list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around City of Ember 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/City_of_Ember/331797/default.aspx Title: City of Ember
Year: 2008
Director: Gil Kenan
Plot: Oscar-winning Monster House director Gil Kenan takes the helm for this children's fantasy concerning two teens who attempt to solve an ancient mystery in time to prevent their illuminated city from being swallowed by darkness. The cast includes Bill Murray, Toby Jones, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins, and Martin Landau, with a script by Tim Burton collaborator Caroline Thompson from a book by Jeanne DuPrau. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 17
Number of Lists: 10
Number of blog posts: 11
Number of discussion threads: 9
SpoutRating: 2
]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:56 GMTCity of Ember2008Gil KenanOscar-winning <a href="http://www.spout.com/films/257263/detail.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Monster House</a> director Gil Kenan takes the helm for this children's fantasy concerning two teens who attempt to solve an ancient mystery in time to prevent their illuminated city from being swallowed by darkness. The cast includes <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___103861/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bill Murray</a>, <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___267792/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Toby Jones</a>, <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___440773/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Saoirse Ronan</a>, <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___108437/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Tim Robbins</a>, and <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____40247/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Martin Landau</a>, with a script by <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____83666/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Tim Burton</a> collaborator Caroline Thompson from a book by Jeanne DuPrau. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide17Tag Target (>10)101192http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s331797.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/City_of_Ember/331797/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/2_27_Harrison_Ford_is_STILL_THROUGH_messing_arou/216/40602/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 2/23/2009 5:01:58 PM
Body: NEW TO THEATERS 2/27 The video game movie you never expected -- Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li Watch the trailer. What do you think? After the film, will we look like this: Or this: Harrison Ford is STILL through messing around! -- Crossing Over (limited) Starring Sean Penn, Ashley Judd, and Harrison Ford. The trailer makes it look like Crash, only all the stories are focused on immigration. And it looks like Ford's performance is another in his line of "I'm through messing around!" performance. Hey, he's sure good at this stuff, though... Harrison Ford's Top 3 "I'm Through Messing Around" Movies 1. The Fugitive 2. Clear and Present Danger 3. Air Force One 3-D Jonases, watchable at will! -- Jonas Brothers 3-D Experience Love 'em or hate 'em, you just can't deny that those Jonas Brothers made a concert movie. Want proof? Watch the trailer. Great concert films What's the best concert films you've ever seen? I highly recommend the Rolling Stones film Gimme Shelter (watch the trailer). Every time I see it, I'm chilled by the real violence that the Maysles captured with their cameras. As you may know, this was the concert where the Hell's Angels provided the Stones' "security." I also really enjoyed the Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense. Jonathan Demme is credited as the director, but I've heard that the film's style is very much a brainchild of David Byrne. _______________________________________________ NEW TO DVD 2/23 -- WARNING! THERE IS POTTY HUMOR! City of Ember -- Watch the trailer. The guys on FilmCouch liked this one. Listen to the FilmCouch review. Wooo, Bill Murray! Read the SpoutBlog review. What Just Happened -- Watch the trailer. This Hollywood-based comedy didn't get good reviews, but it stars Robert Deniro, Sean Penn, John Turturro, and Bruce Willis. How can it not be good, right? Huh, I guess everybody poops once in a while. Extreme Movie -- This parody of teen sex comedies stars Michael Cera and was partly written by SNL's Will Forte and Adam Samberg. I can't remember it ever even playing in theaters...but everyone poops, am I right, people? 88 Minutes -- Watch the trailer. Starring Al Pacino. Who poops. Splinter -- Watch the trailer. A virus infects people with an insatiable thirst for human blood. This could be good; but isn't there a rule of thumb that whenever an effects guru directs a movie, you should run for the hills? I'd be happy if Splinter proves me wrong.
]]>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:01:58 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon2/23/2009 5:01:58 PMNEW TO THEATERS 2/27 The video game movie you never expected -- Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li Watch the trailer. What do you think? After the film, will we look like this: Or this: Harrison Ford is STILL through messing around! -- Crossing Over (limited) Starring Sean Penn, Ashley Judd, and Harrison Ford. The trailer makes it look like Crash, only all the stories are focused on immigration. And it looks like Ford's performance is another in his line of "I'm through messing around!" performance. Hey, he's sure good at this stuff, though... Harrison Ford's Top 3 "I'm Through Messing Around" Movies 1. The Fugitive 2. Clear and Present Danger 3. Air Force One 3-D Jonases, watchable at will! -- Jonas Brothers 3-D Experience Love 'em or hate 'em, you just can't deny that those Jonas Brothers made a concert movie. Want proof? Watch the trailer. Great concert films What's the best concert films you've ever seen? I highly recommend the Rolling Stones film Gimme Shelter (watch the trailer). Every time I see it, I'm chilled by the real violence that the Maysles captured with their cameras. As you may know, this was the concert where the Hell's Angels provided the Stones' "security." I also really enjoyed the Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense. Jonathan Demme is credited as the director, but I've heard that the film's style is very much a brainchild of David Byrne. _______________________________________________ NEW TO DVD 2/23 -- WARNING! THERE IS POTTY HUMOR! City of Ember -- Watch the trailer. The guys on FilmCouch liked this one. Listen to the FilmCouch review. Wooo, Bill Murray! Read the SpoutBlog review. What Just Happened -- Watch the trailer. This Hollywood-based comedy didn't get good reviews, but it stars Robert Deniro, Sean Penn, John Turturro, and Bruce Willis. How can it not be good, right? Huh, I guess everybody poops once in a while. Extreme Movie -- This parody of teen sex comedies stars Michael Cera and was partly written by SNL's Will Forte and Adam Samberg. I can't remember it ever even playing in theaters...but everyone poops, am I right, people? 