list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Paul Blart: Mall Cop 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/Paul_Blart_Mall_Cop/350689/default.aspx Title: Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Year: 2009
Director: Steve Carr
Plot: A New Jersey rent-a-cop gets his moment to shine as the holidays approach and Santa's little helpers stage a coup at the local shopping mall in this comedy starring King of Queens' Kevin James. Paul Blart (James) is a single suburban dad attempting to make ends meet by working as a mall security guard. Paul takes his job very seriously; unfortunately the same can't be said for the shoppers he deals with on a daily basis. That all changes the day that Santa's little helpers shut down the mall and start taking hostages, including Paul's daughter and his main squeeze. Realizing that no one knows the mall better than the man who's paid to guard it, Paul mounts his Segway and speeds to the rescue. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 2
Number of Lists: 4
Number of blog posts: 5
Number of discussion threads: 6
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:01:06 GMTPaul Blart: Mall Cop2009Steve CarrA New Jersey rent-a-cop gets his moment to shine as the holidays approach and Santa's little helpers stage a coup at the local shopping mall in this comedy starring <a href="http://www.spout.com/films/234127/detail.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>King of Queens</a>' <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____35101/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kevin James</a>. Paul Blart (James) is a single suburban dad attempting to make ends meet by working as a mall security guard. Paul takes his job very seriously; unfortunately the same can't be said for the shoppers he deals with on a daily basis. That all changes the day that Santa's little helpers shut down the mall and start taking hostages, including Paul's daughter and his main squeeze. Realizing that no one knows the mall better than the man who's paid to guard it, Paul mounts his Segway and speeds to the rescue. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide2Slightly Tagged (1-5)4563http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s350689.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Paul_Blart_Mall_Cop/350689/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/hautecritique/archive/2009/8/14/43524.aspx Post By: hautecritique
Post To: The Haute Critique on Spout
Post Date: 8/14/2009 10:01:06 AM
Body: Hollywood likes to work in pairs. Baz Luhrman had to cancel his Alexander the Great movie because Oliver Stone beat him to production. A couple of years ago there were two Truman Capote biopics. I’m sure if your search your subconscious, you’ll remember skads more. We thought it would be fun to roll the clock back to Q1 of 2009 and watch such a pair. Two movies focusing on mall security guards (or officers?). Paul Blart: Mall Cop and the Seth Rogen starring Observe and Report. On the surface, these two movies appear to be completely different… and they are. One starring a network prime-time sitcom star, the other an Apatow first-teamer. The first would seem to be cotton candy, and the second… special brownies. We, of course, start with the brownies. Click here to view the embedded video. Observe and report is listed as a comedy. It is funny, but not funny ‘ha, ha’. It really isn’t funny ‘huh?’ either. The more I think about it, the less sure I am that it’s funny at all. in fact, I’m starting to wonder if that’s the point. Let me think about ‘the point’ more and get back to you… Click here to view the embedded video. On to Paul Blart, a kinder gentler film. Paul is a socially awkward man with an intellect much younger than his years. He takes his responsibilities seriously, and even his co-workers give him flak for that. He is still aspiring to be a real gun-toting man of the badge, but can’t quite hack the physical requirements. Based on the movie’s format and ironic soundtrack, viewers can be certain that he will overcome and emerge heroic. I won’t say that doesn’t happen, but I’m not one for spoilers. What does happen are instances of awkward delusions, social interactions that can only be explained with the help of an abnormal psych book and slapstick/fat jokes. Run through the standard filters, it teeters between hokey and jokey. Thumbs up or thumbs down depends on your mood, and possibly your bud. With a refresher halfway, through, it was more than bearable, but not something I’ll be repeating. What was more interesting about these two films was not their differences, but their similarities. Both cops are single, living with his mom, no dad, trying (and failing) to get a real law enforcement job, infatuated with a girl in the mall, overly serious about his job and unlucky in love. The similarities go way beyond that. From the opening credits all the way to the slogan painted on Paul Blart’s mall security bunker wall, part of Paul’s mission is to… wait for it…. ‘Observe and Report’. It really seems like both teams used the same research. And that is where things get Haute. Paul Blart is a nice guy. Much nicer than Seth Rogen’s Ronnie Barnhardt. But they have so many similarities, how are these films so different? One so light and one so dark. As I noodled on my cotton candy, the movies flipped. I started to feel that maybe Blart was more cruel than O&R. In O&R, the personal and psychological struggles are laid out in a ludicrous, but almost relatable way. I don’t see myself in Barnhardt, not in a long shot. I do, however, see someone. Blart is laid out as the tinseltown polished clown version. Set side by side, you feel that everyone is laughing at the disenfranchised and marginalized, only no one is laughing in O&R. “Oh my GOD. Look at the stupid Mall Cop. He is SO funny.” O&R certainly leads you down tried and true ‘Ha ha… he’s so pathetic’ paths, but