minerwerks's Recent Activity - Spout

Spout Group:Spout Customer Care - Get answers to your questions here!

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:47:00 GMT

Group Name: Spout Customer Care - Get answers to your questions here!
Group Description:

Have a general question? Need help with some thing on the site? Have a bug you would like to report? Well then, you have come to the right place. No matter what you are having trouble with, we would like to help you find a solution. And maybe, through your own experience with the site, you will want to help other users too. That's what communities are all about.

Created: 8/1/2007
Number of Members: 79
Number of discussion posts: 513

Spout Group:HORROR MOVIES 101 - FOR ALL WHO LOVE HORROR MOVIES

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:53:17 GMT

Group Name: HORROR MOVIES 101 - FOR ALL WHO LOVE HORROR MOVIES
Group Description: " I bid you welcome... Enter freely and of your own will..."
Created: 12/17/2006
Number of Members: 414
Number of Lists: 6
Number of discussion posts: 2333

Spout Group:foureyedmonsters - Talk to Susan & Arin about the movie and those addictive podcasts.

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:42:31 GMT

Group Name: foureyedmonsters - Talk to Susan & Arin about the movie and those addictive podcasts.
Created: 6/4/2007
Number of Members: 322
Number of discussion posts: 56

Spout Group:Weekly Theme - "Fighting off boredom with the Iron Fist of Variety"

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:20:23 GMT

Group Name: Weekly Theme - "Fighting off boredom with the Iron Fist of Variety"
Created: 6/30/2008
Number of Members: 52
Number of Lists: 12
Number of discussion posts: 701

Spout Group:Spout Mavens - Spout's best movie reviewers. Membership is limited.

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:10:52 GMT

Group Name: Spout Mavens - Spout's best movie reviewers. Membership is limited.
Group Description:

A group of Spout's best reviewers.
Read the requirements.

Created: 6/20/2007
Number of Members: 36
Number of Lists: 9
Number of discussion posts: 451

Spout Group:missing a film - we'll help you find a film

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:30:05 GMT

Group Name: missing a film - we'll help you find a film
Created: 3/5/2007
Number of Members: 131
Number of Lists: 1
Number of discussion posts: 234

Spout Group:Friends of Foreign Flicks - Discussions of all films not American.

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:05:26 GMT

Group Name: Friends of Foreign Flicks - Discussions of all films not American.
Group Description:

At some point you just want more than what's right in front of you.

Created: 4/24/2008
Number of Members: 30
Number of Lists: 1
Number of discussion posts: 92

Spout Group:The Documentary - A place to talk about the much overlooked genre of the Documentary.

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:05:39 GMT

Group Name: The Documentary - A place to talk about the much overlooked genre of the Documentary.
Created: 4/2/2006
Number of Members: 49
Number of Lists: 4
Number of discussion posts: 53

Spout Group:Sound on Sight - Podcasts, movie reviews, interviews, news and more.

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:03:03 GMT

Group Name: Sound on Sight - Podcasts, movie reviews, interviews, news and more.
Group Description:

Sound on Sight proudly brings you two podcasts each week. Voted best podcast in 2008, these hard working hosts cover everything from mainstream Hollywood films to noir, horror, science fiction, cult cinema, documentary film making and more. Look out for a new show added every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

http://www.soundonsight.org/

Created: 1/6/2008
Number of Members: 104
Number of discussion posts: 150

Spout Group:Worst Movie Ever - The Group is dedicated to uncovering the bombs, so you don't have too.

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:43:26 GMT

Group Name: Worst Movie Ever - The Group is dedicated to uncovering the bombs, so you don't have too.
Created: 5/5/2006
Number of Members: 200
Number of Lists: 10
Number of discussion posts: 412

Spout Group:Movie Polls - Vote in weekly polls and discuss

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:42:29 GMT

Group Name: Movie Polls - Vote in weekly polls and discuss
Group Description:

Each week I will post a new poll. Please vote in the poll and reply to the discussion thread to discuss the question. Please do not vote more than once.

Created: 11/25/2008
Number of Members: 66
Number of discussion posts: 414

Spout Group:Zombie Obsession - Zombie Lovers, Unite!

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:29:56 GMT

Group Name: Zombie Obsession - Zombie Lovers, Unite!
Group Description:

Join us to discuss your favorite or most horrifying Zombie Movies or just your most memorable Zombie Moments. From Funny to Scary to Gory to Bizarre...

Created: 5/28/2007
Number of Members: 104
Number of Lists: 1
Number of discussion posts: 594

Spout Group:A World of MSTies - Thank You, Won't We?

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:25:25 GMT

Group Name: A World of MSTies - Thank You, Won't We?
Group Description:

Glorify the best show ever (MST3K) with wit, wisdom and downright wackiness!

Created: 4/23/2008
Number of Members: 10
Number of Lists: 2
Number of discussion posts: 23

Spout Group:It's a Wonderful Night for Oscar! - Devoted to everything nominated or snubbed by the Academy of Golden Guys

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:11:33 GMT

Group Name: It's a Wonderful Night for Oscar! - Devoted to everything nominated or snubbed by the Academy of Golden Guys
Group Description: Year after year, movie lovers and non movie lovers alike discuss ad nauseum the fate of films nominated for the utmost honor, the Academy Award. Some people watch it for the fashion. Some people watch for the haute couture. Some people watch for their fill of celebrity sightings. If you are a member of this group, you love everything about the Super Bowl of movies, especially the movies themselves! You love to make predictions, guess at the politics, discuss and dissect who should have been nominated and who should have won...or, you're just an avid movie lover that likes to pay attention. Come join the group!
Created: 3/4/2006
Number of Members: 41
Number of Lists: 58
Number of discussion posts: 226

Spout Group:Movie Marathons

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:33:02 GMT

Group Name: Movie Marathons
Group Description:

This is a group for members to start and organize movie marathons. Its primary purpose is to get more people exposed to more film. And to watch these films and discuss them as a group.

