Learning to be a human *being* again

I’ve been busy lately, busier than I’ve been in a long time. Between a fulltime job, freelance work, and an eight-week-old, life is fuller than I ever imagined it could be. Besides missing all of the sleep I used to get, I find myself missing the work that I used to do on Opus. Simply put, I miss writing honest-to-God music and movie reviews, and not just little blog entries about this or that release. I miss diving into an album or film, exploring it as I write about it, using the reviewing process as a way to contemplate and ultimately, better understand the media that I seek out, consume, and experience.It felt incredibly refreshing to post my first music review in over a month. But all of the work I’ve been doing lately has meant that such writing is the exception, and not the rule. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, or at least the first faint few glimmers. Several projects will be coming to completion in the next week or so, freeing me up for more personal work, including more writing, a redesign that has been in development for several months now, and a project that has been nearly a year in the making.Beyond that, the future looks a little more wide open, a little more unknown. And that’s a very good feeling right now.Source

Pineapple Express Soundtrack to Feature a Rap Song by Shaq

Much has been made over the recent success of the Pineapple Express red-band trailer, which we helped bring to you back in early February. It was so successful on our site, in fact, that when we met with director David Gordon Green to discuss his latest film Snow Angels this afternoon, he recognized us as being the site that put the trailer out there for the world. While we appreciate the recognition, it was us who should be thanking him, as Pineapple Express looks like a movie that is going to blow us away come August. One particularly hot topic has been the music surrounding the film. The early trailers featured the infectious jam “Paper Planes” by MIA, which had plenty of people hooked. As well, the legendary Huey Lewis is developing the theme song for the film, that will be in the same vein as “The Power of Love” which was made famous as the theme for Back to the Future. When asked about the Huey Lewis theme song, Green had this to say: “I’m not going to sing it for you… But its really good. You’ll freak out when you hear it. You’ll do back flips and go bananas.”And although he wouldn’t sing it for us, he did give our friends at Movieweb a little preview in late February:We got trouble,we got to get out of here.I've got you,you've got me.We are as high as we can be.That's all right.How did we get into this mess?Pineapple Express!But that isn’t the only song in the movie, mind you. Curious as we are, we had to know more about the soundtrack for this wild stoner action comedy.“The soundtrack is so amazing,” Green explained. “It is. I mean, there’s Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. It is pretty wonderful and eclectic, very 80s influenced [mix]. There is a Shaquille O’Neal rap song in it. There is a little something for everybody. And it will all end with the Huey Lewis theme song at the end. I can’t even think about it without smiling. It gets stuck in your head for days.”In reference to the movie as a whole, Green said that it has been a lot of fun, especially for him: “Just wait. Its a wild ride. Its fun sitting down with a crowd and watching them go with it. It’s a new experience for me to have a movie thats actively participated in by the audience. That navigates the success or failure of any movie, but here its not being sitting quietly and shedding a tear or giving a little sigh of anxiety, its totally, lets raise the roof.”So as you can see, there is plenty to get you excited about Pineapple Express — action, drugs, Seth Rogen and hell, even Shaq laying down riffs on the soundtrack. What could be better than that?Keep an eye out for more from our interview with David Gordon Green next week, closer to the wider release of his film Snow Angels.Related Reading:The Pineapple Express Movie Trailer!David Gordon Green to Remake Argento’s Suspiria?Two New Images from Pineapple ExpressJudd Apatow Picks Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann for His NextZack and Miri’s Trailer Due in front of Pineapple ExpressEagle Eye Pushed BackPineapple Express Red-Band Trailer Leaked Online: Shotgun Stories: Shotgun Stories Source

Cloverfield DVD Giveaway: The Cloverfield Monster on Your TV!

That crazy, still somewhat mysterious Cloverfield monster is on the verge of attacking the fine denizens of New York once again, this time on DVD. And considering the fact that so many of you saw it when it made its theatrical run, it is safe to assume that you are interested in checking it out again.But we also know how much you despise paying for DVDs. Like us, you would much rather get your DVDs for FREE. This leaves you with two choices: start your own major movie website and try to convince studios to send you goodies, or enter our contest. Trust us, your chances are better with the second option.In celebration of its DVD release on April 22nd, we have scored three (3) copies of Cloverfield on DVD to offer up to our readers. All you have to do is be a subscriber to our Daily Email Updates, powered by Feedburner. As a subscriber, you will enjoy a daily email wake-up call with the latest movie news and reviews, all delivered with the uncensored brilliance of the Film School Rejects.If you are already a subscriber, you are automatically entered. If not, use the form below to get yourself in on the action. Once you have signed up and activated your subscription, you will be automatically entered into this and any other future giveaways.Enter your email address:Delivered by FeedBurnerRelated Reading:Surprise! Paramount Demands Cloverfield Sequel: Cloverfield: Cloverfield: Cloverfield: CloverfieldCloverfield Monster Captured!Talking Points: So… What Did You Think of Cloverfield?Cloverfield: Interview With Director, Matt ReevesExclusive: We Know Where the Cloverfield Monster Came From!Cloverfield Source