just before the punch line, they drop the pedal to the floor and go well past the border. In at least one case (and maybe more than once) this reveals the director’s poor judgement. Other times, the shock can cut right to the core. The more I think of it, maybe the fact that Observe and Report is marketed as a comedy, but is not funny, hints at a heart. I find that hint intriguing. I am still mulling my true feelings, but I enjoy that part of the journey. Many out there have better uses for there free time than rehashing movies in their mind. Hopefully, you know what camp you are in. If you have the hankering for a disturbingly unfunny, but tightly wound movie, roll the fattest one you got and Observe and Report. If you would rather laugh at the misfortunes of a quasi-charming, but sad mall cop, I won’t steer you away from Paul Blart, but you might as well wait until they air it on TBS this Christmas. Related posts:Double Feature – The Rugged Individuals Originally posted on:The Haute Critique
]]>Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:01:06 GMThautecritiqueThe Haute Critique on Spout8/14/2009 10:01:06 AMHollywood likes to work in pairs. Baz Luhrman had to cancel his Alexander the Great movie because Oliver Stone beat him to production. A couple of years ago there were two Truman Capote biopics. I’m sure if your search your subconscious, you’ll remember skads more. We thought it would be fun to roll the clock back to Q1 of 2009 and watch such a pair. Two movies focusing on mall security guards (or officers?). Paul Blart: Mall Cop and the Seth Rogen starring Observe and Report. On the surface, these two movies appear to be completely different… and they are. One starring a network prime-time sitcom star, the other an Apatow first-teamer. The first would seem to be cotton candy, and the second… special brownies. We, of course, start with the brownies. Click here to view the embedded video. Observe and report is listed as a comedy. It is funny, but not funny ‘ha, ha’. It really isn’t funny ‘huh?’ either. The more I think about it, the less sure I am that it’s funny at all. in fact, I’m starting to wonder if that’s the point. Let me think about ‘the point’ more and get back to you… Click here to view the embedded video. On to Paul Blart, a kinder gentler film. Paul is a socially awkward man with an intellect much younger than his years. He takes his responsibilities seriously, and even his co-workers give him flak for that. He is still aspiring to be a real gun-toting man of the badge, but can’t quite hack the physical requirements. Based on the movie’s format and ironic soundtrack, viewers can be certain that he will overcome and emerge heroic. I won’t say that doesn’t happen, but I’m not one for spoilers. What does happen are instances of awkward delusions, social interactions that can only be explained with the help of an abnormal psych book and slapstick/fat jokes. Run through the standard filters, it teeters between hokey and jokey. Thumbs up or thumbs down depends on your mood, and possibly your bud. With a refresher halfway, through, it was more than bearable, but not something I’ll be repeating. What was more interesting about these two films was not their differences, but their similarities. Both cops are single, living with his mom, no dad, trying (and failing) to get a real law enforcement job, infatuated with a girl in the mall, overly serious about his job and unlucky in love. The similarities go way beyond that. From the opening credits all the way to the slogan painted on Paul Blart’s mall security bunker wall, part of Paul’s mission is to… wait for it…. ‘Observe and Report’. It really seems like both teams used the same research. And that is where things get Haute. Paul Blart is a nice guy. Much nicer than Seth Rogen’s Ronnie Barnhardt. But they have so many similarities, how are these films so different? One so light and one so dark. As I noodled on my cotton candy, the movies flipped. I started to feel that maybe Blart was more cruel than O&R. In O&R, the personal and psychological struggles are laid out in a ludicrous, but almost relatable way. I don’t see myself in Barnhardt, not in a long shot. I do, however, see someone. Blart is laid out as the tinseltown polished clown version. Set side by side, you feel that everyone is laughing at the disenfranchised and marginalized, only no one is laughing in O&R. “Oh my GOD. Look at the stupid Mall Cop. He is SO funny.” O&R certainly leads you down tried and true ‘Ha ha… he’s so pathetic’ paths, but just before the punch line, they drop the pedal to the floor and go well past the border. In at least one case (and maybe more than once) this reveals the director’s poor judgement. Other times, the shock can cut right to the core. The more I think of it, maybe the fact that Observe and Report is marketed as a comedy, but is not funny, hints at a heart. I find that hint intriguing. I am still mulling my true feelings, but I enjoy that part of the journey. Many out there have better uses for there free time than rehashing movies in their mind. Hopefully, you know what camp you are in. If you have the hankering for a disturbingly unfunny, but tightly wound movie, roll the fattest one you got and Observe and Report. If you would rather laugh at the misfortunes of a quasi-charming, but sad mall cop, I won’t steer you away from Paul Blart, but you might as well wait until they air it on TBS this Christmas. Related posts:Double Feature – The Rugged Individuals Originally posted on:The Haute Critique http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/2/27/40680.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/27/2009 6:01:20 PM
