August 28, 2010 · 3:11 pm
When you go to see a movie about an exorcism, you know what to expect; a seemingly normal yet freaky subject, moaning, chanting and body contorting. The Last Exorcism really is just more of the same, but puts those elements to use in a rather unique way making them far more terrifying than one would expect without even being graphic. The Last Exorcism is a truly horrifying film, but doesn’t leave you with a pit in your stomach, rather a smile on your face. It’s scary, funny and entertaining and an excellent way to close out the summer.
Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) is a preacher, but he’s also a showman. He can get his congregation to go along and feel good about anything he says, even a recipe for banana bread. Cotton takes the same approach to exorcisms. He puts his showmanship to work, conducts a fake exorcism, really makes his client believe he’s extracting a demon and everyone’s happy. The victim believes the demon has been removed and Cotton gets his money. It’s not as selfish as it sounds; Cotton is just trying to support his family and make sure he can afford his son’s hearing aids. However, after learning of a young boy killed during an exorcism, Cotton decides to make this next one his last and expose the practice for the scam that it is.
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Filed under Reviews
Tagged as Ashley Bell, Caleb Landry Jones, Daniel Stamm, Iris Bahr, Louis Herthum, Patrick Fabian, Review, The Last Exorcism
August 24, 2010 · 11:15 pm
Defending Bad Movies: Grease 2
It’s sad to say, but the summer is coming to a close. It’s even sadder to say – for some – that another school year is about to begin. About this time every year, I get a song stuck in my head. Well, two. First is Billy Madison’s back to school song. You know, “Back to school. Back to school, to prove to Dad that I’m not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don’t get in a fight.” The second comes from a movie with somewhat more acceptable classroom behavior, but also one that’s underappreciated, Grease 2. “I gotta go back, back, back to school again.”
When you’re following in the footsteps of a film as beloved as Grease, you’re practically in a lose-lose situation. There was really no way director Patricia Birch could top Randal Kleiser’s work and Max Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer were just no match for the ultimate duo, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. You know what you do when there’s just no way of being the best? You settle for mediocre and just have a blast with it. And that’s exactly what Grease 2 is; a so-so film that gets major bonus point for being such a damn good time.
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Filed under Features
Tagged as Adrian Zmed, Alison Price, Christopher Nolan, Defending Bad Movies, Didi Conn, Eddie Deezen, Eve Arden, Grease, Grease 2, John Travolta, Leif Green, Lorna Luft, Maureen Teefy, Maxwell Caulfield, Michelle Pfeiffer, Olivia Newton-John, Pamela Adlon, Peter Frechette, Sid Caesar
August 21, 2010 · 8:03 pm
Review: Piranha 3D
I like campy horror flicks – a lot, probably too much. Piranha 3D looked to be everything I’d fall for; I’m a huge fan of director Alexandre Aja’s The Hills Have Eyes, thought writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg’s last film, Sorority Row, was a ton of fun and am always eager to check out new and more grotesque ways of killing off characters. The problem is, Piranha lacks the fear and emotion of The Hills Have Eyes, isn’t half as witty as Sorority Row and almost entirely consists of the same kill over and over. It’s a good thingPiranha only clocks in at 89 minutes because that’s all it’s worth.
It’s spring break and the small town of Lake Victoria is a prime spot for those looking for a party. When the hordes of big-boobed, booze-guzzling students arrive, so does the entertainment like the wet t-shirt contest MC played by Eli Roth and pornographic moviemaker Derrick Jones (Jerry O’Connell) and his Wild Wild Girls, Danni and Crystal (Kelly Brook and Riley Stelle). Meanwhile, Sheriff Julie Forester (Elisabeth Shue) is just trying to keep the peace while her oldest son, Jake (Steven R. McQueen), keeps an eye on her little ones, Laura and Zane (Brooklynn Proulx and Sage Ryan).
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Tagged as Adam Scott, Alexandre Aja, Brooklynn Proulx, Christopher Lloyd, Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connell, Jessica Szohr, Kelly Brook, Piranha 3D, Review, Richard Dreyfuss, Riley Steele, Sage Ryan, Steven R. McQueen, Ving Rhames
· 2:16 pm
Daring to Dream: Casting ‘The Hunger Games’ Movie
I’ve never been a big reader, but in the last few years picked up the hobby of reading books being adapted to film. Even after plowing through dozens, I still never understood the people who would willingly sit all day, flipping pages until they finished an entire book. You know, like the Harry Potter fans. I enjoyed reading, but never felt desperate to see what happens next in exchange for food, sleep or just time to zone out – until I picked up The Hunger Games.
