list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Swingers 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/Swingers/93403/default.aspx Title: Swingers
Year: 1996
Director: Doug Liman
Plot: A knowing examination of the psyche of the modern American male, Doug Liman's debut comedy Swingers stars screenwriter Jon Favreau as the sensitive Mike, a struggling actor and stand-up comic looking for romance in the wake of the dissolution of a six-year relationship. Against his better judgment, he hits the town with his pal Trent (Vince Vaughn, in a star-making performance), a retro-hip smooth-talker who calls women "babies" and feels compelled to illustrate to Mike the error of his gentlemanly ways. First in Las Vegas and later in a series of hip L.A. nightspots, the duo and their other pals, including a guy named Sue (Patrick Van Horn), prowl for women, looking for kicks and cheap thrills. The difference is that while Trent wants sex, Mike wants love and romance. Only when he learns to simply be himself does he find what he's looking for. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 17
Number of Lists: 67
Number of blog posts: 9
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:44:38 GMTSwingers1996Doug LimanA knowing examination of the psyche of the modern American male, <a href="/players/P___205240/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Doug Liman</a>'s debut comedy Swingers stars screenwriter <a href="/players/P____22880/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jon Favreau</a> as the sensitive Mike, a struggling actor and stand-up comic looking for romance in the wake of the dissolution of a six-year relationship. Against his better judgment, he hits the town with his pal Trent (<a href="/players/P___225542/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Vince Vaughn</a>, in a star-making performance), a retro-hip smooth-talker who calls women "babies" and feels compelled to illustrate to Mike the error of his gentlemanly ways. First in Las Vegas and later in a series of hip L.A. nightspots, the duo and their other pals, including a guy named Sue (Patrick Van Horn), prowl for women, looking for kicks and cheap thrills. The difference is that while Trent wants sex, Mike wants love and romance. Only when he learns to simply be himself does he find what he's looking for. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide17Tag Target (>10)67923http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t72035mjcxd.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Swingers/93403/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/11/38265.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/11/2008 2:01:18 PM
Body: Thanks to Barack Obama, you’ve possibly had enough inspirational speeches for one year. But if not, go see Milk, and also watch this video, which splices together bits from 40 films including obvious choices like Independence Day, Patton, Braveheart, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Animal House, as well as surprise additions like Newsies, Swingers and Galaxy Quest. The montage had me at the 7 second mark due to an appearance from Fozzie and friends (from The Great Muppet Caper), but it goes on longer than 2 minutes. This is not just some compilation of cinema’s greatest inspirational speeches, though; it’s a well-edited stitching of words that come together as one long speech, the most perfect inspirational speech ever. Even Obama could learn a thing from this video from YouTube genius Matthew Belinkie (he also gave us “The Dark Bailout”), especially if the president-elect finds himself at the center of an alien invasion, a war with England or in a roomful of Muppets at the Happiness Hotel. Check out “40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes” after the jump. [via Cinematical] Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:01:18 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/11/2008 2:01:18 PMThanks to Barack Obama, you’ve possibly had enough inspirational speeches for one year. But if not, go see Milk, and also watch this video, which splices together bits from 40 films including obvious choices like Independence Day, Patton, Braveheart, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Animal House, as well as surprise additions like Newsies, Swingers and Galaxy Quest. The montage had me at the 7 second mark due to an appearance from Fozzie and friends (from The Great Muppet Caper), but it goes on longer than 2 minutes. This is not just some compilation of cinema’s greatest inspirational speeches, though; it’s a well-edited stitching of words that come together as one long speech, the most perfect inspirational speech ever. Even Obama could learn a thing from this video from YouTube genius Matthew Belinkie (he also gave us “The Dark Bailout”), especially if the president-elect finds himself at the center of an alien invasion, a war with England or in a roomful of Muppets at the Happiness Hotel. Check out “40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes” after the jump. [via Cinematical] Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/11/30/37770.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 11/30/2008 8:19:41 PM
