list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Milk 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/Milk/357169/default.aspx Title: Milk
Year: 2008
Director: Gus Van Sant
Plot: Academy Award winner Sean Penn takes the title role in Gus Van Sant's biopic tracing the last eight years in the life of Harvey Milk, the ill-fated politician and gay activist whose life changed history, and whose courage still inspires people. When Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, he made history for being the first openly gay man in American history to be voted into public office. But the rights of homosexuals weren't Milk's primary concern, as tellingly evidenced by the wide array of political coalitions he formed over the course of his tragically brief career. He fought for everyone from union workers to senior citizens, a true hero of human rights who possessed nothing but compassion for his fellow man. The story begins in New York City, where a 40-year-old Milk ponders what steps he can take to make his life more meaningful. Eventually, Milk makes the decision to relocate to the West Coast, where he and his lover, Scott Smith (James Franco), found a small business in the heart of a working-class neighborhood. Empowered by his love for the Castro neighborhood and the success of his business, Castro Camera, Milk somewhat unexpectedly begins to emerge as an outspoken agent for change. With a growing support system that includes both Scott and a like-minded young activist named Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), the charismatic Milk decides to take a fateful leap into politics, eventually developing a reputation as a leader who isn't afraid to follow up his words with actions. In short order, he is elected supervisor for the newly zoned District 5, though this seeming triumph is in fact the catalyst for a tragedy that starts to unfold as Milk does his best to forge a political partnership with Dan White (Josh Brolin), another newly elected supervisor. Over time it becomes apparent that Milk and White's political agendas are directly at odds, a revelation that puts their personal destinies on a catastrophic collision course. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 59
Number of Lists: 34
Number of blog posts: 31
Number of discussion threads: 10
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:27:40 GMTMilk2008Gus Van SantAcademy Award winner <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___106027/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sean Penn</a> takes the title role in <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___115102/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gus Van Sant</a>'s biopic tracing the last eight years in the life of Harvey Milk, the ill-fated politician and gay activist whose life changed history, and whose courage still inspires people. When Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, he made history for being the first openly gay man in American history to be voted into public office. But the rights of homosexuals weren't Milk's primary concern, as tellingly evidenced by the wide array of political coalitions he formed over the course of his tragically brief career. He fought for everyone from union workers to senior citizens, a true hero of human rights who possessed nothing but compassion for his fellow man. The story begins in New York City, where a 40-year-old Milk ponders what steps he can take to make his life more meaningful. Eventually, Milk makes the decision to relocate to the West Coast, where he and his lover, Scott Smith (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___299361/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James Franco</a>), found a small business in the heart of a working-class neighborhood. Empowered by his love for the Castro neighborhood and the success of his business, Castro Camera, Milk somewhat unexpectedly begins to emerge as an outspoken agent for change. With a growing support system that includes both Scott and a like-minded young activist named Cleve Jones (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___239003/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Emile Hirsch</a>), the charismatic Milk decides to take a fateful leap into politics, eventually developing a reputation as a leader who isn't afraid to follow up his words with actions. In short order, he is elected supervisor for the newly zoned District 5, though this seeming triumph is in fact the catalyst for a tragedy that starts to unfold as Milk does his best to forge a political partnership with Dan White (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P_____8657/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Josh Brolin</a>), another newly elected supervisor. Over time it becomes apparent that Milk and White's political agendas are directly at odds, a revelation that puts their personal destinies on a catastrophic collision course. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide59Tag Target (>10)3431104http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s357169.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Milk/357169/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_June_15_That_s_So_Gay/625/42722/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: dakidhasdough
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 6/19/2009 1:27:40 PM
Body: [quote user="mercurial"] Through out the years I have seen more and more movies embrace the culture and lifestyle and try to bring it's content more to the mainstream.. Would you consider films like PULP FICTION or even AMERICAN ME to be in that catagory since those movies did have acts of same sex featured in them? With all the brouhaha over that American Idol guy coming out and the onslaught of pride parades going on coast to coast this month, this week's theme is all about the gays. Mostly relinquished to flamboyant best friends and eccentric beauticians, the United States hasn't had a large influx of films that focus on LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgendered) characters like those that are more commonplace in European cinema. Aside from the media frenzy that surrounded Brokeback Mountain a number of years back, most American's have shied away from the genre almost entirely. That being said, there are a number of great films with LGBT characters that we can hopefully talk about here. Gregg Araki is probably my favorite gay director whose oeuvre has focused primarily on LGBT characters and the struggles facing them today. Nowhere, The Living End and The Doom Generation all have that Los Angeles, 1990's, chaotic life set to a raucous soundtrack of heavy metal, ethereal trip hop and post punk indie rock. Including incredible ensemble casts including Heather Graham, Ryan Phillippe, Rose McGowan, Christina Applegate, Guillermo Diaz, Johnathon Schaech, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt, etc, the films are a barrage of hopelessness, depression and a heavy hand of rebellion. Adam & Steve was a fun gay romantic comedy with hilarious supporting characters Parker Posey and Chris Kattan. I've recently discovered that Al Pacino has played a number of gay characters over the course of his career. He was a cop willing to do ANYTHING to become a detective and went undercover into the gay BDSM subculture of New York in Cruising. He was trying to get money for his boyfriend's operation to become a female in Dog Day Afternoon. And he played a closeted lawyer in Angels In America. Milk almost got the people talking as much as Brokeback with the Oscar buzz around it and Sean Penn and James Francos performances. The film borrowed significantly from The Times of Harvey Milk which won an Oscar for best documentary. The Love Songs was a perfect example of how Europeans have a more laid back sense of sexuality and how certain people defy the stringent labels of gay straight or whatnot. [/quote]
]]>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:27:40 GMTdakidhasdoughWeekly Theme6/19/2009 1:27:40 PM[quote user="mercurial"] Through out the years I have seen more and more movies embrace the culture and lifestyle and try to bring it's content more to the mainstream.. Would you consider films like PULP FICTION or even AMERICAN ME to be in that catagory since those movies did have acts of same sex featured in them? With all the brouhaha over that American Idol guy coming out and the onslaught of pride parades going on coast to coast this month, this week's theme is all about the gays. Mostly relinquished to flamboyant best friends and eccentric beauticians, the United States hasn't had a large influx of films that focus on LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &amp; Transgendered) characters like those that are more commonplace in European cinema. Aside from the media frenzy that surrounded Brokeback Mountain a number of years back, most American's have shied away from the genre almost entirely. That being said, there are a number of great films with LGBT characters that we can hopefully talk about here. Gregg Araki is probably my favorite gay director whose oeuvre has focused primarily on LGBT characters and the struggles facing them today. Nowhere, The Living End and The Doom Generation all have that Los Angeles, 1990's, chaotic life set to a raucous soundtrack of heavy metal, ethereal trip hop and post punk indie rock. Including incredible ensemble casts including Heather Graham, Ryan Phillippe, Rose McGowan, Christina Applegate, Guillermo Diaz, Johnathon Schaech, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt, etc, the films are a barrage of hopelessness, depression and a heavy hand of rebellion. Adam &amp; Steve was a fun gay romantic comedy with hilarious supporting characters Parker Posey and Chris Kattan. I've recently discovered that Al Pacino has played a number of gay characters over the course of his career. He was a cop willing to do ANYTHING to become a detective and went undercover into the gay BDSM subculture of New York in Cruising. He was trying to get money for his boyfriend's operation to become a female in Dog Day Afternoon. And he played a closeted lawyer in Angels In America. Milk almost got the people talking as much as Brokeback with the Oscar buzz around it and Sean Penn and James Francos performances. The film borrowed significantly from The Times of Harvey Milk which won an Oscar for best documentary. The Love Songs was a perfect example of how Europeans have a more laid back sense of sexuality and how certain people defy the stringent labels of gay straight or whatnot. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_June_15_That_s_So_Gay/625/42653/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 6/15/2009 4:16:17 PM
Body: With all the brouhaha over that American Idol guy coming out and the onslaught of pride parades going on coast to coast this month, this week's theme is all about the gays. Mostly relinquished to flamboyant best friends and eccentric beauticians, the United States hasn't had a large influx of films that focus on LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgendered) characters like those that are more commonplace in European cinema. Aside from the media frenzy that surrounded Brokeback Mountain a number of years back, most American's have shied away from the genre almost entirely. That being said, there are a number of great films with LGBT characters that we can hopefully talk about here. Gregg Araki is probably my favorite gay director whose oeuvre has focused primarily on LGBT characters and the struggles facing them today. Nowhere, The Living End and The Doom Generation all have that Los Angeles, 1990's, chaotic life set to a raucous soundtrack of heavy metal, ethereal trip hop and post punk indie rock. Including incredible ensemble casts including Heather Graham, Ryan Phillippe, Rose McGowan, Christina Applegate, Guillermo Diaz, Johnathon Schaech, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt, etc, the films are a barrage of hopelessness, depression and a heavy hand of rebellion. Adam & Steve was a fun gay romantic comedy with hilarious supporting characters Parker Posey and Chris Kattan. I've recently discovered that Al Pacino has played a number of gay characters over the course of his career. He was a cop willing to do ANYTHING to become a detective and went undercover into the gay BDSM subculture of New York in Cruising. He was trying to get money for his boyfriend's operation to become a female in Dog Day Afternoon. And he played a closeted lawyer in Angels In America. Milk almost got the people talking as much as Brokeback with the Oscar buzz around it and Sean Penn and James Francos performances. The film borrowed significantly from The Times of Harvey Milk which won an Oscar for best documentary. The Love Songs was a perfect example of how Europeans have a more laid back sense of sexuality and how certain people defy the stringent labels of gay straight or whatnot.
