tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63998182024-03-13T19:58:10.108-04:00THE MOTHER SCRATCHERMovies Martinis and the MainstreamMartini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1140996573626101972006-02-26T19:28:00.000-04:002006-04-30T20:29:28.230-04:00MOVE<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"><a href="http://www.themotherscratcher.com">www.themotherscratcher.com</a></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"></span></div><div align="center"></div>Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1140975189260457632006-02-26T12:47:00.000-04:002006-02-26T16:44:48.663-04:00Bites and Pierces<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330033;"><strong>Maybe Serious Honor for Other Films</strong></span>-- "<a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/capote/">Capote</a>" has gotten enough press lately that you can comfortably use the cliche’ "Generated Oscar Buzz" without people looking at you and saying, "<em>Would you shut the hell up?!</em>" The Golden Globe, the numerous Noms – Yes, we get it, it’s an important film. That is unless you talk to the people who created this cinematic gem. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/birdcage.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/200/birdcage.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">Dan Futterman may initially strike you from his role as Robin Williams’ bemused son in "The Birdcage". He was able to parlay that breakout role into a television career in shows like "Caroline in the City", and "Judging Amy". <a href="http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11526651/">His step into screenwriting however was not as easy</a>, revealing that the line between false-modesty and false talent is razor thin. As Dan tells it there may not have even been a "Capote", had his wife not tipped him to a Rosetta-Stone-like discovery.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;"><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;">I had started writing sort of random scenes with Truman and Perry talking about what I considered to be interesting things in the jail cell. But it was not going anywhere; there was no narrative drive. And she was extremely clear with me about the fact that I needed to have a narrative drive, I needed to have an outline where one scene led to another ... And that as a revelation to me. It’s probably perfectly obvious to anybody who’s written a screenplay before.</span></p><p></span><span style="color:#000066;">Or obvious to anyone who has read a script before--such as an actor for example.<br />One other item that may have clued Futterman to the help he needed: the fact<br />that this is an <em>adapted screenplay</em> suggests the source material may also have<br />been a nice place to discover the "story structure secret".</span></p><p><span style="color:#000066;">On a related note of Oscar’s import, Phillip-Seymore <a href="http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds29590.html">Hoffman may end up providing this year’s speech to watch</a>. It turns out that Hoffman, Futterman, and director Bennett Miller have been friends since their teen years, and they have made an arrangement:<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/capote.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" height="213" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/320/capote.0.jpg" width="235" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;">We all made this drunken pact that if one of us ever won the Academy Award, that we would bark the whole acceptance speech."We were very serious," he continued. "Literally, we were like: 'I'll do that. I will definitely commit to that.' Bennett and I met...recently in Los Angeles and he said: 'So remember we made this pact that you have to bark?'"The thing is you can't just bark, you have to bark until they pull you off (the stage). Let's hope I don't have to get up there."</span></blockquote></span><p><span style="color:#000066;">Sorry Flip, but let’s hope that you do win. Word of caution here -- vows over drinks should ner be put into writing.</span></p><p><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330033;"><strong>A Warning Ladies:You Do Not Breakup With Lance</strong></span> – <span style="color:#000066;"><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/24/crow.cancer/">Example that life is a cruel irony</a>: Sheryl Crowe diagnosed with cancer after breaking up with <a href="http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.jvKZLbMRIsG/b.594849/k.CC7C/Home.htm">the disease poster boy</a>.</span></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330033;">Example That Bloggers are Ironically Cruel</span></strong> – <span style="color:#000066;"><a href="http://peoplepaula.blogspot.com/2006/01/gyllenhaals-look-like-picassos.html">Jake and Maggie Gylenhaal are Picasso objects.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330033;"><strong>Even False Modesty is Welcome These Days</strong></span> – <span style="color:#000066;">During this time of year<br />where rotator cuffs are torn from self-congratulatory back slapping it helps to<br />find a Star who is not full of himself. Even though we are not sure who<br />considers <a href="http://www.fox.com/house/">Dr. House </a>to be sexy, it is refreshing to see the term "Buns of<br />Yogurt" <a href="http://people.monstersandcritics.com/article_1132669.php/Hugh_Laurie_sex_symbol_shock">to describe an actor</a> and it does not involve a subsequent publicist<br />outcry and defamatory lawsuit.</span></p></span></blockquote>Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1140734432679335922006-02-23T18:40:00.000-04:002006-02-24T20:10:02.226-04:00Little of Import, Lots of Insignifica<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 342px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/320/CoolWorld.jpg" width="410" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#000066;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>China Draws a Bizarre Conclusion</strong></span>—In a possible effort to preserve the purity of their bloodline, China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television declared they have banned entertainment that </span><a href="http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/china%20bans%20liveanimated%20movies_22_02_06"><span style="color:#000066;">mixes live-action humans and animated characters</span></a><span style="color:#000066;">. Shockwaves were felt as SAG members expressed anger at the possibility of not getting to work with blue-screens.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/gm_l1_evaL.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 253px" height="277" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/320/gm_l1_evaL.jpg" width="256" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>They Are Anti-Hunting, But Pro-Guns</strong> – Those chuckle-heads at PETA have spoken again, and they are ripe with material as usual. This time the starlet in their cross hairs is Eva Longoria, who raised the hackles of the group by <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/02/21/peta_criticizes_eva_longoria_for_braggin">declaring she was a proficient hunter </a>in her youth. A spokesman from the organization has a recommendation for the “Housewife”: her next hunting trip should include the errant-aiming Dick Cheney. Shooting her in the face may in fact be acceptable, as long as the rest of her remains pristine.<br /><br /><strong>So Much for Me Going to an Opera Now</strong>—I don’t want to call into question anyone’s career considering the professional plight of blog writing and such, but when you have to call a press conference <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=1653161">to declare you won’t be disrobing</a>—maybe talent isn’t at the top of your resume’.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#000066;"><br /><strong>Somebody Get the Man a Billboard Magazine</strong>—Kanye West illustrates how intuitive he can be. While at the British music awards--in Britain--<a href="http://au.launch.yahoo.com/060217/10/jm73.html">he expressed shock that his music is lumped</a> into a category labeled “Urban”. Somewhere Mike Myers freezes in apoplectic shock.<br /><br /><strong>First Hush Puppies Makes Mall Walkers, Now This</strong>—Need I point out the obvious here?! If you were to <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4445342.stm">market shoes to illegals hoping to make it into America</a> wouldn’t it occur to you that most, if not all, of your target demographic couldn’t afford your product? And<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 258px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="241" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/320/taco.jpg" width="251" border="0" /> we should be applauded for our restraint in not invoking a marketing slogan from a certain fast-food chain.</span></span>Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1140583222882500792006-02-22T00:39:00.000-04:002006-02-23T00:28:16.330-04:00Young Ones Drinking and Driving<div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><em></em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><em></em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><em></em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><em></em></span></div><div align="left"><br /> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></div><span style="color:#003300;">e-man-ci-pate (v.)