Save the Date stars Lizzy Caplan as Sarah, the manager of a bookstore and a somewhat aspiring artist, who is moving in with her boyfriend Kevin (Geoffrey Arend).  Kevin is the lead singer/guitar player in the band Wolfbird, with his best friend Andrew (Martin Starr) on drums.  Andrew is currently engaged and living with Sarah’s sister, Beth (Alison Brie).  Moving in with Kevin is a big step for Sarah, who has issues with the closeness of relationships, but things become disastrous almost immediately, when Kevin (very unwisely) decides to go for it and ask Sarah to marry him during one of his band’s performances, in front of a large audience.  Sarah declines, breaks up with Kevin, and moves back into her own place.

This fortunately comes as good news to Jonathon (Mark Webber), who has had a crush on Sarah (he visits her bookstore, not because they have the books he likes, but because she is there), and this leads to him starting up a relationship with her.  Meanwhile, Beth is dealing with sorting out her own wedding, while also trying to help Sarah along in her own romantic entanglements.  Things become tricky, as various forms of drama revolving around Sarah’s own issues with commitment put her at odds with the different people in her life who care about her most.

Having sketched out a plot, aside from a few details here or there, it is sort of easy to understand what kind of movie Save the Date is, how it will progress, and possibly how it will end for everyone.  The movie does not necessarily revel in clichés, but it does have a familiar structure.  What kept it a worthwhile feature for me, much like a number of the other recent and similar films that I have seen, is the strength of the cast.  This is a good group of people, with some cast members playing off of their charm, while others play off their sardonic sense of humor to great effect.

I was pleased right away to have Lizzy Caplan in the lead role in this film.  Given that I am a fan of hers in general (notably in the series Party Down, which also starred Martin Starr), getting to see a full length feature with her as the lead was a good way to get me into my seat.  I enjoyed watching Sarah for the most part, even though some of her actions became incredibly frustrating during later points in the film.  Having Alison Brie in this film (who currently pulls double duty on Community and Mad Men) was also a pretty nice plus.  She is in the role of the more responsible sibling, but gets to balance some of her overbearingness with chances to shine comedically.  Mark Webber (from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, further proving that this film has a desire to truly please me) is also welcome, embracing him a role that allows him to have an effortlessly cool persona, which is washed over by the occasional nervousness that makes him into a generally likable guy.  Geoffrey Arend has the somewhat unfortunate task of playing the ex-boyfriend character, which basically means that we get just enough to know that he’s probably not right for Sarah, but not a whole lot more.  That said, he has a number of moments in this film that provide nice little bits of shading to his character, so we at least never see him as unlikable.

Two more performances of note.  The first is Timothy Busfield, who enters into the film a bit later as the father of Sarah and Beth.  I don’t know what it is, but in the few scenes he has, Busfield nails what is required of him and his purpose for being in the film.  The other is Martin Starr who I found to be quite fantastic.  He and Brie’s character play a very believable couple, who are clearly in love with one another, but have arguments just as well, and also have conversations that go well in strengthening who they are.  Brie is very good in her role, but I thought Starr really nailed his performance.  Coming off roles like Party Down, which I mentioned, or the underseen film Adventureland, I think it is clear that Starr is very capable in providing more than just a biting sense of humor to fill in with supporting character work.

The film itself is well made.  Sarah’s artwork comes into play, in a way that establishes a nice sort of quirky touch, fitting for this kind of film.  The various ways in which this film jumps into showing us time passing and the relationship between Sarah and Jonathon evolving is done well enough.  I do think the film goes into pretty heavy territory towards the end, which comes off as somewhat irritating, given the reason of why a certain level of darkness is being revealed, but for the most part, there is a fair share of humor that surfaces throughout.  The script by Jeffrey Brown, Egan Reich, and Michael Mohan (who also directed) is thought out enough to keep the film interesting and not too much is done to make the film seem overly hip with unfavorable “indie” notions.

So I found myself enjoying yet another comedy-drama based around the romantic pursuits of a flighty female lead.  There is not much wrong with that.  Save the Date has a strong, likable, and funny cast and that really goes a long way for these types of movies.  The story goes through some familiar motions and does not quite nail the tone in a more consistent fashion, but I still was able to really enjoy myself, while watching this film.  And I also just really liked Sarah’s drawings.

