list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Body of Lies 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/Body_of_Lies/325307/default.aspx Title: Body of Lies
Year: 2008
Director: Ridley Scott
Plot: Fresh off of their success with director Martin Scorsese's The Departed, star Leonardo DiCaprio and screenwriter William Monahan team with director Ridley Scott for this screen adaptation of David Ignatius' novel Body of Lies. When CIA operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) uncovers evidence indicating that a major terrorist leader may be operating out of Jordan, he enlists the aid of CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) in infiltrating the elusive saboteur's vast underground network. During the course of his dangerous mission, Ferris gradually comes to question how much he can trust his presumed allies -- who include not just Hoffman, but the outwardly helpful head of Jordanian intelligence as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 26
Number of Lists: 8
Number of blog posts: 7
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:18:14 GMTBody of Lies2008Ridley ScottFresh off of their success with director <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___110533/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Martin Scorsese</a>'s <a href="http://www.spout.com/films/249035/detail.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>The Departed</a>, star <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____18926/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Leonardo DiCaprio</a> and screenwriter <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___371443/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>William Monahan</a> team with director <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___110579/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ridley Scott</a> for this screen adaptation of David Ignatius' novel Body of Lies. When CIA operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) uncovers evidence indicating that a major terrorist leader may be operating out of Jordan, he enlists the aid of CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____15959/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Russell Crowe</a>) in infiltrating the elusive saboteur's vast underground network. During the course of his dangerous mission, Ferris gradually comes to question how much he can trust his presumed allies -- who include not just Hoffman, but the outwardly helpful head of Jordanian intelligence as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide26Tag Target (>10)8733http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s325307.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Body_of_Lies/325307/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/mconrad3/archive/2009/3/1/40766.aspx Post By: mconrad3
Post To: mconrad3 Blog
Post Date: 3/1/2009 8:33:09 PM
Body: Ridley Scott is always going to be one of my favorite directors. His work on movies like Blade Runner, Alien, Black Hawk Down, and Kingdom of Heaven always stick in my mind after I watch them. I wasn't expecting much from him for this film, however, so I suppose it is best that way. The trailer didn't interest me very much and it's my personal opinion that Ridley needs to do more sci fi if he wants to socially commentate properly.The film is an adaptation of a novel of the same name about a CIA agent who has to gets a ground's eye view of the things going on in the Middle East. The message it's trying to send is good, but I think it gets lost in its own setting. Going into the film, people are focused more on the overall good vs. bad conflict and they lose some of the nice subtleties Scott throws in the background. And subtletly is one of the things I always thought he does well in his films. For the most part, we're getting hung up on trying to catch the terrorist and put less emphasis on how that happens, which is a major problem when you want that to be the focus of your film. Otherwise, the overlying plot itself is unremarkable. I like all of the people involved in this project (yes, I can sit through two hours of Leonardo DiCaprio). I even think there are moments in this film that show you the clout of the man working behind the camera. The issue is that it gets muddled up in the fact that it's a "catch a terrorist" flick with undertones of "how do we best go about that?". That second part intrigues me a great deal, but if I had a nickel for every "catch the terrorist" movie that's come out since 9/11, I'd be able to make a movie of my own. I still think Ridley Scott is a good director, but I think he needs to take us out of our present conflicts so he can best make his point.
