list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Choke 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/Choke/361735/default.aspx Title: Choke
Year: 2008
Director: Clark Gregg
Plot: Victor Mancini (Sam Rockwell) has got some problems -- when he's not haunting sexual-addiction meetings to bed women, he masquerades as a choking victim in restaurants to gather money from unsuspecting strangers for his ailing mother (Anjelica Huston). But what happens when this messed up Colonial-era theme-park attendant finds Mrs. Right in the guise of his mother's doctor -- and how is he to tell her that he fears he is the next coming of Jesus Christ? Based on Chuck Palahniuk's (Fight Club) pitch-black comedic novel, Choke is adapted and directed by David Mamet alumni Clark Gregg, whose career spans stage, screen, and TV work as well as a screenplay credit for Robert Zemeckis's 2000 thriller What Lies Beneath. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 29
Number of Lists: 15
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 4
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:52:29 GMTChoke2008Clark GreggVictor Mancini (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____60946/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sam Rockwell</a>) has got some problems -- when he's not haunting sexual-addiction meetings to bed women, he masquerades as a choking victim in restaurants to gather money from unsuspecting strangers for his ailing mother (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____34131/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Anjelica Huston</a>). But what happens when this messed up Colonial-era theme-park attendant finds Mrs. Right in the guise of his mother's doctor -- and how is he to tell her that he fears he is the next coming of Jesus Christ? Based on Chuck Palahniuk's (<a href="http://www.spout.com/films/134821/detail.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Fight Club</a>) pitch-black comedic novel, Choke is adapted and directed by <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___100953/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Mamet</a> alumni <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____28638/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Clark Gregg</a>, whose career spans stage, screen, and TV work as well as a screenplay credit for <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___117906/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Zemeckis</a>'s 2000 thriller <a href="http://www.spout.com/films/140804/detail.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>What Lies Beneath</a>. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide29Tag Target (>10)15643http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s361735.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Choke/361735/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_March_30_Strippers/625/41415/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 4/2/2009 3:52:29 PM
Body: Well, since it appears I picked another topic that nobody wants to talk about I'll just have to do the talking. Not the greatest movie ever made but a landmark film nonetheless, Showgirls made an impact by being one of the few NC-17 films to get a wide theatrical release. And of course it turned the innocent bookworm Jesse Spano from Saved By The Bell into a knife wielding nymphomaniac stripper. Another film that made a big splash was Striptease. Demi Moore showed just how good a mother in her thirties can look by exposing her recently enhanced assets to the world. Jessica Alba helped increase sales of chaps and lassos in Sin City. Natalie Portman showed up those critics of her work in the Star Wars prequels by showing some skin in Closer. Not the best adaptation of a Chuck Palahniuk novel, but Choke does have a number of choice scenes, one of which involving the main characters predilection for strip clubs. After remarking to one of the exotic dancers that blondes have a higher chance of skin cancer and that one of her moles should get checked out, said stripper returns next time with her hair dyed brown and thanks him for telling her the thing about blondes. Ha ha ha. Pecker taught me what muff and tea-bagging was. Thanks John Waters! And lastly, Gilda with Rita Hayworth showing just how sexy stripping can be without removing hardly any clothes at all.
]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:52:29 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme4/2/2009 3:52:29 PMWell, since it appears I picked another topic that nobody wants to talk about I'll just have to do the talking. Not the greatest movie ever made but a landmark film nonetheless, Showgirls made an impact by being one of the few NC-17 films to get a wide theatrical release. And of course it turned the innocent bookworm Jesse Spano from Saved By The Bell into a knife wielding nymphomaniac stripper. Another film that made a big splash was Striptease. Demi Moore showed just how good a mother in her thirties can look by exposing her recently enhanced assets to the world. Jessica Alba helped increase sales of chaps and lassos in Sin City. Natalie Portman showed up those critics of her work in the Star Wars prequels by showing some skin in Closer. Not the best adaptation of a Chuck Palahniuk novel, but Choke does have a number of choice scenes, one of which involving the main characters predilection for strip clubs. After remarking to one of the exotic dancers that blondes have a higher chance of skin cancer and that one of her moles should get checked out, said stripper returns next time with her hair dyed brown and thanks him for telling her the thing about blondes. Ha ha ha. Pecker taught me what muff and tea-bagging was. Thanks John Waters! And lastly, Gilda with Rita Hayworth showing just how sexy stripping can be without removing hardly any clothes at all. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Week_of_2_20_fashion_cheerleaders_prison_an/216/40484/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 2/16/2009 3:10:31 PM
Body: NEW TO THEATRES 2/20 1. Madea Goes to Jail - Watch the trailer. Until today, I thought Tyler Perry's Madea was like a kooky update of Jim Varney's Ernest P. Worrell. (Considering Ernest Goes to Jail, can you blame me?) Then I started looking into Tyler Perry, and even though I don't think his movies are for me, he seems like a really interesting guy. Two quotes from him on Wikipedia really caught my eye: 1) "I know my audience, and they're not people that the studios know anything about." 2) "Did you know you can't say 'Jesus' in a sitcom? They told me that and I was like, You gotta be kiddin' me...God has been too good to me to go and try to sell out to get some money." I was impressed to learn that Tyler Perry's been writing plays since he was 18, and according to Wikipedia, by 2005 his plays earned $75 million in ticket sales! Who knew? Madea Goes to Jail itself was a stage play in 2006, and a filmed version has already appeared on DVD. Has anyone seen that? 2. Fired Up - Watch the trailer. Teen comedy, whooooooo! Two randy football players avoid summer football camp by becoming cheerleaders. 3. Eleven Minutes (limited) - Watch the trailer. A documentary about fashion designer Jay McCarroll trying to set up an independently-produced runway show. NEW TO DVD - 2/17 1. Quarantine - Watch the trailer. This one looked pretty thrilling to me. An inner city apartment building is subjected to a government quarantine, but what's infecting the victims? 2. Body of Lies - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this and didn't love it. Here's his review. 3. Choke - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist wasn't crazy about this one either, so maybe he's just a big fuddy-duddy. Listen to his review. 4. Changeling - Watch the trailer. This was getting a lot of Oscars buzz until everyone actually saw it. Oh well, Clint Eastwood made a winner with Gran Torino. 5. High School Musical 3 - Watch the trailer. Well, I'm sure that whatever this movie's supposed to do, it does it well. Does anyone else think 'Corbin Bleu' sounds like a gourmet meal? 6. Righteous Kill - Watch the trailer. Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro are in the same movie for only the third time. Since the first two movies were Godfather Pt. II and Heat, this third time is most definitely not 'a charm.' 7. Midnight Meat Train - Watch the trailer. Here's another dose of Bradley Cooper for everyone who's crushing (or man-crushing) on him from He's Just Not That Into You. Myself, I have a bit of a man-crush on the villain, who's played by tough-as-nails Vinnie Jones. 8. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Watch the trailer. Simon Pegg starts working for a pompous fashion magazine. Also stars Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges and Danny Huston -- all people I like. The movie didn't get very good reviews, though... I'm looking forward to Simon Pegg teaming up with Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz) again, and I'm glad he's playing Scotty in the new Star Trek movie.
