list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Shaun of the Dead 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/Shaun_of_the_Dead/239885/default.aspx Title: Shaun of the Dead
Year: 2004
Director: Edgar Wright
Plot: It's often said that the true character of a man is only revealed in times of dire crisis, and for likable, lovelorn loser Shaun (Simon Pegg), that moment of reckoning came when the dead rose from their slumber to feast on the flesh of the living. A hapless electronics store employee who spends most of his spare time downing pints at the local pub with his roommate, Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun's life seems to fall apart when he is dumped by his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), and his obnoxious stepfather, Philip (Bill Nighy), shows up to berate him for not being more attentive to his caring mother Barbara (Penelope Wilton) -- especially since he forgot to send flowers for her birthday. Things take a turn for the worse when the dead return to stake their claim on the Earth, and though the chaos that follows threatens to swallow up all of England, it's up to Shaun to keep his cool and prove himself once and for all by successfully rescuing Liz and his mother. With his trusty roommate by his side, nothing -- not even the living dead -- can stand between Shaun and the two most important women in his life. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 167
Number of Lists: 169
Number of blog posts: 25
Number of discussion threads: 18
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:41:19 GMTShaun of the Dead2004Edgar WrightIt's often said that the true character of a man is only revealed in times of dire crisis, and for likable, lovelorn loser Shaun (<a href="/players/P___307202/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Simon Pegg</a>), that moment of reckoning came when the dead rose from their slumber to feast on the flesh of the living. A hapless electronics store employee who spends most of his spare time downing pints at the local pub with his roommate, Ed (<a href="/players/P___394251/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Nick Frost</a>), Shaun's life seems to fall apart when he is dumped by his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), and his obnoxious stepfather, Philip (<a href="/players/P____52695/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bill Nighy</a>), shows up to berate him for not being more attentive to his caring mother Barbara (<a href="/players/P____76837/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Penelope Wilton</a>) -- especially since he forgot to send flowers for her birthday. Things take a turn for the worse when the dead return to stake their claim on the Earth, and though the chaos that follows threatens to swallow up all of England, it's up to Shaun to keep his cool and prove himself once and for all by successfully rescuing Liz and his mother. With his trusty roommate by his side, nothing -- not even the living dead -- can stand between Shaun and the two most important women in his life. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide167Tag Target (>10)16925184http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u39615xvo6w.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Shaun_of_the_Dead/239885/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/2/4/40232.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/4/2009 10:00:51 AM
Body: Publisher Quirk Books and author Seth Grahame-Smith have come up with the best way to make a literary work more accessible since the creation of Classics Illustrated comic books: they’ve added “all-new scenes of bone crunching zombie action” to Jane Austen’s 19th century novel Pride and Prejudice. This new version, out in stores this May, is titled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now With Ultraviolent Mayhem! And if you didn’t think it was a masterpiece before, chances are you will now. Could we do the same thing to classic films? Well, the technology to add extraneous enhancements to movies exists. Just check out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for proof. But like Pride and Prejudice, we’d need to “enhance” films in the public domain if we wanted to get away with it. Fortunately, there are hundreds of such titles (see a list at Wikipedia), some of which actually already have zombies (Night of the Living Dead, White Zombie, Revolt of the Zombies, and in a way the “scientific” film Experiments in the Revival of Organisms). Avoiding the majority of public domain movies already consisting of horror and science fiction elements, we’ve come up with ten great classic films that would be even greater with the addition of zombies. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstin, 1925) New title: Mutinous Zombies of the Battleship Potemkin Synopsis: A Soviet cinema masterpiece, Eisenstein’s film depicts the 1905 uprising of zombies on the titular vessel against the oppressive officers of the Tsarist regime. It begins when soldiers aboard the Potemkin are forced to eat rotten, maggot-infested meat, which turns the men into mutinous zombies. Later, the city of Odessa becomes overwhelmed with undead citizens and the Tsarist military is sent in to massacre them. In the end, though, even the soldiers are converted. Other Eisenstein films, particularly October, may also appropriately receive similar special zombie editions. The General (Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton, 1927) New title: The General and the Zombies Synopsis: Buster Keaton’s greatest silent blockbuster is kind of like the Shaun of the Dead of its time. The film begins with Keaton’s character losing his girlfriend due to his inability to prove he’s not a coward and a bum, but then by happenstance he ends up a hero and, most importantly, salvages his relationship in the process. In this special edition, Johnnie Gray still has to rescue his train (and his girlfriend) from the Union army, but now those Northern spies are zombies. Like the title character in Shaun of the Dead, Johnnie must in one new scene impersonate a zombie in order to fool them. The stone-faced Keaton is a natural for this masquerade, but of course then soldiers on his side mistake him for being a Union zombie, with hilarious consequences. Abraham Lincoln (D.W. Griffith, 1930) New title: Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies Synopsis: Griffith’s biopic about the 16th President of the United States was filled with historical inaccuracies when first released almost 80 years ago. The main complaint? Griffith left out Lincoln’s triumphant one-man battle against a Confederate brigade made up completely of zombie soldiers (yep, the South had them, too). Now, in a special edition release timed to coincide with Honest Abe’s 200th birthday, scenes depicting that battle, as well as a new ending, in which Lincoln recommends the enslavement of zombies, because they are not technically men and therefore are not guaranteed Constitutional freedom, are included. Also, on the DVD: a bonus behind-the-scenes supplement featuring a still-undead Lincoln zombie overseeing the restoration; an exclusive look at Lincoln’s famous stovepipe hat, which he wore to keep zombies from getting at his brains. (The above image of Abe Lincoln, Zombie Hunter is from this t-shirt.) At the Circus (Edward Buzzell, 1939) New title: At the Zombie Circus Synopsis: The Marx Brothers’ films were crazy enough without the addition of zombies, but this late episode from Groucho, Harpo and Chico just wasn’t anarchic enough for their fans. So, now the plot involving the stolen money has been eliminated and the film consists of the three Marx boys trying to stay alive inside a circus tent filled with zombies. There’s a strong man