Learning to be a human *being* again

I’ve been busy lately, busier than I’ve been in a long time. Between a fulltime job, freelance work, and an eight-week-old, life is fuller than I ever imagined it could be. Besides missing all of the sleep I used to get, I find myself missing the work that I used to do on Opus. Simply put, I miss writing honest-to-God music and movie reviews, and not just little blog entries about this or that release. I miss diving into an album or film, exploring it as I write about it, using the reviewing process as a way to contemplate and ultimately, better understand the media that I seek out, consume, and experience.It felt incredibly refreshing to post my first music review in over a month. But all of the work I’ve been doing lately has meant that such writing is the exception, and not the rule. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, or at least the first faint few glimmers. Several projects will be coming to completion in the next week or so, freeing me up for more personal work, including more writing, a redesign that has been in development for several months now, and a project that has been nearly a year in the making.Beyond that, the future looks a little more wide open, a little more unknown. And that’s a very good feeling right now.Source

newsflash

as you can see from this picture, i failed in my attempt to walk on waterall that happened is i got very wetso i have decided to give being rational another shotwith a little help from James Randi and Richard speaking of James Randi, he debunked a guy named James Hydrick back in 1980when i looked this guy up now, i found that James Hydrick is incarcerated as a sex offenderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hydrickand that just made me laugh and laugh and laughmoving on, movie review timei really liked this movie, but in so liking it i have become aware of the strength of certain stereotype strong within meand that is seeing the former east block as dominated by gangsters the way we use to see it here in the west dominated by communist governmentshow much of this is true, i do not knowall i can hope is that how much ever it is true, that the people their throw off this tyranny as they did Stalinism...Source

Trailer: Meet Dave — Then Swiftly Walk Away

The first trailer has been released for the upcoming Eddie Murphy comedy Meet Dave, which stars Murphy as a guy who is really a craft of some kind, in which itty bitty people live and work. It is sort of like Innerspace, only not fun, creative or even remotely interesting. The only bright spot I can see is that Elizabeth Banks co-stars as, at least as far as we can tell, Dave’s love interest. But then again, how does a robot with 10 little people living inside him have a love interest? Furthermore, if they have sex, is that considered group sex? My brain hurts — just watch the trailer.[See post to watch Flash video]As you can see, the film looks short on laughs and long on lame gags. It forces me to wonder why someone as talented (and hot) as Elizabeth Banks got wrapped up in a mess like this. Oh yeah, a paycheck. As for Eddie Murphy, we know his story. After walking out on Oscar night like a kid who got picked last on the playground, he has decided to stay close to the well, doing more films like Norbit, The Nutty Professor and The Adventures of Pluto Nash. File this somewhere in between Norbit and Pluto Nash, under guaranteed suck.For those of you not horrified by the very thought of this film, you can see more when it hits theaters on July 11th.Related Reading:Update: Zack and Miri Make a Porno — New Photos, Kevin Smith Talks!Razzies, GAG Awards Honor ‘Norbit’WTF: The Academy Award Nominated Norbit?Juno Deleted Scene: Michael Cera Can Be More AwkwardDrillbit Taylor —Tropic Thunder Movie Trailer — Looks Badass!Seth Rogen, Mall SecurityFirst Look: Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno Source

Box Office: Guess ‘Who’ Won the Weekend?

Happy Easter, movie fans. Well, it was Horton who received a big golden Easter egg this weekend from the box office, as Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! won at the box office for the second weekend in a row, as most everyone predicted. Horton finished with $25 million while Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns did the best among new releases at $20 million. Again, no real surprises. Shutter did a little better than expected at $10.7 million, while Drillbit Taylor flopped with everyone at $10.2 million. That is the second box office disappointment for Judd Apatow in a row (after Walk Hard). He better watch it. The rest of the top ten went pretty much as predicted but there was a surprise in tenth place as Under the Same Moon, from the Weinstein Company, snuck in there in tenth spot even though it was in only 266 theaters! But it made almost $10,000 per theater. The movie about a Mexican who finds work in the USA (America Ferrera from Ugly Betty) and who seeks to be reunited with the son she left behind in Mexico, debuted last Wednesday and made $2,602,000 this weekend, and $3,329,000 overall. Not bad for a Spanish-language film. That result knocked Doomsday to 11th at $2,180,000.Here are the totals courtesy of Box Office Mojo.1 Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! $25,100,0002 Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns $20,010,0003 Shutter $10,700,0004 Drillbit Taylor $10,200,0005 10,000 B.C. $8,660,0006 Never Back Down $4,861,0007 College Road Trip $4,630,0008 The Bank Job $4,100,0009 Vantage Point $3,800,00010 Under the Same Moon $2,602,000 That’s all for now. As I have said, it is kind of a boring week and the results pretty much speak for themselves. See you later this week for more predictions here at The Reject Report!Related Reading:Fat Guys at the Movies: Episode 57 - Back in the StudioThe Reject Report Meets the BrownsDrinking Games: Drillbit TaylorDrinking Games: ShutterShutter —Drillbit Taylor —Box Office: Horton Hears a Cash Register, $45 Million : Horton Hears a Who: Horton Hears a Who! Source

