list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Star_Wars_Episode_III_Revenge_of_the_Sith/227046/default.aspx Title: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Year: 2005
Director: George Lucas
Plot: George Lucas draws the Star Wars film series to a close with this dark sci-fi adventure which sets the stage for the events of the first film and brings the saga full circle. After a fierce battle in which Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin (Hayden Christensen) join Republic forces to help free Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) from the evil Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and his minions, Anakin is drawn into Palpatine's confidence. Palpatine has designs on expanding his rule, and with this in mind he plants seeds of doubt in Anakin's mind about the strength and wisdom of the Jedis. Anakin is already in a quandary about how to reveal to others the news of his secret marriage to Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) now that she is pregnant, and visions which foretell her death in childbirth weigh heavy on his mind. As Anakin finds himself used by both the Jedis and the Republic for their own purposes -- particularly after Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) expresses his distrust of the young Jedi -- he turns more and more to the Force for help, but begins to succumb to the temptations of its dark side. Many of the Star Wars series regulars returned for Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith, including Frank Oz as the voice of Yoda, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Kenny Baker as R2-D2, and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 41
Number of Lists: 93
Number of blog posts: 11
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 12 May 2009 02:37:22 GMTStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith2005George Lucas<a href="/players/P___100308/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>George Lucas</a> draws the <a href=/films/32762/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Star Wars</a> film series to a close with this dark sci-fi adventure which sets the stage for the events of the first film and brings the saga full circle. After a fierce battle in which Obi-Wan (<a href="/players/P___196980/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ewan McGregor</a>) and Anakin (<a href="/players/P___277514/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Hayden Christensen</a>) join Republic forces to help free Chancellor Palpatine (<a href="/players/P____47249/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ian McDiarmid</a>) from the evil Count Dooku (<a href="/players/P____41362/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Lee</a>) and his minions, Anakin is drawn into Palpatine's confidence. Palpatine has designs on expanding his rule, and with this in mind he plants seeds of doubt in Anakin's mind about the strength and wisdom of the Jedis. Anakin is already in a quandary about how to reveal to others the news of his secret marriage to Padmé Amidala (<a href="/players/P___197461/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Natalie Portman</a>) now that she is pregnant, and visions which foretell her death in childbirth weigh heavy on his mind. As Anakin finds himself used by both the Jedis and the Republic for their own purposes -- particularly after Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) expresses his distrust of the young Jedi -- he turns more and more to the Force for help, but begins to succumb to the temptations of its dark side. Many of the <a href=/films/32762/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Star Wars</a> series regulars returned for Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith, including <a href="/players/P___105306/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Frank Oz</a> as the voice of Yoda, <a href="/players/P____16857/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Anthony Daniels</a> as C-3PO, <a href="/players/P_____3418/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kenny Baker</a> as R2-D2, and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide41Tag Target (>10)931123http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t64766q3vn5.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Star_Wars_Episode_III_Revenge_of_the_Sith/227046/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/the_mow/archive/2009/5/1/41994.aspx Post By: The_MOW
Post To: The_MOW Blog
Post Date: 5/1/2009 11:11:32 PM
Body: The "Clone Wars" has been going on for three years. And things are starting to drasticly change for the worse. "Chancellor Palpatine" (Ian McDiarmid) hs been kidnapped, and "Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi" (Ewan McGregor) and his student "Anikan Skywalker" (Hayden Christensen) went in under heavy attack to save him. But, it turned out to all be a set up. "Palpatine" staged his own kidnapping, as he is the evil "Sith Lord" that "Master Yoda" (voiced by Frank Oz) knew about, but was uncertain of his true identity. What "Yoda," and the rest of the "Jedi Council," do not know is that "Palpatine's" plans include seducing "Skywalker" into joining the "Dark Side" of the "Force," the mysterious energy that binds everything together. Almost immediately, starting after the opening scrolling text, you are bombarded with an incredible space battle. Throughout the entire movie, you are presented with incredible scenery which causes me to STRONGLY recommend you watch this in wide-screen format. The scenery, which is obviously CGI in most cases, is not only well designed, but well shot. Another amazing piece of this film are the battle scenes, including the "lightsaber" duels. These scenes are incredibly well choreographed, and never allow the audience to take a long enough breath to relax. We get to see some familiar faces in this film from the original trilogy. However, they are under used and are not given much to do. We also get to meet some new faces in this film which help up the backstory leading into the original trilogy. There are some real good performances, which sometimes have to work with some pretty bad lines in the script. However, the actors make the weaker lines in the dialogue work well and you don't really catch them unless you see this movie a few times. Some other performances are a little hard to watch, but that is thanks to what the actors were given in the script. There are some scenes which lag pretty bad, thanks to the writing. The lines are hard to digest in these scenes, but are tolerable. One thing that will take your breath away is the appearance that this trilogy had been leading up to -- the appearance of "Darth Vader." As you see the transformation of "Skywalker into the "Dark Lord of the Sith," you hold your breath in anticipation of hearing the famed breathing sound effect that once sent chills down the spine of my younger sister who use to be terrified by one of the greatest villains in sci-fi history. And you will get a chill going down your spine when you hear "Vader" take his first breath. Despite the minor flaws with dialogue, this movie is enjoyable to watch. And it makes up for the weaker film which leads into this one.