]]>Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:10:31 GMTspoutComing Soon2/16/2009 3:10:31 PMNEW TO THEATRES 2/20 1. Madea Goes to Jail - Watch the trailer. Until today, I thought Tyler Perry's Madea was like a kooky update of Jim Varney's Ernest P. Worrell. (Considering Ernest Goes to Jail, can you blame me?) Then I started looking into Tyler Perry, and even though I don't think his movies are for me, he seems like a really interesting guy. Two quotes from him on Wikipedia really caught my eye: 1) "I know my audience, and they're not people that the studios know anything about." 2) "Did you know you can't say 'Jesus' in a sitcom? They told me that and I was like, You gotta be kiddin' me...God has been too good to me to go and try to sell out to get some money." I was impressed to learn that Tyler Perry's been writing plays since he was 18, and according to Wikipedia, by 2005 his plays earned $75 million in ticket sales! Who knew? Madea Goes to Jail itself was a stage play in 2006, and a filmed version has already appeared on DVD. Has anyone seen that? 2. Fired Up - Watch the trailer. Teen comedy, whooooooo! Two randy football players avoid summer football camp by becoming cheerleaders. 3. Eleven Minutes (limited) - Watch the trailer. A documentary about fashion designer Jay McCarroll trying to set up an independently-produced runway show. NEW TO DVD - 2/17 1. Quarantine - Watch the trailer. This one looked pretty thrilling to me. An inner city apartment building is subjected to a government quarantine, but what's infecting the victims? 2. Body of Lies - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this and didn't love it. Here's his review. 3. Choke - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist wasn't crazy about this one either, so maybe he's just a big fuddy-duddy. Listen to his review. 4. Changeling - Watch the trailer. This was getting a lot of Oscars buzz until everyone actually saw it. Oh well, Clint Eastwood made a winner with Gran Torino. 5. High School Musical 3 - Watch the trailer. Well, I'm sure that whatever this movie's supposed to do, it does it well. Does anyone else think 'Corbin Bleu' sounds like a gourmet meal? 6. Righteous Kill - Watch the trailer. Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro are in the same movie for only the third time. Since the first two movies were Godfather Pt. II and Heat, this third time is most definitely not 'a charm.' 7. Midnight Meat Train - Watch the trailer. Here's another dose of Bradley Cooper for everyone who's crushing (or man-crushing) on him from He's Just Not That Into You. Myself, I have a bit of a man-crush on the villain, who's played by tough-as-nails Vinnie Jones. 8. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Watch the trailer. Simon Pegg starts working for a pompous fashion magazine. Also stars Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges and Danny Huston -- all people I like. The movie didn't get very good reviews, though... I'm looking forward to Simon Pegg teaming up with Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz) again, and I'm glad he's playing Scotty in the new Star Trek movie. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/17/38505.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/17/2008 6:00:27 PM
Body: One of the many things Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich did this week — instead of resigning from his position, as many people desired — was sign into law an increase on tax credits for films produced in his state. So, it should be only appropriate, and somewhat bittersweet, for the inevitable movie about his life and corruption hearings to be shot there. Now that we’ve got a location for the film, it’s time to cast the players in Blogojevich’s scandalous tale. The Washington Post has already published a list of possible actors to portray the lead (John Travolta, Sean Astin, Gary Cole, Stephen Baldwin, Tom Cruise, Ray Liotta, Charlie Sheen, Mike Myers and Steve Carrell), but more difficult than casting Blogojevich (see our pick below) is determining what other significant figures should be prominently featured. A straight biopic calls for way too many characters, so we’ve narrowed the film down to focus on just Blagojevich’s arrest and subsequent (forthcoming) trial. As always, if there’s another character to be included or another thespian suited to a role we’ve cast, chime in with a comment. Also, due to the fact that we’ve previously done posts about Barack Obama casting, let’s just assume that he’ll only be portrayed by a voice on the phone, a la Al Gore in Recount. Sam Rockwell as Governor Rod Blogojevich The perfect look-a-like casting choice would be former Attorney General Janet Reno, but Sam Rockwell (Frost/Nixon) is also a pretty close match. The actor has already played a lot of sleazy characters, including the lead role in Choke, for which he was recently named one of the “most offensive male characters” of 2008 by the Women Film Critics Circle. Rockwell also has experience portraying a conceited and delusional celebrity in George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. If that actor-director pair could link up again for this movie, Rockwell could certainly be looking at his first well-deserved Oscar nomination. Mary Lynn Rajskub as Patti Blogojevich Rockwell is a tad young for the role of Blogojevich, so it’s fair that we also aim younger in casting the actress to play Illinois’ First Lady. Few women are more perfect for the part than Mary Lynn Rajskub (TV’s 24), who is about 8 years Blogojevich’s junior, anyway. Talented for playing cranky and/or two-faced women (mainly we’re thinking of her character in Punch-Drunk Love), she would be excellent as the allegedly foul-mouthed wife of the Governor. Mario Van Peebles as U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. Fittingly the son of an important African American leader (though being an icon of black cinema is admittedly not quite the same as being an icon of the civil rights movement), Mario Van Peebles (Ali) is conversely too old to play this part, especially since Jackson looks a lot younger than he is. But he’s a great, underrated actor (too good for All My Children, that’s for sure) and he could easily pull off a portrayal of the congressman, who was one of the contenders for Barack Obama’s now-vacant Senate seat, and who has apparently been a longtime informant to feds regarding Blagojevich’s shady dealings. Martin Donovan as U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald One idea for the part of the federal prosecutor in this case is Richard “John Boy” Thomas. He does look a little more like Fitzgerald, but Martin Donovan (Saved!)  got the Irish-American thing going for him, and it would be more interesting to see if he can do the Brooklyn accent. Plus, Donovan often works with Mary-Louise Parker, who would be perfect for the part of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan if she were an included character in the film. Brian Cox (or Albert Finney) as Defense Attorney Ed Genson An immediate idea following a Google image search was to jokingly cast actor Kevin Scannell, who played wheelchair-bound lawyer “Gar Girard” in The Player. But as it turns out, contrary to most photos available on the web, Genson no longer has such a handicap. So, a more appropriate suggestion for the famously tough lawyer (often called “the bulldog of the court room”), who formerly won R. Kelly’s child-pornography trial and who will now defend Blagojevich, is The Bourne Identy’s Brian Cox (not ever called “the bulldog of cinema,” though he should be). Or, in the event that you too think he’s easily interchangeable with Cox, Albert Finney (The Bourne Ultimatum) would also be suitable. Whichever of the two is cast, he’ll have to either get Genson’s accent down or have his dialogue overdubbed by William Hurt. James Woods as Lt. Governor Pat Quinn He may not really look like Quinn, but James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi) is terrific at changing his appearance for Oscar-worthy supporting roles. This might not be a big enough part for an actor of his stature, but he’d be great at aping the wide-eyed expressions Quinn does when speaking publicly. Stanley Tucci as Antoin “Tony” Rezko It’s not certain yet if convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko will be involved in Blagojevich’s trial, though his testimonial would serve the prosecution well. If he is a major player, then Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada), with a puffy makeup job and fake mustache, should fill the role. Although Tucci is not Syrian like Rezko, he did once play a Middle Eastern assassin in The Pelican Brief. William Petersen as John Harris As Blagojevich’s former Chief of Staff, who resigned from his position after his joint arrest with the governor last week, William Petersen (TV’s CSI) would callback to his similar role as a political scandal figure in The Contender. “The Football” as Itself One of the harshest punishments for Blagojevich would be for the feds to deny the Governor his beloved hairbrush, which is nicknamed “The Football” (after a term used for the president’s possession of bomb codes). Then, producers of the Blagojevich film should purchase the item for a cameo appearance. Because, as the Governor would declare, there’s no substitute for it. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:00:27 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/17/2008 6:00:27 PMOne of the many things Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich did this week — instead of resigning from his position, as many people desired — was sign into law an increase on tax credits for films produced in his state. So, it should be only appropriate, and somewhat bittersweet, for the inevitable movie about his life and corruption hearings to be shot there. Now that we’ve got a location for the film, it’s time to cast the players in Blogojevich’s scandalous tale. The Washington Post has already published a list of possible actors to portray the lead (John Travolta, Sean Astin, Gary Cole, Stephen Baldwin, Tom Cruise, Ray Liotta, Charlie Sheen, Mike Myers and Steve Carrell), but more difficult than casting Blogojevich (see our pick below) is determining what other significant figures should be prominently featured. A straight biopic calls for way too many characters, so we’ve narrowed the film down to focus on just Blagojevich’s arrest and subsequent (forthcoming) trial. As always, if there’s another character to be included or another thespian suited to a role we’ve cast, chime in with a comment. Also, due to the fact that we’ve previously done posts about Barack Obama casting, let’s just assume that he’ll only be portrayed by a voice on the phone, a la Al Gore in Recount. Sam Rockwell as Governor Rod Blogojevich The perfect look-a-like casting choice would be former Attorney General Janet Reno, but Sam Rockwell (Frost/Nixon) is also a pretty close match. The actor has already played a lot of sleazy characters, including the lead role in Choke, for which he was recently named one of the “most offensive male characters” of 2008 by the Women Film Critics Circle. Rockwell also has experience portraying a conceited and delusional celebrity in George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. If that actor-director pair could link up again for this movie, Rockwell could certainly be looking at his first well-deserved Oscar nomination. Mary Lynn Rajskub as Patti Blogojevich Rockwell is a tad young for the role of Blogojevich, so it’s fair that we also aim younger in casting the actress to play Illinois’ First Lady. Few women are more perfect for the part than Mary Lynn Rajskub (TV’s 24), who is about 8 years Blogojevich’s junior, anyway. Talented for playing cranky and/or two-faced women (mainly we’re thinking of her character in Punch-Drunk Love), she would be excellent as the allegedly foul-mouthed wife of the Governor. Mario Van Peebles as U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. Fittingly the son of an important African American leader (though being an icon of black cinema is admittedly not quite the same as being an icon of the civil rights movement), Mario Van Peebles (Ali) is conversely too old to play this part, especially since Jackson looks a lot younger than he is. But he’s a great, underrated actor (too good for All My Children, that’s for sure) and he could easily pull off a portrayal of the congressman, who was one of the contenders for Barack Obama’s now-vacant Senate seat, and who has apparently been a longtime informant to feds regarding Blagojevich’s shady dealings. Martin Donovan as U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald One idea for the part of the federal prosecutor in this case is Richard “John Boy” Thomas. He does look a little more like Fitzgerald, but Martin Donovan (Saved!)  got the Irish-American thing going for him, and it would be more interesting to see if he can do the Brooklyn accent. Plus, Donovan often works with Mary-Louise Parker, who would be perfect for the part of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan if she were an included character in the film. Brian Cox (or Albert Finney) as Defense Attorney Ed Genson An immediate idea following a Google image search was to jokingly cast actor Kevin Scannell, who played wheelchair-bound lawyer “Gar Girard” in The Player. But as it turns out, contrary to most photos available on the web, Genson no longer has such a handicap. So, a more appropriate suggestion for the famously tough lawyer (often called “the bulldog of the court room”), who formerly won R. Kelly’s child-pornography trial and who will now defend Blagojevich, is The Bourne Identy’s Brian Cox (not ever called “the bulldog of cinema,” though he should be). Or, in the event that you too think he’s easily interchangeable with Cox, Albert Finney (The Bourne Ultimatum) would also be suitable. Whichever of the two is cast, he’ll have to either get Genson’s accent down or have his dialogue overdubbed by William Hurt. James Woods as Lt. Governor Pat Quinn He may not really look like Quinn, but James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi) is terrific at changing his appearance for Oscar-worthy supporting roles. This might not be a big enough part for an actor of his stature, but he’d be great at aping the wide-eyed expressions Quinn does when speaking publicly. Stanley Tucci as Antoin “Tony” Rezko It’s not certain yet if convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko will be involved in Blagojevich’s trial, though his testimonial would serve the prosecution well. If he is a major player, then Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada), with a puffy makeup job and fake mustache, should fill the role. Although Tucci is not Syrian like Rezko, he did once play a Middle Eastern assassin in The Pelican Brief. William Petersen as John Harris As Blagojevich’s former Chief of Staff, who resigned from his position after his joint arrest with the governor last week, William Petersen (TV’s CSI) would callback to his similar role as a political scandal figure in The Contender. “The Football” as Itself One of the harshest punishments for Blagojevich would be for the feds to deny the Governor his beloved hairbrush, which is nicknamed “The Football” (after a term used for the president’s possession of bomb codes). Then, producers of the Blagojevich film should purchase the item for a cameo appearance. Because, as the Governor would declare, there’s no substitute for it. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/10/30/36795.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/30/2008 11:01:00 AM
Body: Movie posters have become increasingly more controversial in the past decade, or else people have become a lot more sensitive. Either way, it seems like there’s a new and controversial movie poster or billboard being banned somewhere. Usually it’s for one of two reasons: sex or violence, with violence being far more popular. One of the first sexually banned posters I could find was 1981’s For Your Eyes Only, which featured an A-frame design that was banned. It wasn’t so much the vaginal roof as it was the exposed buttocks, so they had to release a retouched version that covered more derriere. It’s been more than 25 years since that poster was sent back to the drawing board, so why do posters keep getting banned? Marketing people know that controversy can turn into a marketing campaign of its own, so maybe they’re pushing the boundaries in the vein of “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” With that in mind, here’s a look at controversial movie posters from the past several years. Prepare your innocent eyes and take a look after the break. Click on thumbnails to see the full posters Zack And Miri Make A Porno Most people never would have even heard of this controversy if the MPAA hadn’t banned it right in the middle of the Toronto Film Festival. Which is even weirder because Canada didn’t have a problem with it. The image is more funny than offensive… and is it even offensive? As a result Kevin Smith came up with the stick figure drawings that you see everywhere now, which is a clever way to get around the censors and “stick” it to the MPAA. Now I’ve reached my bad pun quote for this post. Choke The poster for this Chuck Palahniuk adaptation not only cleverly combines the activity that XXX uses to solicit money from strangers, but it also comments on his obsession with sex and women. Plus, it recalls the cover of the famous June 1978 cover of Hustler magazine that featured a nude woman going into a meat grinder. Well, at least she has high heels on in the Choke