88 Minutes -- Watch the trailer. Starring Al Pacino. Who poops. Splinter -- Watch the trailer. A virus infects people with an insatiable thirst for human blood. This could be good; but isn't there a rule of thumb that whenever an effects guru directs a movie, you should run for the hills? I'd be happy if Splinter proves me wrong. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/New_to_DVD_1_20_Bill_Murray_s_evil_Adam_Sandle/216/39758/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 1/21/2009 3:23:38 PM
Body: NEW TO DVD 1/20 1. City of Ember -- Watch the trailer. Listen to the review on FilmCouch. Bill Murray as a villain is almost enough to get me to watch. 2. You Don't Mess With the Zohan -- Watch the trailer. I was surprised by how much I liked this. Two of the writers are Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow, which couldn't hurt any comedy. 3. The Deal -- Watch the trailer. Meg Ryan and William H. Macy star in what sounds like Get Shorty meets The Producers. 4. Criteron Collection's El Norte (1983) is now on Blu-ray. When the Guatemalan government destroys a village of Quiche Indians, two teenagers trek north across Mexico and into the US. Watch th trailer. 5. Saw V -- Watch the trailer. Anyone care to bet how many more sequels will be made? 6. The Express -- Watch the trailer. The story of the Heisman-trophy winning footbal star, Ernie Davis, who was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after being drafted into the NFL. 7. Max Payne -- Watch the trailer. Mark Wahlberg is better than this movie. Hmm, what's the best video game movie ever? Is anyone looking forward to Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li? (Watch the trailer.)
]]>Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:23:38 GMTspoutComing Soon1/21/2009 3:23:38 PMNEW TO DVD 1/20 1. City of Ember -- Watch the trailer. Listen to the review on FilmCouch. Bill Murray as a villain is almost enough to get me to watch. 2. You Don't Mess With the Zohan -- Watch the trailer. I was surprised by how much I liked this. Two of the writers are Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow, which couldn't hurt any comedy. 3. The Deal -- Watch the trailer. Meg Ryan and William H. Macy star in what sounds like Get Shorty meets The Producers. 4. Criteron Collection's El Norte (1983) is now on Blu-ray. When the Guatemalan government destroys a village of Quiche Indians, two teenagers trek north across Mexico and into the US. Watch th trailer. 5. Saw V -- Watch the trailer. Anyone care to bet how many more sequels will be made? 6. The Express -- Watch the trailer. The story of the Heisman-trophy winning footbal star, Ernie Davis, who was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after being drafted into the NFL. 7. Max Payne -- Watch the trailer. Mark Wahlberg is better than this movie. Hmm, what's the best video game movie ever? Is anyone looking forward to Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li? (Watch the trailer.) http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_What_is_your_favorite_major_Bill_Murray_role_ou/657/38005/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 12/5/2008 6:06:59 PM
Body: [quote user="joem18b"] Aren't Lost In Translation, Broken Flowers, and The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou sort of regarded as a trilogy? Murray's angst period? Cause that way I can just vote for all three of them as a set. [/quote] It seems like a lot of people are viewing it that way. At any rate, so far no one has voted for Garfield or City of Embers. Which I'm really not surprised by even though I haven't seen either of them. I don't even know if he has a "major" role in City of Embers. 2003's Lost in Translation was the first top billing movie he had since 1997's The Man Who Knew Too Little. And other than Groundhog Day, I'm not sure if he'd had had any major roles that had this high of a ratio of "drama" compared to the "comedy" (if you can really separate those two things when they appear to their fullest extent). I also see he was recently in the movies Get Smart and The Lost City. Niether of which I have seen either. Does anyone know how big of a role he had in these films? And if they are worth watching?
]]>Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:06:59 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls12/5/2008 6:06:59 PM[quote user="joem18b"] Aren't Lost In Translation, Broken Flowers, and The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou sort of regarded as a trilogy? Murray's angst period? Cause that way I can just vote for all three of them as a set. [/quote] It seems like a lot of people are viewing it that way. At any rate, so far no one has voted for Garfield or City of Embers. Which I'm really not surprised by even though I haven't seen either of them. I don't even know if he has a "major" role in City of Embers. 2003's Lost in Translation was the first top billing movie he had since 1997's The Man Who Knew Too Little. And other than Groundhog Day, I'm not sure if he'd had had any major roles that had this high of a ratio of "drama" compared to the "comedy" (if you can really separate those two things when they appear to their fullest extent). I also see he was recently in the movies Get Smart and The Lost City. Niether of which I have seen either. Does anyone know how big of a role he had in these films? And if they are worth watching? http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_What_is_your_favorite_major_Bill_Murray_role_ou/657/37806/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: csprague
