I still see this as one of my favorite comedies and cannot believe it is now 9 years old, it really does not seem like it came out that long ago!

Meeting the parents is still seen as a big step in a relationship, even bigger for a man meeting the father of the woman he wants to marry. That must be intimidating, but what if that man was Robert De Niro ex-CIA and you want to marry his little girl this is not going to be an easy task. Especially when you are Ben Stiller and everything you touch/say/do seems to go wrong without even trying.

Greg Focker . . . yes you can see what they done their and how many jokes you can fling in just saying his name. He is a male nurse, who wants to marry Pam Byrnes. When he finds out her father Jack is the type of man who would want to be asked first, he plans to ask him before proposing. The couple stay at her parents for her sister’s wedding.

Greg really does try his best to impress the people he wants as his in-laws and family by making things up and inadvertently doing everything wrong. Loosing Jinx the family cat, flushing the toilet which does not work properly, setting everything on fire and pretty much so much damage before the wedding.

I think the main reason I still like this film so much is due to that it still makes me laugh. Yes a lot of it is silly and random but I think it’s a good way to totally release while watching a comedy. Especially when someone makes as many mistakes and cannot do anything right. Everyone can relate to doing things when they should not have.

Seeing Robert De Niro in a comedy and being daft really does make this so much more than other comedies. As he is not really an actor you expect to see in a comedy, especially when he holds the cat-like a baby when getting it back, that is not what you expect from De Niro. I think this does make his scenes funnier than if a different actor had taken on the role.

I always compare Ben Stiller in other comedies to this film and really don’t think he has put in a funnier performance. He was just brilliant as the helpless guy who just wanted to marry the woman he loved, with nothing going right for him.

I bet if a man who comes across a father like De Niro’s character in this film, really would want to run a mile and possibly think twice about wanting to marry his daughter (if they were not 100% sure of course). But it really does make for a funny comedy which will probably always be relevant in having to meet the parents.

I wonder which way round people find it worse? Being the man meeting her parents . . . or being the woman meeting his parents?

‘Can I help you out with that trash?’

I heard a voice over my shoulder and, sure enough, when I looked up it was Gwyneth Paltrow on a break from up-dating her website, GOOP.

I knew very well she was being ironic. Certainly, she seemed quite tickled by the notion of it. So I left my chore and invited her into my mouse house.

After I’d washed my hands I got some fish fingers out of the fridge. They can defrost together, I thought as I welcomed her warmly.

Gwynnie is a piece of alabaster perfection and she can do long and short hair, as she showed us in Sliding Doors. I asked for some beauty tips, which she surrendered gracefully.

Nevertheless, she roundly dismissed my offer to paint her nails, with a snort through her elegant nose.

‘Do you prefer Luke or Owen Wilson?’ I asked, referring to her roles in the Wes Anderson films.

‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly choose between them,’ she replied coyly.

‘I could,’ I revealed. ‘Owen. More chamomile tea?’

We went for a walk around Ravenscourt Park so she could get some air. She seemed to relax a little but I have to admit I was quite annoyed because she was wearing sunglasses so no-one knew who she was.

She told me about how she thinks shampoo gives children cancer and how she bounces on a trampoline to sculpt the fabulous skyscraper heel legs that tell the world she’s sexy even though she’s the mother of Moses and a piece of fruit.

‘And Chris- well, he’s so talented. He takes his music very seriously,’ she opened up.

‘Do you think he takes quite a lot of stuff seriously?’ I asked, trying to widen my eyes.

‘No, not at all,’ she replied very seriously. ‘Chris has got a fantastic sense of humour. Just this morning over breakfast he was saying something really funny… Now what was that?’

I let her flail around like a weighted puppy for what seemed like an eternity before blowing the whistle and diving in with a basic bacon and egg gag, at which she laughed so hard I began to wonder if she really does find Chris a bit of a card.

I could tell right from the get-go that she wasn’t going to dish the dirt- she’s not desperate enough, having been born into fame and privilege.

So I took the liberty of switching off and playing ’shag, marry, cliff’, teaming her up with Jennifer and Angelina, seeing as they all like a bit of Brad Pitt.

It was a no-brainer she was ‘marry’- hell, I’d already managed to spend a few hours in her company without really listening. The other two were easy as well: ’shag’ Jen and ‘cliff’ Angelina (playing the rules by my original understanding of them, whereby ‘cliff’ is the person you are so crazy about you would be willing to jump off one with them).

When I came round, Gwynnie was talking about Anna Wintour and I regretted not paying attention. She said Anna started inviting her to lunches with John Galliano after her Oscar win and reckoned it was because the Queen of Vogue admired her work.

I let it slide. But it got me thinking about Shakespeare in Love.

‘Joseph Fiennes is quite intense but don’t you think his eyes are too close together?’ I asked, hungry for her professional opinion.

‘I was so blessed to work with Jo. He’s a giant of an actor,’ she replied.

‘Wow. Taller than Tim Robbins?’ I asked.

I think I got the wrong end of the stick but I knew she was relieved I didn’t allude to her acceptance speech debacle.

Instead, I praised her English accent and told her she was much better than Renee Zellweger, who sounds like she’s being goosed by the President but can’t let on.

Gwynnie found this remark distasteful. Angelina had warned me that she was a cut above but did I listen? No.

‘Have some of my Mum’s fruit cake with a thin layer of Lurpak butter on it,’ I suggested as she gathered her mobile phones to leave.

In reply to which- and oh, please God, may I never feel so wrong again- she gave me a look that still sends shivers down my spine.

‘I’m not sure I get you, Sophie,’ she said eventually, as she let two bodyguards help her on with her trainers. ‘But probing characters is my vocation so I’m going to take you to bed with me for a few nights to see what I can figure out.’

O.K, I thought.

As long as you don’t mind Jennifer Aniston joining us.