Body: Someone should alert that bloviating Bill O'Reilly that, between this film and last year's "Fred Claus," Vince Vaughn is launching his own one-man attack on Christmas. In "Four Christmases" he stars as Brad, a self-involved yuppie who marks the holiday by lying to his family about helping the underprivileged so that he and his live-in girlfriend Kate (played by Reese Witherspoon) can jet off to a tropical paradise. When a dense fog blankets the airport, their cancelled flight leads them into the homes and hearths of their various families. It follows the standard "Meet the Parents" formula, as their numerous familial oddities are trotted out and past skeletons unearthed, much to the cutesy couple's dismay. Each scenario is less amusing than the last. And, as Robert DeNiro demonstrated in the above-mentioned film, “Christmases” is quick to populate former serious actors in the wacky parents' roles (Look, it's Robert Duvall as a beer-swiggin' redneck! Sissy Spacek as a new-age hippie, Mary Steenburgen as a Jesus freak!) As we are forced to travel with them, countless questions arise (beyond the typical "how did this film get greenlit?" "who's this hard up for cash to accept a paycheck for this."). 1) Just how close do these families live to each other? Seriously, this is Jack Bauer territory, for only "24's" super-agent is capable of accomplishing so much in the course of a day. By the film's end, the two have sat through several holiday meals, installed a satellite dish on a roof, rehearsed and performed in a nativity play, stroll down memory lane with various family members, wash and dry clothes vomit-stained clothes, swear off children, want to have children, break up and make up (and please don't give me grief for ruining the end, you know exactly what you're getting in a film like this. 2) If they are skilled enough at lying to learn the Burmese saying for “Merry Christmas,” they certainly could have come up with a whopper to save them the time with certain members of the family, couldn't they? Brad's family alone has to be the most obnoxious clan of mouth-breathers (with Duval as his cruel, selfish dad and Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw as his loutish siblings), that any woman with half a brain would be hitchhiking her way back to San Fran. The film never gives us a sense that there is anything but contempt from any part of this clan. 3) After stridently defending their relationship at the beginning of the film, why change what ain't broke? Seriously, if they were content in their own little hermetically sealed relationship, there is little provided in this film for a persuasive argument to the testament of marriage and family? Just what happens with Kate when one minute the mere mention of children curls her lips as though she just sucked a lemon, to suddenly longing to have a child herself. Was it the scene when she's asked to look for poop in a diaper? Or perhaps it was the stench of curdled breast milk her little nephew spews on her. Either way, the transition was not once believable. 4) Just how large was that crafts services table to keep Vaughn happy? OK, I realize that this one is just plain mean, but really, he does not look healthy, resembling an older brother of Kevin (“King of Queens”) James with perhaps a chain-smoking problem. Vaughn does his shtick that has carried him through many a film, firing off lines as though it was an Olympic event. And while that works in more zany or sophisticated comedies (like “Old School” and “Swingers,” respectively), he's out of his element in sweet romantic comedies. His aggressive banter worked much better in "The Break-Up"," where he played a total ass in what can only be described as an anti-romantic comedy. Witherspoon is a non- entity here, in a role that any number of blondes could have filled. The sass so professionally shown in "Election," Legally Blonde and Walk the Line is tucked behind her perky Jennifer Anniston haircut. So, fruitcake, take a breather, you're about to be replaced. That oft-chided holiday gift tradition that is so spurned by recipients now has a cinematic substitute . The "Four Christmases" DVD should in the coming years be the one item recipients are loathe to get.
]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:19:41 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog11/30/2008 8:19:41 PMSomeone should alert that bloviating Bill O'Reilly that, between this film and last year's "Fred Claus," Vince Vaughn is launching his own one-man attack on Christmas. In "Four Christmases" he stars as Brad, a self-involved yuppie who marks the holiday by lying to his family about helping the underprivileged so that he and his live-in girlfriend Kate (played by Reese Witherspoon) can jet off to a tropical paradise. When a dense fog blankets the airport, their cancelled flight leads them into the homes and hearths of their various families. It follows the standard "Meet the Parents" formula, as their numerous familial oddities are trotted out and past skeletons unearthed, much to the cutesy couple's dismay. Each scenario is less amusing than the last. And, as Robert DeNiro demonstrated in the above-mentioned film, &ldquo;Christmases&rdquo; is quick to populate former serious actors in the wacky parents' roles (Look, it's Robert Duvall as a beer-swiggin' redneck! Sissy Spacek as a new-age hippie, Mary Steenburgen as a Jesus freak!) As we are forced to travel with them, countless questions arise (beyond the typical "how did this film get greenlit?" "who's this hard up for cash to accept a paycheck for this."). 1) Just how close do these families live to each other? Seriously, this is Jack Bauer territory, for only "24's" super-agent is capable of accomplishing so much in the course of a day. By the film's end, the two have sat through several holiday meals, installed a satellite dish on a roof, rehearsed and performed in a nativity play, stroll down memory lane with various family members, wash and dry clothes vomit-stained clothes, swear off children, want to have children, break up and make up (and please don't give me grief for ruining the end, you know exactly what you're getting in a film like this. 2) If they are skilled enough at lying to learn the Burmese saying for &ldquo;Merry Christmas,&rdquo; they certainly could have come up with a whopper to save them the time with certain members of the family, couldn't they? Brad's family alone has to be the most obnoxious clan of mouth-breathers (with Duval as his cruel, selfish dad and Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw as his loutish siblings), that any woman with half a brain would be hitchhiking her way back to San Fran. The film never gives us a sense that there is anything but contempt from any part of this clan. 3) After stridently defending their relationship at the beginning of the film, why change what ain't broke? Seriously, if they were content in their own little hermetically sealed relationship, there is little provided in this film for a persuasive argument to the testament of marriage and family? Just what happens with Kate when one minute the mere mention of children curls her lips as though she just sucked a lemon, to suddenly longing to have a child herself. Was it the scene when she's asked to look for poop in a diaper? Or perhaps it was the stench of curdled breast milk her little nephew spews on her. Either way, the transition was not once believable. 