Body: While Karina (and indieWIRE) sits off to the side celebrating the recent indie box office record-breaker, most of the interweb is talking about the weekend’s mainstream achievements. Well, actually people are mostly focusing on just the shocking success of Friday the 13th, which I believe broke records for its franchise, its genre, its rating and for President’s Day weekend (though not for the month of February). As for the other monumental marker, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, I’ve seen maybe two bloggers comment on how it’s just passed $100 million. How is this a remarkable feat? Well, not only does this make Paul Blart the highest grossing January opener ever, but the oft-derided comedy is also the first film to debut in January to reach the $100 million point (not counting the special edition re-release of Star Wars, that is). As this is a holiday and most of the web cinephiles are celebrating appropriately by watching North by Northwest or Point Break, there isn’t much else being written about, so here are some noteworthy quotes and links regarding the stunning box office figures: Let’s begin with a comment from horror expert Scott Weinberg (of Cinematical and elsewhere), from whose Twitter I learned of the F13 tally: “Wow, $42m for “Friday the 13th”? Get ready for a bunch of dumb articles about how horror is “back!”" And not even just from the mainstream media, Scott! As one of the very excited F13 fans at Bloody-Disgusting.com writes: “2009 is going to put horror back on the map! Could we see a repeat of the 80’s? As one person said, MBV 3D got 50 million and this is predicted 100 million. Back that up with the earnings that New Line will rake in with Final Destination 4 plus Vincenzo Natali making a return with Splice and niche horror titles coming to DVD such as Hush, Shortcut, Triangle and God knows universal will get returns on The Grudge 3. THAT is something we can cram down peoples throats and say, “Yeah, mock our genre now, bitches!” HORROR RULES!!!!!!!!!!! THIS YEAR WE WILL CHECKMATE THE FILM INDUSTRY AND TAKE THE BOX OFFICE BY STORM!!!!” In what seems to be an analogy relating Jason Voorhees to Richard Nixon, Stu at Defamer writes, “Fittingly or not, the biggest President’s Day weekend in box-office history was led by a bloodthirsty, unlikable and unkillable man who’s spent the last 30 years strategically decimating his opponents. Jason Voorhees’s landslide triumph reaffirmed his supremacy and mandate for years to come, or at least until David Frost corners him to ask why he didn’t burn the tapes and if he would like to apologize to the American people for anything in particular. Actually, Frost/Jason doesn’t sound half-bad.” It might sound better if Frost/Nixon wasn’t considered the opposite of Friday the 13th in terms of box office success. In yet another analysis of yet another weekend in which “the Oscar bump” was nowhere to be seen despite the otherwise stellar box office numbers, Patrick Goldstein at The Big Picture notes, “It’s time for filmmakers to grasp the new reality: The Oscars have become a hollow brass ring. They may be the ultimate status symbol to everyone inside the industry, but outside–in the real world, where Oscar ratings have been steadily dropping–the awards have less and less impact.” Minute details about the box office numbers are worth paying specific attention to, by the way. While Nikki Finke ponders the following, “I don’t know which is worse: that moviegoers flocked to horrific Friday The 13th 2009 from New Line/Warner Bros because it’s Friday the 13th. Or that they also saw a machete-wielding psycho killer with a loved one on Valentines Day.” Radar points out, “That’s impressive, though the signs for continued success aren’t so good: nearly half that total was netted on Friday, meaning that the die-hards went to see it and didn’t necessarily recommend it to their friends. And — okay. Maybe it wasn’t the best date movie in the world on Saturday for Valentine’s Day.” Gabe Toro at The Playlist still sees continued success: “Though the dropoff was steep after a nearly $20 million Friday (I guess couples didn’t want to spend Valentine’s Day watching people hacked and slashed to death?), don’t be surprised to see the franchise suddenly have new legs after this becomes by far the most successful of the series. The awful, reductive, embarassingly simplistic series.” Screen Daily comments on the triumph for the R rating: “That the number one launch was R-rated compared to [former horror top-grosser] The Grudge’s less problematic PG-13 certification is all the more impressive and vindicates Warner Bros’ decision to release this latest New Line bequest over Valentine’s Day weekend.” Of course, it’s worth reporting that The Grudge still sold more tickets. At Film Threat, Scott Mendelson has some quick thoughts on another remake: “I guess the $50 million 4-day Friday the 13th opening means the feared Nightmare on Elm Street remake is about to get fast tracked, right quick (when are we going to see that Martin Campbell remake of The Birds?). For the record, the movie could actually use a remake. The original still holds up as a creepy and surreal horror film, but all of the kid actors are pretty mediocre (yes, even Johnny Depp). And good on Platinum Dunes for getting a hungry, artistically talented rookie to direct the thing.  