poster. Wristcutters This poster caused controversy even before it was released, and had groups of parents protesting because they thought it glorified suicide. While I’m not sure how the image of a wrist with a red line through it on a yellow warning sign makes suicide look glamorous… but where were these poeple when M.A.S.H. decided to use “Suicide is Painless” for the theme song? For shame, protesters. Ali G Indahouse This poster was withdrawn in the United Kingdom after more than 100 people complained about it being viewable in public where kids could see it. Even though his hand covers more than most modern-day bikinis. It didn’t hurt the film though, it was ranked #1 in the UK when it was released. Despite that, the distribution company was told they’d have to have all of their posters pre-screened for the next two years. Ouch. Shoot ‘Em Up The UK also didn’t like two of the movie posters for Shoot ‘Em Up, saying that they glorified violence and the use of guns. Did they even see the movie, or anything involving a gun in the past umpteen years? Specifically, groups objected to the lines in Giamatti’s poster that read “Just another family man making a living.” Even though the distribution company argued that the guns weren’t pointed at the viewer, they still got yanked. Teeth Even X-ray images aren’t safe from censorship, as proven by the movie poster for Teeth. If you know what the film is about, then this poster makes a lot of sense (and is funny, to boot) but if you had no idea then this poster probably would make you more curious than concerned. Unless you’re an x-ray technician, in which case you normally see stuff like this. Captivity These billboards were yanked down in Los Angeles and removed from taxi tops in New York after the “wrong files were sent to the printer.” That sure is hard to swallow. You mean there’s no way to check or proof work between sending a file to a printer and then spotting it on an enormous billboard? Lionsgate blamed Distribution partner After Dark for the gaffe, went with the ant farm version, and they both went on to see the movie tank. I guess there is such a thing as bad publicity. Wanted Anti-violence struck again in the United Kingdom when it decided that posters for this Angelina Jolie / James McAvoy movie glorified violence. Again, it’s not just the depiction of guns, but also the slogan “Six weeks ago I was just like you… and then I met her… and my world was changed forever.” Apparently the British Advertising Standard Authority thought that meant life is better as a high-paid assassin, and not just getting to hang around with Angelina Jolie. Dying Breed Not to be outdone by the UK, Australia recently banned posters for this film from bus stands around the country. People that they were just a bit too graphic, and it probably isn’t the first thing you’d want to see on your way to lunch. Still, it’ll be visible in cinema foyers, online, and just about everywhere else. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:01:00 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/30/2008 11:01:00 AM Movie posters have become increasingly more controversial in the past decade, or else people have become a lot more sensitive. Either way, it seems like there’s a new and controversial movie poster or billboard being banned somewhere. Usually it’s for one of two reasons: sex or violence, with violence being far more popular. One of the first sexually banned posters I could find was 1981’s For Your Eyes Only, which featured an A-frame design that was banned. It wasn’t so much the vaginal roof as it was the exposed buttocks, so they had to release a retouched version that covered more derriere. It’s been more than 25 years since that poster was sent back to the drawing board, so why do posters keep getting banned? Marketing people know that controversy can turn into a marketing campaign of its own, so maybe they’re pushing the boundaries in the vein of “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” With that in mind, here’s a look at controversial movie posters from the past several years. Prepare your innocent eyes and take a look after the break. Click on thumbnails to see the full posters Zack And Miri Make A Porno Most people never would have even heard of this controversy if the MPAA hadn’t banned it right in the middle of the Toronto Film Festival. Which is even weirder because Canada didn’t have a problem with it. The image is more funny than offensive… and is it even offensive? As a result Kevin Smith came up with the stick figure drawings that you see everywhere now, which is a clever way to get around the censors and “stick” it to the MPAA. Now I’ve reached my bad pun quote for this post. Choke The poster for this Chuck Palahniuk adaptation not only cleverly combines the activity that XXX uses to solicit money from strangers, but it also comments on his obsession with sex and women. Plus, it recalls the cover of the famous June 1978 cover of Hustler magazine that featured a nude woman going into a meat grinder. Well, at least she has high heels on in the Choke poster. Wristcutters This poster caused controversy even before it was released, and had groups of parents protesting because they thought it glorified suicide. While I’m not sure how the image of a wrist with a red line through it on a yellow warning sign makes suicide look glamorous… but where were these poeple when M.A.S.H. decided to use “Suicide is Painless” for the theme song? For shame, protesters. Ali G Indahouse This poster was withdrawn in the United Kingdom after more than 100 people complained about it being viewable in public where kids could see it. Even though his hand covers more than most modern-day bikinis. It didn’t hurt the film though, it was ranked #1 in the UK when it was released. Despite that, the distribution company was told they’d have to have all of their posters pre-screened for the next two years. Ouch. Shoot ‘Em Up The UK also didn’t like two of the movie posters for Shoot ‘Em Up, saying that they glorified violence and the use of guns. Did they even see the movie, or anything involving a gun in the past umpteen years? Specifically, groups objected to the lines in Giamatti’s poster that read “Just another family man making a living.” Even though the distribution company argued that the guns weren’t pointed at the viewer, they still got yanked. Teeth Even X-ray images aren’t safe from censorship, as proven by the movie poster for Teeth. If you know what the film is about, then this poster makes a lot of sense (and is funny, to boot) but if you had no idea then this poster probably would make you more curious than concerned. Unless you’re an x-ray technician, in which case you normally see stuff like this. Captivity These billboards were yanked down in Los Angeles and removed from taxi tops in New York after the “wrong files were sent to the printer.” That sure is hard to swallow. You mean there’s no way to check or proof work between sending a file to a printer and then spotting it on an enormous billboard? Lionsgate blamed Distribution partner After Dark for the gaffe, went with the ant farm version, and they both went on to see the movie tank. I guess there is such a thing as bad publicity. Wanted Anti-violence struck again in the United Kingdom when it decided that posters for this Angelina Jolie / James McAvoy movie glorified violence. Again, it’s not just the depiction of guns, but also the slogan “Six weeks ago I was just like you… and then I met her… and my world was changed forever.” Apparently the British Advertising Standard Authority thought that meant life is better as a high-paid assassin, and not just getting to hang around with Angelina Jolie. Dying Breed Not to be outdone by the UK, Australia recently banned posters for this film from bus stands around the country. People that they were just a bit too graphic, and it probably isn’t the first thing you’d want to see on your way to lunch. Still, it’ll be visible in cinema foyers, online, and just about everywhere else. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/mercurial/archive/2008/9/26/35619.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: a filmblog
Post Date: 9/26/2008 6:24:50 PM
Body: Having read the novel in which Choke is eponymously titled and being nominally prone to sporadic bursts of laughter and the oft uncomfortable arousal of my naughty bits while digesting its contents, expectations of similar feelings while viewing the theatrical adaptation seemed reasonable. I hate being prone to optimism. A glaringly obvious first time attempt at directing - nothing more than a mishmash of fragmented characters and subplots: the only cohesion between scenes being the load of genetic material carelessly flung during the incalculably gratuitous, and increasingly malignant, sex scenes strewn throughout. Stick with the book.