4) Just how large was that crafts services table to keep Vaughn happy? OK, I realize that this one is just plain mean, but really, he does not look healthy, resembling an older brother of Kevin (&ldquo;King of Queens&rdquo;) James with perhaps a chain-smoking problem. Vaughn does his shtick that has carried him through many a film, firing off lines as though it was an Olympic event. And while that works in more zany or sophisticated comedies (like &ldquo;Old School&rdquo; and &ldquo;Swingers,&rdquo; respectively), he's out of his element in sweet romantic comedies. His aggressive banter worked much better in "The Break-Up"," where he played a total ass in what can only be described as an anti-romantic comedy. Witherspoon is a non- entity here, in a role that any number of blondes could have filled. The sass so professionally shown in "Election," Legally Blonde and Walk the Line is tucked behind her perky Jennifer Anniston haircut. So, fruitcake, take a breather, you're about to be replaced. That oft-chided holiday gift tradition that is so spurned by recipients now has a cinematic substitute . The "Four Christmases" DVD should in the coming years be the one item recipients are loathe to get. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Thanksgiving_movies_the_good_and_the_sucky_in_th/216/37542/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 11/21/2008 2:57:23 PM
Body: The new movies I mention are coming out on Thanksgiving, which is Thursday the 26th. Getting Bigger All the Time: The Vince Vaughn Chronicles Let's trace his growth in reverse order. 5. Four Christmases (NEW) -- Vaughn is now over 12 feet tall. Needless to say, Vince was filmed separately, in front of a green screen. He only held a real prop once: Inside the box is a 52" flatscreen TV. 4. Wedding Crashers (2005) -- Watch the trailer. Vince is nearly 9 feet tall. To make him appear only slightly larger than Owen Wilson, Director Peter Jackson is hired to pull out all the perspective tricks he used with the Hobbits in LOTR. 3. Dodgeball (2004) -- Watch the trailer. Vince is seven and a half feet tall. It becomes clear that Vince can't throw a dodgeball without giving his target a concussion. Their solution: preceding all action scenes, the studio weakens him by shooting him with a moose tranquilizer. 2. Made (2001) -- Watch the trailer. My favorite Vince Vaughn movie! Vince and actor/director Jon Favreau (of Iron Man) are entry-level mobsters trying not to blow their new career in crime. Peter Falk is great as the mob boss. With Vince measuring 6'11", it's clear why Falk would want him as a thug. 1. Swingers (1996) -- Would anyone who used Vince's catchphrase, "That's money!", in 1996 please confess in this discussion? I was too young to see this movie when it came out, and when I finally saw it about two years ago, I couldn't get why it became a craze. Can someone please help me understand? Swingers is the last time Vince was nearly normal-sized, at 6'5". New Movies That Sound Like Musicals When You Add An Exclamation Point 1. Australia! -- Watch the trailer. Starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, set in Pre-WWII Australia. The director Baz Luhrmann has made films like Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet, so I think this will be good. 2. Milk! -- Watch the trailer. Based on the true story of gay activist Harvey Milk. With Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Emile Hirsch. When Jason Statham is More Badass Than Usual 1. Transporter 3 (NEW) -- Watch the trailer. The trailer's exciting. I didn't see the first two movies because I heard they weren't very good. Are there any fans of them out there? 2. Crank (2006) -- Watch the trailer. Statham wakes up to find that his arch-enemy has poisoned him. He only has about an hour to find an antidote and/or avenge his murder. It's filmed in real time, and it makes Run, Lola Run feel like a walk in the park. Orthodox Jewish Film: I Don't Have a Clever Title for This List 1. The Secrets (NEW) -- Drama about students in an all-female seminary in Safed, Israel. 2. Ushpizin (2005) -- Watch the trailer. This was really fantastic. Moshe and Mali are delighted to let Moshe's old friends stay with them for a time, but their stay turns sour when the friends' presence seems to awaken some old bad habits in Moshe, like binge drinking and barroom brawling. A gorgeous film about patience, change, and hope. New to DVD Highlights 1. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (11/18) -- Watch the trailer. I haven't seen this one yet, but I'd like to. Did you like it more than the first one? 2. Tropic Thunder (11/18) -- Watch the trailer. Good but not great (in my opinion). Ben Stiller was my favorite character. 3. Hancock (11/25) -- Watch the trailer. Seeing it once was too much. 4. Mamma Mia! (11/25) -- Watch the trailer. That musical with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth. 5. X-Files: I want to Believe (11/25) -- Watch the trailer. I want to believe this is good, but I can't. Does anyone remember that old episode where the guy elongates his body and slithers through heating ducts? He uses his power to enter peoples' homes and eat their livers? Remember? 6. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (11/18) -- Watch the trailer. I'm not sure, but I think this movie is about Johnny Appleseed's groupies. They followed him on foot all over America, even in winter! That showed a lot of determination, especially considering that they were so poor, they only had one pair of pants to share among them. In this second installment, several of the girls get frostbite, all of them get snakebites, and one of them bites a woodchuck and gets rabies.