Better a hungry music video vet with something to prove than a theoretical auteur just in it for the glory (think Rob Zombie).” And finally, for no other reason than it has to do with the other record-breaker, a trailer mash-up of Paul Blart and the similar yet darker upcoming comedy Observe and Report (via Best Week Ever): Seth Rogen in Paul Blart Mall Cop Trailer @ Yahoo! Video Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:01:20 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/27/2009 6:01:20 PMWhile Karina (and indieWIRE) sits off to the side celebrating the recent indie box office record-breaker, most of the interweb is talking about the weekend’s mainstream achievements. Well, actually people are mostly focusing on just the shocking success of Friday the 13th, which I believe broke records for its franchise, its genre, its rating and for President’s Day weekend (though not for the month of February). As for the other monumental marker, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, I’ve seen maybe two bloggers comment on how it’s just passed $100 million. How is this a remarkable feat? Well, not only does this make Paul Blart the highest grossing January opener ever, but the oft-derided comedy is also the first film to debut in January to reach the $100 million point (not counting the special edition re-release of Star Wars, that is). As this is a holiday and most of the web cinephiles are celebrating appropriately by watching North by Northwest or Point Break, there isn’t much else being written about, so here are some noteworthy quotes and links regarding the stunning box office figures: Let’s begin with a comment from horror expert Scott Weinberg (of Cinematical and elsewhere), from whose Twitter I learned of the F13 tally: “Wow, $42m for “Friday the 13th”? Get ready for a bunch of dumb articles about how horror is “back!”" And not even just from the mainstream media, Scott! As one of the very excited F13 fans at Bloody-Disgusting.com writes: “2009 is going to put horror back on the map! Could we see a repeat of the 80’s? As one person said, MBV 3D got 50 million and this is predicted 100 million. Back that up with the earnings that New Line will rake in with Final Destination 4 plus Vincenzo Natali making a return with Splice and niche horror titles coming to DVD such as Hush, Shortcut, Triangle and God knows universal will get returns on The Grudge 3. THAT is something we can cram down peoples throats and say, “Yeah, mock our genre now, bitches!” HORROR RULES!!!!!!!!!!! THIS YEAR WE WILL CHECKMATE THE FILM INDUSTRY AND TAKE THE BOX OFFICE BY STORM!!!!” In what seems to be an analogy relating Jason Voorhees to Richard Nixon, Stu at Defamer writes, “Fittingly or not, the biggest President’s Day weekend in box-office history was led by a bloodthirsty, unlikable and unkillable man who’s spent the last 30 years strategically decimating his opponents. Jason Voorhees’s landslide triumph reaffirmed his supremacy and mandate for years to come, or at least until David Frost corners him to ask why he didn’t burn the tapes and if he would like to apologize to the American people for anything in particular. Actually, Frost/Jason doesn’t sound half-bad.” It might sound better if Frost/Nixon wasn’t considered the opposite of Friday the 13th in terms of box office success. In yet another analysis of yet another weekend in which “the Oscar bump” was nowhere to be seen despite the otherwise stellar box office numbers, Patrick Goldstein at The Big Picture notes, “It’s time for filmmakers to grasp the new reality: The Oscars have become a hollow brass ring. They may be the ultimate status symbol to everyone inside the industry, but outside–in the real world, where Oscar ratings have been steadily dropping–the awards have less and less impact.” Minute details about the box office numbers are worth paying specific attention to, by the way. While Nikki Finke ponders the following, “I don’t know which is worse: that moviegoers flocked to horrific Friday The 13th 2009 from New Line/Warner Bros because it’s Friday the 13th. Or that they also saw a machete-wielding psycho killer with a loved one on Valentines Day.” Radar points out, “That’s impressive, though the signs for continued success aren’t so good: nearly half that total was netted on Friday, meaning that the die-hards went to see it and didn’t necessarily recommend it to their friends. And — okay. Maybe it wasn’t the best date movie in the world on Saturday for Valentine’s Day.” Gabe Toro at The Playlist still sees continued success: “Though the dropoff was steep after a nearly $20 million Friday (I guess couples didn’t want to spend Valentine’s Day watching people hacked and slashed to death?), don’t be surprised to see the franchise suddenly have new legs after this becomes by far the most successful of the series. The awful, reductive, embarassingly simplistic series.” Screen Daily comments on the triumph for the R rating: “That the number one launch was R-rated compared to [former horror top-grosser] The Grudge’s less problematic PG-13 certification is all the more impressive and vindicates Warner Bros’ decision to release this latest New Line bequest over Valentine’s Day weekend.” Of course, it’s worth reporting that The Grudge still sold more tickets. At Film Threat, Scott Mendelson has some quick thoughts on another remake: “I guess the $50 million 4-day Friday the 13th opening means the feared Nightmare on Elm Street remake is about to get fast tracked, right quick (when are we going to see that Martin Campbell remake of The Birds?). For the record, the movie could actually use a remake. The original still holds up as a creepy and surreal horror film, but all of the kid actors are pretty mediocre (yes, even Johnny Depp). And good on Platinum Dunes for getting a hungry, artistically talented rookie to direct the thing.  Better a hungry music video vet with something to prove than a theoretical auteur just in it for the glory (think Rob Zombie).” And finally, for no other reason than it has to do with the other record-breaker, a trailer mash-up of Paul Blart and the similar yet darker upcoming comedy Observe and Report (via Best Week Ever): Seth Rogen in Paul Blart Mall Cop Trailer @ Yahoo! Video Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/yinali/archive/2009/1/30/40082.aspx Post By: Yinali
Post To: Yinali Blog
Post Date: 1/30/2009 10:33:08 AM
Body: This movie was trying to be funny since the beginning...In fact, desperately trying to be funny...I felt like this movie was rushed to the end. Don't get me wrong, it was indeed funny, but still, all the fun parts were spilled during the trailer, I laughed before, but oh well. I know that Kevin James can do better, he just has to find a better script/director.
