list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The American President 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/The_American_President/92841/default.aspx Title: The American President
Year: 1995
Director: Rob Reiner
Plot: This earnest, intelligent, and well-written romantic comedy is enjoyable and optimistic in classic Hollywood style, even if its idealism doesn't seem quite so credible against the cynical political backdrop of the Nineties. President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas), an unabashedly liberal Democrat, is just gearing up for re-election when he meets an attractive and sharp environmental lobbyist named Sydney Wade (Annette Bening). The two fall in love and the President must soon deal with the political repercussions (Sydney is trying to get legislation through Congress), as well as the cynical machinations of Republican opponent Senator Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss), who attempts to paint Sydney as a radical and use "family values" rhetoric to smear Shepherd. With the attacks affecting his standings in the all-important polls, and his love's legislation causing him headaches in the Capitol, Shepherd must decide whether he can risk continuing his relationship. A rich supporting cast, solid characterizations by Douglas and Bening, and an articulate approach make this an appealing, if not particularly weighty, study of the tensions between public and private life. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 8
Number of Lists: 19
Number of blog posts: 6
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:41:01 GMTThe American President1995Rob ReinerThis earnest, intelligent, and well-written romantic comedy is enjoyable and optimistic in classic Hollywood style, even if its idealism doesn't seem quite so credible against the cynical political backdrop of the Nineties. President Andrew Shepherd (<a href="/players/P____88134/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Michael Douglas</a>), an unabashedly liberal Democrat, is just gearing up for re-election when he meets an attractive and sharp environmental lobbyist named Sydney Wade (<a href="/players/P_____5346/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Annette Bening</a>). The two fall in love and the President must soon deal with the political repercussions (Sydney is trying to get legislation through Congress), as well as the cynical machinations of Republican opponent Senator Bob Rumson (<a href="/players/P____88268/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Richard Dreyfuss</a>), who attempts to paint Sydney as a radical and use "family values" rhetoric to smear Shepherd. With the attacks affecting his standings in the all-important polls, and his love's legislation causing him headaches in the Capitol, Shepherd must decide whether he can risk continuing his relationship. A rich supporting cast, solid characterizations by Douglas and Bening, and an articulate approach make this an appealing, if not particularly weighty, study of the tensions between public and private life. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide8Taggedy Taggged (6-10)1963http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t78757vnwla.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_American_President/92841/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/2/34658.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/2/2008 4:00:50 PM
Body: The Democratic National Convention is over, and all the ecstatic party members have left Denver to go back to their zombie-esque lives (Bob Hope said it, not me). But after four days of celebrating what it means to be a Democrat, some may not wish to settle down and calmly wait out the next two months until Obama’s (possible) win, let alone the next five months waiting for the candidate to (possibly) be sworn in as President, participating in the normal non-specifically-Democratic, non-self-congratulatory activities that most of us are content with. So, one thing excited Democrats can do is watch movies that will continue to inspire and encourage their beliefs and politics. As Karina already wrote, The American President is one movie that just barely may allow Obama fans to relive his DNC speech. Also, beginning yesterday, the Oscar-nominated documentary No End in Sight will be available in full on YouTube through till Election Day. Of course, there’s always other anti-war and anti-Bush docs for free viewing online, at such sites as SnagFilms and FreeDocumentaries.org. And since there are so many docs out there that can make a Democrat giddy with the want for change, I’ve decided to limit today’s list to fictions and dramatizations, because they are more about feelings than facts, and that’s all you really need for political inspiration these days. As usual, I’m leaving out a lot of picks, both obvious and obscure, so feel free to tell us what movie make you feel most proud to be a Democrat. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town - Never mind that Frank Capra voted Republican or that ultimately this film has rather conservative messages regarding traditionalism, privatization and self-sufficiency; all the allusions to the New Deal are strong enough to excite any Rooseveltian liberal. In its time it may have fooled the population by seeming pro-FDR, but today it can still be appreciated by Democrats for demonstrating the President’s Depression-era programs in a way that may be celebrated by those who believe in them. Just concentrate more on screenwriter Robert Riskin’s influence and contribution and ignore Capra’s underlying and conclusive ideology. Cradle Will Rock - Another Depression-era film, though this one was made 63 years later and is actually pro-New Deal, directed by the openly liberal actor/filmmaker Tim Robbins. In a way, it’s probably more left-wing than even some Democrats can agree with, but a general appreciation for government-funded and supported arts, as well as a hatred of conservative-pressured cuts to similar programs, should allow most in the party to enjoy the film. The People vs. Larry Flynt - You can’t have a Democratic film marathon without at least one title celebrating the First Amendment. Feel free to substitute with Lenny, or just add it to the list. Roe vs. Wade - A TV movie, sure, and not even a great one, but when it comes to films about women’s right to choose, you’ve either got great foreign films (Vera Drake; 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days), which don’t exactly represent U.S. politics, documentaries (which don’t qualify the list), and satires (Citizen Ruth would be a decent inclusion, maybe, but it kind of ridicules all sides). So, here’s the direct dramatization of the court case that made history. Thirteen Days - JFK’s presidency is well-enough renowned by the Democratic Party, but this specific portrayal of one of his greatest moments in office is also important viewing for fans of RFK and Adlai Stevenson. Dick - It’s possible to get excited while watching All the President’s Men and celebrating the outcome of Woodward and Bernstein’s investigation, but Dick is a little more anti-Nixon, at least in a lampooning manner. Plus, as great as Redford and Hoffman are in AtPM, I prefer Will Ferrell and Bruce McCullough as the journalists who helped to take down the corrupt Republican. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay - And if you prefer Dan Hedaya’s humorous portrayal of Nixon in Dick to Anthony Hopkins in Nixon, you’ll likely enjoy James Adomian’s caricature of George W. Bush in this Harold & Kumar sequel. It’s a little jokingly apologetic, but it will tide you over until W. comes out — if you’re even eager to see a full biopic about your worst enemy, that is. Inherit the Wind - Based on the infamous 1925 trial of science teacher John T. Scopes, who was convicted for teaching evolution in a state allowing only creationism to be taught, this 1960 adaptation of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s play continues to be significant in the ongoing debate regarding science vs. religion and the division of Church and State. To Kill a Mockingbird - Since I can’t decide on any movies to include that directly deal with the Civil Rights Act, here’s the movie based on the book that inspired me most about civil rights when I was young. It should be required viewing (and the book should be required reading) for all kids of impressionable age. Three Kings - I certainly wouldn’t vote for somebody solely based on his or her movie tastes, but I will admit to liking Bill Clinton a little bit more, post-presidency, after learning from his guest appearance on Roger Ebert & the Movies that he loved Three Kings. And, the other way around, I had an even greater appreciation for the film after Clinton’s endorsement, which included a reading of the film, which goes as follows (thanks to Salon for the quote and lead-in): He saw the movie as an indication that we need to face up to society’s “oldest, most primitive problem, our tribalism, our tendency to go beyond a natural pride in our group, whether it’s a racial or ethnic or religious group or whatever,” which results in “fear and distrust and dehumanization and violence against ‘the other.’” Of course, just because Clinton liked Three Kings doesn’t mean other Democrats will. Or vice versa. Ronald Reagan was apparently a big fan of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, which hasn’t made me any less of a fan. So, I’ll ask again, differently, since the Democratic Party is anything but completely united: what movies are most relevant to your politics as a Democrat? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:00:50 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/2/2008 4:00:50 PMThe Democratic National Convention is over, and all the ecstatic party members have left Denver to go back to their zombie-esque lives (Bob Hope said it, not me). But after four days of celebrating what it means to be a Democrat, some may not wish to settle down and calmly wait out the next two months until Obama’s (possible) win, let alone the next five months waiting for the candidate to (possibly) be sworn in as President, participating in the normal non-specifically-Democratic, non-self-congratulatory activities that most of us are content with. So, one thing excited Democrats can do is watch movies that will continue to inspire and encourage their beliefs and politics. As Karina already wrote, The American President is one movie that just barely may allow Obama fans to relive his DNC speech. Also, beginning yesterday, the Oscar-nominated documentary No End in Sight will be available in full on YouTube through till Election Day. Of course, there’s always other anti-war and anti-Bush docs for free viewing online, at such sites as SnagFilms and FreeDocumentaries.org. And since there are so many docs out there that can make a Democrat giddy with the want for change, I’ve decided to limit today’s list to fictions and dramatizations, because they are more about feelings than facts, and that’s all you really need for political inspiration these days. As usual, I’m leaving out a lot of picks, both obvious and obscure, so feel free to tell us what movie make you feel most proud to be a Democrat. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town - Never mind that Frank Capra voted Republican or that ultimately this film has rather conservative messages regarding traditionalism, privatization and self-sufficiency; all the allusions to the New Deal are strong enough to excite any Rooseveltian liberal. In its time it may have fooled the population by seeming pro-FDR, but today it can still be appreciated by Democrats for demonstrating the President’s Depression-era programs in a way that may be celebrated by those who believe in them. Just concentrate more on screenwriter Robert Riskin’s influence and contribution and ignore Capra’s underlying and conclusive ideology. Cradle Will Rock - Another Depression-era film, though this one was made 63 years later and is actually pro-New Deal, directed by the openly liberal actor/filmmaker Tim Robbins. In a way, it’s probably more left-wing than even some Democrats can agree with, but a general appreciation for government-funded and supported arts, as well as a hatred of conservative-pressured cuts to similar programs, should allow most in the party to enjoy the film. The People vs. Larry Flynt - You can’t have a Democratic film marathon without at least one title celebrating the First Amendment. Feel free to substitute with Lenny, or just add it to the list. Roe vs. Wade - A TV movie, sure, and not even a great one, but when it comes to films about women’s right to choose, you’ve either got great foreign films (Vera Drake; 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days), which don’t exactly represent U.S. politics, documentaries (which don’t qualify the list), and satires (Citizen Ruth would be a decent inclusion, maybe, but it kind of ridicules all sides). So, here’s the direct dramatization of the court case that made history. Thirteen Days - JFK’s presidency is well-enough renowned by the Democratic Party, but this specific portrayal of one of his greatest moments in office is also important viewing for fans of RFK and Adlai Stevenson. Dick - It’s possible to get excited while watching All the President’s Men and celebrating the outcome of Woodward and Bernstein’s investigation, but Dick is a little more anti-Nixon, at least in a lampooning manner. Plus, as great as Redford and Hoffman are in AtPM, I prefer Will Ferrell and Bruce McCullough as the journalists who helped to take down the corrupt Republican. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay - And if you prefer Dan Hedaya’s humorous portrayal of Nixon in Dick to Anthony Hopkins in Nixon, you’ll likely enjoy James Adomian’s caricature of George W. Bush in this Harold & Kumar sequel. It’s a little jokingly apologetic, but it will tide you over until W. comes out — if you’re even eager to see a full biopic about your worst enemy, that is. Inherit the Wind - Based on the infamous 1925 trial of science teacher John T. Scopes, who was convicted for teaching evolution in a state allowing only creationism to be taught, this 1960 adaptation of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s play continues to be significant in the ongoing debate regarding science vs. religion and the division of Church and State. To Kill a Mockingbird - Since I can’t decide on any movies to include that directly deal with the Civil Rights Act, here’s the movie based on the book that inspired me most about civil rights when I was young. It should be required viewing (and the book should be required reading) for all kids of impressionable age. Three Kings - I certainly wouldn’t vote for somebody solely based on his or her movie tastes, but I will admit to liking Bill Clinton a little bit more, post-presidency, after learning from his guest appearance on Roger Ebert & the Movies that he loved Three Kings. And, the other way around, I had an even greater appreciation for the film after Clinton’s endorsement, which included a reading of the film, which goes as follows (thanks to Salon for the quote and lead-in): He saw the movie as an indication that we need to face up to society’s “oldest, most primitive problem, our tribalism, our tendency to go beyond a natural pride in our group, whether it’s a racial or ethnic or religious group or whatever,” which results in “fear and distrust and dehumanization and violence against ‘the other.’” Of course, just because Clinton liked Three Kings doesn’t mean other Democrats will. Or vice versa. Ronald Reagan was apparently a big fan of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, which hasn’t made me any less of a fan. So, I’ll ask again, differently, since the Democratic Party is anything but completely united: what movies are most relevant to your politics as a Democrat? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2008/8/29/34527.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 8/29/2008 12:00:51 PM
