list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Napoleon Dynamite 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/Napoleon_Dynamite/239684/default.aspx Title: Napoleon Dynamite
Year: 2004
Director: Jared Hess
Plot: The directorial debut of filmmaker Jared Hess, who also co-wrote the screenplay, Napoleon Dynamite is a quirky, offbeat comedy set in the small Idaho town of Preston. Jon Heder stars in the titular role, a carrot-topped oddball with a decidedly eccentric family that includes his llama-loving, dune-buggy enthusiast grandmother. The story centers on the local high school's race for class president. Using some nontraditional means, Napoleon is determined to help his pal Pedro (Efrem Ramirez) run a winning campaign and defeat popular girl Summer (Haylie Duff). Also starring The Drew Carey Show's Diedrich Bader, Napoleon Dynamite premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 264
Number of Lists: 176
Number of blog posts: 19
Number of discussion threads: 6
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 12 May 2009 03:52:21 GMTNapoleon Dynamite2004Jared HessThe directorial debut of filmmaker Jared Hess, who also co-wrote the screenplay, Napoleon Dynamite is a quirky, offbeat comedy set in the small Idaho town of Preston. <a href="/players/P___385072/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jon Heder</a> stars in the titular role, a carrot-topped oddball with a decidedly eccentric family that includes his llama-loving, dune-buggy enthusiast grandmother. The story centers on the local high school's race for class president. Using some nontraditional means, Napoleon is determined to help his pal Pedro (Efrem Ramirez) run a winning campaign and defeat popular girl Summer (<a href="/players/P___365127/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Haylie Duff</a>). Also starring <a href=/films/273369/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Drew Carey Show</a>'s <a href="/players/P_____3193/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Diedrich Bader</a>, Napoleon Dynamite premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide264Tag Target (>10)1761963http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t75983kb3br.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Napoleon_Dynamite/239684/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Sundance/10_Worst_Sundance_Sensations/532/39566/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Sundance
Post Date: 1/15/2009 2:34:28 PM
Body: Reading Chris Campbell's 10 Worst Sundance Sensations is sort of like listening to someone bash your old friends. My affection for some of these films makes it hard to say whether I agree with any of his picks, which include Napoleon Dynamite, Garden State, and Brick. I can't argue with someone who says Napoleon Dynamite isn't funny, but I will argue with Chris when he says "Napoleon Dynamite is not comedy. It is merely quirky, which is not the same thing as funny." I don't mean to sound like a philosophy undergrad, but you asked for it, Chris: what is "funny"? He made me smile when he called Garden State a "homecoming of age" movie that spawned a hundred like it. Get this, though: "Any idiot can write a script of this type and fill it with quirky scenery and an obnoxious yet adorable love interest." Obviously Chris knows a lot of talented idiots. I appreciated his writing about Brick, especially the part where he says "Who wouldn't rather watch a double feature of The Big Sleep and Heathers?" Then I thought, 'I liked Brick. I thought it was gritty and exciting. How is Chris changing my mind when he's not even explaining why the movie is bad?' But maybe Chris's oldest selections are a good indicator of his judgment? I haven't seen Boxing Helena (1993) or The Brothers McMullen (1995), and I didn't even know Ed Burns was a writer/director! One of my coworkers just told me Burns was a really 'in vogue' filmmaker for a while. What do you guys think, are Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre), Rian Johnson (Brick, The Brothers Bloom), and Zack Braff along the same lines? In another ten years, will people be saying, "I didn't know Zack Braff was a writer/director!"
]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:34:28 GMTSkyPilotSundance1/15/2009 2:34:28 PMReading Chris Campbell's 10 Worst Sundance Sensations is sort of like listening to someone bash your old friends. My affection for some of these films makes it hard to say whether I agree with any of his picks, which include Napoleon Dynamite, Garden State, and Brick. I can't argue with someone who says Napoleon Dynamite isn't funny, but I will argue with Chris when he says "Napoleon Dynamite is not comedy. It is merely quirky, which is not the same thing as funny." I don't mean to sound like a philosophy undergrad, but you asked for it, Chris: what is "funny"? He made me smile when he called Garden State a "homecoming of age" movie that spawned a hundred like it. Get this, though: "Any idiot can write a script of this type and fill it with quirky scenery and an obnoxious yet adorable love interest." Obviously Chris knows a lot of talented idiots. I appreciated his writing about Brick, especially the part where he says "Who wouldn't rather watch a double feature of The Big Sleep and Heathers?" Then I thought, 'I liked Brick. I thought it was gritty and exciting. How is Chris changing my mind when he's not even explaining why the movie is bad?' But maybe Chris's oldest selections are a good indicator of his judgment? I haven't seen Boxing Helena (1993) or The Brothers McMullen (1995), and I didn't even know Ed Burns was a writer/director! One of my coworkers just told me Burns was a really 'in vogue' filmmaker for a while. What do you guys think, are Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre), Rian Johnson (Brick, The Brothers Bloom), and Zack Braff along the same lines? In another ten years, will people be saying, "I didn't know Zack Braff was a writer/director!" http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/13/39472.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/13/2009 5:01:36 PM