Suzanne Collin‘s book is hands down, the most fantastic piece I’ve ever read. Not only did I read obsessively only stopping to get some work done, but I actually was compelled to read it again, a first for me, and then go on to do the same with the sequel, Catching Fire. You’ll be hooked from the very first page of the soon-to-be three-book series, when you meet the story’s hero, Katniss Everdeen. She lives in Panem, the country formed after the destruction of North America. It consists of the wealthy Capitol and 12 districts, the last of which Katniss calls home. Once every year, each district must select two residents, one boy and one girl both between the ages of 12 and 18, and send them to the Captiol to compete in the Hunger Games, a televised battle to the death.
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Filed under Features
Tagged as Chloe Moretz, David Kross, Elle Fanning, Ian Holm, Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Jodelle Ferland, Joey King, Judy Greer, Kristen Stewart, Lionsgate, Logan Lerman, Malese Jow, Max Thieriot, Megan Fox, Philip Ettinger, Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games Casting
August 13, 2010 · 7:02 pm
Review: Animal Kingdom
Since when did a barrage of bullets make a crime drama a winner? Hollywood might saturate our theaters with implausible film after film where heroes narrowly escape machinegun fire or every character unites for a grand final shootout, but apparently that hasn’t consumed the Australian film industry. In writer-director David Michod’ Animal Kingdom we get the genre antithesis, a film lacking action that builds its tension through smart writing, excellent performances and calculated pacing.
Pope (Ben Mendelsohn) is an armed robber in hiding, his brother Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) is making a killing selling drugs and the youngest, Darren (Luke Ford), is just along for the ride lending a hand when necessary. So is life in the Cody family, a well-known clan in the criminal underground of Melbourne, Australia. When the boys’ nephew, J (James Frencheville), loses his mother to a heroine overdose, their mother, Smurf (Jackie Weaver), brings him into their home and ultimately into their dangerous lifestyle. The Cody brothers and Pope’s longtime friend and partner, Baz (Joel Edgerton), help J assimilate, teaching him vital lessons, most importantly how to let others know who’s king.
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Tagged as Animal Kingdom, Ben Mendelsohn, David Michod, Guy Pearce, Jacki Weaver, James Frencheville, Joel Edgerton, Luke Ford, Review, Sullivan Stapleton
August 12, 2010 · 10:04 pm
Review: Eat Pray Love
Like Glee? Sorry, but this film’s not for you. Despite the fact that Eat Pray Love is directed by the show’s writer-director Ryan Murphy, it’s absolutely nothing like it. It’s got some fantastic music selection, ones that would be nice to hear the William McKinley High School kids revamp, but other than that, Eat Pray Love is exactly the opposite, dreary, no fun and unmemorable. Eat, pray, love? More like eat, pray, snooze.
Julia Roberts stars as Liz, a woman whose life changes after meeting a medicine man named Ketut (Hadi Subiyanto) who predicts she’ll have two marriages, one short and one long. This forces her to recognize the fact that she may very well be in the midst of the short one and ultimately compels her to cut her husband (Billy Crudup) loose. From there she lands in the arms of a young actor (James Franco) and when that doesn’t pan out, she opts to screw it all and go on a yearlong abroad adventure during which she’ll eat, pray and love.
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Tagged as Billy Crudup, Eat Pray Love Review, Hadi Subiyanto, James Franco, Javier Bardem, Julia Roberts, Luca Argentero, Richard Jenkins, Ryan Murphy, Tuva Novotny, Viola Davis
August 10, 2010 · 10:27 pm
Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
On the weekend that every cinematic action hero hits the big screen in just one film, The Expendables, how can moviegoers be expected to accept Michael Cera as just as much of a hero? Thanks to the ingenious filmmaking techniques of Edgar Wright, some may find that Cera is more of a leading man than any of those muscled up stars. Cera isn’t given CGI biceps, but the film adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic book series, Scott Pilgrim, is packed with the most fantastic kind of digital effects, ones that actually enhance the film. However, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World isn’t a flick that relies on a sole asset; it’s a success and innovative achievement on every front.
Scott Pilgrim is the perfect role for Cera. He’s a musician, he’s geeky, has lady issues and frequently mumbles amusing nonsense. To his friends’ and sister’s dismay, Scott’s dating “a 17-year-old Chinese schoolgirl” named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). Scott’s into her, but she’s clearly on the juvenile side. When he invites her to check out his band, Sex Bob-Omb, she becomes their very first groupie. His bandmates, Kim Pine and Stephen Stills (Alison Pill and Mark Webber), and their friend and wannabe Sex Bob-Omb, Young Neil (Johnny Simmons), aren’t thrilled but tolerate Scott’s baggage. Then there’s Scott’s gay roommate Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin) and snarky sister Stacey (Anna Kendrick) who both insist Scott grow up and ditch Knives.