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 12/1/2008 4:16:06 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] I'll admit I haven't actually seen City of Ember yet or Garfield. I very highly doubt there will be many votes from people here for Garfield, but I guess I'll wait and see. But I find Bill Murray in the other three entries, The Life Aquatic, Lost in Translation, and Broken Flowers to all be complete revelations! Because Jim Jarmusch is one of my absolute favorite filmmakers, and I find his sad former swinger character in Broken Flowers to be so perfect for Murray (you may argue but I think it's the right next step after Lost in Translation), I had to pick Don Johnston. Bill Murray's real hidden talent lies in that sad face and sometimes saying very little or nothing at all is the most effective from a guy you know know can deliver a hilarious line so well. [/quote] It was a tough decision between Life Aquatic and Lost in Translation, but I went with Steve Zissou. why? Well, i think both characters were beautifully broken, but there was something less despicable about the Steve Zissou character to me.. I don't know what exactly. I guess I felt in the end that he was heading somewhere, unlike the inevitability of the Lost in Translation character. But yes, the sad face where he doesn't really need to say anything, that's exactly what I love about those movies. I will have to check out Broken Flowers now:)
]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:16:06 GMTcspragueMovie Polls12/1/2008 4:16:06 PM[quote user="Risselada"] I'll admit I haven't actually seen City of Ember yet or Garfield. I very highly doubt there will be many votes from people here for Garfield, but I guess I'll wait and see. But I find Bill Murray in the other three entries, The Life Aquatic, Lost in Translation, and Broken Flowers to all be complete revelations! Because Jim Jarmusch is one of my absolute favorite filmmakers, and I find his sad former swinger character in Broken Flowers to be so perfect for Murray (you may argue but I think it's the right next step after Lost in Translation), I had to pick Don Johnston. Bill Murray's real hidden talent lies in that sad face and sometimes saying very little or nothing at all is the most effective from a guy you know know can deliver a hilarious line so well. [/quote] It was a tough decision between Life Aquatic and Lost in Translation, but I went with Steve Zissou. why? Well, i think both characters were beautifully broken, but there was something less despicable about the Steve Zissou character to me.. I don't know what exactly. I guess I felt in the end that he was heading somewhere, unlike the inevitability of the Lost in Translation character. But yes, the sad face where he doesn't really need to say anything, that's exactly what I love about those movies. I will have to check out Broken Flowers now:) http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_What_is_your_favorite_major_Bill_Murray_role_ou/657/37798/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 12/1/2008 3:58:13 PM
Body: I'll admit I haven't actually seen City of Ember yet or Garfield. I very highly doubt there will be many votes from people here for Garfield, but I guess I'll wait and see. But I find Bill Murray in the other three entries, The Life Aquatic, Lost in Translation, and Broken Flowers to all be complete revelations! Because Jim Jarmusch is one of my absolute favorite filmmakers, and I find his sad former swinger character in Broken Flowers to be so perfect for Murray (you may argue but I think it's the right next step after Lost in Translation), I had to pick Don Johnston. Bill Murray's real hidden talent lies in that sad face and sometimes saying very little or nothing at all is the most effective from a guy you know know can deliver a hilarious line so well.
]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:58:13 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls12/1/2008 3:58:13 PMI'll admit I haven't actually seen City of Ember yet or Garfield. I very highly doubt there will be many votes from people here for Garfield, but I guess I'll wait and see. But I find Bill Murray in the other three entries, The Life Aquatic, Lost in Translation, and Broken Flowers to all be complete revelations! Because Jim Jarmusch is one of my absolute favorite filmmakers, and I find his sad former swinger character in Broken Flowers to be so perfect for Murray (you may argue but I think it's the right next step after Lost in Translation), I had to pick Don Johnston. Bill Murray's real hidden talent lies in that sad face and sometimes saying very little or nothing at all is the most effective from a guy you know know can deliver a hilarious line so well. http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/What_is_your_favorite_major_Bill_Murray_role_out_o/657/37794/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 12/1/2008 3:42:15 PM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:City of EmberBroken FlowersThe Life Aquatic with Steve ZissouGarfieldGarfield: A Tail of Two KittiesLost in Translation
]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:42:15 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls12/1/2008 3:42:15 PMPlease reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:City of EmberBroken FlowersThe Life Aquatic with Steve ZissouGarfieldGarfield: A Tail of Two KittiesLost in Translation http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/11/37218.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/11/2008 3:01:25 PM