Anyone can start a marathon and marathons can be organized in many different ways to showcase the films of a director, actor, genre, theme etc...

Check the Guidlines and Suggestions discussion for ideas.

Created: 7/22/2009
Number of Members: 15
Number of discussion posts: 22

Spout Group:Movies we do not want to see - Try to convince us to see these movies!

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:31:56 GMT

Group Name: Movies we do not want to see - Try to convince us to see these movies!
Group Description: Want to be a member? Send me a message with a list of at least 5 movies that you do not want to see. There are many movies that I do not want to see. I'm not sure if its right of me to decide never to see a movie without seeing it. You know...like when a kid says they hate mushrooms even though they admit never trying them. So maybe this is a good spot for people to display movies they don't think they want to see, and see if anyone can convince us to try them out.
Created: 3/22/2006
Number of Members: 20
Number of Lists: 3
Number of discussion posts: 190

Spout Post: Review: The Apple

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:04:09 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 10/17/2008 1:04:09 PM
Body: Oh... my... God. I have a friend obsessed with the most obscure and bizarre movies ever seen, and when I happened by the other day, he was starting to watch this 1980 musical about a couple of kids from Canada seduced by a music business empresario. The female lead is Catherine Mary Stewart, known affectionately to many fans of 80s films from her roles in 'The Last Starfighter,' 'Night of the Comet' and 'Weekend at Bernie's.' The Male lead is some generic pretty boy with terrible acting skills and a resemblance to Bryan Singer (yeah, odd). The film is set in "the future" of 1994, where big corporations control the citizens. The master of it all is Mr. Boogalow, who surrounds himself with androgynous servants. Almost everyone in the film speaks with either a monotone or an exaggeratedly effeminite tone - until the middle of the film where we inexplicably are given a stereotypical Jewish mother character for a few scenes. At the beginning, we get the simple "seduction of the innocent" plot - the female gives in, but the guy resists - but eventually everything gets bogged down in repetitive musical numbers and nonsensical twists. This is a movie where the hero takes a strange drink from the people he thinks are holding his girlfriend hostage. This dumdum gets what he deserves. And evidently what he deserves is to live under a bridge with exiled hippies. The girlfriend escapes and joins them all, but the film isn't satisfied with this weakly played resolution. No, when the army of baddies show up to take on the hippies, we are treated to one of the most ridiculous deus ex machina moments ever committed to celluloid. Brought to the hippies by a giant white car in the sky is Mr. Topps, a godlike figure who just takes everyone away to start over without Mr. Boogalow. Have I mentioned this was a musical as well? Contributing to the completely unbelievable plot are a string of wretched, screeching songs. You could never believe that the evil corporation would control the people through song because their "anthem" is so overbearingly repetitive and chaotic. You could never believe that the hero and heroine's "retro" love song could appeal to the people because it's so trite and laughable. Don't even get me started on the fantasy musical number set in hell where, for some reason, there are vampires and guys with dog masks. Did I mention that the hippie leader sings in a grating low baritone? Anyone who thinks 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' is the worst of this era's musical attrocities hasn't seen 'The Apple.' 'The Apple' was a product of the production machine known as Cannon Films, which thrust upon the world 'Superman IV' and most of the 1980s Chuck Norris ouvre ('Missing In Action' and 'The Delta Force,' for example). This desperate attempt to cash in on both the cult movie and musical phenomenons of the 1970s smacks of that cheap, rushed mentality that earned the filmmakers the nickname of "The Go-Go Boys." It's ample proof that one must actually believe in what they are creating for it to carry any resonance whatsoever.

