Eastern Promises's Recent Activity

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Title: Eastern Promises
Year: 2007
Director: David Cronenberg
Plot: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Vincent Cassel star in this David Cronenberg's thriller concerning a London midwife who unwittingly stumbles into a clandestine Russian sex trafficking ring. An unidentified Russian teen has been rushed to a London hospital after going into labor. Though midwife Anna Khitrova (Watts) does manage to deliver a healthy baby girl, the newborn's mother dies tragically during delivery. But the deceased mother's secrets did not die with her, because she has left behind a diary. Determined to ensure the newborn is placed with her rightful family, Anna attempts to read the diary and discovers a business card for a local restaurant therein. Upon visiting the restaurant Anna is greeted by kindly owner Semyon (Mueller-Stahl), who generously offers to translate it for her. But Semyon is not what he appears to be, and before long Anna begins to fear that the child could be in great danger. Semyon admits to Anna that the diary contains information about his son Kirill (Cassell) that could land the volatile offspring in jail despite the fact that Kirill is at heart a good person. As the truth begins to unfold and Anna begins to believe that Kirill and his driver Nikolai (Mortensen) - an ambitious driver seeking to ascent the ranks of the notorious Russian mafia - mean the baby harm, an underworld storm begins to brew that could consume all involved. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 11
Number of Lists: 33
Number of blog posts: 19
Number of discussion threads: 9
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:17:22 GMTEastern Promises2007David Cronenberg<a href="/players/P____50903/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Viggo Mortensen</a>, <a href="/players/P____75056/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Naomi Watts</a>, <a href="/players/P____51163/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Armin Mueller-Stahl</a>, and <a href="/players/P___198972/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Vincent Cassel</a> star in this <a href="/players/P____86249/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Cronenberg</a>'s thriller concerning a London midwife who unwittingly stumbles into a clandestine Russian sex trafficking ring. An unidentified Russian teen has been rushed to a London hospital after going into labor. Though midwife Anna Khitrova (Watts) does manage to deliver a healthy baby girl, the newborn's mother dies tragically during delivery. But the deceased mother's secrets did not die with her, because she has left behind a diary. Determined to ensure the newborn is placed with her rightful family, Anna attempts to read the diary and discovers a business card for a local restaurant therein. Upon visiting the restaurant Anna is greeted by kindly owner Semyon (Mueller-Stahl), who generously offers to translate it for her. But Semyon is not what he appears to be, and before long Anna begins to fear that the child could be in great danger. Semyon admits to Anna that the diary contains information about his son Kirill (Cassell) that could land the volatile offspring in jail despite the fact that Kirill is at heart a good person. As the truth begins to unfold and Anna begins to believe that Kirill and his driver Nikolai (Mortensen) - an ambitious driver seeking to ascent the ranks of the notorious Russian mafia - mean the baby harm, an underworld storm begins to brew that could consume all involved. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide11Tag Target (>10)331994http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s280017.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Eastern_Promises/280017/default.aspxFilm Spout Post: Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2007 http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/38354/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: usesoap
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/13/2008 6:49:07 PM
Body: Here's my list of my favorites that were released in my little beach community, as we are not always privy to some of the more indie releases, so this is by no means complete (I have also eliminted the ones previously discussed): “The Simpsons Movie” – In a time where two-dimensional animation was considered dead and buried, our omnipresent family rose from the ashes like a yellow-skinned phoenix and demonstrated that whip-smart writing trumps technology any day. Let’s see those flaccid phonies over at “Family Guy” do that two decades from now. “Breach” – Chris Cooper will be completely overlooked at awards season for his riveting role as former FBI senior agent Robert Hanssen, which is just as criminal as Hanssen himself. Pious, manipulative and ultimately tragic, Cooper keeps up captivated on his every move to elude his colleagues as he secretly feeds information about his agency overseas. Even though the film’s conclusion had been played out in papers throughout Hanssen’s trial, the film manages to hold the audience captive through every twist of his labyrinth of lies. “Ratatouille” – After the stale exhaust of “Cars” cleared, Pixar returned to form with perhaps one of its most accomplished, nuanced works. With visuals as sumptuous as the meals it describes, “Ratatouille” is yet another feast offered from the Iron Chefs of animation. “Michael Clayton” – George Clooney gives his finest performance without having to lose a fingernail to pliers. It’s slow and steady, which hypothetically should win a race or two. But it’s diminutive box office will unfortunately leave it behind for future generations to deem it classic. “Grindhouse” – I know it’s two films. I know that one (“Planet Terror”) is inferior. But this was the single-most loving tribute to the actual long-lost art of watching movies as a communal experience. And while “Terror’s” director, Robert Rodriguez got all the superficial elements of the era right (the missing reel, the grainy, choppy print), it was Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof” that gave us the authentic rush of watching a loving homage to the genre. Now that they have been severed and sold separately for their DVD release, they would not appear on the list. But for the time that they both shared the screen with a handful of mock exploitation trailers, it was pure geek bliss. “Into the Wild” – One of those Halley’s Comet moments where the film exceeds the book, “Wild” follows a clueless little rich boy on his self-absorbed nature walk into the harsh Alaskan terrain. While director Sean Penn’s lens may incite viewers to answer their own call of the wild, Emile Hirsch’s heartbreaking performance may have them readjusting their travel agendas. “Eastern Promises” – Sorry, but director David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” has nothing on this layered Eastern Bloc crime drama. “Promises” got lots of notoriety for star Viggo Mortensen exposing his little hobbit in a bathhouse sequence, but his performance is equally naked. He’s a man trapped in a world of violence, but who also appreciates the beauty of life on the other side. It’s a film that blossoms wider the more it is examined.