Owen Wilson finds himself in yet another action-buddy comedy. This time he is teamed with Eddie Murphy in a remake of the 1960’s TV series “I-Spy”.

Aspiring secret agent, Alexander Scott (Owen Wilson) wants to be taken seriously. Scott always seems stuck in the shadow of the agency’s top spy, Carlos (Gary Cole). Scott gets his chance when the agency assigns him to recover a top-secret stealth aircraft known as the “Switchblade”. To aid him on his cover, the president assigns Scott to travel with boxing champion Kelly Robinson (Eddie Murphy) who is journeying to Eastern Europe for a fight.

Before Scott knows it showboating Robinson is as much involved in the mission as he is. Will this unlikely duo be able to stop the likes of vicious arms-dealer Arnold Gundars (Malcolm McDowell)? More importantly will Scott ever get the proper respect he is looking for?

“I-Spy” is a light and funny action comedy that expands on both the quick wit of Murphy and the comedic charms of Wilson. Murphy seems to be reliving his days of old as he over-acts his Robinson character with such style. I haven’t seen Eddie this fresh and funny since “Beverly Hills Cop 2”.

His performance also reminded me some of the character he created in the “Golden Child” as well. I am one of the few people who liked that movie. There were signs of the former Eddie Murphy in last year’s “Showtime” but here the old Eddie seems to be back. And thank goodness since I was getting so sick of Eddie’s versions of “The Nutty Professor” and “Doctor Doolittle”.

There are some great comedic moments in “I-Spy” like when Alex Scott (Wilson) is shown what gadgets he will be using for his mission then Scott sees what his rival Carlos (Cole) gets. This is a classic rip-off of the infamous “Q” scenes in the James Bond films.

By far the best part of the movie is the constant squabbling between Wilson and Murphy. There comedic timing is hilarious and Murphy does such a wonderful job of over-acting Robinson’s arrogance. I loved the moments where Eddie Murphy’s Kelly Robinson would refer to himself in the third person. Such as, “This isn’t the way Kelly Robinson is supposed to die!” or “What do you mean Kelly Robinson isn’t going to get his parade?”

As for a story, this film has a very basic one and Malcolm McDowell plays your typical cardboard villain. But these aren’t the reasons I liked “I-Spy” so much. I liked it because it was fresh and funny.

The scenes where they are poking fun at the “spy-genre” are some of the best parodies I have seen aimed at that genre. Sure you have Austin Powers but that was focused on the cult-like quality and style of the 1960s.

“I-Spy” aims more at the updated and recent spy kind of films like James Bond (Brosnan era), Tom Clancy films and others.

Just sit back, relax and forget about the world for a good hour and thirty minutes. That’s all you have to do to enjoy “I-Spy”.

3.5 out of 5

So Says the Soothsayer.

Written: November 4, 2002

i wish my life consisted only of

you sitting next to me and talking to me

Esta peli es difícil para mi porque muta de vez en cuando.

Añoré mucho verla en cine en el 2007, no se cuánto pero fue demasiado. Me devolvía de mi viaje a Argentina y en el avión la estaban poniendo, creo incluso que sin subtítulos, no iba a aguantarme semejante ignominia: Una peli en una pantalla menor a una hoja carta doblada a la mitad y menos doblada al español. Apreté los ojos, mascullé oraciones hasta que al fin logré dormir, conciliar un sueño y olvidarme de la peli.

Después estuve esperado que los benditos distribuidores colombianos trajeran la peli y nunca fue. Luego azares del destino trajeron consigo buena fortuna y logré encargarla por Amazon. Le puse demasiada fe, una montaña rusa que empezaba en The Royal Tenembaums, seguía The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou y finalizaba en The Darjeeling Linited. Mi expectativa había agotado toda la belleza de esta peli.

Mi primera impresión fue desalentadora, un balance bastante ordinario, nada del otro mundo, mi segunda vez fue como observar que aunque el sol se oculta todos los días, todas las veces lo hace de una forma diferente, mi tercera vez fue realmente entrañadora y justifica el éxito de la vuelta, finalmente, esta mi cuarta vez puedo afirmar que es un éxito. No es la mejor peli de Anderson pero tampoco es como la venía calificando. Es, realmente, un viaje en el desarrollo psicológico de los personajes, un tren que los lleva a madurar, a perdonar, a conocerse, a entenderse y a quererse. Esa sóla aseveración la hacen muy destacable. Su equipo intacto, su fotografía impecable, la música excelente, la historia muy bien desarrollada. Y, sin embargo, para mí lo más bonito, sigue siendo, que su actor fetiche, Bill Murray, esté presente en una escena tan romántica como la del principio y donde le dice algo como: “Llavería, me voy a la India, se que usted no puede acompañarme, lo llevo en mi corazón, espéreme, vuelvo y planeamos el siguiente golpe”. The Businessman es lo mejor y me sigo preguntando si no habrá un corto alrededor de este personaje.

Pero hay muchas más cosas buenas. Después hay una serie de chistecitos, un poco subidos de tono, un poco muy demasiado para el estilo de Anderson pero se entiende que los diálogos y el equipo encargado de la historia y los parlamentos son frescos, son nuevos. Qué bueno que cada vez que arma equipo de escritura se mantiene como líder pero se refresca en escencia, esta vez fue Schwartzman y el hijo de Coppola quienes lo acompañaron en la tarea. Se nota el cambio. Schwartzman es un marico que me cae bien, todo el tiempo está frunciendo el ceño en la peli y haciendo pucheros pero es capaz de mojarse los dedos mientras besa a una mujer, correrle los calzones y penetrarla. Un lord. Un gentleman.