<br />1.To free from bondage, oppression, or restraint; liberate.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#000099;">Tmz.com has launched itself into the realm of important journalism, or at least launched into ratting out the club owners in Los Angeles. In a very SmokingGun.com manner </span><a href="http://tmz.aol.com/article2?id=20060221140009990001"><span style="color:#000099;">they have an exclusive story</span></a> <span style="color:#000099;">exposing the truth about underage Hollywood star-itos. We discover many are able to gain entry into clubs and bars without having to endure that ego-deflating practice of verifying their identification. <em>And many of them subsequently drink alcohol!</em> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#000099;"><br />Lohan, Munoz, Olsen & Olsen -- all have been visually nabbed by sniper-eyed operatives from the website while entering swank establishments. TMZ goes the extra mile by tossing queries at the local department of Alcohol Beverage Control, and researching citations of local drinking<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/lohancan.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 159px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px" height="217" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/200/lohancan.jpg" width="159" border="0" /></a> dens. Best however is when they brace David Judakin, the owner of <strong><em>Mood</em></strong>, one of L.A's trendy clubs, about the adolescent alcoholics in his parlor. Initially he passes it off as a spate of fake ID's, but TMZ goes for the throat:</span></span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;"></span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;">We informed Judaken, we have video of Lindsay Lohan and others being escorted in without showing ID. Judaken's response: "Certain celebrities ultimately enter lots of clubs who are not entitled to enter." Judaken also offered this: "A lot of them (underage celebs) I thought were emancipated."</span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000099;">I don't want to be overly dramatic about the issue, however not only is it a stretch to draw comparisons between pampered millionaire teen stars and this country's history of indentured servitude, it is also bad form to do so during Black History Month.</span></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;">Mommy, I Said I Wanted the Off-Road Package!</span></em></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000099;">On a related note of <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">pouring unnecessary rewards on youth this little gem was found on the <a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3933941">Wal-Mart online </a>catalogue.</span></span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000099;"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 258px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="200" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/200/escalade.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000099;">Now for $280.00 (without the spinners) your child can be resented by classmates AND environmental soccer moms! Depending on the options it gets 20 miles per gallon on the playground, 10 mpg in the sandbox.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000099;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></p><p align="right"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000099;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></p></blockquote>Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1140506926699080472006-02-21T02:33:00.000-04:002006-02-22T20:37:56.476-04:00Prevaricating Predators<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/8below.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/200/8below.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#330033;">Those Lying Dogs</span></em></strong><br /><em></em><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em></em><span style="color:#000066;">It's freezing across this country, the winter Olympics are on television 24 hours a day, and so naturally people flocked to theaters to watch a film about canines left to freeze in a blizzard. <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/8below/">Disney's 8 Below</a> managed to jump on the wave of love created by <a href="http://www.13pens.com/lemieux23.jpg">March of the Penguins</a> and raked almost $20 million over the weekend. This winter-lode was accomplished despite the efforts of The Wall Street Journal to crush the love kids have towards anthropomorphic creatures.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000066;">In an article with which he takes Hollywood to task for dubious marketing ,The Journal's John Lippman unveils <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114012880070976305-07faTtodzQyQK9HEa4AylvlKh0Q_20070217.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top">some alarming news</a>: Hollywood's claim to factual events in movies may not be completely true!!! The movie has roots in a Japanese film from 1983, <a href="http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/images/movie/large/Antarctica_(1984).jpg">Nankyoku </a><a href="http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/images/movie/large/Antarctica_(1984).jpg">Monogatari</a>, which focused on a tragedy in the Antartic in 1957. Lippman spills on the vagaries:</span><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/nemo.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/320/nemo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000066;"></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">" Inspired by a true story" is used loosely: The Disney film changed the characters, their nationalities, the time period, the number of dogs and the fate of most of the canines.</span></strong></span></span></blockquote></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">I could also add to the</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">deception; the producers used 16 dogs for the 8-dog sled team on camera, which could spark another expose' from Lippman. That he is surprised Disney used a film from the 80's about an event half of a century ago and they fudged on the accuracy is a treat. If he comes forward to tell me that clown fish cannot actually speak to each other I may explode.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><em><span style="color:#330033;"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/ledgerdance.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="203" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/320/ledgerdance.jpg" width="285" border="0" /></a>Can You Feel the Heath?</span></strong></span></em></span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color:#330033;"><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#000066;"></span></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="color:#000066;"><strong></strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Oh, get ready, its a comin'. Slowly, subtly, but not imperceptably, a growing wave of constant Heath Ledger loving is cracking the horizon. Nary a news cycle ebbs without another nugget on the Aussie thespian's move towards nabbing an Oscar for his role as a saddle sodomite in </span><a href="http://tbiet.tooblog.fr/images/brokeback_mountain_01.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Brokeback Mountain".</span></a></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="color:#000066;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A couple of the latest bon mots. </span><a href="http://www.filmfodder.com/gossip/archives/2006/02/heath_give_george_the_oscar_no.shtml"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gossip Fodder reported </span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">that whilst across the pond Heath was being peppered with questions about something other than what it was like to be a gay cowboy, and once loosed from the chaps of his role Heath rambled. When asked about George Clooney he apparantly was unaware that he ended up putting the screws to his costar, Jake Gyllenhaal.</span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#330033;"></p></span></span><blockquote><strong><span style="color:#330033;">I <span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;">think he deserves the best supporting actor. I thought he was amazing in Syriana." </span></span><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;">Jake Gyllenhaal, who was Heath's lover and co-star in Brokeback Mountain, is up against George in the best supporting actor category.</span></span></strong></blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#330033;"><p></span></span></p><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><strong><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/200/JakeGyllenhal1.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></span></span> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:85%;"><strong></strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#000066;">This should be a forgivable slight. Immediately after those questions he was again pelted with entendres: A reporter then asked him to compare making love to a woman in one film and a man in another. Heath may need to be wary of typecasting however--word is out that he will continue his man-love streak <a href="http://movienews.virgin.net/Virgin/Lifestyle/Movies/virginMoviesNewsDetail/0,15384,1019509_movies,00.html">by portraying Rock Hudson.