zombie, a dwarf zombie, and then there’s Margaret Dumont, who is so dull Groucho thinks she’s a zombie. Or maybe he just stabs her in the brain for fun? His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940) New title: His Girl Zombie Synopsis: Despite the new title, Rosalind Russell is never turned into a zombie. Rather, the zombies are merely in the background, causing even more fast-paced hysterics (yes, they’re the quick sort of zombies that are all the “rage” these days). Actually, at one point Ralph Bellamy’s character is thought to be a zombie, but then it’s realized that as much as he appears to be the walking dead, he’s just too slow to be one of the zombies running around outside the courthouse. Again, His Girl Zombie has something in common with Shaun of the Dead (not to mention Twister), in that it’s another story in which a couple attempts to separate but is thrust back together during a chaotic event. Angel and the Badman (James Edward Grant, 1947) New title: Angel and the Badman and the Zombies Synopsis: In this early precursor to the ‘80s Harrison Ford classic Witness Zombies, John Wayne plays a shootist and womanizer who is wounded near a Quaker family home. Brought in and nursed back to health, he attempts to tame himself after falling for a young Quaker woman. But his desire to become a pacifist is made difficult when brain-hungry zombies attack the house, and he must choose to either commit himself to the Quaker ways and “die” with his new religious society of friends, or go out and kick some zombie ass. D.O.A. (Rudolph Mate, 1950) New title: Z.O.A. Synopsis: The film begins with Frank Bigelow, filmed from behind, entering a police station to report that he’s been murdered. The reason he is able to do this is not because he’s not yet died from the poison; it’s because he is a zombie, which we finally discover when the camera finally shows us his face. The film then goes to flashback and details the events that lead to Bigelow’s zombification. After the back-story is complete, the film returns to the scene in the police station, where cops proceed to shoot Bigelow in the head. His file is then marked “Z.O.A.,” meaning “zombie on arrival.” Royal Wedding (Stanley Donen, 1951) New title: Zombie Wedding Synopsis: Fred Astaire and Jane Powell star as a brother and sister song and dance duo in this musical classic, which features two of Astaire’s most famous scenes. “Zombie Jumps” has him dancing first with a coat rack, then with a corpse, Weekend at Bernie’s-style. The latter of these objects ends up coming to life, a metaphor for Astaire’s famous ability to animate the inanimate. In “You’re All Zombies to Me,” Astaire playfully escapes from the zombie he’s created by dancing on the walls and ceiling of a room. Beat the Devil (John Huston, 1953) New title: Beat the Devil and the Zombies Synopsis: It’s been called the first camp movie, but unfortunately it wasn’t the first camp zombie movie. That all changes now with newly added scenes in which Humphrey Bogart and a great ensemble of character actors, including Peter Lorre, must fight off zombies while killing time at an Italian port. It’s very likely that Huston and co-screenwriter Truman Capote would have no problem with this additional subplot. Anyone familiar with the background of the film knows its makers didn’t take it seriously in the least. Actually, let’s just go ahead and add zombies into every section of the film. Zombies on the boat, zombies in Africa, zombies everywhere. Heck, make Bogie a zombie due to a lack of money. After all, as his character sets it up with the line, “I’ve got to have money. Doctor’s orders are that I must have a lot of money, otherwise I become dull, listless and have trouble with my complexion.” It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946) New title: It’s a Zombie Life Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, George Bailey wishes he were a zombie. But before he can find another zombie to bite him, an angel comes down from Heaven and shows him what his life would be like if he were undead. Zombie George infects the whole town of Bedford Falls, all except the wealthy Mr. Potter, who manages to take over the town by enslaving and exploiting the zombified citizens. In the end, George realizes that he’s better off simply shooting himself in the head so that he can’t possibly become a zombie. (Note: It’s a Wonderful Life is actually no longer in the public domain, but we just couldn’t not include it). Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:00:51 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/4/2009 10:00:51 AMPublisher Quirk Books and author Seth Grahame-Smith have come up with the best way to make a literary work more accessible since the creation of Classics Illustrated comic books: they’ve added “all-new scenes of bone crunching zombie action” to Jane Austen’s 19th century novel Pride and Prejudice. This new version, out in stores this May, is titled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now With Ultraviolent Mayhem! And if you didn’t think it was a masterpiece before, chances are you will now. Could we do the same thing to classic films? Well, the technology to add extraneous enhancements to movies exists. Just check out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for proof. But like Pride and Prejudice, we’d need to “enhance” films in the public domain if we wanted to get away with it. Fortunately, there are hundreds of such titles (see a list at Wikipedia), some of which actually already have zombies (Night of the Living Dead, White Zombie, Revolt of the Zombies, and in a way the “scientific” film Experiments in the Revival of Organisms). Avoiding the majority of public domain movies already consisting of horror and science fiction elements, we’ve come up with ten great classic films that would be even greater with the addition of zombies. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstin, 1925) New title: Mutinous Zombies of the Battleship Potemkin Synopsis: A Soviet cinema masterpiece, Eisenstein’s film depicts the 1905 uprising of zombies on the titular vessel against the oppressive officers of the Tsarist regime. It begins when soldiers aboard the Potemkin are forced to eat rotten, maggot-infested meat, which turns the men into mutinous zombies. Later, the city of Odessa becomes overwhelmed with undead citizens and the Tsarist military is sent in to massacre them. In the end, though, even the soldiers are converted. Other Eisenstein films, particularly October, may also appropriately receive similar special zombie editions. The General (Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton, 1927) New title: The General and the Zombies Synopsis: Buster Keaton’s greatest silent blockbuster is kind of like the Shaun of the Dead of its time. The film begins with Keaton’s character losing his girlfriend due to his inability to prove he’s not a coward and a bum, but then by happenstance he ends up a hero and, most importantly, salvages his relationship in the process. In this special edition, Johnnie Gray still has to rescue his train (and his girlfriend) from the Union army, but now those Northern spies are zombies. Like the title character in Shaun of the Dead, Johnnie must in one new scene impersonate a zombie in order to fool them. The stone-faced Keaton is a natural for this masquerade, but of course then soldiers on his side mistake him for being a Union zombie, with hilarious consequences. Abraham Lincoln (D.W. Griffith, 1930) New title: Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies Synopsis: Griffith’s biopic about the 16th President of the United States was filled with historical inaccuracies when first released almost 80 years ago. The main complaint? Griffith left out Lincoln’s triumphant one-man