]]>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:57:23 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon11/21/2008 2:57:23 PMThe new movies I mention are coming out on Thanksgiving, which is Thursday the 26th. Getting Bigger All the Time: The Vince Vaughn Chronicles Let's trace his growth in reverse order. 5. Four Christmases (NEW) -- Vaughn is now over 12 feet tall. Needless to say, Vince was filmed separately, in front of a green screen. He only held a real prop once: Inside the box is a 52" flatscreen TV. 4. Wedding Crashers (2005) -- Watch the trailer. Vince is nearly 9 feet tall. To make him appear only slightly larger than Owen Wilson, Director Peter Jackson is hired to pull out all the perspective tricks he used with the Hobbits in LOTR. 3. Dodgeball (2004) -- Watch the trailer. Vince is seven and a half feet tall. It becomes clear that Vince can't throw a dodgeball without giving his target a concussion. Their solution: preceding all action scenes, the studio weakens him by shooting him with a moose tranquilizer. 2. Made (2001) -- Watch the trailer. My favorite Vince Vaughn movie! Vince and actor/director Jon Favreau (of Iron Man) are entry-level mobsters trying not to blow their new career in crime. Peter Falk is great as the mob boss. With Vince measuring 6'11", it's clear why Falk would want him as a thug. 1. Swingers (1996) -- Would anyone who used Vince's catchphrase, "That's money!", in 1996 please confess in this discussion? I was too young to see this movie when it came out, and when I finally saw it about two years ago, I couldn't get why it became a craze. Can someone please help me understand? Swingers is the last time Vince was nearly normal-sized, at 6'5". New Movies That Sound Like Musicals When You Add An Exclamation Point 1. Australia! -- Watch the trailer. Starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, set in Pre-WWII Australia. The director Baz Luhrmann has made films like Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet, so I think this will be good. 2. Milk! -- Watch the trailer. Based on the true story of gay activist Harvey Milk. With Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Emile Hirsch. When Jason Statham is More Badass Than Usual 1. Transporter 3 (NEW) -- Watch the trailer. The trailer's exciting. I didn't see the first two movies because I heard they weren't very good. Are there any fans of them out there? 2. Crank (2006) -- Watch the trailer. Statham wakes up to find that his arch-enemy has poisoned him. He only has about an hour to find an antidote and/or avenge his murder. It's filmed in real time, and it makes Run, Lola Run feel like a walk in the park. Orthodox Jewish Film: I Don't Have a Clever Title for This List 1. The Secrets (NEW) -- Drama about students in an all-female seminary in Safed, Israel. 2. Ushpizin (2005) -- Watch the trailer. This was really fantastic. Moshe and Mali are delighted to let Moshe's old friends stay with them for a time, but their stay turns sour when the friends' presence seems to awaken some old bad habits in Moshe, like binge drinking and barroom brawling. A gorgeous film about patience, change, and hope. New to DVD Highlights 1. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (11/18) -- Watch the trailer. I haven't seen this one yet, but I'd like to. Did you like it more than the first one? 2. Tropic Thunder (11/18) -- Watch the trailer. Good but not great (in my opinion). Ben Stiller was my favorite character. 3. Hancock (11/25) -- Watch the trailer. Seeing it once was too much. 4. Mamma Mia! (11/25) -- Watch the trailer. That musical with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth. 5. X-Files: I want to Believe (11/25) -- Watch the trailer. I want to believe this is good, but I can't. Does anyone remember that old episode where the guy elongates his body and slithers through heating ducts? He uses his power to enter peoples' homes and eat their livers? Remember? 6. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (11/18) -- Watch the trailer. I'm not sure, but I think this movie is about Johnny Appleseed's groupies. They followed him on foot all over America, even in winter! That showed a lot of determination, especially considering that they were so poor, they only had one pair of pants to share among them. In this second installment, several of the girls get frostbite, all of them get snakebites, and one of them bites a woodchuck and gets rabies. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/6/5/30563.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 6/5/2008 3:01:05 PM
Body: Now that we know, courtesy of Stu at Defamer, that Werner Herzog’s remake of Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant is not so much a remake as it is like a new entry into a franchise, a la the James Bond movies, we at SpoutBlog wonder what other ’90s indie favorites could be continued with similar yet “completely different” installments. I remember back in the day thinking that Clerks should be a franchise, each film focusing on a different crappy job experience, but now that Clerks II has come and gone, that idea will likely never be realized. Of course, the concept of sequels unrelated to the original aren’t new — just look at any sequel title substituting the number 2 (or II) with the word Too. But nevertheless, here’s a few suggestions for other crazy foreign auteurs to take into consideration: Kids - Looking back, Larry Clark’s then-shocking debut is pretty tame. Nowadays you see teens doing worse things on commercial television. So, how about someone makes another Kids movie every decade or so to expose us to the latest generation of teenagers and how appallingly different they are from the previous generation. It would be like Apted’s Up documentaries, except it wouldn’t follow the same people. Slacker - This is Karina’s suggestion, off the top of her head, so I’ll give her credit. She likes the idea of Linklater revisiting the concept behind his monumental indie, but having it set in other cities, a la The Real World. Unlike the premise of the next Real World, though, I’d be much more excited about a Slacker Brooklyn. Leaving Las Vegas - While we’re on the idea of transplanting locations, and because Herzog is setting his Bad Lieutenant in New Orleans rather than New York, let’s mention some films whose remakes sequels next installments could feature title changes depending on their location changes. Leaving Boston might not have the same ring to it, though. What about King of New York redone as King of St. Louis? Of course, Abel Ferrara is already turning King of New York into a franchise with Pericle il Nero, a prequel that isn’t quite a prequel (strange that he would have a problem with Herzog’s film, then). Swingers - This one is easy. Take some hot new subculture/dance craze/music scene and exploit it, so none of the original followers like it anymore and all of the new followers can be labeled posers (no, of course I’m not bitter). Swingers wasn’t the first movie to do it; Saturday Night Fever and probably a few ’50s rock ‘n’ roll movies were viewed the same way. I wonder what scene is cool with the alternative kids these days … The Big One - Following the success of Roger and Me, Michael Moore made this documentary in which he attempts to get