Rotten Tomatoes dice que lo destacado de esta peli con el resto de lo que venía haciendo Anderson es que el director no está encasillado como si lo puede estar Tarantino, es una oda completa a Satyajit Ray una eminencia en el cine indio y es una reinvención de lo que venía haciendo (esto se puede demostrar fácilmente estudiando la banda sonora y analizando que en más de una ocación Anderson parafrasea a Ray). Yo destaco la música, el tren como metáfora de crecimiento personal y las citas o frases de cada uno de los personajes que son como pequeñas gotas filosóficas que hacen mella en nuestra cotidianidad.

A continuación un listado de esas frases que me encontré por ahí y que hacen, de esta, una delicia:

**
[Francis y Peter están peliando]
Francis: You don’t love me!
Peter: Yes I do!
Jack: I love you too, but I’m gonna mace you in the face!
**
Jack: I wonder if the three of us would’ve been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people.
**
Rita: What’s wrong with you?
Jack: Let me think about that. I’ll tell you the next time I see you.
Rita: Okay, let’s do that
Jack: Thank you for using me
Rita: (suspiro entrecortado) You are welcome
**
Jack: Which direction did your’s go?
Francis: What do you mean?
Jack: Your feathers… mine blew toward the mountains
Francis: That’s not right. It’s not suppose to get blown away. You’re suppose to blow on it then bury it.
Peter: I didn’t get that. I still have mine.
Francis: You guys didn’t do it right. I asked if you read the instructions. You did it wrong… I tried my hardest. I don’t know what to do.
**
Francis: How did it get to this? Why haven’t we spoken in a year? Let’s make an agreement.
Peter: To do what?
Jack: Okay.
**
Francis: A: I want us be become brothers again like we used to be and for us to find ourselves and bond with each other. Can we agree to that?
Peter: Okay.
Peter: Yeah.
Francis: B. I want us to make this trip a spiritual journey where each of us seek the unknown, and we learn about it. Can we agree to that?
Jack: Sure.
Peter: I guess so.
Francis: C. I want us to be completely open and say yes to everything even if it’s shocking and painful. Can we agree to that?”
[Peter y Jack voltean sus cabezas y se miran. Francis simplemente continúa]
**

Nota personal: Qué divertida que es la aparición de Barber Schroeder como mecánico del padre, despidiendose de la escena con los ojos enrojecidos, completamente conmovido y con la voz quebrantada. Y qué divertido es ver a Owen Wilson quitarse las vendas y aprovechar esa nariz peculiar que tiene en aras de la historia.

Continuando os textos sobre os filmes que assisti na Mostra Internacional, o ultimo que consegui ver foi “O Fantástico Sr. Raposo”. Esta incrível animação em stop-motion teve suas sessões disputadas a tapa, tanto que ao chegar com mais de uma hora de antecedência ao cinema os ingressos já haviam acabado, mas para minha sorte consegui comprar meu ingresso de um rapaz que havia desistido de assistir a sessão.

Quando falamos em cinema de animação, não podemos deixar de pensar no quanto é trabalhoso construir um filme quadro a quadro. No caso do stop-motion é muito louvável a determinação da equipe em realizar esses projetos, que muitas vezes demora meses para conseguir chegar a minuto de filme.

Analisando a parte técnica, o ” O Sr. Raposo” realmente é fantástico. Observando o numero de animais, cheios de pelos, com muitos detalhes, os diversos cenários, a iluminação, entre outros aspectos, este filme impressiona. A trilha também agrada dando tons a esta fabula inspirada no clássico infantil O Fantástico Senhor Raposo, de Roald Dahl. Fora as musicas de Rolling Stones e Beach Boys

O melhor é saber que toda essa parte técnica faz jus ao roteiro bem elaborado e a narrativa com tons reacionários. Sr. Raposo é o típico anti-herói, sarcástico o tempo inteiro, e desfila num tom de humor ácido. As varias sacadas e criticas presentes na história agradam e prendem atenção.

Com previsão de entrar em circuito aqui no Brasil em 04 de dezembro, tem forte elenco de dubladores, com vozes dede Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, entre outros.

Site oficial.

Abaixo o trailer e clip da música “The Fighting Man” dos Rolling Stones, presente na trilha. Aliás é uma ótima sequência quando toca no filme.

WORD

paragon [par-uh-gon, -guhn] n. 1. a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence 2. Printing. a 20-point type 3. an unusually large, round pearl ∞ v. 4. to compare; parallel 5. to be a match for; rival

BIRTHDAY

Asa Gray (1810), Dorothy Dix (1861), George Gallup (1901), Imogene Coca (1908), Hank Ballard (1927), Don Cherry (1936), Margaret Atwood (1939), Linda Evans (1942), Graham Parker (1950), Delroy Lindo (1952), Kevin Nealon (1953), Elizabeth Perkins (1960), Owen Wilson (1968), Duncan Sheik (1969), Mike Epps (1970), Chloë Sevigny (1974)

STANDPOINT

OK. What’s irking the shit out of me today is quite simple. People keep asking me, “Why do you write so angry?”

Yes. I write angry. Yes. I am occassionally an angry person. But that doesn’t mean much of anything except I’m one of those folks who’s easily bothered by the people I come into contact with everyday. And you may not be one of those folks. And that’s fine. But maybe you should be.

You see, my problem with people thinking I’m too angry is there aren’t enough of you out there who are remotely angry enough. Being angry or annoyed is not cool because everyone wants everyone to just be cool. But, the truth is, there aren’t enough of you out there acting remotely cool enough.

And, so, if I tend to get a bit animated or a little too passionate about the current state of most everything, you’ll have to forgive me. I’m just not down with everyone being so goddam down about stuff.

QUOTATION

What I’ve learned about teaching is to refer back to the root of that word, which is educo, which means “to pull from.” Education does not mean jamming information into somebody’s head. Rather, it’s that ancient idea that all knowledge is within us; to teach is to help somebody pull it out of themselves. → Alan Arkin

TUNE

Tonight, I’m headed down, with Jer and Ezgi, to World Cafe Live in Philadelphia to see Blind Pilot. I hope I hear “The Story I Heard.” I really can’t imagine a scenario where I wouldn’t.

