erik davis Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Last Monday, yours truly was invited to help a friend of a friend out by offering to review Frost/Nixon on their podcast. As it turns out, it was the /Filmcast we were talking about, and it happened to be the same night that head honcho here Erik Davis was due to join in. Small world, eh?

So we tag-teamed our film chatter with the cool guys over at /Film -- David Chen, Adam Quigley, and Devindra Hardawar, to be specific -- and you can listen to that episode right about here. When Erik isn't twirling his hair around his finger and gushing about MTV's episodes of True Life, he and the gang manage to get around to discussing all the latest film news from Terminator: Salvation to the potential Suck Rogers with Frank Miller at the wheel.

I also took part in the /Film After Dark podcast and a recent year-end horror wrap-up extravaganza with just about everyone over at Bloody Disgusting, so with any luck and nearly no shame, we hope to share those as well. For those of you wishing to listen to David, Devindra and Adam record their next /Filmcast live, they'll be looking back on 2008 in film this coming Monday at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST.

What are going to be the biggest surprises at this year's ComicCon? Can McG and Christian Bale make us care about Terminator: Salvation? Will the movie adaptation of Twilight please fans, or alienate them? What's behind the venom being directed at Batman's detractors on-line? And does Meryl Streep's Mamma Mia! have a chance against The Dark Knight this weekend? Joining James this week to talk all things ComicCon is Cinematical's Editor-In-Chief Erik Davis. ... Cinematical's podcast is now available through iTunes; you can subscribe at this link. Also, you can listen directly here at Cinematical by clicking below:



As ever, you can download the entire podcast right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

South by Southwest -- the little festival that could -- has outgrown its origins as a chance for music industry mavens to ear barbecue in March; it's expanded, grown, come to incorporate interactive technologies -- and, as you've been reading here at Cinematical, film. But what role does SXSW serve? What are some of the films to most look forward to this year? What truly separates SXSW from big sister Sundance, held a few months before? And what, to a film critic, would the best film festival in the world really be like? Joining us this week on The Rocchi Review, live from Austin to talk about all this and more, is Cinematical's own Editor-in-Chief, Erik Davis. Cinematical's podcast content now has even better sound quality, and is now in iTunes; you can subscribe at this link. Also, you can listen directly here at Cinematical by clicking below:



As ever, you can download the entire podcast right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

I've always had a problem introducing myself to people. "Is it Erik with a 'C' or with a 'K?'" That's one. "Oh, so it's Erik Davis ... like the baseball player?" That's another. "Isn't Erik Davis a black name?" Weird, but yes, that's one I get on occasion. Usually, the person I'm speaking to will follow up the introductions with a "So, what do you do?" Prior to writing for Cinematical, I sat in a cubicle for five years and crunched numbers. While this might be a great life for some people, it wasn't me. It sucked the life out of my creativity -- my love to write, to make people laugh -- and things stayed that way until a good friend of mine, Kim Voynar (you might know her), told me about this movie blog that needed writers.

Seeing as I'd been writing my own raunchy blog for two years, coupled with the fact that I loved movies -- I felt it would be a great way to kill some brain cells, get to know new people and, at the same time, try to jump-start my imagination. Little did I know at the time, but two years later I'd be sitting here (minus the cubicle), writing this post to inform you that I am officially the new Editor-in-Chief of Cinematical.com. I'll pause here while you at home briefly throw something (of little to no value, I hope) against the wall. My first order of business will be to revive the From the Editor's Desk column, which was started by my good pal (and ex-Cinematical EIC) James "Obi-Wan" Rocchi. I'm not sure how often I will write them (a few times a week, maybe) or what I'll write (have I told you how incredibly humid it is in New York City right now?), but I promise that the column will once again become a regular fixture here at Cinematical.

Now I don't expect all of you to know who I am and/or love the fact that I'm replacing the great Ryan Stewart, but I do look forward to proving that Cinematical is (and will always be) one of the best online destinations for all things movie related. Everyone who writes for Cinematical loves talking about film. You love talking about film. Surely there must be a way for us to happily co-exist, and still be able to share a laugh over the fact that they greenlit a Bratz 2 before the "original" even hit theaters. All that being said, I'm blessed to be doing what I do at this point in my life. And I'm honored that you would take whatever time out of your busy (or not-so-busy) schedules to sit down and share your love for movies with us.

Feel free to tell us what you'd like to see more of in the future, either in the comments section or by emailing me at Erik AT Cinematical DOT COM. Oh, and it's a pleasure to meet you.