interviews with other corporate heads. But now his films are mostly political and there’s less attention paid towards companies like General Motors and Nike. Sure, we’ve since seen some worthy substitutes, including The Corporation, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Super Size Me, but I’d like Moore to return to his hunting of the villains of capitalism and give up on his pursuit of 9/11 answers. Breaking the Waves - Surely most movie execs were shocked at how unsexy Von Trier’s film was. After all, the story of a crippled man who sends his wife out to sleep with men for his vicarious benefit sounds like an erotic, softcore, Skinamax kind of thing. So, when do we get Breaking the Waves Too, about another crippled man with a much younger, hotter wife (just FYI, I personally have always had a crush on Emily Watson)? And since it will be have to be direct-to-video will it still need to avoid the nauseating shaky cam that made so many people sick in the theater? Sling Blade - Having recently seen Robert Duvall in the 1972 film Tomorrow, I now know that Billy Bob Thornton’s “Karl Childers” is not that unique a character. For the next installment, I’d like to see Karl (well, a character like Karl) and his southern gothic story set in New York City. It would make about as much sense as Bad Lieutenant being set in NOLA. Being John Malkovich - Who hasn’t wanted a franchise in which each installment goes inside the head of a different cult-figure actor? Even if it would ruin the original just a little big, I’d love Being Jeff Goldblum or Being Christopher Walken. The latter would be enormously popular. Kolya - This Oscar-winning foreign film showed us that heartwarming tales of old, curmudgeonly Sean Connery lookalikes who learn to love the young child they’re forced to take care of are universal. But I’d like to see the same plot in other countries besides Czechoslovakia, just to be sure. Waiting for Guffman - Oh wait, Christopher Guest has been continually remaking this movie, only without association. Never mind. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:01:05 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com6/5/2008 3:01:05 PMNow that we know, courtesy of Stu at Defamer, that Werner Herzog’s remake of Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant is not so much a remake as it is like a new entry into a franchise, a la the James Bond movies, we at SpoutBlog wonder what other ’90s indie favorites could be continued with similar yet “completely different” installments. I remember back in the day thinking that Clerks should be a franchise, each film focusing on a different crappy job experience, but now that Clerks II has come and gone, that idea will likely never be realized. Of course, the concept of sequels unrelated to the original aren’t new — just look at any sequel title substituting the number 2 (or II) with the word Too. But nevertheless, here’s a few suggestions for other crazy foreign auteurs to take into consideration: Kids - Looking back, Larry Clark’s then-shocking debut is pretty tame. Nowadays you see teens doing worse things on commercial television. So, how about someone makes another Kids movie every decade or so to expose us to the latest generation of teenagers and how appallingly different they are from the previous generation. It would be like Apted’s Up documentaries, except it wouldn’t follow the same people. Slacker - This is Karina’s suggestion, off the top of her head, so I’ll give her credit. She likes the idea of Linklater revisiting the concept behind his monumental indie, but having it set in other cities, a la The Real World. Unlike the premise of the next Real World, though, I’d be much more excited about a Slacker Brooklyn. Leaving Las Vegas - While we’re on the idea of transplanting locations, and because Herzog is setting his Bad Lieutenant in New Orleans rather than New York, let’s mention some films whose remakes sequels next installments could feature title changes depending on their location changes. Leaving Boston might not have the same ring to it, though. What about King of New York redone as King of St. Louis? Of course, Abel Ferrara is already turning King of New York into a franchise with Pericle il Nero, a prequel that isn’t quite a prequel (strange that he would have a problem with Herzog’s film, then). Swingers - This one is easy. Take some hot new subculture/dance craze/music scene and exploit it, so none of the original followers like it anymore and all of the new followers can be labeled posers (no, of course I’m not bitter). Swingers wasn’t the first movie to do it; Saturday Night Fever and probably a few ’50s rock ‘n’ roll movies were viewed the same way. I wonder what scene is cool with the alternative kids these days … The Big One - Following the success of Roger and Me, Michael Moore made this documentary in which he attempts to get interviews with other corporate heads. But now his films are mostly political and there’s less attention paid towards companies like General Motors and Nike. Sure, we’ve since seen some worthy substitutes, including The Corporation, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Super Size Me, but I’d like Moore to return to his hunting of the villains of capitalism and give up on his pursuit of 9/11 answers. Breaking the Waves - Surely most movie execs were shocked at how unsexy Von Trier’s film was. After all, the story of a crippled man who sends his wife out to sleep with men for his vicarious benefit sounds like an erotic, softcore, Skinamax kind of thing. So, when do we get Breaking the Waves Too, about another crippled man with a much younger, hotter wife (just FYI, I personally have always had a crush on Emily Watson)? And since it will be have to be direct-to-video will it still need to avoid the nauseating shaky cam that made so many people sick in the theater? Sling Blade - Having recently seen Robert Duvall in the 1972 film Tomorrow, I now know that Billy Bob Thornton’s “Karl Childers” is not that unique a character. For the next installment, I’d like to see Karl (well, a character like Karl) and his southern gothic story set in New York City. It would make about as much sense as Bad Lieutenant being set in NOLA. Being John Malkovich - Who hasn’t wanted a franchise in which each installment goes inside the head of a different cult-figure actor? Even if it would ruin the original just a little big, I’d love Being Jeff Goldblum or Being Christopher Walken. The latter would be enormously popular. Kolya - This Oscar-winning foreign film showed us that heartwarming tales of old, curmudgeonly Sean Connery lookalikes who learn to love the young child they’re forced to take care of are universal. But I’d like to see the same plot in other countries besides Czechoslovakia, just to be sure. Waiting for Guffman - Oh wait, Christopher Guest has been continually remaking this movie, only without association. Never mind. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/franco/archive/2008/2/26/25596.aspx Post By: Franco
Post To: Franco Blog
Post Date: 2/26/2008 1:30:32 AM
Body: How four or five guys, driving separate cars, in a perfect row, can always find four or five parking places, right next to each other, in Los Angeles, even up in the hills... It's a special magic.