]]>Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:33:08 GMTYinaliYinali Blog1/30/2009 10:33:08 AMThis movie was trying to be funny since the beginning...In fact, desperately trying to be funny...I felt like this movie was rushed to the end. Don't get me wrong, it was indeed funny, but still, all the fun parts were spilled during the trailer, I laughed before, but oh well. I know that Kevin James can do better, he just has to find a better script/director. http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2009/1/29/40061.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 1/29/2009 12:01:09 PM
Body: In the world of writing — not unlike that of sports or other businesses — those who can, do, and those that can’t, become film reviewers who take perverse pleasure in tearing down the efforts of those willing to put their names, talent, and oftentimes, hard-earned money, on the line to create movies crafted to elicit any number of emotions out of the viewing public. How easy it is to never step into that arena and take potshots at those who do. From a Huffington Post piece by Douglas MacKinnon, titled Paul Blart: Mall Cop. More Real Than Reviewers There are a number of really amazing things about this story: 1. That MacKinnon, who calls out Nathan Lee and Brian Lowry by name, would suggest that it’s an “easy” career path to writing film criticism for Variety or the New York Times; 2. That MacKinnon more than once slams “non-stop negative media narrative about the economy,” and implies that journalists should ease up on reporting all the bad news, and focus on the bright side. You know, like they should have focused on all the good news coming out of Iraq, instead of, like, Abu Ghraib. 3. That MacKinnon is so intent on diverting our attention away from the state of the world that he posits patronizing Mall Cop as not only a recommended “couple of hours of needed escape from the pervasive doom and gloom spread by most of the media” but also a stick in the eye of “elitist reviewers writing for a minute collection of fellow elitists.” There’s a vast media conspiracy that wants you to think! But Kevin James just wants you to laugh! 4. That in showing such distaste not just for film criticism, not just for journalism, but for the wider practice of thinking, MacKinnon manages to make virtually everythng published on Breitbart’s new bastion for conservative film chat Big Hollywood seem positively intellectual and urbane. Nice work, Huff Post! Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth
]]>Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:01:09 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog1/29/2009 12:01:09 PM In the world of writing — not unlike that of sports or other businesses — those who can, do, and those that can’t, become film reviewers who take perverse pleasure in tearing down the efforts of those willing to put their names, talent, and oftentimes, hard-earned money, on the line to create movies crafted to elicit any number of emotions out of the viewing public. How easy it is to never step into that arena and take potshots at those who do. From a Huffington Post piece by Douglas MacKinnon, titled Paul Blart: Mall Cop. More Real Than Reviewers There are a number of really amazing things about this story: 1. That MacKinnon, who calls out Nathan Lee and Brian Lowry by name, would suggest that it’s an “easy” career path to writing film criticism for Variety or the New York Times; 2. That MacKinnon more than once slams “non-stop negative media narrative about the economy,” and implies that journalists should ease up on reporting all the bad news, and focus on the bright side. You know, like they should have focused on all the good news coming out of Iraq, instead of, like, Abu Ghraib. 3. That MacKinnon is so intent on diverting our attention away from the state of the world that he posits patronizing Mall Cop as not only a recommended “couple of hours of needed escape from the pervasive doom and gloom spread by most of the media” but also a stick in the eye of “elitist reviewers writing for a minute collection of fellow elitists.” There’s a vast media conspiracy that wants you to think! But Kevin James just wants you to laugh! 4. That in showing such distaste not just for film criticism, not just for journalism, but for the wider practice of thinking, MacKinnon manages to make virtually everythng published on Breitbart’s new bastion for conservative film chat Big Hollywood seem positively intellectual and urbane. Nice work, Huff Post! Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/29/40059.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/29/2009 12:00:45 PM
Body: In the world of writing — not unlike that of sports or other businesses — those who can, do, and those that can’t, become film reviewers who take perverse pleasure in tearing down the efforts of those willing to put their names, talent, and oftentimes, hard-earned money, on the line to create movies crafted to elicit any number of emotions out of the viewing public. How easy it is to never step into that arena and take potshots at those who do. From a Huffington Post piece by Douglas MacKinnon, titled Paul Blart: Mall Cop. More Real Than Reviewers There are a number of really amazing things about this story: 1. That MacKinnon, who calls out Nathan Lee and Brian Lowry by name, would suggest that it’s an “easy” career path to writing film criticism for Variety or the New York Times; 2. That MacKinnon more than once slams “non-stop negative media narrative about the economy,” and implies that journalists should ease up on reporting all the bad news, and focus on the bright side. You know, like they should have focused on all the good news coming out of Iraq, instead of, like, Abu Ghraib. 3. That MacKinnon is so intent on diverting our attention away from the state of the world that he posits patronizing Mall Cop as not only a recommended “couple of hours of needed escape from the pervasive doom and gloom spread by most of the media” but also a stick in the eye of “elitist reviewers writing for a minute collection of fellow elitists.” There’s a vast media conspiracy that wants you to think! But Kevin James just wants you to laugh! 