]]>Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:33:09 GMTmconrad3mconrad3 Blog3/1/2009 8:33:09 PMRidley Scott is always going to be one of my favorite directors. His work on movies like Blade Runner, Alien, Black Hawk Down, and Kingdom of Heaven always stick in my mind after I watch them. I wasn't expecting much from him for this film, however, so I suppose it is best that way. The trailer didn't interest me very much and it's my personal opinion that Ridley needs to do more sci fi if he wants to socially commentate properly.The film is an adaptation of a novel of the same name about a CIA agent who has to gets a ground's eye view of the things going on in the Middle East. The message it's trying to send is good, but I think it gets lost in its own setting. Going into the film, people are focused more on the overall good vs. bad conflict and they lose some of the nice subtleties Scott throws in the background. And subtletly is one of the things I always thought he does well in his films. For the most part, we're getting hung up on trying to catch the terrorist and put less emphasis on how that happens, which is a major problem when you want that to be the focus of your film. Otherwise, the overlying plot itself is unremarkable. I like all of the people involved in this project (yes, I can sit through two hours of Leonardo DiCaprio). I even think there are moments in this film that show you the clout of the man working behind the camera. The issue is that it gets muddled up in the fact that it's a "catch a terrorist" flick with undertones of "how do we best go about that?". That second part intrigues me a great deal, but if I had a nickel for every "catch the terrorist" movie that's come out since 9/11, I'd be able to make a movie of my own. I still think Ridley Scott is a good director, but I think he needs to take us out of our present conflicts so he can best make his point. http://www.spout.com/blogs/tenenbaums/archive/2009/3/1/40765.aspx Post By: Tenenbaums
Post To: Tenenbaums Blog
Post Date: 3/1/2009 6:27:49 PM
Body: It's hard not to like a Ridley Scott film, especially when it's written by the same guy who wrote The Departed and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. Unfortunately, things never really gel between these big names and the film feels half-baked as a result. With so much potential, including an appealing (on paper) story, Body of Lies can only be called a disappointment, despite the various thrills it manages to deliver. Scott provides plenty of his textbook explosions and excitement, but his stars feel tired and underdeveloped. A good deal of blame falls on the script, which never quite feels smooth, but DiCaprio and Crowe additionally never find their groove. Body of Lies is interesting enough to keep watching, but you know that the film's contributors are capable of better work. The promise of them returning to form remains strong, even if this go-round isn't their best.
]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:27:49 GMTTenenbaumsTenenbaums Blog3/1/2009 6:27:49 PMIt's hard not to like a Ridley Scott film, especially when it's written by the same guy who wrote The Departed and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. Unfortunately, things never really gel between these big names and the film feels half-baked as a result. With so much potential, including an appealing (on paper) story, Body of Lies can only be called a disappointment, despite the various thrills it manages to deliver. Scott provides plenty of his textbook explosions and excitement, but his stars feel tired and underdeveloped. A good deal of blame falls on the script, which never quite feels smooth, but DiCaprio and Crowe additionally never find their groove. Body of Lies is interesting enough to keep watching, but you know that the film's contributors are capable of better work. The promise of them returning to form remains strong, even if this go-round isn't their best. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/2/27/40689.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/27/2009 6:01:29 PM
Body: We’ve got two DVD copies of Body of Lies that we’re looking to give away today. The official synopsis: Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe star in Body of Lies. The CIA’s hunt is on for the mastermind of a wave of terrorist attacks. Roger Ferris is the agency’s man on the ground, scrambling to stay ahead of ever-shifting events. An eye in the sky satellite link watches Ferris. At the other end of that link is the CIA’s Ed Hoffman, strategizing events from thousands of miles away. You can watch the Body of Lies trailer here. To win just give us the name of your favorite Leonardo DiCaprio or Russell Crowe movie via Twitter. Send a reply to @spout with the name of the movie and include “#contestwed” in the tweet and you’re entered to win. Go for it! –Chris Thilk, Director of Marketing Own it on Blu-ray® and DVD 02/17/09! Body of Lies © 2008. Package Design & Supplementary Material Compilation © 2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Distributed by Warner Home Video. 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA  91522. All rights reserved. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:01:29 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/27/2009 6:01:29 PMWe’ve got two DVD copies of Body of Lies that we’re looking to give away today. The official synopsis: Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe star in Body of Lies. The CIA’s hunt is on for the mastermind of a wave of terrorist attacks. Roger Ferris is the agency’s man on the ground, scrambling to stay ahead of ever-shifting events. An eye in the sky satellite link watches Ferris. At the other end of that link is the CIA’s Ed Hoffman, strategizing events from thousands of miles away. You can watch the Body of Lies trailer here. To win just give us the name of your favorite Leonardo DiCaprio or Russell Crowe movie via Twitter. Send a reply to @spout with the name of the movie and include “#contestwed” in the tweet and you’re entered to win. Go for it! –Chris Thilk, Director of Marketing Own it on Blu-ray® and DVD 02/17/09! Body of Lies © 2008. Package Design & Supplementary Material Compilation © 2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Distributed by Warner Home Video. 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA  91522. All rights reserved. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Week_of_2_20_fashion_cheerleaders_prison_an/216/40484/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 2/16/2009 3:10:31 PM
Body: NEW TO THEATRES 2/20 1. Madea Goes to Jail - Watch the trailer. Until today, I thought Tyler Perry's Madea was like a kooky update of Jim Varney's Ernest P. Worrell. (Considering Ernest Goes to Jail, can you blame me?) Then I started looking into Tyler Perry, and even though I don't think his movies are for me, he seems like a really interesting guy. Two quotes from him on Wikipedia really caught my eye: 1) "I know my audience, and they're not people that the studios know anything about." 2) "Did you know you can't say 'Jesus' in a sitcom? They told me that and I was like, You gotta be kiddin' me...God has been too good to me to go and try to sell out to get some money." I was impressed to learn that Tyler Perry's been writing plays since he was 18, and according to Wikipedia, by 2005 his plays earned $75 million in ticket sales! Who knew? Madea Goes to Jail itself was a stage play in 2006, and a filmed version has already appeared on DVD. Has anyone seen that? 2. Fired Up - Watch the trailer. Teen comedy, whooooooo! Two randy football players avoid summer football camp by becoming cheerleaders. 3. Eleven Minutes (limited) - Watch the trailer. A documentary about fashion designer Jay McCarroll trying to set up an independently-produced runway show. NEW TO DVD - 2/17 1. Quarantine - Watch the trailer. This one looked pretty thrilling to me. An inner city apartment building is subjected to a government quarantine, but what's infecting the victims? 2. Body of Lies - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this and didn't love it. Here's his review. 3. Choke - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist wasn't crazy about this one either, so maybe he's just a big fuddy-duddy. Listen to his review. 4. Changeling - Watch the trailer. This was getting a lot of Oscars buzz until everyone actually saw it. Oh well, Clint Eastwood made a winner with Gran Torino. 5. High School Musical 3 - Watch the trailer. Well, I'm sure that whatever this movie's supposed to do, it does it well. Does anyone else think 'Corbin Bleu' sounds like a gourmet meal? 6. Righteous Kill - Watch the trailer. Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro are in the same movie for only the third time. Since the first two movies were Godfather Pt. II and Heat, this third time is most definitely not 'a charm.' 7. Midnight Meat Train - Watch the trailer. Here's another dose of Bradley Cooper for everyone who's crushing (or man-crushing) on him from He's Just Not That Into You. Myself, I have a bit of a man-crush on the villain, who's played by tough-as-nails Vinnie Jones. 8. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Watch the trailer. Simon Pegg starts working for a pompous fashion magazine. Also stars Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges and Danny Huston -- all people I like. The movie didn't get very good reviews, though... I'm looking forward to Simon Pegg teaming up with Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz) again, and I'm glad he's playing Scotty in the new Star Trek movie.
]]>Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:10:31 GMTspoutComing Soon2/16/2009 3:10:31 PMNEW TO THEATRES 2/20 1. Madea Goes to Jail - Watch the trailer. Until today, I thought Tyler Perry's Madea was like a kooky update of Jim Varney's Ernest P. Worrell. (Considering Ernest Goes to Jail, can you blame me?) Then I started looking into Tyler Perry, and even though I don't think his movies are for me, he seems like a really interesting guy. Two quotes from him on Wikipedia really caught my eye: 1) "I know my audience, and they're not people that the studios know anything about." 2) "Did you know you can't say 'Jesus' in a sitcom? They told me that and I was like, You gotta be kiddin' me...God has been too good to me to go and try to sell out to get some money." I was impressed to learn that Tyler Perry's been writing plays since he was 18, and according to Wikipedia, by 2005 his plays earned $75 million in ticket sales! Who knew? Madea Goes to Jail itself was a stage play in 2006, and a filmed version has already appeared on DVD. Has anyone seen that? 2. Fired Up - Watch the trailer. Teen comedy, whooooooo! Two randy football players avoid summer football camp by becoming cheerleaders. 