..whisper sweet string theories into my ear..

so, skipping out on the punctuation thing again. i'm feeling feisty. well, not really. actually i'm feeling... like an anthill. calm exterior surface, busy hive of activity underneath. i'm going to write the next thing in the interests of posterity. not shock value. and honestly, it's not so shocking in this day and age. but, i was pleasuring myself earlier today, and just near the moment of shangri-la i found myself imagining my imaginary female partner gasping out the intricacies of quantum physics in between heaving shudders. i believe that was what pushed me over the edge to sail aloft on thermal dynamic winds. this seriously rocked my boat. i think i'm going crazy. />movie review: just got back from seeing 'Drillbit Taylor'. the best two words one could use to sum up this film would be 'owen wilson'. OW being hired basically to play the character he plays best (namely himself) is usually always a safe bet if the film is comedy, which this one is. of note one of the writers is seth rogan and i can't help but draw parallels between the 3 main kids as being simply younger versions of the high schoolers from 'superbad'. i mean, it's so obvious really. tall skinny kid, heavy foul-mouthed kid, and lovable loser kid. it's as if rogan wanted to revisit those characters and show another angle on them just entering high school (instead of being at the end as in superbad).so, i liked the film. i enjoyed it. there's not a whole lot of depth, but there are some pretty feel good moments, and some really funny stuff. i mean, if you like OW, then you'll definitely like it, cause he's essentially reprising the same role he plays in almost every film he's done. and that's ok, cause I really like OW. and hell, he frickin gets a pinky cut off catching a samurai sword... that's pretty badass i have to admit.anyway, i'm moved in to my new basement. i'm a bit apprehensive about living with other people again, especially since i barely know them but i think it'll be ok for a while. i just value my privacy so we'll see if that is maintained. additionally i have an interview set up for next week. for level design. means i'll have to crash-course in UE4 (which i've been mentally reviewing in my head... most systems are a go i think). yeah, back into games possibly. no teaching, no climbing instruction, no moving to paris. is this really what i want?!? it's not what i said i wanted, for sure. but i figure i'll give it a year or so of saving, and then make a move again. do volunteering at the gym in the meantime, learn french, keep my eyes and ears peeled for the opportunities. i hope i'm not just backsliding =/Source

Volver and Delicious Cleavages

Again, like last night, I logged on with the intentions of writing a movie review ... and, again, it ain't gonna happen.Tonight we watched Volver, and I enjoyed it. It was quite unlike anything I've seen before. Penelope Cruz did some great work in the main role, and she was beautiful, besides. Click here and check out her visage on the movie's official poster and packaging ... like a young Sophia Loren, only prettier. She really was outstanding in the film.But my enjoyment of this Spanish-language film was hampered, even ruined at times, by some odd subtitles. Did I write odd? Downright friggin' weird is probably a better way to describe it. And the fact that the story itself is pretty weird only heightened my confusion. For instance, at one point, Penelope Cruz's character sings a song that is apparently called Volver. The lyrics to which oughta give the viewer an idea of the significance of the movie's title. But for some reason, the words of the song weren't included in the subtitles. It was a nice song, it sounded pretty, it clearly included the word "Volver," and I'd have liked to know what it was all about. So I was distracted and a little frustrated by that.So rather than write the movie review I'd wanted to write, I've been fruitlessly looking around the net for a translation of the lyrics, although I can't be sure what the song is called in Spanish. A guy ought not have to do this kind of thing after the fact in order to better feel that he enjoyed a movie.I've put the disc in the PC to show you some of what I'm talking about ...At another point in the movie, Penelope's character (who is running a restaurant) complements her barmaid on her drink-mixing skills:To which the barmaid responds:I, uh... well, OK. I think I know what you mean, and I might even agree, but ... uh ... what?I don't think that's technically incorrect translating ... but it sure is a bit odd. It's not as odd, of course, as the infamous Chinese bootleg subtitles for Star Wars:But it was a bit off-putting, nonetheless.Anyway, once I got past the subtitle issue and just tried to enjoy the movie, I did enjoy it. Now, it is an odd movie. It's very strange. The story involves attempted rape and murder and someone who may or may not be a ghost. And it's one of those movies that features a number of heroic and/or sympathetic female characters and a pack of lecherous, disgusting male characters. And I think I mentioned the subtitle issue.But, in spite of all that, the movie is more good than bad. Cinematically, it's really very good. All the critics I had heard were right about two things: Penelope Cruz turns in an outstanding performance, and the movie's visual pallet is beautiful.And Penelope makes for some dang nice eye-candy, besides.So see Volver if you're in the mood for something a bit odd with no likable male characters and some weird subtitles. If I were gonna write a full-on review, I'd probably give it three out of four stars.Source

Interesting analysis suggesting that blogging and the internet has created a literate youth culture!