]]>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:16:17 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme6/15/2009 4:16:17 PMWith all the brouhaha over that American Idol guy coming out and the onslaught of pride parades going on coast to coast this month, this week's theme is all about the gays. Mostly relinquished to flamboyant best friends and eccentric beauticians, the United States hasn't had a large influx of films that focus on LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &amp; Transgendered) characters like those that are more commonplace in European cinema. Aside from the media frenzy that surrounded Brokeback Mountain a number of years back, most American's have shied away from the genre almost entirely. That being said, there are a number of great films with LGBT characters that we can hopefully talk about here. Gregg Araki is probably my favorite gay director whose oeuvre has focused primarily on LGBT characters and the struggles facing them today. Nowhere, The Living End and The Doom Generation all have that Los Angeles, 1990's, chaotic life set to a raucous soundtrack of heavy metal, ethereal trip hop and post punk indie rock. Including incredible ensemble casts including Heather Graham, Ryan Phillippe, Rose McGowan, Christina Applegate, Guillermo Diaz, Johnathon Schaech, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt, etc, the films are a barrage of hopelessness, depression and a heavy hand of rebellion. Adam &amp; Steve was a fun gay romantic comedy with hilarious supporting characters Parker Posey and Chris Kattan. I've recently discovered that Al Pacino has played a number of gay characters over the course of his career. He was a cop willing to do ANYTHING to become a detective and went undercover into the gay BDSM subculture of New York in Cruising. He was trying to get money for his boyfriend's operation to become a female in Dog Day Afternoon. And he played a closeted lawyer in Angels In America. Milk almost got the people talking as much as Brokeback with the Oscar buzz around it and Sean Penn and James Francos performances. The film borrowed significantly from The Times of Harvey Milk which won an Oscar for best documentary. The Love Songs was a perfect example of how Europeans have a more laid back sense of sexuality and how certain people defy the stringent labels of gay straight or whatnot. http://www.spout.com/blogs/digby00/archive/2009/4/3/41435.aspx Post By: digby00
Post To: digby00 Blog
Post Date: 4/3/2009 4:15:25 PM
Body: Milk joins some of the other best films of the past year as effectively focusing around one lead performance and a stand-out directorial style. Although it may not be as directly gut-wrenching or funny as Gran Torino or The Wrestler, it takes a fair and captivating approach to a real-life figure that finds a solid balance between documenting history and remaining entertaining. After director Gus Van Sant's previous experience of putting intelligent representations of tragic stories from Kurt Cobain to the Columbine shootings on screen, he was unquestionably the man for the job. Sean Penn, apart from being a talented actor legendary for his gay rights activism, was going to be a tougher sell for me and likely many others. Thankfully, Penn gives probably his best, and certainly his most original performance yet and carries a film that needs his caliber of acting to remain exciting....Read the rest of this critic's review here!
]]>Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:15:25 GMTdigby00digby00 Blog4/3/2009 4:15:25 PMMilk joins some of the other best films of the past year as effectively focusing around one lead performance and a stand-out directorial style. Although it may not be as directly gut-wrenching or funny as Gran Torino or The Wrestler, it takes a fair and captivating approach to a real-life figure that finds a solid balance between documenting history and remaining entertaining. After director Gus Van Sant's previous experience of putting intelligent representations of tragic stories from Kurt Cobain to the Columbine shootings on screen, he was unquestionably the man for the job. Sean Penn, apart from being a talented actor legendary for his gay rights activism, was going to be a tougher sell for me and likely many others. Thankfully, Penn gives probably his best, and certainly his most original performance yet and carries a film that needs his caliber of acting to remain exciting....Read the rest of this critic's review here! http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2009/3/25/41244.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 3/25/2009 2:46:42 PM
Body: Over 30 reviews behind! This time, I'm blaming Facebook and all it's addictive applications. So the reviews will be short and sometimes sweet, but I'm going to try to catch up a bit today.Billy Liar was the last of the flimspotting Angry Young Men marathon. A young man with dreams of becoming a screenwriter fantasizes his way through a day of his humdrum existence. Again, though I can respect the quality of the filmmaking, I just did not understand the character motivations. I'm starting to think it's because we don't really have a class system in America and so I can't really grasp the pain of the working class in Britain.Sean Penn ("All the King's Men") totally deserved the Oscar for his turn in Milk. He transforms into Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to hold elected office. The film doesn't show Milk's entire life, but begins when he moves to San Francisco. And though it focuses on the politics, it's also a bit of a love story, showing how Milk's relationships were affected by his running for office. Very well done film. Moving with lots of food for thought.The Spiral Staircase is a tense little thriller that relies more on shadows and suspense than jump-out scares. The plot involves a series of murders in which all of the victims have been handicapped in some way. The heroine has lost her voice and we watch her navigate a dark, scary house unable to call for help as the murderer stalks her.Harrison Ford ("Crossing Over") really is the epitome of action star. In Clear and Present Danger, he plays CIA agent Jack Ryan who must uncover a plot that goes all the way to the presidency. And though much of the time Ford is embroiled in office politics, he makes it look tense. And then it's time to kick butt and he's good at that too. Some of the computer stuff is dated and seems silly now, but for the most part, the film holds up.I remember really liking Wolf when I saw it upon it's initial release. It's still entertaining, but now dated. Jack Nicholson ("The Bucket List"), who looks the part and I think is the inspiration for Wolverine's make-up in X-Men, stars as an aging editor who's bitten by a wolf and then begins to change. Along the way, he bites a very smarmy James Spader ("Shadow of Fear") and they both inappropriately sniff Michelle Pfeiffer ("Stardust").