GALLIMAUFRY

→ Suddenly, pharmaceutical companies have come to the conclusion it might be a good idea to get into the preventive medicine business, instead of the curbing and/or curing side of it. In the next five years, there may be vaccines available for such maladies as Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, Malaria, grass allergies and even something called traveler’s diarrhea. With the soaring prices of prescriptions and the subsequent scramble to find other options like the internet and Canada, maybe someone at one of these companies said somethig like, “Hey, what if we switch gears and actually try to find a genuine way to help people? I mean, we’ve tried everything else, right? Let’s give it a shot.” Funny, how a completely fucked economical situation can bring out the best in people.

→ A group of Native Americans, who’d filed a suit against the Washington Redskins over the use of the name “Redskins,” had their case tossed out by the US Supreme Court yesterday for, from what I can tell, is a complete technicality. I’m no lawyer, though, so I could easily be wrong. However, what I’m completely unwrong about is that the NFL franchise should just give up the name. We’re headed toward the future here, people, let’s keep our eyes on the ball. (Plus, the Redskins are so bad I’m sure hardly anyone would notice if they became the Washington Suckasses.)

→ Jonathan Safran Foer, author of one of my favorite books of all-time, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, has a new non-fiction novel coming out titled Eating Animals. Check out his interview with the AV Club.

Os posts anteriores me fizeram refletir,  cheguei a seguinte conclusão: o Owen Wilson na verdade é um Imhof, parente distante de Jair.

Rarely do I praise competitors, because it’s just not something you do in the area of business.  But one company I have been very impressed with is Walden Media, owned by a Christian oil magnate (Philip Anschutz); managed by Christians who come from the educational sector.  They have co-produced movies with Disney, including Bridge to Terrabithia, and the Narnia series.

The corporate objectives of Walden are actually very similar to Inventco (my company), and it’s one of those companies, that I think will keep Inventco in check for the entirity of its existence.  Capitalized at a lot higher than Inventco, Walden has been at the forefront in some of the greatest movies of all time (in my honest opinion).

One such movie that I was watching recently, was the one with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, “Around the World in 80 days“.

They are also a very competitive force in terms of encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in engineering.

Good job, Walden!

Rest in peace he who was Mr White, Bad Lieutenant Auggie Wren, The Wolf, and all the other cool characters. Don’t worry he isn’t dead. He’s just joining Robert De Niro in Little Fockers.

Oh how the mighty have fallen since Mean Streets. THR had the news.

Harvey Keitel has joined the cast of Universal and Tribeca Prods.’ “Meet the Fockers” sequel.

Regulars Ben Stiller, Teri Polo, Robert De Niro, Blythe Danner and Owen Wilson are returning, along with newcomers Jessica Alba and Laura Dern.

Paul Weitz (“In Good Company”) is directing the film, which has the working title of “Little Fockers,” since it focuses on the main couple’s children. Keitel will play a contractor employed by Stiller’s character

Well that sounds like a whole heap of naffness. I thought the first one was a piece of irritating fluff – I like Ben Stiller, but he does make some bad films. Anyone seen Envy? I rest my case.

How on Earth these Focker films get top actors to be involved I just don’t know. Well apart from the money. Am I missing something about the films? Is it just me?

One thing I’ve learnt from this? Only that he played a Nazi soldier in Hogan’s Heroes. Who knew?

Oh and I’m back. Thanks to Ishmael for helping out.

Wes Anderson has made a career out of making quirky comedy in a style that fans will instantly recognise as his own.  His last film, The Darjeeling Limited, polarised audiences between those who loved the quirky visual touches mixed with his own brand of dialogue delivered by actors with whom Anderson is clearly very comfortable. 

Fans of Anderson will not be disappointed by Fantastic Mr Fox which delivers up more of the same.  Taking Roald Dahl’s seminal children’s story and focusing on a particular part of it – namely the contretemps between Mr Fox and the three farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean, Anderson must tread carefully.  Dahl is an author with whom so many British children have grown up, including myself and his mix of dark humour mixed with genuine creepy stuff has proven a difficult formula to crack on the big screen with even Tim Burton failing to capture the magic of Dahl’s incredibly well-written characters.  Sadly, Anderson’s film is 80% Anderson and only 20% Dahl so die-hards will likely find this film hard going.

Despite the inherent flaw that this not pure Dahl, there is a lot to like about this film.  It is funny and it did make me laugh a lot, in particular the performance of Jason Schwartzman as Fox’s son Ash and his jealousy over cousin Kristofferson.  This is a superb dynamic which is just one of the elements that really works.  Clooney’s Fantastic Mr Fox occasionally strays the wrong side of the annoying divide but is then given a one liner to really knock your socks off.  Other performers such as Anderson stalwarts Owen Wilson and Bill Murray give fine performances but they are limited by the restricted stories of their characters.

I do worry whether there is enough within Fantastic Mr Fox to keep kids entertained for an hour and 45 minutes.  For a generation which have been brought up on computer generated animation such as the canon of Pixar films, I do wonder whether the animation is sufficiently good to keep their attention or whether the gimmick will wear off.  The animation is nowhere near the same league as other recent stop motion films such as Coraline.  The other problem is its wordiness and whether the Wes Anderson film dialogue will go over their heads with jokes about existentialism and the aspirations of journalists.  I think not but there should just be enough to keep them going.  Certainly the kids in the screening I attended were keen for the film to get going and vocal about it during the trailers but when the film came on sat quietly for the duration which is as good a test as any.

Quirky in the way one comes to expect from Wes Anderson and whilst it is not Dahl’s writing in its purest form, it is still enjoyable if slightly more mature fayre than those with kids might wish for.