]]>Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:24:50 GMTmercuriala filmblog9/26/2008 6:24:50 PMHaving read the novel in which Choke is eponymously titled and being nominally prone to sporadic bursts of laughter and the oft uncomfortable arousal of my naughty bits while digesting its contents, expectations of similar feelings while viewing the theatrical adaptation seemed reasonable. I hate being prone to optimism. A glaringly obvious first time attempt at directing - nothing more than a mishmash of fragmented characters and subplots: the only cohesion between scenes being the load of genetic material carelessly flung during the incalculably gratuitous, and increasingly malignant, sex scenes strewn throughout. Stick with the book. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/26/35570.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/26/2008 9:01:26 AM
Body: As the shit hits the fan on Wall St., a more gradual, but equally serious shake-up is happening in the world of independent film. Paul shares stories from Independent Film Week, a tumultuous clash of ideas about what the future of cinema sans Hollywood will look like. Karina checks in to tell us about Fantastic Fest. Along with alcohol, karaoke, and BBQ, she’s enjoyed the films Cargo 200 and Ex Drummer. Choke, the new film based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club), comes out tonight. Is this Sundance alum truly provocative cinema, or just the same old thing with some extra sex thrown in? (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, listener feedback, what independent film of yesteryear made the scales fall from your eyes? 6:23 - Independent Film Week, state of indie film. 18:44 - Karina shares tales from Fantastic Fest. 28:24 - Choke. filmcouch-89 Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:01:26 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/26/2008 9:01:26 AM As the shit hits the fan on Wall St., a more gradual, but equally serious shake-up is happening in the world of independent film. Paul shares stories from Independent Film Week, a tumultuous clash of ideas about what the future of cinema sans Hollywood will look like. Karina checks in to tell us about Fantastic Fest. Along with alcohol, karaoke, and BBQ, she’s enjoyed the films Cargo 200 and Ex Drummer. Choke, the new film based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club), comes out tonight. Is this Sundance alum truly provocative cinema, or just the same old thing with some extra sex thrown in? (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, listener feedback, what independent film of yesteryear made the scales fall from your eyes? 6:23 - Independent Film Week, state of indie film. 18:44 - Karina shares tales from Fantastic Fest. 28:24 - Choke. filmcouch-89 Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/24/35497.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/24/2008 2:00:55 PM
Body: Chuck Palahniuk, the author behind David Fincher’s Fight Club and Clark Gregg’s Choke, opening in theaters this Friday 9/26, pens intelligent, well-written junk food. I enjoy reading all his books, and even have a friend I nicknamed Brandy Alexander after the transgender lead character in Invisible Monsters, yet whenever someone asks me the plot of a particular novel that isn’t Invisible Monsters, I draw a blank. I mean, I’m certain I’ve read his books, just like I’m certain I ate dinner last Thursday, I just can’t tell you exactly what it was. So when I learned I had an email interview with the author himself scheduled I had to dig out my old copy of Choke and check the jacket. Ah, sex addicts who work at a fake Colonial village – how could I have forgotten? No matter. The writing is terrific. Palahniuk might be able to shed some light on the grander themes he seems to be addressing, from numb consumer culture to transgender issues to the difference between nonfiction “truth” versus “truth” in fiction, I reasoned. You see, I just couldn’t accept Choke on the same terms as a piece of well-made but empty entertainment like The Scorpion King, which worked because it didn’t overreach beyond what was necessary, tailored the script specifically to The Rock’s charming, self-deprecating personality and nothing more. I wanted to know why I always felt an important statement about society was being made in Palahniuk’s books. But after finally interviewing the author I got a strong sense that his working method is more akin to that of the car mechanic he was for years. As a writer he seems to take the same sort of Meyerhold biomechanics approach (“I saw a bear, I ran, I was afraid”) that I learned in acting school. In other words, through the physical, mechanical act of writing – and not reflection – he gets at a deeper truth. Which is deep in itself. Now if only I could remember what Rant was about… LW: Choke deals with sex addicts similarly to how Terry Southern treats bombshell virgins and porn stars - as social satire. In other words, there is very little that is “sexy” about your (or Southern’s) work. Sex is just another part of our numb consumer culture. Can you discuss this more? CP: Actually the sex in Choke — like the violence in Fight Club — is merely physical business for the characters, to keep their hands and feet busy while they say their dialogue. Otherwise, you just have talking heads, and I loathe that type of fiction. We adore films because the moving object is so hypnotic. Books can hold our attention with that same device. During the “Antidote Films vs. JT Leroy” lawsuit I started writing about the fine line between fiction and nonfiction – and does it even matter? As the author of a nonfiction memoir that was marketed as fiction I find this whole quest for “truth” absurd since there is no definitive “truth” – truth is always subjective. You write nonfiction as well, and your novels contain more elements of reality than certain historical documents (and there’s even the fake Colonial village in Choke). What is your take on this debate? There’s a world of difference between fiction which presents itself as such… and a person telephoning you at all hours, sobbing and claiming to be a child sex worker dying of AIDS. For hours, claiming to be crippled because he/she had been fisted so brutally by a sadistic john. Such a callous deception undermines all sympathy for and desire to help real people suffering in those circumstances. I jotted down this terrific quote from you right after Invisible Monsters came out: “Brandy Alexander doesn’t really want a sex change. And in a way, having it was the most important thing she could think to do, because it would destroy an identity that was being imposed upon her by society.” As a genderqueer person who defiantly refuses to conform to society’s “insides must match outsides” rule, I’ve always considered the notion of having a sex change kissing up to the mainstream, i.e., why is it my duty to make others feel comfortable? To say that transgender people are in the “wrong” bodies implies that there is such a thing as a “right” body. You also seem interested in this notion of “transcending” society’s dictates – Jesus has a big role in Choke – rather than conforming. Can you talk a bit about this and how it plays out in your work? Say, what? What is it like to have a character that’s been living in your head appear onscreen in flesh and blood form? Have there been actors who didn’t live up to your idea of the character or who exceeded your expectations? The trick is to not have expectations. Instead to allow the world to present itself and trust that everyone is doing their best. Sorry to sound so passive, but I’ve learned to control only what I can control: the original stories. What is it like to lose control of your story through the filmmaking process? It’s intoxicating, to be around people who love their work — are so passionate about their work — people who are so smart and diligent. It gets me high. God, this is what high school should’ve felt like. Are there certain actors or a particular director you dream of attaching to any filmed versions of your books? Sam Rockwell, always. Kate Beckinsale. Bette Davis. Louise Brooks. Ruth Gordon. Jack Webb, when he was younger. You did say ‘Dream.’ Are you interested in delving into screenwriting and/or directing? I also dream of flying and being invisible, but I’ve no talent at those skills, either. How has the process of turning Choke into a movie differed from that of Fight Club? David Mamet advised Clark Gregg to conduct a film set like a party. That a director should facilitate everyone to enjoy themselves. Clark had to film so much each day that the shooting never seemed to linger on any one scene. Filming Choke was more like a party, with a constantly changing focus for our attention. And excellent catering. Which writers do you look to for inspiration? Amy Hempel. Katherine Dunn. Denis Johnson. Irvine Welsh. Your writing has a strong sense of location. Much like Armistead Maupin could only be a San Franciscan, I would never mistake you for an east or west coast author. How important is residing in the Northwest to your work? Huh? I must be stumbling. My goal is always to avoid too specific a setting. Only my third book, Invisible Monsters, cites a city. By avoiding descriptions of place, and physical descriptions of characters, I allow readers to insert details from their own lives. Instead of description I concentrate on keeping everyone in action — fighting and fucking — so the plot escalates more quickly. Like everybody, I love Maupin, but setting a story in a specific city also excludes readers who live elsewhere. Verbs exclude no one. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:00:55 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/24/2008 2:00:55 PM Chuck Palahniuk, the author behind David Fincher’s Fight Club and Clark Gregg’s Choke, opening in theaters this Friday 9/26, pens intelligent, well-written junk food. I enjoy reading all his books, and even have a friend I nicknamed Brandy Alexander after the transgender lead character in Invisible Monsters, yet whenever someone asks me the plot of a particular novel that isn’t Invisible Monsters, I draw a blank. I mean, I’m certain I’ve read his books, just like I’m certain I ate dinner last Thursday, I just can’t tell you exactly what it was. So when I learned I had an email interview with the author himself scheduled I had to dig out my old copy of Choke and check the jacket. Ah, sex addicts who work at a fake Colonial village – how could I have forgotten? No matter. The writing is terrific. Palahniuk might be able to shed some light on the grander themes he seems to be addressing, from numb consumer culture to transgender issues to the difference between nonfiction “truth” versus “truth” in fiction, I reasoned. You see, I just couldn’t accept Choke on the same terms as a piece of well-made but empty entertainment like The Scorpion King, which worked because it didn’t overreach beyond what was necessary, tailored the script specifically to The Rock’s charming, self-deprecating personality and nothing more. I wanted to know why I always felt an important statement about society was being made in Palahniuk’s books. But after finally interviewing the author I got a strong sense that his working method is more akin to that of the car mechanic he was for years. As a writer he seems to take the same sort of Meyerhold biomechanics approach (“I saw a bear, I ran, I was afraid”) that I learned in acting school. In other words, through the physical, mechanical act of writing – and not reflection – he gets at a deeper truth. Which is deep in itself. Now if only I could remember what Rant was about… LW: Choke deals with sex addicts similarly to how Terry Southern treats bombshell virgins and porn stars - as social satire. In other words, there is very little that is “sexy” about your (or Southern’s) work. Sex is just another part of our numb consumer culture. Can you discuss this more? CP: Actually the sex in Choke — like the violence in Fight Club — is merely physical business for the characters, to keep their hands and feet busy while they say their dialogue. Otherwise, you just have talking heads, and I loathe that type of fiction. We adore films because the moving object is so hypnotic. Books can hold our attention with that same device. During the “Antidote Films vs. JT Leroy” lawsuit I started writing about the fine line between fiction and nonfiction – and does it even matter? As the author of a nonfiction memoir that was marketed as fiction I find this whole quest for “truth” absurd since there is no definitive “truth” – truth is always subjective. You write nonfiction as well, and your novels contain more elements of reality than certain historical documents (and there’s even the fake Colonial village in Choke). What is your take on this debate? There’s a world of difference between fiction which presents itself as such… and a person telephoning you at all hours, sobbing and claiming to be a child sex worker dying of AIDS. For hours, claiming to be crippled because he/she had been fisted so brutally by a sadistic john. Such a callous deception undermines all sympathy for and desire to help real people suffering in those circumstances. I jotted down this terrific quote from you right after Invisible Monsters came out: “Brandy Alexander doesn’t really want a sex change. And in a way, having it was the most important thing she could think to do, because it would destroy an identity that was being imposed upon her by society.” As a genderqueer person who defiantly refuses to conform to society’s “insides must match outsides” rule, I’ve always considered the notion of having a sex change kissing up to the mainstream, i.e., why is it my duty to make others feel comfortable? To say that transgender people are in the “wrong” bodies implies that there is such a thing as a “right” body. You also seem interested in this notion of “transcending” society’s dictates – Jesus has a big role in Choke – rather than conforming. Can you talk a bit about this and how it plays out in your work? Say, what? What is it like to have a character that’s been living in your head appear onscreen in flesh and blood form? Have there been actors who didn’t live up to your idea of the character or who exceeded your expectations? The trick is to not have expectations. Instead to allow the world to present itself and trust that everyone is doing their best. Sorry to sound so passive, but I’ve learned to control only what I can control: the original stories. What is it like to lose control of your story through the filmmaking process? It’s intoxicating, to be around people who love their work — are so passionate about their work — people who are so smart and diligent. It gets me high. God, this is what high school should’ve felt like. Are there certain actors or a particular director you dream of attaching to any filmed versions of your books? Sam Rockwell, always. Kate Beckinsale. Bette Davis. Louise Brooks. Ruth Gordon. Jack Webb, when he was younger. You did say ‘Dream.’ Are you interested in delving into screenwriting and/or directing? I also dream of flying and being invisible, but I’ve no talent at those skills, either. How has the process of turning Choke into a movie differed from that of Fight Club? David Mamet advised Clark Gregg to conduct a film set like a party. That a director should facilitate everyone to enjoy themselves. Clark had to film so much each day that the shooting never seemed to linger on any one scene. Filming Choke was more like a party, with a constantly changing focus for our attention. And excellent catering. Which writers do you look to for inspiration? Amy Hempel. Katherine Dunn. Denis Johnson. Irvine Welsh. Your writing has a strong sense of location. Much like Armistead Maupin could only be a San Franciscan, I would never mistake you for an east or west coast author. How important is residing in the Northwest to your work? Huh? I must be stumbling. My goal is always to avoid too specific a setting. Only my third book, Invisible Monsters, cites a city. By avoiding descriptions of place, and physical descriptions of characters, I allow readers to insert details from their own lives. Instead of description I concentrate on keeping everyone in action — fighting and fucking — so the plot escalates more quickly. Like everybody, I love Maupin, but setting a story in a specific city also excludes readers who live elsewhere. Verbs exclude no one. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/New_Movies_Week_of_9_26_Shia_LaBeouf_censorship/216/35395/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 9/22/2008 4:40:11 PM
Body: New Movies Week of 9/26 Eagle Eye Spout's giving away five Eagle Eye swag packages this week. Each package includes an Eagle Eye zip-up hoodie, t-shirt, and flash drive pen (which is total spy gear: a pen and a flash drive). Find out how to win. Eagle Eye makes the second Hitchcock-inspired flick from Shia LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso. Eagle Eye sounds a lot like The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Disturbia (was this good?) is a teen update of Rear Window. Would you like to see LaBeouf in another Hitchcock update? Would he make a good Norman Bates? I'll say this for the young man--he's starting to pull off being a sex sybol, with or without a crushed hand. (Sorry to hear about that Shia; it'll just make you more impressive, though.) Did anyone out there think he was the best part of Indiana Jones 4? "What is that? Oh, that's just a thing." Michelle Monaghan was good in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang but the chemistry between Robert Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer stole that show. Miracle at St. Anna It's a shame that Spike Lee's new movie isn't impressing anyone, because I think it looks really interesting. It made me realize I've never seen a WWII movie about an all-black "Buffalo Soldier" unit. Maybe that's because America prefers to think of themselves as the unambiguous good guys during WWII? Thoughts on this?Also, I haven't seen many Spike Lee movies but I really liked Inside Man. Nights in Rodanthe Diane Lane and Richard Gere in an adaptation from a Nicholas Sparks (Message in a Bottle, The Notebook). I like Diane Lane, she was great in that TV miniseries Lonesome Dove. It also stars Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, and the moral universe of it feels kind of like No Country for Old Men. Richard Gere on the other hand--sure he's good-looking, but otherwise I can't figure out the appeal. The only thing I've liked him in is the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There. Towelhead is in wide release now. Anyone seen this yet? I'm pretty interested. LIMITED RELEASE Blindness Wow, this sounds interesting to me: when a sudden plague of blindness strikes a city, the afflicted must band together to survive the cruel conditions of their quarantine. Starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, and Gael Garcia Bernal. This reminds me of that Stephen King TV miniseries The Stand, which I'm hoping and praying will come to DVD. Anyone remember it? I loved the crap out of it when I was 13, haven't seen it since. Choke I like Sam Rockwell, who stars in this adaptation of a Chuck Palahniuk novel. (Palahniuk also wrote Fight Club, which led to the rare case of a movie that surpasses the book.) Rockwell's charcter cruises at sex addict meetings and asks for handouts after pretending to choke in restaurants. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this flick at Toronto and he didn't like it very much. He and Paul will discuss it in FilmCouch #89 (which comes out 9/26.) Forever Strong When professional rugby player Rick Penning (Sean Faris, who's also in the Fight Club-in-high-school Never Back Down) is put behind bars, the warden (Sean Astin) gives Rick a choice: stay behind bars, or play for his long-time rival, Highland Rugby. Rick chooses the latter, and bonds with his new teammates. When Rick's released from prison and returns to his old team, he's given a difficult choice to make when his team faces Highland in the National Championship. Okay, it sounds kind of formulaic but I would totally see that. Fireproof Kirk Cameron plays a firefighter who can risk his life on the job, but can't save his marriage. This one's receiving heavy promotion from Christian radio station KLOV. Question for you guys: any good movies about people trying to salvage their marriage, and the marriage works out? The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela The tag line "Not your everyday fairy tale" seems pretty accurate: Queen Raquela is a Filipina transsexual prostitute searching for her prince on the internet. Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story Atwater was many things, and different things depending on who you talk to: rogue, political assassin, godfather of American politics (he mentored Karl Rove and George W. Bush). This documentary from Stefan Forbes tries to look at all the angles of a complicated, influential guy. Lucky Ones Three troubled Iraqi veterans take a road trip across the US. The vets are Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams (I love you, dream woman!) and Michael Pena. Whaledreamers Julian Lennon produced this documentary on the relationship between whales and a tribe of aborigines. Both the whales and people group are slowly disappearing. Lennon, Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush make appearances. Obscene Documentary on Barney Rosset, the influential publisher who battled censorship (he successfully published Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer after a long legal battle) and introduced American readers to the literature of Samuel Beckett, Tom Stoppard, Harold Pinter, and Eugene Ionesco, among others. He also owned a porno theater. Humboldt County An uptight med student bonds with his pot-loving new girlfriend. Interesting cast (including Fairuza Balk and Peter Bogdanovich), so it might be more interesting than it sounds.
