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/31/cinematical-seven-ways-that-adventureland-is-not-like-superb/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/31/cinematical-seven-ways-that-adventureland-is-not-like-superb/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/31/cinematical-seven-ways-that-adventureland-is-not-like-superb/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



The first poster for Adventureland gives "from the director of Superbad" the lowest, smallest billing. The most recent poster puts it first and foremost, even making it more colorful than the title and, one could argue, the cast itself.

In the weeks leading up to its release this Friday, the marketing campaign for Adventureland has been slowly, steadily, understandably tweaking itself to play up director Greg Mottola's last hit teen comedy, Superbad, but ever since seeing the film, I've been convinced that those expecting something so raucous this weekend will soon find themselves shifting in their seats as they watch something that's a bit more concerned about the 'age' in 'coming-of-age' than the 'coming.' It's not a tremendously misleading sell, but rather a matter of tone, and as such, here's seven reasons why you should look forward to the film beyond thinking it's the Next Big Quotable Comedy.

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Ways That 'Adventureland' is Not Like 'Superbad'

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]]>adventurelandbill haderBillHadercinematical 7cinematical sevenCinematical7CinematicalSevengreg mottolaGregMottolajesse eisenbergJesseEisenbergkristen stewartkristen wiigKristenStewartKristenWiigsuperbadthe daytrippersTheDaytrippersWilliam GossTue, 31 Mar 2009 22:02:00 ESTSXSW Winner 'In A Dream' Gets a Trailer and Theatrical Dateshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/28/sxsw-winner-in-a-dream-gets-a-trailer-and-theatrical-dates/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/28/sxsw-winner-in-a-dream-gets-a-trailer-and-theatrical-dates/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/28/sxsw-winner-in-a-dream-gets-a-trailer-and-theatrical-dates/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



If you've been to Philadelphia you've probably seen the mosiacs and murals of artist Isaiah Zagar. (Or your hometown may have a few ripoffs -- mine does!) He's now the subject of a documentary titled In a Dream, which also happens to be the directorial debut of his son, Jeremiah Zagar. The documentary chronicles Isaiah's work as the artist suffers a personal breakdown, and the implosion of his marriage and family life. From the trailer, it looks like something we can all relate to, yet feels a bit alien at the same time -- the Zagars clearly experience life and emotion on an almost operatic level.

Scott Weinberg (and Philly native) saw it at SXSW premiere, where it won the Emerging Visions Audience Award. While press releases call it "harrowing", Scott thought it was "a portrait of a sweet but slightly fractured man, it's one of the most unexpectedly touching documentaries I've ever seen." It's now getting a theatrical release in New York, Philadelphia, San Fransisco, and Los Angeles, with more cities and dates to be announced. Check out the documentary's official website and blog to find out when and where it'll be playing. As you wait for it appear in your city, you can view the trailer below:

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]]>Emerging Visions Audience AwardEmergingVisionsAudienceAwardin a dreamInADreamIndiepixisaiah zagarIsaiahZagarjeremiah zagarJeremiahZagarsxsw 2009Sxsw2009Elisabeth RappeSat, 28 Mar 2009 13:02:00 ESTGoodbyes, Leftovers, and a Big Fat Wrap-Up of SXSW 2009http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/27/goodbyes-leftovers-and-a-big-fat-wrap-up-of-sxsw-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/27/goodbyes-leftovers-and-a-big-fat-wrap-up-of-sxsw-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/27/goodbyes-leftovers-and-a-big-fat-wrap-up-of-sxsw-2009/#commentsFiled under: ,



We wanted our SXSW '09 coverage to be pretty much wrapped up by this point, but then we figured ... what's the rush? At this point we'd be covering mostly the smaller films anyway, none of which have been seen outside the festival circuit, and it'd be stupid to pack our Cine spotlight into storage without shining it a few more times for the indie guys.

So yes, Drag Me to Hell was damn fun; Observe and Report was shockingly funny and unexpectedly ... dark; and everyone pretty much loved I Love You, Man. (Oh man, and don't even get me started on the Bruno footage!) Thanks to SXSW for programming some fun, flashy studio fare -- but now we're gonna tone the budgets down just a little. Not that it matters really. A movie is a movie is a movie, right? And I'd rather pick through any of the following flicks than deal with 80% of Hollywood's summertime output. (Ummm, fine. Let's say 70%.)