</a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color:#330033;"></p></span></span><br /><br /><br /></span>Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1140497865528352832006-02-21T00:37:00.000-04:002006-02-21T02:33:11.050-04:00Returning With Randomness<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/parisflouer.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/200/parisflouer.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;color:#330033;"><strong><em>As If She Wasn't White Enough, You Dolts</em></strong></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong></strong><span style="color:#000066;">While everyone has seen the images of Paris Hilton doused by the fuzzy-brained fur protestors at </span><a href="http://www.peta.org"><span style="color:#000066;">PETA</span></a><span style="color:#000066;">, what I wanted was an explanation on what the hell was the purpose? The quadraped-snugglers were not dissapointing with their take:</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;">"There is nothing remotely fashionable about the torture and death of animals killed for fur," PETA Europe's Yvonne Taylor told the BBC. </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Julien Macdonald may have been able to ignore images of bloody skinned animals gasping for breath in the past, but hopefully a dash of flour will help him rise to the occasion and forsake fur once and for all."</span></p><p></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="color:#000066;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">To paraphrase--when graphic depictions of tortured livestock fail to sway your foes, resort to attacks with cookie condiments.</span> <span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">A few asides-- One article in a British paper has this tidy little nugget:</span> </p></span><span style="color:#000066;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;">The 24-year-old recently made headlines after admitting she did not know that London was in Britain.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">And lastly, a film maker in India has many peoople in a fit because he has the inspired idea to cast Paris as (you are best to sit for this) </span><a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/14/hilton_movie/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">Mother Theresa</span></a></span></p></blockquote><span style="color:#000066;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> The wizard behind this decision sites her decision not to pose for Playboy as the reasoning she could fill the sainted nun's sandals. I think everybody should relax however. Once she finds out she'll have to spend the entire film in those off-the-rack form-covering cerulian togs she will toss the script away like it is a TV costar. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000066;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;color:#000066;"><strong><em>When In Trouble Blame It On The Hooker</em></strong></span><br /><strong><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;"></span></em></strong><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/1600/sizemore.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/320/sizemore.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000066;"><em><strong></strong></em>Tom Sizemore has been in the midst of one of Hollywood's better flameouts in recent years. The drugs, the hookers, the <a href="http://espn.go.com/eoe/hustle/">portrayal of Pete Rose</a>--all </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000066;">have contributed to a tailspin from an already low altitude, b-list perch. So captivated was America with his plight that he could only land a prized interview with Donny Deutsch and his <a href="http://www.bigideadonny.com/home2.html">"Big Idea Show"</a>. (It's OK that you haven't heard of it, it is on CNBC.) During the "exclusive" Sizemore came clean and revealed the weakness that led him down the path to that Hollywood euphamism for fried-to-the-gills-on-substance-abuse, "Exhaustion"--It was all Heidi Fleiss' Fault!!!:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000066;"></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"></p></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;color:#000066;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;color:#000000;">"She got me onto this drug called crystal methamphetamine; I never used that before. The drug really got me.I told her, 'When I come back to LA, I'm gonna be shooting in LA, I'm the star of the programme, I'm part owner... This stuff has got to stop and I can't stop if you don't stop. You've gotta stop,' and she didn't."</span></span></blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000066;">It was also revealed that years earlier to the relationship with the enabling Madam, while shooting the film "Heat",</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">Deniro had to pull TommyBoy aside and grill him about getting into rehab. But he wasn't getting the shakes from an addictioin to Ice. Back then it was only Heroin. "<em>I would take just enough to be not sick</em>.", the cleaner actor said, "<em>I was completely within my faculties when I was working</em>." So the lesson kids, if you find yourself sharing drugs with your live-in prostitute girlfriend, and she ramps up the debauchery to stronger stuff, just say no.</span> <img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/797/339/200/heatsizemore.jpg" border="0" />Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1086309920909402672004-06-03T20:21:00.000-04:002004-06-04T08:56:49.126-04:00Just Another Reason Why He is the King of Hollywood <img src="http://www.marxbrotherstob.com/pics/jacknchlsn.gif">
<br />Recently my wife purchased the DVD "<a href="http://www.cinemaclock.com/images/posters/5472-something_s_got.jpg">Something's Gotta Give</a>", and while I wasn't jubilant I did want to see the movie, but for one reason.
<br />
<br />Jack
<br />
<br />After these years Nicholson has transcended the title "actor" and has become instantly iconic in most roles. Granted this one isn't as complex as he was in say "<a href="http://www.gasolineandperfume.bigstep.com/images2/as-good-as-it-gets.jpg">As Good as it Gets</a>", but you feel you have to watch Jack on screen in every role simply by rote. He's a fixture, he's a man's man, and he still has the chops.
<br />
<br />While "Something's" primarily a female targeted romance picture that is only because Jack chose to step aside when the time called for it and allowed the actresses to grab the heft of the script. The reason I even bring all this up is that in passing (technically, "in cleaning") I came to discover that the disc featured a pair of audio commentaries, one involving Nicholson sitting in with director Nancy Myers.
<br />
<br />Listening to this master wax theoretic on the craft he's known for is enjoyable, but the best part comes very early, in the scene where he is initially driving into the Hamptons. He's smoking a cigar <img src="http://www.cigarclub.co.jp/images/nicholson.jpg"> with Amanda Peete's character in the passenger seat, and Jack reveals a technique when he explains he was unhappy with the way the lightning made his neck look so he had the cigar to block the camera.
<br />
<br />MYERS: I remember how many cigars you smoked that day.
<br />
<br />NICHOLSON: Not enough.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1086272676904945422004-06-03T09:36:00.000-04:002004-06-03T19:34:46.673-04:00A Look Into the Life of a Film Critic, or, "Did Anyone Really Ask for This?"Last night I was having a talk with someone I had just met, and when it came out that I was a film reviewer I got this response: "Wow, you must get to see some really great movies!" Because I am polite I didn't laugh out loud. The truth of the matter is that quite the opposite is true. Rarely do I get to sit in on a well crafted cinematic effort, but this is not a complaint as most of the time I actively seek out the detritus of Hollywood and elsewhere.
<br />
<br />While the occasional first-run movie falls into my lap and I get the chance to review it on <a href="http://www.filmthreat.com">Film Threat</a>, the wide majority of the movies I critique come from other sources. Independant features and film festival features are some of the most fertile territories that I tread, but this can be a hit or miss proposition. While I desire the indie segment and savor the talent and guts that often is behind a film like this getting made, just as often you can sit through a completely misguided attempt.
<br />
<br />Take my recent trip to Sundance where I experienced the broadest spectrum of quality in a concentrated time frame. One film from Italy, "<a href="http://filmthreat.com/Reviews.asp?Id=5500">Three Step Dancing</a>", had me wondering why it was selected, as well as why it was even made. The worst of the lot was "<a href="http://www.filmthreat.com/Reviews.asp?Id=5385">Harry and Max</a>", which if you dare to read the review will reveal that it centered upon incestuous homosexual pedophilia.
<br />
<br />This movie made me hate.