3. Eleven Minutes (limited) - Watch the trailer. A documentary about fashion designer Jay McCarroll trying to set up an independently-produced runway show. NEW TO DVD - 2/17 1. Quarantine - Watch the trailer. This one looked pretty thrilling to me. An inner city apartment building is subjected to a government quarantine, but what's infecting the victims? 2. Body of Lies - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this and didn't love it. Here's his review. 3. Choke - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist wasn't crazy about this one either, so maybe he's just a big fuddy-duddy. Listen to his review. 4. Changeling - Watch the trailer. This was getting a lot of Oscars buzz until everyone actually saw it. Oh well, Clint Eastwood made a winner with Gran Torino. 5. High School Musical 3 - Watch the trailer. Well, I'm sure that whatever this movie's supposed to do, it does it well. Does anyone else think 'Corbin Bleu' sounds like a gourmet meal? 6. Righteous Kill - Watch the trailer. Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro are in the same movie for only the third time. Since the first two movies were Godfather Pt. II and Heat, this third time is most definitely not 'a charm.' 7. Midnight Meat Train - Watch the trailer. Here's another dose of Bradley Cooper for everyone who's crushing (or man-crushing) on him from He's Just Not That Into You. Myself, I have a bit of a man-crush on the villain, who's played by tough-as-nails Vinnie Jones. 8. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Watch the trailer. Simon Pegg starts working for a pompous fashion magazine. Also stars Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges and Danny Huston -- all people I like. The movie didn't get very good reviews, though... I'm looking forward to Simon Pegg teaming up with Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz) again, and I'm glad he's playing Scotty in the new Star Trek movie. http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_DVD_Box_Set_Giveaway/563/38656/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: QFLW
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 12/19/2008 9:22:28 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] Win a DVD box set worth up to $75. You choose the box set! That's right, winners pick any DVD box set for $75 or less, then we buy it and ship it for free. Here's how you play: 1) Reply with a list of your 5 Favorite Movies of 2008. 2) Tell us what your mother would say about each movie. We're not looking for whole reviews, just one or two sentences. EXAMPLE: 1) The Dark Knight -- "You know, I wouldn't have minded if Batman killed the Joker. That guy was just...blech!" Check back here on 12/31 to see if you've won! Good luck, and happy holidays! [/quote] Iron Man (couldn't get the link to work right) -- "Now why do women run around in those silly, geeky shoes? And that dress was all but falling off her. (sigh) No one wears pretty, elegant dresses anymore. Or underwear." Religulous -- (to the screen, with a shrug) "That's fine, Bill, but the people who should hear this just won't." Body of Lies -- "Well, I agree with Russell. How could anyone like the Middle East? No trees. And those people are just crazy. Probably because they live there." Zack & Miri Make a Porno -- "Those two were really cute. But that tall naked one--what a mess! And does the f-word have to be every other word? You don't have to resort to that kind of language to be funny." Ghost Town -- "See? That's clever. You can really insult people without cursing. Who was that dentist? I've never heard of him."
]]>Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:22:28 GMTQFLWFilmgaming12/19/2008 9:22:28 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] Win a DVD box set worth up to $75. You choose the box set! That's right, winners pick any DVD box set for $75 or less, then we buy it and ship it for free. Here's how you play: 1) Reply with a list of your 5 Favorite Movies of 2008. 2) Tell us what your mother would say about each movie. We're not looking for whole reviews, just one or two sentences. EXAMPLE: 1) The Dark Knight -- "You know, I wouldn't have minded if Batman killed the Joker. That guy was just...blech!" Check back here on 12/31 to see if you've won! Good luck, and happy holidays! [/quote] Iron Man (couldn't get the link to work right) -- "Now why do women run around in those silly, geeky shoes? And that dress was all but falling off her. (sigh) No one wears pretty, elegant dresses anymore. Or underwear." Religulous -- (to the screen, with a shrug) "That's fine, Bill, but the people who should hear this just won't." Body of Lies -- "Well, I agree with Russell. How could anyone like the Middle East? No trees. And those people are just crazy. Probably because they live there." Zack &amp; Miri Make a Porno -- "Those two were really cute. But that tall naked one--what a mess! And does the f-word have to be every other word? You don't have to resort to that kind of language to be funny." Ghost Town -- "See? That's clever. You can really insult people without cursing. Who was that dentist? I've never heard of him." http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2008/643/38427/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: QFLW
