Lo primero es que he estado un pin ocupado estos días por cuestión de un trasteo y he descuidado un poco el blog. Lo peor es que no se avecinan tiempos de calma y libertad de escribir porque voy a tomarme unas vacaciones. Entonces de antemano me disculpo por mi futura ausencia.

En esta ocasión quisiera hablar de Tarsem Singh. Recientemente, una amiga por Twitter me comentó que ya que estaba en la onda de hablar de cine, debería verme The Fall que la estaban pasando por Cinemax en TV y me mandó un enlace de YouTube con el corto de la peli. Lo primero que hice fue revisarlo y darme cuenta que Singh había sacado una nueva peli.

A Tarsem Singh lo recordamos por The Cell, una peli protagonizada por Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn y Vincent D’Onofrio en 2000. En esa época, estaba muy en voga M. Night Shyamalan y entonces ver una peli de Singh no sólo era delirante sino que a la vez era estar al tanto de las últimas tendencias independientes con los directores indios pisando fuerte en Hollywood. Recuerdo claramente las sensaciones y fibras que este director tocó en mí, con esta peli. Independiente si la actuación de Lopez fue buena o mala, si Vaughn estaba más perdido en un papel de acción hollywoodense, la peli era estremecedora, surreal, hermosa, alucinante, descrestante. Con una actuación impecable de D’Onofrio, la peli se guardó en mi memoria como un referente gráfico y una oda a este gran actor.

Tuvieron que pasar seis años para que volviera a realizar una peli, tuvieron que pasar otros tres años más para que los colombianos pudieramos verla a través de Cinemax, pero lo logramos. No entiendo la figura de “presentador” pero esta peli es antecedida por su “presentación” por parte de David Fincher y Spike Jonze y puede entonces que sea mecanismo de promoción en Hollywood o algo así porque ni la peli es producida por ellos o están involucrados a nivel creativo en nada que yo sepa.

La peli trata de un cuentero que es más un actor frustrado por un amor no correspondido y quien postrado en una cama de un hospital en la California de los 20’s se hace amigo de una niña que se acaba de romper un brazo. La niña es de origen rumano y apenas si sabe desenvolverse en el inglés, es la traductora de su madre y su pequeña hermana en un campo de naranjas contiguo al hospital donde trabajan para sobrevivir.

La peli entonces empieza a ilustrar la historia que el actor empieza a improvisar para la niña, un cuento acerca de seis maravillosos hombres que se unen en torno a su sed de venganza por un malvado governador, cada uno maravillosamente descrito en su perfil y fantásticamente adecuados en la historia.

¡Pare de contar!

Aparte de las bellísimas locaciones indias, los magníficos alrededores del Taj Mahal o la delirante cinematografía a la que nos tenía acostumbrados Singh, la peli no llena mis expectativas como historia o como material cinematográfico.

Estuve muy molesto por la pésima actuación de la niña, que le quitaba carácter al guión y a la continuidad de la historia. Si al principio de la obra es súper divertido ver sus ojos iluminados por la fantasía, después es realmente desorientador la poca dirección sobre la pequeña actriz y somos entonces protagonistas de una serie de incontables sobreactuaciones que terminan contagiando al resto del equipo.

La historia se pierde y no la volvemos a encontrar, el cuento se reacomoda como una narración que es improvisada (cosa que no me parece tan grave) y se resuelve de manera lógica en un final feliz, pero la historia que es el eje de la peli es abruptamente mal contada y su relación con el resto de la peli se vuelve incluso absurda.

No digo que no hay que ver la peli. La recomiendo completamente por una bellísima y sobrecogedora fotografía. Pero tengo mis reservas para recomendarla como un buen producto. Espero el director siga teniendo este tipo de experiencias porque a nivel comercial no hay nadie que lo supere en su estilo y en su gráfica, sin embargo ojalá la próxima vez tenga más estructurada su narrativa y su grupo de actores.

Last night I went to Nu Metro to watch a film. The experience was a shocker (read more here) but I also noticed a small mistake in their signage.

A couple of weeks ago there was a huge uproar in the UK over the release of posters for the latest Vince Vaughn film – Couples Retreat. The film is about four couples – three of them are white and one is black. In the US the promotional poster included all four couples, but the poster in the UK featured only three couples. Can you guess which one was removed? The black one… obviously. Universal Pictures responded to the outcry saying that they wanted to ’simplify the poster for foreign markets’ by focusing on internationally recognised actors. Unfortunately this meant leaving off the lesser known black actors. To be honest I feel a little sorry for Universal – focusing on recognised actors in international markets makes sense, and no one would have said a word if they’d left of a white couple. Unfortunately you just can’t afford to mess around with something as sensitive as racial discrimination.