battle against a Confederate brigade made up completely of zombie soldiers (yep, the South had them, too). Now, in a special edition release timed to coincide with Honest Abe’s 200th birthday, scenes depicting that battle, as well as a new ending, in which Lincoln recommends the enslavement of zombies, because they are not technically men and therefore are not guaranteed Constitutional freedom, are included. Also, on the DVD: a bonus behind-the-scenes supplement featuring a still-undead Lincoln zombie overseeing the restoration; an exclusive look at Lincoln’s famous stovepipe hat, which he wore to keep zombies from getting at his brains. (The above image of Abe Lincoln, Zombie Hunter is from this t-shirt.) At the Circus (Edward Buzzell, 1939) New title: At the Zombie Circus Synopsis: The Marx Brothers’ films were crazy enough without the addition of zombies, but this late episode from Groucho, Harpo and Chico just wasn’t anarchic enough for their fans. So, now the plot involving the stolen money has been eliminated and the film consists of the three Marx boys trying to stay alive inside a circus tent filled with zombies. There’s a strong man zombie, a dwarf zombie, and then there’s Margaret Dumont, who is so dull Groucho thinks she’s a zombie. Or maybe he just stabs her in the brain for fun? His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940) New title: His Girl Zombie Synopsis: Despite the new title, Rosalind Russell is never turned into a zombie. Rather, the zombies are merely in the background, causing even more fast-paced hysterics (yes, they’re the quick sort of zombies that are all the “rage” these days). Actually, at one point Ralph Bellamy’s character is thought to be a zombie, but then it’s realized that as much as he appears to be the walking dead, he’s just too slow to be one of the zombies running around outside the courthouse. Again, His Girl Zombie has something in common with Shaun of the Dead (not to mention Twister), in that it’s another story in which a couple attempts to separate but is thrust back together during a chaotic event. Angel and the Badman (James Edward Grant, 1947) New title: Angel and the Badman and the Zombies Synopsis: In this early precursor to the ‘80s Harrison Ford classic Witness Zombies, John Wayne plays a shootist and womanizer who is wounded near a Quaker family home. Brought in and nursed back to health, he attempts to tame himself after falling for a young Quaker woman. But his desire to become a pacifist is made difficult when brain-hungry zombies attack the house, and he must choose to either commit himself to the Quaker ways and “die” with his new religious society of friends, or go out and kick some zombie ass. D.O.A. (Rudolph Mate, 1950) New title: Z.O.A. Synopsis: The film begins with Frank Bigelow, filmed from behind, entering a police station to report that he’s been murdered. The reason he is able to do this is not because he’s not yet died from the poison; it’s because he is a zombie, which we finally discover when the camera finally shows us his face. The film then goes to flashback and details the events that lead to Bigelow’s zombification. After the back-story is complete, the film returns to the scene in the police station, where cops proceed to shoot Bigelow in the head. His file is then marked “Z.O.A.,” meaning “zombie on arrival.” Royal Wedding (Stanley Donen, 1951) New title: Zombie Wedding Synopsis: Fred Astaire and Jane Powell star as a brother and sister song and dance duo in this musical classic, which features two of Astaire’s most famous scenes. “Zombie Jumps” has him dancing first with a coat rack, then with a corpse, Weekend at Bernie’s-style. The latter of these objects ends up coming to life, a metaphor for Astaire’s famous ability to animate the inanimate. In “You’re All Zombies to Me,” Astaire playfully escapes from the zombie he’s created by dancing on the walls and ceiling of a room. Beat the Devil (John Huston, 1953) New title: Beat the Devil and the Zombies Synopsis: It’s been called the first camp movie, but unfortunately it wasn’t the first camp zombie movie. That all changes now with newly added scenes in which Humphrey Bogart and a great ensemble of character actors, including Peter Lorre, must fight off zombies while killing time at an Italian port. It’s very likely that Huston and co-screenwriter Truman Capote would have no problem with this additional subplot. Anyone familiar with the background of the film knows its makers didn’t take it seriously in the least. Actually, let’s just go ahead and add zombies into every section of the film. Zombies on the boat, zombies in Africa, zombies everywhere. Heck, make Bogie a zombie due to a lack of money. After all, as his character sets it up with the line, “I’ve got to have money. Doctor’s orders are that I must have a lot of money, otherwise I become dull, listless and have trouble with my complexion.” It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946) New title: It’s a Zombie Life Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, George Bailey wishes he were a zombie. But before he can find another zombie to bite him, an angel comes down from Heaven and shows him what his life would be like if he were undead. Zombie George infects the whole town of Bedford Falls, all except the wealthy Mr. Potter, who manages to take over the town by enslaving and exploiting the zombified citizens. In the end, George realizes that he’s better off simply shooting himself in the head so that he can’t possibly become a zombie. (Note: It’s a Wonderful Life is actually no longer in the public domain, but we just couldn’t not include it). Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/New_Movies_1_23_Babes_vs_Vikings/216/39679/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 1/19/2009 5:16:06 PM
Body: 1. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans -- Watch the trailer. In the much-awaited sequel Underwear: Rise of the Lycra, we learn that a wicked wedgie has taken the life of Kate Beckinsale. Replacing Beckinsale is Rhona Mitra, one of the toughest chicks I've ever seen in film. (Fans of post-apocalyptic horror should check out Neil Marshal's Doomsday. Watch the trailer.) Fleshing out the cast are Martin Sheen and the excellent Bill Nighy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Valkyrie). Nighy gave a hint about his role at the Comic-Con preview: "I’m a vampire, I’m a zombie, and I’m a squid. How many people do you know who can make that claim?" I don't know, but I've eaten those three kinds of meat at one sitting. How many can make that claim? Rise of the Lycra was preceded by Underwear: Elle Macpherson (watch trailer) and the original Underwear (watch trailer). Now, onto the next movie: 2. Inkheart -- Watch the trailer. Hey, speaking of Brendan Fraser, recast Encino Man to win a t-shirt. 3. Killshot -- Watch the trailer. What's more mysterious: when untalented people make a good film, or when talented people make a bad film? Since Killshot's release was bumped five times and was almost a direct-to-DVD release, it seems producer Harvey Weinstein just wants the film to go away. Read more. Still, there might be some potential here since it came from an Elmore Leonard novel. 4. Outlander (limited release) -- Watch the trailer. Wow, Vikings vs. aliens! I want this to be good, but since it's another film that Harvey Weinstein wanted to disappear, it's probably not. And darn it, why do they have to show the monster in the trailer? Outlander looks about as good as Pathfinder (2007), which was Vikings vs. Native Americans, or The 13th Warrior, which was Vikings vs. a Middle Eastern scholar. What kind of Viking match-ups would you like to see? How about Vikings vs. Predator? P.S., I really dug that Vikings vs. Tomb Raider movie, Beowulf (2006).