So as I mentioned, Save the Date was the last film I saw at the Newport Beach Film Festival.  It was a fun, but exhausting week for me and I hope others are able to check out some of the film I managed to see and enjoy.  Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website and feel free to find the rest of my coverage of the festival HERE!

Check out director/co-writer Michael Mohan talking about Save the Date:

The film begins interestingly enough, with Karl (Tygh Runyan) delivering a note to Paul (Brad Dryborough), with information regarding what Karl has been doing.  Karl has been following Paul from a distance, believing him to be his doppelganger, the mirror image of himself.  This letter exchange was anonymous, which leads to Paul responding by leaving a note in the same spot where he first received his.  Despite initial confusion and hostility, Paul is intrigued enough to eventually meet up with Karl.

Upon meeting up with one another, (aside from the humorous realization that neither of these people really resemble each other) a bizarre chain of events begins to occur, which revolves around these two forming a strange sort of bond, as they deal with a new path for them to take.  This path leads to the divulging and releasing of Karl’s manuscript to the public, a piece of work that was 25 years in the making.  The issue here is that the manuscript was not released by Karl or Paul, but a random, separate party, after having been edited down into something much different than Karl’s intention, given that he was detailing why he hates himself.  As a result, Karl and Paul set out on a journey together to confront the issues they are facing, be it related to the lack of credit for the work that has been published or on a level of self-revelation.

Given the nature of the majority of films I have been seeing at the Newport Beach Film Festival, I was pleased to see something different.  Doppelganger Paul very much operates on the level of an offbeat, independent feature; complete with quirky characters, an inherent strangeness in where the story takes the viewer, and an improvisational tone to how scenes play out.  This film revels in being a lot of the things that either brings in or distances people from these types of art house films, but I never found myself thinking that the movie was being strange and different just for the sake of being that way.

I was intrigued by where this story was going and it was mainly due to the approach to these characters and how they attempted to embody the second part of the title of the film.  Given that Karl and Paul are guys who apparently are displeased by so much about themselves, the fact that I was able to see humor and various positive aspects in them kept a certain flow of the film alive.  I would not necessarily bill this film as a straight up comedy, but it is a human comedy that gets away with being somewhat mordant, due to the fact that I liked watching these people.

Both Runyan and Dryborough made for interesting characters, with Drborough’s Paul bringing a sort of nervous intensity, while Runyan gets away with all of his oddities based around his dryly humorous delivery of a great majority of his lines.  It becomes very interesting to see where these characters end up as the film goes on, given how the act shifts have a pretty particular way of breaking the film up into specific parts.  It is also worth noting the two supporting performances from Ben Cotton and Matty Finochio, who serve as the characters who claim false credit over Karl’s manuscript.  Their scenes mostly served as comedic divergences from the main narrative, but they brought a fun, broader sort of feel to a film that was spending most of its time in such a detached state, despite being a weird kind of enjoyable.

There are a few different themes explored in this film by directors Dylan Akio Smith and Kris Elgstrand (who also scripted the film).  I would be very intrigued to learn more about what went on in the development of the feature.  The concept of questioning the state of one’s identity (let alone the various odd touches further applied to the film) easily brought to mind people like Charlie Kauffman and Michel Gondry, despite the less pronounced style seen in ‘Paul’.  There is a notion that made me want to question more about how this film develops however.  While enjoyable for a variety of reasons, it does move at a fairly slow pace for an 84-minute film.  Certain scenes are easily more enjoyable or fascinating to watch, but I get curious as to how the editing process was in sorting out the overall arc of the film (which, I guess, is similar to how Karl’s manuscript gets pared down in the film).  Gathering a film together out of what seems to be an exploration of a particular motif, with humorous intentions, must certainly have been a challenge, just not a completely sound one.

Doppelganger Paul was an interesting change in pace for my Newport Beach Film Festival viewing experience.  Definitely sitting firmly in the realm of obscure indie films, there may be certain people who don’t quite have the acquired taste to really get into this film, but being open-minded has certainly held up for me in the past, just like it has here.  It is a different sort of film, but the premise goes into interesting and amusing territory and I had a good time.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival!