Spout Post: Review: 'Infinite' Enjoyment

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:00:20 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 10/6/2008 3:00:20 AM
Body: After seeing the trailer for 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist,' I joked to a friend that if someone were to design a movie specifically for me, this would probably be it. Let's break it down.'Nick and Norah' appeared to be...a) a teen comedy with a better than average chance of being good...b) with a dash of whimsy and unabashed romanticism...d) that takes place over the course of one night...d) from an up-and-coming director with an indie pedigree...e) featuring two appealing young stars...f) and a hip indie music soundtrack.I suppose if none of the above appeal to you, it probably won't matter whether I liked the movie or not. But if you can accept my claim to be able to fairly judge something so in tune with my sensibilities, you should read on. (footnote: I point to one 'Juno' as a film that seemed so right up my alley, yet left me a little cold. Good movie - cute even - but not in my top ten of the year.)Nick (Michael Cera) is a music nut who has recently been dumped. He wallows in his lingering unrequited love by making a series of "closure" mix CDs with elaborate packaging. Norah (Kat Dennings) goes to school with Nick's ex, Tris (Alexis Dziena), and enjoys the discarded CDs that Tris laughingly trashes. Fate brings the two together at a nightclub where Nick's band is playing. In a bid to save face, Norah approaches Nick and asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend. When Norah discovers Nick is Tris' ex, she wants to take off, but Nick's bandmates see this as an opportunity to revive him from depression.The rest of the film weaves a budding romance around a the search for a secret show by a band called Where's Fluffy? as well as the search for Norah's lost (and drunken) friend, Caroline. Threatening to pull the star-crossed lovers apart before they realize their destiny are Tal (Jay Baruchel), Norah's "friend with benefits" and Nick's ex, Tris, who seems jealous at the idea that Nick would ever stop pining for her.On the surface, there's nothing incredibly original about 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.' The more cynical might just write it off as a well-worn story grafted on to a hipster milieu for a quick cash in. But those who are willing to look deeper might notice a sincerity sorely missed in most films of this kind. I was captivated by the movie's youthful exuberance and it really drew out the hopeless romantic in me.Both Cera and Dennings are incredibly appealing young actors who have a way with dialogue that comes off improvised and natural. Some scenes recall the breezy charm of Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in 'Before Sunrise.' Cera and Dennings also infuse the characters' choices with believability, which is essential to accepting the various coincidences of the plot. Not to sell short the screenplay by Lorene Scafaria (based on a novel by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan), which is smart enough to turn a corner at such moments, rather than stacking something more unbelievable on top of them.Kudos also go to Scafaria for building characters with emotional attachments and not exaggerated libidos. Sexuality is present and accounted for, but not as an overwhelming force that permeates the entire story. Incidentally, the film's most explicit moment is probably the most creative and tasteful presentation of youthful sexuality I've seen in a while.Of course, I would be remiss to overlook the contribution that a talented director brings to the table on a film like this. Peter Sollett infuses 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist' with an engaging whimsy and a genial disposition that never comes off as corny. Sollett is a native New Yorker and the film displays an enormous love of the city, warts and all. The film may sanitize the city slightly and downplay the dangers of being in Brooklyn at 2 in the morning, but it also never looks like a film crew came along and made everything sparkle before cameras rolled. Surprisingly and pleasantly, the city feels like a large, inviting playground.Even though 'Nick and Norah' did end up being all the things I expected it to be, it also had something extra - that magical ability to exceed expectations. That's always a pleasant surprise for a hardened, cynical moviegoer as myself.

Spout Post: Re:Summer Palace

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:51:48 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: Spout Mavens
Post Date: 10/5/2008 4:51:48 PM
Body: My Spout Maven review of 'Summer Palace': http://www.spout.com/blogs/minerwerks/archive/2008/10/5/35905.aspx As suggested, "review" is in the subject header and a recommendation is included (Ang Lee's 'The Wedding Banquet,')

Spout Post: Spout Maven Review: 'Summer' Lovin' - Happened So Slow

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:47:00 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 10/5/2008 4:47:00 PM
Body: Palm Pictures' DVD of 'Summer Palace' arrived adorned with a 'BANNED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT' banner and reviews touting sex and politics "on full boil." In reality, this tells me about good old American hype than anything about the Chinese government. While interesting, the film wasn't quite as hot as the quotes imply.Yu Hong (Hao Lei) is a young girl from northern China near the border of North Korea. She travels to Beijing to attend University in the late 1980s. Upon meeting fellow student Li Ti (Hu Lingling), Yu Hong begins to open up to the new experiences the school and the city have to offer, as well as her awakening passions. These passions are further drawn out when she meets Zhou Wei (Guo Xiaodong), and the two become lovers.As a backdrop to the personal drama, there are hints of a growing political unease, which culminates in many of the students taking part in the famous demonstration in Tiananmen Square. The swift reaction of the Chinese government sends the various characters to places around the world, launching the film into a more sedate second half. Yu Hong heads back to her home temporarily, eventually heading south. Zhou Wei is initially mandated to join the Chinese military, but he and Li Ti eventually end up in Germany. Eventually, a tragedy sets up a chance for the former lovers to meet, but after a decade apart, how will they react to each other?Champions of art can make all the waves they want about how unfair it is that the Chinese government has sanctioned the makers of 'Summer Palace,' but to try and be coy about the film's meaning is just as silly as the Chinese claiming the film was rejected due to audio and visual problems. Though the film is subtle in the lyrical, meditative way that certain Asian films can be, it becomes clear by the end that the characters are emotionally damaged by government repression. Curiosity is replaced by shame, leading Yu Hong to rote sexual encounters and Zhou Wei to a dull, unspecific longing. After having a taste of great freedom cut short abruptly these students are more afraid to express their real needs and desires than to speak out against their country's leaders.I can't claim to be familiar with much Chinese cinema, though 'Summer Palace' is pretty much right in line with what I expect. It's interesting these films are skillfully assembled, but are not overtly stamped with the voice of a director, which is something I'm used to from American films. In this case, director Lou Ye assembles a great cast, sets about having them subtly convey longing and excitement and makes it all look and sound beautiful. If immaculate tone poems are more your speed, then by all means, don't miss this film. As an admirer of naturalistic film, I appreciated many parts of 'Summer Palace,' but I found that when the emotion drained out of the characters in the second half of the film, my interest went with it.RECOMMENDATION: Director Ang Lee is from Taiwan, but was born to Chinese parents and was encouraged to study Chinese culture. His films such as 'The Ice Storm' and 'Brokeback Mountain' evoke the tradition of subtle, lyrical character stories that 'Summer Palace' tries to be a part of. But Lee's command of film language feels much more natural and universal, which can be seen in his broad range of films. His breakout film, 'The Wedding Banquet,' was a great character piece but also part screwball comedy.The plot concerns a gay Taiwanese man, Wai-Tung, living with his partner in Manhattan. The young man's parents are eager for marriage and a grandchild, so they begin trying to set him up through a dating service. Wai-Tung decides on a marriage of convenience with a poor girl from China so she can get a green card and to keep his parents happy. The parents, however, are determined to stage a huge wedding.The result is a touching, entertaining concoction that was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Spout Post: I liked it, is that a 'Shock'?