]]>Sat, 02 May 2009 03:11:32 GMTThe_MOWThe_MOW Blog5/1/2009 11:11:32 PMThe "Clone Wars" has been going on for three years. And things are starting to drasticly change for the worse. "Chancellor Palpatine" (Ian McDiarmid) hs been kidnapped, and "Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi" (Ewan McGregor) and his student "Anikan Skywalker" (Hayden Christensen) went in under heavy attack to save him. But, it turned out to all be a set up. "Palpatine" staged his own kidnapping, as he is the evil "Sith Lord" that "Master Yoda" (voiced by Frank Oz) knew about, but was uncertain of his true identity. What "Yoda," and the rest of the "Jedi Council," do not know is that "Palpatine's" plans include seducing "Skywalker" into joining the "Dark Side" of the "Force," the mysterious energy that binds everything together. Almost immediately, starting after the opening scrolling text, you are bombarded with an incredible space battle. Throughout the entire movie, you are presented with incredible scenery which causes me to STRONGLY recommend you watch this in wide-screen format. The scenery, which is obviously CGI in most cases, is not only well designed, but well shot. Another amazing piece of this film are the battle scenes, including the "lightsaber" duels. These scenes are incredibly well choreographed, and never allow the audience to take a long enough breath to relax. We get to see some familiar faces in this film from the original trilogy. However, they are under used and are not given much to do. We also get to meet some new faces in this film which help up the backstory leading into the original trilogy. There are some real good performances, which sometimes have to work with some pretty bad lines in the script. However, the actors make the weaker lines in the dialogue work well and you don't really catch them unless you see this movie a few times. Some other performances are a little hard to watch, but that is thanks to what the actors were given in the script. There are some scenes which lag pretty bad, thanks to the writing. The lines are hard to digest in these scenes, but are tolerable. One thing that will take your breath away is the appearance that this trilogy had been leading up to -- the appearance of "Darth Vader." As you see the transformation of "Skywalker into the "Dark Lord of the Sith," you hold your breath in anticipation of hearing the famed breathing sound effect that once sent chills down the spine of my younger sister who use to be terrified by one of the greatest villains in sci-fi history. And you will get a chill going down your spine when you hear "Vader" take his first breath. Despite the minor flaws with dialogue, this movie is enjoyable to watch. And it makes up for the weaker film which leads into this one. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/3/27/41289.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/27/2009 9:00:44 AM
Body: Though the third Fast and the Furious installment, Tokyo Drift, wasn’t a huge box office disappointment with its $63 million domestic gross, it was significantly less successful than its predecessors, The Fast and the Furious ($145 million) and 2 Fast 2 Furious ($127 million). A fourth film would normally see an even bigger drop in box office receipts, but next week’s Fast & Furious has a good chance of actually being the highest-grossing film in the series yet, due to the return of original cast members Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordanna Brewster and, most importantly, Vin Diesel. With the expectation that Fast & Furious will be enough of a hit to save the franchise, we take a look at ten other films that similarly kept their respective series going, either because of an increase in profits or a surprising increase in quality, following one or many disappointing installments. Batman Begins (2005) It’s appropriate to begin with the film that has “begins” in the title. Also, this is one of the more obvious examples (it’s also the first in alphabetical order), but it almost seems to count the least, because while it did lift the Batman franchise back up, both in terms of box office and quality, after Batman & Robin, Christopher Nolan’s reboot of the character isn’t much in line with the previous installments. For all the difference between Burton’s and Schumacher’s pairs of films, they are of the same continuity, for the most part. Still, compared to attempted reboots like Superman Returns and Punisher: War Zone, Batman Begins is a real savior; just imagine if it had failed, and we’d never have gotten The Dark Knight. Goldeneye (1995) and Casino Royale (2006) While Casino Royale is another obvious choice and could very well have been the only James Bond film on this list, it’s worth including Goldeneye, too, because after the disappointing 007 films starring Timothy Dalton, this installment boosted the franchise’s profits way back up and thankfully knocked Moonraker off the highest-grossing-Bond movie throne. Beginning a more action-packed run with new lead Pierce Brosnan, Goldeneye was a terrific addition to the series even if it led to a subsequent drop in quality where spectacle took precedence over story. Fortunately, a decade later Casino Royale came in and saved the franchise once again. Halloween H20 (1998) Thanks in part to the return of Jamie Lee Curtis, who was joined by a crop of young, likable stars including Michelle Williams, Josh Hartnett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (not to mention LL Cool J), Halloween H20 was a huge success and a huge breath of fresh air after a number of unwatchable (even with Paul Rudd) Halloween sequels. This film did the Superman Returns thing, too (and first), where it jumped back and ignored all the terrible installments, treating them as having never happened. It wasn’t great, but it was better, and for the first time, a Halloween sequel grossed more money than the original (since that time, the remake has replaced H20 at the top). Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Following two adequate but not great Harry Potter adaptations from Chris Columbus, the series got a huge makeover and new life when Alfonso Cuaron took on the third film. Though some of us may think it a tad overrated and not actually as great as the fourth film, Goblet of Fire, Prisoner of Azkaban was undeniably important in showing that the franchise could (and would) mature along with its characters. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) It wasn’t necessarily because Heather Langenkamp returned to the series, and it wasn’t necessarily that this second sequel took in so much money (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge had already out-grossed the original). After a darkly shot and depressingly non-scary sequel, Dream Warriors did the best thing a horror franchise can do (in our opinion): it turned it into a fantasy film that combined the likes of Dungeons and Dragons and superhero movies. Without this refreshing installment, we children of the ‘80s might not have continued following the franchise so enthusiastically. Mission: Impossible III (2006) This J.J. Abrams-directed installment may have been the lowest grossing of the franchise, but it is the best of the three. Coming off the sloppy and confusing disasters that were Brian De Palma’s original and John Woo’s sequel, that may not be saying much, but shockingly it is an exceptional action film. Part of its favor is of course Philip Seymour Hoffman as the villain (and as Ethan Hunt disguised as the villain wearing a Philip Seymour Hoffman mask), but overall the film was more critically lauded than the first two films, and in spite of its being a box office disappointment, M:iI:III may have saved the franchise simply on the merit of its reviews (or, is a fourth installment merely being made because Hollywood has nothing better to do?). Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) and Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Many Trekkies would note that every other installment in the Star Trek franchise saves the series, and it’s generally understood that even-numbered films are always better than odd-numbered. Many Trekkies would also argue therefore that Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan should be on this list for initially saving the series following a relatively weak start. But we non-Trek fans have to point to The Voyage Home for bringing in us kids who cared more about humpback whales than space battles. Or, at least that seems to be how this installment managed to become the (still) highest-grossing Trek movie. Unfortunately, there were no sea mammals in any of the subsequent sequels and it wasn’t until the Next Generation TV cast got their own movie (as in, not shared with the original crew) that another installment, First Contact, out-grossed all other sequels (except the always-reigning whale-filled one, of course) and appeared to temporarily save the franchise once again. Later this year, we’ll get to see if J.J. Abrams’ reboot, Star Trek, has any ocean life and/or what it takes to jumpstart the series, too. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) It made the least amount of money of the three Star Wars prequels, but Attack of the Clones was the trilogy’s saving grace, because after the “George Lucas ruined my childhood!” disappointments of The Phantom Menace, this second (or fifth?) installment of the franchise got the old fans excited again by alluding to (and leading in the direction of) more characters and events of the original movies, while overall featuring a better plot and more satisfying action. It helped, of course, that Jake Lloyd isn’t in it and that Jar-Jar isn’t quite as prominent. If it hadn’t been so good, many of us would have never bothered with Revenge of the Sith. In a way, it’s to the other two prequels what Empire Strikes Back was to the other films of the first trilogy, though it’s not quite worthy of such a favorable comparison. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:00:44 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/27/2009 9:00:44 AMThough the third Fast and the Furious installment, Tokyo Drift, wasn’t a huge box office disappointment with its $63 million domestic gross, it was significantly less successful than its predecessors, The Fast and the Furious ($145 million) and 2 Fast 2 Furious ($127 million). A fourth film would normally see an even bigger drop in box office receipts, but next week’s Fast & Furious has a good chance of actually being the highest-grossing film in the series yet, due to the return of original cast members Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordanna Brewster and, most importantly, Vin Diesel. With the expectation that Fast & Furious will be enough of a hit to save the franchise, we take a look at ten other films that similarly kept their respective series going, either because of an increase in profits or a surprising increase in quality, following one or many disappointing installments. Batman Begins (2005) It’s appropriate to begin with the film that has “begins” in the title. Also, this is one of the more obvious examples (it’s also the first in alphabetical order), but it almost seems to count the least, because while it did lift the Batman franchise back up, both in terms of box office and quality, after Batman & Robin, Christopher Nolan’s reboot of the character isn’t much in line with the previous installments. For all the difference between Burton’s and Schumacher’s pairs of films, they are of the same continuity, for the most part. Still, compared to attempted reboots like Superman Returns and Punisher: War Zone, Batman Begins is a real savior; just imagine if it had failed, and we’d never have gotten The Dark Knight. Goldeneye (1995) and Casino Royale (2006) While Casino Royale is another obvious choice and could very well have been the only James Bond film on this list, it’s worth including Goldeneye, too, because after the disappointing 007 films starring Timothy Dalton, this installment boosted the franchise’s profits way back up and thankfully knocked Moonraker off the highest-grossing-Bond movie throne. Beginning a more action-packed run with new lead Pierce Brosnan, Goldeneye was a terrific addition to the series even if it led to a subsequent drop in quality where spectacle took precedence over story. Fortunately, a decade later Casino Royale came in and saved the franchise once again. Halloween H20 (1998) Thanks in part to the return of Jamie Lee Curtis, who was joined by a crop of young, likable stars including Michelle Williams, Josh Hartnett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (not to mention LL Cool J), Halloween H20 was a huge success and a huge breath of fresh air after a number of unwatchable (even with Paul Rudd) Halloween sequels. This film did the Superman Returns thing, too (and first), where it jumped back and ignored all the terrible installments, treating them as having never happened. It wasn’t great, but it was better, and for the first time, a Halloween sequel grossed more money than the original (since that time, the remake has replaced H20 at the top). Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Following two adequate but not great Harry Potter adaptations from Chris Columbus, the series got a huge makeover and new life when Alfonso Cuaron took on the third film. Though some of us may think it a tad overrated and not actually as great as the fourth film, Goblet of Fire, Prisoner of Azkaban was undeniably important in showing that the franchise could (and would) mature along with its characters. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) It wasn’t necessarily because Heather Langenkamp returned to the series, and it wasn’t necessarily that this second sequel took in so much money (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge had already out-grossed the original). After a darkly shot and depressingly non-scary sequel, Dream Warriors did the best thing a horror franchise can do (in our opinion): it turned it into a fantasy film that combined the likes of Dungeons and Dragons and superhero movies. Without this refreshing installment, we children of the ‘80s might not have continued following the franchise so enthusiastically. Mission: Impossible III (2006) This J.J. Abrams-directed installment may have been the lowest grossing of the franchise, but it is the best of the three. Coming off the sloppy and confusing disasters that were Brian De Palma’s original and John Woo’s sequel, that may not be saying much, but shockingly it is an exceptional action film. Part of its favor is of course Philip Seymour Hoffman as the villain (and as Ethan Hunt disguised as the villain wearing a Philip Seymour Hoffman mask), but overall the film was more critically lauded than the first two films, and in spite of its being a box office disappointment, M:iI:III may have saved the franchise simply on the merit of its reviews (or, is a fourth installment merely being made because Hollywood has nothing better to do?). Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) and Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Many Trekkies would note that every other installment in the Star Trek franchise saves the series, and it’s generally understood that even-numbered films are always better than odd-numbered. Many Trekkies would also argue therefore that Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan should be on this list for initially saving the series following a relatively weak start. But we non-Trek fans have to point to The Voyage Home for bringing in us kids who cared more about humpback whales than space battles. Or, at least that seems to be how this installment managed to become the (still) highest-grossing Trek movie. Unfortunately, there were no sea mammals in any of the subsequent sequels and it wasn’t until the Next Generation TV cast got their own movie (as in, not shared with the original crew) that another installment, First Contact, out-grossed all other sequels (except the always-reigning whale-filled one, of course) and appeared to temporarily save the franchise once again. Later this year, we’ll get to see if J.J. Abrams’ reboot, Star Trek, has any ocean life and/or what it takes to jumpstart the series, too. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) It made the least amount of money of the three Star Wars prequels, but Attack of the Clones was the trilogy’s saving grace, because after the “George Lucas ruined my childhood!” disappointments of The Phantom Menace, this second (or fifth?) installment of the franchise got the old fans excited again by alluding to (and leading in the direction of) more characters and events of the original movies, while overall featuring a better plot and more satisfying action. It helped, of course, that Jake Lloyd isn’t in it and that Jar-Jar isn’t quite as prominent. If it hadn’t been so good, many of us would have never bothered with Revenge of the Sith. In a way, it’s to the other two prequels what Empire Strikes Back was to the other films of the first trilogy, though it’s not quite worthy of such a favorable comparison. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/rik_tod/archive/2008/9/2/34638.aspx Post By: rik_tod
Post To: The Cinema 4 Pylon: SpOutpost
Post Date: 9/2/2008 10:00:29 AM
Body: Director: Stig SvendsenNorwegian, 9 minutes, colorCinema 4 Rating: 6A scene that I did not mention the other day in my piece on My Name is Yu Ming was one in which the titular character, a Chinese man who has learned Gaelic in order to seek a new and hopefully more fulfilling existence in Ireland (a course which he has suggested to himself entirely at random), engages in an impersonation of an iconic movie scene. Yu Ming, his face covered by cream as he shaves in front of his bathroom mirror, begins to perform De Niro's "You talkin' to me?" scene from Taxi Driver, repeating the famous lines in his newly learned second language, though after he does four or five bits, he drops the tough guy act and snickers nerdishly at the mirror, handily amused with his lonely antics.I started to wonder then as to whether a character in Yu Ming's circumstances and location would have not only actually had the chance to see Taxi Driver, but whether that sequence has quite the same impact dubbed into another language, where it is no longer De Niro verbally acting the part. My musing then broke down into whether, if Yu Ming had indeed seen Taxi Driver, it was as a bootleg via the black market, or then, if not, if the film were even available legally in his country. In Ireland, where My Name is Yu Ming was made, certainly it is available, and the English version would naturally carry over and play well the same there. It was the inclusion of China into the equation that had me musing.I didn't think much about this film scene that comments on yet another film scene until I watched the sixth film on the Shorts! Volume 3 DVD collection, Loose Ends, a couple of days later. Where Yu Ming only fleetingly (and without real consequence) nodded at American pop culture, this nine-minute comic Norwegian short practically wallows in it. Having recently watched Simon Pegg's Spaced for the first (and second and third) time, I couldn't held but reflect upon it when confronted with Loose Ends' pair of Star Wars-obsessed supergeeks, who start an epic battle (though always of modest proportions) over whether E.T.s belong in the Star Wars universe.Their geekitude is proven by their abilities to delve into such battle not over the better films in the Star Wars series, but over the worst one instead. But I myself shall not continue the debate, nor will I give away much more in the short, as pretty much the entire piece depends on how they play off the various permutations of this running feud. This includes the punchline, which I find personally a little underwhelming, though when I first watched it, the bit did warrant a chuckle on my part, as it did my girlfriend, who is herself a tad obsessive over the series, when I showed it to her later. At that point, though, I was past the chuckling stage over the ending, and had moved on to wondering where the rest