My first "little" favorite is a dry indie comedy called The Overbrook Brothers, which seems a lot like every "dry indie festival comedy" I've ever come across ... for the first few minutes. But once the tone is laid down and the two leads settle into an effectively fractious chemistry, it becomes a very funny road trip with a few moments of real insight and strange warmth. It's about two brothers (Nathan Harlan and Mark Reeb) who discover that they're adopted, and so they (along with one long-suffering girlfriend, excellently played by Laurel Whitsett) hit the road to an Austin adoption agency. Much banter, backbiting, and bickering ensues, but director John Bryant keeps a solid balance between absurd behavior and sincere heart.

Continue reading Goodbyes, Leftovers, and a Big Fat Wrap-Up of SXSW 2009

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]]>2009featuresreviewssxswwrap-upScott WeinbergFri, 27 Mar 2009 22:02:00 ESTSXSW Review: Minehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/sxsw-review-mine/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/sxsw-review-mine/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/sxsw-review-mine/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Get out a whole box of Kleenex, one of the jumbo packs, before you see Mine. Movies about post-Katrina problems can be sad enough, but this documentary is about pets, too. You know you're not going to get through this movie dry-eyed unless you have no heart whatsoever. You may even find yourself headed for an animal shelter afterwards, if you're not careful. Director Geralyn Pezanoski skillfully tells an emotional story that rarely resorts to the obvious, or to "good guys vs. bad guys."

Mine focuses on Katrina evacuees who were separated from their pets (involuntarily in one case), and who are trying to find and reunite with the animals. The movie opens with Malvin, a man in his eighties, reminiscing about his dog Bandit while carrying the dog's leash, which he found in his yard after the floods. I immediately suspected this story wouldn't end happily at all. The movie then shows us post-Katrina animal rescue. Shelters and many hotels didn't accept pets, so many evacuees had to leave the animals behind. They assumed it would only be for a few days, but the impact of the disaster was such that people couldn't return to their homes for weeks.

In the meantime, animal rescue teams were able to find and round up many of the stranded pets. Some pets were taken to animal shelters in other states, some of which offered the pets not for fostering but for adoption. Heartbreaking situations resulted, and Mine focuses on a few of them. For example, Victor's dog Max was sent to Florida and adopted by Tiffany, who bonded with her new pet immediately. But Victor missed Max. How could this be resolved?

Continue reading SXSW Review: Mine

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]]>CinematicalfilmKatrinaMinemovienew orleansNewOrleanspetsSXSWSXSW2009Jette KernionWed, 25 Mar 2009 15:02:00 ESTSXSW Exclusive: The Dungeon Masters Posterhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/24/sxsw-exclusive-the-dungeon-masters-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/24/sxsw-exclusive-the-dungeon-masters-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/24/sxsw-exclusive-the-dungeon-masters-poster/#commentsFiled under: , ,



One thing that flew under the radar at SXSW during the Film Awards was the poster competition, which was new to the festival this year. The winner ended up being the poster for Keven McAlester's D&D documentary, The Dungeon Masters, which manages to combine one of the iconic characters from the movie and a well-placed set of gaming dice. Click on the image below for a much larger version.

There's a terrific set of 60 other posters from SXSW films on Flickr, and you can check out the artwork for the runner-up, Objectified, as well as a slew of others. The Dungeon Masters has been flying under the radar since it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, but if you get a chance to see it I'd highly recommend it. Especially if you've ever rolled a 20-sided die and jumped for joy when you landed a critical hit.

Gallery: 'The Dungeon Masters' poster

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]]>DocumentaryfeaturedgamingKeven-McAlesterPosterSXSWThe-Dungeon-MastersKevin KellyTue, 24 Mar 2009 10:02:00 ESTThe Cinematical Roundtable: Live from SXSW with James Rocchihttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/23/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-james-rocchi/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/23/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-james-rocchi/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/23/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-james-rocchi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



Welcome to the second episode of The Cinematical Roundtable, our latest podcast here at the site, where we'll speak with writers and readers alike about the latest in film offerings. Joining us this round is James Rocchi, formerly of Cinematical and currently of MSN Movies and countless other outlets, as we tackle several of the more independent titles that graced us with their presence at this year's SXSW Film Festival.