So anyway, walking out of my movie last night I notice that Nu Metro has just put up posters for Couples Retreat and guess which version they’ve used. Yup, only three couples to be seen. Now what I find most annoying about this isn’t that Nu Metro is being deliberately racist – because they aren’t. The thing that irks me is that they are just plain ignorant. The guys at Nu Metro are so out of the film industry loop that they probably haven’t even heard of the issues in the UK. It’s just another black mark on the quality of our cinema – we just show the films to make cash, we aren’t that interested in any of the other stuff.

Incidentally, I also checked their website today. It seems the online version is the correct one. Why can’t we have a bit of consistency?

Dear Vince Vaughn,

I saw you today, you know. I saw you skip ahead of me in line for that flight to O’Hare, then skip ahead of me in line at the baggage claim when we got there. I saw you pulling that red hoodie up over your head trying to be incognito, and I saw that look you cast at that star-struck, gaping teenage girl when you asked her wearily, “Please don’t do that.” I saw that grizzled, worn-out look on your face.

So many things a girl like me could do to embarrass a movie star, especially under the haze of entitlement that comes along with it being her 20th birthday. All I’m asking is for you to to take a moment to appreciate how considerately I averted my eyes and resisted the call of my camera and tried to not attract attention to you and all your hulking schlubby famousness.

And I just want you to know — next time, I won’t be nearly as nice. Next time, I want a picture.

Love,
Ashley

Reese e Vince Se Odiaram, Dentro e Fora Da Telona!

Gênero: Comédia Romântica

Censura: Livre 

Direção: Seth Gordon
Com: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth, Katy Mixon, Colleen Camp, Jeanette Miller, Jack Donner, Steve Wiebe.

Local de Filmagem: Los Angeles, California, USA; San Francisco, California, USA; Santa Clarita, California, USA e Twin Peaks, San Francisco, California, USA.

Produção: Gary Barber, Jonathan Glickman, Roger Birnbaum, Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon

Roteiro: Matt Allen, Caleb Wilson, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Fotografia: Jeffrey L. Kimball

Trilha Sonora: Alex Wurman

Distribuidora: PlayArte

Estúdio: Birnbaum/Barber/ New Line Cinema/ Ott Medien/ Spyglass Entertainment/ Type A Films/ Wild West Picture Show Productions

SINOPSE

Os pais de Brad, interpretado por Vince Vaughn [Fred Claus (2007), Wedding Crashers (2005) e Be Cool (2005)],  são divorciados e os pais de Kate, interpretada por Reese Witherspoon [Penelope (2006), Vanity Fair (2004) e Sweet Home Alabama (2002)] sua namorada também o são. No entanto, ambos se casaram novamente, sendo assim Kate tem duas famílias e Brad também. A confusão está formada quando este jovem casal tem de conseguir visitar estas quatro famílias diferentes durante o Natal.

O longa ainda conta com os astros e estrelas: Robert Duvall [We Own the Night (2007), Apocalypse Now (1979) e Crazy Heart (2009)] que vive o pai de Brad; Sissy Spacek [North Country (2005), Blast from the Past (1999) e An American Haunting (2005)] que vive a mãe de Brad; Jon Voight [Pride and Glory (2008), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) e Transformers (2007)] que vive o pai de Kate e Mary Steenburgen [Step Brothers (2008), Elf (2003) e Clifford (1994)] que vive a mãe de Kate.

CRÍTICA

Muitas vezes vamos ao cinema esperando assistir um mega filme e muitas vezes quebramos a cara. Nos últimos seis meses tem sido assim, uma decepção atrás da outra, poucos filmes de fato valeram a pena assistir. No entanto fique surpreendida ao assistir esse longa com a dupla Witherspoon ou Vaughn, que faz agente se identificar com alguns dos inúmeros aspectos da vida do casal sob uma perspectiva tragicômica e sem dúvida divertidíssima.

Apesar de ser uma comédia romântica, o longa foge do gênero baba ovo e mostra o relacionamento de uma casal de namorados que quando tudo ia muito bem, ficou tudo péssimo e entre tapas e bofetes, famílias descompensadas, sem falar desestruturadas, ambos descobrem o quanto vale a pena amar sem restrições e que o complicado no final das contas faz mais sentido.

Vale a pena sim assistir, no entanto pode esperar para ser visto em DVD ao invés de enfrentar as filas dos cinemas, mesmo assim o longa é imperdível, pois no final das contas é divertidíssimo.

CURIOSIDADES

Witherspoon e Vince Vaughn  viajaram pelos Estados Unidos para promover a comédia, mas pela vontade da atriz essa viagem seria feita sem Vaughn, já que existiram boatos que na vida real os dois não se suportam e não queriam promover o longa juntos.