Body: Terminator Salvation, due in May of next year, stars Christian Bale as John Conner. The film will be a quasi-reboot of the series, picking up after the machines have destroyed civilization and Conner is leading a small band of survivors in a war against the machines. The following is an open letter to McG, the director of the film. Dear McG, Lots of people have been talking about your new movie this week. Several sites have posted some leaked material featuring the work of production designer Martin Laing. Many sites had a behind the scenes featurette with Laing and a gallery of concept art, most of which were taken down at the request of the studio. One of the only ones to survive at time of this writing is on io9. Ain’t it Cool News reported that while James Cameron did not have a hear-to-heart with you, as you claimed in July, he still has high hopes for the film. When I saw you at Comic-Con in July, I was very pleased with the early footage and what you and the cast had to say about the film. One thing you said was that you were interested in what we thought about the early images and the direction the film was heading. I hope it’s not too late, because I have a few suggestions. First of all, bravo on hiring Martin Laing. This guy doesn’t have a huge list of credits, but his work on City of Ember was great, and the concepts for new the Terminators look really good. In the leaked featurette he seems very tuned in to the fact that this film takes place at a very particular time in the story line of the Terminator universe: after the nuclear holocaust, but before any machines are sent back in time to meddle with the Conners. So while the machines are really badass, they’re actually less advanced than Arnold’s T-800. Also, they have no need to be disguised as humans, so we’re treated to Terminators that take the form of motorcycles, snakes, and a huge Transformer-like behemoth called a Harvester. While the images of these new (or is it old?) Terminators have me salivating, they also raise some concerns. I’d like to know that you’re going to avoid what I call The Matrix Revolutions Problem. The first Matrix was a great movie, the second one was alright, but The Matrix Revolutions was a steaming pile of crap. There are many reasons for this, but there are three I’d like to focus on here: One, the plot felt like it was on autopilot, the conflicts previously set up were being worked out without any convincing new conflicts being introduced. Two, the battle between the humans and the machines became epic to the point of feeling bloated and silly. Three, the Matrix sequels were completely inside the rabbit hole. Rather than being about the incursion of an fantastic reality upon the real world, they were fully immersed in that fantastic reality. The first of these concerns, that the plot will feel locked in place, could be a real problem for the Terminator series because of the use of time travel. (Spoilers of the existing three Terminator films ahead.) We know that Kyle Reese has to survive up to the point where he’s sent back to save Sarah Conner and father John Conner. We also know that John Conner survives long enough to send him, that the machines will send three Terminators to kill the Conners, and that the resistance will send two Terminators to protect them. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines did show that the timeline can be altered, as Judgment Day was delayed from when it was originally predicted to happen. Also, Christian Bale’s line in the teaser trailer, “This isn’t the future my mother warned me about, I’m not sure if we can win this war,” indicates that you and the writers have realized this is a concern. My advice is this: If you have to amend the timeline, fine. The important thing is that a sense of urgency and dread permeates the film. The original films, especially the first two, succeeded because they created a tension between inevitability and resistance. The second concern, that the need to one-up previous villains will make the new film outlandish, parallels the trouble the Matrix films encountered. The set-up of the first Matrix was so cool: you’re plugged into a machine, but you can free your mind and fight, and the machines send agents after you. Simple enough. But in the second and third films, we were introduced to computer viruses and architects and all kinds of complicating crap. All of which probably looked really good on paper, but when inserted into the movies they really just distracted from what was great about the first film, namely that technology is a means of control that we have the power to resist. As much as I’m looking forward to seeing Christian Bale and Sam Worthington destroy a 50 foot tall Harvester, don’t forget what made the action sequences in the first two films work so well, a sustained feeling of desperate survival. The heroes didn’t really fight, rather they tenaciously avoided extermination like cockroaches. The third concern could be a blessing or a curse. What the first Matrix shares with all three existing Terminator films is that a fantastic reality comes into conflict with the normal worldt. The prospects that the world is an elaborate computer program or that a man who saved your life is a warrior from the future are much easier to swallow when we share in the initial disbelief of Neo or Sarah Conner, respectively. The Matrix sequels suffered because the outlandish state of the world was a given. The Terminator films, up to this point, have always been careful to include characters that are in the same frame of mind as Sarah was in the first film, unable to believe that a war with the machines is possible. This tension over the acceptance of the future is the driving force of conflict in the first three Terminator films. Sarah Conner exemplifies this in T2, she’s a prophet betrayed by those she’s trying to save. The harder she tries to convince people that the nuclear holocaust is coming, the more they think she’s crazy. Terminator Salvation can still be a great movie, McG — don’t listen to the haters. You just need to focus on the elements of the previous films that can thrive in this new premise, and let go of the ones that cannot. There’s nothing in the previous films that indicates how John’s war against the machines ultimately turns out. Godspeed, McG, and remember: “the future is not set, there is not fate but what we make for ourselves.