Folks looking for this summer's Little Miss Sunshine might find similarities in Introducing the Dwights (previously known as Clubland when it premiered at Sundance earlier this year). Like Sunshine, Dwights revolves around a somewhat eccentric family whose members all aspire to be bigger than they are. While there's no physical road trip in Dwights, each character embarks on an inner journey -- one of physical exploration and, eventually, transformation. It's sweet, quirky, sincere, and provides a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of those big-budgeted extravaganzas currently invading your local theater.

Told from a few different perspectives, this Aussie coming-of-age tale is, essentially, about growing up and giving in to the forces that control our own personal universe. Jean (Brenda Blethyn), a UK-born comedienne and stage performer nearing middle age, works tirelessly to keep her family and career on track. She's up at the crack of dawn for the morning shift at the canteen, and in between giving music lessons to the neighborhood kids, she's practicing for her own shows later that night. Somewhere amidst the hectic schedule, she needs to find time to be a mother to her two teenage boys; one of which suffers from brain damage, while the other is being wooed into his first mature, sexual relationship with the opposite sex. And the more Jean fights for control, the harder it becomes for her to just let go.

For those of you currently in the middle of writing your wedding vows, might I suggest including the following: "I vow to never to force you to watch License to Wed against your will ... even if it does look sweeter than a piece of apple pie." Harmless squabbles between two people in love are hard enough to watch when you're one of those people. Well, imagine spending 90 minutes right smack in the middle of someone else's argument -- one that's so trivial and meaningless, the thought of knocking yourself out quickly becomes the best idea you've had in years. And half-way through License to Wed, I imagine everyone involved felt the same way; after a somewhat humorous start and one decent set piece, the film becomes duller than a two-hour PowerPoint presentation on how to pick the right wedding hall. Chock-full of more "seen it" and "done it" moments than the latest Scary Movie entry, do yourself a favor and say "I don't" to License to Wed when it comes time to walk down the aisle at your local cineplex later this weekend.

It's a shame, really, because License to Wed sports a cast capable of way more laughs than this. Making his big-screen debut in a starring role, John Krasinski (The Office) plays Ben Murphy; the type of character Ben Stiller channels in his sleep -- the dim-witted "voice of reason" who can't seem to do or say the right thing no matter what the situation. After a "here's how they got together" montage, Ben proposes to his girlfriend, Sadie (Mandy Moore), and the two are on their way to planning a fantastic wedding. Only problem is Sadie wants to exchange vows in her hometown church under the guidance of Reverend Frank (Robin Williams); the eccentric spiritual leader who baptized her. And with the only available slot three weeks away, Reverend Frank insists the couple attend a rigorous marriage prep course that takes invasion of ones privacy to a level that's not only awkward, but also a tad creepy. Do they have what it takes to keep it cool and stay together long enough to get hitched? Trust me, you won't care.

As a high-octane action film starring Bruce Willis, Live Free or Die Hard is really quite spectacular -- what with its larger-than-life effects and nonsensical stunt maneuvers. But we're supposed to believe this is the next installment in the Die Hard franchise, and not "just another summer action flick." So when Detective John McClane leaps out of a squad car going 40mph, sending it up a concrete divider and into a conveniently-placed helicopter, you have to ask yourself this: Am I here for the popcorn action or am I here to spend two hours with one of my all-time favorite movie characters? If it's the latter, then you might find yourself slightly disappointed -- this isn't the same John McClane who woke up next to an unfinished cocktail and an empty bottle of aspirin. This is John McClane after he woke up next to an assortment of summer superhero flicks, chock-full of just enough explosive set pieces to make it worth your money.

If there's a Suspension of Disbelief machine currently on sale at your local Best Buy, then I suggest picking one up before heading to the movie theater. The first major difference between this Die Hard film versus the previous three is not the concept, but the execution. A group of clean-cut hackers hijack this country's most important support systems in an attempt to shut it all down while causing mass chaos. I can buy that. A jet hovering three feet above an active freeway? The fact that John McClane somehow has 47 lives when the rest of us get just one? Timothy Olyphant as a believable Die Hard villain? Kevin Smith's laughable role in the film (watching him try not to curse was almost as painful as watching him try not to act)? And McClane's daughter taking down a guy larger than three trees combined? This is Die Hard on steroids; jacked up to a level where it still looks familiar, except it's now capable of splitting you in two with its pinkie finger. But while it might hurt those expecting the punch, others will walk away not knowing what just hit them.

Heading into Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, my expectations were pretty low. The original was slow, dull and gimmicky, with too much set-up and not enough punch. That said, I'm about to make a very bold statement -- not only is this film far superior to its predecessor, but it's also one of the best sequels this summer has to offer. Granted, that's not saying a whole lot, but when it comes to entertaining a mass audience -- delivering equal parts quirk and fast-paced action -- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer serves up fun on a, well, silver platter. Unlike other recent comic adaptations content on force-feeding you bland melodrama to a point where the entire theater begins to reek like cheese, Silver Surfer never takes itself seriously. It's PG-rated summer popcorn fluff at its best, and while the new additions might irritate the hardcore FF fanatics, those simply looking for a check-your-brain-at-the-door night out at the movies will certainly surf away satisfied.