]]>Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:16:06 GMTspoutComing Soon1/19/2009 5:16:06 PM 1. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans -- Watch the trailer. In the much-awaited sequel Underwear: Rise of the Lycra, we learn that a wicked wedgie has taken the life of Kate Beckinsale. Replacing Beckinsale is Rhona Mitra, one of the toughest chicks I've ever seen in film. (Fans of post-apocalyptic horror should check out Neil Marshal's Doomsday. Watch the trailer.) Fleshing out the cast are Martin Sheen and the excellent Bill Nighy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Valkyrie). Nighy gave a hint about his role at the Comic-Con preview: "I&rsquo;m a vampire, I&rsquo;m a zombie, and I&rsquo;m a squid. How many people do you know who can make that claim?" I don't know, but I've eaten those three kinds of meat at one sitting. How many can make that claim? Rise of the Lycra was preceded by Underwear: Elle Macpherson (watch trailer) and the original Underwear (watch trailer). Now, onto the next movie: 2. Inkheart -- Watch the trailer. Hey, speaking of Brendan Fraser, recast Encino Man to win a t-shirt. 3. Killshot -- Watch the trailer. What's more mysterious: when untalented people make a good film, or when talented people make a bad film? Since Killshot's release was bumped five times and was almost a direct-to-DVD release, it seems producer Harvey Weinstein just wants the film to go away. Read more. Still, there might be some potential here since it came from an Elmore Leonard novel. 4. Outlander (limited release) -- Watch the trailer. Wow, Vikings vs. aliens! I want this to be good, but since it's another film that Harvey Weinstein wanted to disappear, it's probably not. And darn it, why do they have to show the monster in the trailer? Outlander looks about as good as Pathfinder (2007), which was Vikings vs. Native Americans, or The 13th Warrior, which was Vikings vs. a Middle Eastern scholar. What kind of Viking match-ups would you like to see? How about Vikings vs. Predator? P.S., I really dug that Vikings vs. Tomb Raider movie, Beowulf (2006). http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_Best_Movie_Lists_DVD_giveaway/563/39342/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: myrdynn
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 1/10/2009 8:29:43 AM
Body: Horror Movies for the Horror Challenged 28 Days Later 30 Days of Night Alien Resurrection Blood & Donuts Invasion of the Body Snatchers Night of the Living Dead Shaun of the Dead The Day the Earth Stood Still Salem's Lot
]]>Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:29:43 GMTmyrdynnFilmgaming1/10/2009 8:29:43 AMHorror Movies for the Horror Challenged 28 Days Later 30 Days of Night Alien Resurrection Blood &amp; Donuts Invasion of the Body Snatchers Night of the Living Dead Shaun of the Dead The Day the Earth Stood Still Salem's Lot http://www.spout.com/groups/Zombie_Obsession/Re_what_is_your_plan_for_when_the_zombies_attack/329/39289/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Zombie Obsession
Post Date: 1/8/2009 8:46:09 PM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] The one thing I've learned from zombie movies and video games is that zombies never seem to eat themselves. Shouldn't we all just pretend we are zombies and just try to fit in? [/quote] They tried that in Shaun of the Dead and it actually worked for a minute or two! Might be worth a try in an emergency...
]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:46:09 GMTDr_GorZombie Obsession1/8/2009 8:46:09 PM[quote user="leeroy711"] The one thing I've learned from zombie movies and video games is that zombies never seem to eat themselves. Shouldn't we all just pretend we are zombies and just try to fit in? [/quote] They tried that in Shaun of the Dead and it actually worked for a minute or two! Might be worth a try in an emergency... http://www.spout.com/blogs/mythman/archive/2008/12/26/38854.aspx Post By: mythman
Post To: Watch Everything and Still See ONLY What Is Good
Post Date: 12/26/2008 9:38:33 AM
Body: Interesting sequence of events, somehow testifying to the power of love-without-reason.
]]>Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:38:33 GMTmythmanWatch Everything and Still See ONLY What Is Good12/26/2008 9:38:33 AMInteresting sequence of events, somehow testifying to the power of love-without-reason. http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2008/12/25/38844.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 12/25/2008 6:31:01 PM
Body: Hot Fuzz Yes, it's Christmas and I'm writing a movie review. Why not. My friend Noah came to visit me for a while and brought a couple films with him, including Hot Fuzz. I liked it about as much as Shaun of the Dead made by the same group of filmmakers. Which is to say, it was enjoyable enough but otherwise fairly forgettable. These guys are praised for having seen so many movies that they know all the cliches and are able to make a good parody / homage. I guess I enjoy the parody part, but it's apparent the filmmakers actually have respect for movies like Point Break or even *shudder* Bad Boys II, both of which are blatantly referenced several times by characters in the film. [POSSIBLE SPOILER] One interesting coincidence is that in the same weekend that we watched this movie, we also watched The Wicker Man which this movie is obviously referencing with it's primary plot points and main plot twist. Rating: 6/10
]]>Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:31:01 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog12/25/2008 6:31:01 PMHot Fuzz Yes, it's Christmas and I'm writing a movie review. Why not. My friend Noah came to visit me for a while and brought a couple films with him, including Hot Fuzz. I liked it about as much as Shaun of the Dead made by the same group of filmmakers. Which is to say, it was enjoyable enough but otherwise fairly forgettable. These guys are praised for having seen so many movies that they know all the cliches and are able to make a good parody / homage. I guess I enjoy the parody part, but it's apparent the filmmakers actually have respect for movies like Point Break or even *shudder* Bad Boys II, both of which are blatantly referenced several times by characters in the film. [POSSIBLE SPOILER] One interesting coincidence is that in the same weekend that we watched this movie, we also watched The Wicker Man which this movie is obviously referencing with it's primary plot points and main plot twist. Rating: 6/10 http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37894/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/3/2008 2:24:33 PM
Body: I've decided to list some movies from 2007 that not only should you see but that you might have otherwise missed. 1. The Darjeeling Limited - Wes Anderson's newest and probably my favorite of his. He did some great work with color pallets in this one. Not to be missed. 2. Eastern Promises - I'm not really a big Cronenberg fan, but this one was quite exceptional. 3. Hot Fuzz - I actually like this one a bit more than Shuan of the Dead. I thought the story was a bit more fun and the action sequences at the end were really cool. 4. This is England - Shane Meadows is on his way to big things, I loved his 2004 film, Dead Man's Shoes and this one is a great period piece that probably gives a more accurate depiction of England in the 80s than you are used to. 5. The Orphanage - I have to admit that I didn't really love this film as a whole. But the final "one two three.......knock on the door." scene was incredible. 6. Lars and the Real Girl - This one was everything I wanted Juno to be. I was a very status-quo indy flick with quirky characters. But I think it actually took a bigger risk with the subject matter.......... and I think the cast was better as well. 7. War Dance - This is one of those docs that Americans are supposed to watch and be challenged by. It totally works, there are some incredibly tragic stories told in here. Watch it.... now. 8. Black Snake Moan - I'm not even sure why I loved this movie as much as I did. The cast is fantastic (Justin Timberlake included) and I really liked how the music and the backdrop set the unbreaking tone for the entirety of the film. 9. Reno 911!: Miami/Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon.... - I laughed..... a lot. 10. The Host - It's a Korean monster movie with a badass monster. And somewhat of a screwball comedy at the same time. Definitely worth a look. So, it should go without saying that y'all should see No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood & The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. These are some of the best of the year. The Fall was another of my personall favorites but I refrained from including it on this list because it has allready been mentioned and it was made in quite a bit before it's release date so I'm not really sure what year it's supposed to be. Anyways - check these ones out and I'd love feedback - tell me what you thought.