A falta de entrosamentos do casal acontece desde as filmagens, tanto que Witherspoon chegou a dizer que realmente não estava no mesmo clima que o ator. "Eu disse pra ele outro dia: "as pessoas nem sempre conseguem falar na velocidade que você quer, mas eu sinto que estou em um treinamento, o treinamento de Vince Vaughn".

A atriz teria dito para uma amiga que Vaughn é a pessoa mais criança que ela já conheceu. E ela ainda disse que nos eventos para promover o filme, a atriz se comporta de maneira profissional. "Ela finge um sorriso e posa para as fotos, mas não está nada feliz com isso", revelou a amiga.

bom filme!

roberta vieira

http://www.fourchristmasesmovie.com/

Confira abaixo a trilha sonora do filme "Four Christmases".

1. Baby It’s Cold Outside – Dean Martin & Martina McBride

2. (There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays – Perry Como

3. Sleigh Ride – Ferrante & Teicher

4. Christmas All Over Again – Tom Petty

5. Season’s Greetings – Robbers On High Street

6. Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms with The Anita Kerr Singers

7. The Christmas Song – Gavin DeGraw

8. Cool Yule – Louis Armstrong

9. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Dean Martin

10. White Christmas – Bing Crosby

11. O Little Town Of Bethlehem – Sarah MacLachan

Confira o trailer abaixo.

Hollywood loves combo deals.  A recent favorite is the probing exposé of a relationship mixed with comedy.  ”Couples Retreat” follows this recipe, but there is only a fair amount of laughter added to offset watching long sessions of couples therapy.  Surprisingly, the script (written by stars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau) captures a wide scope of realistic relationships, perhaps some of the best in comedy of this type.  However, the writing is also the film’s weakness as it plays like a rerun due to its devotion to the typical “relationship movie” formula.  You come to expect some master plan behind all the exercises that pull the couples apart (while subtly bringing them together), but the movie amounts to little more than just a string of events.

The married-with-kids couple whose relationship has become like a job (Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman).  The high-school couple who has been together way too long (Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis).  The anal couple who is frustrated because everything doesn’t go according to their perfect plan (Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell).  The older man-younger woman couple that always manages to raise some eyebrows (Faizon Love and Kali Hawk).  Chances are, you know at least one of these couples.  ”Couples Retreat” dwells largely on the familiarity of its characters to propel the more serious side of the movie.  At the same time, it allows the strengths of the actors to provide some comic relief.  Vince Vaughn does a few trademark trite spiels; Jon Favreau gets plenty of moments to be curmudgeonly; Jason Bateman plays average Joe with a tinge of neurosis.

“Couples Retreat” doesn’t really succeed as a comedy, but it does manage to portray some very realistic relationships with very real problems.  As the directorial debut of Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” – you know, the one they play all Christmas on TBS), it’s not such a bad place to start, but it definitely leaves something to be desired.  We’ve seen all the stars in this movie do better, and it isn’t too far out of line to request more.  But for what it’s worth, this will provide you some amusement yet fail to deliver the belly-laughs we have come to expect from actors like Vaughn, Favreau, and Bateman.  B- /

Talk about a security lapse!

A couple from Northern Virginia appear to have crashed the White House’s state dinner last night, penetrating layers of security with no invitation.

While the White House hasn’t provided an explanation, it is believed that this is the first time in recent history that anyone has crashed a White House state dinner.

Where are “Wedding Crashers” Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn when you need them! I’m sure they could give some tips on how this happened!

From the Washington Post:

Tareq and Michaele Salahi – polo-playing socialites known for a bitter family feud over a Fauquier County winery and their possible roles in the forthcoming “The Real Housewives of Washington” — were seen arriving at the White House and later posted on Facebook what appeared to be photos of themselves with VIPs at the elite gathering.

“Honored to be at the White House for the state dinner in honor of India with President Obama and our First Lady!” one of them wrote on their joint Facebook page at 9:08 p.m.

But a White House official said the couple was not invited to the dinner, not included on the official guest list, and were never seated at a table in the South Lawn tent.

A woman describing herself as a publicist for the Salahis denied that they were interlopers. Pressed for details, Mahogany Jones sent a statement saying simply: “The Salahis were honored to be a part of such a prestigious event ….. They both had a wonderful time.”

How could it happen? A former White House senior staffer — who more than a decade ago encountered a crasher at one of the executive mansion’s less-fancy parties — offered this theory:

A savvy pair of crashers, dressed to the nines, might arrive on foot at the Visitor’s Entrance, announce their names — then express shock and concern when the security detail at the gate failed to find them on the guest list. On a rainy night like Tuesday, with a crowd of 300-plus arriving, security might have lost track of or granted a modicum of sympathy to a pair that certainly looked like they belonged there. If their IDs didn’t send up any red flags in the screening process, they would be sent through the magnetometers and into the White House.

Tom Hanks, left, plays symbologist Robert Langdon and Ayelet Zurer portrays physicist Vittoria Vetra in the thriller “Angels & Demons.”