7/10

by The Great White Gypsy

The Box – Written and Directed by Richard Kelly
The premise of this film sounds like a bad teenage horror story. A strange man gives a box to a couple having money problems. They will get money every time they push the button, but every time, someone they don’t know will die. Though it’s riding on Cameron Diaz’s acting skills (um…), if anyone can make it cool, writer/director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales) will have no problem.
Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella, James Rebhorn
November 6

Endgame – Directed by Pete Travis, Written by Paula Milne
Another slow, patient South African political film? Meh. I mean, I really like Hurt and Ejiofor, but Pete Travis directed Vantage Point, which sucked asshole. I really, really want it to be good, I’m just scared it’s going to be really, really bad.
William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Johnny Lee Miller, Mark Strong, Derek Jacobi
November 6

The Men Who Stare at Goats – Directed by Grant Heslov, Written by Peter Straughan
Actor Grant Heslov hasn’t done much directing. Same goes for Peter Straughan and writing. But if you look at this cast, you really can’t go wrong in a story about Telekenisis/Psychic programs in the army. Hell yes.
George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Robert Patrick, Stephen Root
November 6

Precious – Directed by Lee Daniels, Written by Geoffrey Fletcher
I hate the fact that the full title of this film is “Precious: Based on a novel by Sapphire”. I also hate the fact that Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are “presenting” this one. However, cliché and cheesy as it most likely is, I seriously almost cried watching the preview. This has the potential for two hours of raw emotion that leaves you speechless. Or two hours of horrible acting and bullshit storyline. I’ll wait for cable.
Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz
November 6

The Fantastic Mr. Fox – Written and Directed by Wes Anderson
I hate, I hate, I hate Wes Anderson. However, there are always a couple elements of his films that impress me, and his attempts at stop motion animation intrigue me. Will I like it? Probably not. Will I see it? Of course.
George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon
November 13

Pirate Radio – Written and Directed by Richard Curtis
When I saw the preview for this, I thought, “Hey, that looks exactly like that movie advertised last year called “The Boat that Rocked”. Wait… I have no idea why this film took so long to release, or why they changed the title, but after waiting so long, I’ve built it up to possible “Almost Famous” level in my head. I really hope I’m not disappointed.  About a boatful of radio DJ’s who broadcast banned music over British airwaves in the ‘60’s. Curtis directed Love Actually.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Frost
November 13

The Messenger – Written and Directed by Oren Moverman
Foster and Harrelson play a very overlooked part of the military in this new drama about the officers who deliver the horrible news to KIA soldiers’ families. Foster starts to care too much…you see where this is going. Moverman’s first film, looks good.
Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone
November 13

2012 – Directed by Roland Emmerich, Written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser
When I want to see an action packed explosion film with weak story, I’ll catch the new Michael Bay flick. When I want to see a really entertaining film with great special effects that will leave me dumber for having watched it, I’ll go see a Roland Emmerich film (Independence Day, Stargate, Godzilla, 10,000 BC). If you don’t know what this film is about, you should probably look into it, cause we’re kinda running out of time, dude…
John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Oliver Platt
November 13

That Evening Sun – Written and Directed by Scot Teems
I think Clint Eastwood had a scheduling conflict playing a grumpy old man in Gran Turino, so Holbrook stepped in. This is a perfect example of a cookie-cutter Midwest drama starring a senior citizen afraid of change that might not be very good, but will definitely get nominated for at least 2 Oscars. Don’t get me wrong, Hal is great, but the story has the potential to be full of holes.
Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, Mia Wasikowska, Carrie Preston
November 13

Uncertainty – Written and Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
At the risk of sounding like a douchebag, I am very uncertain about this movie. Part romantic comedy, part drama, part action thriller? So confused. McGehee and Siegel have written and directed three other films together, and I’ve never heard of any of them. But Gordon-Levitt hasn’t let me down so far, and Thirlby and Collins are sexy. I’ll flip a coin.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Olivia Thirlby
November 13

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans – Directed by Werner Herzog, Written by William M. Finkelstein
Controverial old-school director Werner Herzog (Encounters at the End of the World, Grizzly Man) is remaking the 1992 drama (starring Harvey Keitel) about a gambling/drug addict cop, and he’s setting it in post-Katrina New Orleans. They say it’s Cage’s best performance since Leaving Las Vegas (not really hard), and Kilmer’s presence is reassuring. Looking forward to it.
Nicholas Cage, Val Kilmer, Eva Mendes, Michael Shannon, Fairuza Balk, Xzibit, Shawn Hatosy
November 20

Chi Bi (Red Cliff) – Directed by John Woo, Written by John Woo and Khan Chan
This is an epic film in the style of Hero and House of Flying Daggers. John Woo started out with some good films (A Better Tomorrow, Killer, Hard Boiled), he even had some good American movies (Hard Target, Face/Off), though there were bullshit ones too (Windtalkers, Paycheck). However, his dramas, like Last Hurrah for Chivalry, have gone largerly unnoticed by American audiences. And, of course, it’s been out in China for two years, and we’re just getting it now. Tarantino needs to step his game up.
Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Wei Zhao
November 20

Fix – Directed by Tao Ruspoli, Written by Charles Castaldi and Paul Duran
Documentary filmmaker Ruspoli blends styles in this fictional documentary about a convicted drug dealer and his friends, who are attempting to raise enough money to put him in rehab before 8pm so he can avoid jail time. I can already tell that Andrews’ over-the-top personality is going to steal the show, and Wilde is kinda cute. When’s it coming to Netflix?
Olivia Wilde, Tao Ruspoli, Dedee Pfeiffer, Shawn Andrews
November 20