]]>Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:24:33 GMTleeroy711Community Recommendations12/3/2008 2:24:33 PMI've decided to list some movies from 2007 that not only should you see but that you might have otherwise missed. 1. The Darjeeling Limited - Wes Anderson's newest and probably my favorite of his. He did some great work with color pallets in this one. Not to be missed. 2. Eastern Promises - I'm not really a big Cronenberg fan, but this one was quite exceptional. 3. Hot Fuzz - I actually like this one a bit more than Shuan of the Dead. I thought the story was a bit more fun and the action sequences at the end were really cool. 4. This is England - Shane Meadows is on his way to big things, I loved his 2004 film, Dead Man's Shoes and this one is a great period piece that probably gives a more accurate depiction of England in the 80s than you are used to. 5. The Orphanage - I have to admit that I didn't really love this film as a whole. But the final "one two three.......knock on the door." scene was incredible. 6. Lars and the Real Girl - This one was everything I wanted Juno to be. I was a very status-quo indy flick with quirky characters. But I think it actually took a bigger risk with the subject matter.......... and I think the cast was better as well. 7. War Dance - This is one of those docs that Americans are supposed to watch and be challenged by. It totally works, there are some incredibly tragic stories told in here. Watch it.... now. 8. Black Snake Moan - I'm not even sure why I loved this movie as much as I did. The cast is fantastic (Justin Timberlake included) and I really liked how the music and the backdrop set the unbreaking tone for the entirety of the film. 9. Reno 911!: Miami/Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon.... - I laughed..... a lot. 10. The Host - It's a Korean monster movie with a badass monster. And somewhat of a screwball comedy at the same time. Definitely worth a look. So, it should go without saying that y'all should see No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood &amp; The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. These are some of the best of the year. The Fall was another of my personall favorites but I refrained from including it on this list because it has allready been mentioned and it was made in quite a bit before it's release date so I'm not really sure what year it's supposed to be. Anyways - check these ones out and I'd love feedback - tell me what you thought. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/19/37460.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/19/2008 4:00:49 PM
Body: I didn’t want to say it on Monday, but the new trailer for Star Trek had me thinking of Muppet Babies. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one. A friend over at the ReadJunk.com forum had the same idea. And a few other internerds have made similar connections by recutting the trailer to better convey how J.J. Abrams’ reboot is basically just Star Trek Babies. Or Star Trek Jr. Or Little Star Trek. It should be titled The New Star Trek — not because it’s a new start, but because it’s kind of like The New Archies. The first recut I saw was over at Cinematical, where a video was posted fitting the Star Trek trailer to the theme song and opening credits style of the original Beverly Hills 90210. It was fine, though it stalled a little too much on the Zoe Saldana bra shot and featured too much footage from other films like Shaun of the Dead and Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. A few days later I saw the clip above, which carries out the same idea with the theme and opening style from Smallville. Due to the concept behind that show, this video seems more appropriate, though it still has its flaws. A few more characters/actors could have been given credits. Now all we need is someone to actually do a mashup of the new Star Trek and Muppet Babies. And after that, we could also use one pegged to the newly announced X-Men: First Class. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:00:49 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/19/2008 4:00:49 PM I didn’t want to say it on Monday, but the new trailer for Star Trek had me thinking of Muppet Babies. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one. A friend over at the ReadJunk.com forum had the same idea. And a few other internerds have made similar connections by recutting the trailer to better convey how J.J. Abrams’ reboot is basically just Star Trek Babies. Or Star Trek Jr. Or Little Star Trek. It should be titled The New Star Trek — not because it’s a new start, but because it’s kind of like The New Archies. The first recut I saw was over at Cinematical, where a video was posted fitting the Star Trek trailer to the theme song and opening credits style of the original Beverly Hills 90210. It was fine, though it stalled a little too much on the Zoe Saldana bra shot and featured too much footage from other films like Shaun of the Dead and Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. A few days later I saw the clip above, which carries out the same idea with the theme and opening style from Smallville. Due to the concept behind that show, this video seems more appropriate, though it still has its flaws. A few more characters/actors could have been given credits. Now all we need is someone to actually do a mashup of the new Star Trek and Muppet Babies. And after that, we could also use one pegged to the newly announced X-Men: First Class. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/19/35323.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/19/2008 5:01:43 PM
Body: Sometimes I really wish David Bordwell’s blog permitted comments. Mostly it’s better that it doesn’t, but the man’s last post has made me want to discuss the art of movie titles for a whole week now. And it didn’t help that coinciding in time with Bordwell’s post was another one of those sidebars in Entertainment Weekly pointing out some new movies with misleading titles. Yes, Lakeview Terrace does sound like a period romance, as do many other badly titled films (Elizabethtown and Wicker Park come to mind). This weekend also sees two new movies employing the method of borrowing song titles, which are typically not appropriate (Ghost Town seems more like a horror western hybrid, while My Best Friend’s Girl actually fits its plot). Well, fortunately for me (and hopefully you), I can bring the discussion over to SpoutBlog, though not quite as in depth as Bordwell. I’ll be more than happy to have a conversation in the comments section regarding the more general topic of movie titling, but for now I’ll kick things off with a list of what I find to be the most interesting movie titles of the past decade. It’s been a time when studios and filmmakers have been very loose with ill-fitting and overlong titles, as well as some that are too plainly literal (Snakes on a Plane), but the following selections have the benefit of featuring clever, well-chosen and more meaningful monikers. All About My Mother (Todo sobre mi madre) (1999) This Pedro Almodóvar film has a very telling title, one that goes along with Bordwell’s acknowledgment of titles that speak for the character. Yet the character spoken for here is Esteban, the kid who dies in the beginning. Or does he? The title actually refers to a story Esteban has written for school and is inspired by the film All About Eve, which he has just watched. Esteban doesn’t so much die in the film as he does in his own story, which is depicted within the film. Also, the word “Mother” in the title doesn’t so much refer to his actual mother, Manuela, as it does his (made-up) transvestite “father”, Lola, who we learn all about. Amores Perros (2000) Although improperly translated as “Love’s a Bitch,” that phrase does at least apply on some level to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film. As does the more acceptable translation of “Love is Dogs,” which references the film’s canine companions, each of which parallels its owner. But there is also another translation that’s more like “Goodness Wretchedness,” referring to a phrase on the film’s website that basically translates as “If your story turned out well, put it down to ‘amores.’ If bad, put it to ‘perros.’” The fact that you can interpret the meaning of the title multiple ways, and therefore you can interpret its meaning to the film multiple ways, is the reason that it was so important to release the film in the U.S. with its original Mexican title. The Perfect Storm (2000) Although the title comes from Sebastian Junger’s book, the name took on a whole new meaning for the film, which is, in my opinion, completely about the attempt to perfectly create a storm on a computer. Sure, there’s a plot within the film, too, but nothing more attended to than the perfectly rendered storm. In fact, the film’s storm may have been too perfect-looking, as the film lost the Visual Effects Oscar to Gladiator. While the title was clearly not intended for such purpose, and I had planned to ignore titles that inadvertently become more ironically meaningful upon release (Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed; Disaster Movie), I think the filmmakers at least meant to produce a spectacular storm more than a good story, so I believe it more qualifiable for the list at hand. Shanghai Noon (2000) This title doesn’t necessarily add anything to the meaning of the film nor does it really have multiple layers of meaning by itself. But it features the most cleverly punned title of the last ten years, in my opinion. The sequel’s title, Shanghai Knights, isn’t too bad, either. But just as the movie isn’t nearly as good as the original, neither is the title. Adaptation (2002) This title may actually be my favorite of all time due to its consisting of only a single word, which can be lent to the film in a multitude of ways. The title refers to the adaptation of a book to a film, the adaptation of a plant to its environment, the adaptation of a screenwriter character to his assignment, the adaptation of the same character to the events of his environment and, finally, the adaptation of the film itself to fit the mold of a certain kind of film that fares well in the present environment of the movie biz (ironically it’s this adaptation in the end from a smart film to a silly action movie that fails in execution, even though the joke more fittingly works perfectly on paper). Bad Company (2002) Even awful movies can have titles with multiple meanings, and this lame Joel Schumacher effort is a good example of such. Because “Company” means the CIA in addition to companionship, the title may refer to any of the following: an incapable member of the CIA (Chris Rock’s character); an incapable CIA in general (this was a time when the organization was called into question); a defective spy or untrustworthy spy; or simply the bad buddy team-up of Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock (diegetically and extradiegetically). The same title had been used previously for a bad 1995 movie dealing with the CIA, so its multilayered usage here was not that inspired, but it is nevertheless a good title, in my opinion, and perhaps it will one day be put to better use. National Treasure (2004) The same goes for this movie, which should have and could have been a lot better. The title, which is a well-played mix of figurative and literal meaning and seems more thoughtful than most blockbuster Hollywood titles, would have you believe there was once some smarter writing to be found within the film itself. Shaun of the Dead (2004) For a short while, I thought the title of this comedy didn’t really appropriately fit the film’s story. Shaun isn’t of the dead, I reasoned, because he never “dies.” I accepted the title, though, because it was a nice play on the title Dawn of the Dead. Eventually I decided that it does indeed fit, because the general theme of the movie is that Shaun has been living his life as if he were a zombie. Before the real zombies show up, the “dead” of the title refers to all the people living in this spiritless way, Shaun included. Yet while the rest of these “dead” become undead creatures, Shaun proves that he is capable of living more fully and is able to survive the (allegorical) outbreak. 2046 (2004) Wong Kar-Wai loves to play with the idea of Hong Kong’s transition from British territory to Chinese (which occurred in 1997), and the title partly refers to the final year in which Hong Kong is allowed self-regulation before becoming fully integrated into mainland China in 2047. In the film, the numerical title literally references both a hotel room and the future year, which is employed in a science fiction story being written by the main character. Some people also like to interpret the title as reading “two-oh-four-six” meaning “to owe for sex.” Though there are prostitute characters in the film, this meaning is less likely the intention of Wong. But the additional interpretation makes for a richer title anyway. There Will Be Blood (2007) Why not retain the title of Upton Sinclair’s source novel, “Oil!”? Well, besides all the changes made to the story, it could be because Paul Thomas Anderson’s new title has more possible meanings. The word “Blood” in the title may refer to the actual oil, or the blood shed for the oil (as in drilling accidents then and wars now), or family, especially actual blood relatives (of which there aren’t actually many in the film). Mostly, though, the title allows for and acknowledges a connection between the film’s setting and the current events it appears to be commenting on. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:01:43 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/19/2008 5:01:43 PMSometimes I really wish David Bordwell’s blog permitted comments. Mostly it’s better that it doesn’t, but the man’s last post has made me want to discuss the art of movie titles for a whole week now. And it didn’t help that coinciding in time with Bordwell’s post was another one of those sidebars in Entertainment Weekly pointing out some new movies with misleading titles. Yes, Lakeview Terrace does sound like a period romance, as do many other badly titled films (Elizabethtown and Wicker Park come to mind). This weekend also sees two new movies employing the method of borrowing song titles, which are typically not appropriate (Ghost Town seems more like a horror western hybrid, while My Best Friend’s Girl actually fits its plot). Well, fortunately for me (and hopefully you), I can bring the discussion over to SpoutBlog, though not quite as in depth as Bordwell. I’ll be more than happy to have a conversation in the comments section regarding the more general topic of movie titling, but for now I’ll kick things off with a list of what I find to be the most interesting movie titles of the past decade. It’s been a time when studios and filmmakers have been very loose with ill-fitting and overlong titles, as well as some that are too plainly literal (Snakes on a Plane), but the following selections have the benefit of featuring clever, well-chosen and more meaningful monikers. All About My Mother (Todo sobre mi madre) (1999) This Pedro Almodóvar film has a very telling title, one that goes along with Bordwell’s acknowledgment of titles that speak for the character. Yet the character spoken for here is Esteban, the kid who dies in the beginning. Or does he? The title actually refers to a story Esteban has written for school and is inspired by the film All About Eve, which he has just watched. Esteban doesn’t so much die in the film as he does in his own story, which is depicted within the film. Also, the word “Mother” in the title doesn’t so much refer to his actual mother, Manuela, as it does his (made-up) transvestite “father”, Lola, who we learn all about. Amores Perros (2000) Although improperly translated as “Love’s a Bitch,” that phrase does at least apply on some level to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film. As does the more acceptable translation of “Love is Dogs,” which references the film’s canine companions, each of which parallels its owner. But there is also another translation that’s more like “Goodness Wretchedness,” referring to a phrase on the film’s website that basically translates as “If your story turned out well, put it down to ‘amores.’ If bad, put it to ‘perros.’” The fact that you can interpret the meaning of the title multiple ways, and therefore you can interpret its meaning to the film multiple ways, is the reason that it was so important to release the film in the U.S. with its original Mexican title. The Perfect Storm (2000) Although the title comes from Sebastian Junger’s book, the name took on a whole new meaning for the film, which is, in my opinion, completely about the attempt to perfectly create a storm on a computer. Sure, there’s a plot within the film, too, but nothing more attended to than the perfectly rendered storm. In fact, the film’s storm may have been too perfect-looking, as the film lost the Visual Effects Oscar to Gladiator. While the title was clearly not intended for such purpose, and I had planned to ignore titles that inadvertently become more ironically meaningful upon release (Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed; Disaster Movie), I think the filmmakers at least meant to produce a spectacular storm more than a good story, so I believe it more qualifiable for the list at hand. Shanghai Noon (2000) This title doesn’t necessarily add anything to the meaning of the film nor does it really have multiple layers of meaning by itself. But it features the most cleverly punned title of the last ten years, in my opinion. The sequel’s title, Shanghai Knights, isn’t too bad, either. But just as the movie isn’t nearly as good as the original, neither is the title. Adaptation (2002) This title may actually be my favorite of all time due to its consisting of only a single word, which can be lent to the film in a multitude of ways. The title refers to the adaptation of a book to a film, the adaptation of a plant to its environment, the adaptation of a screenwriter character to his assignment, the adaptation of the same character to the events of his environment and, finally, the adaptation of the film itself to fit the mold of a certain kind of film that fares well in the present environment of the movie biz (ironically it’s this adaptation in the end from a smart film to a silly action movie that fails in execution, even though the joke more fittingly works perfectly on paper). Bad Company (2002) Even awful movies can have titles with multiple meanings, and this lame Joel Schumacher effort is a good example of such. Because “Company” means the CIA in addition to companionship, the title may refer to any of the following: an incapable member of the CIA (Chris Rock’s character); an incapable CIA in general (this was a time when the organization was called into question); a defective spy or untrustworthy spy; or simply the bad buddy team-up of Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock (diegetically and extradiegetically). The same title had been used previously for a bad 1995 movie dealing with the CIA, so its multilayered usage here was not that inspired, but it is nevertheless a good title, in my opinion, and perhaps it will one day be put to better use. National Treasure (2004) The same goes for this movie, which should have and could have been a lot better. The title, which is a well-played mix of figurative and literal meaning and seems more thoughtful than most blockbuster Hollywood titles, would have you believe there was once some smarter writing to be found within the film itself. Shaun of the Dead (2004) For a short while, I thought the title of this comedy didn’t really appropriately fit the film’s story. Shaun isn’t of the dead, I reasoned, because he never “dies.” I accepted the title, though, because it was a nice play on the title Dawn of the Dead. Eventually I decided that it does indeed fit, because the general theme of the movie is that Shaun has been living his life as if he were a zombie. Before the real zombies show up, the “dead” of the title refers to all the people living in this spiritless way, Shaun included. Yet while the rest of these “dead” become undead creatures, Shaun proves that he is capable of living more fully and is able to survive the (allegorical) outbreak. 2046 (2004) Wong Kar-Wai loves to play with the idea of Hong Kong’s transition from British territory to Chinese (which occurred in 1997), and the title partly refers to the final year in which Hong Kong is allowed self-regulation before becoming fully integrated into mainland China in 2047. In the film, the numerical title literally references both a hotel room and the future year, which is employed in a science fiction story being written by the main character. Some people also like to interpret the title as reading “two-oh-four-six” meaning “to owe for sex.” Though there are prostitute characters in the film, this meaning is less likely the intention of Wong. But the additional interpretation makes for a richer title anyway. There Will Be Blood (2007) Why not retain the title of Upton Sinclair’s source novel, “Oil!”? Well, besides all the changes made to the story, it could be because Paul Thomas Anderson’s new title has more possible meanings. The word “Blood” in the title may refer to the actual oil, or the blood shed for the oil (as in drilling accidents then and wars now), or family, especially actual blood relatives (of which there aren’t actually many in the film). Mostly, though, the title allows for and acknowledges a connection between the film’s setting and the current events it appears to be commenting on. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/tadiv/archive/2008/9/5/34812.aspx Post By: tadiv
Post To: tadiv Blog
Post Date: 9/5/2008 7:20:58 PM
Body: Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Brothers Pictures present, in association with Celador Films and Film4, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire. The screenplay was written by Simon Beaufoy. The picture stars Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor, and Irfan Khan. At the time of this review the film runs 120 minutes and has not yet been rated by the MPAA. The content as seen in my screening would suggest an MPAA "R" rating for scenes of torture and violence. The film is in Hindi and English with English subtitles. A young man, Jamal, who grew up an orphan on the streets of Mimbai, India, gets on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire to try to contact his girlfriend. He ends up defending himself against fraud charges brought by the host of the show who thinks that there is no way a "slumdog" could know all the answers that he does. How Jamal knows each answer is shown in flashbacks from his tough, dramatic, and tragic youth. Expertly crafted, Slumdog Millionaire has crisp and fast-paced editing by Chris Dickens (Shaun of the Dead, Goal!, and Hot Fuzz) as well as wonderful shot compositions by Anthony Dod Mantle (Dogville, Millions, and The Last King of Scotland). The film includes few name actors and the young actors who play the younger versions of the three main child characters are superb – a true credit to Boyle's direction of the film. Slumdog Millionaire opens with the 18 year-old Jamal taking a beating and being interrogated about his cheating. The beating gives way to electrocution torture and forcing Jamal's head under water in a small bucket. Jamal swears he has not been cheating, so the local police inspector asks how a slumdog could know all the answers to the questions presented. There is an air of contempt in both the police station and on the television show stage as the show is replayed while the questioning continues. The Who Wants to be a Millionaire show is being replayed on tape for the questioning. As each question is asked, Jamal's memory of his life takes us on