It's hard enough focusing all the attention around one superhero, and four makes the task even tougher. Director Tim Story took a real chance with this sequel; although fans would've loved a darker, more sinister tone, he went in a completely different direction -- opting to instead tap into the old school, feel-good vibes of the original Superman films (parts 1 and 2), while utilizing a bigger budget to really make this thing sail. However, not all the effects hit their mark (specifically Mr. Fantastic's stretch technique, which looked completely silly and over-the-top in more than a few scenes), but the work done on the Silver Surfer (voiced by Laurence Fishburne) more than made up for the minor faults in our main characters. In fact, the worst part of FF2 was the actual "all-media" screening -- chock-full of of delinquents who wouldn't stop talking the entire time. Not at the screen, mind you, but at each other. And I sat next to a homeless guy. Seriously. So if I can walk away from that experience and still enjoy this film more than any sequel/adaptation/threequel/you name it this summer, that's saying a lot for what the FF gang offered up for this, their second time around the block.

Just like Vegas' hottest new casino, Ocean's Thirteen comes packed with a host of slick, highly-stylized visuals and enough clean-cut cool to entice any ordinary Joe off the street to empty his pockets in hopes that the atmosphere alone with hypnotize him to a point where he'll walk out broke without feeling any pain whatsoever. The summer's threequel theme returns this weekend with a third installment stuffed full of Hollywood's favorite A-list stars and, although it's far superior to the mis-managed mess that was Ocean's Twelve, Ocean's Thirteen doesn't quite top the fun and suspense of the original (and when I say 'original,' I mean the Ocean's Eleven from 2001, not 1960). It's fun, it's campy and it's worth the gamble -- that's if you don't mind shoddy character development, regurgitated gags and an unrealistic story.

Proving once again that what happens in Vegas should definitely stay in Vegas, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his crew return to the town where they belong, but this time they're not out to fill their pockets with other people's money. Nope, they want revenge. When Danny's friend and mentor Reuben (Elliot Gould) is forced against his will to hand over his 50% share in a new casino to his slimy, opportunist ex-partner Willie Bank (Al Pacino), the shock and overwhelming disappointment lands Reuben in the hospital, near death and unable to speak. Thus, Danny, Rusty (Brad Pitt), Linus (Matt Damon), Basher (Don Cheadle), Frank (Bernie Mac) and the rest of Ocean's wannabee hustlers arrive to plan Bank's demise and, at the same time, score a big fat one for Reuben.

"Isn't it weird that when you have a kid all of your hopes and dreams go out the window?" -- Knocked Up

Once Monday morning rolls around, two things will be certain: 1) Everyone who did see Knocked Up over the weekend will find it to be the funniest film of the year so far, and 2) Judd Apatow will officially become the proud father of an instant classic. Both will happen fast -- almost instantaneously -- and you might not notice until the memorable quotes begin flying out the mouths of your fellow co-workers during that dreaded morning meeting. With no zany high concept, no major set pieces, no A-list stars and practically no physical comedy, you'd think Knocked Up would struggle to find even the mildest scattered laughter during its whopping (for a comedy) 129-minute running time. But thanks to Seth Rogan and the outstanding supporting cast, Judd Apatow picks up right where The 40 Year Old Virgin left off -- delivering a flawless situational comedy that feeds off a smorgasbord of delicious, relatable dialogue and enough heart to transform even the coldest, non-committal bachelor into the kind of guy who's just dying to start a family ... right after he gets back in line to watch the year's greatest comedy one more time.

Remember that group of stoners from school who always laughed off the corporate nine to five job and were convinced they'd discover the perfect get-rich-quick scheme providing them with enough money to sit on their asses and smoke pot for the rest of eternity? Well that's Ben (Rogan) and his best pals; all of whom are in their early twenties and sitting on top of, what they believe, is buried internet treasure -- a website that tracks nude scenes in movies and tells users exactly which point in the film said nudity shows up. Flesh of the stars.com. Ain't it grand? When they're not busy getting high or humiliating one another, the boys like to engage in some extra-curricular activities, such as sitting around at the bar -- staring at the beautiful women -- and doing nothing. That is, until Ben takes a chance and strikes up a conversation with Alison (Katherine Heigl); a pretty blonde out celebrating a job promotion with her self-conscious, do-you-think-I'm-still-sexy older sister Debbie (Leslie Mann). One drink leads to several, and before you know it Ben and Alison are waist-deep in a one-night-stand; an encounter that will change each of their lives forever.