]]>Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:40:11 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon9/22/2008 4:40:11 PMNew Movies Week of 9/26 Eagle Eye Spout's giving away five Eagle Eye swag packages this week. Each package includes an Eagle Eye zip-up hoodie, t-shirt, and flash drive pen (which is total spy gear: a pen and a flash drive). Find out how to win. Eagle Eye makes the second Hitchcock-inspired flick from Shia LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso. Eagle Eye sounds a lot like The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Disturbia (was this good?) is a teen update of Rear Window. Would you like to see LaBeouf in another Hitchcock update? Would he make a good Norman Bates? I'll say this for the young man--he's starting to pull off being a sex sybol, with or without a crushed hand. (Sorry to hear about that Shia; it'll just make you more impressive, though.) Did anyone out there think he was the best part of Indiana Jones 4? "What is that? Oh, that's just a thing." Michelle Monaghan was good in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang but the chemistry between Robert Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer stole that show. Miracle at St. Anna It's a shame that Spike Lee's new movie isn't impressing anyone, because I think it looks really interesting. It made me realize I've never seen a WWII movie about an all-black "Buffalo Soldier" unit. Maybe that's because America prefers to think of themselves as the unambiguous good guys during WWII? Thoughts on this?Also, I haven't seen many Spike Lee movies but I really liked Inside Man. Nights in Rodanthe Diane Lane and Richard Gere in an adaptation from a Nicholas Sparks (Message in a Bottle, The Notebook). I like Diane Lane, she was great in that TV miniseries Lonesome Dove. It also stars Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, and the moral universe of it feels kind of like No Country for Old Men. Richard Gere on the other hand--sure he's good-looking, but otherwise I can't figure out the appeal. The only thing I've liked him in is the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There. Towelhead is in wide release now. Anyone seen this yet? I'm pretty interested. LIMITED RELEASE Blindness Wow, this sounds interesting to me: when a sudden plague of blindness strikes a city, the afflicted must band together to survive the cruel conditions of their quarantine. Starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, and Gael Garcia Bernal. This reminds me of that Stephen King TV miniseries The Stand, which I'm hoping and praying will come to DVD. Anyone remember it? I loved the crap out of it when I was 13, haven't seen it since. Choke I like Sam Rockwell, who stars in this adaptation of a Chuck Palahniuk novel. (Palahniuk also wrote Fight Club, which led to the rare case of a movie that surpasses the book.) Rockwell's charcter cruises at sex addict meetings and asks for handouts after pretending to choke in restaurants. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this flick at Toronto and he didn't like it very much. He and Paul will discuss it in FilmCouch #89 (which comes out 9/26.) Forever Strong When professional rugby player Rick Penning (Sean Faris, who's also in the Fight Club-in-high-school Never Back Down) is put behind bars, the warden (Sean Astin) gives Rick a choice: stay behind bars, or play for his long-time rival, Highland Rugby. Rick chooses the latter, and bonds with his new teammates. When Rick's released from prison and returns to his old team, he's given a difficult choice to make when his team faces Highland in the National Championship. Okay, it sounds kind of formulaic but I would totally see that. Fireproof Kirk Cameron plays a firefighter who can risk his life on the job, but can't save his marriage. This one's receiving heavy promotion from Christian radio station KLOV. Question for you guys: any good movies about people trying to salvage their marriage, and the marriage works out? The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela The tag line "Not your everyday fairy tale" seems pretty accurate: Queen Raquela is a Filipina transsexual prostitute searching for her prince on the internet. Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story Atwater was many things, and different things depending on who you talk to: rogue, political assassin, godfather of American politics (he mentored Karl Rove and George W. Bush). This documentary from Stefan Forbes tries to look at all the angles of a complicated, influential guy. Lucky Ones Three troubled Iraqi veterans take a road trip across the US. The vets are Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams (I love you, dream woman!) and Michael Pena. Whaledreamers Julian Lennon produced this documentary on the relationship between whales and a tribe of aborigines. Both the whales and people group are slowly disappearing. Lennon, Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush make appearances. Obscene Documentary on Barney Rosset, the influential publisher who battled censorship (he successfully published Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer after a long legal battle) and introduced American readers to the literature of Samuel Beckett, Tom Stoppard, Harold Pinter, and Eugene Ionesco, among others. He also owned a porno theater. Humboldt County An uptight med student bonds with his pot-loving new girlfriend. Interesting cast (including Fairuza Balk and Peter Bogdanovich), so it might be more interesting than it sounds. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/7/14/32527.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 7/14/2008 1:00:41 PM
Body: I knew the whole red-band fad would come to this: Fox Searchlight is promoting the latest trailer for its Sundance-pickup Choke as “the raunchiest red-band trailer EVER.” Well, I don’t know if I agree with the statement — maybe if Fox hadn’t censored the sex scenes with “Big Screen Only” banners — but something about this latest spot makes me more interested in the film. Could it be the nudity? Or the swearing? Or maybe it’s simply the greater exposure to the coarseness we’ve come to expect from Sam Rockwell. And here he appears more depraved than usual. On the film’s adults-only website (also available to kids who know how to pick the age-restriction locks), there are also four new promotional videos featuring strippers reading passages from Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, on which the movie is based. They’re pretty funny if you’re still into the dumb stripper stereotype (I prefer the smart MENSA strippers/porn stars like Asia Carrera, of course). Also on the site, you can kinda learn how to do the Heimlich Maneuver. Choke won a Special Jury Prize for its ensemble cast (including my current celebrity crush, Kelly Macdonald) at Sundance this past January. It opens in theaters nationwide September 26. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:00:41 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com7/14/2008 1:00:41 PM I knew the whole red-band fad would come to this: Fox Searchlight is promoting the latest trailer for its Sundance-pickup Choke as “the raunchiest red-band trailer EVER.” Well, I don’t know if I agree with the statement — maybe if Fox hadn’t censored the sex scenes with “Big Screen Only” banners — but something about this latest spot makes me more interested in the film. Could it be the nudity? Or the swearing? Or maybe it’s simply the greater exposure to the coarseness we’ve come to expect from Sam Rockwell. And here he appears more depraved than usual. On the film’s adults-only website (also available to kids who know how to pick the age-restriction locks), there are also four new promotional videos featuring strippers reading passages from Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, on which the movie is based. They’re pretty funny if you’re still into the dumb stripper stereotype (I prefer the smart MENSA strippers/porn stars like Asia Carrera, of course). Also on the site, you can kinda learn how to do the Heimlich Maneuver. Choke won a Special Jury Prize for its ensemble cast (including my current celebrity crush, Kelly Macdonald) at Sundance this past January. It opens in theaters nationwide September 26. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Trailer_Park/Choke/567/30095/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Trailer Park
Post Date: 5/28/2008 3:04:20 PM
Body: Following my apropos last post about faux trailers promoting Chuck Palahniuk's new book Snuff, the trailer for the movie adaptation of Palahniuk's Choke has finally arrived. http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=235956 Having read the book and knowing more about the plot, the trailer does a decent job of not disclosing the main premise of the film and just eludes to various hilarious bits.
]]>Wed, 28 May 2008 19:04:20 GMTmercurialTrailer Park5/28/2008 3:04:20 PMFollowing my apropos last post about faux trailers promoting Chuck Palahniuk's new book Snuff, the trailer for the movie adaptation of Palahniuk's Choke has finally arrived. http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=235956 Having read the book and knowing more about the plot, the trailer does a decent job of not disclosing the main premise of the film and just eludes to various hilarious bits. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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