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:01:25 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/11/2008 3:01:25 PM Terminator Salvation, due in May of next year, stars Christian Bale as John Conner. The film will be a quasi-reboot of the series, picking up after the machines have destroyed civilization and Conner is leading a small band of survivors in a war against the machines. The following is an open letter to McG, the director of the film. Dear McG, Lots of people have been talking about your new movie this week. Several sites have posted some leaked material featuring the work of production designer Martin Laing. Many sites had a behind the scenes featurette with Laing and a gallery of concept art, most of which were taken down at the request of the studio. One of the only ones to survive at time of this writing is on io9. Ain’t it Cool News reported that while James Cameron did not have a hear-to-heart with you, as you claimed in July, he still has high hopes for the film. When I saw you at Comic-Con in July, I was very pleased with the early footage and what you and the cast had to say about the film. One thing you said was that you were interested in what we thought about the early images and the direction the film was heading. I hope it’s not too late, because I have a few suggestions. First of all, bravo on hiring Martin Laing. This guy doesn’t have a huge list of credits, but his work on City of Ember was great, and the concepts for new the Terminators look really good. In the leaked featurette he seems very tuned in to the fact that this film takes place at a very particular time in the story line of the Terminator universe: after the nuclear holocaust, but before any machines are sent back in time to meddle with the Conners. So while the machines are really badass, they’re actually less advanced than Arnold’s T-800. Also, they have no need to be disguised as humans, so we’re treated to Terminators that take the form of motorcycles, snakes, and a huge Transformer-like behemoth called a Harvester. While the images of these new (or is it old?) Terminators have me salivating, they also raise some concerns. I’d like to know that you’re going to avoid what I call The Matrix Revolutions Problem. The first Matrix was a great movie, the second one was alright, but The Matrix Revolutions was a steaming pile of crap. There are many reasons for this, but there are three I’d like to focus on here: One, the plot felt like it was on autopilot, the conflicts previously set up were being worked out without any convincing new conflicts being introduced. Two, the battle between the humans and the machines became epic to the point of feeling bloated and silly. Three, the Matrix sequels were completely inside the rabbit hole. Rather than being about the incursion of an fantastic reality upon the real world, they were fully immersed in that fantastic reality. The first of these concerns, that the plot will feel locked in place, could be a real problem for the Terminator series because of the use of time travel. (Spoilers of the existing three Terminator films ahead.) We know that Kyle Reese has to survive up to the point where he’s sent back to save Sarah Conner and father John Conner. We also know that John Conner survives long enough to send him, that the machines will send three Terminators to kill the Conners, and that the resistance will send two Terminators to protect them. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines did show that the timeline can be altered, as Judgment Day was delayed from when it was originally predicted to happen. Also, Christian Bale’s line in the teaser trailer, “This isn’t the future my mother warned me about, I’m not sure if we can win this war,” indicates that you and the writers have realized this is a concern. My advice is this: If you have to amend the timeline, fine. The important thing is that a sense of urgency and dread permeates the film. The original films, especially the first two, succeeded because they created a tension between inevitability and resistance. The second concern, that the need to one-up previous villains will make the new film outlandish, parallels the trouble the Matrix films encountered. The set-up of the first Matrix was so cool: you’re plugged into a machine, but you can free your mind and fight, and the machines send agents after you. Simple enough. But in the second and third films, we were introduced to computer viruses and architects and all kinds of complicating crap. All of which probably looked really good on paper, but when inserted into the movies they really just distracted from what was great about the first film, namely that technology is a means of control that we have the power to resist. As much as I’m looking forward to seeing Christian Bale and Sam Worthington destroy a 50 foot tall Harvester, don’t forget what made the action sequences in the first two films work so well, a sustained feeling of desperate survival. The heroes didn’t really fight, rather they tenaciously avoided extermination like cockroaches. The third concern could be a blessing or a curse. What the first Matrix shares with all three existing Terminator films is that a fantastic reality comes into conflict with the normal worldt. The prospects that the world is an elaborate computer program or that a man who saved your life is a warrior from the future are much easier to swallow when we share in the initial disbelief of Neo or Sarah Conner, respectively. The Matrix sequels suffered because the outlandish state of the world was a given. The Terminator films, up to this point, have always been careful to include characters that are in the same frame of mind as Sarah was in the first film, unable to believe that a war with the machines is possible. This tension over the acceptance of the future is the driving force of conflict in the first three Terminator films. Sarah Conner exemplifies this in T2, she’s a prophet betrayed by those she’s trying to save. The harder she tries to convince people that the nuclear holocaust is coming, the more they think she’s crazy. Terminator Salvation can still be a great movie, McG — don’t listen to the haters. You just need to focus on the elements of the previous films that can thrive in this new premise, and let go of the ones that cannot. There’s nothing in the previous films that indicates how John’s war against the machines ultimately turns out. Godspeed, McG, and remember: “the future is not set, there is not fate but what we make for ourselves.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Yes_We_Can_Recommend_A_Good_Film/643/36679/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Tenenbaums
