Karina on SpoutBlog

Under discussion:

I'm Not There  (2007)

• Nikal Saval has an admittedly cranky but masterful takedown of I’m Not There at N + 1. Calling Todd Haynes’ pastiche the Worst Movie of 2007, Saval scratches particularly aggressively at Haynes’ habitual referencing and naked larceny: “Haynes is drowning in his film school education, just as his audience is drowning in allusions, and not a single original idea floats by to rescue him or us.”
• I still haven’t received my copy of Berlin Alexanderplatz (I know you’re concerned; right now, it looks like the problem is with UPS and not Amazon, and I’m working on it), so I’m going to avoid Ed Howard’s episode-by-episode recap of Fassbinder’s series, for the time being. Via The House Next Door.
• Erin at Steady Diet of Film has a helpful translation of what Jason Reitman, John Sayles, Adam Shankman and Joe Wright were REALLY saying on a recent episode of Sunday Morning Shootout. Useful information gleaned: Reitman, who “hates going to awards shows because he has to stop dressing like he’s homeless,” has a masterful death stare, but Sayles is not impressed.
• Lots to report today on the Berlinale front, including the news that Martin Scorsese’s long-delayed Rolling Stones doc Shine A Light will finally make its premiere at the festival–and on opening night, no less. David Hudson has two roundups.

Oh, the things I miss not having a TV. On Good Morning America this morning to promote the unwatchably bad-looking chick heist flick Mad Money, Diane Keaton snuck “the f word” into a tossed-off, backhanded comment directed at GMA host Diane Sawyer. You can watch the relevant segment here, but here’s the money quote:

Keaton: (gesturing) Those lips! I love ‘em. I’d like to have lips like that.

Sawyer: (laughs uncomfortably at the complement–what’s she gonna do, offer the number of her Botox dealer?)

Keaton: Then I wouldn’t have worked on my fucking personality!

(Whole studio erupts into nervous, shocked laughter)
Keaton: Or my — excuse me — my personality! If I had lips like yours, I’d be better off! My life would be better. I’d be married!

As if we needed another reason to love Diane Keaton, not only does she casually curse like a sailor on morning TV, she does so whilst basically accusing Diane Sawyer–who, it should be noted, is a year older than Keaton–of coasting on her looks like a bimbo. Keaton grumbles about having had to “work on her personality,” but it seems like it worked for her??????didn’t she famously date every eligible bachelor in Hollywood between, like, 1975 and 1983? And that line about how if she had Sawyer’s lips, she would be married??????is she jealous that the other Diane nabbed Mike Nichols? Was he considered a catch in the 80s?

Sigh. It doesn’t really matter. No one does unaccountably crazy like you, Diane Keaton, and for that, I salute you.

I’m refreshing a couple of my favorite tech blogs every few minutes to glean the movie-related news from today’s MacWorld keynote. Here’s what I’m learning, in real time. Keep refreshing for new stuff.

12:21: It looks like watching video will become more feasible on the new version of the iPhone, which is set to ship in late February. From TUAW: “New features rolling out! Maps with location for iPhone. Webclips. Customize home screens. SMS multiple recipients. Chapters for video. Karaoke mode! (Lyrics displayable)”

12:29: The IPhone video updates, including subtitle options will be “available today as a free update for all iPhones.” [TUAW again]

12:32: ITunes sold 7 million movies last year — better than every other movie download service, but still below expectations.

12:33: “We think there’s a better way to deliver movie content through iTunes. So today, we’re introducing iTunes Movie Rentals.” [Engadget]

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