Body: As I think I’ve mentioned before, I’m a bit addicted to MSNBC, mostly because it’s where loose-canon conservatives go to fade away. So I’ve been watching it, like, a lot. And I know they’re working live without a script, but is that really an excuse for the whole team to fall back on the Chris Matthews gold standard of dragging metaphors out of movies? In the past 12 hours, I’ve heard Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell and Joe Scarborough all compare Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech to The American President, the Rob Reiner/Aaron Sorkin political romantic dramedy starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. Mitchell and friends have been breathlessly fawning over that line from Obama’s speech where he was all, “If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.” They seem to think parallel is to the above scene, where Douglas’ president shows up at a press conference and, out of nowhere, takes a stand on an issue and dares his critics to essentially talk their shit to his face. They’ve been trying to sell the similarities as though it was a word-for-word lift, although of course they’d never cry “plagiarism”––they make it sound more like Obama fell asleep watching TNT and lines from Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay seeped into his brain and just came out with the candidate unawares. In fact, it’s not that similar, either in tone or in actual content, and it makes me wonder whether the Sorkin comparison would have been a talking point no matter what Obama actually said. Maybe America’s middle-of-the-road lefties have been fantasizing about living in an Aaron Sorkin movie for so long that they’re now actually––consciously or otherwise––willing it to happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth
]]>Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:00:51 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog8/29/2008 12:00:51 PM As I think I’ve mentioned before, I’m a bit addicted to MSNBC, mostly because it’s where loose-canon conservatives go to fade away. So I’ve been watching it, like, a lot. And I know they’re working live without a script, but is that really an excuse for the whole team to fall back on the Chris Matthews gold standard of dragging metaphors out of movies? In the past 12 hours, I’ve heard Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell and Joe Scarborough all compare Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech to The American President, the Rob Reiner/Aaron Sorkin political romantic dramedy starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. Mitchell and friends have been breathlessly fawning over that line from Obama’s speech where he was all, “If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.” They seem to think parallel is to the above scene, where Douglas’ president shows up at a press conference and, out of nowhere, takes a stand on an issue and dares his critics to essentially talk their shit to his face. They’ve been trying to sell the similarities as though it was a word-for-word lift, although of course they’d never cry “plagiarism”––they make it sound more like Obama fell asleep watching TNT and lines from Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay seeped into his brain and just came out with the candidate unawares. In fact, it’s not that similar, either in tone or in actual content, and it makes me wonder whether the Sorkin comparison would have been a talking point no matter what Obama actually said. Maybe America’s middle-of-the-road lefties have been fantasizing about living in an Aaron Sorkin movie for so long that they’re now actually––consciously or otherwise––willing it to happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/29/34526.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/29/2008 12:00:42 PM
Body: As I think I’ve mentioned before, I’m a bit addicted to MSNBC, mostly because it’s where loose-canon conservatives go to fade away. So I’ve been watching it, like, a lot. And I know they’re working live without a script, but is that really an excuse for the whole team to fall back on the Chris Matthews gold standard of dragging metaphors out of movies? In the past 12 hours, I’ve heard Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell and Joe Scarborough all compare Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech to The American President, the Rob Reiner/Aaron Sorkin political romantic dramedy starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. Mitchell and friends have been breathlessly fawning over that line from Obama’s speech where he was all, “If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.” They seem to think parallel is to the above scene, where Douglas’ president shows up at a press conference and, out of nowhere, takes a stand on an issue and dares his critics to essentially talk their shit to his face. They’ve been trying to sell the similarities as though it was a word-for-word lift, although of course they’d never cry “plagiarism”––they make it sound more like Obama fell asleep watching TNT and lines from Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay seeped into his brain and just came out with the candidate unawares. In fact, it’s not that similar, either in tone or in actual content, and it makes me wonder whether the Sorkin comparison would have been a talking point no matter what Obama actually said. Maybe America’s middle-of-the-road lefties have been fantasizing about living in an Aaron Sorkin movie for so long that they’re now actually––consciously or otherwise––willing it to happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:00:42 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/29/2008 12:00:42 PM As I think I’ve mentioned before, I’m a bit addicted to MSNBC, mostly because it’s where loose-canon conservatives go to fade away. So I’ve been watching it, like, a lot. And I know they’re working live without a script, but is that really an excuse for the whole team to fall back on the Chris Matthews gold standard of dragging metaphors out of movies? In the past 12 hours, I’ve heard Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell and Joe Scarborough all compare Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech to The American President, the Rob Reiner/Aaron Sorkin political romantic dramedy starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. Mitchell and friends have been breathlessly fawning over that line from Obama’s speech where he was all, “If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.” They seem to think parallel is to the above scene, where Douglas’ president shows up at a press conference and, out of nowhere, takes a stand on an issue and dares his critics to essentially talk their shit to his face. They’ve been trying to sell the similarities as though it was a word-for-word lift, although of course they’d never cry “plagiarism”––they make it sound more like Obama fell asleep watching TNT and lines from Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay seeped into his brain and just came out with the candidate unawares. In fact, it’s not that similar, either in tone or in actual content, and it makes me wonder whether the Sorkin comparison would have been a talking point no matter what Obama actually said. Maybe America’s middle-of-the-road lefties have been fantasizing about living in an Aaron Sorkin movie for so long that they’re now actually––consciously or otherwise––willing it to happen. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/28/34492.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/28/2008 11:00:45 AM
Body: So, Aaron Sorkin, writer of such films as A Few Good Men, The American President and Charlie Wilson’s War, and, of course, creator of TV’s The West Wing, is apparently now working on a movie about Facebook for Sony Pictures and producer Scott Rudin (No Country for Old Men). Yes, that’s right, a Facebook movie. News comes to us directly from the social networking site, as Sorkin himself announced the project by admitting that he has absolutely no clue what Facebook is. And I guess he’s looking for assistance or questions or something. Obviously he’s the perfect guy to be scripting a film about the founding of the site. I’m drawing a blank right now as to whether or not any websites have officially spawned movies (does AOL count?), but I do recall an idea from 3 years ago to make an internet dating movie sponsored by Friendster, which was to be directed by Harold Ramis and star Topher Grace. I guess the fact that Friendster faded from popularity in favor of MySpace and then Facebook ruined those plans. But is it possible that this new project will fare any better? Social networking sites have a habit of falling out of fashion rather quickly. Oh well, if Facebook: The Movie doesn’t work out, Rudin and Sorkin are welcome to go with any of these other ideas: 10. Friendster - Just because the other Friendster project didn’t pan out doesn’t mean the site can’t still inspire another movie. This one would be all about how Friendster rose to the top quickly and lived the good life until attempts to get even higher went awry and its fans abandoned it. You know, the age old story of celebrity. Sorkin might be interested because of the way it could parallel his hit stage play (and upcoming film) The Farnsworth Invention. 9. MySpace - Not to be confused with the user-generated MySpace movie project, or the parody video titled Myspace The Movie, this would be more of a thriller involving sexual predators. Because even if this social networking site, which was once the cool alternative to Facebook when that site started sucking, is one day completely left behind, it will at least be remembered in internet history books as synonymous with pedophilia and child safety legislature. 8. Funny or Die - More than just inspired by the website, the movie would actually involve its founders, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, as well as the other hilarious celebrities that provide content to the site, such as Judd Apatow and James Franco. Hell, even Steve Guttenberg can make an appearance. It could either be a movie about the start of the site or a sketch compilation — as long as it’s more Kentucky Fried Movie than The Onion Movie. 7. MapQuest - It would take place around the turn of the century, when GPS wasn’t so common and people still depended on printed-out directions from the newly popular MapQuest. Chevy Chase and family get lost, though, when it turns out the directions aren’t actually that dependable. Either the details are confusing, or construction, street name change or new roads complicate matters. 6. Wikipedia - Take any event in history and make a movie based solely on its Wikipedia page. Even when the site was new and less dependable than it is now, such a film still wouldn’t have been as loose with facts as most “historical” films from Hollywood. 