4. That in showing such distaste not just for film criticism, not just for journalism, but for the wider practice of thinking, MacKinnon manages to make virtually everythng published on Breitbart’s new bastion for conservative film chat Big Hollywood seem positively intellectual and urbane. Nice work, Huff Post! Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:00:45 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/29/2009 12:00:45 PM In the world of writing — not unlike that of sports or other businesses — those who can, do, and those that can’t, become film reviewers who take perverse pleasure in tearing down the efforts of those willing to put their names, talent, and oftentimes, hard-earned money, on the line to create movies crafted to elicit any number of emotions out of the viewing public. How easy it is to never step into that arena and take potshots at those who do. From a Huffington Post piece by Douglas MacKinnon, titled Paul Blart: Mall Cop. More Real Than Reviewers There are a number of really amazing things about this story: 1. That MacKinnon, who calls out Nathan Lee and Brian Lowry by name, would suggest that it’s an “easy” career path to writing film criticism for Variety or the New York Times; 2. That MacKinnon more than once slams “non-stop negative media narrative about the economy,” and implies that journalists should ease up on reporting all the bad news, and focus on the bright side. You know, like they should have focused on all the good news coming out of Iraq, instead of, like, Abu Ghraib. 3. That MacKinnon is so intent on diverting our attention away from the state of the world that he posits patronizing Mall Cop as not only a recommended “couple of hours of needed escape from the pervasive doom and gloom spread by most of the media” but also a stick in the eye of “elitist reviewers writing for a minute collection of fellow elitists.” There’s a vast media conspiracy that wants you to think! But Kevin James just wants you to laugh! 4. That in showing such distaste not just for film criticism, not just for journalism, but for the wider practice of thinking, MacKinnon manages to make virtually everythng published on Breitbart’s new bastion for conservative film chat Big Hollywood seem positively intellectual and urbane. Nice work, Huff Post! Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/1_30_TAKEN_shaken_and_stirred_by_new_movies/216/39913/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 1/26/2009 1:11:45 PM
Body: Finally The Wrestler is in wide release, and it is fantastic! I will not soon forget it. (Watch the trailer.) FilmCouch will discuss it this Friday. Taken -- Watch the trailer. I was wary of this film until I saw this tougher-than-nails trailer, where Liam Neeson gives a monologue as hard as anything ever put on film. The story: Neeson plays a former spy who will stop at nothing to save his teenage daughter from her captors. The criminals do not want ransom; they want to turn her into a sex slave. I'm excited to see it, but I wonder how it handles the modern problem of the sex-slave trade? Will Taken just exploit modern slavery to put a new twist on the old "they took my daughter" action plot? (For example, Arnold Swarzenegger's Commando.) The Class -- Watch the trailer. We might think we've seen this before, but I think we'd be wrong. A teacher struggles to meaningfully teach an ethnically diverse group of rough-and-tumble high schoolers...and the trailer makes it look like it's way more than a French Freedom Writers! Based on a novel by Francois Begaudeau, who also stars as Mr. Marin, essentially playing a version of himsef. It won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, and I'm really looking forward to it. The Uninvited -- Watch the trailer. A girl's mother returns from the dead to warn her about her father's new fiancee. The father is played by the excellent David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck, Bourne Ultimatum); his creepy new fiancee (who was nurse to his late wife) is played by the lovely Elizabeth Banks. It's a remake of the Korean horror flick Tale of Two Sisters. Has anyone seen it? (Here's the trailer.) It looks like the rare movie where the remake could be better than the original. New in Town -- Watch the trailer. Big-city Renee Zellweger gets a huge dose of culture shock when she's sent to a small Minnesota town to supervise a manufacturing plant's "restructuring." It's full of talented and likable actors: Nathan Fillion, Harry Connick Jr., and J.K. Simmons (Burn After Reading, Juno, Thank You for Smoking). But even if it's good, do you think this Neo-Great Depression flick will connect with audiences? I thought during the Great Depression people wanted to escape to movies that weren't about hard times? So, ladies and gentlemen, unless all the king's horses and all the king's men go to see New in Town, it looks like Paul Blart will remain the number one comedy in America for another week. Will Pink Panther 2 unseat the champ?
]]>Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:11:45 GMTspoutComing Soon1/26/2009 1:11:45 PMFinally The Wrestler is in wide release, and it is fantastic! I will not soon forget it. (Watch the trailer.) FilmCouch will discuss it this Friday. Taken -- Watch the trailer. I was wary of this film until I saw this tougher-than-nails trailer, where Liam Neeson gives a monologue as hard as anything ever put on film. The story: Neeson plays a former spy who will stop at nothing to save his teenage daughter from her captors. The criminals do not want ransom; they want to turn her into a sex slave. I'm excited to see it, but I wonder how it handles the modern problem of the sex-slave trade? Will Taken just exploit modern slavery to put a new twist on the old "they took my daughter" action plot? (For example, Arnold Swarzenegger's Commando.) The Class -- Watch the trailer. We might think we've seen this before, but I think we'd be wrong. A teacher struggles to meaningfully teach an ethnically diverse group of rough-and-tumble high schoolers...and the trailer makes it look like it's way more than a French Freedom Writers! Based on a novel by Francois Begaudeau, who also stars as Mr. Marin, essentially playing a version of himsef. It won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, and I'm really looking forward to it. The Uninvited -- Watch the trailer. A girl's mother returns from the dead to warn her about her father's new fiancee. The father is played