of the Clerks-style Norwegian comedy classic, out of which this short seems to have wandered, could be. Two loser geeks rambling smartly but to little positive effect about minor details in Star Wars movies? Sounds like Nordic Kevin Smith to me, especially with a lot of Ås waddling about the place.I am still unsure about whether the title Loose Ends really works for this film, as I really don't see anything in the commonly accepted though ambiguous area of loose ends in it, nor is anything really left unresolved, nor is it Norwegian porn -- gay, straight or transgendered -- so it certainly couldn't stand for anything in the area. The title most definitely didn't prepare me for the fact that I would smacked straight off in the face with jokes about Jar Jar Binks and the slow, careful loading of an E.T. Pez dispenser. But, like the Yu Ming scene, Loose Ends set me immediately into wondering about the prevalence of American pop culture throughout the globe. Not so much about the effects of such prevalence, because I really don't care, and am, in fact, more concerned about the effects on our own country, and only regarding those things for which I hold distaste if not outright disdain.I do not doubt that someone will take me to task for considering the Star Wars films wholly American as they were filmed to a great extent in England, Tunisia and points elsewhere, and with an international cast to boot. But, production-wise and creator-wise, they are just as American as Lucas' Graffiti, though if it helps matters for the nitpickers (with whom I would often fall into rank), we could just speak of this as English-speaking culture and be done with it.In the end, we have a series of science fiction/fantasy films (let's not start that argument here) that are wildly popular throughout the world, are referenced constantly in American culture in all forms of media, and now, apparently, have inspired a Norwegian filmmaker to create his own slacker comedy short built around the incidental appearances of characters from other American films or from films in the same series which take place years in the future apart from the films under discussion (The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith).That this became the subject of the film's dialogue charmed me from the start of Loose Ends, chiefly because I was not expecting it, especially from two guys (one of whom, unsurprisingly, is named Lars) driving through some undefined backstretch of the Norwegian road system in the middle of the night. I doubt if the subject were anything else of actual Scandinavian origin that I would have been drawn so quickly into the film. (Well, any subject except for lutefisk... that is so frightening and noxious a concept, that any film attempting to explain its supposed appeal has got to be fascinating straight through.) Suddenly, I am watching two fellows from a foreign land having a conversation that I could just as easily have with any of my own friends here in the States. And probably have had at some point.But the film, perhaps befitting the shabbiness of its choice of Star Wars flicks, is only an amusing trifle and the initial charm starts to wear off before the conclusion. Even in a home where I am surrounded by Harryhausen posters, Universal Monster models and Bruce Campbell knick-knacks, geek culture grows increasingly thin with me the longer I am exposed to it through the voices or actions of others outside myself. It's the main reason I have yet to actually venture to Comic-Con, even though I live not that far away. It's the main reason I have only been in a comic shop twice in the last three years. And it's also the reason I have yet to attend a film festival down here. Perhaps it stems from a self-loathing, and I don't wish to be reminded of that which I have become, a person who has been sucked into a vortex of comics, music, toys and videos from which I know no reasonable escape. Not to say that I do not enjoy my trappings nor continue to add to my various collections. But I also recognize that perhaps with a little bit of self-restraint, I might have a real home now, instead of a massive pile of what largely boils down to nothing but paper and plastic representing junk culture crammed into an increasingly crowded apartment. Who knows what I might have done with the money I would have saved over the past 25 years? I might have done something bigger than just blowing wads of cash attempting to complete my Fantastic Four collection (which I never actually did) or tracking down those elusive Cowboy Bebop soundtrack import CDs (which were subsequently swiped from me). At least Yu Ming knew enough to cut his geek foray off after a couple of Gaelic-translated Travis Bickle lines.And now you know why I am reluctant to be concerned about how our culture is affecting the rest of the world. Sometimes, I think they can just have it. And the Norwegians can certainly keep The Phantom Menace if they wish...
]]>Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:00:29 GMTrik_todThe Cinema 4 Pylon: SpOutpost9/2/2008 10:00:29 AMDirector: Stig SvendsenNorwegian, 9 minutes, colorCinema 4 Rating: 6A scene that I did not mention the other day in my piece on My Name is Yu Ming was one in which the titular character, a Chinese man who has learned Gaelic in order to seek a new and hopefully more fulfilling existence in Ireland (a course which he has suggested to himself entirely at random), engages in an impersonation of an iconic movie scene. Yu Ming, his face covered by cream as he shaves in front of his bathroom mirror, begins to perform De Niro's "You talkin' to me?" scene from Taxi Driver, repeating the famous lines in his newly learned second language, though after he does four or five bits, he drops the tough guy act and snickers nerdishly at the mirror, handily amused with his lonely antics.I started to wonder then as to whether a character in Yu Ming's circumstances and location would have not only actually had the chance to see Taxi Driver, but whether that sequence has quite the same impact dubbed into another language, where it is no longer De Niro verbally acting the part. My musing then broke down into whether, if Yu Ming had indeed seen Taxi Driver, it was as a bootleg via the black market, or then, if not, if the film were even available legally in his country. In Ireland, where My Name is Yu Ming was made, certainly it is available, and the English version would naturally carry over and play well the same there. It was the inclusion of China into the equation that had me musing.I didn't think much about this film scene that comments on yet another film scene until I watched the sixth film on the Shorts! Volume 3 DVD collection, Loose Ends, a couple of days later. Where Yu Ming only fleetingly (and without real consequence) nodded at American pop culture, this nine-minute comic Norwegian short practically wallows in it. Having recently watched Simon Pegg's Spaced for the first (and second and third) time, I couldn't held but reflect upon it when confronted with Loose Ends' pair of Star Wars-obsessed supergeeks, who start an epic battle (though always of modest proportions) over whether E.T.s belong in the Star Wars universe.Their geekitude is proven by their abilities to delve into such battle not over the better films in the Star Wars series, but over the worst one instead. But I myself shall not continue the debate, nor will I give away much more in the short, as pretty much the entire piece depends on how they play off the various permutations of this running feud. This includes the punchline, which I find personally a little underwhelming, though when I first watched it, the bit did warrant a chuckle on my part, as it did my girlfriend, who is herself a tad obsessive over the series, when I showed it to her later. At that point, though, I was past the chuckling stage over the ending, and had moved on to wondering where the rest of the Clerks-style Norwegian comedy classic, out of which this short seems to have wandered, could be. Two loser geeks rambling smartly but to little positive effect about minor details in Star Wars movies? Sounds like Nordic Kevin Smith to me, especially with a lot of &Aring;s waddling about the place.I am still unsure about whether the title Loose Ends really works for this film, as I really don't see anything in the commonly accepted though ambiguous area of loose ends in it, nor is anything really left unresolved, nor is it Norwegian porn -- gay, straight or transgendered -- so it certainly couldn't stand for anything in the area. The title most definitely didn't prepare me for the fact that I would smacked straight off in the face with jokes about Jar Jar Binks and the slow, careful loading of an E.T. Pez dispenser. But, like the Yu Ming scene, Loose Ends set me immediately into wondering about the prevalence of American pop culture throughout the globe. Not so much about the effects of such prevalence, because I really don't care, and am, in fact, more concerned about the effects on our own country, and only regarding those things for which I hold distaste if not outright disdain.I do not doubt that someone will take me to task for considering the Star Wars films wholly American as they were filmed to a great extent in England, Tunisia and points elsewhere, and with an international cast to boot. But, production-wise and creator-wise, they are just as American as Lucas' Graffiti, though if it helps matters for the nitpickers (with whom I would often fall into rank), we could just speak of this as English-speaking culture and be done with it.In the end, we have a series of science fiction/fantasy films (let's not start that argument here) that are wildly popular throughout the world, are referenced constantly in American culture in all forms of media, and now, apparently, have inspired a Norwegian filmmaker to create his own slacker comedy short built around the incidental appearances of characters from other American films or from films in the same series which take place years in the future apart from the films under discussion (The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith).That this became the subject of the film's dialogue charmed me from the start of Loose Ends, chiefly because I was not expecting it, especially from two guys (one of whom, unsurprisingly, is named Lars) driving through some undefined backstretch of the Norwegian road system in the middle of the night. I doubt if the subject were anything else of actual Scandinavian origin that I would have been drawn so quickly into the film. (Well, any subject except for lutefisk... that is so frightening and noxious a concept, that any film attempting to explain its supposed appeal has got to be fascinating straight through.) Suddenly, I am watching two fellows from a foreign land having a conversation that I could just as easily have with any of my own friends here in the States. And probably have had at some point.But the film, perhaps befitting the shabbiness of its choice of Star Wars flicks, is only an amusing trifle and the initial charm starts to wear off before the conclusion. Even in a home where I am surrounded by Harryhausen posters, Universal Monster models and Bruce Campbell knick-knacks, geek culture grows increasingly thin with me the longer I am exposed to it through the voices or actions of others outside myself. It's the main reason I have yet to actually venture to Comic-Con, even though I live not that far away. It's the main reason I have only been in a comic shop twice in the last three years. And it's also the reason I have yet to attend a film festival down here. Perhaps it stems from a self-loathing, and I don't wish to be reminded of that which I have become, a person who has been sucked into a vortex of comics, music, toys and videos from which I know no reasonable escape. Not to say that I do not enjoy my trappings nor continue to add to my various collections. But I also recognize that perhaps with a little bit of self-restraint, I might have a real home now, instead of a massive pile of what largely boils down to nothing but paper and plastic representing junk culture crammed into an increasingly crowded apartment. Who knows what I might have done with the money I would have saved over the past 25 years? I might have done something bigger than just blowing wads of cash attempting to complete my Fantastic Four collection (which I never actually did) or tracking down those elusive Cowboy Bebop soundtrack import CDs (which were subsequently swiped from me). At least Yu Ming knew enough to cut his geek foray off after a couple of Gaelic-translated Travis Bickle lines.And now you know why I am reluctant to be concerned about how our culture is affecting the rest of the world. Sometimes, I think they can just have it. And the Norwegians can certainly keep The Phantom Menace if they wish... http://www.spout.com/blogs/christhilk/archive/2008/8/27/34476.aspx Post By: ChrisThilk
Post To: ChrisThilk Blog
Post Date: 8/27/2008 6:01:15 PM
Body: With the arrival of Star Wars: The Clone Wars in theaters (which I’ve still yet to see) I thought it a good opportunity to revisit the first part of Lucas’ space epic. As I worked through The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and then Revenge of the Sith (with the first animated Clone Wars series in between the last two) I found the biggest change is a gradual diminishing of unnecessary moments in each consecutive film. Where Menace is filled with shots that serve no discernible purpose, Sith is pretty tight from a story-telling point of view. We aren’t subjected to many useless shots of a character looking from one side of the frame to the next, and the camera doesn’t linger upon the glory of Lucas’ CGI creations as it so often does in the first movie. It’s impossible, even if you’re like me and are willing to forgive a lot as I am, to not be occasionally taken out of the moment by the hammy bits of dialogue and instances of wooden acting that litter the films. But even with those roadblocks in place the trilogy probably isn’t as bad as most people would have you think. It’s simply impossible to feel about a movie at age 30 the same way you did when you were seven. And that reality has done a lot of damage to a set of movies that, really, aren’t as bad as they’ve been made out to be. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk
]]>Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:01:15 GMTChrisThilkChrisThilk Blog8/27/2008 6:01:15 PMWith the arrival of Star Wars: The Clone Wars in theaters (which I’ve still yet to see) I thought it a good opportunity to revisit the first part of Lucas’ space epic. As I worked through The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and then Revenge of the Sith (with the first animated Clone Wars series in between the last two) I found the biggest change is a gradual diminishing of unnecessary moments in each consecutive film. Where Menace is filled with shots that serve no discernible purpose, Sith is pretty tight from a story-telling point of view. We aren’t subjected to many useless shots of a character looking from one side of the frame to the next, and the camera doesn’t linger upon the glory of Lucas’ CGI creations as it so often does in the first movie. It’s impossible, even if you’re like me and are willing to forgive a lot as I am, to not be occasionally taken out of the moment by the hammy bits of dialogue and instances of wooden acting that litter the films. But even with those roadblocks in place the trilogy probably isn’t as bad as most people would have you think. It’s simply impossible to feel about a movie at age 30 the same way you did when you were seven. And that reality has done a lot of damage to a set of movies that, really, aren’t as bad as they’ve been made out to be. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/7/18/32731.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/18/2008 2:00:58 PM
Body: Surely you are going to see The Dark Knight this weekend. Even if you already saw it at a preview screening last night/this morning, you’re probably geeky enough to be planning on seeing it again before Monday morning comes along. After all, Warner Bros. has dispersed a record amount of prints to a record amount of screens and the pundits are predicting a record box office gross for the weekend (never mind the fact that fellow new releases Mamma Mia! and Space Chimps and other still-strong blockbusters Hellboy II, Hancock and Wall-E will be supposedly be assisting in this matter). It’s almost being forced to be a monumental event. So, yeah, you’re totally going. You probably even already bought tickets, since Fandango reports that advance tickets for TDK have been the fastest sell since Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (while writing this I received a new Fandango press release claiming they’re selling 10 TDK tickets per second today). Wait, what? You say you’re skipping out on TDK this weekend? Not possible. Whatever your lame excuse, I have a rebuttal: 10. You Didn’t See Batman Begins - This should be a decent enough reason not to see TDK, except that apparently it’s not really necessary to see the previous installment. I’ve seen TDK called better than BB, I’ve seen it called The Godfather Part II of superhero movies and I’ve seen it called the Empire Strikes Back of the franchise. But more importantly, I’m pretty sure I read somewhere (or maybe I dreamed it) that TDK should be where Christopher Nolan’s take on the series begins. So just retrospectively consider BB a prequel. 9. You’re turned off by all the marketing - Sure, the Dominos pizza boxes and the Comcast ads were a bit much. And even before all the promotional tie-ins arrived, the different marketing strategies were obnoxious. But just think: if The Dark Knight doesn’t actually break records this weekend thanks to your dollars, the next big tentpole will only try harder and more annoyingly to woo you. 8. You’re going to see Space Chimps - Why? Because you have small children? Seriously, take them to see TDK. They may be creeped out now, but they’ll thank you in twenty years. As for the other big new release, you and your daughter really don’t want to be fighting the fanboys at the box office just to see Mamma Mia! Do you? By the way, TDK has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any movie opening this week — foreign films included — so it’s not like you can use that pretentious “better than” attitude this time. 7. You’re waiting until the IMAX showings aren’t all sold out - This was actually my excuse at first. And really I should be seeing it in IMAX first. But it could be weeks until the single screen in NYC is no longer sold out, so I might as well just buck up and go see it on a regular screen now and see it again in IMAX in a month. I’ll be able to appreciate the grand visuals even more if I don’t have to pay as much attention to the story anyway. 6. The only Bruce Wayne/Batman for you is Val Kilmer - Actually, it’s a scientific fact that Kilmer is not the best person to play any character. He comes pretty damn close with Jim Morrison, but the real-life Morrison was just a little bit better in the role. 5. The only Commissioner Gordon for you is the guy in Maximum Overdrive that calls everyone “Bubba.” - His name is Pat Hingle, and I agree that he is one of the best character actors working today. But, sorry, nobody beats Gary Oldman. Even David Edelstein, who is one of like two critics to pan the film, celebrates Oldman’s involvement. 4. You already saw the trailers for Terminator Salvation, Twilight, Watchmen and even Body of Lies online - Yeah, we all say that the trailers are the best part about going to the movies. But this rare time that statement doesn’t apply. 3. You believe that seeing a big Hollywood release on opening weekend further encourages the practice of front-loading grosses and continues the damage done to both independent film and the movie theater industry - Okay, this isn’t a lame excuse at all. And I wholeheartedly support you on this issue. If you seriously want to use this excuse, go right ahead. People are going to call you a curmudgeon and tell you to have a little more fun in your life, but your reasoning is completely valid. 