]]>Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:30:32 GMTFrancoFranco Blog2/26/2008 1:30:32 AMHow four or five guys, driving separate cars, in a perfect row, can always find four or five parking places, right next to each other, in Los Angeles, even up in the hills... It&#39;s a special magic. http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/2/18/25291.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 2/18/2008 8:00:17 PM
Body: A great marketing tagline for “Jumper” could have been: Jumper: It's “Highlander” for the myspace generation! Both feature leaps through space (and logic), centuries-old rivalries, and an acting vacuum for a lead (Christopher Lambert in 'Highlander,' Hayden Christensen in 'Jumper'), and both are a laughable assault on the intellect (but 'Jumper” lacks that groovin' Queen soundtrack). Jumper may also be notable for no other reason than Samuel L. Jackson managed to wear a more bizarre wig than his Gumby model he sported for “Unbreakable” a few years back. Frosted an unnatural shade of white, he resembles a pissed-off piece of Sno-Caps candy. Perhaps it was the chance to jet to exotic locales on the director's dime that enticed the actor to sign off on this mess, or maybe he was looking for a role that would allow him to slap former co-star Christensen around a bit in retribution for wrecking the last two “Star Wars” movies. Christensen plays David Rice (finally, a character with a last name to match his on-screen charisma!), a hedonistic, self-centered jerk who starts the on-screen narration by stating, “Once I was a normal person – a chump just like you.” Nothing like cuddling up to your audience right off the bat, David. David is a Jumper, a race long persecuted for their abilities by Christian zealots known as the Paladins, who feel only God should have the power to be everywhere at once (ironically, the Paladins still manage to stay in hot pursuit of the Jumpers, presumably without the use of teleportation). Their penalty for “jumping?” Death by stabbing. David makes his living “jumping” into banks, siphoning the cash and globe-trotting to catch some killer waves, bed exotic babes and rest atop the Sphinx, seemingly because it just looks cool on the movie poster. He transports back to his hometown and hooks up with a high school crush (Rachel Bilson, a human Bratz doll), and tries to impress her by taking her around the globe. Her presence slows down his time-space hopscotch, leading him and her prone to a Paladine assault. Looking for more plot? Sorry, check the theater next door. There's no plans for global dominance, no natural catastrophe faced. It's essentially just a first date that goes south on a cosmic level. The fact that Christensen brings to the proceedings all the enthusiasm of a disturbed nap is really no surprise. What is surprising is that the entire endeavor is directed by a should-have-known-better Doug Liman (“Swingers,” “Go,” “The Bourne Identity,” “Mr. and Mrs Smith”). While adapting young-adult novels from author Steven Gould, Liman figures we do not care about any of particulars, like: what the hell are Jumpers? Paladines? What is the source behind their abilities, weaponry and their feud? What exactly is the past relationship between David and his absentee mommy (played by Diane Lane)? Why the hell should we care about the current relationship with his girlfriend? What is the rationale behind a fellow jumper's plot to take down the Paladines? Of all the scary government agencies Jackson's character could say he's employed by, why does he choose the IRS? Sadly, the list could continue for the rest of this column. On the flip side, the lack of details means there are that many more minutes that we do not have to suffer through Christensen's constipated narration. Instead we get scene after scene of watching the “jumping” trick, which is only marginally impressive – and that margin diminishes with each additional leap. So does our tolerance and patience.