]]>Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:46:42 GMTdibotdibot Blog3/25/2009 2:46:42 PMOver 30 reviews behind! This time, I'm blaming Facebook and all it's addictive applications. So the reviews will be short and sometimes sweet, but I'm going to try to catch up a bit today.Billy Liar was the last of the flimspotting Angry Young Men marathon. A young man with dreams of becoming a screenwriter fantasizes his way through a day of his humdrum existence. Again, though I can respect the quality of the filmmaking, I just did not understand the character motivations. I'm starting to think it's because we don't really have a class system in America and so I can't really grasp the pain of the working class in Britain.Sean Penn ("All the King's Men") totally deserved the Oscar for his turn in Milk. He transforms into Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to hold elected office. The film doesn't show Milk's entire life, but begins when he moves to San Francisco. And though it focuses on the politics, it's also a bit of a love story, showing how Milk's relationships were affected by his running for office. Very well done film. Moving with lots of food for thought.The Spiral Staircase is a tense little thriller that relies more on shadows and suspense than jump-out scares. The plot involves a series of murders in which all of the victims have been handicapped in some way. The heroine has lost her voice and we watch her navigate a dark, scary house unable to call for help as the murderer stalks her.Harrison Ford ("Crossing Over") really is the epitome of action star. In Clear and Present Danger, he plays CIA agent Jack Ryan who must uncover a plot that goes all the way to the presidency. And though much of the time Ford is embroiled in office politics, he makes it look tense. And then it's time to kick butt and he's good at that too. Some of the computer stuff is dated and seems silly now, but for the most part, the film holds up.I remember really liking Wolf when I saw it upon it's initial release. It's still entertaining, but now dated. Jack Nicholson ("The Bucket List"), who looks the part and I think is the inspiration for Wolverine's make-up in X-Men, stars as an aging editor who's bitten by a wolf and then begins to change. Along the way, he bites a very smarmy James Spader ("Shadow of Fear") and they both inappropriately sniff Michelle Pfeiffer ("Stardust"). http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/3_13_New_movies_Oscar_nominees_hit_DVD_plus_t/216/40910/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 3/9/2009 3:04:31 PM
Body: HITTING THEATERS 3/13 Disney's latest leading man: Dwayne Johnson in Race to Witch Mountain Race to Witch Mountain -- Watch trailer. This has Brendan Fraser's name written all over it, but it's starring Fraser's remake, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Of course, Brendan Fraser is a remake of Kurt Russell, and I bet that if the original Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) had starred a young, sexy hero (not the older Eddie Albert), it would've been Disney favorite Kurt Rusell (remember The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Strongest Man in the World?). PS - I'm mostly joking; I like Dwayne Johnson. Standing on the shoulders of Swedes: The Last House on the Left The Last House on the Left -- Watch trailer. Produced by Wes Craven, this is a remake of the Craven-directed The Last House on the Left (1972), which was kind of like Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971), which is loosely based on a novel (The Siege of Trencher's Farm) but reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring (1959), which was inspired by the Swedish ballad "Torres dotter i Wange," which is purportedly based on true events... The Whitest Boys U'Know: Miss March Miss March -- Watch trailer. A young guy wakes from a 4-year coma to find that his high school sweetheart gave up waiting for him to become a pin-up for Playboy. Needless to say, the guy sets out for the Playboy mansion to reclaim his old girlfriend; also needless to say, he's joined by a sex-crazed friend. LIMITED RELEASE Dirty movie: Sunshine Cleaning Sunshine Cleaning -- Watch trailer. Amy Adams plays a short-on-cash mother who's determined to send her son to a quality private school. Adams reluctantly enlists the help of her sister (Emily Blunt) to start a cleaning service that specializes in crime scene clean-up and bio-hazard removal. Is it just me, or do you pick up on an indie cash-cow vibe? I mean, could it really only be a coincidence that it's called "Sunshine" Cleaning when it's being billed as the next movie from the producers of Little Miss "Sunshine"? But ultimately, any pandering to the audience may not matter if Sunshine Cleaning is actually good. And with actors like Blunt and Adams, Alan Arkin and Steve Zahn, I've got high hopes. They ain't heavy, they's my brothers: Brothers at War Brothers at War -- Watch trailer. Documentary filmmaker Jake Rademacher's two brothers are soldiers. Jake spent three and a half years on this film, staying with four army units over two trips to Iraq, exploring his brothers' service and motivation. This very personal film appears to reveal a lot that's universal, as Rademacher seeks to understand what the soldiers in Iraq continue to experience. Dennis Quaid takes the bait: The Horsemen The Horsemen -- Watch trailer. Dennis Quaid, widowed detective, finds chilling connections between himself and the victims of a serial killer who's obsessed with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. To me, this still sounds like Se7en, Part Two. I guess whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your point of view. ________________________________________ NEW TO DVD 3/10 -- Oscar films hit the shelves Oscar alumni 1. Milk -- Watch trailer. The one Best Picture nominee that probably could've taken the laurel leaves from Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen it yet--I was too busy watching The Wrestler three times. 2. Der Baader Meinhof Complex -- Watch trailer. This Oscar-nominated foreign film looks really good, even considering I don't know what's happening in that intense trailer! Check it out! 3. Happy-Go-Lucky -- Watch trailer. It's considered one of the biggest snubs of the Oscars that charming star Sally Hawkins wasn't nominated for Best Actress. 4. Rachel Getting Married -- Watch trailer. FilmCouch's Kevin Buist says Anne Hathaway is great in an otherwise grating, tiring, "annoying" movie about...you guessed it: family conflicts. Huh, I guess content equals form after all. Blockbusters (and wannabes) 5. Role Models -- Watch trailer. Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott are funny together, but the film coasts way too long during the scenes of LARPing (live action role playing). 6. Transporter 3 -- Watch trailer. I haven't seen any of these yet, would you guys recommend them? I do always like Jason Statham, even when he's in bad movies. 7. Max Payne -- Watch trailer. Mark Wahlberg. Video game movie. Much stylized violence. 8. Repo! The Genetic Opera -- Watch trailer. Interesting-sounding shocker set in a future where a mysterious epidemic of organ failures turns healthy organs into a precious commodity. When organ buyers fail to make good on their payment plans, their organs must be re-possessed... 9. Saw V and Saw Goreology: Movies 1 - 5 -- Watch trailer to Saw V. It's a Saw movie, you know the drill. Hey, was that a pun? Lil' nuggets 10. Let the Right One In -- Watch trailer. Best vampire movie ever? Looks like it to me. 11. Synechdoche, New York -- Watch trailer. The Charlie Kaufman-penned film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman. I've heard the film is intellectually demanding, but I've never felt like I've wasted my time watching something written by Kaufman. 12. Battle in Seattle -- Watch trailer. This feature recounts the events of the 1999 World Trade Organization and the ensuing riots. 13. Rocker -- Watch trailer. The Office's Rainn Wilson stars as a one-time promising rocker who now, 20 years later, gets a second chance. 14. Cadillac Records -- Watch trailer. The word: good actors, good music, so-so film.
]]>Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:04:31 GMTspoutComing Soon3/9/2009 3:04:31 PMHITTING THEATERS 3/13 Disney's latest leading man: Dwayne Johnson in Race to Witch Mountain Race to Witch Mountain -- Watch trailer. This has Brendan Fraser's name written all over it, but it's starring Fraser's remake, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Of course, Brendan Fraser is a remake of Kurt Russell, and I bet that if the original Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) had starred a young, sexy hero (not the older Eddie Albert), it would've been Disney favorite Kurt Rusell (remember The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Strongest Man in the World?). PS - I'm mostly joking; I like Dwayne Johnson. Standing on the shoulders of Swedes: The Last House on the Left The Last House on the Left -- Watch trailer. Produced by Wes Craven, this is a remake of the Craven-directed The Last House on the Left (1972), which was kind of like Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971), which is loosely based on a novel (The Siege of Trencher's Farm) but reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring (1959), which was inspired by the Swedish ballad "Torres dotter i Wange," which is purportedly based on true events... The Whitest Boys U'Know: Miss March Miss March -- Watch trailer. A young guy wakes from a 4-year coma to find that his high school sweetheart gave up waiting for him to become a pin-up for Playboy. Needless to say, the guy sets out for the Playboy mansion to reclaim his old girlfriend; also needless to say, he's joined by a sex-crazed friend. LIMITED RELEASE Dirty movie: Sunshine Cleaning Sunshine Cleaning -- Watch trailer. Amy Adams plays a short-on-cash mother who's determined to send her son to a quality private school. Adams reluctantly enlists the help of her sister (Emily Blunt) to start a cleaning service that specializes in crime scene clean-up and bio-hazard removal. Is it just me, or do you pick up on an indie cash-cow vibe? I mean, could it really only be a coincidence that it's called "Sunshine" Cleaning when it's being billed as the next movie from the producers of Little Miss "Sunshine"? But ultimately, any pandering to the audience may not matter if Sunshine Cleaning is actually good. And with actors like Blunt and Adams, Alan Arkin and Steve Zahn, I've got high hopes. They ain't heavy, they's my brothers: Brothers at War Brothers at War -- Watch trailer. Documentary filmmaker Jake Rademacher's two brothers are soldiers. Jake spent three and a half years on this film, staying with four army units over two trips to Iraq, exploring his brothers' service and motivation. This very personal film appears to reveal a lot that's universal, as Rademacher seeks to understand what the soldiers in Iraq continue to experience. Dennis Quaid takes the bait: The Horsemen The Horsemen -- Watch trailer. Dennis Quaid, widowed detective, finds chilling connections between himself and the victims of a serial killer who's obsessed with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. To me, this still sounds like Se7en, Part Two. I guess whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your point of view. ________________________________________ NEW TO DVD 3/10 -- Oscar films hit the shelves Oscar alumni 1. Milk -- Watch trailer. The one Best Picture nominee that probably could've taken the laurel leaves from Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen it yet--I was too busy watching The Wrestler three times. 