2. You don’t want to exploit Heath Ledger’s death - If you show up to the movies this weekend, everyone’s going to think you’re one of the many just seeing the movie because of Ledger — his death, not his performance, of course. But if you ignore the movie because of this reason, meaning because he died, aren’t you still exploiting him? And you’re missing an awesome movie, too. 1. What’s The Dark Knight? - This is a tribute to David Letterman’s Top Ten #1s, which are usually so snappy yet so unfunny. Really, though, if you didn’t know what The Dark Knight was, you wouldn’t be reading this list. Plus, even your grandma knows what it is. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:00:58 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/18/2008 2:00:58 PM Surely you are going to see The Dark Knight this weekend. Even if you already saw it at a preview screening last night/this morning, you’re probably geeky enough to be planning on seeing it again before Monday morning comes along. After all, Warner Bros. has dispersed a record amount of prints to a record amount of screens and the pundits are predicting a record box office gross for the weekend (never mind the fact that fellow new releases Mamma Mia! and Space Chimps and other still-strong blockbusters Hellboy II, Hancock and Wall-E will be supposedly be assisting in this matter). It’s almost being forced to be a monumental event. So, yeah, you’re totally going. You probably even already bought tickets, since Fandango reports that advance tickets for TDK have been the fastest sell since Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (while writing this I received a new Fandango press release claiming they’re selling 10 TDK tickets per second today). Wait, what? You say you’re skipping out on TDK this weekend? Not possible. Whatever your lame excuse, I have a rebuttal: 10. You Didn’t See Batman Begins - This should be a decent enough reason not to see TDK, except that apparently it’s not really necessary to see the previous installment. I’ve seen TDK called better than BB, I’ve seen it called The Godfather Part II of superhero movies and I’ve seen it called the Empire Strikes Back of the franchise. But more importantly, I’m pretty sure I read somewhere (or maybe I dreamed it) that TDK should be where Christopher Nolan’s take on the series begins. So just retrospectively consider BB a prequel. 9. You’re turned off by all the marketing - Sure, the Dominos pizza boxes and the Comcast ads were a bit much. And even before all the promotional tie-ins arrived, the different marketing strategies were obnoxious. But just think: if The Dark Knight doesn’t actually break records this weekend thanks to your dollars, the next big tentpole will only try harder and more annoyingly to woo you. 8. You’re going to see Space Chimps - Why? Because you have small children? Seriously, take them to see TDK. They may be creeped out now, but they’ll thank you in twenty years. As for the other big new release, you and your daughter really don’t want to be fighting the fanboys at the box office just to see Mamma Mia! Do you? By the way, TDK has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any movie opening this week — foreign films included — so it’s not like you can use that pretentious “better than” attitude this time. 7. You’re waiting until the IMAX showings aren’t all sold out - This was actually my excuse at first. And really I should be seeing it in IMAX first. But it could be weeks until the single screen in NYC is no longer sold out, so I might as well just buck up and go see it on a regular screen now and see it again in IMAX in a month. I’ll be able to appreciate the grand visuals even more if I don’t have to pay as much attention to the story anyway. 6. The only Bruce Wayne/Batman for you is Val Kilmer - Actually, it’s a scientific fact that Kilmer is not the best person to play any character. He comes pretty damn close with Jim Morrison, but the real-life Morrison was just a little bit better in the role. 5. The only Commissioner Gordon for you is the guy in Maximum Overdrive that calls everyone “Bubba.” - His name is Pat Hingle, and I agree that he is one of the best character actors working today. But, sorry, nobody beats Gary Oldman. Even David Edelstein, who is one of like two critics to pan the film, celebrates Oldman’s involvement. 4. You already saw the trailers for Terminator Salvation, Twilight, Watchmen and even Body of Lies online - Yeah, we all say that the trailers are the best part about going to the movies. But this rare time that statement doesn’t apply. 3. You believe that seeing a big Hollywood release on opening weekend further encourages the practice of front-loading grosses and continues the damage done to both independent film and the movie theater industry - Okay, this isn’t a lame excuse at all. And I wholeheartedly support you on this issue. If you seriously want to use this excuse, go right ahead. People are going to call you a curmudgeon and tell you to have a little more fun in your life, but your reasoning is completely valid. 2. You don’t want to exploit Heath Ledger’s death - If you show up to the movies this weekend, everyone’s going to think you’re one of the many just seeing the movie because of Ledger — his death, not his performance, of course. But if you ignore the movie because of this reason, meaning because he died, aren’t you still exploiting him? And you’re missing an awesome movie, too. 1. What’s The Dark Knight? - This is a tribute to David Letterman’s Top Ten #1s, which are usually so snappy yet so unfunny. Really, though, if you didn’t know what The Dark Knight was, you wouldn’t be reading this list. Plus, even your grandma knows what it is. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/franco/archive/2008/2/21/25452.aspx Post By: Franco
Post To: Franco Blog
Post Date: 2/21/2008 11:29:55 PM
Body: Can anyone explain to me why Ian McDiarmid didn't even get an Oscar nomination for his role? I hear the Academy is upset with George for pulling out of the guilds, but come on. "Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?
]]>Fri, 22 Feb 2008 04:29:55 GMTFrancoFranco Blog2/21/2008 11:29:55 PMCan anyone explain to me why Ian McDiarmid didn&#39;t even get an Oscar nomination for his role? I hear the Academy is upset with George for pulling out of the guilds, but come on. &quot;Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/2/18/25291.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 2/18/2008 8:00:17 PM
Body: A great marketing tagline for “Jumper” could have been: Jumper: It's “Highlander” for the myspace generation! Both feature leaps through space (and logic), centuries-old rivalries, and an acting vacuum for a lead (Christopher Lambert in 'Highlander,' Hayden Christensen in 'Jumper'), and both are a laughable assault on the intellect (but 'Jumper” lacks that groovin' Queen soundtrack). Jumper may also be notable for no other reason than Samuel L. Jackson managed to wear a more bizarre wig than his Gumby model he sported for “Unbreakable” a few years back. Frosted an unnatural shade of white, he resembles a pissed-off piece of Sno-Caps candy. Perhaps it was the chance to jet to exotic locales on the director's dime that enticed the actor to sign off on this mess, or maybe he was looking for a role that would allow him to slap former co-star Christensen around a bit in retribution for wrecking the last two “Star Wars” movies. Christensen plays David Rice (finally, a character with a last name to match his on-screen charisma!), a hedonistic, self-centered jerk who starts the on-screen narration by stating, “Once I was a normal person – a chump just like you.” Nothing like cuddling up to your audience right off the bat, David. David is a Jumper, a race long persecuted for their abilities by Christian zealots known as the Paladins, who feel only God should have the power to be everywhere at once (ironically, the Paladins still manage to stay in hot pursuit of the Jumpers, presumably without the use of teleportation). Their penalty for “jumping?” Death by stabbing. David makes his living “jumping” into banks, siphoning the cash and globe-trotting to catch some killer waves, bed exotic babes and rest atop the Sphinx, seemingly because it just looks cool on the movie poster. He transports back to his hometown and hooks up with a high school crush (Rachel Bilson, a human Bratz doll), and tries to impress her by taking her around the globe. Her presence slows down his time-space hopscotch, leading him and her prone to a Paladine assault. Looking for more plot? Sorry, check the theater next door. There's no plans for global dominance, no natural catastrophe faced. It's essentially just a first date that goes south on a cosmic level. The fact that Christensen brings to the proceedings all the enthusiasm of a disturbed nap is really no surprise. What is surprising is that the entire endeavor is directed by a should-have-known-better Doug Liman (“Swingers,” “Go,” “The Bourne Identity,” “Mr. and Mrs Smith”). While adapting young-adult novels from author Steven Gould, Liman figures we do not care about any of particulars, like: what the hell are Jumpers? Paladines? What is the source behind their abilities, weaponry and their feud? What exactly is the past relationship between David and his absentee mommy (played by Diane Lane)? Why the hell should we care about the current relationship with his girlfriend? What is the rationale behind a fellow jumper's plot to take down the Paladines? Of all the scary government agencies Jackson's character could say he's employed by, why does he choose the IRS? Sadly, the list could continue for the rest of this column. On the flip side, the lack of details means there are that many more minutes that we do not have to suffer through Christensen's constipated narration. Instead we get scene after scene of watching the “jumping” trick, which is only marginally impressive – and that margin diminishes with each additional leap. So does our tolerance and patience.