What's the matter with kids today?http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/03/14/kids_and_internet/Nothing, actually. Aside from our panic that the Internet is melting their brains.By Amy GoldwasserMarch 14, 2008 | The other week was only the latest takedown of what has become a fashionable segment of the population to bash: the American teenager. A phone (land line!) survey of 1,200 17-year-olds, conducted by the research organization Common Core and released Feb. 26, found our young people to be living in "stunning ignorance" of history and literature.This furthered the report that the National Endowment for the Arts came out with at the end of 2007, lamenting "the diminished role of voluntary reading in American life," particularly among 13-to-17-year-olds, and Doris Lessing's condemnation, in her acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize in literature, of "a fragmenting culture" in which "young men and women ... have read nothing, knowing only some specialty or other, for instance, computers."Kids today -- we're telling you! -- don't read, don't write, don't care about anything farther in front of them than their iPods. The Internet, according to 88-year-old Lessing (whose specialty is sturdy typewriters, or perhaps pens), has "seduced a whole generation into its inanities."Or is it the older generation that the Internet has seduced -- into the inanities of leveling charges based on fear, ignorance and old-media, multiple-choice testing? So much so that we can't see that the Internet is only a means of communication, and one that has created a generation, perhaps the first, of writers, activists, storytellers? When the world worked in hard copy, no parent or teacher ever begrudged teenagers who disappeared into their rooms to write letters to friends -- or a movie review, or an editorial for the school paper on the first president they'll vote for. Even 15-year-old boys are sharing some part of their feelings with someone out there.We're talking about 33 million Americans who are fluent in texting, e-mailing, blogging, IM'ing and constantly amending their profiles on social network sites -- which, on average, 30 of their friends will visit every day, hanging out and writing for 20 minutes or so each. They're connected, they're collaborative, they're used to writing about themselves. In fact, they choose to write about themselves, on their own time, rather than its being a forced labor when a paper's due in school. Regularly, often late at night, they're generating a body of intimate written work. They appreciate the value of a good story and the power of a speech that moves: Ninety-seven percent of the teenagers in the Common Core survey connected "I have a dream" with its speaker -- they can watch Dr. King deliver it on demand -- and eight in 10 knew what "To Kill a Mockingbird" is about.This is, of course, the kind of knowledge we should be encouraging. The Internet has turned teenagers into honest documentarians of their own lives -- reporters embedded in their homes, their schools, their own heads.But this is also why it's dangerous, why we can't seem to recognize that it's just a medium. We're afraid. Our kids know things we don't. They drove the presidential debates onto YouTube and very well may determine the outcome of this election. They're texting at the dinner table and responsible for pretty much every enduring consumer cultural phenomenon: iPod, iTunes, iPhone; Harry Potter, "High School Musical"; large hot drinks with gingerbread flavoring. They can sell ads on their social network pages, and they essentially made MySpace worth $580 million and "Juno" an Oscar winner.Besides, we're tired of having to ask them every time we need to find Season 2 of "Heroes," calculate a carbon footprint or upload photos to Facebook (now that we're allowed on).Plus, they're blogging about us.So we've made the Internet one more thing unknowable about the American teenager, when, really, it's one of the few revelations. We conduct these surveys and overgeneralize -- labeling like the mean girls, driven by the same jealousy and insecurity.Common Core drew its multiple-choice questions for teens from a test administered by the federal government in 1986. Twenty-plus years ago, high school students didn't have the Internet to store their trivia. Now they know that the specific dates and what-was-that-prince's-name will always be there; they can free their brains to go a little deeper into the concepts instead of the copyrights, step back and consider what Scout and Atticus were really fighting for. To criticize teenagers' author-to-book title matching on the spot, over the phone, is similar to cold-calling over-40s and claiming their long-division skills or date of "Jaws" recall is rusty. This is what we all rely on the Internet for.That's not to say some of the survey findings aren't disturbing. It's crushing to hear that one in four teens could not identify Adolf Hitler's role in world history, for instance. But it's not because teenagers were online that they missed this. Had a parent introduced 20 minutes of researching the Holocaust to one month of their teen's Internet life, or a teacher assigned "The Diary of Anne Frank" (arguably a 13-year-old girl's blog) -- if we worked with, rather than against, the way this generation voluntarily takes in information -- we might not be able to pick up the phone and expose tragic pockets of ignorance.The average teen chooses to spend an average of 16.7 hours a week reading and writing online. Yet the NEA report did not consider this to be "voluntary" reading and writing. Its findings also concluded that "literary reading declined significantly in a period of rising Internet use." The corollary is weak -- this has as well been a period of rising franchises of frozen yogurt that doesn't taste like frozen yogurt, of global warming, of declining rates of pregnancy and illicit drug use among teenagers, and of girls sweeping the country's most prestigious high school science competition for the first time.Teenagers today read and write for fun; it's part of their social lives. We need to start celebrating this unprecedented surge, incorporating it as an educational tool instead of meeting it with punishing pop quizzes and suspicion.We need to start trusting our kids to communicate as they will online -- even when that comes with the risk that they'll spill the family secrets or campaign for a candidate who's not ours.Once we stop regarding the Internet as a villain, stop presenting it as the enemy of history and literature and worldly knowledge, then our teenagers have the potential to become the next great voices of America. One of them, 70 years from now, might even get up there to accept the very award Lessing did -- and thank the Internet for making him or her a writer and a thinker.Source

Yub Nub!