The Missing Person – Written and Directed by Noah Buschel
Modern noir about a private detective (Shannon in a lead role…nice) searching for a missing person after 9/11. Elements of drama and comedy make it appear a little disjointed, but Shannon and Ryan are solid. Kinda surprised it didn’t go straight to DVD, but whatever.
Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Frank Wood
November 20

Me and Orson Welles – Directed by Richard Linklater, Written by Holly Gent Palmo
I can’t see Efron’s name on anything without thinking Highschool Musical, which makes me want to punch everyone under the age of 17 in the eye. However, this film is a little more dramatic, a lot less musical, and Christian McKay looks like the best Orson Welles since D’onofrio in Ed Wood. And if that still doesn’t convince you to see this period film about Welles directing stage plays, I have three words for you: Richard motherfucking Linklater (Scanner Darkly, Waking Life, Dazed and Confused). There you go.
Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay, Ben Chaplin
November 25

Ninja Assassin – Directed by James McTeigue, Written by Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski
The directors of The Matrix are producing this balls-to-the-wall violence-fest about…are you ready? A Ninja Assassin. Crazy right? Just think blades, bullets, blood, and nonstop special effects. I can’t freaking wait.
Sung Kang
November 25

The Road – Directed by John Hillcoat, Written by Joe Penhall
I must admit, I didn’t care for Cormac McCarthy’s award winning novel. The fact that writer and director are inexperienced worries me. Whether the acting, cinematography and effects can save it or not, the story makes me think no one will like this no matter what.
Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Garret Dillahunt
November 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Metropia – Directed by Tarik Saleh, Written by Fredrik Edin
Anything with Vincent Gallo attatched generally gets my attention (Buffalo 66 was fucking weird). In this animated social commentary, Gallo’s character goes nuts when he starts hearing voices in the expansive underground tunnels Europe was forced to build after gas prices went too high. The animation looks pretty damn cool, so we’ll see.
Vincent Gallo, Udo Kier, Juliette Lewis, Stellan Skarsgard, Alexander Skarsgard
November 6 (Sweden)

Harry Brown – Directed by Daniel Barber, Written by Gary Young
Michael Caine hasn’t really been a badass since Get Carter, but this one may change that. Granted, it’s another cranky old man pissed off at street hooligans, but they did kill his friend…and he is ex-military. Comes out in the UK this month, possible limited releases in US.
Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Iain Glen
November 11 (UK)

Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces) – Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Almodovar is huge in Spain, and the last time he teamed with Cruz was Volver, which was damn good. This film is about a writer/director telling a young man the story of why he changed his name after an accident took the life of his true love 14 years prior. Limited release this month, but expect it to be everywhere in time for the Oscars.
Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar
November 20 (Limited)

Mammoth – Written and Directed by Lukas Moodysson
Husband and wife with a “perfect” life are put to the test when he takes a business trip to Thailand and decides to let loose a little. It looks very similar to parts of Babel, but more focused. Bernal and Williams have grown on me the last couple years, and Moodysson has done good work in Sweden.
Michelle Williams, Gael Garcia Bernal
November 20 (Limited)

It dawned on me after I posted the previous installment of this series that I failed to write a pithy little introduction. My apologies. It is difficult when one takes into consideration that by the time I’m finished with this project I will have written about 20 such intros. What makes it even harder is that my taste in movies tends to be so eclectic, something that is really being driven home to me as I write these little dittiess, that usually there’s nothing to tie any 5 of these movies together. Today’s entry is a perfect example. There are virtually no similarities between any of these five films. I suppose the good thing is that with such a wide variety of things that I like I am bound to touch on atleast one thing or another that’ll be of interest to everyone.

65 Airplane!

If anyone were ever to build a Mount Rushmore of parody films, the first and foremost honoree would have to be Airplane!. Made in 1980, the film is meant to spoof a plethora of 70’s airline disaster flicks. It’s cast is a brilliant collection of heretofore tough guy types known for their dramatic roles, most notably Robert Stack, Leslie Nielsen, Loyd Bridges, and Peter Graves, who are very much cast against type. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar makes a super fun cameo as himself apparently trying to live a double life as an airline pilot under an assumed name. The plot involves many of the passengers and nearly the entire crew, including the pilot and co-pilot, becoming ill because of food poisoning and a passenger who just happens to be a pilot with post traumatic stress disorder being called into action to fly and land the plane. But this is another rare case where the story takes a back seat. This time though the centerpiece of hilarity are sight gags and side-splitting word play. One has to watch Airplane! a few times to take in all the visual and verbal gags. There’s Barbara Billingsley, the mother on Leave It to Beaver, speaking ebonics. The emergency autopilot is a blowup doll. A guy who thinks he’s Ethel Merman (played, in her final appearance on film, by Ethel Merman). Co-pilots named Roger and Captain Oveur (think about it). And the great thing is, it never gets old. After over a quarter century those of us who love this movie still laugh when we watch.

64 Raging Bull

Robert Deniro is such a brilliant actor that he could take the worst story imaginable and make it halfway compelling. Fortunately as real life boxer Jake Lamotta, in a film directed by the legendary Martin Scorcese, Deniro has a good story with which to work. He also has capable support from Joe Pesci in what was his first major film. I’m not a big boxing fan, but the acting and Scorcese’s style make this a modern classic. Maybe if I’d have been born a few years earlier or if I loved boxing as much as I do other sports Raging Bull would rank higher, as it does on most lists of this ilk. However, I must remain true to my own tastes and preferences, and this is where it falls on my spectrum.