Again, please bear with the overwhelming ambiance of the International House of Pancakes (a South By staple, and not always by choice). In the weeks to come, the podcast will actually be produced in much more conducive conditions, but when in Austin, keeping it weird is the name of the game. With that in mind, your feedback is appreciated, and feel free to spread the word. Preferably the word 'podcast'. And 'Cinematical'. Yeah, that is two words, what of it?

That's what I thought...




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]]>alamo drafthouseAlamoDrafthousealexander the lastAlexanderTheLastandrew bujalskiAndrewBujalskibeeswaxfour boxesFourBoxesgraceinternational house of pancakesInternationalHouseOfPancakesjess weixlerJessWeixlerjoe swanbergJoeSwanbergjustin kirkJustinKirkmade in chinaMadeInChinamake-out with violenceMake-outWithViolencesuperstar: the karen carpenter storySuperstar:TheKarenCarpenterStorysxswsxsw2009winnebago manWinnebagoManWilliam GossMon, 23 Mar 2009 21:15:00 ESTSXSW Review: New World Orderhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/23/sxsw-review-new-world-order/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/23/sxsw-review-new-world-order/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/23/sxsw-review-new-world-order/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The reviled September 11th "truthers" are the folks you see in Manhattan's Union Square on weekends, insisting that the tragedy was not the work of Islamic extremists, but rather an "inside job" - a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of government, big business, and the "global elite." Few thinking people credit their ravings, and rightfully so: they're ridiculous. Some go further and unload massive amounts of contempt on the conspiracy mongers, on the theory that what they do is an insult to the people who lost and risked their lives on September 11th and in its aftermath. Still others - such as one kind soul we see in New World Order, Luke Meyer and Andrew Neel's excellent new documentary about the subculture - plead with these people to do something more constructive with their lives.

Outwardly, New World Order is careful not to make these judgments. Like the best documentaries at this year's SXSW, it contains no filmmaker voiceover, and no obvious editorializing. But the insightful, expertly constructed film goes a long way toward revealing what motivates and drives these people - and in the process speaks volumes about their work. New World Order is not an agenda-driven hit piece (the filmmakers refused to comment on the merits of the various conspiracy theories in the post-screening Q&A), but it is devastating in a subtler way.

Continue reading SXSW Review: New World Order

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]]>alex jonesAlexJonesandrew neelAndrewNeelluke meyerLukeMeyernew world orderNewWorldOrderEugene NovikovMon, 23 Mar 2009 20:32:00 ESTSXSW Review: My Suicidehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-review-my-suicide/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-review-my-suicide/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-review-my-suicide/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



A recurring theme in my relationship with movies (which began when I was underage and has often been mutually abusive) is that it doesn't matter if a film has the same basic ideas as a hundred other movies, as long as the filmmakers find new ways to express them. A movie is only generic if it doesn't bring anything new to the table.

That's why I like My Suicide, a bit of nobody-understands-me teen angst directed and co-written by video-game producer David Lee Miller. Its point of view is that of a disaffected 17-year-old movie buff who plans to kill himself on camera, so the talk of teen suicide calls to mind any number of similarly themed films. But My Suicide breaks out of the mold with an exhilarating use of stock footage, animations, reenactments, and other audio-visual tricks, vividly reflecting the thought process of today's media-saturated young people who are under-supervised, over-privileged, and too plugged in. I can see this replacing Donnie Darko as the go-to film for alienated adolescents.

It stars Gabriel Sunday (who also gets a screenplay credit, along with Eric J. Adams) as Archie Williams, a lifelong movie freak and amateur filmmaker who has decided to make his own death the subject of his media class final project. His reasons for wanting to die are mundane: his parents don't pay attention to him -- Mom (Nora Dunn) was a lawyer who resented being forced to give up her career when she got pregnant; Dad (Robert Kurcz) is wrapped up in the chicken-based fast-food franchise he owns -- he's tragically still a virgin, everyone at school thinks he's weird for always having a camera in his hand, yada yada.