I received an unprecedented number of e-mails after I sent a message to my e-list that declared: "It was in fact the Ewoks that made Return of the Jedi the BEST STAR WARS MOVIE EVER." Apparently, them's fightin' words. A sampling of replies:* It's just such a blatant, throw-down provocation. Ewoks blow. And you know it.* Oh, where to begin? *Shakes head sorrowfully.** Well, the Ewoks did take down the Imperial forces with "primitive" technology, which was pretty cool. But I suspect the only reason why you hold the Ewoks (and, subsequently, the whole movie) in such high esteem is that THEY WORSHIPPED A GAY ROBOT. And for that fact alone will you ignore any and all arguments against Return of the Jedi, so I will not try.But then an astute friend pointed out:Did you know that the Ewok language was in fact based on a dialect in the Philippines? So—it would make sense to me, your love of Ewoks, because of their inherent linguistic familiarity via pan-API connections.Yeah! That's it!But, seriously, folks, the first piece of writing that I ever got published was a movie review of Return of the Jedi, which I wrote when I was in the fifth grade and which got printed in my elementary school's newsletter. The other kids were in awe of me because I had actually seen the movie on opening weekend—waited in a long line and everything! I gave it a 10 out of 10 because it was—up until that point—pretty much the greatest experience of my life. Then I discovered masturbation, and everything changed.But back during those innocent days, I went to see Jedi over and over, collected the action figures, played the arcade game, read the novel tie-in, bought related merchandise, and listened to that damn catchy Ewok song repeatedly—even calling up the radio station to request it, much to the chagrin of hip DJs, I'm sure.You know what? I still love those goddman Ewoks. I still get excited by the Endor forest speeder bike chase. I still get scared when Luke gets chased by the rancor beast. I still cheer when Princess Leia chokes Jabba the Hut to death and still get giddy when she declares her love to Han Solo. And I still cry when Darth Vader throws the Emperor down the reactor shaft to save his son. Yes, I cried then, and I cry now. If that moment doesn't tug at your heart, you probably have no soul. And that's all I have to say about Return of the Jedi, the BEST STAR WARS MOVIE EVER.Ah, sweet memories: Sing along, bitches!:Yub nubeee chop yub nubah toe meet toe pee-chee keeneg'noop dock fling oh ahYah waheee chop yah wahah toe meet toe pee-chee keeneg'noop dock fling oh ahCoatee chah tu yub nubcoatee chah tu yahwahcoatee chah tu glowahallay loo ta nuvGlowaheee chop glowahya glowah pee chu nee foamah toot dee awe goon daaCoatee cha tu goo (Yub nub!)coatee cha tu doo (Yahwah!)coatee cha tu too (Ya chaa!)allay loo ta nuvallay loo ta nuvallay loo ta nuvGlowaheee chop glowahya glowah pee chu nee foamah toot dee awe goon daa Source

Underworld 3 Ups the Production Budget

With high paid hottie Kate Beckinsale gone, what does Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans do with all the money? Well apparently, first they bought a colon and called this movie Rise of the Lycans.Secondly, they picked up Beckinsale doppleganger Rhona Mitra (hot!) and plopped down some serious change on production values. Apparently we’re going to get some sweet sets and sexy vampire armor, but don’t take my word for it, read below:"We can confirm that the production values of sets and costumes are extremely high, the story is bold and the pedigree is pure," they say. "The sets are immense… Cool things to get excited about are new and sexy vampire armour, Mitra in kickass form, big battles and a bold and brutal style to the film that pays homage to the original flicks, but takes the Underworld saga into new territory."Sounds pretty bad-ass. I can’t say I’m a fan of either Underworld flicks all that much, but medieval werewolves whipping ass on some armored vampires sounds like it’ll be pretty nice. The success of this film is up in the air though, with key cast members gone and a bold new, though apparently violent, direction for the franchise.Stay tuned for more. In the mean time, I’ll mourn the absence of Beckinsale by staring at her pictures on the internet for a few hours.Source: CinemaBlend Related Reading:: Doomsday: DoomsdayMust See Trailer: Neil Marshall’s DoomsdayNews Bytes: Crank 2, Underworld 3, GameMust See: Inside Zack Snyder’s ‘Watchmen’ War Room Source

March 16, 2008 -- Contents

SUNDAY MARCH 16 CONTENTS(1) The Sunday Photos(2) The Sunday Conversion(3) The Sunday Shell Game(4) The Sunday Travel Section(5) The Sunday Salute(6) The Sunday FunniesNOTE: For the Sunday, see Publius Pundit. If you've seen the film or not, feel free to leave your thoughts/reactions as a comment. Only related to Russia because we say so.Thanks for reading La Russophobe !Source