by the excellent David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck, Bourne Ultimatum); his creepy new fiancee (who was nurse to his late wife) is played by the lovely Elizabeth Banks. It's a remake of the Korean horror flick Tale of Two Sisters. Has anyone seen it? (Here's the trailer.) It looks like the rare movie where the remake could be better than the original. New in Town -- Watch the trailer. Big-city Renee Zellweger gets a huge dose of culture shock when she's sent to a small Minnesota town to supervise a manufacturing plant's "restructuring." It's full of talented and likable actors: Nathan Fillion, Harry Connick Jr., and J.K. Simmons (Burn After Reading, Juno, Thank You for Smoking). But even if it's good, do you think this Neo-Great Depression flick will connect with audiences? I thought during the Great Depression people wanted to escape to movies that weren't about hard times? So, ladies and gentlemen, unless all the king's horses and all the king's men go to see New in Town, it looks like Paul Blart will remain the number one comedy in America for another week. Will Pink Panther 2 unseat the champ? http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/New_movies_1_16_mall_cops_dog_hotels_sex_vi/216/39414/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 1/12/2009 2:28:29 PM
Body: 1. My Bloody Valentine 3-D -- Watch the trailer. If you see this opening night, you'll probably overhear a discussion that goes something like this: SON: Wow Dad, I've never experienced so much sex and violence before! FATHER: Now, Son--you know you're just watching a moving picture and not actually participating in sex and violence, don't you? SON: What do you mean? The sex and violence has to be real, it's in 3-D! FATHER: Plenty of sex and violence is in 3-D, Son, but that doesn't mean you are doing it. SON: (Smacks forehead) I'm so silly. I'm glad you're my Dad, Dad. Want some popcorn? (He holds out popcorn, which then falls to the floor) ...Dad? (The father is just a character in My Bloody Valentine 3-D. And so are you.) 2. Notorious -- Watch the trailer. Word is, the talent on-screen is better than the talent behind the camera. Critics are saying the newcomer Jamal Woolard really impresses as Notorious B.I.G. 3. Defiance -- Watch the trailer. Finally opening wide! Some critics are saying it's a letdown, but I'm still looking forward to it. I always enjoy watching Daniel Craig, and it looks like an important story to tell. 4. Paul Blart: Mall Cop -- Watch the trailer. When power-made Santa's little helpers take over a mall, a rent-a-cop (Kevin James) is the last, best hope of freeing the hostages. It reminds me of Die Hard meets Home Alone. I don't know, it could grow old fast or be really, really funny. 5. Hotel for Dogs -- Watch the trailer. When orphaned teenagers aren't allowed to take in a stray dog because their aunt (Lisa Kudrow) is allergic, they transform a nearby abandoned house into a canine sanctuary. Hmm... I don't know about this one. I like dogs, but I typically don't watch live action movies about human beings. What do you think about this one? 6. Chandni Chowk to China (limited release) -- Watch the trailer. Arguably the most Indian film of the week, this film is actually from India. But in all seriousness, this Bollywood/kung-fu flick sounds interesting. When Chinese villagers mistake a traveling Indian cook as the reincarnation of an ancient peasant hero, the cook decides to help protect the village from a dangerous smuggler.
]]>Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:28:29 GMTspoutComing Soon1/12/2009 2:28:29 PM 1. My Bloody Valentine 3-D -- Watch the trailer. If you see this opening night, you'll probably overhear a discussion that goes something like this: SON: Wow Dad, I've never experienced so much sex and violence before! FATHER: Now, Son--you know you're just watching a moving picture and not actually participating in sex and violence, don't you? SON: What do you mean? The sex and violence has to be real, it's in 3-D! FATHER: Plenty of sex and violence is in 3-D, Son, but that doesn't mean you are doing it. SON: (Smacks forehead) I'm so silly. I'm glad you're my Dad, Dad. Want some popcorn? (He holds out popcorn, which then falls to the floor) ...Dad? (The father is just a character in My Bloody Valentine 3-D. And so are you.) 2. Notorious -- Watch the trailer. Word is, the talent on-screen is better than the talent behind the camera. Critics are saying the newcomer Jamal Woolard really impresses as Notorious B.I.G. 3. Defiance -- Watch the trailer. Finally opening wide! Some critics are saying it's a letdown, but I'm still looking forward to it. I always enjoy watching Daniel Craig, and it looks like an important story to tell. 4. Paul Blart: Mall Cop -- Watch the trailer. When power-made Santa's little helpers take over a mall, a rent-a-cop (Kevin James) is the last, best hope of freeing the hostages. It reminds me of Die Hard meets Home Alone. I don't know, it could grow old fast or be really, really funny. 5. Hotel for Dogs -- Watch the trailer. When orphaned teenagers aren't allowed to take in a stray dog because their aunt (Lisa Kudrow) is allergic, they transform a nearby abandoned house into a canine sanctuary. Hmm... I don't know about this one. I like dogs, but I typically don't watch live action movies about human beings. What do you think about this one? 6. Chandni Chowk to China (limited release) -- Watch the trailer. Arguably the most Indian film of the week, this film is actually from India. But in all seriousness, this Bollywood/kung-fu flick sounds interesting. When Chinese villagers mistake a traveling Indian cook as the reincarnation of an ancient peasant hero, the cook decides to help protect the village from a dangerous smuggler. http://www.spout.com/groups/Worst_Movie_Ever/Re_One_week_in_and_2009_sucks_already/104/39392/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Worst Movie Ever
Post Date: 1/12/2009 11:10:43 AM