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Tagged as Alison Pill, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Brie Larson, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Chris Evans, Edgar Wright, Ellen Wong, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Keita Saito, Kieran Culkin, Mae Whitman, Mark Webber, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Michael Cera, Review, Satya Bhabha, Scott Pilgrim, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Shota Saito
· 3:39 pm
Interview: Animal Kingdom Writer-Director David Michod
With Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Eat Pray Love and The Expendables all hitting theaters this weekend David Michod’sAnimal Kingdom has some serious competition. All three of those wide releases target different demographics. Scott Pilgrim will pull in the younger crowds, Eat Pray Love primarily woman and The Expendables all the guys craving action. However, Animal Kingdom can’t be assigned a specific category; it’s different and if you’re looking for something other than the typical summer blockbuster, it delivers big time.
Animal Kingdom is Michod’s very first feature film, but having gone to film school, written Hesher and directed a number of short films, he’s certainly no novice in the industry and it shows. The piece is about the Cody family, a family very well known in the Melbourne crime underworld. Pope (Ben Mendelsohn) is the oldest of three brothers, Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) falls in the middle and Darren (Luke Ford) is the youngest. Baz (Joel Edgerton) is Pope’s partner and practically part of the family. Their mother Smurf (Jackie Weaver) is always busy watching over them and even agrees add another to the clan when her young nephew’s (James Frencheville) mother passes away. But when the Cody legacy begins to crumble, they’ve all got to reevaluate where they stand and try to survive while J just has to figure out where he belongs in this jungle.
Michod first began working on this story right after he finished film school and the time he’s put into it really paid off. But the script isn’t the only thing that required a significant amount of attention; there isn’t one element of Animal Kingdom that isn’t clearly well thought out, making the final product extremely effective. Check out what Michod had to say about every aspect of the filmmaking process from developing the script to casting the Codys, all the way down to the editing process.
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Filed under Interviews
Tagged as Animal Kingdom, Ben Mendelsohn, David Michod, Guy Pearce, Interview, Jacki Weaver, James Frencheville, Joel Edgerton, Luke Ford, Sullivan Stapleton
August 8, 2010 · 6:04 pm
Review: The Oxford Murders
Who doesn’t love a good riddle? Even if you can’t solve it on the spot, someone gives you the answer and even hearing the logic of it after the fact is immensely entertaining. But what fun is a riddle you can’t understand? None and that’s why The Oxford Murders fails. You’re curious, but then get a slew of wildly fantastical twists and turns making you wish you could just give up and find out the answer. But until you can watch this one on DVD, there’s no fast forwarding and you must endure 108 minutes of painful perplexity only to discover an answer that’s preposterous.
Elijah Wood stars as Martin, an American working on his doctorate at Oxford. He goes there with his fingers crossed that his idol, Arthur Seldom (John Hurt), will agree to supervise his thesis, but when the two finally come face-to-face in a packed lecture hall, Seldom berates Martin for attempting to disprove the concept that irrefutable truth don’t exist. The encounter is so disheartening, Martin opts to pack his things and head home to the states. But when he gets back to Mrs. Eagleton’s (Anna Massey) house where he’s renting a room, he finds the poor old lady dead. Curiously enough, Martin isn’t alone when he finds Eagleton’s lifeless body, Seldom is there too. A note drove him to the crime scene, a note that also came with a cryptic symbol and implied more murders would follow.
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Tagged as Alex de la Iglesia, Anna Massey, Burn Gorman, Elijah Wood, Jim Carter, John Hurt, Julie Cox, Leonor Watling, Review, The Oxford Murders
August 5, 2010 · 10:45 pm
Interview: The Concert’s Melanie Laurent
Most of us know Mélanie Laurent as one of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, but Laurent had a lengthy resume even before then. But being that they were all foreign films, very few in the US experienced her work. With her new international star status that’s all changing and now we’ve got the chance to see her latest release, the French film The Concert.
“I knew the movie of the director, there was a movie made before, and I was really honored to work with such an amazing director,” Laurent explained. But Radu Mihaileanu wasn’t the only thing that drew Laurent to The Concert. “The script was really amazing because it’s popular and emotional and a challenge with the violin, so I was really excited to be involved in that project.”
The story is about a former conductor, Andrei Filipov (Aleksei Guskov). In his heyday he directed the famous Bolshoi orchestra, but when he was publically criticized for including Jewish performers in his group, his renowned career came to an end. Now he’s merely a janitor where the Bolshoi perform. However, one day, that works to his advantage. He intercepts a fax inviting the Bolshoi to play at the Châtelet Theater in Paris and opts to seize the opportunity for himself, reassemble his old musicians and head to Paris pretending to be the Bolshoi.
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Filed under Interviews
Tagged as Aleksei Guskov, Beginners, Christopher Plummer, Damien Rice, Ewan McGregor, Francois Berleand, Inglourious Basterds, Melanie Laurent, Quentin Tarantino, Radu Mihaileanu, The Concert