]]>Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:00:17 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog2/18/2008 8:00:17 PM A great marketing tagline for &ldquo;Jumper&rdquo; could have been: Jumper: It&#39;s &ldquo;Highlander&rdquo; for the myspace generation! Both feature leaps through space (and logic), centuries-old rivalries, and an acting vacuum for a lead (Christopher Lambert in &#39;Highlander,&#39; Hayden Christensen in &#39;Jumper&#39;), and both are a laughable assault on the intellect (but &#39;Jumper&rdquo; lacks that groovin&#39; Queen soundtrack). Jumper may also be notable for no other reason than Samuel L. Jackson managed to wear a more bizarre wig than his Gumby model he sported for &ldquo;Unbreakable&rdquo; a few years back. Frosted an unnatural shade of white, he resembles a pissed-off piece of Sno-Caps candy. Perhaps it was the chance to jet to exotic locales on the director&#39;s dime that enticed the actor to sign off on this mess, or maybe he was looking for a role that would allow him to slap former co-star Christensen around a bit in retribution for wrecking the last two &ldquo;Star Wars&rdquo; movies. Christensen plays David Rice (finally, a character with a last name to match his on-screen charisma!), a hedonistic, self-centered jerk who starts the on-screen narration by stating, &ldquo;Once I was a normal person &ndash; a chump just like you.&rdquo; Nothing like cuddling up to your audience right off the bat, David. David is a Jumper, a race long persecuted for their abilities by Christian zealots known as the Paladins, who feel only God should have the power to be everywhere at once (ironically, the Paladins still manage to stay in hot pursuit of the Jumpers, presumably without the use of teleportation). Their penalty for &ldquo;jumping?&rdquo; Death by stabbing. David makes his living &ldquo;jumping&rdquo; into banks, siphoning the cash and globe-trotting to catch some killer waves, bed exotic babes and rest atop the Sphinx, seemingly because it just looks cool on the movie poster. He transports back to his hometown and hooks up with a high school crush (Rachel Bilson, a human Bratz doll), and tries to impress her by taking her around the globe. Her presence slows down his time-space hopscotch, leading him and her prone to a Paladine assault. Looking for more plot? Sorry, check the theater next door. There&#39;s no plans for global dominance, no natural catastrophe faced. It&#39;s essentially just a first date that goes south on a cosmic level. The fact that Christensen brings to the proceedings all the enthusiasm of a disturbed nap is really no surprise. What is surprising is that the entire endeavor is directed by a should-have-known-better Doug Liman (&ldquo;Swingers,&rdquo; &ldquo;Go,&rdquo; &ldquo;The Bourne Identity,&rdquo; &ldquo;Mr. and Mrs Smith&rdquo;). While adapting young-adult novels from author Steven Gould, Liman figures we do not care about any of particulars, like: what the hell are Jumpers? Paladines? What is the source behind their abilities, weaponry and their feud? What exactly is the past relationship between David and his absentee mommy (played by Diane Lane)? Why the hell should we care about the current relationship with his girlfriend? What is the rationale behind a fellow jumper&#39;s plot to take down the Paladines? Of all the scary government agencies Jackson&#39;s character could say he&#39;s employed by, why does he choose the IRS? Sadly, the list could continue for the rest of this column. On the flip side, the lack of details means there are that many more minutes that we do not have to suffer through Christensen&#39;s constipated narration. Instead we get scene after scene of watching the &ldquo;jumping&rdquo; trick, which is only marginally impressive &ndash; and that margin diminishes with each additional leap. So does our tolerance and patience. http://www.spout.com/blogs/downwest/archive/2007/12/22/23132.aspx Post By: downwest
Post To: downwest Blog
Post Date: 12/22/2007 1:20:20 AM
Body: This film is about what made Episodes IV, V, and VI into what they are all about. In the end we realize that after six installments, Star Wars is about the tragedy and redemption of Anakin Skywalker. Ultimately I think we're supposed to realize that Anakin Skywalker is a demi-god, and a failed demi-god at that, of the Force, born of the Force, and led to the dark side by an essence of pure evil and becomes Sith lord Darth Vader. He in the end achieves his redemption and is reborn through his offspring, and as the prophecy fortold, Anakin Skywalker, The Chosen One, brings balance to the Force. This particular film is about the tragedy of Anakin's fall into darkness, which leads to the rise of a dictatorship and the defeat of democracy. Overall I think it was visually and musically well-done, as much as people like to rag on the performances and all that.