Continue reading SXSW Review: My Suicide

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]]>gabriel sundayGabrielSundaymy suicideMySuicidesxswsxsw2009Eric D. SniderSun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:00 ESTSXSW Review: The Squarehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-review-the-square/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-review-the-square/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-review-the-square/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



"One man points his dick in the wrong direction, and here we are..."

A hundred different movies can make for something like a dozen common lessons: True love prevails. Underdogs triumph. What goes around, comes around. All that jazz. For some, it's a bit more fascinating when those best laid plans go supremely awry, when the pursuit of happiness is a profoundly futile endeavor. When I tell you that The Square is about two lovers who try to take the money and run, you might think that you've seen it all before.

But you haven't. Not quite like this. Whichever Murphy they named that law after? This puppy would do him proud.

Continue reading SXSW Review: The Square

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]]>claire van der BoomClaireVanDerBoomdavid robertsDavidRobertsjoel edgertonJoelEdgertonmatthew dabnerMatthewDabnernash edgertonNashEdgertonthe squareTheSquareWilliam GossSun, 22 Mar 2009 16:32:00 ESTSXSW in 60 Seconds: Saturday, March 21, 2009http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-in-60-seconds-saturday-march-21-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-in-60-seconds-saturday-march-21-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/22/sxsw-in-60-seconds-saturday-march-21-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SXSW in 60 Seconds

The Paramount Theatre hosted several notable screenings on the last day of the 2009 SXSW film festival, including the HD Premiere of Al Reinert's 1989 documentary For All Mankind. Audience members reported being thrilled that Gene Krantz, former NASA Flight Director, was on hand to answer questions after the screening of the film, which tells the story of the Apollo space missions.

Wavy Gravy was seen leading an anti-war march down Congress Avenue, reported Neil Miller of Film School Rejects, in advance of the final screening of Michelle Esrick's doc Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie. Director Jonathan Demme was in town for the World Premiere of his music doc, Neil Young Trunk Show. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were expected to be in attendance for the local debut of Sundance hit 500 Days of Summer.

Volunteers Kill It! We noted well-deserved praise for SXSW Producer Janet Pierson yesterday, and that applies to the entirety of the festival staff, who work long hours to little reward or recognition, except for a job done extremely well. Many thanks are also due to the more than 250 hard-working volunteers and theater managers, who had to deal with long lines of sometimes-grumpy, sometimes-pushy attendees, yet remained unfailingly polite, courteous, and attentive. Everyone working behind the scenes deserves some serious love as well.

Cinematical Coverage. Gary Hustwit made the fascinating, well-received doc Helvetica, and so expectations were high for his latest, Objectified -- perhaps too high. Kevin Kelly wrote in his review: "If you're into industrial design, you'll probably enjoy Objectified as it is, but I was left wanting more."

You can browse all of our 2009 SXSW coverage by checking out this handy link right here.

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]]>500 days of summer500DaysOfSummerneil young trunk showNeilYoungTrunkShowobjectifiedsxswsxsw in 60 secondssxsw2009SxswIn60Secondswavy gravyWavyGravyPeter MartinSun, 22 Mar 2009 03:31:00 ESTSXSW in 60 Seconds: Friday, March 20, 2009http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/21/sxsw-in-60-seconds-friday-march-20-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/21/sxsw-in-60-seconds-friday-march-20-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/21/sxsw-in-60-seconds-friday-march-20-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SXSW in 60 Seconds

The die-hards and the locals kept trudging into screenings on Friday, the penultimate day of the SXSW film festival, no doubt dodging sidewalk-jamming musicians. Reports filtered in that there was a massive crowd at the Austin Convention Center to see the late afternoon screening of the critically-debated doc Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo, and I imagine plenty of people showed up in the evening for the hilarious and unexpectedly poignant Best Worst Movie.

Cinematical Coverage. Yours truly wrote about Gerald Peary's documentary For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism. I enjoyed the chronological overview, but the academic approach made me feel like I was watching a term paper. The inaugural broadcast of The Cinematical Roundtable featured writers Drew McWeeny, Scott Weinberg, and William Goss talking about four SXSW presentations that will be hitting theaters in the coming months: The Haunting in Connecticut, Observe and Report, Drag Me to Hell, and The Hurt Locker.