SXSW Blog: Geek Movies, Kristen Bell and Other Diversions

I’d be lying if I said that we’ve been getting tons of emails from readers asking where our SXSW Blog has been the past few days, but that doesn’t change the fact that someone is, in fact, interested in reading about our shenanigans. If you’ve been following me on Twitter, then you can see that it has been a busy week — well, I guess that depends on your definition of “busy”.Today being Wednesday, it is time for the Music Festival here at South by Southwest. While I am sad to see our friends from the Interactive Fest go, especially our good friend Muhammad Saleem, I believe that the arrival of the musical side of SXSW has breathed new life into the entire event. The Film Festival keeps on kicking, all the way to the end of the week, even though the Film Awards were given out last night — it’s back assword I know, but that is how SXSW rolls. Needless to say, we are here until the absolute end of the festival on Saturday. There is no reason why we should miss out on the chance to kick it in a great house and see more great films. Speaking of great films — we have certainly seen a few gems thus far. We’ve got a bunch more reviews coming in the next day or so, but if you’d like to see write-ups on some of the best of SXSW so far, check out my review of The Promotion starring Seann William Scott and John C. Reilly or Brian’s review of Blip Festival: Reformat the Planet. I also loved the film Nerdcore Rising, which chronicles the first national tour of MC Frontalot, the nerdy rapper who is taking over the world. Keep an eye on our SXSW homepage for more reviews over the next few days as we attempt to get ourselves caught up.Why would we need to get caught up? Simply, we’ve fallen prey to all the wonderful diversions that Austin has to offer during SXSW week. It seems like every night brings a new party, a new round of fun and more drunken shenanigans. Monday night we had an opportunity to attend the highly secretive and uber-exclusive Ain’t It Cool News Forgetting Sarah Marshall cocktail hour. There we hung out with the usual crowd of online movie blogger-elite (Scott Weinberg and Erik Davis from Cinematical, Harry and Quint from AICN, Pete and Mel from Slashfilm, Alex and Ken from FirstShowing.net and many others.) We also got the opportunity to rub elbows with some of the cast, including Jason Segel, Kristen Bell and Russell Brand. Kristen Bell was a sweetheart, Russell Brand was outrageous and Jason Segel was really laid back and cool. Director Nick Stoller actual stopped and talked with us for a few minutes as well — he was a great guy. Overall, it was an awesome experience.Since then it has been back to work — more films and more reviewing to do. In fact, I will leave this a bit short and get back to writing up some of the awesome films that I have seen before. Keep an eye on my Twitter stream for on-the-go updates from Austin and be sure to check out our Flickr Photostream for more pictures like the ones above. Until tomorrow, you stay classy, world wide web.Click Here to Visit Our SXSW Homepage!Related Reading:SXSW: Nerdcore RisingSXSW: Super High MeSXSW Spotlight: UbuntuSXSW Preview: FrontrunnersSXSW Preview: A Necessary DeathSXSW: We Are WizardsAmerican Teen Gets a Warm Texas Welcome at SXSWSXSW Blog: Chiptunes, Rosario Dawson and Hannah from American Teen! Source

New Images from Tropic Thunder — More Blackface Downey Jr!

Paramount Pictures has released a slue of pictures from ShoWest in Las Vegas, and since I am currently in Austin for South by Southwest, I am of course working on that instead of finishing my review of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This first update includes two great new looks at Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder, which as you will remember, stars Robert Downey Jr. as a pretensious actor whose part was originally written for a black man, so he dyes his skin to fit the part.As I said before, I am getting more and more excited about this comedy as the marketing campaign begins to gear up. Consider this just the next step in the building of my excitement. I say bring on the ridiculous premise! Take a look at the new pictures below.(Click to Enlarge)Tropic Thunder hits theaters on August 15th.Related Reading:Tropic Thunder Teases OnlineFirst Look: Robert Downey Jr as Black Man in ‘Tropic Thunder’Tom Cruise Rocks a Fat Suit for Stiller’s ‘Tropic Thunder’SXSW: Forgetting Sarah MarshallNew German Iron Man Movie Poster!Two New Iron Man Posters!New Iron Man Photos: Tony Stark - “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy”New Iron Man Trailer Will Rock You! Source

Movie Review Monday!!!