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/15/2008 8:44:12 PM
Body: "... I'm usually the first to declare my distaste for Hayden Christensen and everything he's done he's ruined, but somehow in this I was able to ignore that loathing and enjoy the movie." This is how I feel about Kiera Knightley, hahaha. The film I found her tolerable in was Domino...I've heard other people say Jumper might not be the best movie but it's entertaining. Am curious to see it now. Wasn't able to see all the films I wanted to this year. Am looking forward very much to Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire and The Brothers Bloom. And Doubt. So from the new films I did see this year, my nominations for best: Henry Poole Is Here - Low-key, sort of off the wall (er, pun not intended); a slightly predictable ending, but not quite in the way you'd think. Some food for thought on faith. Iron Man - Excellent fun; Robert Downey Jr. is The Man. Ghost Town - Stupid title that doesn't represent the film well; perhaps your standard formula romantic comedy, except that the lead is Ricky Gervais. Very funny. Religulous - Bill Maher asking people questions about what they believe and warning that religion is dangerous when used to run the world in place of common sense. Funny, not as obnoxious as he might have been. I wanted to join in the conversations! Body of Lies - Interesting Middle East thriller; handsomely filmed as is Ridley Scott's wont. Zack & Miri Make a Porno - Tacky, yes, but funny and touching. Perhaps I'm just a Kevin Smith junkie, but I enjoyed this a lot. I saw The Dark Knight and Burn After Reading as well but came away more dissatisfied than pleased with both. The action in TDK was too hard to follow; after awhile all the chasing and exploding got tiresome. Alfred is more interesting a character than Batman/Bruce Wayne; Heath Ledger stole the show. BAR started out brilliantly, has much in it that's funny, but the way the plot crashed and burned was too strange and not so funny, left me shaking my head. But the closing conversation was good.
]]>Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:44:12 GMTQFLWCommunity Recommendations12/15/2008 8:44:12 PM"... I'm usually the first to declare my distaste for Hayden Christensen and everything he's done he's ruined, but somehow in this I was able to ignore that loathing and enjoy the movie." This is how I feel about Kiera Knightley, hahaha. The film I found her tolerable in was Domino...I've heard other people say Jumper might not be the best movie but it's entertaining. Am curious to see it now. Wasn't able to see all the films I wanted to this year. Am looking forward very much to Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire and The Brothers Bloom. And Doubt. So from the new films I did see this year, my nominations for best: Henry Poole Is Here - Low-key, sort of off the wall (er, pun not intended); a slightly predictable ending, but not quite in the way you'd think. Some food for thought on faith. Iron Man - Excellent fun; Robert Downey Jr. is The Man. Ghost Town - Stupid title that doesn't represent the film well; perhaps your standard formula romantic comedy, except that the lead is Ricky Gervais. Very funny. Religulous - Bill Maher asking people questions about what they believe and warning that religion is dangerous when used to run the world in place of common sense. Funny, not as obnoxious as he might have been. I wanted to join in the conversations! Body of Lies - Interesting Middle East thriller; handsomely filmed as is Ridley Scott's wont. Zack &amp; Miri Make a Porno - Tacky, yes, but funny and touching. Perhaps I'm just a Kevin Smith junkie, but I enjoyed this a lot. I saw The Dark Knight and Burn After Reading as well but came away more dissatisfied than pleased with both. The action in TDK was too hard to follow; after awhile all the chasing and exploding got tiresome. Alfred is more interesting a character than Batman/Bruce Wayne; Heath Ledger stole the show. BAR started out brilliantly, has much in it that's funny, but the way the plot crashed and burned was too strange and not so funny, left me shaking my head. But the closing conversation was good. http://www.spout.com/blogs/thomasjeffersongeronimo/archive/2008/10/24/36636.aspx Post By: ThomasJeffersonGeronimo
Post To: ThomasJeffersonGeronimo Blog
Post Date: 10/24/2008 10:17:31 AM
Body: This is not particualrly timley spy stuff. It probably could have been set during say, the Cold War and played out the same way. Leo DiCaprio really doesn't pull off the mercenary/spook/tough guy thing, but bless his heart, he does keep trying. There's some ok intense action towards the beginning, but once we settle in the movie gets a biut dull and loses it's way, getting a bit predictable. The Kingdom did action and timeliness better. It kind of has the Western patriarchial/white man's burden themes of Black Hawk Down and Kingdom of Heaven; if seen as part of the "Ridley Scott Foreign Policy" trilogy, it's the weakest of the three.