Check out the trailer for Doppelganger Paul:

Gerwig stars as Lola, a nice enough person, living with her boyfriend Luke (Joel Kinnaman) in New York.  At the beginning of the film, Luke proposes to Lola and the during the entire opening credits montage, we see Lola getting ready for her wedding.  Reaching the end of this sequence, Lola comes home to an upset Luke, who breaks off the wedding entirely.  Smash cut to the title.  Lola is understandable devastated, but at least has good support coming from her best friend Alice (co-screenwriter Zoe Lister-Jones), the mutual, but sweet friend Henry (Hamish Linklater), and her caring parents (Debra Winger and Bill Pullman).

In the months that follow, Lola gets into some messy situations, as she deals with her break up somewhat haphazardly.  As Lola deals with being single for the first time in nearly a decade, her decisions lead her to hooking up with some less than ideal people, as well as people she never really considered to be possible suitors.  Her friends try to help her along, and even Luke still attempts to forge some kind of friendship with Lola, despite the way in which he hurt her.  However, Lola needs to work on moving on and getting out of the rut that she was forced into.

The main appeal of this film, for me, was Greta Gerwig.  I have been an admirer of the various films Gerwig has been a part of for a while now (Greenburg and The House of the Devil, among others) and I was happy to see a film that puts her in the starring role.  Aside from a key issue I had with the film, which I will address later, I was happy to have found plenty to enjoy in her performance.  Gerwig has a way of handling her characters in films with a sense of honesty, which is reflected in the way she reacts to other characters.  Having been a part of so many independent features, it is a natural sort of approach, which allows her to have believable chemistry with the various other characters.  She also has a nice smile, which is important in two ways.  Gerwig is an attractive, leggy blonde, yes, but she has a way of putting a lot of emotion behind her smile, which does not always suggest happiness (especially in this film).

The other characters were well played, for the most part, as well.  The character of Alice is an expected, but appropriate type of friend that Lola would have in a film like this.  She gets to string out a number of one-liners that are fun and adds to the supporting the lighter moments of a film dealing with Lola’s romantic troubles.  Hamish Linklater is incredibly sweet and laid back in the role of the male friend, who balances teetering on becoming too close with a person he is not sure about becoming so close to.  He has a way of equaling the natural sort of chemistry that Gerwig creates, which is neat given that he’s balanced doing independent films with a lot of TV work.  Debra Winger and Bill Pullman have the pretty simple task of providing support and sage wisdom to Lola, which is fine, because I liked the sort of breezy relationship their characters had with their daughter (Pullman in particular).  And lastly, Kinnaman is fine in the role of the man who dumped Lola in the first place.  Knowing him mainly for his much darker role in The Killing (though it should be noted that he’s coming up in the film world, with a number of big parts coming his way), it was at least nice to see him clean shaven.  That said, there is a lot to be said about how irritating his character is, given the decisions he has made and how he goes about trying to still be in contact with Lola.  It is fortunate that Kinnaman at least sells the role of being so unsure of himself.

As mentioned, the film was co-written by Zoe Lister-Jones, along with writer/director Daryl Wein, and the two manage to do fine work in making this a film about a woman caught up in despair due to her tragic and abrupt breakup, while still managing to inject the story with plenty of humor.  I would not necessarily say that I found the film to be deeply poignant (which can easily be attributed to the fact that I am male and have not gone through an intense breakup ordeal that preceded my approaching wedding), but I was also happy that Lola Versus didn’t plunge itself down too deeply into dramatic territory.  I did get caught up enough in the emotional journey of Lola to appreciate what she was going through, but I was happy that she found herself in humorous and awkward situations as well.

The main issue I had with the film revolved around the progression into the third act.  The film reaches a point where Lola finds herself at a very particular point in her life (and in the structure of this somewhat familiar story) and she needs to take some certain actions in order to grow and recover as a character.  I was put off by the way the film decided to handle this area of the story, where Lola essentially has certain developments that come from a place that is not fully developed and leads to a closure of the film that feels somewhat unearned.  It basically felt like the film cut off some bits in an attempt to rush into its finale, which rubbed me the wrong way.