Two films that played at SXSW opened in theaters today; Eugene Novikov thought I Love You, Man was a "sweet, amusing, and perfectly acceptable comedy," but was especially noteworthy because Paul Rudd "begins to stake out his territory as a comedian and a leading man." Erik Davis extolled the virtues of Cary Joji Fukunaga's drama Sin Nombre, both in his republished Sundance review and in his reminder notice -- with trailer!

You can check out all of our SXSW 2009 coverage by clicking here.

Blog Talk. Now that the festival is almost over, new SXSW Producer Janet Pierson is being hailed for the outstanding job she did. Anne Thompson has a great roundup / photo gallery at Variety, Kim Voynar profiles Pierson at Movie City News, and Eric Kohn talks to Pierson about the film selection process at The Wrap.

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]]>for the love of moviesForTheLoveOfMoviesi love you manILoveYouManjanet piersonJanetPiersonsin nombreSinNombresxswsxsw2009the cinematical roundtableTheCinematicalRoundtablePeter MartinSat, 21 Mar 2009 03:34:00 ESTThe Cinematical Roundtable: Live from SXSW with Drew McWeeny and Scott Weinberghttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-drew-mcweeny-and/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-drew-mcweeny-and/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-drew-mcweeny-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,



Welcome to the inaugural broadcast of The Cinematical Roundtable, our latest podcast here at the site, where we'll speak with writers and readers alike about the latest in film offerings. Our first episode has Drew McWeeny of Hitfix fame and our own Scott Weinberg joining you and I on the road as we discuss March's The Haunting in Connecticut, April's Observe and Report, May's Drag Me to Hell, and June's The Hurt Locker following their respective SXSW premieres in Austin, Texas.

Please pardon our dust as we get this puppy off the ground, please brace yourself for some mild profanity, and please tell your friends. Especially that one cute redhead. She's not seeing anyone, right?



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]]>cinematical podcastCinematicalPodcastdrag me to hellDragMeToHellobserve and reportObserveAndReportpodcastsxswsxsw2009the cinematical roundtablethe haunting in connecticutthe hurt lockerTheCinematicalRoundtableTheHauntingInConnecticutTheHurtLockerWilliam GossFri, 20 Mar 2009 21:02:00 ESTSXSW Review: For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticismhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/sxsw-review-for-the-love-of-movies-the-story-of-american-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/sxsw-review-for-the-love-of-movies-the-story-of-american-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/sxsw-review-for-the-love-of-movies-the-story-of-american-film/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Andrew Sarris in 'For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism'

(Full disclosure: current Cinematical Managing Editor Scott Weinberg and Cinematical co-founder Karina Longworth, now editor of Spout.com, make brief appearances in this film.)

Some documentaries demand to be seen on the big screen; others are best discovered while channel surfing. Gerald Peary's For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism falls into the latter category.

On the film's official site, Peary declares his doc to be "an unapologetic defense of a profession under siege." It's filled with talking head interviews with critics whose bylines are more familiar than their faces: A.O. Scott, J. Hoberman, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Owen Gleiberman, Kenneth Turan, and many others. It's a treat to see the best-known film critic on the planet, Roger Ebert, give a never-before-seen interview. The sound bites are distinctive, the insider's perspective is refreshing, the historical overview is welcome, and the overall impression is positive.

Here's the sticking point: For the Love of Movies features an academic approach to the subject. Unless you have a great interest in film criticism, it feels like you're watching a term paper. Peary is both a long-time film studies professor at Suffolk University and a film critic for The Boston Phoenix, an alternative weekly, and is obviously not the first film critic to direct a movie.

Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut were critics before they made movies; so were fellow French New Wave directors Claude Chabrol, Eric Rohmer, and Jacques Rivette. The difference is that they were younger men in rebellion; Peary is an older man more interested in defending his longtime colleagues from charges that film criticism is no longer relevant or needed.