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 10/26/2008 6:19:43 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="Tenenbaums"] True to the name, I'm a big Wes Anderson fan. [/quote] Did you notice Bill Murray is in the upcoming City of Ember? That makes me want to learn more. [/quote] It would totally be off my radar if not for Murray. His casting even got me to read the first few chapters of the YA book on which it is based, and the "Giver"-esque premise is enough to get me in the theatre (if it comes out to my hillbilly district).
]]>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:19:43 GMTTenenbaumsCommunity Recommendations10/26/2008 6:19:43 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="Tenenbaums"] True to the name, I'm a big Wes Anderson fan. [/quote] Did you notice Bill Murray is in the upcoming City of Ember? That makes me want to learn more. [/quote] It would totally be off my radar if not for Murray. His casting even got me to read the first few chapters of the YA book on which it is based, and the "Giver"-esque premise is enough to get me in the theatre (if it comes out to my hillbilly district). http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/10/10/36138.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/10/2008 12:01:38 PM
Body: I’ve been a fan of Jeanne DuPrau’s Ember book series for several years now, having found them to be a great blend of post-apocalyptic dreariness and steampunk tomfoolery, and all in a young adult book. Tom Hanks’ Playtone production company must have thought so too, since they optioned The City of Ember and gave it to Gil Kenan (Monster House) to direct. I was able to see City of Ember at Fantastic Fest, and it’s sadly not the Ember adaptation I’d been hoping for. The basic plot of Ember is set up in the opening moments of the film, which show how the City of Ember was created in an effort to keep the human race going after the surface of the Earth has been ravaged by … something, maybe a virus, war, an infestation of zombies, or who knows what. Ember is sealed with a time capsule that is given to the mayor, and it is set to open in 200 years. Over generations the box is handed from mayor to mayor, but it accidentally becomes lost and forgotten about. Lina, played by Saoirse Ronan, receives her job on Assignment Day, along with the rest of her class. You choose a position by drawing a slip of paper out of a musty bag (it makes the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter look like your best friend in comparison), and this is the job you’ll have for the rest of your life. Lina draws up the dreaded Pipeworks job, which will keep her deep in the bowels of Ember. However, her classmate Doon (Harry Treadaway), who longs to do something useful and wants to try to get close to the Generator to see if he can fix it, has picked Messenger, and he eagerly wants to trade with Lina, which she is more than happy to do. In their respective jobs, Doon soon finds out that the city is barely running as it is, and that no one really has an idea what to do about the future. The generator, which powers the entire city of keeps the lights on, has been prone to blackouts that keep getting longer and longer, citizens have begun venturing out into the dark and encountering strange beasts, and Lina is passing strange messages from the Mayor (Bill Murray) to a storeroom worker named Looper (Mackenzie Crook, better known as Gareth from the British The Office). That’s where our protagonist Poppy comes in. It’s readily apparent that Ember is doomed, but luckily Lina finds her younger sister Poppy eating shreds of paper out of a mysterious box…the very same box that was passed down from generation to generation, and had become lost. Lina pieces the scraps back together and finds instructions for leaving Ember. However, Lina has been causing problems for the mayor, who has also learned that she has the mysterious box. Cue the chase scene, with Doon, Lina, and Poppy barely making it out of Ember alive. As they ascend to the surface, they spy Ember barely visible far down below through a crack in the Earth, and drop a rock down with instructions tied to it. Thankfully, it doesn’t bash someone’s brains in. The real disappointment of the film is that you never get a real feeling of what life is like in Ember, which is more fully explored in the books. For instance, the Library of Ember isn’t even mentioned in the film, and it plays a large part in the novel. The little details from the book that flesh out the world don’t exist, like the delight Poppy feels when she finds a new color of crayon that she’s never seen before. This was a temporary world that was meant to be lived in for only 200 years, and it’s nearly 50 years past that date when the events of the movie/book occur. There are moments created for the film that try and capture this: an answering machine is run by Lina on a combination sewing machine/treadmill to lull Poppy to sleep, the Pipeworks is a mess of patches and half-rigged bypass valves. Tim Robbins plays Doon’s father, and he is constantly tinkering with machinery, and Martin Landau plays a narcoleptic pipeworker alongside Doon. Throughout the climax, I was constantly reminded of The Goonies, when they were being chased by the Fratellis through the waterslide sequence. That felt real and terrifying as a kid, but the CGI water effects in Ember feel fake and transparent. There’s no real terror on the faces of the actors, despite the fact that a virtual tidal wave is hurtling them at breakneck speed past razor sharp rocks and stalagtites. There’s no imminent sense of danger for these kids, and that goes for the entire film, not just the ending. The world of Ember is certainly realistic, and they’ve done a good job combining some of the digital effects with the massive set they created in Belfast. It’s just a pity that we don’t spend much time at all with the Generator, which is practically a living, breathing entity in the novel. It’s the lifeblood of the city, huge and mysterious, yet no one knows much about it, although no one is willing to admit that. The film would have benefited from having an antagonist aside from the comical antics of Murray as the mayor. His part, and Looper’s, seem like they were cast for comic effect, and as a result Lina is left without a real nemesis––or, at least, one that seems threatening. At the Q&A for Ember at Fantastic Fest, Bill Murray was asked why he decided to work on the project, and he said he’d heard the words “Young Spielberg” thrown around when people were referring to director Gil Kenan. Let’s hope that Ember is his Duel or his Sugarland Express, and that his Jaws is still forthcoming. Young audience members will probably enjoy Ember for the visuals, but adults will find it lacking. For the true experience, give the first book (in what is now a series of four) a whirl. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:01:38 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/10/2008 12:01:38 PM I’ve been a fan of Jeanne DuPrau’s Ember book series for several years now, having found them to be a great blend of post-apocalyptic dreariness and steampunk tomfoolery, and all in a young adult book. Tom Hanks’ Playtone production company must have thought so too, since they optioned The City of Ember and gave it to Gil Kenan (Monster House) to direct. I was able to see City of Ember at Fantastic Fest, and it’s sadly not the Ember adaptation I’d been hoping for. The basic plot of Ember is set up in the opening moments of the film, which show how the City of Ember was created in an effort to keep the human race going after the surface of the Earth has been ravaged by … something, maybe a virus, war, an infestation of zombies, or who knows what. Ember is sealed with a time capsule that is given to the mayor, and it is set to open in 200 years. Over generations the box is handed from mayor to mayor, but it accidentally becomes lost and forgotten about. Lina, played by Saoirse Ronan, receives her job on Assignment Day, along with the rest of her class. You choose a position by drawing a slip of paper out of a musty bag (it makes the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter look like your best friend in comparison), and this is the job you’ll have for the rest of your life. Lina draws up the dreaded Pipeworks job, which will keep her deep in the bowels of Ember. However, her classmate Doon (Harry Treadaway), who longs to do something useful and wants to try to get close to the Generator to see if he can fix it, has picked Messenger, and he eagerly wants to trade with Lina, which she is more than happy to do. In their respective jobs, Doon soon finds out that the city is barely running as it is, and that no one really has an idea what to do about the future. The generator, which powers the entire city of keeps the lights on, has been prone to blackouts that keep getting longer and longer, citizens have begun venturing out into the dark and encountering strange beasts, and Lina is passing strange messages from the Mayor (Bill Murray) to a storeroom worker named Looper (Mackenzie Crook, better known as Gareth from the British The Office). That’s where our protagonist Poppy comes in. It’s readily apparent that Ember is doomed, but luckily Lina finds her younger sister Poppy eating shreds of paper out of a mysterious box…the very same box that was passed down from generation to generation, and had become lost. Lina pieces the scraps back together and finds instructions for leaving Ember. However, Lina has been causing problems for the mayor, who has also learned that she has the mysterious box. Cue the chase scene, with Doon, Lina, and Poppy barely making it out of Ember alive. As they ascend to the surface, they spy Ember barely visible far down below through a crack in the Earth, and drop a rock down with instructions tied to it. Thankfully, it doesn’t bash someone’s brains in. The real disappointment of the film is that you never get a real feeling of what life is like in Ember, which is more fully explored in the books. For instance, the Library of Ember isn’t even mentioned in the film, and it plays a large part in the novel. The little details from the book that flesh out the world don’t exist, like the delight Poppy feels when she finds a new color of crayon that she’s never seen before. This was a temporary world that was meant to be lived in for only 200 years, and it’s nearly 50 years past that date when the events of the movie/book occur. There are moments created for the film that try and capture this: an answering machine is run by Lina on a combination sewing machine/treadmill to lull Poppy to sleep, the Pipeworks is a mess of patches and half-rigged bypass valves. Tim Robbins plays Doon’s father, and he is constantly tinkering with machinery, and Martin Landau plays a narcoleptic pipeworker alongside Doon. Throughout the climax, I was constantly reminded of The Goonies, when they were being chased by the Fratellis through the waterslide sequence. That felt real and terrifying as a kid, but the CGI water effects in Ember feel fake and transparent. There’s no real terror on the faces of the actors, despite the fact that a virtual tidal wave is hurtling them at breakneck speed past razor sharp rocks and stalagtites. There’s no imminent sense of danger for these kids, and that goes for the entire film, not just the ending. The world of Ember is certainly realistic, and they’ve done a good job combining some of the digital effects with the massive set they created in Belfast. It’s just a pity that we don’t spend much time at all with the Generator, which is practically a living, breathing entity in the novel. It’s the lifeblood of the city, huge and mysterious, yet no one knows much about it, although no one is willing to admit that. The film would have benefited from having an antagonist aside from the comical antics of Murray as the mayor. His part, and Looper’s, seem like they were cast for comic effect, and as a result Lina is left without a real nemesis––or, at least, one that seems threatening. At the Q&A for Ember at Fantastic Fest, Bill Murray was asked why he decided to work on the project, and he said he’d heard the words “Young Spielberg” thrown around when people were referring to director Gil Kenan. Let’s hope that Ember is his Duel or his Sugarland Express, and that his Jaws is still forthcoming. Young audience members will probably enjoy Ember for the visuals, but adults will find it lacking. For the true experience, give the first book (in what is now a series of four) a whirl. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog 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/members/0/tags/fantasy/MemberTagFilms.aspxfantasy
Number of films tagged: 1044