Well peeps, it is that time of the week again movie review Monday! I watched 4 new films this week. One was outstanding, one was good, one was boring as all heck and one was SO bad I am ashamed to admit I watched it! LOL Lets start with the good one.. Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee "Beginning just after the bloody Sioux victory over General Custer atLittle Big Horn, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee intertwines theperspectives of three characters: Charles Eastman (Beach), né Ohiyesa,a young, Dartmouth-educated, Sioux doctor held up as living proof ofthe alleged success of assimilation; Sitting Bull (Schellenberg), theproud Lakota chief who refuses to submit to U.S. government policiesdesigned to strip his people of their identity, their dignity and theirsacred land - the gold-laden Black Hills of the Dakotas; and SenatorHenry Dawes (Quinn), who was one of the architects of the governmentpolicy on Indian affairs. While Eastman and patrician schoolteacherElaine Goodale (Paquin) work to improve life for the Indians on thereservation, Senator Dawes lobbies President Grant (Thompson) for morehumane treatment, opposing the bellicose stance of General WilliamTecumseh Sherman (Feore). Hope rises for the Indians in the form of theprophet Wovoka (Studi) and the Ghost Dance - a messianic movement thatpromises an end of their suffering under the white man. This hope isobliterated after the assassination of Sitting Bull and the massacre ofhundreds of Indian men, women and children by the 7th Cavalry atWounded Knee Creek on Dec. 29, 1890." I really enjoyed this film. I am really drawn to the history of Native Americans/Canadians. My grandmother is part Ojibwa, so the history holds a special place in my heart. I would definitely recommend this film! Lets move on to the BAD BAD film! LOL... Carver "Based on a true story, Carver depicts the real life events of five20-something's that went camping in the mountain town of Halcyon Ridgeand never returned." Now let me say first that I do not believe for one nano second that this movie was based on true events. Now I like a good slasher movie, the cheesy, gory ones. Heck I liked Saw and Hostel, that being said this movie was SO over the top, SO gory and gross, So bad that I spent a ton of time hiding under my blanket feeling nauseated. :( STAY AWAY for this movie, seriously..heed my warning.. LOL OK I am getting grossed out just thinking about it... On to the next movie.. Michael Clayton"Michael Clayton is an in-house fixer at one of thelargest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor,Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach, & Ledeen's dirtiest work at thebehest of the firm's co-founder, Marty Bach. Though burned out andhardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed businessventure, and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to thefirm. At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen Crowderrests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class-action suitthat Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion.But when Kenner Bach's brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edenssabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of hiscareer and his life" So we finally got around to watching this one and found it just boring. I am not really crazy for John Grisham like movies and that is what this movie reminded both DH and I of. To be honest I am actually kind of confused as to why this what up as a "Best Picture" and why the actress won "Best supporting" Neither struck me as being particularly outstanding. I am going to give this one a thumbs down! My last movie for today is... Love In The Time Of Cholera "Florentino (Bardem), rejected by the beautiful Fermina (Mezzogiorno) ata young age, devotes much of his adult life to carnal affairs as adesperate attempt to heal his broken heart." I thought this movie was OUTSTANDING, so much so that I will be adding it to my all time fav list!! The story was fabulous, the look, the feel, the sound of the movie..all gorgeous and lush and beautiful. It's a fairly long move at 2 hours and 18 minutes, but I was never bored and the time flew by. I've haven't read the book yet so I don't know how it compares to that, but I am giving this movie two huge thumbs up! Oh and on a funny side note.. I was watching this movie alone because DH wanted to play his World Of Warcraft and thought it sounded like a "girl" movie. About 20 mins into the movie, he moved onto the sofa so he could watch the movie while he played. LMAO Ok folks, that is it for this weeks movie reviews! I'll be back tomorrow with my new LO for challenge #5 of the ADSR and a few more pictures from our walk on Saturday! Until next time..TATA!!Source

Is Black and white a provoking film by Subhash Ghai?

 RATE THE MOVIE Black and White (BW) Rating: *** For a filmmaker who scaled Bollywood's heights as the quintessential Sapnon ka Saudagar to suddenly shift gear is indeed a valiant bid. And Subhash Ghai deserves kudos for daring this switch in the high noon of his career, since experimentation is generally the forte of GenXers and Bratpack dreamers. Suddenly, and surprisingly, Ghai sets aside the grandeur of films like Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak to step into the difficult terrain of cinema verite. And no, he doesn't flounder and fall flat, despite a few loose strands and false notes that hold back the film from becoming a searing document of our tumultuous times. Black and White is a thought-provoking film that challenges the state's stereotypical formula to combat terrorism. And somewhere between its moments of light and shade, it holds a glimmer of hope and humanism: yes, fanatics can be cured, terrorists can be tamed, secularism may live long. The story is ostensibly based on the headline-grabbing case of the terrorist attack on Parliament, when a Delhi University professor (SAR Geelani) was held responsible for his links with the terrorists. Like Geelani, Professor Rajan Mathur (Anil Kapoor) too teaches Urdu in Zakir Hussain College and unwittingly becomes associated with a suicide bomber (Anurag Sinha) who comes all the way from Afghanistan to blow up the Red Fort on Independence Day. Nomair Qazi, the bomber, poses as a victim of the Gujarat riots and wins the sympathy of the professor and his activist wife (Shefali Shah), as he takes up residence with his supposed grandfather (Habib Tanvir) in the bustling by-lines of Chandni Chowk. The jehadi has fourteen days to plan his suicide mission and conveniently uses the simple professor and his emotionally exuberant wife to gain entry in the high-security environs of the Lal Qila. But before that, he must learn the more important lessons of life: Incredible India's all-encompassing Indianness (read bhangra, bhaichara, bonhomie). And what better place to experience the highs of a syncretic culture than Chandni Chowk, a standing testimonial to India's tolerant tehzeeb. Cut out the clumsy climax, the awkward activism of Shefali Shah, the fumbling romance with an all-eyes, duppata-laden student, the incoherent black and white birth-of-a-jehadi sequences in a shadowy Afghanistan and you'll end up with a stellar show by Anil Kapoor (completely restrained) and Habib Tanvir (veteran histrionics). Add to this the delicious smells and sounds of Chandni Chowk, deftly captured on camera by the director, and you might just believe the filmmaker when he says the world doesn't exist in black and white; there are colours -- and ideologies -- beyond extremes. A word about debutant Anurag Sinha: too linear a performance to impress. Surely, a terrorist doesn't wear a permanent scowl, specially when he is ostensibly trying to hide his antecedents and blend in with normal people. Do you agree with our film critic? Nikhat Kazmi, Film critic, The Times of India Rating Scale: *Poor, **Average, ***Good, ****Very Good, *****Outstanding PS: You may also SMS or email your views. Mail us on mytimesmyvoice@timesgroup.com with with short code for the movie name' mentioned in the subject line. To SMS, type MTMVREV, leave a space, type short code of the movie, leave a space, your rating 1/1.5/2/2.5/3/3.5/4/4.5/5. Add your name and comments, if any, and sms to 58888. Example: If you feel a movie is above 'Average' but not 'Good', rate it as 2.5Source