2. Der Baader Meinhof Complex -- Watch trailer. This Oscar-nominated foreign film looks really good, even considering I don't know what's happening in that intense trailer! Check it out! 3. Happy-Go-Lucky -- Watch trailer. It's considered one of the biggest snubs of the Oscars that charming star Sally Hawkins wasn't nominated for Best Actress. 4. Rachel Getting Married -- Watch trailer. FilmCouch's Kevin Buist says Anne Hathaway is great in an otherwise grating, tiring, "annoying" movie about...you guessed it: family conflicts. Huh, I guess content equals form after all. Blockbusters (and wannabes) 5. Role Models -- Watch trailer. Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott are funny together, but the film coasts way too long during the scenes of LARPing (live action role playing). 6. Transporter 3 -- Watch trailer. I haven't seen any of these yet, would you guys recommend them? I do always like Jason Statham, even when he's in bad movies. 7. Max Payne -- Watch trailer. Mark Wahlberg. Video game movie. Much stylized violence. 8. Repo! The Genetic Opera -- Watch trailer. Interesting-sounding shocker set in a future where a mysterious epidemic of organ failures turns healthy organs into a precious commodity. When organ buyers fail to make good on their payment plans, their organs must be re-possessed... 9. Saw V and Saw Goreology: Movies 1 - 5 -- Watch trailer to Saw V. It's a Saw movie, you know the drill. Hey, was that a pun? Lil' nuggets 10. Let the Right One In -- Watch trailer. Best vampire movie ever? Looks like it to me. 11. Synechdoche, New York -- Watch trailer. The Charlie Kaufman-penned film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman. I've heard the film is intellectually demanding, but I've never felt like I've wasted my time watching something written by Kaufman. 12. Battle in Seattle -- Watch trailer. This feature recounts the events of the 1999 World Trade Organization and the ensuing riots. 13. Rocker -- Watch trailer. The Office's Rainn Wilson stars as a one-time promising rocker who now, 20 years later, gets a second chance. 14. Cadillac Records -- Watch trailer. The word: good actors, good music, so-so film. http://www.spout.com/blogs/scswngr/archive/2009/2/22/40589.aspx Post By: scswngr
Post To: Film Obsessed
Post Date: 2/22/2009 6:39:44 PM
Body: As I scramble to catch the last couple of films that will complete my Oscar Watch List, I am prematurely making my picks for the statuettes tomorrow night. I will save judgement on the Foreign Language and Documentary Short categories, neither of which I have had the opportunity to get into since I live in a town where you can see 4 screens of Rambo, but you're lucky to get to see an independent or foreign film only months after it comes out on DVD at the local film club. That being said, I have also not had the chance to see 3 of the Documentary Features, but am confident in my decision in that category nonetheless. Otherwise, by tomorrow night's Academy Awards ceremony I will have seen every single movie nominated in every other category.So, onto my picks: Screenplay, OriginalShould Win: MilkWill Win: MilkMissing: The WrestlerScreenplay, AdaptedShould Win: Doubt or The ReaderWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireVisual EffectsShould Win: Iron ManWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonMissing: Speed RacerSound MixingShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: The Dark KnightSound EditingShould Win: The Dark KnightWill Win: The Dark KnightShort Film, Live ActionShould Win: Grisen (The Pig)Will Win: Spielzeugland (Toyland)Short Film, AnimatedShould Win: PrestoWill Win: PrestoOriginal SongShould Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireMissing: "The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen from The WrestlerOriginal ScoreShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMakeupShould Win: Hellboy IIWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonFilm EditingShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireDocumentary FeatureShould Win: Man on WireWill Win: Man on WireCostume DesignShould Win: The DuchessWill Win: The DuchessCinematographyShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Brideshead RevisitedArt DirectionShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonAnimated FeatureShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: WALL-EDirectingShould Win: David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Darren Aronofsky for The Wrestler Actress, SupportingShould Win: Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina BarcelonaWill Win: Viola Davis in DoubtActor, SupportingShould Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightWill Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightActor, LeadingShould Win: Mickey Rourke in The WrestlerWill Win: Sean Penn in MilkMissing: Leonardo Dicaprio in Revolutionary RoadActress, LeadingShould Win: Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married or Meryl Streep in DoubtWill Win: Kate Winslet in The ReaderMissing: Kate Winslet in Revolutionary RoadBest PictureShould Win: MilkWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: The Wrestler, Doubt, and The Dark Knight
]]>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:39:44 GMTscswngrFilm Obsessed2/22/2009 6:39:44 PMAs I scramble to catch the last couple of films that will complete my Oscar Watch List, I am prematurely making my picks for the statuettes tomorrow night. I will save judgement on the Foreign Language and Documentary Short categories, neither of which I have had the opportunity to get into since I live in a town where you can see 4 screens of Rambo, but you're lucky to get to see an independent or foreign film only months after it comes out on DVD at the local film club. That being said, I have also not had the chance to see 3 of the Documentary Features, but am confident in my decision in that category nonetheless. Otherwise, by tomorrow night's Academy Awards ceremony I will have seen every single movie nominated in every other category.So, onto my picks: Screenplay, OriginalShould Win: MilkWill Win: MilkMissing: The WrestlerScreenplay, AdaptedShould Win: Doubt or The ReaderWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireVisual EffectsShould Win: Iron ManWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonMissing: Speed RacerSound MixingShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: The Dark KnightSound EditingShould Win: The Dark KnightWill Win: The Dark KnightShort Film, Live ActionShould Win: Grisen (The Pig)Will Win: Spielzeugland (Toyland)Short Film, AnimatedShould Win: PrestoWill Win: PrestoOriginal SongShould Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireMissing: "The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen from The WrestlerOriginal ScoreShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMakeupShould Win: Hellboy IIWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonFilm EditingShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireDocumentary FeatureShould Win: Man on WireWill Win: Man on WireCostume DesignShould Win: The DuchessWill Win: The DuchessCinematographyShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Brideshead RevisitedArt DirectionShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonAnimated FeatureShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: WALL-EDirectingShould Win: David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Darren Aronofsky for The Wrestler Actress, SupportingShould Win: Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina BarcelonaWill Win: Viola Davis in DoubtActor, SupportingShould Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightWill Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightActor, LeadingShould Win: Mickey Rourke in The WrestlerWill Win: Sean Penn in MilkMissing: Leonardo Dicaprio in Revolutionary RoadActress, LeadingShould Win: Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married or Meryl Streep in DoubtWill Win: Kate Winslet in The ReaderMissing: Kate Winslet in Revolutionary RoadBest PictureShould Win: MilkWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: The Wrestler, Doubt, and The Dark Knight http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/2/2/40168.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/2/2009 5:01:22 PM
Body: With Danny Boyle’s DGA win over the weekend, Slumdog Millionaire achieved a near-impossible feat; it became even more favored to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Once thought to be an underdog, Slumdog has been pretty much unstoppable throughout the awards season, even picking up the undeserved top honor at the SAG Awards, and has never fallen from its position of frontrunner since it took the lead months ago. Yet last week, the internet was populated by talk of a Slumdog backlash, and for the first time in weeks, other Best Picture candidates were seriously being discussed as slightly plausible victors. The two titles considered most likely to be a threat to Boyle’s film are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Milk, with little concern for either Frost/Nixon or The Reader. However, while the former candidate is probably a sure thing to lose, the latter film should not yet be dismissed. Before the Academy Award nominations were announced last month, The Reader wasn’t even thought to be a contender for any major category except Best Supporting Actress. Now, among its five nominations, it’s up for three higher-tiered Oscars, including Best Picture. So, we can’t rightly continue underestimating its potential. This isn’t to say that we are predicting The Reader to win Best Picture; Slumdog is still the safest bet for the top prize. But odds for The Reader do need to be adjusted, as its chances are a lot closer to, if not better than, secondary favorites Benjamin Button and Milk. Of course, as the it stands now, the film should be an appealing choice for any gamblers out there, because a surprise Best Picture win for The Reader would pay out big time. So, our immediate apologies to betters if the following seven factors have any influence on professional oddsmakers out there. The Cancel-Out Factor Let’s begin with the simplest argument, which has also been used recently as evidence that Milk’s chances for the top award have gone up: Whether due to a backlash or not, Slumdog’s lead may be shortening, and Benjamin Button may be gaining. So, the two films could cancel each other out and The Reader, not Milk, could sneak forward. Or, to give Milk the same credit as others are giving it, the three favorites cancel each other out and The Reader makes an even greater leap