This week’s DVD releases cover a lot of territory. They include a family film from the director of “Spy Kids,” a holiday comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, an Adam Sandler feature helmed by writer-director Judd Apatow and a big-budget thriller starring Tom Hanks.

Funny People
3 stars
DVD contains rated and unrated versions of the film. The rated version received an R for language and crude sexual humor throughout, and some sexuality
Universal
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

There are enough funny people in writer-director Judd Apatow’s appropriately titled relationship dramedy to keep things interesting through the movie’s 155-minute run, but the filmmaker is awfully lucky he assembled the cast that he did.

Adam Sandler stars as George Simmons, a wildly popular actor-comedian who seems to have it all: Hit movies, a palatial Southern California home and the adoration of fans everywhere. But when Simmons learns he’s contracted a deadly disease that could very well end his life, he begins to question his place in the world, and he latches onto a fledgling comedian named Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) for support. Although funny, Ira is yet to perfect his standup routines, so he’s ecstatic when the veteran Simmons agrees to hire him as a personal assistant, and the two men quickly form an awkward but genuine friendship.

Apatow sets up the premise with style, and its interesting to watch Simmons, who is jaded and miserable, interact with George, who is still full of hope and excitement. Unfortunately, the movie takes a negative turn when Apatow leads us into a subplot built around the one big love (Leslie Mann) that George let slip away. Because Sandler and Rogen are a lot of fun to watch, and because they get good supporting performances from Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman, we can forgive Apatow for straying. Still, there’s little doubt that “Funny People” would have been funnier if it skipped the romantic stuff and put all its energy into George’s bout with mortality and his relationship with Ira.

The movie is available as part of multiple home video releases, including a two-disc Unrated Collector’s Edition. Extra features vary.

Angels & Demons: Extended Edition
2½ stars (out of four)
Unrated
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

You have to give director Ron Howard credit for consistency. His adaptation of writer Dan Brown’s “Angels & Demons” shares precisely the same pace and tone as his earlier take on Brown’s bestseller “The DaVinci Code.” Trouble is, “The Da Vinci Code” movie is merely a workmanlike thriller, while the book was a breathtaking piece of genre fiction.

“Angels & Demons” is arguably a weaker novel, but I had higher expectations for the film because the plot is more cinematic. While “The Da Vinci Code” spent a lot of time focused on ancient codes and ciphers, “Angels” is a fast-paced footrace through the streets of Rome. As in “Da Vinci,” Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is at the center of the action.

Langdon is called upon by the Vatican when it appears that a secret society known as the Illuminati has surfaced and placed a devastatingly powerful bomb at the heart of Vatican City. Equally horrifying is a message claiming that four cardinals — the most likely successors to the just-deceased pope — have been kidnapped and will be publicly executed. The perpetrators have left hints as to when and where they will commit their nasty deeds, but they are steeped in historic riddles that only Langdon has the ability to decipher.

Intent on stopping the murders, he embarks on a desperate race to solve the riddles and beat the Illuminati at its sick game. He’s aided by the Vatican police, Swiss Guard and a beautiful physicist named Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer).  Also helping is Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor) who — because of the pope’s death — is temporarily the lead authority at the Vatican.

Howard does a good job recreating the events depicted in the book, and Hanks captures the Robert Langdon spirit perfectly, all of which leaves us with a decent movie. Decent, but not great. What the film lacks is the breathlessness one feels while reading the novel. Yes, there are exciting moments on screen, but they are frequently countered by extended dialogue sequences that relieve much of the tension. Part of the trouble is that Brown’s plotting is complicated and cerebral, and it’s tough to condense that type of storytelling into a two-and-a-half hour movie. It can be done, but it takes an extraordinary effort, and everything about this film is painfully ordinary.

DVD extras include more than a half dozen making-of features, focused on everything from the adaptation of the novel to the film’s elaborate props.

Four Christmases
2½ stars
Rated PG-13 for some sexual humor and language
New Line Cinema
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

With most DVD releases hitting stores less than six months after a film was released into theaters, it feels odd to get “Four Christmases” a full year after its theatrical run. But, clearly, New Line Cinema decided the video would attract more attention during the holiday season. The studio is probably right because, as a comedy, “Four Christmases” is slight, but there aren’t many holiday films to choose from, and it’s always nice to have something new to throw in alongside “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas.” 

Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon star as Brad and Kate, a modern power couple that have never married and spend their holidays trying to dodge their fractured relations. Things go awry, however, when bad weather stops their planned flight to Fiji and a television news crew interviews them about the bad break. Suddenly, their parents — all divorced — are aware that they’re available for the holiday, forcing them to accept invitations to four separate Christmas celebrations … one with Brad’s crotchety father (Rober Duvall), one with Kate’s newly spiritual mother (Mary Steenburgen), one with Brad’s anything-goes mom (Sissy Spacek) and one with Kate’s surprisingly normal dad (Jon Voight).

