commercial Tagged Articles at Cinematical

In searching the Cinematical archives to see whether or not this commercial that, quite brilliantly, imagines what James Dean's life would have been like had he not died in a car crash in 1955, I came across this post from Cine writer Martha Fischer honoring the legendary actor on the 50th anniversary of his death. I find Martha's words of remembrance to be a bittersweet frame upon which to hang the advertisement embedded below.

"...the world Dean lived in has so little connection to ours (he never heard The Beatles; didn't live through the political chaos of the 60s) that he seems almost alien sometimes. He's so distant that he's become a symbol to us now: the kid with the cigarette dangling from his lips, tough facade laid over painful insecurity. He's so fragile that we want to protect him, but there's toughness there, too, a toughness that makes him willing to appear weak in front of the whole world."

This minute-long ad created by the King James ad agency for a South African long-term investment firm is, frankly, stunning, and that's a reaction coming from someone who has long been indifferent to the career and posthumous iconography of James Dean. But it doesn't take a diehard Dean fan to appreciate this meticulously crafted hypothetical that hearkens back to an increasingly forgotten era while creating one that never existed. It's equal parts heart-warming and heart-wrenching, which only makes me wish all advertisements were this compelling.

Maybe it's a strange question, but: Whatever happened to Nicole Kidman? Now I'm only partly kidding when I say that, because if you look at the woman who appears in this fancy new commercial for Schweppes, she bears no resemblance to the plucky redhead who wowed us in flicks like Flirting and Dead Calm. The 'Gossips' like to blame the current state of the Aussie actress on Botox or sometimes it's the 'curse of Tom Cruise', but really, I'd love to know when did Ms. Kidman turn into the porcelain faced robot we now see before us? Now before you get all offended, keep in my mind that I actually quite like Kidman as an actress, and despite Australia's failings as a film, at least Kidman was showing some signs of life; signs that have long disappeared in this glamorous soda ad.

The commercial was directed by Elizabeth's Shekar Kapur and produced by Ridley Scott, and Kidman has been transported to an Indian palace alongside Slumdog Millionaire's Rubina Ali and Bollywood star Argun Rampal. As for the commercial, well, I'll give Kapur some credit if he was taking a gentle shot at Kidman's 2004 Chanel ad (Kidman famously pocketed $12 million to star in that commercial), since the two are almost identical. But if he's not, then what you end up with is a bit of a mess with beautiful set design -- and I'm not even getting into the implications of the 'colonial exoticism' of Indian culture that drips from every frame.

The Oscars may be the most prestigious show in town, but for the average moviegoer the MTV Movie Awards probably resonate with their tastes a heck of a lot more. Sure, they have stupid categories like 'Best WTF Moment' and 'Best Fight', but that's what sets them apart from the other award shows -- and just because it isn't necessarily the classiest show doesn't mean you won't have a good time. Looking to capitalize on a little reciprocal publicity for their new comedy, Year One, Michael Cera and Jack Black joined MTV's newly announced host Andy Samberg in a new commercial for the award show this May.

The ad is pretty much what you would expect from the minds of a member of The Lonely Island, the king of awkward delivery, and a merry prankster like Black. It's silly and kind of strange, but the same could be said for most of the comedy these three guys produce. Black and Cera fill in as proud parents in their rec room talking up their 'little boy' Andy -- it might be nonsensical, but more importantly, it's also kind of funny.

Even though some of us have reservations about Andy Samberg's hosting skills (I think he'll be a little awkward), I'm sure things will turn out just fine -- after all, the guy has lined up plenty of 'comedy connections' like Will Arnett and Rashida Jones to help him out. One thing's for sure: it couldn't get much worse than the year Jessica Alba hosted.

The MTV Movie Awards will air on Sunday, May 31st, and if your appetite has been whet for more Black and Cera, Year One hits theaters on June 19, 2009.

If you're ever lucky enough to go to The Museum of Television and Radio in either Beverly Hills or New York City, be sure you request some old shows from the stacks and watch them in one of the study stations. A few years ago, my best friend and I were doing just that. Typically we'd fast-forward through the commercials, but her eagle eye spied Brad Pitt in this surfer-themed, LA-set Pringles commercial, and our mouths dropped. Not because we had the "fever for the flavor of a Pringles" either.

Now, if this thing doesn't scream 1980s, then I don't know what does. Check out the garish colors, the lightning fast cuts, and the hairdos. They even walk like an Egyptian with their surfboard, before eating all of the bikini babes' Pringles and then leaving the scene. Yikes. Pitt gets more facetime than the other male models in the commercial; could this be the vehicle that launched him into hearthrobbery? Perhaps only archaeologists who unearth this information in the future will be able to tell.

Fans of Garden State will be happy to know that Zach Braff has finally stepped behind the camera once again, except it's not for his follow-up feature film. Nope, according to Vulture, Braff is directing a Dunkin' Donuts commercial starring none other than the ultra volatile "please don't hit me with anything" supermodel Naomi Campbell. I cannot think of a stranger scenario -- here we have the super quirky Braff helming a commercial for a store known for their greasy donuts ... and it stars a supermodel! Has Campbell ever eaten a donut in her life (using them as weapons to attack random assistants does not count)? Braff, on the other hand, is apparently a big fan of the chain. While out doing press for The Last Kiss, he was asked what he liked most about Boston. His answer? "I have never seen a city that has more Dunkin' Donuts on every corner. I love Dunkin' Donuts, and I'm not doing an advertisement, but there's nothing like a nice donut." So there you have it -- the dude digs donuts.