Aside from the conclusion, which unfortunately did not feel fully developed (although I did enjoy the final minutes), my overall takeaway, regarding the film, was a positive one.  I like Gerwig and her relationships with the cast.  The script, for the most part, was pretty sound in portraying an entertaining take on a breakup story.  I also want to mention the music by the band Fall on Your Sword, which I was a fan of and am happy to see them scoring more films (they also provided the score for Another Earth).  I would be curious to see how people that have been in similar situations will react to this film, but I hope it is positively, as the film is charming enough in playing this character off of her friends and allowing her to stumble along the way, before finding her balance again.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival!

Check out the trailer for Lola Versus:

The film is setup pretty quickly.  We are introduced to five teens, who are supposed to be serving time in detention.  They include the geek, Eddie (Jacob Zachar); the jock, Brad (Jayson Blair); the cheerleader, Janet (Christa B. Allen); Brad’s jock friend, Jimmy (Max Adler); the goth girl, Willow (Alexa Nikolas); and the stoner kid, Ash (Justin Chon).  As detention gets started, the group notices that one guy in the corner isn’t looking so good.  He reveals a giant wound on his hand and soon enough, he turns into a zombie and bites the English teacher, monitoring detention.  Everyone is understandable shocked and even more so once they look outside and see that the school is being overrun with zombies.  Despite the differences seen between the different characters in this group, they are going to have to band together if they want to survive.  Luckily Eddie and Willow are zombie experts (based on movies, comics, and video games), but plenty can easily go wrong if these guys are not careful.

Getting to the main criticism I have first, the main issue I found with Detention of the Dead was the notion of setting up characters that claim to be experts in the field of zombies.  Characters like these can only be as smart as the screenwriters creating them, which tends to have a way of backfiring on how they have been setup.  Despite the film being very aware of what it is and having the characters make references to various forms of zombie lore, be it very obvious or more subtle, there are still choices made that reflect poorly on people like Eddie and Willow, when it comes time to making the right call.  I am very aware that the movie does not strive to be very serious, but I still took issue with things that one clearly wouldn’t do were they to be actually stuck in a zombie apocalypse and have full knowledge of that scenario, based on the various forms of zombie media the characters are supposedly obsessed with.

Getting back to the positive aspects, Detention of the Dead is apparently based on a play by Rob Rinow, which is supposed to rely on more of a sketch comedy-type structure.  Because of that, I can admire the way this film has ended up working, for the most part, as a narrative driven feature that contains various bits of comedy set pieces scattered throughout.  The story is incredibly straight-forward and does not really contain any surprises, but it creates a solid enough base and brings in the purposefully stock character-types to form a feature that plays out in an entertaining enough manner.

The characters in this film really do fall straight into the molds of the standard characters one expects to see in this kind of film.  After Cabin in the Woods, it is especially difficult to really accept what is being portrayed, but given that the film is coming from an independent world and seeks to simply be a breezy comedy filled with zombies, I was able to go along with it well enough.  It helps that the cast featured a decently fun group of individuals, with some working better than others (the stoner was annoying, but I enjoyed the over the top antics of Brad and the character of Willow in general).

It also helps that the film does well when deciding to be about zombies.  While the film is definitely a comedy at its undead core, there is plenty done here with gore to satisfy the fans of zombie movies who want to see people getting ripped apart or dismembered.  Especially given that the film was shot on a low budget, I was impressed with the makeup work and the sound effects used to convey deadly flesh-eaters taking over a school and devouring teachers and students alike.  I was also pleased that Detention of the Dead was smart enough to follow along with the “Romero Rules” when it came to handling the zombies.  They were slow moving, but deadly; and when people were bitten, they came back as zombies.  These are small details, but as a zombie fan myself, I was happy to see these choices made in the process.

Furthermore, I enjoyed the soundtrack and overall style of filmmaking.  The way certain songs were juxtaposed over the action occurring on screen was nicely handled and kept me entertained.  There were also bits of editing that worked for me, such as some of the rapid-fire cutting that occurred, which was of course calling back to The Evil Dead films, which I love.  And lastly, again, when being treated as a zombie film, as opposed to a straight comedy, there were ways in which the film felt appropriately lit and shot to feel like an actual creepy zombie movie.  This certainly is not a scary film, but it did know how to establish some suspense during a couple moments of peril.