]]>Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:49:07 GMTusesoapCommunity Recommendations12/13/2008 6:49:07 PMHere's my list of my favorites that were released in my little beach community, as we are not always privy to some of the more indie releases, so this is by no means complete (I have also eliminted the ones previously discussed): “The Simpsons Movie” – In a time where two-dimensional animation was considered dead and buried, our omnipresent family rose from the ashes like a yellow-skinned phoenix and demonstrated that whip-smart writing trumps technology any day. Let’s see those flaccid phonies over at “Family Guy” do that two decades from now. “Breach” – Chris Cooper will be completely overlooked at awards season for his riveting role as former FBI senior agent Robert Hanssen, which is just as criminal as Hanssen himself. Pious, manipulative and ultimately tragic, Cooper keeps up captivated on his every move to elude his colleagues as he secretly feeds information about his agency overseas. Even though the film’s conclusion had been played out in papers throughout Hanssen’s trial, the film manages to hold the audience captive through every twist of his labyrinth of lies. “Ratatouille” – After the stale exhaust of “Cars” cleared, Pixar returned to form with perhaps one of its most accomplished, nuanced works. With visuals as sumptuous as the meals it describes, “Ratatouille” is yet another feast offered from the Iron Chefs of animation. “Michael Clayton” – George Clooney gives his finest performance without having to lose a fingernail to pliers. It’s slow and steady, which hypothetically should win a race or two. But it’s diminutive box office will unfortunately leave it behind for future generations to deem it classic. “Grindhouse” – I know it’s two films. I know that one (“Planet Terror”) is inferior. But this was the single-most loving tribute to the actual long-lost art of watching movies as a communal experience. And while “Terror’s” director, Robert Rodriguez got all the superficial elements of the era right (the missing reel, the grainy, choppy print), it was Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof” that gave us the authentic rush of watching a loving homage to the genre. Now that they have been severed and sold separately for their DVD release, they would not appear on the list. But for the time that they both shared the screen with a handful of mock exploitation trailers, it was pure geek bliss. “Into the Wild” – One of those Halley’s Comet moments where the film exceeds the book, “Wild” follows a clueless little rich boy on his self-absorbed nature walk into the harsh Alaskan terrain. While director Sean Penn’s lens may incite viewers to answer their own call of the wild, Emile Hirsch’s heartbreaking performance may have them readjusting their travel agendas. “Eastern Promises” – Sorry, but director David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” has nothing on this layered Eastern Bloc crime drama. “Promises” got lots of notoriety for star Viggo Mortensen exposing his little hobbit in a bathhouse sequence, but his performance is equally naked. He’s a man trapped in a world of violence, but who also appreciates the beauty of life on the other side. It’s a film that blossoms wider the more it is examined. Spout Post: Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2007 http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/38187/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: dibot
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/10/2008 1:36:01 PM
Body: Many good films have been listed. My ulitmate favorite for 2007 is There Will Be Blood. But I have a few others: 1. 30 Days of Night 2. Black Snake Moan 3. Breach 4. Eastern Promises 5. Gone Baby Gone 6. La Vie En Rose 7. No Country for Old Men 8. Sunshine 9. The Mist 10. Waitress
]]>Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:36:01 GMTdibotCommunity Recommendations12/10/2008 1:36:01 PMMany good films have been listed. My ulitmate favorite for 2007 is There Will Be Blood. But I have a few others: 1. 30 Days of Night 2. Black Snake Moan 3. Breach 4. Eastern Promises 5. Gone Baby Gone 6. La Vie En Rose 7. No Country for Old Men 8. Sunshine 9. The Mist 10. Waitress Spout Post: Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2007 http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37946/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: seely
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/4/2008 2:46:41 PM
Body: Thanks for reminding me about Michael Clayton--I forgot that was '07. I really enjoyed Clooney's performance, and the movie dealt with ethics in a very deep, real way without making everything obtusely black and white. But... Ocean's 13? Really? I liked the Ocean's series and the Rat Pack/heist flicks they harkened back to, but I thought this to be the weakest of the bunch with a scattered plot and what seemed like endless inside jokes delivered at a pace that left the audience trying to catch up through the entire film, and further obscured any attempts at humor or storyline. Maybe I'm just too slow for it :-) [quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote]
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:46:41 GMTseelyCommunity Recommendations12/4/2008 2:46:41 PMThanks for reminding me about Michael Clayton--I forgot that was '07. I really enjoyed Clooney's performance, and the movie dealt with ethics in a very deep, real way without making everything obtusely black and white. But... Ocean's 13? Really? I liked the Ocean's series and the Rat Pack/heist flicks they harkened back to, but I thought this to be the weakest of the bunch with a scattered plot and what seemed like endless inside jokes delivered at a pace that left the audience trying to catch up through the entire film, and further obscured any attempts at humor or storyline. Maybe I'm just too slow for it :-) [quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote] Spout Post: Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2007 http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37944/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: csprague
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/4/2008 2:20:49 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote] There Will Be Blood was great, but I don't really want to see it again if you know what I mean. It's not like a good friday night movie at all, unless you are feeling in a particularly dark mood, and maybe it's a terrible idea then too. I'm not sure what the proper mood or motivation to watch this movie would be. I eventually just bit the bullet and watched it. When it was over, I was tired and felt like a crazy person, but I loved it. So hard to explain. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the longest movie title in the world (I would actually really like to know what the longest movie title is). It's so hard to spit it out when people are like "what's good movie you've seen recently?" But, nonetheless, I do spit it out because it was beautiful and interesting and I loved the characters. Skypilot, how on earth did Hot Fuzz beat The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for your top ten? Were you just trying to be diverse in genre? I only say this because I think making a movie about a guy who can only communicate with one eye is incredibly difficult. I expected it to be the most arts, boring piece of crap I have ever seen. Ya know, the sterotypical french new wave kind of stuff that ends with "fin". But it wasn't, it was surprisingly human and colorful and full of life. It fits with something I read recently that "your plight is also your redemption". Good times.