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:55:54 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 9/4/2008 10:55:54 AM
Body: I am not a child of the 70s. I say this because it seems to be one of the main reasons I do not share the same reverence for the odd spectacle productions of that decade like 'Tommy' or 'The Man Who Fell to Earth.' I was going to throw 'Heavy Metal' in there, which is certainly a product of the 70s, even though it came out in 1981. Which is also the year that this sort-of sequel to 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' came out. Now, as much as I thoroughly enjoy 'Rocky Horrror' (with and without the crowd participation), I can buy into many of the criticisms of that film. They pitched the tone a bit too seriously, the pacing is erratic, and the movie never really communicates the same idea that the stage show originally did. But 'Shock Treatment' is something completely different, and it struggles to be taken on its own terms. The All Movie guide says it is "hesitantly embraced" by 'Rocky Horror' fans, but that rings as a prespective of someone on the outside observing the freaks. There are 'Rocky Horror' fans who have tried to put the same audience participation template on 'Shock Treatment,' and while those results are mixed and lack a certain spontaneity, they do not represent or spoil the merits of the film. 'Shock Treatment' follows married Brad and Janet Majors as they reulctantly become pawns in the mechanizations of a fast food magnate named Farley Flavors who lords over his world of DTV - Denton Television. The film immediately contextualizes small town America in a television studio where dramas play out on various television series. I suppose this device would cause many people to tune out immediately, but if you accept the surreal setting the film has many odd charms and fun moments. This is why I bring up films like 'Tommy' (and hell, let's also take 'The Wall' even though it came out a year after this film). I suppose the pedigree of being based on "important" rock music can carry a disconnected, overly pretentious, bizarre barrage of images and help it to be considered a classic. Why can't something just as surreal but with a more DIY bent be considered entertaining or worthy as well? 'Shock Treatment' is not deep, but it presages America's obsession with reality television, advertising overload and (particularly) the media's ability to lead people into making judgements on our fellow citizens based on rumor and conjecture. But this is a musical, and judged soley on that basis, the songs are bright, clever and catchy. Richard O'Brien and Richard Hartley outdid themselves and created songs that work even better than the ones in 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show.' The songs cut a wide swath through the music of the time, encompassing classic show tune styles, brassy soul, disco (just a little) and even punk. But somehow, the score is coherent, and less of a rambling pastiche of styles than its predecessor. Cliff de Young and Jessica Harper easily outshine Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon (the Brad and Janet of 'Rocky Horror'), not because of overall talent, but because they are appropriate for this film's incarnation of the roles (not to mention De Young and Harper sing their asses off). We don't get a lot of fancy musical choreography, but a couple of sequences are interestingly staged, cognizant of the camera and the conventions of editing. Which brings up another point. 'Rocky Horror' worked hard but couldn't quite shake the feeling of being adapted from a stage play. On the other hand, 'Shock Treatment' was a film from the beginning and even though the settings are limited inside a giant television studio, the film makes the most of space and time (and fantasy), never feeling tied to one or two locations. If you are ever in a forgiving mood and want to challenge your thoughts on this film, I encourage you to check it out again fresh. I'll be surprised if you don't find yourself singing,"Ooooh, shock treatment!" afterwards.

Spout Post: Is this Indie Cred?

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:23:55 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 8/24/2008 1:23:55 AM
Body: At long last, I sat down today to watch the documentary 'Reel Paradise' which chronicles the final month of John Pierson's adventure running a movie theater in Fiji. As a long standing admirer of Mr. Pierson, I was excited when I first heard about this film, but since I couldn't find one in a store locally, I unfortunately put off viewing for a couple years. The film was certainly worth the wait, succeeding as a celebration of film and a travelogue of a Western family living among the natives of the island. The experience of watching the film was quite enlightening and helped me reconnect with my enthusiasm for the movies. I can also honestly say that I had one of the most pleasant and surprising experiences ever watching a film. About three-quarters of the way into the film, John Pierson's son Wyatt is practicing a speech he will give to the audience at the evening's screening. Proud Papa John is listening from the very back of the theater, as seen below. Why would I be surprised by this? Because I made that shirt. Not like, "I designed that and a company printed it," I mean I really made that shirt. I created the art, printed it to a shirt and sent it to John Pierson personally about a decade ago. The whole thing started in 1997 at the Florida Film Festival. Pierson was a judge and I was working for the Fest. I happened to be working while Pierson was viewing a film. I overheard that he had needed transporation to meet his family at Universal Studios and it somehow hadn't been scheduled. I stepped in and offered to make the drive personally. On the way, we talked about some current films and some in the festival. He alerted me to 'In the Company of Men,' which I then saw and was mightily impressed. I had been to Pierson's presentation a couple days earlier and been enthusiastic over a clip from a show called 'Fishing With John' featuring musician and actor John Lurie. At the time, the show had appeared on cable but was not available on video. Amazingly, Pierson offered to loan me a tape of some episodes. In case you hadn't guessed, I was inspired. During one episode where Lurie and Willem Dafoe were ice fishing, the perfectly dry narrator intoned, "These are real men, doing real things." I wanted this slogan on a shirt, so I made one myself. You won't see the slogan in the film, however, because it's on the back of the shirt. There are only four of those shirts in existence. Eventually, I was asked to make one of these for John Lurie himself, which was mighty cool. One is in my dresser and evidently John Pierson is still wearing his, and it makes me happy.