]]>Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:17:31 GMTThomasJeffersonGeronimoThomasJeffersonGeronimo Blog10/24/2008 10:17:31 AMThis is not particualrly timley spy stuff. It probably could have been set during say, the Cold War and played out the same way. Leo DiCaprio really doesn't pull off the mercenary/spook/tough guy thing, but bless his heart, he does keep trying. There's some ok intense action towards the beginning, but once we settle in the movie gets a biut dull and loses it's way, getting a bit predictable. The Kingdom did action and timeliness better. It kind of has the Western patriarchial/white man's burden themes of Black Hawk Down and Kingdom of Heaven; if seen as part of the "Ridley Scott Foreign Policy" trilogy, it's the weakest of the three. http://www.spout.com/blogs/mikeeverleth/archive/2008/10/16/36395.aspx Post By: MikeEverleth
Post To: MikeEverleth Blog
Post Date: 10/16/2008 12:22:36 PM
Body: Body of Lies feels like the kind of movie Ridley Scott can direct with his eyes closed. it's like an old-time espionage film gussied up with hi-tech gizmos and made "relevant" by partially being set during the current Iraq conflict -- even though it could have been re-set just about anywhere or any time. Leonardo DiCaprio is just kind of there in the movie without really carrying the action and a drinking game can be made out of the film based on the times Russell Crowe peers over the top of his glasses. Mark Strong is good, smarmy fun as the head of the Jordanian secret service. But the real star here is the goofy, convoluted script for William Monahan, who should be the go-to guy now for over-the-top movies about professional backstabbers.
]]>Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:22:36 GMTMikeEverlethMikeEverleth Blog10/16/2008 12:22:36 PMBody of Lies feels like the kind of movie Ridley Scott can direct with his eyes closed. it's like an old-time espionage film gussied up with hi-tech gizmos and made "relevant" by partially being set during the current Iraq conflict -- even though it could have been re-set just about anywhere or any time. Leonardo DiCaprio is just kind of there in the movie without really carrying the action and a drinking game can be made out of the film based on the times Russell Crowe peers over the top of his glasses. Mark Strong is good, smarmy fun as the head of the Jordanian secret service. But the real star here is the goofy, convoluted script for William Monahan, who should be the go-to guy now for over-the-top movies about professional backstabbers. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/10/10/36134.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/10/2008 9:01:46 AM
Body: Two movies, both adapted from novels, open in theaters tonight. One is a children’s fantasy, the other is a political thriller. One poses intriguing questions about the nature of authority and value of disobedience, the other is a tangled collection of tired clichés. City of Ember tells the story of two children becoming heroes thanks to their suspicion and rebellion. While it may seem strange to make a children’s movie that encourages young people to defy authority, there are psychological tests that suggest it may be a really good idea. The Human Behavior Experiments, a little known documentary by Oscar winner Alex Gibney, provides interesting insights. Body of Lies, the latest from director Ridley Scott, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe as dueling CIA agents. Does the film have what it takes to overcome the deadly Iraq-fatigue that has destroyed so many of its comrades at the box office? Or is it another example of Ridley Scott taking super-charged material and delivering a super-flat film? (Subscribe to FilmCouch–Spout’s weekly movie podcast–in the iTunes store or to our RSS feed and an episode will download each Friday) 0:00 - Intro 3:33 - City of Ember, The Human Behavior Experiments 21:31 - Body of Lies 37:23 - Adam Forrest’s “Cup of Comfort”: A Russell Crowe anecdote filmcouch-91 Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:01:46 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/10/2008 9:01:46 AM Two movies, both adapted from novels, open in theaters tonight. One is a children’s fantasy, the other is a political thriller. One poses intriguing questions about the nature of authority and value of disobedience, the other is a tangled collection of tired clichés. City of Ember tells the story of two children becoming heroes thanks to their suspicion and rebellion. While it may seem strange to make a children’s movie that encourages young people to defy authority, there are psychological tests that suggest it may be a really good idea. The Human Behavior Experiments, a little known documentary by Oscar winner Alex Gibney, provides interesting insights. Body of Lies, the latest from director Ridley Scott, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe as dueling CIA agents. Does the film have what it takes to overcome the deadly Iraq-fatigue that has destroyed so many of its comrades at the box office? Or is it another example of Ridley Scott taking super-charged material and delivering a super-flat film? (Subscribe to FilmCouch–Spout’s weekly movie podcast–in the iTunes store or to our RSS feed and an episode will download each Friday) 0:00 - Intro 3:33 - City of Ember, The Human Behavior Experiments 21:31 - Body of Lies 37:23 - Adam Forrest’s “Cup of Comfort”: A Russell Crowe anecdote filmcouch-91 Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/7/18/32731.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/18/2008 2:00:58 PM