]]>Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:00:17 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog2/18/2008 8:00:17 PM A great marketing tagline for &ldquo;Jumper&rdquo; could have been: Jumper: It&#39;s &ldquo;Highlander&rdquo; for the myspace generation! Both feature leaps through space (and logic), centuries-old rivalries, and an acting vacuum for a lead (Christopher Lambert in &#39;Highlander,&#39; Hayden Christensen in &#39;Jumper&#39;), and both are a laughable assault on the intellect (but &#39;Jumper&rdquo; lacks that groovin&#39; Queen soundtrack). Jumper may also be notable for no other reason than Samuel L. Jackson managed to wear a more bizarre wig than his Gumby model he sported for &ldquo;Unbreakable&rdquo; a few years back. Frosted an unnatural shade of white, he resembles a pissed-off piece of Sno-Caps candy. Perhaps it was the chance to jet to exotic locales on the director&#39;s dime that enticed the actor to sign off on this mess, or maybe he was looking for a role that would allow him to slap former co-star Christensen around a bit in retribution for wrecking the last two &ldquo;Star Wars&rdquo; movies. Christensen plays David Rice (finally, a character with a last name to match his on-screen charisma!), a hedonistic, self-centered jerk who starts the on-screen narration by stating, &ldquo;Once I was a normal person &ndash; a chump just like you.&rdquo; Nothing like cuddling up to your audience right off the bat, David. David is a Jumper, a race long persecuted for their abilities by Christian zealots known as the Paladins, who feel only God should have the power to be everywhere at once (ironically, the Paladins still manage to stay in hot pursuit of the Jumpers, presumably without the use of teleportation). Their penalty for &ldquo;jumping?&rdquo; Death by stabbing. David makes his living &ldquo;jumping&rdquo; into banks, siphoning the cash and globe-trotting to catch some killer waves, bed exotic babes and rest atop the Sphinx, seemingly because it just looks cool on the movie poster. He transports back to his hometown and hooks up with a high school crush (Rachel Bilson, a human Bratz doll), and tries to impress her by taking her around the globe. Her presence slows down his time-space hopscotch, leading him and her prone to a Paladine assault. Looking for more plot? Sorry, check the theater next door. There&#39;s no plans for global dominance, no natural catastrophe faced. It&#39;s essentially just a first date that goes south on a cosmic level. The fact that Christensen brings to the proceedings all the enthusiasm of a disturbed nap is really no surprise. What is surprising is that the entire endeavor is directed by a should-have-known-better Doug Liman (&ldquo;Swingers,&rdquo; &ldquo;Go,&rdquo; &ldquo;The Bourne Identity,&rdquo; &ldquo;Mr. and Mrs Smith&rdquo;). While adapting young-adult novels from author Steven Gould, Liman figures we do not care about any of particulars, like: what the hell are Jumpers? Paladines? What is the source behind their abilities, weaponry and their feud? What exactly is the past relationship between David and his absentee mommy (played by Diane Lane)? Why the hell should we care about the current relationship with his girlfriend? What is the rationale behind a fellow jumper&#39;s plot to take down the Paladines? Of all the scary government agencies Jackson&#39;s character could say he&#39;s employed by, why does he choose the IRS? Sadly, the list could continue for the rest of this column. On the flip side, the lack of details means there are that many more minutes that we do not have to suffer through Christensen&#39;s constipated narration. Instead we get scene after scene of watching the &ldquo;jumping&rdquo; trick, which is only marginally impressive &ndash; and that margin diminishes with each additional leap. So does our tolerance and patience. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/2/14/25149.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/14/2008 4:00:29 PM
Body: I have been making the case for Doug Liman for years now. I’d even recently given up the claim that I completely despise Swingers (it’s mostly the neo-swing soundtrack I hate). I constantly argued that his The Bourne Identity was better than Greengrass’ The Bourne Supremacy — in the end Greengrass’ The Bourne Ultimatum turned out ultimately the best — and still continue promoting the genius of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (I watched it with a newbie just the other night, and that person was convinced). But now, I am on the fence about Jumper, which I haven’t yet seen and which arrived in theaters today. I can’t decide whether to bother seeing it. The movie certainly looks stupid. I’ll admit it. Yet this is where my Liman defending came about in the past year, especially recently, as its release got closer. Every time the trailer or TV ad came on the screen, someone would turn to me and say it looks really stupid. Or I would overhear a similar statement coming from the mouths of strangers. Oh, it has to be better than it looks, I would say. It’s Doug Liman, a great action director who tackles seemingly stupid movies. But now the reviews are out. It has an 18% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I can’t find one trustworthy critic who offers good enough reason to see it. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:00:29 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/14/2008 4:00:29 PMI have been making the case for Doug Liman for years now. I’d even recently given up the claim that I completely despise Swingers (it’s mostly the neo-swing soundtrack I hate). I constantly argued that his The Bourne Identity was better than Greengrass’ The Bourne Supremacy — in the end Greengrass’ The Bourne Ultimatum turned out ultimately the best — and still continue promoting the genius of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (I watched it with a newbie just the other night, and that person was convinced). But now, I am on the fence about Jumper, which I haven’t yet seen and which arrived in theaters today. I can’t decide whether to bother seeing it. The movie certainly looks stupid. I’ll admit it. Yet this is where my Liman defending came about in the past year, especially recently, as its release got closer. Every time the trailer or TV ad came on the screen, someone would turn to me and say it looks really stupid. Or I would overhear a similar statement coming from the mouths of strangers. Oh, it has to be better than it looks, I would say. It’s Doug Liman, a great action director who tackles seemingly stupid movies. But now the reviews are out. It has an 18% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I can’t find one trustworthy critic who offers good enough reason to see it. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/johnnyc71/archive/2007/12/28/23275.aspx Post By: JohnnyC71
Post To: JohnnyC71 Blog
Post Date: 12/28/2007 9:59:58 AM
Body: What a great " guy " flick Vegas baby, Vegas!!!
]]>Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:59:58 GMTJohnnyC71JohnnyC71 Blog12/28/2007 9:59:58 AMWhat a great &quot; guy &quot; flick Vegas baby, Vegas!!! http://www.spout.com/blogs/eagle795/archive/2007/8/28/18995.aspx Post By: eagle795
Post To: eagle795 Blog
Post Date: 8/28/2007 12:14:55 PM
Body: “Vegas baby!!, Vegas!!” This movie is most definitely “money”. With a very cool cast, a good soundtrack, and a hip vibe….it’s a throwback to the Rat Pack era, of which I’m a fan. Swingers is one of those cult classics that you may not have seen but really should.