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:20:49 GMTcspragueCommunity Recommendations12/4/2008 2:20:49 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. [/quote] There Will Be Blood was great, but I don't really want to see it again if you know what I mean. It's not like a good friday night movie at all, unless you are feeling in a particularly dark mood, and maybe it's a terrible idea then too. I'm not sure what the proper mood or motivation to watch this movie would be. I eventually just bit the bullet and watched it. When it was over, I was tired and felt like a crazy person, but I loved it. So hard to explain. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the longest movie title in the world (I would actually really like to know what the longest movie title is). It's so hard to spit it out when people are like "what's good movie you've seen recently?" But, nonetheless, I do spit it out because it was beautiful and interesting and I loved the characters. Skypilot, how on earth did Hot Fuzz beat The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for your top ten? Were you just trying to be diverse in genre? I only say this because I think making a movie about a guy who can only communicate with one eye is incredibly difficult. I expected it to be the most arts, boring piece of crap I have ever seen. Ya know, the sterotypical french new wave kind of stuff that ends with "fin". But it wasn't, it was surprisingly human and colorful and full of life. It fits with something I read recently that "your plight is also your redemption". Good times. Spout Post: Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2007 http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37929/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/4/2008 12:01:28 PM
Body: I agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time.
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:01:28 GMTSkyPilotCommunity Recommendations12/4/2008 12:01:28 PMI agree with a lot of picks from the other people. In no specific order, these are my favorites: 1. Ocean's 13 A heist film with a conscience. 2. Michael Clayton Deceit, courage, human connection, mission. 3. Eastern Promises A frightening gangster film that made London feel like a separate, exotic country. 4. Gone Baby Gone A private detective movie with a conscience. 5. Hot Fuzz Like Leeroy, I liked this one even more than Shaun of the Dead. 6. The Orphanage The closest I've ever come to screaming in the theater. 7. 3:10 to Yuma This really made me soul-search, and the ending leaves me breathless. 8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Like falling asleep from a flavorful and slow-acting poison. 9. No Country for Old Men Looks like 2007 was Year of the Western. 10. American Gangster Not perfect, but I thought it was intense and affecting. I'd like to include The Fall, This Is England, and Rescue Dawn,but Spout says they were made in 2006. Maybe they were released in the US in 2007, but I'm not sure. Movies that didn't quite make my Top 10: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and There Will Be Blood. The last one in particular is great, but after seeing it 3 times I won't need to see it again for a loooong time. Spout Post: Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2007 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 & 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. Spout Post: 10 Best Dysfunctional Families in Movies http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/11/37228.aspx

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/11/2008 6:01:24 PM
Body: The holidays are coming, and that either means spending time with your dysfunctional family or escaping them for the movies … where you’re likely to be met by other, fictional dysfunctional families. Already this season, Rachel Getting Married introduced us to the f’ed up faux masala of the Buchman clan, and later this month we get to follow Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon as they’re pulled into their separate quadrants of kin in Four Christmases. Also, for those who think dysfunction is an American tradition, this weekend sees the release of the French film A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which unites the two major premises of dysfunctional family movies by being set during the holidays and involving an ill family member. With two more weeks left until Thanksgiving, after which we might not want to think about another family, real or cinematic, for the rest of our lives, it’s a perfect time to celebrate those dysfunctional tribes we love the best. Literally thousands of movies feature such families, though, so we’re sure to have left out some of your favorites. Definitely chime in below, and/or join the discussion currently going on over in our Top 5 group. The Corleones in The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III Any film about a family business is sure to qualify, but none exhibit more dysfunction than those in which the business is the mafia. Some other good examples include the Tempios of The Funeral and the Russian clan in Eastern Promises. But there’s no doubt that the Corleones take the cake. Maybe it’s Fredo’s fault, because inspiring fratricide is certainly evidence of a failing family. No, the Corleones are dysfunctional from the time Fredo and his siblings are little children, when Vito enters his family into a life of crime, from which none of its members will be able to escape. The “Johnsons” in Pink Flamingos If you only define dysfunctional as non-functioning, you leave out a great number of truly dysfunctional families, the kind that apparently gets along quite fine on their own but which doesn’t function within society. Think the Hewitts in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films and the motley crew made up of Sycamores, Vanderhofs, Carmichaels and others in You Can’t Take it With You. Technically the “Johnsons” are an internally functioning group, and they even have an official place in