5. Flickr - An art film consisting of only still images, each randomly picked from the website. The filmmakers will arrange the pictures in an intended order, yet the finished product will feature no direct narrative, so the viewer is free to interpret the story as he or she wishes. 4. YouTube - I don’t care what the plot is or if it’s even shot amateur style. All I know is that it has to be distributed exclusively on YouTube and it must only be available as 10 separate clips, each no more than 10 minutes in length, and it can’t even be that easy to find when you search for it. 3. Napster - I thought there was supposed to be a movie about Napster founder Shawn Fanning, but I must have dreamed it, because I can’t find any sign of such a project ever pitched. But it would make a great film, anyway. Of course, it would only be appropriately watched after downloading it illegally. 2. Mr. Skin - This would be the most popular movie ever. And again it doesn’t matter what the plot is. Basically, the point would just be to get as many well-known actresses together in one movie and have them all bare some skin. They don’t all have to even get naked. One actress could just be topless, another may just flash one breast or just her butt. Nicole Kidman would be the star, though, and would just be completely naked throughout the entire film. 1. Spout - Obviously. Who wouldn’t want to see a movie starring Karina Longworth? I should let her comment with what it would entail, but I imagine it being directed by Joe Swanberg and mostly consisting of Karina watching Turner Classic Movies and providing commentary. I predict it’ll be #1 at the box office for 5 straight weeks, and it’ll out-gross The Dark Knight, too. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:00:45 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/28/2008 11:00:45 AM So, Aaron Sorkin, writer of such films as A Few Good Men, The American President and Charlie Wilson’s War, and, of course, creator of TV’s The West Wing, is apparently now working on a movie about Facebook for Sony Pictures and producer Scott Rudin (No Country for Old Men). Yes, that’s right, a Facebook movie. News comes to us directly from the social networking site, as Sorkin himself announced the project by admitting that he has absolutely no clue what Facebook is. And I guess he’s looking for assistance or questions or something. Obviously he’s the perfect guy to be scripting a film about the founding of the site. I’m drawing a blank right now as to whether or not any websites have officially spawned movies (does AOL count?), but I do recall an idea from 3 years ago to make an internet dating movie sponsored by Friendster, which was to be directed by Harold Ramis and star Topher Grace. I guess the fact that Friendster faded from popularity in favor of MySpace and then Facebook ruined those plans. But is it possible that this new project will fare any better? Social networking sites have a habit of falling out of fashion rather quickly. Oh well, if Facebook: The Movie doesn’t work out, Rudin and Sorkin are welcome to go with any of these other ideas: 10. Friendster - Just because the other Friendster project didn’t pan out doesn’t mean the site can’t still inspire another movie. This one would be all about how Friendster rose to the top quickly and lived the good life until attempts to get even higher went awry and its fans abandoned it. You know, the age old story of celebrity. Sorkin might be interested because of the way it could parallel his hit stage play (and upcoming film) The Farnsworth Invention. 9. MySpace - Not to be confused with the user-generated MySpace movie project, or the parody video titled Myspace The Movie, this would be more of a thriller involving sexual predators. Because even if this social networking site, which was once the cool alternative to Facebook when that site started sucking, is one day completely left behind, it will at least be remembered in internet history books as synonymous with pedophilia and child safety legislature. 8. Funny or Die - More than just inspired by the website, the movie would actually involve its founders, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, as well as the other hilarious celebrities that provide content to the site, such as Judd Apatow and James Franco. Hell, even Steve Guttenberg can make an appearance. It could either be a movie about the start of the site or a sketch compilation — as long as it’s more Kentucky Fried Movie than The Onion Movie. 7. MapQuest - It would take place around the turn of the century, when GPS wasn’t so common and people still depended on printed-out directions from the newly popular MapQuest. Chevy Chase and family get lost, though, when it turns out the directions aren’t actually that dependable. Either the details are confusing, or construction, street name change or new roads complicate matters. 6. Wikipedia - Take any event in history and make a movie based solely on its Wikipedia page. Even when the site was new and less dependable than it is now, such a film still wouldn’t have been as loose with facts as most “historical” films from Hollywood. 5. Flickr - An art film consisting of only still images, each randomly picked from the website. The filmmakers will arrange the pictures in an intended order, yet the finished product will feature no direct narrative, so the viewer is free to interpret the story as he or she wishes. 