Body: I'm a little disappointed but not all that surprised to hear Unborn wasn't any good. I kind of had high hopes for it, based mostly on the film poster. I did find a few lists of "films we're looking forward to" in 2009, but unfortunately they seemed to mostly be re-hashing familiar themes... [quote user="indieabby88"] [quote user="seely"] I don't know about you guys, but its one week in and 2009 is looking like another banner year for the Worst Movie Ever discussion fodder. So far, we have Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), where even the "making of" scenes were painful to watch. Karina, always the cynic, seems to agree as well with her latest blog post. And c'mon, Marley and Me is the top film? Followed by Bride Wars? Really? Ugh. I have a feeling this is going to be another disappointing year. Anyone else think so? Or are there any rays of light at the end of the dark tunnel that is the 2009 film year? [/quote] Have you seen Mark Kermode's review of "Bride Wars" on YouTube? It's pretty hysterical. I made the mistake of seeing The Unborn on Friday night. Pretty stinking awful. But hey, It's January. We've hit the lull period before things start to get interesting. I'm not prepared to give up hope yet. It's just not gonna be much fun to review movies for a couple of months. [/quote]
]]>Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:10:43 GMTseelyWorst Movie Ever1/12/2009 11:10:43 AMI'm a little disappointed but not all that surprised to hear Unborn wasn't any good. I kind of had high hopes for it, based mostly on the film poster. I did find a few lists of "films we're looking forward to" in 2009, but unfortunately they seemed to mostly be re-hashing familiar themes... [quote user="indieabby88"] [quote user="seely"] I don't know about you guys, but its one week in and 2009 is looking like another banner year for the Worst Movie Ever discussion fodder. So far, we have Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), where even the "making of" scenes were painful to watch. Karina, always the cynic, seems to agree as well with her latest blog post. And c'mon, Marley and Me is the top film? Followed by Bride Wars? Really? Ugh. I have a feeling this is going to be another disappointing year. Anyone else think so? Or are there any rays of light at the end of the dark tunnel that is the 2009 film year? [/quote] Have you seen Mark Kermode's review of "Bride Wars" on YouTube? It's pretty hysterical. I made the mistake of seeing The Unborn on Friday night. Pretty stinking awful. But hey, It's January. We've hit the lull period before things start to get interesting. I'm not prepared to give up hope yet. It's just not gonna be much fun to review movies for a couple of months. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Worst_Movie_Ever/Re_One_week_in_and_2009_sucks_already/104/39356/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: indieabby88
Post To: Worst Movie Ever
Post Date: 1/11/2009 12:11:33 AM
Body: [quote user="seely"] I don't know about you guys, but its one week in and 2009 is looking like another banner year for the Worst Movie Ever discussion fodder. So far, we have Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), where even the "making of" scenes were painful to watch. Karina, always the cynic, seems to agree as well with her latest blog post. And c'mon, Marley and Me is the top film? Followed by Bride Wars? Really? Ugh. I have a feeling this is going to be another disappointing year. Anyone else think so? Or are there any rays of light at the end of the dark tunnel that is the 2009 film year? [/quote] Have you seen Mark Kermode's review of "Bride Wars" on YouTube? It's pretty hysterical. I made the mistake of seeing The Unborn on Friday night. Pretty stinking awful. But hey, It's January. We've hit the lull period before things start to get interesting. I'm not prepared to give up hope yet. It's just not gonna be much fun to review movies for a couple of months.
]]>Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:11:33 GMTindieabby88Worst Movie Ever1/11/2009 12:11:33 AM[quote user="seely"] I don't know about you guys, but its one week in and 2009 is looking like another banner year for the Worst Movie Ever discussion fodder. So far, we have Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), where even the "making of" scenes were painful to watch. Karina, always the cynic, seems to agree as well with her latest blog post. And c'mon, Marley and Me is the top film? Followed by Bride Wars? Really? Ugh. I have a feeling this is going to be another disappointing year. Anyone else think so? Or are there any rays of light at the end of the dark tunnel that is the 2009 film year? [/quote] Have you seen Mark Kermode's review of "Bride Wars" on YouTube? It's pretty hysterical. I made the mistake of seeing The Unborn on Friday night. Pretty stinking awful. But hey, It's January. We've hit the lull period before things start to get interesting. I'm not prepared to give up hope yet. It's just not gonna be much fun to review movies for a couple of months. http://www.spout.com/groups/Worst_Movie_Ever/One_week_in_and_2009_sucks_already/104/39302/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Worst Movie Ever
Post Date: 1/9/2009 11:00:44 AM
Body: I don't know about you guys, but its one week in and 2009 is looking like another banner year for the Worst Movie Ever discussion fodder. So far, we have Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), where even the "making of" scenes were painful to watch. Karina, always the cynic, seems to agree as well with her latest blog post. And c'mon, Marley and Me is the top film? Followed by Bride Wars? Really? Ugh. I have a feeling this is going to be another disappointing year. Anyone else think so? Or are there any rays of light at the end of the dark tunnel that is the 2009 film year?
]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:00:44 GMTseelyWorst Movie Ever1/9/2009 11:00:44 AMI don't know about you guys, but its one week in and 2009 is looking like another banner year for the Worst Movie Ever discussion fodder. So far, we have Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), where even the "making of" scenes were painful to watch. Karina, always the cynic, seems to agree as well with her latest blog post. And c'mon, Marley and Me is the top film? Followed by Bride Wars? Really? Ugh. I have a feeling this is going to be another disappointing year. Anyone else think so? Or are there any rays of light at the end of the dark tunnel that is the 2009 film year? http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/daughter/MemberTagFilms.aspxdaughter
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