63 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Readers of this series know by now of my affection for Jimmy Stewart. I’m also a bit of a political aficionado and an unabashed patriot, so Mr. Smith falls right into my wheelhouse. The story revolves around a small town yokel (a role Stewart showed many times he could play perfectly) who is handpicked to fill an open seat in the U.S. Senate. He is chosen by a corrupt political machine who believes he can be easily manipulated so they can achieve their selfish goals. The villain in this complex web of deceit is the elder senator from Stewart’s state, played by Claud Rains, who is probably better known for playing the corrupt police official in Casablanca. Rains played the role of conflicted slimeball several times and was apparently quite good at it. I’m not sure how a Frenchman snagged the role of a United States Senator, and the fact that he doesn’t really make much of an effort to hide the accent is somewhat distracting. Adding support as a caustic adminstrative aide is Jean Arthur. She is assigned the task of babysitting the doe-eyed new Senator and gradually falls for him. The plotline specifics, in which Stewart’s character wants to build a “national boys’ camp” on land that, unbeknownst to him, Rains’ character has more nefarious and profitable plans in store, are not necessarily all that crucial. The film is about political corruption, and in its time it was groundbreaking. We’ve become a much more cynical nation now. But 70 years ago a movie that took such a dark view of the inner workings of our government was quite controversial. Stewart’s performance show’s his range. Over the course of his career, from lighthearted comedies like Harvey and The Philadelphia Story through Hitchcockian fare such as Vertigo and Rear Window to hardscrabble westerns including Shenandoah and The Rare Breed Stewart did a bit of everything and proved himself to be a fine actor. With Mr. Smith he gives a small sampling of that range within one movie, goofy and fun in some scenes and dark and solemn in others. Because of the access the masses now have through things like CSPAN, the internet, and talk radio there’s not a whole lot that goes on in Washington DC that’s unknown or all that shocking. To some degree that hurts the legacy of Mr. Smith because we don’t see what the big deal is outside of Stewart’s winning charm. However, taken within the context of its time it’s quite a cinematic achievement.

62 Meet the Parents

DeNiro makes a second appearance in today’s group, so I guess I was wrong…there is a common thread after all. This time however, he’s doing comedy…and doing it surprisingly well. Meet the Parents stars Ben Stiller as a male nurse who goes home for the weekend with his girlfriend (who he is planning to make his fiancee) to…you guessed it…meet her parents. Unfortunately for Stiller, things get off on the wrong foot and get worse from there. Hilarity ensues. This is one of those movies that has more than its fair share of memorable scenes and lines, which is its main charm. Stiller has never been funnier in my opinion, and Owen Wilson has an hysterical cameo as the girlfriend’s former boyfriend. After watching this film water volleyball, Puff the Magic Dragon, airports, and cats can never be thought of like they were before…trust me. A sequel was made a few years later called Meet the Fockers. It was okay, but as with most sequels it failed to rise to the high level of the original.

61 Silence of the Lambs

Is it a horror film?? I suppose. I’m not necessarily sure how the experts categorize it. If it is officially a horror film it is most certainly on the high end…..sort of like how Dom Perrignon and Andre Extra Dry are both technically champagne but one is $150/bottle and the other is available at 7/11. Silence of the Lambs is based on a really great book about a young FBI agent who enlists the aid of a jailed, psychotic cannibal to track down a fellow serial killer. The psychotic cannibal is Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lechter and he is one of the creepiest yet most sublime creations in cinematic history as portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Unlike most maniacal killers in stereotypical gorefests (think Jason from Friday the 13^th, Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street), Hannibal doesn’t need knives or chainsaws, doesn’t wear a mask, and doesn’t have any kind of otherworldly nonsensical powers. He’s actually pretty realistic…almost like a normal person you or I may know, may work with, or who might live down the street…except for the fact that he likes to eat humans. Jodie Foster is fantastic as Clarice Starling, the agent who looks to be in way over her head. The whodunit part of the movie is secondary to the interactions involving Hannibal and Clarice, but it’s also what separates Silence of the Lambs from the rest of the cliched mass of blood-n-guts. Sure there is some violence, but there is also a compelling story and extraordinary performances. I won’t go so far as to say the movie is better than the book, but let’s call it a tie.

Veja qual estilo combina mais com você.

Fantastic Mr. Fox, the stop animated movie based on the Roald Dahl book of the same name. Ok so let’s get this out-of-the-way, yes the film does change things from the book, pointlessly at times. It is however, quite a good film. The writers pad out the back story and create a troubled family background that adds realism to the film. I know though that the changes in the film, even if they were at times good, true Dahl fans will be outraged. I know for example that my mother is one of this people. When I was speaking to her about the film and telling her the changes from the book, she didn’t look best pleased to say the least.

I don’t understand why they changed the ending, what was the point? Why go from having the animal community leaving in a massive underground burrow and continuing to steal from the 3 farmers on the sly. It went to the living in sewers and stealing from a supermarket owned by the farmers instead. Just why?

Still the film itself is enjoyable, so if you don’t mind the changes, go and see it.

Trust: Photographs of Jim Marshall

Omnibus Press, ISBN: 9781847726490, Price: $29.95, Height:12″, Width:10″, Pages:168, Binding: Hardback, Publication Date: Sept 1, 2009,   ISBN-10: 1847721109 ISBN-13: 978-1847721105, $34.95  Available here from amazon.com.

My heroes aren’t musicians or photographers but writers like the late Jack Kerouac and Richard Brautigan. There is an exuberance in their work that I also find in this “must have” coffee-table book of Jim Marshall classics. His work is not the hype but the genuineness of such geniuses as Otis Redding, Janis Jopplin, Miles Davis, John Coltrain, Mick Jagger, Joan Baez, the original Weavers, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and just about any other top music performer from the fifties to the turn of the century. We’ve embraced their myths, but forgotten their humanity—at least until now.

Sure there is Jimi Hendirx burning his guitar and Bobby Dylan rolling a tire, but look at the tenderness in Odetta’s gaze as she embraces Elizabeth Cotton backstage at the Berkeley Folk Festival (Odetta had been all but forgotten working as a domestic for a long time until she was rediscovered). Or Johnny Cash’s thoughtful stride going into Folsom Prison in 1968 to do a recording his record company, Columbia, didn’t want him to do. Marshall recounts, “They weren’t expecting any trouble but they had armed guards up in the towers… Not all the men would have been Johnny Cash fans before but by the end they certainly were. If Johnny would’ve said follow me out of here to the prisoners, they would have followed him out.”