society as “the filtiest people alive,” but with a shit-eating matriarch, an egg-obsessed granny and a son who likes to have sex employing live chickens, it doesn’t really get much more abnormal, and therefore dysfunctional, than this family. The Lisbons in The Virgin Suicides Both abnormal and non-functioning, it also doesn’t get much more dysfunctional than a family in which the kids commit collective suicide (well, one of them started the trend early). The Tenenbaums in The Royal Tenenbaums They’re clearly born out of Salinger’s Glass family, and their situation is so common that A Christmas Tale almost seems like a French remake of the Wes Anderson’s movie. But the Tenenbaums have come to be one of the most beloved dysfunctional families in cinema, so it’d be a crime to leave them off this list. They’re so popular that many fans probably wouldn’t mind having such an asshole for a father as long as they got to be a member of the family, similar to the dreams of outsider Eli Cash (Owen Wilson). Also, there are probably some guys out there who dream of having Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) as a non-blood-related sister — as long as she’s really into making out with adopted-family siblings. The Aibellis in Spanking the Monkey Non-blood-related “incest” is one thing, but the Tenenbaums have nothing on the dysfunction of the Aibellis, with their motherloving son, Ray (Jeremy Davies), and the disturbingly consentual — though alcohol-induced — sex that occurs one awkward summer. The only incestuous family that might actually be more dysfunctional is the Cross clan of Chinatown. The Proffitts in Overboard The movie’s tone allows it to seem like such an innocently fun premise, but imagine a family in real life that would kidnap and exploit an amnesiac woman the way Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) and his four sons do. And imagine the woman who escapes this situation only to return in a Stockholm syndrome-as-happy-ending decision. Not only is it immoral, illegal and unlikely, it’s highly dysfunctional. The Crumbs in Crumb Dysfunctional families are obviously not limited to fiction, so it’s necessary to cite at least one documentary. Again, it’s difficult to narrow down. There are the scandal-stricken Friedmans of Capturing the Friedmans, the daffy duo in Grey Gardens (and The Beales of Grey Gardens) and the fraternal foursome of Brother’s Keeper. But it’s comic artist R. Crumb’s family that comes off as the most interestingly screwed up. Equally expected and revealing for a man of Crumb’s odd nature, reclusive brother Charles, bowel-cleansing Maxon and uncomfortable mother Beatrice are almost too strange to believe real. The Browns in Buffalo ‘66 Dysfunctional family movies often peak with their respective dinner scenes, in which uncomfortable announcements are made or food is thrown or climactic fights occur. None are funnier, however, than the reunion meal between Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) and his unloving parents (Angelica Huston and Ben Gazzara). Mom ignores her son in order to watch football while Dad mostly hits on Billy’s pretend wife (Christina Ricci). The Dilwegs in The Pharmacist W.C. Fields has given us a few of the funniest dysfunctional families in film, and many fans would quickly reference the Sousés from The Bank Dick as his greatest tribe. But its this family from Fields’ earlier short The Pharmacist that should come to mind first, if only thanks to the daughter who shakes a martini with a pogo stick and eats the family pet after being denied supper. Radha’s family in Mother India The entire genre of melodrama offers up worthy selections for this list, but Bollywood arguably makes the most dysfunctional family melodramas of all, perhaps because a lot of them are meant as allegories for the dysfunctions of the Indian subcontinent. Mother India is possibly the most significant example from Indian cinema, even more than monumental films like Pather Panchali that aren’t of the Bollywood tradition. The film has all the necessary components: the metaphorically castrated and eventually abandoning patriarch; the desperate yet enduring matriarch; the sons who follow paths on separate side of the law. There’s even a familial sacrifice that’s comparable to the one in The Godfather Part II. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:01:24 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/11/2008 6:01:24 PMThe holidays are coming, and that either means spending time with your dysfunctional family or escaping them for the movies … where you’re likely to be met by other, fictional dysfunctional families. Already this season, Rachel Getting Married introduced us to the f’ed up faux masala of the Buchman clan, and later this month we get to follow Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon as they’re pulled into their separate quadrants of kin in Four Christmases. Also, for those who think dysfunction is an American tradition, this weekend sees the release of the French film A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which unites the two major premises of dysfunctional family movies by being set during the holidays and involving an ill family member. With two more weeks left until Thanksgiving, after which we might not want to think about another family, real or cinematic, for the rest of our lives, it’s a perfect time to celebrate those dysfunctional tribes we love the best. Literally thousands of movies feature such families, though, so we’re sure to have left out some of your favorites. Definitely chime in below, and/or join the discussion currently going on over in our Top 5 group. The Corleones in The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III Any film about a family business is sure to qualify, but none exhibit more dysfunction than those in which the business is the mafia. Some other good examples include the Tempios of The Funeral and the Russian clan in Eastern Promises. But there’s no doubt that the Corleones take the cake. Maybe