]]>Sat, 22 Dec 2007 06:20:20 GMTdownwestdownwest Blog12/22/2007 1:20:20 AMThis film is about what made Episodes IV, V, and VI into what they are all about. In the end we realize that after six installments, Star Wars is about the tragedy and redemption of Anakin Skywalker. Ultimately I think we&#39;re supposed to realize that Anakin Skywalker is a demi-god, and a failed demi-god at that, of the Force, born of the Force, and led to the dark side by an essence of pure evil and becomes Sith lord Darth Vader. He in the end achieves his redemption and is reborn through his offspring, and as the prophecy fortold, Anakin Skywalker, The Chosen One, brings balance to the Force. This particular film is about the tragedy of Anakin&#39;s fall into darkness, which leads to the rise of a dictatorship and the defeat of democracy. Overall I think it was visually and musically well-done, as much as people like to rag on the performances and all that. http://www.spout.com/blogs/marymcilwain/archive/2007/7/24/15758.aspx Post By: marymcilwain
Post To: Dollar Video Curator
Post Date: 7/24/2007 6:14:00 PM
Body: The Films:The Color of Money, Star Wars III: Revenge of the SithA back-to-back mentor bitch slap!Just when you think your surly pupils couldn't get anymore ungrateful for all your sacrifices, they betray you and beat you at your own game. And try to kill you. Sons-a-bitches..... One teaches by pool cue, one by light saber, but the story is the same. Where Fast Eddie says, "Money won is twice as sweet as money earned," Vince Lauria and Anakin Skywalker would simultaneously whine, "But it's thrrreeeeee times as AWESOME when you use your mentor’s best moves to trick him, take the easy route through the pool hall/the dark side and THEN win ANYWAY showing all the haters who doubted that I am really SO much better than stupid old meany-pants! That’ll show him not to misunderestimate me again!" These damn kids, so smug about their "powers," letting their egos get in the way of peace, justice, The Force, and pool hustling. A little humility for the greater good, can we? But no! Whether it’s the short term pay off of 20 bucks in the pocket, or turning to the dark side....sighs....these Senseis get no respect! Viewing order: Either/or The Color of Money: Paul Newman sees in Tom Cruise his younger self, an eager, haughty, yet talented 9-Ball player. His hair is perfect, as is his game. What he lacks is discipline, and a wee sense of modesty, all things that Fast Eddie Felson can teach him on a whirlwind, desperate-bid-at-the-fountain-of-youth, pool hall road-trip. If only Vince would play along! Has he learned nothing? Ooooh he’s so smug! Flashing that talent around, showing off. When Eddie gets schooled by Forest Whitaker in front of Vince, the relationship falls apart. There is then a very exciting Battle of the Cues in Atlantic City, where Fast Eddie is at first vindicated by winning the match. Respect your elders, Vince! But that damn kid comes back and throws money in Eddie’s face! Claiming to have “thrown the game.” DAMN IT! How can this never ending cycle be resolved? Eh, let’s hit the road again together. Moral: Youthful showoffs triumph over old fogey. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith: It’s been a couple years or so since Anakin got it on legally, albeit secretly, with Padme. Now knockin’ the boots on a semi-regular basis, he turns his dissatisfactory nature to feeling under appreciated at the office. And who is most responsible? Obi-Wan of course. For all he ever did was raise him like a son, teach him everything he knows, and support him for the last 10 years. What a dick!! Anakin is SOOOO sick of Obi-Wan bossing him around, and decides his only way out is a short cut to the top, via the Dark Side Super-Highway. And since you always hurt the ones you love, Obi-Wan has got to go. Light saber Battle Royale ensues on hell-like planet somewhere near the outer rim. Both warriors constantly claim their skill is superior to the other, but Obi-Wan declares victory, claiming he has the “higher ground.” But Anakin shows him. Never mind his lack of legs, arms and skin. Dude gets remade into the biggest, baddest, blackest half man, half robot that side of the Milky Way, and Obi-Wan has to go kick it in the deserts of Tatooine for the next 20 years, drowning his sorrows in the dive bars of Mos Eisley, again the reluctant father. Moral: The high road leads to a long fall. Live fast, burn young, and become a bad ass. Grade: F for Fuckin’ Ungrateful Brats!!
]]>Tue, 24 Jul 2007 22:14:00 GMTmarymcilwainDollar Video Curator7/24/2007 6:14:00 PMThe Films:The Color of Money, Star Wars III: Revenge of the SithA back-to-back mentor bitch slap!Just when you think your surly pupils couldn&#39;t get anymore ungrateful for all your sacrifices, they betray you and beat you at your own game. And try to kill you. Sons-a-bitches..... One teaches by pool cue, one by light saber, but the story is the same. Where Fast Eddie says, "Money won is twice as sweet as money earned," Vince Lauria and Anakin Skywalker would simultaneously whine, "But it&#39;s thrrreeeeee times as AWESOME when you use your mentor&rsquo;s best moves to trick him, take the easy route through the pool hall/the dark side and THEN win ANYWAY showing all the haters who doubted that I am really SO much better than stupid old meany-pants! That&rsquo;ll show him not to misunderestimate me again!" These damn kids, so smug about their "powers," letting their egos get in the way of peace, justice, The Force, and pool hustling. A little humility for the greater good, can we? But no! Whether it&rsquo;s the short term pay off of 20 bucks in the pocket, or turning to the dark side....sighs....these Senseis get no respect! Viewing order: Either/or The Color of Money: Paul Newman sees in Tom Cruise his younger self, an eager, haughty, yet talented 9-Ball player. His hair is perfect, as is his game. What he lacks is discipline, and a wee sense of modesty, all things that Fast Eddie Felson can teach him on a whirlwind, desperate-bid-at-the-fountain-of-youth, pool hall road-trip. If only Vince would play along! Has he learned nothing? Ooooh he&rsquo;s so smug! Flashing that talent around, showing off. When Eddie gets schooled by Forest Whitaker in front of Vince, the relationship falls apart. There is then a very exciting Battle of the Cues in Atlantic City, where Fast Eddie is at first vindicated by winning the match. Respect your elders, Vince! But that damn kid comes back and throws money in Eddie&rsquo;s face! Claiming to have &ldquo;thrown the game.&rdquo; DAMN IT! How can this never ending cycle be resolved? Eh, let&rsquo;s hit the road again together. Moral: Youthful showoffs triumph over old fogey. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith: It&rsquo;s been a couple years or so since Anakin got it on legally, albeit secretly, with Padme. Now knockin&rsquo; the boots on a semi-regular basis, he turns his dissatisfactory nature to feeling under appreciated at the office. And who is most responsible? Obi-Wan of course. For all he ever did was raise him like a son, teach him everything he knows, and support him for the last 10 years. What a dick!! Anakin is SOOOO sick of Obi-Wan bossing him around, and decides his only way out is a short cut to the top, via the Dark Side Super-Highway. And since you always hurt the ones you love, Obi-Wan has got to go. Light saber Battle Royale ensues on hell-like planet somewhere near the outer rim. Both warriors constantly claim their skill is superior to the other, but Obi-Wan declares victory, claiming he has the &ldquo;higher ground.&rdquo; But Anakin shows him. Never mind his lack of legs, arms and skin. Dude gets remade into the biggest, baddest, blackest half man, half robot that side of the Milky Way, and Obi-Wan has to go kick it in the deserts of Tatooine for the next 20 years, drowning his sorrows in the dive bars of Mos Eisley, again the reluctant father. Moral: The high road leads to a long fall. Live fast, burn young, and become a bad ass. Grade: F for Fuckin&rsquo; Ungrateful Brats!! http://www.spout.com/blogs/jouni/archive/2007/7/17/15168.aspx Post By: jouni
Post To: jouni Blog
Post Date: 7/17/2007 7:21:45 PM
Body: Last of the second Star Wars trilogy. Each part is seen through the eyes of the "hero", Anakin Skywalker, and while he grows older, so does the story grow. It would be too easy to call this as the "best" part, like so many seem to do. I'll just call it different and a great story on it's own, just like the two earlier ones were - in their own way.
]]>Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:21:45 GMTjounijouni Blog7/17/2007 7:21:45 PMLast of the second Star Wars trilogy. Each part is seen through the eyes of the &quot;hero&quot;, Anakin Skywalker, and while he grows older, so does the story grow. It would be too easy to call this as the &quot;best&quot; part, like so many seem to do. I&#39;ll just call it different and a great story on it&#39;s own, just like the two earlier ones were - in their own way. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Loved-It/MemberTagFilms.aspxLoved-It
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