<br />
<br />Another area I've been known to frequent is the often aberrant sector of direct-to-rental releases. These are the films that for any number of reasons never got released into theaters and find their debut to the public taking place on the Blockbuster Video shelf. These can either be festival hopefuls <a href="http://filmthreat.com/Reviews.asp?Id=5017">that never found distribution</a>, or lavishly produced pictures that turned out so wrong the studio decided to <a href="http://filmthreat.com/Reviews.asp?Id=5699">cut its losses and dump it</a> into home theater, or even those films produced on the cheap with the express purpose of <a href="http://filmthreat.com/Reviews.asp?Id=4782">turning a quick dollar</a> in the rental market. In most of these cases the quality is nonexistent; this is not a place to enter into lightly.
<br />
<br />My last stream of product comes via the web site itself, a source that I simply will call <em>The Box</em>. Every two months or so I will put the word out to my editor and soon in the mail I will receive a parcel from them containing up to 2 dozen tapes and DVDs. Film Threat, and our publisher Chris Gore, has a high degree of admiration in the indie film community. This was evident when walking Main Street in Park City behind Chris as he was perpetually confronted by those who recognized him.
<br />
<br />Even at our festival last year I experienced this effect. I was sitting with a cameraman/producer friend of mine who came in from upstate and we met a woman doing PR for one of the films entered. I explained how I wouldn't have the chance to see the film and asked if a screener copy was available. She scoffed at me, using a patronizing tone to lecture me on the risk of piracy. I shrugged at her and simply told her I had hoped to post a review of it on Film Threat. The woman's eyes snapped wide and in the next 5 minutes she returned to our table three times to explain that she had spoken with the director, then to deliver a press kit, and finally to hand me a copy of the film. My friend marveled at this display and remarked that if I tried I could be a real asshole with this power. (I thanked him for suggesting I wasn't currently an asshole.)
<br />
<br />So back to The Box. Because of this clout the offices of the web site get besieged with unsolicited copies of movies from hopeful film makers looking for a break. I once saw a picture of their room where mail bins and five feet tall piles of tapes and discs were stored. This was only what they average on a monthly basis. When I put in for my next delivery they take a snow shovel and scoop up part of the pile and ship it my way. The best way to describe the overall quality of these attempts is that my dog will not go near The Box when it comes in. Daunting is but one word to use when delving into the contents.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1086152668138158482004-06-01T23:56:00.000-04:002004-06-02T06:52:25.620-04:00The Rance id It was near the start of this space that I came across another contributor in the blogosphere hiding behind the sobriquet of <a href="kprice@firstnlc.net">Rance</a>. He/she purported to be a star of obscure fame and used the blog to expound on issues they normally wouldn't have the freedom to discuss.
<br />
<br /> It was a fun read for a time, for even while you thought it was a scam it was that small grain of possibility that made it addictive enough to come back, even if you thought you were probably being played. But over time the lack of true heft to the postings began to ironically weigh down the proceedings, and interest began to wane for me. Then there was the moment I felt certain it was an all out ruse: Rance was <a href="http://captainhoof.tripod.com/blog/index.blog?entry_id=265595">unclear on the location of Spago!</a> The Masked Star claimed to be mistaken due to his being unaffected by such things as when they closed <a href="http://www.seeing-stars.com/Dine2/SpagoBeverlyHills.shtml">one of Puck's places</a>, but if Rance is the mover Rance claims to be there should be an agent around to keep this kind of information at the fore. I subsequently moved on.
<br />
<br />Then suddenly Rance became a hot topic in the linked realm. Everyone it seemed was speculating who was the true identity behind the Oz like visage,<img src="http://www.darshallmark.com/2000xmas/qlx7361.jpg"> with naming the luminary becoming the new parlor game of the ethernet. Guesses ranged from all around, with names such as <a href="http://">Owen Wilson</a> or <a href="http://www.gawker.com/topic/the_week_in_review_whos_famous_now_bitch_014931.php">George Clooney</a> being alluded. Defamer had <a href="http://www.defamer.com/topic/mystery-blogger-rance-afflecks-signature-logorrhea-004196.php">an interesting bit</a> that inferred it could be the <a href="http://www.cinematrix.hu/fajlok/hirek/kepek/DaredevilGarner.jpg">devilish Sr. Affleck</a>, based on a puzzle that might have <a href="http://www.defamer.com/topic/benVOtattoo.php">incorporated a tattoo</a> he is adorned with. But I seem to recall that tatt was seen in a Rolling Stone article and therefore common knowledge, i.e. not so revelatory.
<br />
<br />Last week Reuters jumped onto the bandwagon and <a href="http://www.jumptheshark.com/">jumped the shark</a> at the same time when they published <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&ncid=638&e=3&u=/nm/20040527/en_nm/life_rance_dc_3">an extensive interview</a> with the nebulous star. This mercifully could bring about the end.
<br />
<br />And if not maybe the Museum of Hoaxes can. In a <a href="http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/rance/">compelling and detailed account</a> they seem to have tracked down Rance's trail to that of a political cartoonist and former European minor league baseball player named Keith Thompson. I hope they are correct,if for no other reason than to make the rest of the world look like simps.
<br />
<br />Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1086095289542341392004-06-01T08:17:00.000-04:002004-06-01T10:08:41.310-04:00He Was in "Gigli" So Why Not The Food Network?When it comes to unhinged and downright curious screen actors I defy you to name one more obtuse than Christopher Walken. No matter the movie, and no matter the role, you cannot help but watch him when he is on camera. Between that warbling diction and the thousand-peyote-button stare you get mesmorized against your will.<img src="http://www.onlineathens.com/images/032003/walkenLR.jpg">Walken has become an icon even though he largely plays himself in every role, but it is the way he plays with his image and what that image brings to his portrayal that makes him work. Think of his character, the duplicitous father Frank Abignale in "Catch Me if You Can, who would have merely been a pathetic grifter in the hands of any other actor.
<br />
<br />The New York Times Magazine has a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/30/magazine/30WALKEN.html">four page article on Walken</a> that is well worth the registration to read. In the opening paragraph alone they offer a scenario that would be impossible to avoid should it come to fruition:
<br /><em>For years, the painter and director Julian Schnabel, a longtime friend of Walken's, has urged the actor to be the host of his own cooking show.</em> This could be more captivating than his turn as a loopy dancer in a music video.<img src="http://www.crankycritic.com/archive02/images/scotlandpa_small.jpg">
<br /><strong>''The danger for me is, it could be popular,''</strong> Walken says. <strong>''I've tried to have some prestige as an actor, then I'd be the guy with the cooking show.'' </strong> This is the same guy who appeared in "<a href="http://www.crankycritic.com/archive03/posters/kangaroojack.jpg">Kangaroo Jack</a>" not to mention a David Spade movie, "<a href="http://www.kinoweb.de/film2001/JoeDirt/pix/jd1.jpg">Joe Dirt</a>"--a cooking show would be a step up.