Continue reading SXSW Review: For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism

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]]>a.o. scottA.o.Scottandrew sarrisAndrewSarrisbosley crowtherBosleyCrowtherfor the love of moviesForTheLoveOfMoviesForTheLoveOfMoviesTheStoryOfAmericanFilmCriticismgerald pearyGeraldPearyjames ageeJamesAgeeotis fergusonOtisFergusonowen gleibermanOwenGleibermanpauline kaelPaulineKaelrobert e sherwoodRobertESherwoodroger ebertRogerEbertsxsw2009Peter MartinFri, 20 Mar 2009 10:45:00 ESTSXSW in 60 Seconds: Thursday, March 19, 2009 http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/sxsw-in-60-seconds-thursday-march-19-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/sxsw-in-60-seconds-thursday-march-19-2009/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/sxsw-in-60-seconds-thursday-march-19-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SXSW in 60 Seconds

I returned home from Austin yesterday and am still suffering from SXSW Separation Anxiety. Shawn Levy of The Oregonian sums it up well: "Frankly, music people are nuts compared to the film people (who are nuts compared to the interactive people). And as Austin seems genuinely nuts itself, the whole thing works out nicely."

SXSW kept rolling along, even without me and Shawn. While downtown streets were filled with crowds and music, the film venues had somewhat lighter attendance, making it easier for out of town visitors and local residents to catch up with repeat screenings of buzz titles like Alexander the Last, Goodbye Solo, My Suicide, Made in China, and Humpday.

Tonight, an attendee exulted over getting into the Playboy party and seeing Jane's Addiction, while a film critic observed "people in pirate gear blasting 'Kickstart My Heart' in front of [the] Austin Hilton," and another writer "accidentally had another five-movie day." And you wonder why some of us are addicted to Twitter?

Cinematical Coverage. Eugene Novikov called The Slammin' Salmon, the latest project from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe, "90 minutes of truly inspired comic mayhem." Speaking of mayhem, this critic felt Australian revenge flick The Horseman was brutally effective: "It's a testicle for a vagina instead of an eye for an eye."

Eric D. Snider says that Craig Johnson's True Adolescents is "an acerbic but realistic coming-of-age story ... the tone gradually shifting from hipster-funny to hipster-introspective." Mark Duplass and Melissa Leo star. Jette Kernion liked Tommy Pallotta's documentary American Prince even more than American Boy, the 1978 Martin Scorsese doc that featured the same subject, Steven Prince, "probably because I preferred watching the older Prince over the younger one."

You can check out all of our SXSW 2009 coverage right here.

Continue reading SXSW in 60 Seconds: Thursday, March 19, 2009

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]]>american princeAmericanPrincesxswsxsw in 60 secondssxsw2009SxswIn60Secondsthe horsemanthe slammin salmonTheHorsemanTheSlamminSalmontrue adolescentsTrueAdolescentsPeter MartinFri, 20 Mar 2009 03:31:00 ESTSXSW Review: American Princehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/19/sxsw-review-american-prince/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/19/sxsw-review-american-prince/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/19/sxsw-review-american-prince/#commentsFiled under: , ,



More than 30 years ago, Martin Scorsese decided to spend an evening -- more than a day, really -- filming his friend Steven Prince as he told all kinds of strange and fascinating stories about his life. The result was the short documentary American Boy, which had no official release in 1978 but floated around "unofficially" for decades. Tommy Pallotta saw one of these bootleg copies when he was in college, and never forgot it. He and Richard Linklater included one of Prince's stories from American Boy in Waking Life. And more than 30 years after American Boy, Pallotta and Linklater spent a similar evening hearing more of Prince's tales, which are the backbone of Pallotta's documentary American Prince. Both films screened back-to-back at SXSW.

Steven Prince in American Prince has mellowed a lot -- he sits comfortably in a chair sipping cognac and genially relating stories about his years in Hollywood. You might remember him as the gun salesman in Taxi Driver, and he had a few other minor roles in films, as well as working on some other Scorsese films. As a result, he has some very colorful stories to share with the guests in the room as well as the film's audience. The setting of the documentary might remind you of Steven Tobolowsky's Birthday Party, which played SXSW in 2005, but more tightly focused, and without a lot of interaction from the other guests.

Continue reading SXSW Review: American Prince

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]]>american boyamerican princeAmericanBoyAmericanPrinceCinematicalfilmmartin scorseseMartinScorsesemovierichard linklaterRichardLinklatersteven princeStevenPrincesxsw2009tommy pallottaTommyPallottaJette KernionThu, 19 Mar 2009 20:32:00 EST