Body: Getting ready for the Sundance Film Festival can be very exciting. As we await the event’s Thursday opening, we can’t stop wondering what will be the next big thing. Will this year’s hit be the highly-anticipated Michael Cera project Paper Hearts, or will it be something that we as of yet know nothing about? It’s easy to forget, however, that oftentimes the next big thing is also the next lamest thing. Sundance sensations, those films that are much-buzzed-about, that sell for a lot of money, that go on to be marketed like crazy and ultimately receive Oscar recognition, tend to lend themselves most easily to backlashes. Usually such derision is deserved, as in the case of the following ten films, each of which made a big splash at Sundance despite being bad. 10. Brick (Rian Johnson; 2005 Sundance premiere) When Blade Runner was first released, critics attacked its novelty of combining film noir with science fiction. Yet when Brick arrived in Park City, its similar genre-bending mix of film noir and teen films was welcomed as the most original film in years. In both circumstances, critics were wrong, and while Blade Runner ultimately became a classic, Brick is retrospectively even sillier now than it was when it won a Special Jury Prize “for originality of vision” four years ago. Yes, the film is a fresh idea in theory, but it doesn’t really work on screen, no matter how much you want it to or think it does. It’s simply a novelty gag for film geeks who love noir — while not quite as enjoyable for fans of the teen genre. Is there really anyone who wouldn’t just rather watch a double feature of The Big Sleep and Heathers? 9. Little Miss Sunshine (Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris; 2006 Sundance premiere) Never mind its impact on the culture of Sundance. The annoying “what will be the next Little Miss Sunshine?” idea was just a substitute for similar questions going back as far as 1990 (“what will be the next sex, lies, and videotape?”). The real problem with LMS is that it’s a decent dysfunctional family comedy that falls apart in the third act. On the positive side, it finally got Alan Arkin an Oscar. But on the more glaring negative side, it also got Abigail Breslin an Oscar nomination. Hardly worthy, also, of its Best Picture nod or its Best Original Screenplay win, the film’s success is the product of a terrific marketing team and moviegoers’ acceptance of cheesy endings — and has nothing to do with the quality of the film. 8. The Brothers McMullen (Edward Burns; 1995 Sundance premiere) While the name Fox Searchlight is now synonymous with marketing the hell out of “indie” sensations like Little Miss Sunshine, Juno and Slumdog Millionaire, the specialty division has been overdoing it with unworthy films since the very first Sundance hit they distributed. The Brothers McMullen is not necessarily a bad film, but it isn’t anything special either. Some say the 1995 fest was the downward turning point for Sundance, whether because it showed us a major “sellout” who wasn’t actually as good as he’d been celebrated as being (Kevin Smith, who disappointed with his sophomore effort, Mallrats) or because a lackluster picture like McMullen won the Grand Jury Prize. And like Smith, Edward Burns ultimately revealed himself to be something of an embarrassment, talent-wise, to the reputation of Sundance alums. 7. Garden State (Zach Braff; 2004 Sundance premiere) 2004 was the year that indie quirkiness got out of hand at Sundance (see #3). Sure, Garden State got us all into The Shins, but it also got filmmakers too into a genre I call “homecoming of age” movies, those banal stories about twenty- and thirty- somethings who revisit their homes due to a dying or dead parent and involve themselves with wacky townies in the process. Any idiot can write a script of this type and fill it with quirky scenery and an obnoxious yet adorable love interest. Sundance must still be getting countless submissions of this kind of film, but unfortunately for the rest of the world’s idiot filmmakers, they aren’t TV stars like Zach Braff. 6. SherryBaby (Laurie Collyer; 2006 Sundance premiere) Sundance has long been a haven for depressing films involving junkies and/or incest, but few have been as overrated as SherryBaby. Once again, it’s all about the star power, as the film might not have been so hyped had Maggie Gyllenhaal not been in the lead. Then again, it might have actually been a better film without her. Grandly over-praised for her performance as the easily played rehabilitating mom, the actress got undeserved kudos simply for being raw and despicable. Her Oscar snub was a relief, at least. 5. Born Into Brothels (Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman; 2004 Sundance premiere) It may have won the documentary Audience Award at Sundance and the documentary Oscar a year later, but that doesn’t excuse Born Into Brothels from being a disgrace to nonfiction filmmaking. One of the most self-satisfying docs ever made, the film will forever be marked by its footage of co-director Zana Briski figuratively patting herself on the back during a fundraiser, with which she sinfully seeks sainthood for involving herself in the lives of her film’s subjects. If documentary was synonymous with charity, Born Into Brothels would indeed be a great film, but documentaries like this should merely be an inspiration to charity, not charity itself. 4. Masked and Anonymous (Larry Charles; 2003 Sundance premiere) One of the most anticipated films of the 2003 festival due to a script co-written by Bob Dylan and an unbelievable cast including Dylan, Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Penelope Cruz, Ed Harris, Luke Wilson, Mickey Rourke, Angela Bassett, Jessica Lange and many other big names, the very messy Masked and Anonymous therefore ended up the biggest disappointment of that year. Its worth was later defended and praised by such critics as Jonathan Rosenbaum, who included it in his 2003 Top Ten list, and Salon.com’s Stephanie Zacharek. But most of us are in agreement that it’s one of the biggest wastes of talent in years. 