John Goodman & Joan Cusack join Isla Fisher in Shopaholic

Isla Fisher will be happy to learn that she now has parents, as John Goodman and Joan Cusack join the cast of the upcoming Touchstone Pictures adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic. The movie, which stars Fisher as the shopaholic herself, is based on the hit novel by Sophie Kinsella in which a reporter for a financial magazine, who has absolutely no financial savy, stumbles through life, running up skyloads of debt and getting into plenty of comic scrapes in the mean time.Originally set in London, Hollywood hotshots have migrated the story overseas (perhaps in an effort to appeal to a larger audience) and wound up in New York city, which may of course cause problems when Becky travels to New York… Perhaps she’ll hit L.A. instead?Confessions of a Shopaholic hits theaters on February 13, 2009.Related Reading:: Definitely, Maybe: Definitely, MaybeMovie Style Guy: Valentine’s DayDVD Review: The Lookout Source

Movie Review Sunday

I've only got a couple to tell you about this week. As always, if you've got movies to review, sign mr. linky below so I can come visit.~Evelyn ~Synopsis: Desmond Doyle is devastated when his wife abandons their family on the day after Christmas. His unemployment and the fact that there is no woman in the house to care for the children, Evelyn, Dermot and Maurice, make it clear to the authorities that his is an untenable situation. The Catholic Church and the Irish courts decide to put the Doyle children into Church-run orphanages. Although a sympathetic judge assures Desmond that when his financial situation reverses, he will be able to get his children back; money is hard to come by. During that time, Evelyn and her brothers suffer the abuses of living in orphanages while Desmond struggles to secure finances. Now he must battle the courts to get his children back.***My Review***Pierce Bronsan did a wonderful job as Desmond Doyle. When Desmond finds himself abandoned by his wife and without work, the Irish government places his children in an orphanage. His daughter Evelyn is treated cruelly but remains confident about her father's return to take her away from this place. Evelyn is a wonderful example of faith and hope and I fell in love with her character. When Desmond finds work and gets himself back on track, he returns to retrieve his children only to find that the Irish government will not allow it. Because of a clause in the law, Desmond's runaway wife must sign papers that will allow the children to come home. Desmond takes on the government in order to put his family back together. I can't say much more without giving away the story but Desmond's journey is one of courage and love. We loved this film.~The Hoax~Synopsis: Early in 1971, McGraw-Hill passes on Clifford Irving's new novel. He's desperate for money, so, against the backdrop of Nixon's reelection calculations, Irving claims he has Howard Hughes's cooperation to write Hughes's autobiography. With the help of friend Dick Suskind, Irving does research, lucks into a manuscript written by a long-time Hughes associate, and plays on corporate greed. He's quick-thinking and outrageously bold. Plus, he banks on Hughes's reluctance to enter the public eye. At the same time, he's trying to rebuild his marriage and deflect the allure of his one-time mistress, Nina Van Pallandt. Can he write a good book, take the money, and pull off the hoax? ***My Review***I have to admit that I was not in the mood to watch this last night. However, I'm glad hubby insisted. This is a strange role for Richard Gere but he is very convincing as Clifford Irving. Gere is one of my favorite actors and I love his versatility. I was fascinated with Irving's ability to convince a publishing house to publish a book under these strange circumstances. I'm still fascinated with Howard Hughes' ability to remain incognito for such a long time. This movie won't be for all of you. It worked for me because I love to read biographies. That's what this film felt like to me. ~The Heartbreak Kid ~I'm not even going to link to this one. We watched it without reviewing it first and it was just wrong. I have nothing good to say about it. There were a few funny moments but overall, I would not recommend it. That's all for this week. Remember to sign Mr. Linky if you've got movie reviews to share. Source