Number of people who tagged: 128

Number of times used: 480

]]>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:54:25 GMT1044128480Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/future/MemberTagFilms.aspxfuture
Number of films tagged: 492

Number of people who tagged: 101

Number of times used: 258

]]>Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:46:43 GMT492101258Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/teenagers/MemberTagFilms.aspxteenagers
Number of films tagged: 3025

Number of people who tagged: 97

Number of times used: 398

]]>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:43 GMT302597398Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/mystery/MemberTagFilms.aspxmystery
Number of films tagged: 154

Number of people who tagged: 82

Number of times used: 206

]]>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:51:33 GMT15482206Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/escape/MemberTagFilms.aspxescape
Number of films tagged: 2868

Number of people who tagged: 76

Number of times used: 279

]]>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:51:44 GMT286876279Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/survival/MemberTagFilms.aspxsurvival
Number of films tagged: 67

Number of people who tagged: 48

Number of times used: 98

]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:56 GMT674898Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/kids/MemberTagFilms.aspxkids
Number of films tagged: 96

Number of people who tagged: 46

Number of times used: 112

]]>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:49:19 GMT9646112Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/power/MemberTagFilms.aspxpower
Number of films tagged: 606

Number of people who tagged: 39

Number of times used: 104

]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:55 GMT60639104Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/food/MemberTagFilms.aspxfood
Number of films tagged: 622

Number of people who tagged: 30

Number of times used: 47

]]>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:27:14 GMT6223047Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/teen/MemberTagFilms.aspxteen
Number of films tagged: 44

Number of people who tagged: 26

Number of times used: 50

]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:50:41 GMT442650Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/city/MemberTagFilms.aspxcity
Number of films tagged: 891

Number of people who tagged: 19

Number of times used: 38

]]>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:19:09 GMT8911938Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/light/MemberTagFilms.aspxlight
Number of films tagged: 24

Number of people who tagged: 18

Number of times used: 27

]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:55 GMT241827Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/underground/MemberTagFilms.aspxunderground
Number of films tagged: 22

Number of people who tagged: 14

Number of times used: 24

]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:54 GMT221424Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/search/MemberTagFilms.aspxsearch
Number of films tagged: 2111

Number of people who tagged: 13

Number of times used: 40

]]>Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:00:49 GMT21111340Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/map/MemberTagFilms.aspxmap
Number of films tagged: 132

Number of people who tagged: 9

Number of times used: 15

]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:56 GMT132915Tag