3. Napoleon Dynamite (Jared Hess; 2004 Sundance premiere) Napoleon Dynamite’s inclusion on this list is likely to upset more people than Brick’s, but at least the Brick devotees can defend their fandom with more than just shouts of “It’s funny!” Because the thing is, Napoleon Dynamite is not comedy. It is merely quirky, which is not the same thing as funny. Jared Hess’ pop culture phenomenon does feature some highly original characters and situations, but his execution of these elements is obvious and uninteresting. “Gosh!” is neither a good punchline nor a good catchphrase. 2. The Blair Witch Project (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez; 1999 Sundance premiere) It must be appreciated as much as attacked for its groundbreaking marketing campaign, and in many ways the film itself can be acknowledged for having a terrific premise with an almost perfect realization of that idea. But for the most part, The Blair Witch Project is a basic, amateur and poorly concluded effort that turned the appeal of indie simplicity on its head. Almost a decade earlier, when filmmakers saw Slacker and said “I can do that,” they were mostly mistaken. But The Blair Witch allowed every schmo with a digital camera to declare, “I can do that,” and be relatively correct in his or her statement. It’s okay for indie filmmaking to seem easy, but when it really is that easy, it degrades the truly talented. 1. Boxing Helena (Jennifer Lynch; 1993 Sundance premiere) Cult appeal notwithstanding, Boxing Helena was one of the first really awful movies to be up for Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize. And although in the 17 years since, the festival has been easily criticized for allowing bad films with lots of buzz and/or big name talent to be included in competition, no film has been as unworthy as this. Had it starred original choice Madonna in the part of the titular amputee, Boxing Helena might have really deserved to at least become a midnight movie. However, with its lesser-name casting, it’s barely even good enough for Skinamax programming. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:01:36 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/13/2009 5:01:36 PMGetting ready for the Sundance Film Festival can be very exciting. As we await the event’s Thursday opening, we can’t stop wondering what will be the next big thing. Will this year’s hit be the highly-anticipated Michael Cera project Paper Hearts, or will it be something that we as of yet know nothing about? It’s easy to forget, however, that oftentimes the next big thing is also the next lamest thing. Sundance sensations, those films that are much-buzzed-about, that sell for a lot of money, that go on to be marketed like crazy and ultimately receive Oscar recognition, tend to lend themselves most easily to backlashes. Usually such derision is deserved, as in the case of the following ten films, each of which made a big splash at Sundance despite being bad. 10. Brick (Rian Johnson; 2005 Sundance premiere) When Blade Runner was first released, critics attacked its novelty of combining film noir with science fiction. Yet when Brick arrived in Park City, its similar genre-bending mix of film noir and teen films was welcomed as the most original film in years. In both circumstances, critics were wrong, and while Blade Runner ultimately became a classic, Brick is retrospectively even sillier now than it was when it won a Special Jury Prize “for originality of vision” four years ago. Yes, the film is a fresh idea in theory, but it doesn’t really work on screen, no matter how much you want it to or think it does. It’s simply a novelty gag for film geeks who love noir — while not quite as enjoyable for fans of the teen genre. Is there really anyone who wouldn’t just rather watch a double feature of The Big Sleep and Heathers? 9. Little Miss Sunshine (Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris; 2006 Sundance premiere) Never mind its impact on the culture of Sundance. The annoying “what will be the next Little Miss Sunshine?” idea was just a substitute for similar questions going back as far as 1990 (“what will be the next sex, lies, and videotape?”). The real problem with LMS is that it’s a decent dysfunctional family comedy that falls apart in the third act. On the positive side, it finally got Alan Arkin an Oscar. But on the more glaring negative side, it also got Abigail Breslin an Oscar nomination. Hardly worthy, also, of its Best Picture nod or its Best Original Screenplay win, the film’s success is the product of a terrific marketing team and moviegoers’ acceptance of cheesy endings — and has nothing to do with the quality of the film. 8. The Brothers McMullen (Edward Burns; 1995 Sundance premiere) While the name Fox Searchlight is now synonymous with marketing the hell out of “indie” sensations like Little Miss Sunshine, Juno and Slumdog Millionaire, the specialty division has been overdoing it with unworthy films since the very first Sundance hit they distributed. The Brothers McMullen is not necessarily a bad film, but it isn’t anything special either. Some say the 1995 fest was the downward turning point for Sundance, whether because it showed us a major “sellout” who wasn’t actually as good as he’d been celebrated as being (Kevin Smith, who disappointed with his sophomore effort, Mallrats) or because a lackluster picture like McMullen won the Grand Jury Prize. And like Smith, Edward Burns ultimately revealed himself to be something of an embarrassment, talent-wise, to the reputation of Sundance alums. 7. Garden State (Zach Braff; 2004 Sundance premiere) 2004 was the year that indie quirkiness got out of hand at Sundance (see #3). Sure, Garden State got us all into The Shins, but it also got filmmakers too into a genre I call “homecoming of age” movies, those banal stories about twenty- and thirty- somethings who revisit their homes due to a dying or dead parent and involve themselves with wacky townies in the process. Any idiot can write a script of this type and fill it with quirky scenery and an obnoxious yet adorable love interest. Sundance must still be getting countless submissions of this kind of film, but unfortunately for the rest of the world’s idiot filmmakers, they aren’t TV stars like Zach Braff. 