forward. The Stephen Daldry Factor Now for the weakest, but not completely implausible argument: It’s clear the Academy loves Stephen Daldry, as they’ve nominated him for Best Director every time he’s made a movie. Unfortunately for him, there’s no way he’ll win his category this year, because no director has ever won the Oscar without at least being nominated for the DGA award. So, Boyle remains a lock for Best Director, but Daldry’s fans could try and make a serious push for the film to win Best Picture. It would be a somewhat ironic win, since Daldry’s first nomination came for a film that wasn’t even nominated for the top award (Billy Elliot). The Posthumous Oscars Factor (aka the Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella Factor) Thanks to a special exception the Academy made for The Reader, there are now three posthumous Oscar nominees. Heath Ledger is most definitely going to win Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Dark Knight, but what about Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella? The two are among The Reader’s four producers named to receive trophies if the film wins Best Picture. Academy members could consider this a year to pay special honor to the artists they’ve lost, and that would mean voting for two of their favorite filmmaking talents. On the other hand, though, with Pollack having previously won two Oscars (out of six nominations) and Minghella having previously won one (out of three nominations), it’s not as if the voters will feel as much of an obligation as they would if neither had been honored before. Still, never underestimate the power of the celebrity death cult. The Harvey Weinstein Factor It’s been awhile since Harvey’s heyday at the Oscars. While heading Miramax, he managed a couple surprise victories in the Best Picture category, and at the 2003 awards, Harvey actually had a connection to four of the five Best Picture nominees. He used to be known as someone not to be reckoned with when it came to his desire for Academy Awards. But it’s taken years for The Weinstein Co. to see one of its films in contention for the top prize. So, will Harvey once again show great influence over the Academy? According to Entertainment Weekly’s Dave Karger, Harvey’s been advised not to go crazy with the Oscar campaigning this year, partly for economic reasons and partly because his chances are considered low. But Karger thinks he’s still going to “go whole hog,” because “otherwise he wouldn’t be Harvey Weinstein.” And when Harvey goes whole hog, things like Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan happen. Seriously, there are already those who believe the whole Slumdog backlash thing was started by a certain “truth-and ethically challenged mogul” who would benefit from such a smear campaign. The Schindler’s List Factor As much as we all like to joke about the Academy’s Holocaust fetish, no Holocaust movie is a sure thing for Best Picture (especially if such a film is the one non-Harvey Weinstein-related nominee). But one Holocaust film in particular is the Academy’s pride and joy: Schindler’s List. If Slumdog Millionaire continues its awards season sweep, garnering top kudos from the WGA, the BAFTAs and finally the Oscars, it will actually become a more-honored film than Schindler’s List, which holds the current record for awards season domination. Unfortunately for Spielberg’s film, as noted by In Contention’s Kristopher Tapley, there were no BFCA or SAG ensemble awards back then. So, due to more opportunities, Slumdog could break the record rather unfairly. For Schindler’s List-loving members of the Academy, that might be an incentive to vote for The Reader, a fellow Holocaust film, instead of for Slumdog, which nobody could reasonably argue is better than the 1994 Best Picture-winner. The Tolerance Factor One of the major arguments in favor of Milk’s chances are that a Best Picture win for that film would make up for the Brokeback Mountain loss three years ago. And the Academy might vote for Milk in order to prove it is tolerant. But in a way, honoring Crash over Brokeback Mountain was a display of tolerance, only one that focused on race rather than sexual orientation. The Reader could be this year’s Crash, and not just because it’s one of the most critically hated Best Picture candidates in years. An argument against the aforementioned Schindler’s List Factor is that The Reader is almost like an anti-Holocaust film, because it attempts to make the audience sympathize with a concentration camp guard who slaughtered many Jewish prisoners. If the Academy should really feel the need to again prove its members are tolerant, honoring The Reader, which allegorically deals with Germany’s struggle to come to terms with its Nazi past, would be an even stronger display of this than would honoring a film focusing on gay rights. The again, the latter action may potentially be easier for some voters. The Surprise Factor Okay, this is actually the simplest argument: the Oscars are full of surprises. From Marisa Tomei’s out-numbered defeat of the British (and Australian) in 1992 to the shocking 1936 win by write-in candidate Hal Mohr to the unexpected Best Picture wins by non-frontrunners Chariots of Fire, Shakespeare in Love, Chicago and Crash (among others), the Academy should never be underestimated when it comes to their aim with monkey wrenches. So, the best reason not to dismiss The Reader in the Best Picture race is that all Oscars races are anyone’s game up until the envelopes are opened and the winners are named. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:01:22 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/2/2009 5:01:22 PMWith Danny Boyle’s DGA win over the weekend, Slumdog Millionaire achieved a near-impossible feat; it became even more favored to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Once thought to be an underdog, Slumdog has been pretty much unstoppable throughout the awards season, even picking up the undeserved top honor at the SAG Awards, and has never fallen from its position of frontrunner since it took the lead months ago. Yet last week, the internet was populated by talk of a Slumdog backlash, and for the first time in weeks, other Best Picture candidates were seriously being discussed as slightly plausible victors. The two titles considered most likely to be a threat to Boyle’s film are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Milk, with little concern for either Frost/Nixon or The Reader. However, while the former candidate is probably a sure thing to lose, the latter film should not yet be dismissed. Before the Academy Award nominations were announced last month, The Reader wasn’t even thought to be a contender for any major category except Best Supporting Actress. Now, among its five nominations, it’s up for three higher-tiered Oscars, including Best Picture. So, we can’t rightly continue underestimating its potential. This isn’t to say that we are predicting The Reader to win Best Picture; Slumdog is still the safest bet for the top prize. But odds for The Reader do need to be adjusted, as its chances are a lot closer to, if not better than, secondary favorites Benjamin Button and Milk. Of course, as the it stands now, the film should be an appealing choice for any gamblers out there, because a surprise Best Picture win for The Reader would pay out big time. So, our immediate apologies to betters if the following seven factors have any influence on professional oddsmakers out there. The Cancel-Out Factor Let’s begin with the simplest argument, which has also been used recently as evidence that Milk’s chances for the top award have gone up: Whether due to a backlash or not, Slumdog’s lead may be shortening, and Benjamin Button may be gaining. So, the two films could cancel each other out and The Reader, not Milk, could sneak forward. Or, to give Milk the same credit as others are giving it, the three favorites cancel each other out and The Reader makes an even greater leap forward. The Stephen Daldry Factor Now for the weakest, but not completely implausible argument: It’s clear the Academy loves Stephen Daldry, as they’ve nominated him for Best Director every time he’s made a movie. Unfortunately for him, there’s no way he’ll win his category this year, because no director has ever won the Oscar without at least being nominated for the DGA award. So, Boyle remains a lock for Best Director, but Daldry’s fans could try and make a serious push for the film to win Best Picture. It would be a somewhat ironic win, since Daldry’s first nomination came for a film that wasn’t even nominated for the top award (Billy Elliot). The Posthumous Oscars Factor (aka the Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella Factor) Thanks to a special exception the Academy made for The Reader, there are now three posthumous Oscar nominees. Heath Ledger is most definitely going to win Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Dark Knight, but what about Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella? The two are among The Reader’s four producers named to receive trophies if the film wins Best Picture. Academy members could consider this a year to pay special honor to the artists they’ve lost, and that would mean voting for two of their favorite filmmaking talents. On the other hand, though, with Pollack having previously won two Oscars (out of six nominations) and Minghella having previously won one (out of three nominations), it’s not as if the voters will feel as much of an obligation as they would if neither had been honored before. Still, never underestimate the power of the celebrity death cult. The Harvey Weinstein Factor It’s been awhile since Harvey’s heyday at the Oscars. While heading Miramax, he managed a couple surprise victories in the Best Picture category, and at the 2003 awards, Harvey actually had a connection to four of the five Best Picture nominees. He used to be known as someone not to be reckoned with when it came to his desire for Academy Awards. But it’s taken years for The Weinstein Co. to see one of its films in contention for the top prize. So, will Harvey once again show great influence over the Academy? According to Entertainment Weekly’s Dave Karger, Harvey’s been advised not to go crazy with the Oscar campaigning this year, partly for economic reasons and partly because his chances are considered low. But Karger thinks he’s still going to “go whole hog,” because “otherwise he wouldn’t be Harvey Weinstein.” And when Harvey goes whole hog, things like Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan happen. Seriously, there are already those who believe the whole Slumdog backlash thing was started by a certain “truth-and ethically challenged mogul” who would benefit from such a smear campaign. The Schindler’s List Factor As much as we all like to joke about the Academy’s Holocaust fetish, no Holocaust movie is a sure thing for Best Picture (especially if such a film is the one non-Harvey Weinstein-related nominee). But one Holocaust film in particular is the Academy’s pride and joy: Schindler’s List. If Slumdog Millionaire continues its awards season sweep, garnering top kudos from the WGA, the BAFTAs