Like “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” the film considers the stress of family gatherings, but never in a mean-spirited or distressing way, and Vaughn and Witherspoon are typically charming. “Four Christmases” is a generic comedy in every sense, but it has enough funny moments to make it viable for anyone who enjoys Vaughn and Witherspoon. The film will never replace “Miracle on 34^th Street,” but it does go down awfully well with a nice glass of egg nog. 

The DVD has no extra features. 

Shorts
2½ stars
Rated PG for mild action and some rude humor
Warner Brothers
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

In one of the more bizarre careers in film history, do-it-all filmmaker Robert Rodriguez regularly shifts between, ultra-violent action movies — “Planet Terror,” “Sin City,” “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” — and family friendly material — “Spy Kids,” “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.” “Shorts” falls into the latter category, telling the story of several children who discover a mysterious charm called a Wishing Rock. The kids soon learn that any wish made with the rock in hand will come true, leading to wild adventures with space aliens, upright crocodiles and even a booger monster.

All the craziness is set against the backdrop of the ultra-corporate world they call home. You see, the children’s parents work for a gigantic corporation run by a nasty CEO named Mr. Black (James Spader). Predictably, his kids, Helvetica (Jolie Vanier) and Cole (Devon Gearhart), are the town bullies.

Rodriguez chose to tell his story through a series of short films that are replayed out of order, leaving viewers to piece things together a little at a time. The most important player is Toby “Toe” Thompson (Jimmy Bennett), the narrator of the each piece.

“Shorts” is wild, wacky and childlike enough to appeal to most elementary school-age children. It is not, however, as carefully crafted as today’s better family films. Rodriguez’s plotting is so over-the-top, it seems he was focused solely on letting his inner child loose, forgetting that a great family picture also includes something for parents.

Along with the movie, the DVD includes one of Rodriguez’s “Ten Minute Film School” extras, this one focused on the making of “Shorts.” Also included is a “Ten Minute Cooking School” episode devoted to the making of Chocolate Chip Volcano Cookies.

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

“2009 World Series Film — Philadelphia Phillies Vs. New York Yankees”: A detailed account of the season that led the Yankees to their 40^th American League pennant and 27^th World Series title. Available on DVD Nov. 24 and coming to Blu-ray Dec.15.

“The Witches Hammer”: Horror story about a woman named Rebecca (Claudia Coulter) who is brought back from the brink of death and turned into a vampire by a secret agency. Then, she is used as a weapon against her own kind. 

“Gomorrah”: Award-winning Italian drama based on undercover Italian reporter Roberto Saviano’s expose on Naples’ mafia underworld. The film is being released as part of the Criterion Collection, and it’s presented in Italian, Mandarin and French with English subtitles.

“Golden Age of Television”: This three-Disc set features kinescopes of the live broadcasts of “Marty” (1953), “Patterns” (1955), “No Time for Sergeants” (1955), “A Wind from the South” (1955), “Bang the Drum Slowly” (1956), “Requiem for a Heavyweight” (1956), “The Comedian” (1957), and “Days of Wine and Roses” (1958).  These shows were a combination of theater, radio and filmmaking when TV technology was growing rapidly. The set also features interviews with a number of acting legends, including Andy Griffith, Piper Laurie, Jack Palance, Mickey Rooney, Rod Steiger and Mel Torme.

“Megafault”: Syfy Channel thriller about a massive earthquake that creates a crack in the Earth’s crust and threatens to tear the world in half.  Stars Eriq LaSalle (“ER,” “Without a Trace”), Brittany Murphy (“Sin City,” “8 Mile“), Justin Hartley (“Smallville”) and Bruce Davison (“X-Men,” “Knight Rider”)

“Evergreen”: Coming-of-age film about Henrietta (Addie Land), a 14-year-old who believes she’s missing out on life. Desperate to change her family situation, she inserts herself into the lives of wealthy Chat Turly (Noah Fleiss) and his mother Susan (Mary Kay Place), only to find that she may have it OK after all.

“Toi & Moi (You & Me)”: French romantic comedy about Ariane (Julie Depardieu), a writer who pens stories for a magazine inspired by her sister Lena’s (Marion Cotillard) love life.  Both women are in relationships with commitment-phobic men, and they fantasize about finding Mr. Right. Presented in French with English subtitles.

“Beverly Hills 90210” — The Eighth Season: Life after graduating high school is no cake walk for Brandon (Jason Preistley), Kelly (Jenny Garth), Donna (Tori Spelling), David (Brian Austin Greene) and the rest of the original “90210” gang. During season eight, they explore issues such as Kelly being victimized by a drive-by shooting, Donna’s drug overdose, and Brandon and Kelly’s wedding plans.