Spout Post: Re:Mad Lib # 5: Just Plain Mean

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:47:16 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 7/22/2008 8:47:16 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] 22. animal [/quote] Badger

Spout Post: E Good?

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:52:15 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/29/2008 10:52:15 PM
Body: Last year's Super Bowl featured a car ad with a depressed assembly-line robot who jumps off a bridge. The car company faced some controvery over the suicide angle, and this just goes to prove exactly what I took away from the spot - they successfully managed to give a personality to a machine. Why else would people get so worked up over a hunk of metal toppling into the river? It's hard not to think of this watching Pixar's 'WALL-E,' which also hangs on the ability of the storytellers to make us care about a machine. WALL-E is the last of a fleet of waste management robots designed to scurry around Earth's surface and pile our trash into towers. This particular robot, however, has become fascinated with the remnants of our world - a video tape of 'Hello, Dolly!,' christmas lights, Zippo lighters, bubble wrap are among the items brought back to WALL-E's makeshift home. One day a sleek probe named EVE is left on Earth and WALL-E is smitten. He watches sheepishly from afar as EVE momentarily abandons her programming and flies gracefully over the barren landscape. As WALL-E courts EVE, her purpose is revealed - to collect evidence of living vegetation and return home. A ship soon arrives to collect EVE, and WALL-E becomes a stowaway to follow her. WALL-E is never deterred from his desire to find EVE, but we as the audience are next thrust into a kinetic, colorful and bizarre vision of the future of humankind represented by a giant ship called Axiom. As the fate of the humans becomes intertwined with EVE's mission and WALL-E's persistence, we are treated to a fun, exciting and thematically rich tale that explores the conflicts between our programming and our passions. It's almost a given at this point that Pixar's storytelling gurus can string together compelling character moments and exciting setpieces with ease. I can't ever see having the same reaction as I did watching 'Toy Story' all those years ago, but I am always pleased that there are filmmakers who care about giving the audience great characters and exciting moments based on goodwill between the viewer and the story. As with last year's 'Ratatouille," Pixar takes a risk in placing so much faith in a protagonist that must overcome preconceived notions - how much can we care about something that we are used to understanding as inhuman? I'm not sure they have managed to solve all the believability issues in giving programmed machines personalities, but old-fashioned charm goes a long way. The subtle themes of free will become more evident as the robots become intertwined in a drama with the humans, but a second viewing seems necessary to best take in the full meaning. And that's got to be one of the best ways to spend a summer afternoon this year.

Spout Post: Sub topic: Review or Not a Review?

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:35:47 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: Spout Feedback
Post Date: 6/27/2008 12:35:47 PM
Body: I'm now curious whether you've considered separating items that appear on a film's page into ones that came directly from "Write A Review" versus ones that include a link to a movie. I've done some posts that link to several movies, but my post doesn't provide as much context for someone who wants to read JUST about the linked movie. For instance, I mention other Robert Zemeckis films in a review of 'Back to the Future' but on the page for 'Forest Gump,' it shows my post with little 'Forest Gump' content. If a movie page had two sections - "Reviews of this film" and "Discussions that include this film," it might be more helpful. Just my two cents.

Spout Post: Dear Clearwater Public Library System

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:24:48 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/27/2008 12:24:48 PM
Body: Why have you had two copies of the DVD 'Helvetica' in "Processing" for over a month? You make me sad.

Spout Post: Not so Smart, But Not so Dumb

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:56:47 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/27/2008 11:56:47 AM
Body: There are two things I expected from this big-screen reinvention of 'Get Smart.' First, I figured Steve Carell would be charming and amusing (note I did not require 'hilarious') and second, that Anne Hathaway would be quite fetching. Expectation one turned out to be right on, and expectation two was actually surpassed. The question remains, however - is this enough to actually recommend the film? As a fan of much 60s pop culture, I was completely aware of the TV series 'Get Smart' but I never watched any complete episodes. I can imagine the tone from much of the contemporary sitcoms of the time, though. I don't understand the outright vitriol against the idea of making a film with the characters and basic setup of the original without being faithful to the style or tone, however. There are people who consider this an "abomination," and that's just a flat out overreaction. The truth is that this film is ultimately harmless and nowhere near as offensive as I'd feared. In the context of what passes for major studio fare today, it's actually not that dumb. The biggest sins of this film are mildly inconsistent characterization and a lack of great jokes (though there are a handful of acceptable ones). As an action film, it's completely passable, and it even manages to evoke a slightly more innocent era. But people associate the "brand" of 'Get Smart' with comedy, and it seemed like a slam dunk to hire Steve Carell as the new Maxwell Smart. And, yes, this is great casting, but despite a fair attempt at a backstory, this Max is never fully realized. In the "character is action" department, we're mostly covered, but in a movie that gives us a no-nonsense, independent Agent 99, Max comes across as more of an idiot savant than a smart but inexperienced agent. But this is just a mild romp and everyone involved is obviously having fun. Carell has the charisma to pass off half-baked material, and Hathaway is quite good throughout, even in the more serious moments. Sheer goodwill convinced me to overlook a ridiculous, slapstick airplane bathroom sequence that the rest of the audience seemed to enjoy. Everything else went down pretty smoothly. In the end, with obligations to the original material satisfied, there remain some interesting possibilities for a follow-up. In particular, a last-minute cameo pre-sold me on a ticket, conditional on said actor returning, of course. In the meantime, I hear there's a direct-to-video semi-sequel on the way(taking place in parallel to the feature film) featuring some of the minor characters of 'Get Smart.' I'm not so sold on this, but as long as it's not too crass of a cash-in, I might actually have fun with it.