Detention of the Dead is a very light film, which does not take itself seriously.  The characters are very deliberately designed to function a certain way.  The story is crafted to be just enough to allow the film to progress down a linear path.  And even some of the humor can be hit or miss.  Still, the film is also quite likable and features some pretty solid zombie effects work, given the independent nature of the film.  There is not much greater depth to be found here, but it is an easy enough way to spend 90 minutes, were one to be seeking an amusing zombie comedy.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival!

Here is the trailer for Detention of the Dead:

The film begins with a woman boarding a train with her family.  After some irritating business that involves a few individuals on board the train not behind kind enough to allow the family to sit together, the woman flashes back to her own memories of a time when her entire, extended family got together for a reunion.  At this point, the film jumps back to 1979.  The woman we began with is now 10-year-old Albertine (Lou Avarez) and she arrives in Brittany, France with her parents, played by Julie Delpy and Eric Elmosnino, for the celebration of her Grandmother’s birthday.

The large family arrives as well, which includes several aunts and uncles, all of whom have their own various quirks and personas about them.  The film is largely set during one day of this eventful weekend, where some truths are revealed, personal rivalries are renewed, and Albertine experiences the painful delight of first love.  She is also convinced that an orbiting space satellite will crash down on their heads, which is what the title refers to.  The film serves as a retro slice of life that communicates the importance of celebrating family.

Watching this film, it would be very easy to be convinced that these people must be friends or spent plenty of time working together, as the script is quite solid and the cast does well to make you believe that they are all one big family.  The best aspect truly is how natural the family dynamics feel, regardless of how wild some of the humor may be, or how intense some of the rivalries become, or how poignant some of the more dramatic moments seem.  This group of people, which consists largely of well-regarded theater actors, all have very good chemistry together, which serves the film well, whether they are have scenes that revolve around everyone having a good time or if they are getting into big arguments with one another.

I also really enjoyed that this film was set in the 70s.  As Julie Delpy used a lot of her own experiences and memories that recall this time period, the setting allowed for a familiar but nuanced way of handling a big group like this interacting with one another.  So rather than having individuals acting in a more conservative manner or participating in activities that are less interesting, were the film to be placed in modern times, we get to witness a period that allows for adults and children to interact on a unique sort of level.  Adults do not do much to heed where their conversations take them, regardless of being in the presence of their kids.  The kids lack the technology of today and we get to watch them play around with each other outside, tell each other stories, and deal with pre-teen emotions.  There is a solid level of authenticity to all of this that better communicates the idea of all of these people really acting like a family and providing enjoyable moments for this film to revel in.

Further adding onto my appreciation of the time period, Le Skylab is a great looking film.  The characters have fitting costumes, clothing, and other various accessories.  The setting is appropriate, with a country home that is busy enough to show off the farm in the background, the style of décor within and around the home, and the nature the activities that these folks can participate in.  A late scene that involves the younger members of the family all going to a party together was also a fun and realized mini-adventure, getting a feel for the nighttime activities that kids can be involved in.

And lastly, the setting also provides a reason to bring up the various social norms and politics of the people involved.  Delpy’s character and her husband are portrayed as being strong supporters of the leftist political party, which becomes an issue for a few of the other family members.  In particular, this upsets the character Roger (Denis Menochet, who was featured in the opening of Inglourious Basterds), an ex-soldier that clearly has issues with living a civilian life.  It is the way that things like this and other differences that reflect the time period continue to make the film an interesting watch and provides for ways to give nearly every character an important scene or two (at least) to work with.

I mentioned early on that the story is essentially aimless, choosing to indulge in watching conversations between characters play out and observe the various family dynamics with undercurrents of humor or drama cutting through.  Albertine is basically our central character, but once the film settles into the reunion aspect, it has a pretty fair balance all around.  As a result, the film is a little long, choosing to better flesh out the majority of the cast, without speeding up some of the proceedings to make for a tighter picture, but it’s not something that bothered me too much.  It is a film that practically knows it is overindulging in showing us all these characters, but also understands that the family is working well enough at seeming like a real one.