Body: Surely you are going to see The Dark Knight this weekend. Even if you already saw it at a preview screening last night/this morning, you’re probably geeky enough to be planning on seeing it again before Monday morning comes along. After all, Warner Bros. has dispersed a record amount of prints to a record amount of screens and the pundits are predicting a record box office gross for the weekend (never mind the fact that fellow new releases Mamma Mia! and Space Chimps and other still-strong blockbusters Hellboy II, Hancock and Wall-E will be supposedly be assisting in this matter). It’s almost being forced to be a monumental event. So, yeah, you’re totally going. You probably even already bought tickets, since Fandango reports that advance tickets for TDK have been the fastest sell since Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (while writing this I received a new Fandango press release claiming they’re selling 10 TDK tickets per second today). Wait, what? You say you’re skipping out on TDK this weekend? Not possible. Whatever your lame excuse, I have a rebuttal: 10. You Didn’t See Batman Begins - This should be a decent enough reason not to see TDK, except that apparently it’s not really necessary to see the previous installment. I’ve seen TDK called better than BB, I’ve seen it called The Godfather Part II of superhero movies and I’ve seen it called the Empire Strikes Back of the franchise. But more importantly, I’m pretty sure I read somewhere (or maybe I dreamed it) that TDK should be where Christopher Nolan’s take on the series begins. So just retrospectively consider BB a prequel. 9. You’re turned off by all the marketing - Sure, the Dominos pizza boxes and the Comcast ads were a bit much. And even before all the promotional tie-ins arrived, the different marketing strategies were obnoxious. But just think: if The Dark Knight doesn’t actually break records this weekend thanks to your dollars, the next big tentpole will only try harder and more annoyingly to woo you. 8. You’re going to see Space Chimps - Why? Because you have small children? Seriously, take them to see TDK. They may be creeped out now, but they’ll thank you in twenty years. As for the other big new release, you and your daughter really don’t want to be fighting the fanboys at the box office just to see Mamma Mia! Do you? By the way, TDK has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any movie opening this week — foreign films included — so it’s not like you can use that pretentious “better than” attitude this time. 7. You’re waiting until the IMAX showings aren’t all sold out - This was actually my excuse at first. And really I should be seeing it in IMAX first. But it could be weeks until the single screen in NYC is no longer sold out, so I might as well just buck up and go see it on a regular screen now and see it again in IMAX in a month. I’ll be able to appreciate the grand visuals even more if I don’t have to pay as much attention to the story anyway. 6. The only Bruce Wayne/Batman for you is Val Kilmer - Actually, it’s a scientific fact that Kilmer is not the best person to play any character. He comes pretty damn close with Jim Morrison, but the real-life Morrison was just a little bit better in the role. 5. The only Commissioner Gordon for you is the guy in Maximum Overdrive that calls everyone “Bubba.” - His name is Pat Hingle, and I agree that he is one of the best character actors working today. But, sorry, nobody beats Gary Oldman. Even David Edelstein, who is one of like two critics to pan the film, celebrates Oldman’s involvement. 4. You already saw the trailers for Terminator Salvation, Twilight, Watchmen and even Body of Lies online - Yeah, we all say that the trailers are the best part about going to the movies. But this rare time that statement doesn’t apply. 3. You believe that seeing a big Hollywood release on opening weekend further encourages the practice of front-loading grosses and continues the damage done to both independent film and the movie theater industry - Okay, this isn’t a lame excuse at all. And I wholeheartedly support you on this issue. If you seriously want to use this excuse, go right ahead. People are going to call you a curmudgeon and tell you to have a little more fun in your life, but your reasoning is completely valid. 2. You don’t want to exploit Heath Ledger’s death - If you show up to the movies this weekend, everyone’s going to think you’re one of the many just seeing the movie because of Ledger — his death, not his performance, of course. But if you ignore the movie because of this reason, meaning because he died, aren’t you still exploiting him? And you’re missing an awesome movie, too. 1. What’s The Dark Knight? - This is a tribute to David Letterman’s Top Ten #1s, which are usually so snappy yet so unfunny. Really, though, if you didn’t know what The Dark Knight was, you wouldn’t be reading this list. Plus, even your grandma knows what it is. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:00:58 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/18/2008 2:00:58 PM Surely you are going to see The Dark Knight this weekend. Even if you already saw it at a preview screening last night/this morning, you’re probably geeky enough to be planning on seeing it again before Monday morning comes along. After all, Warner Bros. has dispersed a record amount of prints to a record amount of screens and the pundits are predicting a record box office gross for the weekend (never mind the fact that fellow new releases Mamma Mia! and Space Chimps and other still-strong blockbusters Hellboy II, Hancock and Wall-E will be supposedly be assisting in this matter). It’s almost being forced to be a monumental event. So, yeah, you’re totally going. You probably even already bought tickets, since Fandango reports that advance tickets for TDK have been the fastest sell since Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (while writing this I received a new Fandango press release claiming they’re selling 10 TDK tickets per second today). Wait, what? You say you’re skipping out on TDK this weekend? Not possible. Whatever your lame excuse, I have a rebuttal: 10. You Didn’t See Batman Begins - This should be a decent enough reason not to see TDK, except that apparently it’s not really necessary to see the previous installment. I’ve seen TDK called better than BB, I’ve seen it called The Godfather Part II of superhero movies and I’ve seen it called the Empire Strikes Back of the franchise. But more importantly, I’m pretty sure I read somewhere (or maybe I dreamed it) that TDK should be where Christopher Nolan’s take on the series begins. So just retrospectively consider BB a prequel. 9. You’re turned off by all the marketing - Sure, the Dominos pizza boxes and the Comcast ads were a bit much. And even before all the promotional tie-ins arrived, the different marketing strategies were obnoxious. But just think: if The Dark Knight doesn’t actually break records this weekend thanks to your dollars, the next big tentpole will only try harder and more annoyingly to woo you. 8. You’re going to see Space Chimps - Why? Because you have small children? Seriously, take them to see TDK. They may be creeped out now, but they’ll thank you in twenty years. As for the other big new release, you and your daughter really don’t want to be fighting the fanboys at the box office just to see Mamma Mia! Do you? By the way, TDK has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any movie opening this week — foreign films included — so it’s not like you can use that pretentious “better than” attitude this time. 7. You’re waiting until the IMAX showings aren’t all sold out - This was actually my excuse at first. And really I should be seeing it in IMAX first. But it could be weeks until the single screen in NYC is no longer sold out, so I might as well just buck up and go see it on a regular screen now and see it again in IMAX in a month. I’ll be able to appreciate the grand visuals even more if I don’t have to pay as much attention to the story anyway. 6. The only Bruce Wayne/Batman for you is Val Kilmer - Actually, it’s a scientific fact that Kilmer is not the best person to play any character. He comes pretty damn close with Jim Morrison, but the real-life Morrison was just a little bit better in the role. 5. The only Commissioner Gordon for you is the guy in Maximum Overdrive that calls everyone “Bubba.” - His name is Pat Hingle, and I agree that he is one of the best character actors working today. But, sorry, nobody beats Gary Oldman. Even David Edelstein, who is one of like two critics to pan the film, celebrates Oldman’s involvement. 4. You already saw the trailers for Terminator Salvation, Twilight, Watchmen and even Body of Lies online - Yeah, we all say that the trailers are the best part about going to the movies. But this rare time that statement doesn’t apply. 3. You believe that seeing a big Hollywood release on opening weekend further encourages the practice of front-loading grosses and continues the damage done to both independent film and the movie theater industry - Okay, this isn’t a lame excuse at all. And I wholeheartedly support you on this issue. If you seriously want to use this excuse, go right ahead. People are going to call you a curmudgeon and tell you to have a little more fun in your life, but your reasoning is completely valid. 2. You don’t want to exploit Heath Ledger’s death - If you show up to the movies this weekend, everyone’s going to think you’re one of the many just seeing the movie because of Ledger — his death, not his performance, of course. But if you ignore the movie because of this reason, meaning because he died, aren’t you still exploiting him? And you’re missing an awesome movie, too. 1. What’s The Dark Knight? - This is a tribute to David Letterman’s Top Ten #1s, which are usually so snappy yet so unfunny. Really, though, if you didn’t know what The Dark Knight was, you wouldn’t be reading this list. Plus, even your grandma knows what it is. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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