4. YouTube - I don’t care what the plot is or if it’s even shot amateur style. All I know is that it has to be distributed exclusively on YouTube and it must only be available as 10 separate clips, each no more than 10 minutes in length, and it can’t even be that easy to find when you search for it. 3. Napster - I thought there was supposed to be a movie about Napster founder Shawn Fanning, but I must have dreamed it, because I can’t find any sign of such a project ever pitched. But it would make a great film, anyway. Of course, it would only be appropriately watched after downloading it illegally. 2. Mr. Skin - This would be the most popular movie ever. And again it doesn’t matter what the plot is. Basically, the point would just be to get as many well-known actresses together in one movie and have them all bare some skin. They don’t all have to even get naked. One actress could just be topless, another may just flash one breast or just her butt. Nicole Kidman would be the star, though, and would just be completely naked throughout the entire film. 1. Spout - Obviously. Who wouldn’t want to see a movie starring Karina Longworth? I should let her comment with what it would entail, but I imagine it being directed by Joe Swanberg and mostly consisting of Karina watching Turner Classic Movies and providing commentary. I predict it’ll be #1 at the box office for 5 straight weeks, and it’ll out-gross The Dark Knight, too. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/marymcilwain/archive/2007/8/15/18162.aspx Post By: marymcilwain
Post To: Dollar Video Curator
Post Date: 8/15/2007 5:00:30 PM
Body: Remember the days when the American Presidency was honorable? When the white man in charge of the rest of us was a symbol of heroism, strength, grand-fatherhood, power and hope? He was the American Dream personified; a symbolic pillar of our nation’s pride, wealth, freedom and justice. Remember? Well, neither do we, but we do seem to recall such references being made to our past Presidents’ noble statures in our ratty, broken-binding Public School history textbooks – the ones that covered current American History all the way up to the fine and memorable presidency of William Taft. Patriotism lives in our heart of hearts, after all. And in honor of what the US Presidency should be, or at least, should aspire to be, here is a list of fictional film Presidents who, for all their faults, are still better than our current White House Resident-Evil. The American President – President Andrew Shepherd’s major flaw is horniness. Lonely widower wants to make time with a hotty environmental lobbyist. And what’s wrong with that? Well, Americans like their Presidents either in sexless marriages or completely virginal, for one, and opposition Senator Rumsom really knows how to hit below the belt. He attacks the Prez on the grounds of moral corruption, and the lady on the ground of “Grand Slut-itude” with the usual right-wing flourish for keeping sex in the headlines and on the minds of the very American People who claim to abhor it. But President Shepherd knows there’s what’s right and there’s what’s right, and sticking up for his lady rather than siding with the Phantom Moral American Electorate, despite his poll numbers, makes him the bigger man in the end. Air Force One – It’s fairly hard to find any weakness in Harrison Ford’s portrayal of the ass-kicking President James Marshall, save one, and it’s a big one: He NEGOTIATES WITH THE TERRORISTS!! The first rule of American Presidenting, the very first thing they teach in Presidenting 101, is that, We the American People NEVER Negotiate with Terrorists. Unfortunately, President Marshall breaks that rule here when under duress, to save his daughter’s life. Huh. But do we hold that against him, when looking upon his administration’s legacy within the historical context of the film? No, because he made up for it in spades by kicking ass in major ways, killing the bad guys, the bad guys helpers, and saving the day. Dave – This guy really puts our current “leader” to shame. He is everything that W claims to be, just a normal, beer-drinking kind of guy with a no-nonsense view of the world, and simplistic solutions to complex policy problems. The difference? Dave actually solves the problems, explains the issues with clever antidotes, and gets his cabinet to agree to self-explanatory, meaningful budget cuts for the greater good of furthering actual policy. We suspect the fact that Dave has a 5th grader’s command of the English language is giving him a bit of a unfair advantage when in direct comparison to George, so maybe we are bit being a bit unfairly biased here. But P.S., he's not even really the president, and he still does a better job. Idiocracy – There is no better way to describe the smack-down awesomeness of President Camacho than as evidenced by his State of the Union speech: “Shit. I know shit's bad right now, with all that starving bullshit. I understand everyone's shit's emotional right now.” He knows how to sway a crowd, speak moronically to the masses, pass blame around a room and make plenty of empty promises. Well then, how is he better than Bush you might ask? Simple. He admits when he is wrong. He may have condemned Secretary of the Interior Not Sure to death for failure to fix “all the shit’s that’s fucked up,” but when he finds out that Not Sure in fact, DID fix up all that shit, he stopped the public execution by Extreme Monster Truck Elimination. Now that’s the kind of president we want in our corner. Ding! Conclusion: Needless to say, there is hardly anything earth shattering being stated here. At this point, anyone, from the idealistically- portrayed, Hollywood movie characters, all the way down the line to that guy outside our office eating the last quarter of week-old burrito from a trash can, would do a better job than our W.Only 17 months to go… Originally posted on:Dollar Video Curator