it’s Fredo’s fault, because inspiring fratricide is certainly evidence of a failing family. No, the Corleones are dysfunctional from the time Fredo and his siblings are little children, when Vito enters his family into a life of crime, from which none of its members will be able to escape. The “Johnsons” in Pink Flamingos If you only define dysfunctional as non-functioning, you leave out a great number of truly dysfunctional families, the kind that apparently gets along quite fine on their own but which doesn’t function within society. Think the Hewitts in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films and the motley crew made up of Sycamores, Vanderhofs, Carmichaels and others in You Can’t Take it With You. Technically the “Johnsons” are an internally functioning group, and they even have an official place in society as “the filtiest people alive,” but with a shit-eating matriarch, an egg-obsessed granny and a son who likes to have sex employing live chickens, it doesn’t really get much more abnormal, and therefore dysfunctional, than this family. The Lisbons in The Virgin Suicides Both abnormal and non-functioning, it also doesn’t get much more dysfunctional than a family in which the kids commit collective suicide (well, one of them started the trend early). The Tenenbaums in The Royal Tenenbaums They’re clearly born out of Salinger’s Glass family, and their situation is so common that A Christmas Tale almost seems like a French remake of the Wes Anderson’s movie. But the Tenenbaums have come to be one of the most beloved dysfunctional families in cinema, so it’d be a crime to leave them off this list. They’re so popular that many fans probably wouldn’t mind having such an asshole for a father as long as they got to be a member of the family, similar to the dreams of outsider Eli Cash (Owen Wilson). Also, there are probably some guys out there who dream of having Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) as a non-blood-related sister — as long as she’s really into making out with adopted-family siblings. The Aibellis in Spanking the Monkey Non-blood-related “incest” is one thing, but the Tenenbaums have nothing on the dysfunction of the Aibellis, with their motherloving son, Ray (Jeremy Davies), and the disturbingly consentual — though alcohol-induced — sex that occurs one awkward summer. The only incestuous family that might actually be more dysfunctional is the Cross clan of Chinatown. The Proffitts in Overboard The movie’s tone allows it to seem like such an innocently fun premise, but imagine a family in real life that would kidnap and exploit an amnesiac woman the way Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) and his four sons do. And imagine the woman who escapes this situation only to return in a Stockholm syndrome-as-happy-ending decision. Not only is it immoral, illegal and unlikely, it’s highly dysfunctional. The Crumbs in Crumb Dysfunctional families are obviously not limited to fiction, so it’s necessary to cite at least one documentary. Again, it’s difficult to narrow down. There are the scandal-stricken Friedmans of Capturing the Friedmans, the daffy duo in Grey Gardens (and The Beales of Grey Gardens) and the fraternal foursome of Brother’s Keeper. But it’s comic artist R. Crumb’s family that comes off as the most interestingly screwed up. Equally expected and revealing for a man of Crumb’s odd nature, reclusive brother Charles, bowel-cleansing Maxon and uncomfortable mother Beatrice are almost too strange to believe real. The Browns in Buffalo ‘66 Dysfunctional family movies often peak with their respective dinner scenes, in which uncomfortable announcements are made or food is thrown or climactic fights occur. None are funnier, however, than the reunion meal between Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) and his unloving parents (Angelica Huston and Ben Gazzara). Mom ignores her son in order to watch football while Dad mostly hits on Billy’s pretend wife (Christina Ricci). The Dilwegs in The Pharmacist W.C. Fields has given us a few of the funniest dysfunctional families in film, and many fans would quickly reference the Sousés from The Bank Dick as his greatest tribe. But its this family from Fields’ earlier short The Pharmacist that should come to mind first, if only thanks to the daughter who shakes a martini with a pogo stick and eats the family pet after being denied supper. Radha’s family in Mother India The entire genre of melodrama offers up worthy selections for this list, but Bollywood arguably makes the most dysfunctional family melodramas of all, perhaps because a lot of them are meant as allegories for the dysfunctions of the Indian subcontinent. Mother India is possibly the most significant example from Indian cinema, even more than monumental films like Pather Panchali that aren’t of the Bollywood tradition. The film has all the necessary components: the metaphorically castrated and eventually abandoning patriarch; the desperate yet enduring matriarch; the sons who follow paths on separate side of the law. There’s even a familial sacrifice that’s comparable to the one in The Godfather Part II. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog Spout Post: Cronenberg: Improves With Age http://www.spout.com/blogs/jakestevens/archive/2008/11/9/37125.aspx

Post By: JakeStevens
Post To: JakeStevens Blog
Post Date: 11/9/2008 12:03:45 PM
Body: So I've been watching a lot of Cronenberg's earlier films, and although I enjoy them for what they are (semi-low budget horror/sci-fi films), his recent work is what most interests me. He has crafted here yet another multi-layered masterpiece about violence and codes of ethics with a cast that knows exactly how to handle said material. Someone below mentions the gore and violence, and I don't see how this film could be nearly as effective without it. Cronenberg is one of those directors (in the vein of Scorsese) whose sole purpose, it seems, is to evoke emotion via shock and unexpected surprise. I like it. And I think you will, too.