<br />
<br />But there are more nuggets to be found in this piece. He mentions a time where he tried out a personal therapist who worked out of her home--
<br /> <strong>''She had all these pots and pans and dishes piled everywhere. She was dirty, dirty. I thought, How am I going to take advice from someone like that?</strong> Not surprisingly it didn't take. <strong>"That was the end of my shrinkage. Maybe if she had been clean and nice I'd still be in therapy.'' </strong> This makes for a nice read to kick off the week.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1086014539822641692004-05-31T10:02:00.000-04:002004-05-31T10:42:19.823-04:00Another Divorce Where the Kids Will Suffer After a long bout of speculation early this year <a href="http://www.pixar.com/index.html">Pixar Animation</a> decided to sever its relationship with Disney and either partner with a new studio or simply strike out on its own. This surprised few people as Pixar's magic has been the sole dose of quality in an otherwise <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/homeontherange/main.html">unspectacular field</a> of <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/brotherbear/main.html">animation releases</a> from Disney. From a negotiation standpoint this has left Pixar sitting pretty, but Disney may <img src="http://www.collisiondetection.net/images/mermaid.jpg"> be trying to get a small dose of revenge.
<br />
<br />Michael Eisner <a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=industryNews&storyID=5282291">this past week confirmed</a> that the House of Mouse is planing to release a series of sequels based on their past Pixar successes, sequels being <a href="http://www.disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/junglebook2/index2.html">something of a cash cow</a> in recent years. With a new release looming on the horizon
<br /><img src="http://www.unreel.co.uk/trailerbuttons/quicktime-theincredibles.jpg"> Pixar CEO Steve Jobs was underwhelmed to hear of Disney's move.
<br /><strong>"We feel sick about Disney doing sequels because if you look at the quality of their sequels ... it's been pretty embarrassing."</strong>
<br />That may not be the only thing to cause the gritting of teeth. The arrangement stipulates that, despite having written the stories and created those characters, Pixar will only receive 8% of the royalties from any such title.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085774252682788412004-05-28T15:55:00.000-04:002004-05-29T12:21:32.230-04:00Indie Angst is a Guy ThingHere is an object lesson from the indie world. Guy Pearce <a href="http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5060356/">stunned a crowd</a> during a press stop for his latest release "<a href="http://www.aslippingdownlifemovie.com/">A Slipping Down Life</a>" when he referred to one of the film's executive producers with an <a href="http://www.nswcc.org.au/html/schoolsandchildcare/studentresources/undcancer/images/uccervix.gif">unclinical term for the female anatomy</a> (the same word Larry David ended up printing in an obituary when he misspelled "aunt" on "<a href="http://www.hbo.com/larrydavid/?ntrack_para1=leftnav_category0_show2">Curb Your Enthusiasm</a>".) The reason behind the less-than-dashing and more-than-vitriolic apellative<img src="http://img.atpictures.com/guy/tn_guyp10.jpg">was the rather troubled history behind the film's eventual release after being recognized as a quality film festival selection.
<br />
<br />"Slipping" was initially a featured selection in the <a href="http://www.indiewire.com/onthescene/fes_99Sund_981202_DramComp.html">1999 Sundance Film Festival</a> but after generating some distributer interest the executive producer--there were two, and everyone seems mum on indentifying who is the culprit--took controll of the picture and re-edited it for commercial value. The stars and director balked at backing the movie at that point and it grew mold awaiting a deal. Said producer eventually defaulted on payment and a bank took the reigns, eventually selling the rights, and the original cut, to <a href="http://www.lionsgatefilms.com/index_flash.html">Lion's Gate Films</a>.
<br />
<br />Now with the cast and crew back on board the movie is getting the proper push. It expands this week from 5 to 6 screens. So much for Sundance momentum.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085757972605037372004-05-28T11:08:00.000-04:002004-05-28T11:26:12.606-04:00Michael Jackson--VARIETY Headline WriterWe can only hope that someone at Variety <a href="http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_vstory&articleID=VR1117905649&categoryID=38&cs=1">lost their job over this</a>
<br /><img src="http://www.cinenet.gr/prosopa/newman.jpg">misstep. Of course if
<br />Paul Newman elects to sue all damages will go to charity.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085756098115692262004-05-28T09:56:00.000-04:002004-06-03T10:31:27.143-04:00IDP in Beef With MTV Over Fast-Food MovieThis past week I've been talking with distributor <a href="http://www.hoovers.com/idp-distribution/--ID__109209--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml">IDP Distribution</a> before getting shut-out of acquiring "<a href="http://www.supersizeme.com/">Supersize Me</a>" at our theater. IDP has been busy with a wrestling match with MTV over running commercials for the movie.
<br />
<br />The film is expanding to nearly 150 theaters this week and is doing quite well on a per-screen average, grossing over $3 million so far, which is rather huge for an indie documentary. With the growth of screens IDP was vying for some national exposure on the music channel, but the reasons for the lack of spots running is hard to glean with both sides pointing fingers. IDP contends that MTV was worried the commercials would upset their cash cow of fast-food advertisers. They also say they were told that <a href="http://www.supersizeme.com/home.aspx?page=movietrailer">edits had to be made to the spots</a> if they were going to run on the network.
<br /><img src="http://www.uscatholic.org/2002/03/cic0203a.jpg">
<br />MTV responded by saying that they "suggested" changes be made, but in the end agreed to run the commercials. Rather than running the ads, says the network, IDP elected to issue press releases. (Natch, this is what's referred to as free publicity.) IDP then states they were never informed of the approval and that MTV only made that announcement once the press release went out.
<br />
<br />MTV answered with "No way!!", IDP issued a statement saying, "You totally did!", then MTV released an official comment of "Fine, what-<em>ever</em>". The IDP press office responded with "MTV is completely Durst.", and the network went on the record saying "You are SO not running your ads here!"
<br />
<br />One of the reasons MTV purportedly wanted to edit the commercial was a shot of director Morgan Spurlock getting physically sick while eating burgers. Because MTV has such high standards against such content. Or else <a href="http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00008DI34.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg">Steve-O</a> has a contractual stipulation that only he can instigate reverse peristalsis on camera.
<br />Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085662444931586482004-05-27T07:58:00.000-04:002004-05-28T11:30:20.773-04:00Something to Make Israelis Grateful Towards the PalastiniansAnd, because of a ban, they figured this out without seeing <a href="http://www.filmup.com/posters/loc/500/bodyofevidence.jpg">"Body of Evidence"</a>.