a roller coaster ride through his life and the horrors he has seen growing up on the streets without any family but his older brother and a girl his age. The three are inseparable until fate tears them apart. Character development is finely executed as we come to know Jamal, his brother, and Latika, the young girl who Jamal loves after he allows her to join he and his brother in some shelter from a monsoon-like rain storm. We also understand the perspectives of the police inspector and the game show's host. The interplay of these characters and other lesser personalities who come and go through the story fill the screen with laughter and trauma alike. Funny, gut-wrenching, and tragic, Slumdog Millionaire is the story of a boy committed to the one he loves. They have been through unimaginable things together and whether she likes it or not, Jamal is determined to rescue Latika from her difficult situation. I have heard some complain about the ending of the story. Can you predict what is going to happen? Maybe, but in my mind's eye, the end was a very satisfying way to close this story of an unimaginably horrid childhood. Slumdog Millionaire was, in my opinion, the best of the fifteen features I saw in Telluride this Labor Day Weekend. Addendum: No doubt someone will ask, so here is a list of the 15 features I saw this year in Telluride: The Pervert's Guide to Cinema, Kisses, Waltz with Bashir, Hunger, Adam Resurrected, Firaaq, A Frozen Dream, Flame & Citron, The Italian Straw Hat, American Violet, Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love, Philanthropy, Pirate for the Sea, Flash of Genious, and Slumdog Millionaire.
]]>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:20:58 GMTtadivtadiv Blog9/5/2008 7:20:58 PMFox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Brothers Pictures present, in association with Celador Films and Film4, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire. The screenplay was written by Simon Beaufoy. The picture stars Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor, and Irfan Khan. At the time of this review the film runs 120 minutes and has not yet been rated by the MPAA. The content as seen in my screening would suggest an MPAA "R" rating for scenes of torture and violence. The film is in Hindi and English with English subtitles. A young man, Jamal, who grew up an orphan on the streets of Mimbai, India, gets on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire to try to contact his girlfriend. He ends up defending himself against fraud charges brought by the host of the show who thinks that there is no way a "slumdog" could know all the answers that he does. How Jamal knows each answer is shown in flashbacks from his tough, dramatic, and tragic youth. Expertly crafted, Slumdog Millionaire has crisp and fast-paced editing by Chris Dickens (Shaun of the Dead, Goal!, and Hot Fuzz) as well as wonderful shot compositions by Anthony Dod Mantle (Dogville, Millions, and The Last King of Scotland). The film includes few name actors and the young actors who play the younger versions of the three main child characters are superb &ndash; a true credit to Boyle's direction of the film. Slumdog Millionaire opens with the 18 year-old Jamal taking a beating and being interrogated about his cheating. The beating gives way to electrocution torture and forcing Jamal's head under water in a small bucket. Jamal swears he has not been cheating, so the local police inspector asks how a slumdog could know all the answers to the questions presented. There is an air of contempt in both the police station and on the television show stage as the show is replayed while the questioning continues. The Who Wants to be a Millionaire show is being replayed on tape for the questioning. As each question is asked, Jamal's memory of his life takes us on a roller coaster ride through his life and the horrors he has seen growing up on the streets without any family but his older brother and a girl his age. The three are inseparable until fate tears them apart. Character development is finely executed as we come to know Jamal, his brother, and Latika, the young girl who Jamal loves after he allows her to join he and his brother in some shelter from a monsoon-like rain storm. We also understand the perspectives of the police inspector and the game show's host. The interplay of these characters and other lesser personalities who come and go through the story fill the screen with laughter and trauma alike. Funny, gut-wrenching, and tragic, Slumdog Millionaire is the story of a boy committed to the one he loves. They have been through unimaginable things together and whether she likes it or not, Jamal is determined to rescue Latika from her difficult situation. I have heard some complain about the ending of the story. Can you predict what is going to happen? Maybe, but in my mind's eye, the end was a very satisfying way to close this story of an unimaginably horrid childhood. Slumdog Millionaire was, in my opinion, the best of the fifteen features I saw in Telluride this Labor Day Weekend. Addendum: No doubt someone will ask, so here is a list of the 15 features I saw this year in Telluride: The Pervert's Guide to Cinema, Kisses, Waltz with Bashir, Hunger, Adam Resurrected, Firaaq, A Frozen Dream, Flame &amp; Citron, The Italian Straw Hat, American Violet, Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love, Philanthropy, Pirate for the Sea, Flash of Genious, and Slumdog Millionaire. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12477

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]]>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:41 GMT124773361475Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
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]]>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:40:23 GMT606315939Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/comedy/MemberTagFilms.aspxcomedy
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]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:42:37 GMT10852531339Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/hilarious/MemberTagFilms.aspxhilarious
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]]>Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:39:04 GMT222165331Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/amazing/MemberTagFilms.aspxamazing
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]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:49:13 GMT179158253Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/awesome/MemberTagFilms.aspxawesome
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]]>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:23:33 GMT187158291Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspxfriendship
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]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:50:40 GMT6791154978Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/fun/MemberTagFilms.aspxfun
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]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:23:09 GMT459142296Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/brilliant/MemberTagFilms.aspxbrilliant
Number of films tagged: 179

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]]>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:28:43 GMT179137285Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/horror/MemberTagFilms.aspxhorror
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]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:33:53 GMT257110341Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/british/MemberTagFilms.aspxbritish
Number of films tagged: 610

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]]>Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:10:30 GMT14065162Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/personal-classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxpersonal-classic
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