6. SherryBaby (Laurie Collyer; 2006 Sundance premiere) Sundance has long been a haven for depressing films involving junkies and/or incest, but few have been as overrated as SherryBaby. Once again, it’s all about the star power, as the film might not have been so hyped had Maggie Gyllenhaal not been in the lead. Then again, it might have actually been a better film without her. Grandly over-praised for her performance as the easily played rehabilitating mom, the actress got undeserved kudos simply for being raw and despicable. Her Oscar snub was a relief, at least. 5. Born Into Brothels (Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman; 2004 Sundance premiere) It may have won the documentary Audience Award at Sundance and the documentary Oscar a year later, but that doesn’t excuse Born Into Brothels from being a disgrace to nonfiction filmmaking. One of the most self-satisfying docs ever made, the film will forever be marked by its footage of co-director Zana Briski figuratively patting herself on the back during a fundraiser, with which she sinfully seeks sainthood for involving herself in the lives of her film’s subjects. If documentary was synonymous with charity, Born Into Brothels would indeed be a great film, but documentaries like this should merely be an inspiration to charity, not charity itself. 4. Masked and Anonymous (Larry Charles; 2003 Sundance premiere) One of the most anticipated films of the 2003 festival due to a script co-written by Bob Dylan and an unbelievable cast including Dylan, Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Penelope Cruz, Ed Harris, Luke Wilson, Mickey Rourke, Angela Bassett, Jessica Lange and many other big names, the very messy Masked and Anonymous therefore ended up the biggest disappointment of that year. Its worth was later defended and praised by such critics as Jonathan Rosenbaum, who included it in his 2003 Top Ten list, and Salon.com’s Stephanie Zacharek. But most of us are in agreement that it’s one of the biggest wastes of talent in years. 3. Napoleon Dynamite (Jared Hess; 2004 Sundance premiere) Napoleon Dynamite’s inclusion on this list is likely to upset more people than Brick’s, but at least the Brick devotees can defend their fandom with more than just shouts of “It’s funny!” Because the thing is, Napoleon Dynamite is not comedy. It is merely quirky, which is not the same thing as funny. Jared Hess’ pop culture phenomenon does feature some highly original characters and situations, but his execution of these elements is obvious and uninteresting. “Gosh!” is neither a good punchline nor a good catchphrase. 2. The Blair Witch Project (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez; 1999 Sundance premiere) It must be appreciated as much as attacked for its groundbreaking marketing campaign, and in many ways the film itself can be acknowledged for having a terrific premise with an almost perfect realization of that idea. But for the most part, The Blair Witch Project is a basic, amateur and poorly concluded effort that turned the appeal of indie simplicity on its head. Almost a decade earlier, when filmmakers saw Slacker and said “I can do that,” they were mostly mistaken. But The Blair Witch allowed every schmo with a digital camera to declare, “I can do that,” and be relatively correct in his or her statement. It’s okay for indie filmmaking to seem easy, but when it really is that easy, it degrades the truly talented. 1. Boxing Helena (Jennifer Lynch; 1993 Sundance premiere) Cult appeal notwithstanding, Boxing Helena was one of the first really awful movies to be up for Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize. And although in the 17 years since, the festival has been easily criticized for allowing bad films with lots of buzz and/or big name talent to be included in competition, no film has been as unworthy as this. Had it starred original choice Madonna in the part of the titular amputee, Boxing Helena might have really deserved to at least become a midnight movie. However, with its lesser-name casting, it’s barely even good enough for Skinamax programming. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/indieabby88/archive/2008/9/21/35353.aspx Post By: indieabby88
Post To: Bloggish review blog
Post Date: 9/21/2008 7:53:31 PM
Body: "The Guatemalan Handshake" is a hard movie to pin down. Equal parts "Napoleon Dynamite" and Hal Hartley movie, it's an episodic piece of oddball cinema that achieves occasional moments of brilliance. The most I can say by way of plot is that Donald Turnupseed (Will Oldham) goes missing, and his best friend, a ten-year-old girl cryptically named Turkeylegs (Katy Haywood) seems to be the only one who cares. Also, an old insane woman loses her dog, Donald's pregnant girlfriend Sadie becomes a demolition derby protegee and a ridiculously cool, wedge-shaped orange electric car goes from owner to owner (say what you want about the movie, that car is awesome). As with "Napoleon Dynamite," the portrait of life in a small, unremarkable American town is dead on. Seedy roller rink? Check. Dying downtown strip? Check. Utter lack of attractive people? State fair as the cultural event of the year? Check and check. Unlike Jared Hess' movie, however, the truly funny moments are few and far between, and the film has a more overall cerebral bent to it, perhaps a little closer to the subtle comedy of Hartley's "Henry Fool" but less intellectual. This works both for and against the film. It puts more of the focus on the composition (which, by the way, is pretty gorgeous), but even stellar cinematography can't make up for dragging stretches, of which this movie certainly has its fair share. I can't say I disliked "The Guatemalan Handshake." In fact, I think the general feeling is that I liked it. I'm sure there will be audiences out there who will simply adore this film, and call it a work of genius. It may well be. It's just not my type of movie. It may well resonate with some people. It just didn't leave me floored. Reccomendations (if you like this movie) Napoleon Dynamite: The dying small town vibe and cast of offbeat characters are a good compliment to the folks you'll see in "Guatemalan Handshake." Henry Fool: While it doesn't have the same atmosphere as "Handshake," Hal Hartley's lit-cinema film about the transformation of a working-class loner into an acclaimed poet by his mysterious loner mentor has a similar super-smart feel and subtle humor that it takes a certain kind of viewer to recognize.