<br />
<br />On the heels of Brittany's laughable "Onyx Hotel" tour her vulgarian idol Madonna is hitting the road with her own traveling circus, "The Who Asked For It?" tour. Or rather, she's calling it the "Re-Invention Tour", which may be her most honest appraisal of her career. She's also experiencing numerous snags, a-la Ms. Spears.
<br />
<br />On her second stop in L.A. she had to cancel due to a stomach flu. Then word came that she was cancelling 3 stops in Israel after she <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004240450,00.html">received credible death threats</a> from Palestinian terrorists. A source from the Madonna camp said, <strong>"She thought she was being targeted because of her Jewish Kabbalah religion."</strong>
<br />You know, because when we think of Madonna we think of <a href="http://www.madonnashots.com/sexotf.jpg">a deeply religious woman</a>.
<br /><img src="http://www.marcosabino.com/pratododia/22-09-03/0%20Versatil%20-%20Madonna%20-%20mordendo%20a%20bunda%20SEX.jpg">
<br />This same source tried to explain the Hamas hatred. <strong>But this group were threatening her (sic) because she represents many things they hate about the West.</strong> Tough to gripe about that reasoning. Her filmography--from "<a href="http://www.alyon.org/generale/theatre/cinema/affiches_cinema/s/seu-smo/shanghai_surprise.jpg">Shanghai Surprise</a>" to her most recent wreckage, "<a href="http://movieweb.com/movies/galleries2.php?film=348&id=274&mode=1&name=co2.jpg&nr=2">Swept Away</a>" is enough to have her dragged into the <a href="http://www.thehague.nl/home/frames.htm">International Court in The Hague</a>.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085496833289247232004-05-25T07:47:00.000-04:002004-05-25T10:53:53.290-04:00Now Your Cargo Shorts Will Need Another Pocket for the Remote<img src="http://www.jutenhoops.com/Merchant3/graphics/00000001/296x.jpg">
<br />Right after the United Nations stepped in to bring an end to the <a href="http://www.icq.com/images/specials/battlebots/images_lg/battletoro.jpg">hostilities of Battle Bots</a> comes a movie to once again bring divisiveness to the arena of automatons. July 16 will see the release of the film "<a href="http://www.irobotmovie.com/english/_flash/shell.html">I, Robot</a>", (Flash intensive) a story in which a mechanized serf is accused of murder, a violation of Isaac Asimov's <a href="http://home18.inet.tele.dk/silanian/robot/robotlaw.html">3 laws of robots.</a> I never gave these laws much weight. When you have kids who can program a computer to mail them updates every time a photographer gets a picture of Brittany Spears falling out of her dress what is to keep someone from sending a robot out to dispose of that neighbor who runs his leaf blower at 7:00 in the morning on Saturday?)
<br />
<br />Fox has come up with a unique marketing ploy to push the Will Smith film. They have people walking about with T-shirts implanted with an 11 inch television monitor and speakers. The idea, hatched by a San Francisco ad firm called Brand Marketers, involves having hired hands--referred to as "brand Ambassadors"--walk around clusters of people in malls and comic book conventions while the movie trailer plays on their shirts. I would guess that there are limitations to prospective hirees. After all if you have an "ambassador" who is, shall we say, <a href="http://www.implantinfo.com/personal_experiences/images/tshirt.jpg">particularly enhanced</a> or endowed their physique would throw off the aspect ratio. Unless you <em>want</em> <a href="http://www.tshirthell.com/images/contestpics/a42_007.jpg">the anamorphic effect</a>.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085408720823563102004-05-24T08:19:00.000-04:002004-05-26T08:58:40.956-04:00At Cannes That's a Rappes I honestly had no intention of including yet another Michael Moore reference in this space but then the Jury of the Cannes Festival went ahead and granted the corpulent chronographer <a href="http://www.festival-cannes.fr/index.php?langue=6002">the coveted Palme d'Or</a>, so I have to at least give him passing mention.
<br /><img src="http://us.ent3.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/cannes/cannes_film_festival_2002_photos/michael_moore/cannes-th.jpg">
<br /> The amusing part in all of this is that in accepting the award Moore mentioned that he had no intention of having politics be his motivator and wanted to concentrate on film making. <strong>"If I wanted to make a political speech, I'd run for office. I'm a filmmaker, and I wanted to make a movie for people to go see it."</strong> Then he expressed his wishes for the film to get a quick release and the put out on DVD before the November election. Because it is not political, you see.
<br />
<br />Quentin got his opinion heard on the jury as "Old Boy", the violent Asian film took second place, which in Cannes is the Grand Prize. Go figure.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085238344730600432004-05-22T09:35:00.000-04:002004-05-23T08:47:32.983-04:00Danny Ocean on the Other Side of the Pond<img src="http://www.repubblica.it/gallerie/online/spettacoli/ocean/1_p.jpg">
<br />George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh teamed a few years for the hyper-slick heist remake of "Ocean's 11" and delivered a great picture. Sure it was a big puffy meringue of a movie, but it dodged being a stupid and bloated affair by sporting a decent script and packing the cast with varied professionals who had fun giving solid performances.
<br />
<br />The success of the movie would certainly cause a studio to salivate at <a href="http://oceans12.warnerbros.com/flash.html">the promise of a sequel</a>, but the difficulty of bringing the 12 principals back for a redux is eased by the fact that Clooney and Soderbergh's production company Section 8 are behind this, and the entire crew wants to work together again. This time the effort takes place in Europe with them hitting 3 major cities. A new <a href="http://www.cinescape.com/0/editorial.asp?aff_id=0&this_cat=Movies&action=page&obj_id=41525">poster has just come out</a>, looking very close in style to their original, indicating a continuation of the same quality.
<br /><img src="http://www.themediadrome.com/Images/movies/oceans_11.gif">
<br />One piece of originality in marketing involves the European backdrop. The film is actually working with a team on the <a href="http://www.formula1.com/">Formula-1 circuit</a>, acting as <a href="http://www.jaguar-racing.com/frame.cgi">primary sponsor</a> for one of the Jaguar racers. Their debut is <a href="http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040521005536&newsLang=en">this weekend in Monaco</a>.
<br />Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085144058929675162004-05-21T08:18:00.000-04:002004-05-21T08:54:18.930-04:00A Hop,Skip, and a Jump-Cut Gets Vincent Gallo Distribution<img src="http://www.flaglerhumane.org/images/others/brownbunny.jpg">
<br />Everyone pretty much agreed last year's Cannes Festival stank like a chunk of Brie left out in the sun on the Riviera. Evidence of this was that the biggest story to come out of the fiasco surrounded Vincent Gallo and his disastrous film, "<a href="http://www.sanchodoesasia.com/sgm/multimedia/brown_bunny_affiche.jpg">The Brown Bunny</a>",starring <a href="http://www.liberation.com/objets/obj_11910.jpg">himself and Chloe Sevigny</a>.