Spout Post: Re:Manda Bala

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:07:43 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: Spout Mavens
Post Date: 6/26/2008 4:07:43 AM
Body: Holy crap, this was a great film. I watched a couple weeks ago, but exactly what to say about this took some pondering. I still don't think I did it justice, but here's an attempt: http://www.spout.com/blogs/minerwerks/archive/2008/6/26/31722.aspx

Spout Post: Send More Documentaries LIke This, Please!

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:02:43 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/26/2008 4:02:43 AM
Body: You may not have noticed, but this country seems to have been developing a bit of a cinematic obsession with Brazil over the past few years. Most cinephiles have affection for the spectacular 'Cidade de Deus,' ('City of God') which hit our shores in 2002 but took about a year to gain its due respect. In the meantime, a fascinating documentary about a hostage situation in Rio de Janeiro, 'Bus 174' made the festival rounds. Just last year, I had the pleasure of reviewing 'O Caminho das Nuvens' ('The Middle of the World'), a Brazilian film from 2003, released here through Film Movement. Later this year, another highly acclaimed Brazilian release, 'Tropa de Elite' ('Elite Squad') is due for limited release.The latest, greatest Brazilian film, however, turns out to not be from Brazil at all. 'Manda Bala' ('Send a Bullet') is an enthralling documentary by an American filmmaker, Jason Kohn. The film parallels the rise of kidnappings in the city of Sao Paulo with a history of political corruption within the country. The dynamic between the rich and the poor within Brazil is also the engine that drives all the films I previously mentioned, with an emphasis on the extremes that the desperate members of society will resort to. The new twist in 'Manda Bala' is the additional exploration of a corrupt system that used economic development in the northern part of the country as a cover to embezzle funds, providing a more explicit exploration of the cause and effect relationships that simultaneously affect the government and the citizens in complex ways.Instead of a broad survey of the situation, 'Manda Bala' takes the more elegant approach of presenting the stories of individuals to illuminate the larger issues. This is a more risky approach, but Kohn proves to be a natural at this. Perhaps this is related to Kohn's background as a research assistant with master documentarian Errol Morris. The result is reminiscent of Morris' best work, melding a flair for visuals with a compelling humanism. The film is filled with spectacular views of Brazil and inventively shot interviews, all presented in glorious widescreen. Add in a smattering of smart musical choices, and you have a documentary firing on all cylinders. It's not surprising that the film took the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance last year and received an Excellence in Cinematography Award to boot.The title, 'Send a Bullet' doesn't have a direct literal meaning in the context of these stories, but many of these people live in the shadow of violence. One subject is a police officer assigned to a unit exclusively devoted to kidnappings who has taken several bullets, another is a businessman who buys bullet-proof cars and takes courses on how to evade kidnappers. We also meet a former victim who lost an ear in a ransom plot as well as a doctor who is a specialist in ear reconstruction. Some of the stories (particular that of the kidnapping survivor) are harrowing, but others are hopeful. The commitment of some of the police and politicians to bring wrongdoers to justice, regardless of status, is heartening.By focusing on the human drama behind the headlines, 'Manda Bala' brings the documentary to the same level of the best fiction. This is a haunting film that I won't soon forget.

Spout Post: We Didn't Start the Fire

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 02:48:45 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/6/2008 10:48:45 PM
Body: Many film fans felt a tinge of sadness this past Sunday when we learned a major fire had broken out on the Universal Studios lot in Hollywood. Losses included the soundstage that housed a 'King Kong' attraction on the famous tram tour, New York and New England street facades and part of the courthouse square, most famous for the 'Back to the Future' films. Most controversially, however, was the loss of a vault that stored video tapes and film prints. Fears of the loss of Universal's storied history abound on the internet through the week. On Sunday, Universal Studios president Ron Meyer was quoted that "nothing irreplaceable was lost." Theoretically, the only films found in this vault were archival prints, generally shipped to repertory theaters from this facility on the lot. The Vice President of Universal took the step of sending notice to exhibitors that "nearly 100%" of the archival prints had been destroyed and that bookings to be shipped from the lot were suspended pending inventory. On Wednesday, Variety ran an article featuring interviews with film curators fanning the flames that the losses might be worse than reported. The curators suggest that new prints from older negatives may never look like the lost prints whether through fading, damage, or the simple change of materials and processes over time. By most accounts, Universal has a great reputation for preservation and intends to replace the destroyed assets. But even though this may be true, there is bound to be a long-term effect felt primarily by the most devoted film buffs. With the growing popularity of big-screen televisions and DVD, specialty film markets - independent and repertory film particularly - are attracting ever smaller audiences. And some art and specialty houses are resorting to cutting costs by dong screenings from DVD. I'm not sure if I am more saddened by the fact that I can walk into a classic movie house and be subjected to a DVD because actual film is too expensive, or that many people never notice the difference. The fear is that even though Universal should be able to create new prints to replace the lost ones, there will be little or no demand for them to actually do so. With the cost of a single 35mm print in the neighborhood of $2,500-$6,000, potential return of $300-$500 every few years seems insufficient to justify the expense for obscure titles. In the end, the damages suffered in the Universal fire become a reminder that the true experience of film - "as it was meant to be seen" as they say - is what is truly in danger. With increasing digital resolutions and decreasing costs for data storage, it becomes more and more likely that the public will primarily (or exclusively) experience classic films on video or computer screens. Unless you live in a very large market, specialty theaters can't draw audiences for 35 mm screenings of anything but first run films or a handful of absolutely undisputed classics ('Casablanca,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' etc.). Repertory theaters in cities such as San Francisco are even feeling the pinch. And though high-resolution digital projection is becoming more widely available, I can't yet muster the excitement to see "classic" films (which I define rather loosely as anything over a year old that I enjoy) in this format. So while Universal can truthfully claim the studio did not lose anything that was irreplaceable, the world's most devoted film buffs may not be able to say the same. While Universal may have the elements for some titles protected in deep storage, there will only be videos in general circulation, a merely adequate stand-in for the glorious celluloid that these films originated on.