While reps for Braff, Campbell and Dunkin' Donuts wouldn't confirm this to be true, filming reportedly took place yesterday back on Braff's home turf in Orange, New Jersey. And after doing some more digging, I uncovered the plot (if you want to call it that) of said commercial. Holy Moly tells us that Campbell is filmed "gardening while wearing an evening gown," (makes sense, right) and when a neighbor annoys her, she throws her shoe through their window. (Get it? Because Campbell throws things and needs money to pay off those who are suing her -- hence, embarrassing herself with this crummy commercial?) What does this all have to do with Dunkin' Donuts? Well, there's another woman who watches the whole thing and "keeps cool" by drinking some sort of iced coffee. Don't you see her? She's wayyy in the back corner. No, behind the production assistant. In the blue jeans. Yes, the one holding a sign that reads "Garden State Was Overrated!"

No word yet on the status of Braff's film Open Hearts (a remake of Susanne Bier's 2002 Danish film), but perhaps the guy signed on to this gig in order to get used to directing again. That would be the most logical excuse. Then again, maybe it's the only job he can find. Time to make the donuts another film, Zach -- whaddya think?

[via Hollywood Wiretap]

Karina Longworth, the Editor Emeritus of Cinematical, is taking advantage of her mostly-meaningless title to post a diary of her experiences at Sundance. Your new editor wants her to do this every day, but in case she, uh, doesn't, it's because her real job got in the way.

Reading Eugene Hernandez' blog whilst waiting the for the cab to arrive to take me to La Gaurdia this morning, I learned that David Poland and Jeffrey Wells have declared that Sundance 2007, which officially begins tonight, is, in fact, already over. You see, they arrived in Park City a good 48 hours ahead of me, took turns inserting their thermometers in the rectum of the festival, and rushed to their computers to report the reading: cold. In fact, according to Wells, EVERYONE is saying that this year's line-up looks "flat, so-so, nothing to write home about material...a couple of almost-but-not-quite- as-good-as-Half Nelson flicks, and apparently nothing even close to a Little Miss Sunshine-type breakout waiting to happen."

Though tempted to reach for my phone to cancel the car -- a Sundance without a Sunshine is no Sundance for me! -- my more rational self prevailed. Instead, actually invigorated by the prospect of attending a film festival in which an over-hyped (and over-priced) Vacation retread steals headlines (and potential aquisition dollars) from ten or twelve films more deserving of market share, I zipped up my laptop and went downstairs. I went to the airport, got on the plane, and landed a little while ago. I even had my first Chik-fil-a in the Cincinatti airport during my layover. It was good. I ate too many waffle fries, though.

Pharmaceutical juggernaut Roche is using the upcoming CGI film Happy Feet as a vehicle to tell people to get flu shots. According to a press release from Roche, "Happy Feet presents a wholesome storyline in a wintery backdrop that serves as an ideal platform for communicating to consumers, especially moms, about the flu."

Roche will be tying in with the film through TV, print, and online spots, meaning it'll be hard to avoid this sucker. I'm still having trouble deciding if this is a great idea, or a potentially bad idea. I know it's a good thing to be informing the public about flu shots, especially for the young and the elderly, but what comes next? Will we see Mickey and Minnie touting the latest children's cough medicine? Shrek showing everyone the benefits of dental hygiene and a new mouthwash? Statler and Waldorf plugging for adult incontinence products?

It's one thing to use a good opportunity to inform the public, but it's a bit different when you're using it to help your bottom line. Roche manufactures a flu shot, so of course they'd be interested in having more people line up to get them. It's not the first time a studio has used their characters to sell products, but as far as I can remember it's the first time a pharmaceutical company has gotten involved in the process.

It might seem far fetched now, but imagine your child's favorite character talking to them about some new wonderpill, and it's a bit scary.

One of the first things I do upon entering a movie theater and settling down into a seat somewhere towards the middle (because my friends are maniacs and insist on locating the exact center of a theater since that's where the best sound and visual experience can be found) is to pull out my cellphone and switch it off. I do this because a) I'm a courteous human being and b) movie theaters constantly remind us (through ads) that if we do not shut of our phones immediately, everyone in the theater will hate us forever.

Seeing as theaters are always looking for new, creative ways to tell us to shut the hell up, it doesn't surprise me they're seeking out some familiar faces to help the cause. Starting this weekend, folks visiting Regal Cinemas and AMC Loews theaters will get a chance to view a new cellphone ad directed by and starring, of all people, Sydney Pollack. In the first commercial of his 40-year career as an actor/producer/director, Pollack plays himself (a director) who interrupts a very personal call in someone's house. While everyone I know is thoroughly upset with the amount of advertisements that play before a film these days, I'm of the opinion that if they're entertaining in some way, shape or form, then why complain? After all, the whole purpose of going to the movies is to be entertained, right?