<br />
<br />After, and often during viewings, audiences railed against the atrocity on film, and the usually unhinged Gallo was especially charged up as a result.
<br /><img src="http://www.cinematrix.hu/fajlok/muveszek/kepek/gallo.jpg">
<br />He raged that the film wasn't finished yet (begging the question "Why submit it then?"--or better yet, "Why accept it in the festival then?")The best result of the whole affair was a protracted feud that evolved between Gallo and Roger Ebert,(<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/040519/482/can13705190321&e=16&ncid=707">shown here</a> doing his best Tom Wolfe impression on the Croisette.) Many people here in the States expressed regret that they would miss out on this event--people like myself who delight in viewing a cinematic train wreck. Then something happened.
<br />
<br />Gallo brought his rotten-tailed film to the Toronto FF and <a href="http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2003/filmsandprogrammes/description.asp?PageID=live&id=295">the trimmed down version</a> received--well, a different response. Phrases like "It provoked only mild backlash" and, "It received a far less incendiary reception and reaction" were regarded as raves. But those of us hoping to see it deflated slightly at the idea of a reworked and watchable version. Now word is out that independent distributor <a href="http://www.wellspring.com/movies/">Wellspring</a> will bring it into theaters this fall with a home release slated for next year. We can only hope they are brave enough to provide the original cut among the DVD extras. Vincent I'm sure will nix that idea, however.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1085061694291132662004-05-20T09:42:00.000-04:002004-05-20T10:29:33.586-04:00From Alexandras to Z-ChannelI didn't want to be like every other blog on the planet and give a link to the photo of John Kerry's daughter in the gossamer evening gown. <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004223099,00.html">But I will anyway.</a> The thing I have to question--apart from "What the hell does this have to do with John Kerry's campaign?"--is how can anyone position this as a mistake? Most reports detail how the bright lights accidently made Alexandra's assets shine through, but she is a film director--ergo, she should be well versed in the science of lighting and the effects it has on wardrobe. Of course it could also mean she isn't that sharp of a director.
<br />
<br />For me however all of this attention is misdirected, so to speak, as the young Ms. Kerry is not the only film maker named Alexandra we should pay attention to in France. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/18/movies/18CANN.html?ex=1085630400&en=90317139ba217f04&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1">Alexandra Cassavetes</a>--known as Xan--is the daughter of indie legend John and she doesn't make short films like the Senatorial progeny. She has entered a feature length documentary, "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/18/movies/18CANN.html?ex=1085630400&en=90317139ba217f04&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1">Z Channel:A Magnificent Obsession</a>", and I might even add that she would be the preferrable choice to be seen in transluscent trappings. The Z Channel was a pay movie channel available in select portions of LosAngeles during the 70's and 80's. It enjoyed a cult following for years as the channel's film loving programmer played what one fan described as a daily film festival.
<br />
<br />The documentary is receiving plenty of attention at Cannes and the hope is that it will play the American Festival circut, and I'll lobby our director--who is in Cannes--to bring it in to <a href="http://www.fliff.com/2003/fliff6.htm">our festival</a> this year. The only question is that it was financed by <a href="http://www.ifcfilms.com/">IFC Films</a> and they may choose to play it as an original programming selection.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1084969221769764662004-05-19T08:19:00.000-04:002004-05-19T08:20:21.770-04:00Quentin Crackles on CroisetteThey had to know this was going to happen. Cannes has reached its halfway point and one item has dominated headlines thus far: Jury President Quentin Tarantino.
<br /><img src="http://www.tvtome.com/images/people/33/9/29-11854-sm.jpg">
<br />His opening Fest speech was subdued--for Quentin--as he mugged and behaved in his hyperkinetic fashion. But then he ramped up the amp during the Jury Press conference when he and fellow juror Tilda Swinton got into a verbal dust-up over Hollywood movies. She decryed the industrialization of cinema and he asked of her why so many Brits dart off for Beverly Hills the moment they make some serious coin in their career.
<br />
<br />Tarantino's "Kill Bill Pt.2" was also released at Cannes to rave audiences, leading many to speculate that the ultra-violent Korean entry "<a href="http://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fiche_film.php?langue=6002&id_film=4182985">Old Boy</a>" could appeal enough to Quentin to win the Palme d'Or. If that is not enough activirt he has told the press about an upcoming biker picture he is set to make with Michael Madsen and , and he reiterated his wish to direct a James Bond flick. Finally he had the press all a flitter when they revealed <a href="http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/content.asp?y=2004&dt=0516&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Entertainment&pg=en_02.htm">he was sharing a suite</a> with fellow auteur Sofia Coppola. (Their kid would surely be somebody who belongs <em>behind</em>the camera.
<br />
<br />No matter your opinion on the guy you have to give him credit for making Cannes something to pay attention to this yearMartini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1084880780776425732004-05-18T07:11:00.000-04:002004-05-18T07:48:46.830-04:00Prediction from the Cinematic Seer Comes True!<img src="http://www.sojo.net/archives/magazine/archives/soj9807/images/980732d.jpg">
<br />
<br />It was days ago that The Mother Scratcher made this bold prediction:
<br /> <em>Things you can count on the next 12 days--French critics and press doing backflips over Michael Moore's trashing of America</em>
<br />
<br />Well yesterday the vaticination bore out when Moore <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000512340">received a lengthy standing ovation</a> following the screening of his anti-Bush polemic "Fahrenheit 9/11". Yes, <a href="http://www.nobel.se/medicine/educational/pavlov/">this Pavlovian response</a> was pretty much a guarantee, but this blog will still lay claim to the credit. After all, we were willing to go ahead and put it in writing.
<br />
<br />Over the weekend was another occurrence we could have called--Moore taking to the streets <a href="http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=511417§ion=news">alongside the striking French film workers</a>. Mike gave a speech where he proclaimed,
<br /><strong>A job is a human right, a living wage is a human right. This is a human right.</strong>
<br /> The distinction here is that Moore was not marching with mill workers and pipe-fitters who were hoping for a raise to afford better clothes for their kids. These are entertainment employees, many of them actors, who are upset that their "right" to work 3 months and get paid for the entire year was being limited. They were mad at the government though so Moore felt right at home. For a guy who always <a href="http://www.utterwonder.com/archives/images/oscar_michaelmoore-thumb.jpg">looks cranky while in the States</a> he is <a href="http://www.chez.com/se7en/Cinema/Michael%20Moore.jpg">grinning like a 6 year old</a> while in Europe.