]]>Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:14:55 GMTeagle795eagle795 Blog8/28/2007 12:14:55 PM&ldquo;Vegas baby!!, Vegas!!&rdquo; This movie is most definitely &ldquo;money&rdquo;. With a very cool cast, a good soundtrack, and a hip vibe&hellip;.it&rsquo;s a throwback to the Rat Pack era, of which I&rsquo;m a fan. Swingers is one of those cult classics that you may not have seen but really should. http://www.spout.com/groups/Totally_Over_rated/Your_overrated_list/170/4033/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Totally Over-rated
Post Date: 12/5/2006 4:50:55 PM
Body: Swingers's detail pageI thought I wouldn't like participating in this group at first because it get's frustrating complaining about movies, but I can't seem to hold myself back. Puhnner, you asked me to list some of my overrated movies, referring to my definition of overrated by ratio. Well I'm not sure if this is going by the same criteria, but I've come up with a list from another source. I also rate movies at the website movielens. It will give you recommendations based on your ratings and whatnot. It also gives some interesting statistics. For one, it tells me which movies I have rated the lowest compared to the average rating on their site. So I have looked at that list and picked several of them. The thing about this method is that I am not using what my impression of the ammount of acclaim a movie has received for the ratio but rather what the ammount of acclaim a website thinks a movie has based on the votes from it's users. Some of these movies I have not seen for a long time, so my feelings about them are not as immediate in my memory, but maybe it will give some dicussion. I Am SamShrekThe CoolerCrash (2005)In AmericaSelenaMillion Dollar BabyThe Wedding SingerChungking ExpressThe Lion KingEmpire RecordsAnything ElseMeet The ParentsTrue LiesBreathlessThe Nutty Professor (1996)Bad Boys IIJules and JimOpen WaterWhale RiderAmerican PieToy Story10 Things I Hate About YouSwingersGrand CanyonRuthless PeopleHappy, TexasWhat the #$*! Do We Know?!BanditsA Fish Called WandaThe Whole Nine YardsHigh FidelityMen In Black IIVanilla SkyE.T.The GameThe Truman ShowLiar LiarFahrenheit 9/11CollateralMeet the FockersField of DreamsLawrence of ArabiaBig DaddyThe GraduateHaiku TunnelAlien Vs. PredatorArlington RoadLa Femme NikitaGladiatorThe Motorcycle Diaries Also, I have added the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to the overrated list for this group. I also want to say I often hope my list in this area will stay short. Many of these movies I have had an impression from the start that I would not like it. I usually have a good sense ahead of time about what movies I will like more or less. I can't tell exactly how much I will like a movie, but I'm usually pretty close on the general range of how much I may like it. Most of these movies I was coerced into seeing. Some of you may argue that the fact that I told myself I didn't want to see it in the first place may have had an effect on how much I liked it. Such as if I go in telling myself I won't like it, I'll probably find more reasons not to like it. That may be true to some extent, but not enough to really effect my decision that much. Go ahead and ask me about these selections and make a list of your own using whatever criteria you feel is appropriate.
]]>Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:50:55 GMTRisseladaTotally Over-rated12/5/2006 4:50:55 PM<a href='http://www.spout.com/films/Swingers/93403/default.aspx'>Swingers's detail page</a>I thought I wouldn't like participating in this group at first because it get's frustrating complaining about movies, but I can't seem to hold myself back. Puhnner, you asked me to list some of my overrated movies, referring to my definition of overrated by ratio. Well I'm not sure if this is going by the same criteria, but I've come up with a list from another source. I also rate movies at the website movielens. It will give you recommendations based on your ratings and whatnot. It also gives some interesting statistics. For one, it tells me which movies I have rated the lowest compared to the average rating on their site. So I have looked at that list and picked several of them. The thing about this method is that I am not using what my impression of the ammount of acclaim a movie has received for the ratio but rather what the ammount of acclaim a website thinks a movie has based on the votes from it's users. Some of these movies I have not seen for a long time, so my feelings about them are not as immediate in my memory, but maybe it will give some dicussion. I Am SamShrekThe CoolerCrash (2005)In AmericaSelenaMillion Dollar BabyThe Wedding SingerChungking ExpressThe Lion KingEmpire RecordsAnything ElseMeet The ParentsTrue LiesBreathlessThe Nutty Professor (1996)Bad Boys IIJules and JimOpen WaterWhale RiderAmerican PieToy Story10 Things I Hate About YouSwingersGrand CanyonRuthless PeopleHappy, TexasWhat the #$*! Do We Know?!BanditsA Fish Called WandaThe Whole Nine YardsHigh FidelityMen In Black IIVanilla SkyE.T.The GameThe Truman ShowLiar LiarFahrenheit 9/11CollateralMeet the FockersField of DreamsLawrence of ArabiaBig DaddyThe GraduateHaiku TunnelAlien Vs. PredatorArlington RoadLa Femme NikitaGladiatorThe Motorcycle Diaries Also, I have added the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to the overrated list for this group. I also want to say I often hope my list in this area will stay short. Many of these movies I have had an impression from the start that I would not like it. I usually have a good sense ahead of time about what movies I will like more or less. I can't tell exactly how much I will like a movie, but I'm usually pretty close on the general range of how much I may like it. Most of these movies I was coerced into seeing. Some of you may argue that the fact that I told myself I didn't want to see it in the first place may have had an effect on how much I liked it. Such as if I go in telling myself I won't like it, I'll probably find more reasons not to like it. That may be true to some extent, but not enough to really effect my decision that much. Go ahead and ask me about these selections and make a list of your own using whatever criteria you feel is appropriate. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12479

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