and finally the Oscars, it will actually become a more-honored film than Schindler’s List, which holds the current record for awards season domination. Unfortunately for Spielberg’s film, as noted by In Contention’s Kristopher Tapley, there were no BFCA or SAG ensemble awards back then. So, due to more opportunities, Slumdog could break the record rather unfairly. For Schindler’s List-loving members of the Academy, that might be an incentive to vote for The Reader, a fellow Holocaust film, instead of for Slumdog, which nobody could reasonably argue is better than the 1994 Best Picture-winner. The Tolerance Factor One of the major arguments in favor of Milk’s chances are that a Best Picture win for that film would make up for the Brokeback Mountain loss three years ago. And the Academy might vote for Milk in order to prove it is tolerant. But in a way, honoring Crash over Brokeback Mountain was a display of tolerance, only one that focused on race rather than sexual orientation. The Reader could be this year’s Crash, and not just because it’s one of the most critically hated Best Picture candidates in years. An argument against the aforementioned Schindler’s List Factor is that The Reader is almost like an anti-Holocaust film, because it attempts to make the audience sympathize with a concentration camp guard who slaughtered many Jewish prisoners. If the Academy should really feel the need to again prove its members are tolerant, honoring The Reader, which allegorically deals with Germany’s struggle to come to terms with its Nazi past, would be an even stronger display of this than would honoring a film focusing on gay rights. The again, the latter action may potentially be easier for some voters. The Surprise Factor Okay, this is actually the simplest argument: the Oscars are full of surprises. From Marisa Tomei’s out-numbered defeat of the British (and Australian) in 1992 to the shocking 1936 win by write-in candidate Hal Mohr to the unexpected Best Picture wins by non-frontrunners Chariots of Fire, Shakespeare in Love, Chicago and Crash (among others), the Academy should never be underestimated when it comes to their aim with monkey wrenches. So, the best reason not to dismiss The Reader in the Best Picture race is that all Oscars races are anyone’s game up until the envelopes are opened and the winners are named. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/30/40091.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/30/2009 1:00:46 PM
Body: It was shut out of the Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature, but Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, now playing in New York City, could easily inspire a Hollywood film about the life of its heroic subject. And that dramatic version could potentially garner multiple Academy Award nominations. It wouldn’t be the first time a figure documented in a nonfiction film was later portrayed in an Oscar-nominated movie. In fact, one of this year’s Best Picture contenders, Milk, is almost like a remake of the 1984 Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk. Actual dramatic remakes of documentaries include Werner Herzogs’ Rescue Dawn, which revisits the subject of his earlier nonfiction film Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Michael Caton-Jones’ Memphis Belle, which fictionalizes the story of William Wyler’s doc The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, and Martin Bell’s American Heart, which is loosely based on one of the subjects of his Oscar-nominated doc Streetwise. Also, the upcoming HBO dramatic film Grey Gardens was inspired by the Maysles brothers’ doc of the same name, and Hollywood has toyed with or announced remakes of the films The King of Kong, Murderball, Bra Boys and Sherman’s March. To carry on the tradition, we’ve selected nine nonfiction films in addition to Blessed is the Match that would make great dramatic features. Beyond the Call (2006) This little-seen documentary has played at a number of film festivals (I reviewed it at Tribeca) and seems to have been quite popular at each, yet it isn’t likely that it’ll ever come to a theater near you. It may never even be available for your Netflix queue. But you’ve just got to see the work of the three old men who call themselves Knightsbridge, even if it has to be in a fictionalized form. So pray that someone in Hollywood grabs onto their story, which is filled with dangerous humanitarian aid missions and lots of humor. According to the doc’s official synopsis, the film is “an Indiana Jones meets Mother Theresa adventure,” and that’s just the kind of tagline that would suit a summer blockbuster based on this true story. Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh (2008) One of the few Holocaust-related docs to not garner an Academy Award nomination, Roberta Grossman’s film is about Hannah Senesh, a Jewish poet who became part of a dangerous rescue mission to save Hungarian Jews and was eventually caught, tortured and executed by the Nazis. A dramatic film, which would be far more Hollywoodized than the doc’s re-enactment scenes, might be like a cross between Oscar-nominated films Defiance and Sophie Scholl – The Final Days. Brother’s Keeper (1992) Fratricide has made for great stories, from The Bible onward, but mainstream audiences may not run out to see a movie based on Brother’s Keeper, even if it does hold onto the Biblically influenced title. However, while homosexual incest and illiterate old country folk are difficult subjects to sell to moviegoers, murder mysteries will always fascinate people, and anyway the story of the Ward brothers could be more like a male Grey Gardens meets Capote than a dark, depressing drama that would only appeal to Sundance crowds. Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker (1992) Now that the life of Harvey Milk has been turned into an Oscar-nominated dramatic feature, Hollywood should take on a biopic about Dr. Evelyn Hooker, whose life and work are depicted in this Oscar-nominated documentary from Richard Schmiechen (who also won an Oscar for producing The Times of Harvey Milk). Hooker’s research in the 1950s led to the discovery that homosexuality is not a disease. And subsequent study and activism resulted in the eventual removal, in 1974, of homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental disorders. A remake of Changing Our Minds would be like a cross between Milk and Kinsey. (note: the video above is not from Changing Our Minds, but is the best available alternative I have to present a clip of Hooker). Crazy Love (2007) In the typical Hollywood romance, female audiences see the same old reinforced fantasy about finding a man: while most guys lie, cheat, etc., there are Prince Charmings out there. Well, a dramatized version of Crazy Love might be the perfect romantic comedy for men to drag their girlfriends to. No, not to show them that they’d better not leave or they’ll get acid in the face. Rather, to say, “Look, no matter what I do, at least I’m not the kinda guy who blinds and disfigures the love of his life.” (Or, in other words, a lie to your face is not as bad as lye in your face.) Besides the appeal to boys who will be boys, however, a romantic comedy in which the couple meet, fall in love, are separated when the guy goes to prison for having the girl crippled, are reunited many years later, and eventually marry, is just crazy enough to hit a chord with moviegoers tired of the usual Renee Zellweger/Reese Witherspoon/Drew Barrymore crap. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) In her review of this documentary, Karina writes that it “sets up a foundation which it knows it’s going to pull out from under us, and that makes it every bit as emotionally manipulative as a studio film.” Perfect, the film already offers Hollywood a structure for the dramatic version. Other than that, though, the remake would potentially focus on Shirley Turner, who murdered her boyfriend and then gave birth to his child, rather than on the character of Kurt Kuenne, who documents the story in the original. Then again, it could stick with Kuenne, and, though not be as personal as the nonfiction film, might be along the lines of an investigative drama, such as Zodiac. Either way, due to his name appearing in Karina’s review, M. Night Shyamalan has to direct it. Deliver Us from Evil (2006) With Doubt a big success as far as Oscar nominations go (if not as far as box office is concerned), it might be an okay time for Hollywood to make a film that’s more directly focused on the subject of pedophilic priests. It could hardly make less money than Doubt, and if a great actor were to portray Father O’Grady, it could be as popular with the Academy, which already nominated the original film for Best Documentary Feature. Golden Venture (2006) Another little-seen documentary that played Tribeca a few years ago (I reviewed the film then), Golden Venture depicts a failed attempt at an illegal alien smuggling operation and its aftermath. In its first ten minutes, the film offers enough action involving a sea voyage from China to New York City, during which there was mutiny, gang violence and ultimately a Coast Guard rescue, that a dramatic version might not even have time to get to the aftermath part. But as much as turning the doc into an action movie could work, the more interesting stuff relating to immigration and population control should be integrated, too. Like the original film, the dramatized version could separately follow the paths of four characters, each of whom has a different outcome. Tim Robbins, who narrated the doc, could direct it. Street Fight (2005) Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s name has been tossed about on news channels over the past few months due to his similarities with newly elected President Barack Obama. So, considering entertainment magazines predict the new administration will have an effect on pop culture, why not honor that idea by making a dramatic film about Booker’s battle with incumbent Sharpe James for City Hall. It would be a little like Milk, only without the gay rights angle or the tragic ending. And to make it more crowd-pleasing than Marshall Curry’s doc, the new movie wouldn’t end with Booker’s loss in 2002 but would see him all the way to the Mayor’s office in 2006. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) Hollywood has never tired of boxing movies and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so it’s amazing that no studio has tackled an official biopic about Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World. Sure, there’s The Great White Hope, which is somewhat based on Johnson’s life. And sure, if people want the truth they can check out this doc from Ken Burns (or, if it’s ever released on video, the earlier Oscar-nominated film Jack Johnson). But again, Hollywood never tires of boxing movies, and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so perhaps it’s just a matter of time before we see this story dramatized for real. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:00:46 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/30/2009 1:00:46 PMIt was shut out of the Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature, but Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, now playing in New York City, could easily inspire a Hollywood film about the life of its heroic subject. And that dramatic version could potentially garner multiple Academy Award nominations. It wouldn’t be the first time a figure documented in a nonfiction film was later portrayed in an Oscar-nominated movie. In fact, one of this year’s Best Picture contenders, Milk, is almost like a remake of the 1984 Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk. Actual dramatic remakes of documentaries include Werner Herzogs’ Rescue Dawn, which revisits the subject of his earlier nonfiction film Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Michael Caton-Jones’ Memphis Belle, which fictionalizes the story of William Wyler’s doc The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, and Martin Bell’s American Heart, which is loosely based on one of the subjects of his Oscar-nominated doc Streetwise. Also, the upcoming HBO dramatic film Grey Gardens was inspired by the Maysles brothers’ doc of the same name, and Hollywood has toyed with or announced remakes of the films The King of Kong, Murderball, Bra Boys and Sherman’s March. To carry on the tradition, we’ve selected nine nonfiction films in addition to Blessed is the Match that would make great dramatic features. Beyond the Call (2006) This little-seen documentary has played at a number of film festivals (I reviewed it at Tribeca) and seems to have been quite popular at each, yet it isn’t likely that it’ll ever come to a theater near you. It may never even be available for your Netflix queue. But you’ve just got to see the work of the three old men who call themselves Knightsbridge, even if it has to be in a fictionalized form. So pray that someone in Hollywood grabs onto their story, which is filled with dangerous humanitarian aid missions and lots of humor. According to the doc’s official synopsis, the film is “an Indiana Jones meets Mother Theresa adventure,” and that’s just the kind of tagline that would suit a summer blockbuster based on this true story. Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh (2008) One of the few Holocaust-related docs to not garner an Academy Award nomination, Roberta Grossman’s film is about Hannah Senesh, a Jewish poet who became part of a dangerous rescue mission to save Hungarian Jews and was eventually caught, tortured and executed by the Nazis. A dramatic film, which would be far more Hollywoodized than the doc’s re-enactment scenes, might be like a cross between Oscar-nominated films Defiance and Sophie Scholl – The Final Days. Brother’s Keeper (1992) Fratricide has made for great stories, from The Bible onward, but mainstream audiences may not run out to see a movie based on Brother’s Keeper, even if it does hold onto the Biblically influenced title. However, while homosexual incest and illiterate old country folk are difficult subjects to sell to moviegoers, murder mysteries will always fascinate people, and anyway the story of the Ward brothers could be more like a male Grey Gardens meets Capote than a dark, depressing drama that would only appeal to Sundance crowds. Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker (1992) Now that the life of Harvey Milk has been turned into an Oscar-nominated dramatic feature, Hollywood should take on a biopic about Dr. Evelyn Hooker, whose life and work are depicted in this Oscar-nominated documentary from Richard Schmiechen (who also won an Oscar for producing The Times of Harvey Milk). Hooker’s research in the 1950s led to the discovery that homosexuality is not a disease. And subsequent study and activism resulted in the eventual removal, in 1974, of homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental disorders. A remake of Changing Our Minds would be like a cross between Milk and Kinsey. (note: the video above is not from Changing Our Minds, but is the best available alternative I have to present a clip of Hooker). Crazy Love (2007) In the typical Hollywood romance, female audiences see the same old reinforced fantasy about finding a man: while most guys lie, cheat, etc., there are Prince Charmings out there. Well, a dramatized version of Crazy Love might be the perfect romantic comedy for men to drag their girlfriends to. No, not to show them that they’d better not leave or they’ll get acid in the face. Rather, to say, “Look, no matter what I do, at least I’m not the kinda guy who blinds and disfigures the love of his life.” (Or, in other words, a lie to your face is not as bad as lye in your face.) Besides the appeal to boys who will be boys, however, a romantic comedy in which the couple meet, fall in love, are separated when the guy goes to prison for having the girl crippled, are reunited many years later, and eventually marry, is just crazy enough to hit a chord with moviegoers tired of the usual Renee Zellweger/Reese Witherspoon/Drew Barrymore crap. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) In her review of this documentary, Karina writes that it “sets up a foundation which it knows it’s going to pull out from under us, and that makes it every bit as emotionally manipulative as a studio film.” Perfect, the film already offers Hollywood a structure for the dramatic version. Other than that, though, the remake would potentially focus on Shirley Turner, who murdered her boyfriend and then gave birth to his child, rather than on the character of Kurt Kuenne, who documents the story in the original. Then again, it could stick with Kuenne, and, though not be as personal as the nonfiction film, might be along the lines of an investigative drama, such as Zodiac. Either way, due to his name appearing in Karina’s review, M. Night Shyamalan has to direct it. Deliver Us from Evil (2006) With Doubt a big success as far as Oscar nominations go (if not as far as box office is concerned), it might be an okay time for Hollywood to make a film that’s more directly focused on the subject of pedophilic priests. It could hardly make less money than Doubt, and if a great actor were to portray Father O’Grady, it could be as popular with the Academy, which already nominated the original film for Best Documentary Feature. Golden Venture (2006) Another little-seen documentary that played Tribeca a few years ago (I reviewed the film then), Golden Venture depicts a failed attempt at an illegal alien smuggling operation and its aftermath. In its first ten minutes, the film offers enough action involving a sea voyage from China to New York City, during which there was mutiny, gang violence and ultimately a Coast Guard rescue, that a dramatic version might not even have time to get to the aftermath part. But as much as turning the doc into an action movie could work, the more interesting stuff relating to immigration and population control should be integrated, too. Like the original film, the dramatized version could separately follow the paths of four characters, each of whom has a different outcome. Tim Robbins, who narrated the doc, could direct it. Street Fight (2005) Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s name has been tossed about on news channels over the past few months due to his similarities with newly elected President Barack Obama. So, considering entertainment magazines predict the new administration will have an effect on pop culture, why not honor that idea by making a dramatic film about Booker’s battle with incumbent Sharpe James for City Hall. It would be a little like Milk, only without the gay rights angle or the tragic ending. And to make it more crowd-pleasing than Marshall Curry’s doc, the new movie wouldn’t end with Booker’s loss in 2002 but would see him all the way to the Mayor’s office in 2006. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) Hollywood has never tired of boxing movies and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so it’s amazing that no studio has tackled an official biopic about Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World. Sure, there’s The Great White Hope, which is somewhat based on Johnson’s life. And sure, if people want the truth they can check out this doc from Ken Burns (or, if it’s ever released on video, the earlier Oscar-nominated film Jack Johnson). But again, Hollywood never tires of boxing movies, and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so perhaps it’s just a matter of time before we see this story dramatized for real. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/30/40080.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/30/2009 9:01:16 AM
Body: …And the Oscar for most sorrowful face goes to… Mickey Rourke! Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler grabbed our heart, slammed it to the mat, and showered it with tears. But does Mickey Rourke’s resurrection have what it takes to beat Sean Penn’s transformation in Milk? Karina gives an update about IFC’s Festival Direct, a way to be among the first to see new indie films even if you can’t spring for a festival pass. Also, an odd run-in with Steven Soderbergh, who may or may not have a bone to pick with our intrepid blogger. We debate which is the most absurd piece of Che merchandise sent in by listeners, and respond to feedback about usefulness of subjecting terrible, exploitative horror movies to the rigors of film criticism. (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 2:05 - Absurd Che merchandise 9:42 - Listener response regarding horror and film criticism 15:30 - The Wrestler 35:58 - Karina on IFC, Che filmcouch-106 Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:01:16 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/30/2009 9:01:16 AM …And the Oscar for most sorrowful face goes to… Mickey Rourke! Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler grabbed our heart, slammed it to the mat, and showered it with tears. But does Mickey Rourke’s resurrection have what it takes to beat Sean Penn’s transformation in Milk? Karina gives an update about IFC’s Festival Direct, a way to be among the first to see new indie films even if you can’t spring for a festival pass. Also, an odd run-in with Steven Soderbergh, who may or may not have a bone to pick with our intrepid blogger. We debate which is the most absurd piece of Che merchandise sent in by listeners, and respond to feedback about usefulness of subjecting terrible, exploitative horror movies to the rigors of film criticism. (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 2:05 - Absurd Che merchandise 9:42 - Listener response regarding horror and film criticism 15:30 - The Wrestler 35:58 - Karina on IFC, Che filmcouch-106 Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/24/39866.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/24/2009 3:00:56 PM