<br />
<br />And this makes sense. It was reported that his film "Bowling for Columbine" made $120 million, but less than $22 mill of that was from American theaters.Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1084665851711368512004-05-15T20:01:00.000-04:002004-05-17T07:20:25.456-04:00John May be Forced to Water Down His Movie<img src="http://weeklywire.com/ww/09-02-97/feat_waters.gif">
<br />
<br />The Sultan of Trash, John Waters, has a new experience to contend with. His upcoming picture, "A Dirty Shame" has just <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23683-2004May13.html">been given the "NC-17" tag</a> from the <a href="http://mpaa.org/">MPAA</a>. The movie is about a Baltimore woman, played by Tracy Ullman, who suffers a concussion and is transformed into a sex addict.
<br />
<br />With all <a href="http://cooldirectors.imess.net/images/John%20Waters%20-mages/pink_Flamingoes_poster.jpg">the controversey</a> Waters has stirred up in the past--especially fave actor <a href="http://cooldirectors.imess.net/images/John%20Waters%20-mages/divine_close_up_pink.jpg">Divine</a> gormandizing on offal--it seems amazing he has never garnered such a harsh rating, but the relatively new "NC-17" tag came about once Waters turned towards releasing more mainstream fare. After all, who would have thought a Waters film would have ever <a href="http://www.insurance-finance.com/gif/hairspray.jpg">been brought to the stage</a>?
<br />
<br /><img src="http://www.interlog.com/~suzu/jw/film/jw.gif">Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1084628658838787262004-05-15T09:37:00.000-04:002004-05-18T08:36:31.983-04:00Treatment Engine Pt.2<em>A semi-irregular assessment of proof that there are new ideas in Hollywood based on some of the scripts recently purchased in Dreantown, USA.</em>
<br />
<br /><strong>Robbin Hoodz--</strong> With his movie career in stasis--and no new episodes of ABC's <em>The Mole</em> on the horizon--Stephen Baldwin is looking to move behind the camera--or more accurately, he thankfully won't be in front of the camera. Odd that he dreams up a tale of a Mexican-American "skating protege'" who has a scheme to save the skateboard park where he skates. Baldwin to direct. But first he is looking for a co-writer to craft a script.
<br />
<br /><img src="http://britneys-site.net/Shop/0439397456_03_THUMBZZZ[1].jpg">
<br /><strong>Door to Door--</strong>Brittany Spears is pegged to produce and star in this follow up to "<a href="http://perso.wanadoo.fr/stickers.divx/images/crossroads.jpg">Crossroads</a>", which was about a young girl who takes to the road to become a famous singer. This is about a young girl who takes to the road to become a famous actress, so it is completely different. The girl starts dating a movie star, but rather than getting her a role in his films he gets her a job as a door person at a nightclub. <em>This</em> ends up being her path to stardom. Like the predecessor this too will come via MTV Films.
<br />
<br /><strong>The Man Who Kept Secrets--</strong>Here is one to get excited about. The script is based on a Vanity Fair article about Hollywood lawyer Sidney Korshak. Produced by Robert "the Kid" Evens and Brian Grazer, William Friedkin is set to direct, with venomous penman James Ellroy writing. Try to keep me away.
<br />
<br /><strong>Brat Farrar--</strong>Toss this log into the Affleck chipper. Live Planet picked up this script about the antics of a wealthy family battling over the father's inheritence. Ben's bud Chris Moore is among the producers.
<br />
<br /><strong>Mexican Rodeo--</strong> Since I can't do better, here's the actual description: <em>A talented Rodeo Clown is thrown off the Circuit after the President of the Rodeo gets tired of his arrogant antics. Alienated from all the luxuries and friends he once knew, his life falls apart. Facing jail time after making some bad decisions, he flees to Mexico, where he meets up with a kindred spirit, an old bull fighter, who helps the ex-rodeo clown to realize his true calling as a Matador.</em> They left off the tag line, "Based on the play by William Shakespeare."
<br />
<br />
<br /><strong>3 Day Test--</strong>Though listed as a comedy this sounds horrific. An acoountant loses his mind 3 days before Christmas and torments his family. Now the horror: It is written and to be produced by Corbin Bernsen, and is set to star 13 assorted soap opera stars. Be very afraid.
<br />
<br /><img src="http://www.sebreephoto.com/pix/thumbnails/MICHAEL%20STIPE.jpg">
<br /><strong>Runner Up--</strong>A contestant from a beauty pagant is sentenced to community service. Her solution is to stage a pagant inside a women's prison. Single Cell Productions bought this script which means Michael Stipe is producer. Yes,<em>that</em> Michael Stipe.
<br />
<br />Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399818.post-1084539142402059142004-05-14T07:58:00.000-04:002004-05-18T08:37:49.483-04:00Scattershot EntriesMuch to discuss and yet nothing warranted a post unto itself. Thus, a buffet of blogosphere bunkum.
<br />
<br /><strong>Dunkin Donuts Is Next:</strong> The documentary "<a href="http://www.supersizeme.com/">Super Size Me</a>" gets its national release today, expanding to 113 screens, and <a href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/morganspurlock/">you can follow along </a>with director Morgan Spurlock as he plugs his film. As of now I hear there is no screening scheduled in Florida so we here <a href="http://www.cinemaparadiso.org">at the theater</a> are looking into bringing it in.
<br />
<br /><strong>Proof There is a God--And He Punishes:</strong> The most uncalled for sequel...EVER! Word escaped that for reasons nobody can fathom a <a href="http://www.themovieinsider.com/news/news.php?nid=947">sequel is slated</a> for "Deuce Bigalow: Male Giggalo". As if you needed evidence of this being a disaster a list of insurrections already promised is offered: Rob Schneider will both reprise and co-write the script, the director Mike <em>Bigelow</em> will make his debut after being a commercial lenser, and it will co-star box office poison Eddie Griffin. You know, in other countries this is considered a war crime.
<br />
<br /><strong>Can't Miss the Single Entendre:</strong> There has been an upheaval about the Olsen Twins appearing in a <a href="http://www.whymilk.com/">new "Got Milk" ad</a>, specifically what those moustaches could be interpreted as representing, now that they are nearly 18. My outrage is more esoteric. Who does Ashley think she is fooling wearing a shirt with the Velvet Underground's Warhol Album cover? <a href="http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?aid=494172&item=334932">Lou Reed</a> has Honda Scooters that are older than the twins.
<br />
<br /><strong>Still Too Classy an Event for Him:</strong><a href="http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGCOVERS/music/cover200/dre600/e677/e67760gn403.jpg">Tom Green</a>, who has made a career out of <a href="http://www.reeldeals.com/pictures/stealing.jpg">killing his career</a>, has seen himself marginalized as much as he can be in movies. He is <a href="http://www.moviecitynews.com/Notepad/2004/040512_pr.html">hosting a show </a>celebrating movie trailers. Martini sharkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996451970446315581noreply@blogger.com