]]>Sun, 09 Nov 2008 17:03:45 GMTJakeStevensJakeStevens Blog11/9/2008 12:03:45 PMSo I've been watching a lot of Cronenberg's earlier films, and although I enjoy them for what they are (semi-low budget horror/sci-fi films), his recent work is what most interests me. He has crafted here yet another multi-layered masterpiece about violence and codes of ethics with a cast that knows exactly how to handle said material. Someone below mentions the gore and violence, and I don't see how this film could be nearly as effective without it. Cronenberg is one of those directors (in the vein of Scorsese) whose sole purpose, it seems, is to evoke emotion via shock and unexpected surprise. I like it. And I think you will, too. Spout Post: Eastern Promises - Review http://www.spout.com/blogs/ibetolis/archive/2008/8/17/34092.aspx

Post By: Ibetolis
Post To: Film for the Soul
Post Date: 8/17/2008 6:01:15 PM
Body: David Cronenberg, 2007Still reveling in body horror, the excess of human behaviour, the perverse and the profane, Cronenberg has rightly earned his international reputation as an astute director and auteur. Learning his trade with a string of low-budget horror films, in which intelligent and genuinely shocking images awed audiences time after time, Cronenberg has escaped being pigeon-holed by working in other genres with relative ease; mostly with successful results. Following on for the widespread success of A History of Violence; his 2005 film about a one man's attempt to hide from his violent past, Eastern Promises again establishes his versatility and touches on the themes he's explored for the past 35 years. Set in a murky underworld of London, focusing on a Russian contingent dealing in the sex-slave trade, Eastern Promises paints a dark and disturbing world of cheap lives and organised crime. London is covered in a permanent film of gloom, penetrated rarely with the odd glimpse of sun, with rain-strewn streets, looming shadows and confined, low shot interiors and exteriors, giving the feel of a city trapped in its own squalidness. London has rarely looked this miserable. In the midst of this hopelessness and misery enters Anna (Naomi Watts), a pediatric nurse, working at a London hospital, who happens to help save a premature baby but unfortunately not the young, badly beaten, 14 year old mother, who had previously staggered into the building, hemorrhaging heavily before passing out.Anna, having suffered a miscarriage some months before, strikes up a bond with the child, and on finding a diary written by the mother, something she was clutching before she died, Anna decides to track down the nearest relative to the young girl before the child becomes lost in the social care system. In the process of getting the diary translated, from it's original Russian, Anna finds a business card of a restaurant amongst the pages, hoping someone can help her trace the girls family she decides to give the place a visit. The address leads Anna to meet restaurateur Semyon (Armin-Mueller-Stahl), an elderly Russian whose warm welcome masks the horrific part he plays in the poor girls life. In being introduced to Seymon we enter the world of the Vory V Zakone (Russian Mafia); who adorn their bodies with a series of tattoos; symbols that represent their standing in the organisation.A mystical, almost intense, reference surrounds the adorning of these tattoos for the Vory V Zakone; a series of fierce, colourless symbols, placed in symbolic parts of the body by rank and accomplishment; much like an army officer with a chest full of medals. This is vintage Cronenberg territory; transgression and body transmogrification in full swing. We witness an almost erotic scene in which Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), in the midst of being tattooed, half naked, lying back, casually smoking a cigarette, is perfectly at one with the needle, the ink almost caressing his body.Nikolai receiving the totemic tattoos Despite a first-rate screenwriter, Steven Knight, who also delved into similar territory about the plight of the migrant underclass with a previous script for Dirty Pretty Things (2002), plus the huge talent of Cronenberg, all too often the film feels clunky, cluttered and bereft of drama. The casting for instance is something of a puzzler, casting an Australian as a Brit and using a Frenchman and an American as Russian gangsters, whose accents from time to time wander into stereotype land, something that began to grate towards the end of the film; the biggest sinner being Vincent Cassel playing Seymon's son Kirill, often too big and too bombastic, his character soon becomes archetypal and clichéd. Mortensen on the other hand plays Nikolia with powerful, understated menace, a peruser of carnage who could, from the look of him, either hug you or rip off your head. Surprisingly, for Cronenberg, Eastern Promises feels muted, understated, lacking in depth and missing his bold brush strokes. Scenes of greatness flicker sporadically and moments of sheer horror; a scene in which Nikolia clips the fingers off a corpse or that first opening murder, are few and far between. So it's with annoyance, rather than celebration, that we witness one of Cronenberg's finest moments; Nikolia's naked fight, with two fully dressed assassins in a public bath-house. This amazing scene, honest in his brutality and fierceness, feels like it sprung out of a different film, such stark and brave film-making feels so out of place in this otherwise turgid, plodding tale. Nikolai with Anna (Naomi Watts)It's unfortunate that Eastern Promises fails to deliver, as there are times when you feel it's going to spark into life but all in all it just comes down to fleeting moments and ideas; often it feels and plays out like a TV movie. There's a real lack of substance to this film and added to the poor narrative is a plot-twist, as unnecessary as it is insulting, that adds nothing to the story and seems like a cop-out. Eastern Promises proves to be one of those films that despite all the elements being right; stellar cast, talented script writer, influential maverick director and a story, peppered and ready for the taking, fails to hit the target on nearly all fronts. Originally posted on:Film for the Soul