“Melrose Place” — Fifth Season Volume 2: This season had a huge shift in cast members, as the final 13 episodes introduced Rob Estes, Lisa Rinna and Alyssa Milano. Also, Grant Show, Marcia Cross and Laura Leighton left the show.

Forrest Hartman is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation’s largest publications. E-mail him at Forrest@ForrestHartman.com

It’s Vegas. Alberto Contador and Vince Vaughn just hanging. Vince lays it out for El Pistelero.

You’re so money, Alberto. You don’t even know it, you’re so money. You got millions in your jersey pocket, baby. And you got all these beautiful babies who wanna ride for you. Vinokourov, baby, Zubeldia. Because you’re money, you’re so money, right?

Don’t say you’re not, don’t say that baby, don’t be the modest boy from Madrid. No, you’re money, baby. All those beautiful babies are gonna line the mountain roads of France, baby. Right? Look at me Pistelero, right? Because they love you baby, that Parisian waitress baby, the podium girls and their beautiful honey baby friends, they want you. The lonely housewives waving at you on Tourmalet and Alpe d’Huez, they’re touching themselves baby ’cause you’re so yellow, you’re so green, you’re so money.

Andy Schleck, he can’t beat you baby, that old man from Texas, he’s gone baby, out the back, down the mountain, Radio unplugged, Shack burning, he’s dying baby because he knows you’re so money. Those bunnies are scared of you.

No, don’t shake your head, look at me, don’t look at your brother Fran, look at me baby, take out the six shooters, that’s right, both of them. Bang, bang, bang, you’re money, baby, so money.

NOTE: Watch the Swingers video in HD, the button in the right corner of the video controls. Otherwise the playback is choppy, baby.

Tutti insieme inevitabilmente è un film a tema natalizio. Una commedia romantica diretta da Seth Gordon.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Seth Gordon | Reese Witherspoon | Vince Vaughn | Robert DuvallSissy Spacek

Couples Retreat

Couples Retreat [Blu-ray]

Director: Peter Billingsley
Writers: Jon Favreau
Vince Vaughn

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Kristen Bell

Couple Retreat is the kind of movie that could drive a person to the point of suicide. On the surface it seems like a potentially great idea for a movie right? That being said how could you go wrong when you fill the movie with some top names in the movie right? Well what probably seemed like a no brainer for the people behind Couples Retreat soon became a nightmare for those who had to witness it.

Couples Retreat is the story of four couples who are convinced into going on a relationship building retreat. It appeared to be a trip to paradise for the couples until they found out that they actually had to follow a specific guideline in order to be able to stay at this specific retreat. This is the point in the movie where supposedly the fun and excitement begins, although I truly never did find any of either.

There is a scene at the start of the movie where Vince Vaughn and his wife are at a home renovation store with their children, the little boy looks up at his parents with disgusted eyes and says “You guys this is sooooo boring” and here I was thinking to myself that this kid is right. It goes without saying though that this little kid then goes on to have the only two funny moments in the entire movie. I hate to say it but a kid who likely was paid very little money was more comical then the overpriced celebrity actors/actresses that graced the screen in Couples Retreat.

I know that many people have been to see this movie already, and I am sure some will even tell me that they found it to be a good movie also, unfortunately I do not share their ability to enjoy mindless movie babble. It also completely disgusted me at the obvious product advertising that can be found in Couple Retreat. I mean who sits there spending several minutes of screen time rambling on about Applebees? Well I guess Vince Vaughn does and it is sad to say that a once otherwise amusing actor has been reduced to this type of big screen trash. Couples Retreat honestly would not have even made a good made for TV movie. This movie is not quite the worst one I have seen all year but it sure as hell managed to come in a close race for the title. I recommend staying clear of this snooze fest, even if you guys out there are trying to impress your girl.

My Rating: 4%

Vince Vaughn is zo ongeveer de koning van de hap-slik-weg komedies. Met Couples Retreat heeft hij er weer één bijgeschreven op zijn, op dit vlak, toch al imposante cv. Jammer genoeg is het ook in dit geval weer een dertien in een dozijn film die eigenlijk nooit grappig wil worden.

In Couples Retreat draait het om de relaties van vier stellen. Aangezien één koppel niet meer weet of het nog wel met elkaar door wil, besluiten ze dit uit te zoeken tijdens een luxe vakantie met optionele relatietraining. Eis is echter wel dat ook de andere drie stellen meegaan naar dit luxe vakantieoord. Daar aangekomen blijkt de relatietraining echter helemaal niet zo vrijblijvend en worden de therapiesessies al snel een pijnlijke aangelegenheid.