Spout Post: They make real documentaries, don't they?

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:22:31 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/2/2008 1:22:31 AM
Body: In 'They Shoot Movies, Don't They?', a documentary crew follows Tom Paulson, a young guy who gives up a development deal and dumps all his savings into his first feature film. But he runs out of funding and must try to beg borrow and steal the completion funds to make a final cut. I happened to notice this film at the end of a shelf in my local library. Since I had never heard of it, I thought I'd check it out. When they're good, I love movies about movies, but they are rarely transcendent. It looks like a documentary, but I had my suspicions, and the tagline on the box ("A true story based on a lie") sounded perfectly cagey. If you care to check this film out and don't want it spoiled, stop reading. There are some interesting ideas at work here that really deserved a much better film. At one point, the despondent filmmaker asks the documentary director if he can help with funds. Now, most of us would probably believe in the concept that a documentary filmmaker should remain detached and neutral from the subject. But as the filmmaker's girlfriend points out to the documentarian, the fact that they are making the documentary about this difficult situation is affecting the situation to begin with. Are they preying upon a desperate person? It's a provocative concept that could be explored in many ways that are hinted at here. In case you hadn't guessed from my tone, this is not a real documentary. The filmmaking team has done an admirable job keeping the look and performances natural enough to fool most people. But anyone who really gets into the business of filmmaking might be suspicious of the flashes of trade magazine articles we see with no recognizable names. It also seems odd that we don't see minute one of the film that is supposedly being completed, 'Mirage.' Not sure if that title was chosen as a hint or a joke, though. Now, the other thing that drags this film down is the decision to set it in the world of filmmaking and dive into the reality of that world. While there are attempts to make all the people in this film relatable, the depth of immersion in the film world can be a bit off-putting. Adding to this, the story is built on the well-worn conflict of art and commerce that can be painfully obvious. The ending puts a new twist on this, but the film doesn't earn it by weaving it in to the fabric of the story. Like I said, the team that put this film together had an amazing eye for detail and a talented group of actors putting in extra effort to manage their illusion. But in the end, making people appreciate the quality of the deception can't really drive interest to a bigger audience. On the subject of the ethics of this... There is a quite entertaining commentary track on the DVD where the filmmaking team describes their attempt to sell this film. Finding that most people lost interest as soon as they knew the film was fake, they adopted the mysterious answer, "It's as real as it gets." With this, they manage to get a meeting with the marketing guy who masterminded the 'Blair Witch Project' campaign. But that meeting doesn't go quite as you may expect. It's a fun listen. Now, even though this film isn't a real documentary, I wasn't too offended by the deception. Someone smart at the library placed this in the fiction category, so that was a hint. I mention this because there was a film I previously picked up from the library called 'Hacks,' released by Film Threat on DVD. The 'Hacks' deception was so elaborate that the film ended up in the documentary section at my library. As soon as I popped the disc in, not only did I discover that the film wasn't real, but I also discovered that it was awful. Full of weak attempts to play "fake" and rambling improvisations that thought they were funny when they were really just tedious. Some critic on the IMDB suggested that if you didn't like this movie, you probably were turned off by the humor and missed the satirical point. Honestly, I wasn't offended by anything I saw. It wasn't tasteless, it wasn't edgy, it was just bad. Now if someone could only confirm my suspcions that several sequences of 'Trekkies' were faked.