There’s the shot of  Miles Davis taking a call at a phone booth in the middle of a work-out; he cradles the receiver in a boxing glove. A young Aretha Franklin looking like a girl on a first date. A shirtless Frank Zappa looking like someone’s brother. I like Marshall’s Introduction and the little verbal sidelights he provides that put the pictures in context. There are a few surprises. Did you know that Harry Dean Stanton has a great voice? He and Willie Nelson played a half hour show together for the crew on the set of the Big Bounce with Owen Wilson.

Marshall likes to come across as a tough dude (“I worked hard but I never really considered it work. I always enjoyed myself and only did it if I had complete control and access. My reputation was such that managers didn’t, and don’t fuck with me.”), but he has a real sense of what makes photography work. As Jason Fine, Executive Editor  of Rolling Stone Magazine, adds in his Afterward to the book, “What comes across is a deep empathy for the musicians he photographed with an ability to capture their pride and sense of purpose.” Jim Marshall: “I love all these musicians—they’re like family. Looking back, I realize I was there at the beginning of something special.”

There is no trick angles, no cropping, no Photoshop manipulated imagery. This is like a family album of our pop culture, where we study the pictures looking for what was to come in faces pure and full of dreams. As the poet Richard Brautigan wrote, “we stopped at perfect days / and got out of the car.” – John Lehman

Título: No tan duro de pelar
Título original: Drillbit Taylor
País: USA
Estreno en USA: 21/03/2008
Estreno en España: 16/05/2008
Productora: Paramount Pictures
Director: Steven Brill
Guión: Kristofor Brown y Seth Rogen (basado en un argumento de Edmond Dantes, Kristofor Brown y Seth Rogen)
Reparto: Owen Wilson, Leslie Mann, Danny McBride, Josh Peck, Alex Frost, David Dorfman, Troy Gentile, Nate Hartley

Sinopsis:

Todo empieza el primer día de instituto cuando el trío de preocupados alumnos compuesto por el regordete Ryan, el delgadísimo Wade y el diminuto Emmit se convierten en el blanco instantáneo del psicópata local Filkins, un experto en bullying. De pronto, lo que imaginaban como los mejores años de su vida se convierten en un infierno. Los chicos se dan cuenta de que sólo les queda una solución, contratar a un guardaespaldas. Aparece en escena Drillbit Taylor. Posiblemente no sea el mejor mercenario, asesino a sueldo o gorila, pero sin duda alguna es el más barato de los que contesta al anuncio que colgaron en la red. Al parecer, Drillbit es un personaje frío, peligroso y experimentado en operaciones encubiertas y artes marciales. Pero también es un completo farsante. Engaña y convence al crédulo trío para que pasen por un entrenamiento demencial y, después de varios fallos garrafales, consigue inculcarles nuevas habilidades y la confianza en sí mismos que necesitaban. Pero a la hora de la verdad, Drillbit no está a la altura de Filkins y su reinado del terror. A Ryan, Wade y Emmit sólo les queda transformar al embaucador en el salvador que había prometido ser.

Opinión:

La leche, tu, he tenido un flashback. Pero si estos chavalitos son iguales que los de “Supersalidos”, pero con unos añitos de menos. Un momento que me pongo a ver los créditos de la película… ¡Ah, caramba! Si por ahí anda el amigo Seth Rogen, guionizando este zurullo. Y la pasta la pone el colega Apatow, que mas que producir pelis, parece que hace latas de sardinas. Cada temporada caen cuatro o cinco filmes con su sello. Y este es de los malos malos.

Un loco a domicilio

Porque al frente de esto este el ínclito Owen Wilson, que como secundario tiene un pase, pero si tiene que llevar el peso de un largometraje la cosa chirría un huevo. Porque el tipo no es tan gracioso como se cree, y con el paso de los minutos terminas por odiarle. Otra cosa son los chavales, con los que a veces te partes el culo, el problema es que quedan muy rápidamente eclipsados por el rubio de la tocha retorcida.

¡Pa-ta-ta!

En  cuanto a la historia, digamos que los adjetivos inverosímil y aburrida le vienen como anillo al dedo. Y es que parece que al tratarse de críos, los productores no han tenido narices para poner esos diálogos sobre el sexo tan propios de las películas Apatow, y sin los cuales, el film se convierte en un ladrillo. Ladrillo con el que gustosamente le daría en la cabeza al que pone los títulos de los largometrajes aquí en España, por cierto.

Puntuación:

4 / 10

Owen Wilson has decided to go from acting opposite a dog in Marley & Me to actually being a dog. He has joined the live-action/CG movie Marmaduke, and will voice the rascally Great Dane in Fox’s adaptation of the long-running comic strip. I put my head in my hands in despair. This does not bode well.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the story follows a family named the Winslows who move from Kansas to Orange County with their dog Marmaduke, a slobbery pooch who creates chaos wherever he goes.

In adapting the strip created in 1954 by Brad Anderson and Phil Leeming, the script by Tim Rasmussen and Vince Di Meglio sees Marmaduke navigate a volatile Mutts vs. Pedigrees turf war, woo the purebred of his dreams and overcome a fall from grace.

Judy Greer, Lee Pace and William H. Macy play the humans, while Fergie, Emma Stone, George Lopez, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Steve Coogan, Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans supply the voices.

Whoa. Hold up. The Wayans brothers are in it so my misgivings were misplaced. This is bound to be comedy gold! –disengage sarcasm

Tom Dey is directing, and John Davis is producing the family comedy, which has a June 2010 release date.

Source: MovieWeb