]]>Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:01:15 GMTIbetolisFilm for the Soul8/17/2008 6:01:15 PMDavid Cronenberg, 2007Still reveling in body horror, the excess of human behaviour, the perverse and the profane, Cronenberg has rightly earned his international reputation as an astute director and auteur. Learning his trade with a string of low-budget horror films, in which intelligent and genuinely shocking images awed audiences time after time, Cronenberg has escaped being pigeon-holed by working in other genres with relative ease; mostly with successful results. Following on for the widespread success of A History of Violence; his 2005 film about a one man's attempt to hide from his violent past, Eastern Promises again establishes his versatility and touches on the themes he's explored for the past 35 years. Set in a murky underworld of London, focusing on a Russian contingent dealing in the sex-slave trade, Eastern Promises paints a dark and disturbing world of cheap lives and organised crime. London is covered in a permanent film of gloom, penetrated rarely with the odd glimpse of sun, with rain-strewn streets, looming shadows and confined, low shot interiors and exteriors, giving the feel of a city trapped in its own squalidness. London has rarely looked this miserable. In the midst of this hopelessness and misery enters Anna (Naomi Watts), a pediatric nurse, working at a London hospital, who happens to help save a premature baby but unfortunately not the young, badly beaten, 14 year old mother, who had previously staggered into the building, hemorrhaging heavily before passing out.Anna, having suffered a miscarriage some months before, strikes up a bond with the child, and on finding a diary written by the mother, something she was clutching before she died, Anna decides to track down the nearest relative to the young girl before the child becomes lost in the social care system. In the process of getting the diary translated, from it's original Russian, Anna finds a business card of a restaurant amongst the pages, hoping someone can help her trace the girls family she decides to give the place a visit. The address leads Anna to meet restaurateur Semyon (Armin-Mueller-Stahl), an elderly Russian whose warm welcome masks the horrific part he plays in the poor girls life. In being introduced to Seymon we enter the world of the Vory V Zakone (Russian Mafia); who adorn their bodies with a series of tattoos; symbols that represent their standing in the organisation.A mystical, almost intense, reference surrounds the adorning of these tattoos for the Vory V Zakone; a series of fierce, colourless symbols, placed in symbolic parts of the body by rank and accomplishment; much like an army officer with a chest full of medals. This is vintage Cronenberg territory; transgression and body transmogrification in full swing. We witness an almost erotic scene in which Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), in the midst of being tattooed, half naked, lying back, casually smoking a cigarette, is perfectly at one with the needle, the ink almost caressing his body.Nikolai receiving the totemic tattoos Despite a first-rate screenwriter, Steven Knight, who also delved into similar territory about the plight of the migrant underclass with a previous script for Dirty Pretty Things (2002), plus the huge talent of Cronenberg, all too often the film feels clunky, cluttered and bereft of drama. The casting for instance is something of a puzzler, casting an Australian as a Brit and using a Frenchman and an American as Russian gangsters, whose accents from time to time wander into stereotype land, something that began to grate towards the end of the film; the biggest sinner being Vincent Cassel playing Seymon's son Kirill, often too big and too bombastic, his character soon becomes archetypal and clichéd. Mortensen on the other hand plays Nikolia with powerful, understated menace, a peruser of carnage who could, from the look of him, either hug you or rip off your head. Surprisingly, for Cronenberg, Eastern Promises feels muted, understated, lacking in depth and missing his bold brush strokes. Scenes of greatness flicker sporadically and moments of sheer horror; a scene in which Nikolia clips the fingers off a corpse or that first opening murder, are few and far between. So it's with annoyance, rather than celebration, that we witness one of Cronenberg's finest moments; Nikolia's naked fight, with two fully dressed assassins in a public bath-house. This amazing scene, honest in his brutality and fierceness, feels like it sprung out of a different film, such stark and brave film-making feels so out of place in this otherwise turgid, plodding tale. Nikolai with Anna (Naomi Watts)It's unfortunate that Eastern Promises fails to deliver, as there are times when you feel it's going to spark into life but all in all it just comes down to fleeting moments and ideas; often it feels and plays out like a TV movie. There's a real lack of substance to this film and added to the poor narrative is a plot-twist, as unnecessary as it is insulting, that adds nothing to the story and seems like a cop-out. Eastern Promises proves to be one of those films that despite all the elements being right; stellar cast, talented script writer, influential maverick director and a story, peppered and ready for the taking, fails to hit the target on nearly all fronts. Originally posted on:Film for the Soul Spout Post: Re:Cast BATMAN 3 http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_Cast_BATMAN_3/563/33402/1/ShowPost.aspx

Post By: jbooza
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 8/1/2008 1:24:57 PM
Body: Dear Mr. Nolan, I would like to get to the point. You may be a very good director but you are also a businessman. As a businessman, it is all about money in the end. To hell with the fanboys. Your first two Batman films have been great successes, both directorially and financially. No matter what you touch next, it will turn to gold. My goal is to make sure that your success continues well after that. The feel of the next Batman flick must be the same as your others. Sure you can add more CGI, terrible villains like the Riddler, Catwoman, Bane, or god forbid the Penguin. Sure the film will make $400 million. But sir, please keep your self respect. You don't want to be talked about in the same sentence with the likes of people like Ratner and Schumacher. Mr. Nolan, I give to you the key for future film respect and more importantly success. Your grouping of plain clothed villains and supervillains has worked very well so far, so I feel that you should keep to that trend. More importantly, we need to be able to tie in The Dark Knight with your 3rd film and also leave an opening for another film. With that said, the two villains for your next Batman film will be Tony Zucco and Harley Quinn. Zucco will keep the mafia element to your films and also, and most importantly, show the demise of the Grayson family. This definitely opens up future possibilities for the franchise. As for Harley Quinn, is the the tie that binds TDK to its sequel. Considering that not much of the Joker story can be continued (you will be burned alive if you recast), Quinn is the obvious continuation. Imagine the darkness you gave to the Joker and apply it to a female. As for casting, I will first give you the sure thing. Viggo Mortenson will play Zucco. Firstly, he has proven that he can bring in box office cash. Secondly, he has also shown he had play a VERY good mobster. And now for the stretch. You will either look like a fool or the genius director of the century. Harley Quinn will be played by Ellen Degeneres. Imagine someone with so much positive energy just turned on its side. I think the look would be fantastic and the homosexual overtones of the character are already in place. The future of all films is in your hands. Do not disappoint. A Fan, JB Eastern Promises (2007) The Dark Knight (2008) The Ellen DeGeneres Show [TV Series] (2003)