Couples Retreat begint nochtans best aardig. De introductie van de personages en de eerste momenten op het tropische eiland met de therapeutische sessies zijn zowaar behoorlijk vermakelijk en beloven een leuk avondje. Dat wordt echter al snel om zeep geholpen. De bijpersonages die in de film met enige regelmaat opduiken om de film wat extra op te leuken falen namelijk stuk voor stuk. Jean Reno is totaal niet leuk als de goeroe die het programma voor de stellen opstelt en het dieptepunt van de film is de rol van Carlos Ponce als de yoga leraar. De scéne waarin hij yoga les geeft behoort zelfs tot de flauwste die ik in jaren zag.

Het maakt van Couples Reatreat  een wegkijkfilm die eigenlijk constant balanceert tussen wel aardig en oerflauw. De acteurs zullen het ongetwijfeld goed naar hun zin hebben gehad met deze goedbetaalde vakantie maar een bioscoopbezoek zou ik er zeker niet aan wijden. Of Vince Vaughn en zijn vorige films moeten natuurlijk tot je favorieten behoren. Dan zit je met Couples Retreat ongetwijfeld ook weer op rozen.

Dopo il recente successo negli Stati Uniti, uscirà in Italia il 4 dicembre L’Isola delle Coppie (Couples Retreat).
Distribuito da Universal Pictures, la commedia con Vince Vaughn racconta la storia di quattro coppie in vacanza su un’isola di vacanza: mentre una è lì per rimettere in piedi il matrimonio in crisi, le altre tre intendono solo divertirsi. Ma, a quanto pare, la terapia di coppia organizzata dal villaggio turistico tocca a tutti!

Diretto da Peter Billingsley, il film ha un cast d’eccezione: Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Kristin Davis, Jean Reno, John Michael Higgins.

The Hangover with Bradley Cooper

I really have to see this movie again. Not too soon, but after I forgot some of the jokes. I don’t know why a friend of mine said this film wasn’t that funny: I was laughing my butt off during the entire movie.

I like Bradley Cooper. I have been watching him act since Alias (2001-2006). The first role I had seen him was of a very nice guy. He played the best friend to Jennifer Garner’s Sydney. Then I saw him as the ultimate asshole in the Wedding Crashers that gave hell to Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson’s characters. His roles haven’t exactly been very difficult or diverse but he is believable and fun to watch whether he is a nice guy or the jackass. He has given the performance that his roles required him too. In The Hangover he is neither a sweetheart like his Alias character Will Tippin nor a psycho. He is a nice guy at school- he is a school teacher. And with friends, he is the ultimate party animal who is never shy of speaking his opinion or making fun of his friends.

The plot gives enough potential for a good time: The groom-to-be Doug, his future wife’s wacky brother Alan and Doug’s two oldest best friends Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Stu. Phil is married with a kid and there’s no way he is going to miss a bachelor party in Las Vegas. Stu has been with his dominating, bitchy and controlling girlfriend for 3 years and though he is planning to marry her, he is also more than glad to be in Vegas whereas she thinks he is in Napa Valley. Alan is….Alan is a hilarious sight to look at. He is not normal and not very predictable, to say the very least. Doug seems like the most normal man among them. He is ready to commit and is happy to be getting married, despise Phil’s ranting about how awful marriage is. So they get on the car Doug’s father-in-law gives him they head out.

It all starts harmlessly but funnily enough. They get dressed, have drinks and go out. The movie cuts to the morning after. The room has been thrashed, there is a hem walking around, there are women leaving and when Alan goes to the bathroom there is real,life-size tiger waiting for him! In a panic he wakes Phil up. They are all suffering from the worst hangover, and worst of all Doug is nowhere to be seen. There is a baby in a closet and no one can recall anything!

So they put they heads together and try to trace their steps back. Three best-men and no groom!

When the movie finished, my stomach was hurting from laughing too hard. While the concept of a Vegas bachelor party gone awry is not original, what happens to the guys are. Another interesting thing about their story is that we don’t know what happened and they don’t know what happened. Every piece of the puzzle is more entertaining than the one before. Of course it is below the belt, crude and sometimes well…the movie takes it too far but it doesn’t matter in he end ’cause you just had a blast watching it! One of the funniest movies I have ever seen.

END NOTE: The movie was written and directed by Todd Phillips who also co-wrote and directed Old School and Road Trip. Road Trip was OK, and Old School was really funny. However I think I prefer Hangover. See it.

The Hangover: The baby belongs to a woman who....Nah, I am not gonna say it.

A new position opened up in the land of celebrities. After the loss of Michael Jackson we were missing our “formerly dark complected celebrity turned pale white.” That role has now been filled by no other than Sammy Sosa.

He claims it is the results of a facial cream. One that he might now endorse. I do not see where he is going with this move. He just lost his last ounce of credibility.

Besides even if he looked good like this, I think the face is already taken. Vince Vaughn anyone?