Body: Move over Milk. I Love You Phillip Morris does the gay rights movement one better, using in-your-face comedy and mainstream casting to defuse whatever anxiety the Heartland might have with guy-guy relationships — the irony being that this outrageous conman comedy from Bad Santa scribes Glenn Ficarra and John Requa was originally supposed to be directed by none other than Gus Van Sant. When Van Sant dropped out, the writers stepped in to shoot their own screenplay, resulting in a first-time film that feels more polished and professional than 90% of the studio comedies in theaters these days. It helps that Ficarra and Requa went in with a proper script, an ingredient too frequently missing in Judd Apatow and Adam McKay’s improv-happy method, where a cocktail napkin sketch of a plot seems to be all the team needs. No doubt Ficarra and Requa allowed their leads, Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor, a certain flexibility in interpreting their parts, but it’s refreshing to find a comedy that cuts together, where one scene sets up the next and ideas planted early in the film pay off for bigger laughs later on. The final gag, which shows an unmistakably phallic-shaped cloud, completes a joke set up in first-act flashbacks to Steven Jay Russell’s childhood. Who is this Russell fella? He’s a Virginia/Florida/Texas con-man who, over the course of the movie, works as a cop for a few years, has a daughter by a good Christian woman, gets mixed up with the law, goes to jail and meets the love of his life, a man named Phillip Morris (yes, like the cigarettes). When Russell’s sentence ends, he poses as a lawyer and springs Morris from prison before his penchant for criminal deception lands them both in the slammer all over again. Only the most twisted comedy writers could dream up such a plot, but Ficarra and Requa didn’t have to. It all happened. Well, probably not quite like this, but something tells me the facts were probably even more outrageous. Now, take a minute and try to imagine what Gus Van Sant would have done with the material. For the life of me, I can’t picture it. It’s all about tone, and I Love You Phillip Morris depends on the trickiest of balancing acts. Even getting a performance like this from Jim Carrey, who manages to play it along the lines of his Man on the Moon Andy Kaufman persona (cocky, charming, a little crazy, but free from the bug-eyed bellowing and sad-clown shtick that sometimes creeps into the actor’s bipolar acting history). It sets up a world in which a well-adjusted family man can be seen tucking his daughter into bed or patiently praying with his wife one minute, then going doggy-style on some dude in a hotel room the next, with nothing more than a voice-overed “Did I forget to mention I’m gay?” to help audiences cope with the record-screech revelation. Everything hinges on that moment. Ficarra and Requa could’ve introduced the idea in a million ways — with Russell cruising someone in the produce department or tapping his feet in an airport bathroom — but they go all the way, with a burly trucker type screaming “Do it, come in my ass!”, and Carrey obliging. Progressive and/or desensitized viewers will surely hate the scene, wishing for a little subtlety, but in this day and age, the only way to sell a gay sex scene is through comedy, and the I Love You Phillip Morris team isn’t content to settle for some respectable rutting (a la Brokeback Mountain) or tasteful displays of public affection (the way Milk does it, downplaying the “sexuality” in “homosexuality”). Russell probably didn’t have the kind of sex this scene implies –– nor do most gay men –– but by cutting straight to the extreme, Ficarra and Requa inoculate the squeamish. After all, being offensive is easy (catch any episode of Family Guy, and you’ll witness “how far can we go?” humor in practice), but it takes a special gift to be as strategic about button-pushing as I Love You Phillip Morris is. Take an off-hand scene in which Russell begins his first day on a new job (he’s conned his way in to a CFO position with a major financial company) and he asks his black assistant for coffee: “I’ll do that today,” the poised young lady replies, “but I don’t do that really.” With that fleeting exchange, the screenwriters widen the net, playing once again on the characters’ and audiences’ stereotypes. The next time we see Russell at work, he has a new assistant, this time a flaming gay man, because the world is backwards, and progress doesn’t happen overnight. For most of the movie, Russell’s homosexuality is just one more trait in the character’s quiver, which is the kind of ideal depiction GLAAD is always going on about, but I Love You Phillip Morris is actually stronger when the movie is making a big deal of the relationship. Who can possibly resist the stretch in which Russell falls for McGregor’s wide-eyed Southern boy in prison? But as soon as they’re both on the outside, the focus shifts to a more straightforward con-man movie — still twice as entertaining as Catch Me If You Can (not to mention such superficially similar Carrey comedies as Liar Liar), and yet a little light on the relationship plot that planted the audience’s butts in the seats in the first place. “Is the gay thing and stealing something that goes hand in hand?” Leslie Mann (playing Russell’s religious wife) asks early on, perfectly summing up the perception the movie hopes to correct. It’s not easy to get audiences to root for a gay relationship involving a character they otherwise disapprove of, but I Love You Phillip Morris pulls it off, not by offending everyone in sight (the prevailing tactic in un-P.C. comedies), but by showing it’s OK to laugh at such things. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:00:56 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/24/2009 3:00:56 PMMove over Milk. I Love You Phillip Morris does the gay rights movement one better, using in-your-face comedy and mainstream casting to defuse whatever anxiety the Heartland might have with guy-guy relationships — the irony being that this outrageous conman comedy from Bad Santa scribes Glenn Ficarra and John Requa was originally supposed to be directed by none other than Gus Van Sant. When Van Sant dropped out, the writers stepped in to shoot their own screenplay, resulting in a first-time film that feels more polished and professional than 90% of the studio comedies in theaters these days. It helps that Ficarra and Requa went in with a proper script, an ingredient too frequently missing in Judd Apatow and Adam McKay’s improv-happy method, where a cocktail napkin sketch of a plot seems to be all the team needs. No doubt Ficarra and Requa allowed their leads, Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor, a certain flexibility in interpreting their parts, but it’s refreshing to find a comedy that cuts together, where one scene sets up the next and ideas planted early in the film pay off for bigger laughs later on. The final gag, which shows an unmistakably phallic-shaped cloud, completes a joke set up in first-act flashbacks to Steven Jay Russell’s childhood. Who is this Russell fella? He’s a Virginia/Florida/Texas con-man who, over the course of the movie, works as a cop for a few years, has a daughter by a good Christian woman, gets mixed up with the law, goes to jail and meets the love of his life, a man named Phillip Morris (yes, like the cigarettes). When Russell’s sentence ends, he poses as a lawyer and springs Morris from prison before his penchant for criminal deception lands them both in the slammer all over again. Only the most twisted comedy writers could dream up such a plot, but Ficarra and Requa didn’t have to. It all happened. Well, probably not quite like this, but something tells me the facts were probably even more outrageous. Now, take a minute and try to imagine what Gus Van Sant would have done with the material. For the life of me, I can’t picture it. It’s all about tone, and I Love You Phillip Morris depends on the trickiest of balancing acts. Even getting a performance like this from Jim Carrey, who manages to play it along the lines of his Man on the Moon Andy Kaufman persona (cocky, charming, a little crazy, but free from the bug-eyed bellowing and sad-clown shtick that sometimes creeps into the actor’s bipolar acting history). It sets up a world in which a well-adjusted family man can be seen tucking his daughter into bed or patiently praying with his wife one minute, then going doggy-style on some dude in a hotel room the next, with nothing more than a voice-overed “Did I forget to mention I’m gay?” to help audiences cope with the record-screech revelation. Everything hinges on that moment. Ficarra and Requa could’ve introduced the idea in a million ways — with Russell cruising someone in the produce department or tapping his feet in an airport bathroom — but they go all the way, with a burly trucker type screaming “Do it, come in my ass!”, and Carrey obliging. Progressive and/or desensitized viewers will surely hate the scene, wishing for a little subtlety, but in this day and age, the only way to sell a gay sex scene is through comedy, and the I Love You Phillip Morris team isn’t content to settle for some respectable rutting (a la Brokeback Mountain) or tasteful displays of public affection (the way Milk does it, downplaying the “sexuality” in “homosexuality”). Russell probably didn’t have the kind of sex this scene implies –– nor do most gay men –– but by cutting straight to the extreme, Ficarra and Requa inoculate the squeamish. After all, being offensive is easy (catch any episode of Family Guy, and you’ll witness “how far can we go?” humor in practice), but it takes a special gift to be as strategic about button-pushing as I Love You Phillip Morris is. Take an off-hand scene in which Russell begins his first day on a new job (he’s conned his way in to a CFO position with a major financial company) and he asks his black assistant for coffee: “I’ll do that today,” the poised young lady replies, “but I don’t do that really.” With that fleeting exchange, the screenwriters widen the net, playing once again on the characters’ and audiences’ stereotypes. The next time we see Russell at work, he has a new assistant, this time a flaming gay man, because the world is backwards, and progress doesn’t happen overnight. For most of the movie, Russell’s homosexuality is just one more trait in the character’s quiver, which is the kind of ideal depiction GLAAD is always going on about, but I Love You Phillip Morris is actually stronger when the movie is making a big deal of the relationship. Who can possibly resist the stretch in which Russell falls for McGregor’s wide-eyed Southern boy in prison? But as soon as they’re both on the outside, the focus shifts to a more straightforward con-man movie — still twice as entertaining as Catch Me If You Can (not to mention such superficially similar Carrey comedies as Liar Liar), and yet a little light on the relationship plot that planted the audience’s butts in the seats in the first place. “Is the gay thing and stealing something that goes hand in hand?” Leslie Mann (playing Russell’s religious wife) asks early on, perfectly summing up the perception the movie hopes to correct. It’s not easy to get audiences to root for a gay relationship involving a character they otherwise disapprove of, but I Love You Phillip Morris pulls it off, not by offending everyone in sight (the prevailing tactic in un-P.C. comedies), but by showing it’s OK to laugh at such things. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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