Spout Post: Another 'Ace' for Billy Wilder

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:01:34 GMT

Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/1/2008 7:01:34 PM
Body: I'm sure every film fan has that long list of movies that they should see, barring those distractions of work, family and life. As a huge fan of 'The Apartment,' I know that I my list includes many of the works of legendary writer and director Billy Wilder. Just a few years ago, I noticed the stir that resulted from Criterion finally bringing Wilder's 'Ace in the Hole' to DVD when it had never been available on video at all. This skyrocketed the film near the top of that mental list, and having just gotten around to seeing it, I was not disappointed. The plot follows selfish, manipulative newspaperman Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas) as he stumbles into a great "human interest" tale - roadside curio shop owner Leo Minosa (Richard Benedict) ends up trapped in a New Mexico mineshaft while searching for Indian artifacts. Leo's wife, Lorraine (Jan Sterling), initially hopes to use the incident as cover to finally leave her husband, but Tatum appeals to her greed, painting the picture of all the money that could roll in from curious tourists. After demonstrating the power of getting the story in the Albuquerque paper, Tatum also manipulates the sheriff (Ray Teal) into helping to prolong the crisis, turning the growing circus atmosphere to their advantage. From what I gather through the grapevine, the initial box office failure and the general grim tone of this film have kept it off home video for years. Now that it can widely be found, it's easy to recommend, and certainly not a surprise to those used to the diversity of modern anti-heroes and general personages of questionable morals we've seen in movies over the past couple decades. There's also no question that the themes of media manipulation and the gullibility of the public were ahead of their time in a much more innocent era (1951). As might be expected from Billy Wilder, the script of 'Ace in the Hole' is the major strength. Characterization is very solid and the plot is quite engrossing. The film also keeps itself fresh with extra details - for instance, we occasionally see the first family to stop in on the site of the accident and through them we get a view of how the media affects the general public. As a modern viewer, my biggest hurdle to enjoying films of decades far past is the acting style. Quite acceptable and even exceptional for the period, some of the scenes of 'Ace in the Hole' now appear melodramatic. As the film moves on, the performances become more grounded, and as we get much more engrossed in the plot, the distraction is minimized. Despite the distraction of some dated approaches, much of the film holds up quite well. Wilder claimed not to like fancy camera work, but there are a handful of sweeping shots in this film that likely made jaws drop back in the day. One of these follows a group of people off an arriving train as the join the assembled masses outside the mineshaft. Another follows the distraught father of Leo Minosa as he hands drinks around the workers on top of the hill who are operating a drill to get into the shaft and rescule Leo. It's amazing to see lines of cars and throngs of people in the distance from this perspective. In addition to the great film, the Criterion DVD is worth checking out for the usual bevy of bonuses. A second disc includes a Wilder interview film called 'Portrait of a 60% Perfect Man' and additional Q&A from an American Film Institute appearance in the 1980s. Listening to Wilder dismiss with distaste the contemporary system of corporate moviemaking that has been entrenched over the past two decades is priceless.

Spout Member:The_MOW - Mickey Micklon

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Identity: The_MOW
Name: Mickey Micklon
Interests: movies, sci-fi, professional wrestling
Occupation: Unemployed
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Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

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Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

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Film:Funny Games

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:47:00 GMT

Title: Funny Games
Year: 2007
Director: Michael Haneke
Times Tagged: 27
Number of Lists: 24
Number of blog posts: 14
Number of discussion threads: 8
SpoutRating: 3

Film:The Dark Knight

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:13:34 GMT

Title: The Dark Knight
Year: 2008
Director: Christopher Nolan
Times Tagged: 149
Number of Lists: 98
Number of blog posts: 156
Number of discussion threads: 55
SpoutRating: 4

Film:H2

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:45:58 GMT

Title: H2
Year: 2009
Director: Rob Zombie
Number of Lists: 1
Number of blog posts: 1
SpoutRating: 1

Film:Eleanor: First Lady of the World

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:47:51 GMT

Title: Eleanor: First Lady of the World
Year: 1982
Director: John Erman
Number of blog posts: 1

Film:Black Test Car

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:01:54 GMT

Title: Black Test Car
Year: 1962
Number of Lists: 2
SpoutRating: 4

Film:Dumpster Baby

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:53:10 GMT

Title: Dumpster Baby
Director: James Bickert
Number of Lists: 1

Film:Rick

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:32:48 GMT

Title: Rick
Year: 2002
Director: Curtiss Clayton
Times Tagged: 1
Number of Lists: 1
SpoutRating: 2

Film:Speed Racer

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:21:45 GMT

Title: Speed Racer
Year: 2008
Director: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Times Tagged: 90
Number of Lists: 16
Number of blog posts: 41
Number of discussion threads: 16
SpoutRating: 3

Film:Speed Racer [Anime Series]

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:20:43 GMT

Title: Speed Racer [Anime Series]
Year: 1967
Number of Lists: 1
Number of blog posts: 1
Number of discussion threads: 1
SpoutRating: 3

Film:The Raven

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:13:53 GMT

Title: The Raven
Year: 2007
Director: Ulli Lommel
Number of blog posts: 2
SpoutRating: 1

Film:The Ballad of the Sad Cafe

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:25:24 GMT

Title: The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
Year: 1991
Director: Simon Callow
Number of blog posts: 2
SpoutRating: 2

Film:New York, New York

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:22:40 GMT

Title: New York, New York
Year: 1977
Director: Martin Scorsese
Times Tagged: 23
Number of Lists: 12
Number of blog posts: 57
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 2

Film:St. Nick

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:01:06 GMT

Title: St. Nick
Year: 2009
Director: David Lowery
Times Tagged: 3
Number of Lists: 2
Number of blog posts: 5
SpoutRating: 5

Film:We Are the Strange

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:25:52 GMT

Title: We Are the Strange
Year: 2007
Director: M dot Strange
Number of Lists: 3
Number of blog posts: 3
SpoutRating: 4

Film:The Sadist

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:08:29 GMT

Title: The Sadist
Year: 1963
Director: James Landis
Number of Lists: 4
SpoutRating: 3

Film:The Alligator People

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:04:19 GMT

Title: The Alligator People
Year: 1959
Director: Roy Del Ruth
Number of Lists: 2
Number of blog posts: 1
SpoutRating: 2