]]>Wed, 15 Aug 2007 21:00:30 GMTmarymcilwainDollar Video Curator8/15/2007 5:00:30 PMRemember the days when the American Presidency was honorable? When the white man in charge of the rest of us was a symbol of heroism, strength, grand-fatherhood, power and hope? He was the American Dream personified; a symbolic pillar of our nation’s pride, wealth, freedom and justice. Remember? Well, neither do we, but we do seem to recall such references being made to our past Presidents’ noble statures in our ratty, broken-binding Public School history textbooks – the ones that covered current American History all the way up to the fine and memorable presidency of William Taft. Patriotism lives in our heart of hearts, after all. And in honor of what the US Presidency should be, or at least, should aspire to be, here is a list of fictional film Presidents who, for all their faults, are still better than our current White House Resident-Evil. The American President – President Andrew Shepherd’s major flaw is horniness. Lonely widower wants to make time with a hotty environmental lobbyist. And what’s wrong with that? Well, Americans like their Presidents either in sexless marriages or completely virginal, for one, and opposition Senator Rumsom really knows how to hit below the belt. He attacks the Prez on the grounds of moral corruption, and the lady on the ground of “Grand Slut-itude” with the usual right-wing flourish for keeping sex in the headlines and on the minds of the very American People who claim to abhor it. But President Shepherd knows there’s what’s right and there’s what’s right, and sticking up for his lady rather than siding with the Phantom Moral American Electorate, despite his poll numbers, makes him the bigger man in the end. Air Force One – It’s fairly hard to find any weakness in Harrison Ford’s portrayal of the ass-kicking President James Marshall, save one, and it’s a big one: He NEGOTIATES WITH THE TERRORISTS!! The first rule of American Presidenting, the very first thing they teach in Presidenting 101, is that, We the American People NEVER Negotiate with Terrorists. Unfortunately, President Marshall breaks that rule here when under duress, to save his daughter’s life. Huh. But do we hold that against him, when looking upon his administration’s legacy within the historical context of the film? No, because he made up for it in spades by kicking ass in major ways, killing the bad guys, the bad guys helpers, and saving the day. Dave – This guy really puts our current “leader” to shame. He is everything that W claims to be, just a normal, beer-drinking kind of guy with a no-nonsense view of the world, and simplistic solutions to complex policy problems. The difference? Dave actually solves the problems, explains the issues with clever antidotes, and gets his cabinet to agree to self-explanatory, meaningful budget cuts for the greater good of furthering actual policy. We suspect the fact that Dave has a 5th grader’s command of the English language is giving him a bit of a unfair advantage when in direct comparison to George, so maybe we are bit being a bit unfairly biased here. But P.S., he's not even really the president, and he still does a better job. Idiocracy – There is no better way to describe the smack-down awesomeness of President Camacho than as evidenced by his State of the Union speech: “Shit. I know shit's bad right now, with all that starving bullshit. I understand everyone's shit's emotional right now.” He knows how to sway a crowd, speak moronically to the masses, pass blame around a room and make plenty of empty promises. Well then, how is he better than Bush you might ask? Simple. He admits when he is wrong. He may have condemned Secretary of the Interior Not Sure to death for failure to fix “all the shit’s that’s fucked up,” but when he finds out that Not Sure in fact, DID fix up all that shit, he stopped the public execution by Extreme Monster Truck Elimination. Now that’s the kind of president we want in our corner. Ding! Conclusion: Needless to say, there is hardly anything earth shattering being stated here. At this point, anyone, from the idealistically- portrayed, Hollywood movie characters, all the way down the line to that guy outside our office eating the last quarter of week-old burrito from a trash can, would do a better job than our W.Only 17 months to go… Originally posted on:Dollar Video Curator http://www.spout.com/blogs/badthing/archive/2007/6/26/12199.aspx Post By: badthing
Post To: badthing Blog
Post Date: 6/26/2007 12:07:00 AM
Body: President Bush should watch this movie as he could benefit by learning how a REAL President acts. Oh and I also love the anti-gun message it is trying to send out to us. ;)
]]>Tue, 26 Jun 2007 04:07:00 GMTbadthingbadthing Blog6/26/2007 12:07:00 AMPresident Bush should watch this movie as he could benefit by learning how a REAL President acts. Oh and I also love the anti-gun message it is trying to send out to us. ;) http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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