]]>Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:53:31 GMTindieabby88Bloggish review blog9/21/2008 7:53:31 PM"The Guatemalan Handshake" is a hard movie to pin down. Equal parts "Napoleon Dynamite" and Hal Hartley movie, it's an episodic piece of oddball cinema that achieves occasional moments of brilliance. The most I can say by way of plot is that Donald Turnupseed (Will Oldham) goes missing, and his best friend, a ten-year-old girl cryptically named Turkeylegs (Katy Haywood) seems to be the only one who cares. Also, an old insane woman loses her dog, Donald's pregnant girlfriend Sadie becomes a demolition derby protegee and a ridiculously cool, wedge-shaped orange electric car goes from owner to owner (say what you want about the movie, that car is awesome). As with "Napoleon Dynamite," the portrait of life in a small, unremarkable American town is dead on. Seedy roller rink? Check. Dying downtown strip? Check. Utter lack of attractive people? State fair as the cultural event of the year? Check and check. Unlike Jared Hess' movie, however, the truly funny moments are few and far between, and the film has a more overall cerebral bent to it, perhaps a little closer to the subtle comedy of Hartley's "Henry Fool" but less intellectual. This works both for and against the film. It puts more of the focus on the composition (which, by the way, is pretty gorgeous), but even stellar cinematography can't make up for dragging stretches, of which this movie certainly has its fair share. I can't say I disliked "The Guatemalan Handshake." In fact, I think the general feeling is that I liked it. I'm sure there will be audiences out there who will simply adore this film, and call it a work of genius. It may well be. It's just not my type of movie. It may well resonate with some people. It just didn't leave me floored. Reccomendations (if you like this movie) Napoleon Dynamite: The dying small town vibe and cast of offbeat characters are a good compliment to the folks you'll see in "Guatemalan Handshake." Henry Fool: While it doesn't have the same atmosphere as "Handshake," Hal Hartley's lit-cinema film about the transformation of a working-class loner into an acclaimed poet by his mysterious loner mentor has a similar super-smart feel and subtle humor that it takes a certain kind of viewer to recognize. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/3/34698.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/3/2008 2:00:29 PM
Body: Last Friday, before conspiracy theorists were questioning who actually birthed newborn Trig Palin, and long before it was announced that Bristol Palin is a (first time?) teen mom-to-be, I was innocently thinking of the more simple Sarah Palin movie. The one that goes sorta like The Contender, except that in this case the nude photos, which may or may not be of the female VP candidate, are pageant-related rather than a remnant of sorority hazing. Now, of course, despite the gossip blogs’ wet dream that there are indeed scandalous photos out there of the former Miss Alaska runner-up, the movie goes a little more like Juno — or, as many a site has effortlessly pictured it, Juneau. Either way, both The Contender’s Joan Allen and Juno mom Allison Janney could easily pull off the role of Sarah Palin, but I’ve got my heart set on someone else for the part (see above). And I’ve gone ahead and cast the rest of the movie, too (see below). But feel free to comment below with your own choices for each of the cast. Sandra Bullock as Sarah Palin While the obvious lookalike is Tina Fey, let’s just assume that Lorne Michaels has already phoned the 30 Rock star and begged her to guest appear on Saturday Night Live for the couple months leading up to the election (and beyond if McCain/Palin win). I’ve also seen suggestions for Mariska Hargitay (another decent lookalike), Megan Mullaly, Nia Vardalos and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But I’m going with Bullock, and not only because of the Miss Congeniality factor. Or even that she’s exactly the right age (so is Hargitay). Bullock and Palin share a few similar features, too, yet the major factor in my choice is that this is Palin’s story, and she needs a relatively A-list name to play her. Paul Simon as John McCain I have to give my brother credit for this one, as he apparently has always thought McCain looks like the singer-songwriter. My best idea was to cast Bruce Willis and age him to look 20 years older. The best thing about Simon, who I’ve always wished had acted more, is that he’s actually a lot shorter than McCain and will caricaturize the idea that the Republican presidential candidate always looks rather stubby. Miley Cyrus as Bristol Palin If resemblance was key, I’d go more with Amanda Bynes or maybe 7th Heaven’s Beverley Mitchell. But I’m instead choosing “Hannah Montana”, because she’s appropriately scandal-prone. And she’d get the young girls into the audience for whatever message the film intends. Plus, I think there’s a rule that all teen actresses have to star in some sort of young pregnancy movie sooner or later, and this would surely be the most high profile of the sort. Chris Isaak as Todd Palin As long as we’ve already got Simon and Cyrus, why not add some more musical people to the ensemble? Maybe the movie can even be a musical? While I think Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, could pass as the First Gentleman of Alaska, there’s just too many people out there who’d get the icky feeling that Todd Palin is actually the father of Bristol’s kid. So, here’s Chris Isaak, who could probably look enough like the guy if he grew a goatee. Another contender, if you’re a fan of Speed and The Lake House, is Keanu Reeves, but my first choice is actually either 20-years-ago Fred Ward or 20-years-ago Patrick Duffy. Unknown as Levi Johnston In the musical version that’s also geared toward young audiences, Bristol Palin’s reluctant baby daddy would be played by one of the Jonas Brothers. But it’s so common for teen boy roles to be cast with newcomers that I figure the kid would be played instead by a relative unknown. I know it’s a bit of a cop out, especially since I’m really unfamiliar with today’s young heartthrobs, but just look at all the Channing Tatums, Chad Michael Murrays, etc. that pop up every year. Wait, maybe I am familiar enough with today’s teens. Can I change my mind to a now-badass-looking Frankie Muniz? Jon Heder as Markos Moulitsas The Napoleon Dynamite actor doesn’t exactly look like the Daily Kos founder, but my dream picks, Adam Baldwin (Firefly; Chuck) and John Francis Daley (Freaks and Geeks; Bones), are respectively too old and too young. Anyway, as the political blogger whose site broke the rumor of Palin’s fake pregnancy, which led to the announcement of Bristol’s actual pregnancy, Heder would finally play a much needed serious role. Plus, ‘Kos’ is probably as annoying to many Republicans as Napoleon Dynamite is to me. With… Bokeem Woodbine as Barack Obama and John Terry as Joe Biden TV supporting players Woodbine (Saving Grace) and Terry (Lost) would round out the main cast, save for the rest of the Biden clan, who will be played by random child actors, and Fred Thompson and Paris Hilton, who will appear as themselves. Cindy McCain will be played by Joan Allen (she deserves to be in here somewhere) and Joe Lieberman will of course be played by Deputy Dog. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:00:29 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/3/2008 2:00:29 PMLast Friday, before conspiracy theorists were questioning who actually birthed newborn Trig Palin, and long before it was announced that Bristol Palin is a (first time?) teen mom-to-be, I was innocently thinking of the more simple Sarah Palin movie. The one that goes sorta like The Contender, except that in this case the nude photos, which may or may not be of the female VP candidate, are pageant-related rather than a remnant of sorority hazing. Now, of course, despite the gossip blogs’ wet dream that there are indeed scandalous photos out there of the former Miss Alaska runner-up, the movie goes a little more like Juno — or, as many a site has effortlessly pictured it, Juneau. Either way, both The Contender’s Joan Allen and Juno mom Allison Janney could easily pull off the role of Sarah Palin, but I’ve got my heart set on someone else for the part (see above). And I’ve gone ahead and cast the rest of the movie, too (see below). But feel free to comment below with your own choices for each of the cast. Sandra Bullock as Sarah Palin While the obvious lookalike is Tina Fey, let’s just assume that Lorne Michaels has already phoned the 30 Rock star and begged her to guest appear on Saturday Night Live for the couple months leading up to the election (and beyond if McCain/Palin win). I’ve also seen suggestions for Mariska Hargitay (another decent lookalike), Megan Mullaly, Nia Vardalos and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But I’m going with Bullock, and not only because of the Miss Congeniality factor. Or even that she’s exactly the right age (so is Hargitay). Bullock and Palin share a few similar features, too, yet the major factor in my choice is that this is Palin’s story, and she needs a relatively A-list name to play her. Paul Simon as John McCain I have to give my brother credit for this one, as he apparently has always thought McCain looks like the singer-songwriter. My best idea was to cast Bruce Willis and age him to look 20 years older. The best thing about Simon, who I’ve always wished had acted more, is that he’s actually a lot shorter than McCain and will caricaturize the idea that the Republican presidential candidate always looks rather stubby. Miley Cyrus as Bristol Palin If resemblance was key, I’d go more with Amanda Bynes or maybe 7th Heaven’s Beverley Mitchell. But I’m instead choosing “Hannah Montana”, because she’s appropriately scandal-prone. And she’d get the young girls into the audience for whatever message the film intends. Plus, I think there’s a rule that all teen actresses have to star in some sort of young pregnancy movie sooner or later, and this would surely be the most high profile of the sort. Chris Isaak as Todd Palin As long as we’ve already got Simon and Cyrus, why not add some more musical people to the ensemble? Maybe the movie can even be a musical? While I think Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, could pass as the First Gentleman of Alaska, there’s just too many people out there who’d get the icky feeling that Todd Palin is actually the father of Bristol’s kid. So, here’s Chris Isaak, who could probably look enough like the guy if he grew a goatee. Another contender, if you’re a fan of Speed and The Lake House, is Keanu Reeves, but my first choice is actually either 20-years-ago Fred Ward or 20-years-ago Patrick Duffy. Unknown as Levi Johnston In the musical version that’s also geared toward young audiences, Bristol Palin’s reluctant baby daddy would be played by one of the Jonas Brothers. But it’s so common for teen boy roles to be cast with newcomers that I figure the kid would be played instead by a relative unknown. I know it’s a bit of a cop out, especially since I’m really unfamiliar with today’s young heartthrobs, but just look at all the Channing Tatums, Chad Michael Murrays, etc. that pop up every year. Wait, maybe I am familiar enough with today’s teens. Can I change my mind to a now-badass-looking Frankie Muniz? Jon Heder as Markos Moulitsas The Napoleon Dynamite actor doesn’t exactly look like the Daily Kos founder, but my dream picks, Adam Baldwin (Firefly; Chuck) and John Francis Daley (Freaks and Geeks; Bones), are respectively too old and too young. Anyway, as the political blogger whose site broke the rumor of Palin’s fake pregnancy, which led to the announcement of Bristol’s actual pregnancy, Heder would finally play a much needed serious role. Plus, ‘Kos’ is probably as annoying to many Republicans as Napoleon Dynamite is to me. With… Bokeem Woodbine as Barack Obama and John Terry as Joe Biden TV supporting players Woodbine (Saving Grace) and Terry (Lost) would round out the main cast, save for the rest of the Biden clan, who will be played by random child actors, and Fred Thompson and Paris Hilton, who will appear as themselves. Cindy McCain will be played by Joan Allen (she deserves to be in here somewhere) and Joe Lieberman will of course be played by Deputy Dog. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/chrismorrell/archive/2008/7/2/32047.aspx Post By: chrismorrell
Post To: chrismorrell Blog
Post Date: 7/2/2008 9:30:34 PM
Body: I'm with you CinemaRian,but it just seems like innocent fun or something..FB's DO has been on T.V loadsa times but i only saw it all the way through today,and laughed quite a bit. I knew a Ferrari was involved,a very pretty boy and girl..a tortured "authority" figure,the school principal..er,that's it . Maybe it's notable for "breaking the fourth wall"but doesnt add up to much apart from looking so shiny and fun and the opposite of "world weary",i laughed AT it aswell as with...they visit an ART gallery for cryin out loud!....It's the antithesis of everything that would pass for a "high school" comedy now ...like Rushmore (1998) or the wonderful "Ghostworld" or "Napoleon Dynamite"...and i couldnt help wondering all those idle thoughts like. Why didnt Mia Sara make more films,how come the only other thing i can remember seeing Alan Ruck in is "Speed" Why oh why did Jennifer Grey get a nose job!?...and how Matthew Broderick looks so cute,a lot like Ellen "Juno" Page...