Sammy Sosa Vince Vaughn face

Over the course of this week, we will uncover twenty titles you need to seek out at your local DVD store. Here is Part 4.

The list is laid out something like this. The title, year it was made, genre, synopsis and finally my rating. I hope to do more of these lists as I uncover some of the treasures hidden at the local videostore.

5. Still Breathing (1998) (Romantic – Drama)

Two lost soul-mates: Rosalyn (Joanna Going) is a cunning con-artist in L.A.and Fletcher (Brendan Fraser) is a secure puppeteer in San Antonio have the same dream linking each with the other.

Fletcher travels to L.A. to find this woman he can’t get out of his mind. “Still Breathing” is the perfect example that man still believes in destiny and true love.

The brilliant use of color, passionate dialogue and soft tones accent Fletcher’s quest for true love. What this film seems to have that a lot of romantic films don’t is a heart and a flawed true love.

Because of those two elements there is a little bit of reality in what the film is saying.

Fall in love with this little movie and always remember the ivy. (4 of 5)

4. Swingers (1996) (Comedy – Drama)

This is Mike’s story. Mike (Jon Favreau) is a left his girl in New York and came to LA to be a star. It’s taken six months longer than Mike would like and he’s not doing so well. Mike’s friends Trent (Vince Vaughn) and Rob (Ron Livingston) take Mike to Vegas to forget about life’s problems.

During that trip Mike is going to find out a little about himself. “Swingers” has a brilliant script, brilliant cast and it’s a lot of fun.

This little cult film made movie stars out of Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. It’s so laid back and true to the world that you really relate to these guys.

Vaughn is utterly brilliant as the trio’s leader. He is quick-lipped, charismatic and makes the whole film flow. “Swingers” is a great little comedy to sit back and relax with. (4 of 5) .

3. Unholy, The (1988) (Horror)

A priest (Ben Cross) battles a demon that kills sinners in the act of sinning. “The Unholy” is one of those horror films that blur the line between religion and horror.

Imagine if you were faced with your ultimate temptation, would you give up all you are to have it?

The priest in this film is faced with that temptation and he is just a man. He also is protecting an innocent from the greatest evil man has ever known and being faced with his temptation may condemn that innocent for all time. I used to adore a short-lived television series called “Dark Shadows”.

It was a 1990s revival of a 1960s overly clever gothic soap opera of the same name. The star of that show was a cursed vampire named Barnabas Collins, who was played by Ben Cross.

That show and “The Unholy” are the two pieces of work that stand in my mind when I think of Ben Cross. Sure Cross was in “Chariots of Fire” but these two roles in the macabre are the ones that meant the most to me. If you can get into the mind of this priest and see his internal battle this film will challenge your mind like none other in this genre. (4 of 5)

2. Quigley Down Under (1990) (Western)

Sharpshooter Matt Quigley (Tom Selleck) claims to be the best long distance shooter in the world and is hired from America by Elliot Marston, an Australian rancher (Alan Rickman).

When Quigley arrives in Australia and confronts the rancher he finds a devious and cunning man. Marston’s plan for his employment shocks Quigley and he refuses. Marston tries to kill Quigley as he tries to escape Australia. Quigley finds that Marston is doing the unspeakable deed without him and it looks like Quigley may be the only man to stop him.

A western is a perfect setting for star Tom Selleck. He looks so at home as Quigley and his showdowns with Rickman are ripped right out of the classic westerns. The story is simple and that’s the way westerns should be.

Director Simon Wincer uses Quigley’s marksmanship with intensity and suspense that you are blown away when Quigley picks up his rifle. Rickman plays his villain with panache like he did in “Robin Hood” and “Die Hard”. “Quigley Down Under” is a great little western. (4 of 5) .

1. Pumpkinhead (1988) (Horror)

A group of renegade teens take a trip to the country where one of them is involved in a motorcycle accident. The accident kills the son of the local storekeeper (Lance Henriksen).

Filled with rage, the storekeeper pleads to a witch to unleash an unstoppable demon on the renegades. During the killing spree, the storekeeper realizes he may have a closer connection to the beast than previously thought.

“Pumpkinhead” is as close as one can get to the perfect modern monster film. The film was created and directed by “monster-creator” extraordinaire Stan Winston, who delivers one of the most original creatures ever to grace the silver screen.

Winston also gets an incredible performance out of veteran horror actor Lance Henriksen who brings a lot of passion to his lead character. This is one of the greatest monster-creature films of the horror genre. (4 of 5) .

(Possible Spoiler): A little known realization about this film occurs towards the film’s finale. Look ever so closely at the creature as it faces off against Henriksen. If you look close enough you will see the creature’s face echo Henriksen stating that in fact Henriksen’s soul was apart of the voodoo that created the demon. It’s awesome!