]]>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:24:57 GMTjboozaFilmgaming8/1/2008 1:24:57 PMDear Mr. Nolan, I would like to get to the point. You may be a very good director but you are also a businessman. As a businessman, it is all about money in the end. To hell with the fanboys. Your first two Batman films have been great successes, both directorially and financially. No matter what you touch next, it will turn to gold. My goal is to make sure that your success continues well after that. The feel of the next Batman flick must be the same as your others. Sure you can add more CGI, terrible villains like the Riddler, Catwoman, Bane, or god forbid the Penguin. Sure the film will make $400 million. But sir, please keep your self respect. You don't want to be talked about in the same sentence with the likes of people like Ratner and Schumacher. Mr. Nolan, I give to you the key for future film respect and more importantly success. Your grouping of plain clothed villains and supervillains has worked very well so far, so I feel that you should keep to that trend. More importantly, we need to be able to tie in The Dark Knight with your 3rd film and also leave an opening for another film. With that said, the two villains for your next Batman film will be Tony Zucco and Harley Quinn. Zucco will keep the mafia element to your films and also, and most importantly, show the demise of the Grayson family. This definitely opens up future possibilities for the franchise. As for Harley Quinn, is the the tie that binds TDK to its sequel. Considering that not much of the Joker story can be continued (you will be burned alive if you recast), Quinn is the obvious continuation. Imagine the darkness you gave to the Joker and apply it to a female. As for casting, I will first give you the sure thing. Viggo Mortenson will play Zucco. Firstly, he has proven that he can bring in box office cash. Secondly, he has also shown he had play a VERY good mobster. And now for the stretch. You will either look like a fool or the genius director of the century. Harley Quinn will be played by Ellen Degeneres. Imagine someone with so much positive energy just turned on its side. I think the look would be fantastic and the homosexual overtones of the character are already in place. The future of all films is in your hands. Do not disappoint. A Fan, JB Eastern Promises (2007) The Dark Knight (2008) The Ellen DeGeneres Show [TV Series] (2003) Spout Tag:romance http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/romance/MemberTagFilms.aspxromance
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]]>Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:16:35 GMT71631691005Tag Spout Tag:London http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/London/MemberTagFilms.aspxLondon
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]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:18:09 GMT463055Tag Spout Tag:russian http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/russian/MemberTagFilms.aspxrussian
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]]>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:16:39 GMT332637Tag Spout Tag:graphic http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/graphic/MemberTagFilms.aspxgraphic
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]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:37:49 GMT212531Tag Spout Tag:childbirth http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/childbirth/MemberTagFilms.aspxchildbirth
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]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:59 GMT2821014Tag Spout Tag:cronenberg http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/cronenberg/MemberTagFilms.aspxcronenberg
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]]>Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:41:01 GMT9914Tag Spout Tag:tatoo http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/tatoo/MemberTagFilms.aspxtatoo
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]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:32:02 GMT455Tag Spout Tag:russian-nationality http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/russian-nationality/MemberTagFilms.aspxrussian-nationality
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]]>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:05:55 GMT43134Tag Spout Tag:cut http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/cut/MemberTagFilms.aspxcut
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]]>Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:19:53 GMT222Tag Spout Tag:midwife http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/midwife/MemberTagFilms.aspxmidwife
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]]>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:22:12 GMT2022Tag Spout Tag:promises http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/promises/MemberTagFilms.aspxpromises
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]]>Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:43:59 GMT222Tag Spout Tag:dickensian http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/dickensian/MemberTagFilms.aspxdickensian
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]]>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:31:47 GMT111Tag Spout Tag:ohwherearetheoozingpustules http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/ohwherearetheoozingpustules/MemberTagFilms.aspxohwherearetheoozingpustules
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]]>Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:28:24 GMT111Tag Spout Tag:policeinvestigation http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/policeinvestigation/MemberTagFilms.aspxpoliceinvestigation
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]]>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:02:45 GMT16611Tag Spout Tag:rackets-corruption http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/rackets-corruption/MemberTagFilms.aspxrackets-corruption
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]]>Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:02:40 GMT11211Tag