]]>Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:30:34 GMTchrismorrellchrismorrell Blog7/2/2008 9:30:34 PMI'm with you CinemaRian,but it just seems like innocent fun or something..FB's DO has been on T.V loadsa times but i only saw it all the way through today,and laughed quite a bit. I knew a Ferrari was involved,a very pretty boy and girl..a tortured "authority" figure,the school principal..er,that's it . Maybe it's notable for "breaking the fourth wall"but doesnt add up to much apart from looking so shiny and fun and the opposite of "world weary",i laughed AT it aswell as with...they visit an ART gallery for cryin out loud!....It's the antithesis of everything that would pass for a "high school" comedy now ...like Rushmore (1998) or the wonderful "Ghostworld" or "Napoleon Dynamite"...and i couldnt help wondering all those idle thoughts like. Why didnt Mia Sara make more films,how come the only other thing i can remember seeing Alan Ruck in is "Speed" Why oh why did Jennifer Grey get a nose job!?...and how Matthew Broderick looks so cute,a lot like Ellen "Juno" Page... http://www.spout.com/blogs/mercurial/archive/2008/5/27/29991.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: a filmblog
Post Date: 5/27/2008 5:26:29 AM
Body: A cast of quirky teenage misfits spewing pop-culture laden witticisms while dealing with the awkwardness that comes with adolescence. Despite being the basic structure to a horde of other films attempting to capture and exploit the joie de vivre of youth, The Sasquatch Gang manages to maintain a certain amount of ignorance to its cliched story and unfolds like an after-school special written and directed by Mike Judge. Corn dog eating rednecks with prescription mullets, live-action role-playing geeks and a cryptozoologist fill this world where a Napoleon Dynamite or a Juno would fit in just fine. Surprisingly kid-friendly and packed with enough laughs to get you through to the closing credits.
]]>Tue, 27 May 2008 09:26:29 GMTmercuriala filmblog5/27/2008 5:26:29 AMA cast of quirky teenage misfits spewing pop-culture laden witticisms while dealing with the awkwardness that comes with adolescence. Despite being the basic structure to a horde of other films attempting to capture and exploit the joie de vivre of youth, The Sasquatch Gang manages to maintain a certain amount of ignorance to its cliched story and unfolds like an after-school special written and directed by Mike Judge. Corn dog eating rednecks with prescription mullets, live-action role-playing geeks and a cryptozoologist fill this world where a Napoleon Dynamite or a Juno would fit in just fine. Surprisingly kid-friendly and packed with enough laughs to get you through to the closing credits. http://www.spout.com/blogs/chrismorrell/archive/2008/1/20/24129.aspx Post By: chrismorrell
Post To: chrismorrell Blog
Post Date: 1/20/2008 9:56:36 PM
Body: The elements of this are familiar to us ...somehow..The dysfunctional ,bizarro family,the idiot savant,or is he just an idiot?...the sympathetic "crazies" ,lining up and taking on the "normal" people..."Napoleon Dynamite" is totally charming and life affirming...At it's core is something as warm-hearted ,romantic and melancholic as "Gregory's Girl".and it's very very funny...what more could you want?
]]>Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:56:36 GMTchrismorrellchrismorrell Blog1/20/2008 9:56:36 PMThe elements of this are familiar to us ...somehow..The dysfunctional ,bizarro family,the idiot savant,or is he just an idiot?...the sympathetic &quot;crazies&quot; ,lining up and taking on the &quot;normal&quot; people...&quot;Napoleon Dynamite&quot; is totally charming and life affirming...At it&#39;s core is something as warm-hearted ,romantic and melancholic as &quot;Gregory&#39;s Girl&quot;.and it&#39;s very very funny...what more could you want? http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/1/17/23996.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/17/2008 1:00:44 PM
Body: Everybody’s talking about how the WGA strike may affect this year’s Sundance marketplace (Variety and Scott Foundas among them), but studios looking to make up for a lack of in-house product with appealing-looking indies may want to think twice before opening the checkbook. It’s easy for buyers to forget that Hollywood still knows nothing about what moviegoers really want, and it’s very easy to waste a whole lot of money bidding on a film that isn’t going to be worth it’s purchase price. This week, the Onion’s A.V. Club features a list of Sundance flops — those movies that were a big deal at the festival yet failed at the box office. It’s probably meant to just be a fun look back at the errs of the marketplace, but really it functions as a warning to this year’s buyers. What they think is the next Napoleon Dynamite could really be the next Tao of Steve (which happens to have sparked a hilarious discussion in the comments section — possibly featuring Donal Logue himself). The Hollywood Reporter and David Carr in the New York Times add to the list by pointing out some of last year’s deals gone bad, specifically those for Joshua and Grace is Gone. It’s not a matter of whether or not these films were good (I think Tadpole is great, actually) or whether not they could be enjoyed by regular folk (most of them were audience favorites at Sundance, and those audiences included regular folks). I don’t even think it’s a matter of whether or not the distributors knew how to market those films, though in some cases it didn’t even seem like they were trying. Instead it’s a matter of how different the context is at Sundance than it is in the real theatrical market. If you’ve ever been to a public screening at Sundance, you know how excited those regular folk audiences are for anything. You can tell by their praise-filled “questions” during the Q&As. You can tell by the fact that many of them aren’t seeing a lot of films — at least relatively, considering the number of films playing at the fest — and so don’t have good frames of reference. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:00:44 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/17/2008 1:00:44 PM Everybody’s talking about how the WGA strike may affect this year’s Sundance marketplace (Variety and Scott Foundas among them), but studios looking to make up for a lack of in-house product with appealing-looking indies may want to think twice before opening the checkbook. It’s easy for buyers to forget that Hollywood still knows nothing about what moviegoers really want, and it’s very easy to waste a whole lot of money bidding on a film that isn’t going to be worth it’s purchase price. This week, the Onion’s A.V. Club features a list of Sundance flops — those movies that were a big deal at the festival yet failed at the box office. It’s probably meant to just be a fun look back at the errs of the marketplace, but really it functions as a warning to this year’s buyers. What they think is the next Napoleon Dynamite could really be the next Tao of Steve (which happens to have sparked a hilarious discussion in the comments section — possibly featuring Donal Logue himself). The Hollywood Reporter and David Carr in the New York Times add to the list by pointing out some of last year’s deals gone bad, specifically those for Joshua and Grace is Gone. It’s not a matter of whether or not these films were good (I think Tadpole is great, actually) or whether not they could be enjoyed by regular folk (most of them were audience favorites at Sundance, and those audiences included regular folks). I don’t even think it’s a matter of whether or not the distributors knew how to market those films, though in some cases it didn’t even seem like they were trying. Instead it’s a matter of how different the context is at Sundance than it is in the real theatrical market. If you’ve ever been to a public screening at Sundance, you know how excited those regular folk audiences are for anything. You can tell by their praise-filled “questions” during the Q&As. You can tell by the fact that many of them aren’t seeing a lot of films — at least relatively, considering the number of films playing at the fest — and so don’t have good frames of reference. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2007/12/31/23367.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 12/31/2007 12:01:31 PM
Body: I’ve read two stories in two hours that refer to Juno as “crossover hit.” I’m not denying that it is, so far, a hit, both with audiences and with critics. But tell me again how this film??????made by a not-exactly-maverick director for a studio specialty division, starring three known actors and one tabloid staple, targeted at teens and young adults, both thematically and stylistically indebted (or, at the very least, related) to previous hits like Superbad, Ghost World and Napoleon Dynamite??????qualifies as a “crossover”? Yes, Searchlight bought “indie” credibility by taking Juno to a bunch of festivals and rolling it out slowly. But we’re also talking about a film that’s been advertising on NYTimes.com for over three months. This is so clearly a studio film that, in a bit of smart awards season strategy, has been sold by its distributor as an indie. Why are journalists who should know better playing along? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » karina
]]>Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:01:31 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog12/31/2007 12:01:31 PMI’ve read two stories in two hours that refer to Juno as “crossover hit.” I’m not denying that it is, so far, a hit, both with audiences and with critics. But tell me again how this film??????made by a not-exactly-maverick director for a studio specialty division, starring three known actors and one tabloid staple, targeted at teens and young adults, both thematically and stylistically indebted (or, at the very least, related) to previous hits like Superbad, Ghost World and Napoleon Dynamite??????qualifies as a “crossover”? Yes, Searchlight bought “indie” credibility by taking Juno to a bunch of festivals and rolling it out slowly. But we’re also talking about a film that’s been advertising on NYTimes.com for over three months. This is so clearly a studio film that, in a bit of smart awards season strategy, has been sold by its distributor as an indie. Why are journalists who should know better playing along? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » karina http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/12/31/23366.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/31/2007 12:00:53 PM
Body: I’ve read two stories in two hours that refer to Juno as “crossover hit.” I’m not denying that it is, so far, a hit, both with audiences and with critics. But tell me again how this film??????made by a not-exactly-maverick director for a studio specialty division, starring three known actors and one tabloid staple, targeted at teens and young adults, both thematically and stylistically indebted (or, at the very least, related) to previous hits like Superbad, Ghost World and Napoleon Dynamite??????qualifies as a “crossover”? Yes, Searchlight bought “indie” credibility by taking Juno to a bunch of festivals and rolling it out slowly. But we’re also talking about a film that’s been advertising on NYTimes.com for over three months. This is so clearly a studio film that, in a bit of smart awards season strategy, has been sold by its distributor as an indie. Why are journalists who should know better playing along? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:00:53 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/31/2007 12:00:53 PMI’ve read two stories in two hours that refer to Juno as “crossover hit.” I’m not denying that it is, so far, a hit, both with audiences and with critics. But tell me again how this film??????made by a not-exactly-maverick director for a studio specialty division, starring three known actors and one tabloid staple, targeted at teens and young adults, both thematically and stylistically indebted (or, at the very least, related) to previous hits like Superbad, Ghost World and Napoleon Dynamite??????qualifies as a “crossover”? Yes, Searchlight bought “indie” credibility by taking Juno to a bunch of festivals and rolling it out slowly. But we’re also talking about a film that’s been advertising on NYTimes.com for over three months. This is so clearly a studio film that, in a bit of smart awards season strategy, has been sold by its distributor as an indie. Why are journalists who should know better playing along? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
Number of films tagged: 606

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]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMT8163121453Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/comedy/MemberTagFilms.aspxcomedy
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