Le Skylab was an enjoyable and interesting film.  It makes great use of the ensemble cast and their dynamics with one another.  The period setting adds a refreshing quality to how the interactions, activities, drama, and comedy play out.  And the film gets by on its charming nature (even when some of the darker elements factor in), despite the tendency to let things play out a bit too long in spots.  Entertaining, touching at times, and very well made overall.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival!

Here’s the trailer for Le Skylab (Unfortunately, I could not find one with English subtitles):

Alex Karpovsky and Tarik Lowe star as Nick and Darryl, two friends who work on movies together as editors.  The project they are currently working on is a romantic comedy, which has been taking an extended amount of time to cut down to a reasonable length, while pleasing the various producers and filmmakers involved.  This has not been the best experience for the director, Adrian (Kevin Corrigan), and it has also annoyed Darryl, as he doesn’t like seeing certain characters get cut out.  Nick has been having a slightly better time in this process, as it has allowed him to meet the female star of the film.  Popular actress named Jamie Kirkland (Arielle Kebbel), spends plenty of time in Nick’s company, which she seems to be enjoying quite a bit.

I should mention that Nick is also currently engaged to Amy (Sophia Takal), who is currently living with him and getting ready to kick wedding plans into gear (after the discussion of possible prenup arrangements, of course).  Meanwhile, Darryl is having relationship issues of his own, as his girlfriend, Liana (Melonie Diaz), claims to love him, despite the fact that the two of them constantly argue.  The rest of the film revolves around Nick and Darryl working on the movie together, as well as working on their relationships and giving each other playful grief along the way.

Supporting Characters is a very low key film overall and that is a lot of the reason as to why I enjoyed it.  There is not a lot of time spent of making this film seem particularly flashy in any way and the characters do not really speak in dialogue that suggests they are overly knowledgeable or hip.  The film simply follows around these two main guys during a stressful (and fairly humorous) time in their lives and it has an all-around authentic feel, with maybe a slight edge, given the scripted nature of the dialogue.  It is not a film about large narrative turns, but a simple human comedy that provides a lot of space for the actors to cleverly and effectively bounce off of one another.

Karpovsky and Lowe have fun chemistry together, conveying a friendship that seems very natural.  I particularly liked the interplay they had together when it came to scenes that involved them at work in the editing room.  The various relationships in the film were also interesting to watch.  It could be easy to write off Liana as irritating, but I liked the way it made Lowe’s character have to work to try and keep the peace between them.  I also enjoyed a lot of the laid back charm in Nick and Amy’s relationship and even with him and Jamie, despite how easy it was for Nick to seemingly convince a “hot” actress to desire him so much.  Kevin Corrigan also provides fun support in his small role.

Tarik Lowe was also the co-writer of this film, along with his friend and director Daniel Schector.  The two apparently made this film, using a lot of their own personal experiences in the process to develop the story.  Shot for around $50,000, the film works at being a somewhat offbeat, slice of life-type film, which is semi-autobiographical, but not really overdone in any noticeable way.  The use of New York as a location grounds the film in a certain reality, but the photography is never too flashy to really emphasize where these characters are, rather than what they are getting done in the film.

The only real problem I found with this film was the way it basically stumbles through the notion of having a plot to wrap itself up in.  The film is not necessarily aimless, but it more or less follows a specific period of time and details the main events that occur.  By the time it gets around to sculpting a supposed narrative for the film as a whole, it brings in a couple elements that are established a bit too late, without giving the audience a good chance to take it in.  It is a minor gripe however, as I was happy to go along with these characters throughout the film, based mainly around the appropriate chemistry I found them to have.

Supporting Characters works well with what it has.  There is a good cast here, made up of talented young actors, who bring a nice liveliness to how the script and dialogue has been assembled.  The film thankfully does not revel in hipster New York culture either, instead playing out as a film with grounded characters, dealing with adult issues in a serious, but still humorous sort of way.  It is an entertaining film that works as a solid indie comedy/drama.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival!

Here’s the trailer for Supporting Characters:

Jewtopia follows the stories of Chris (Ivan Sergei) and Adam (Joel David Moore).  The two were best friends from childhood, though Chris was a gentile with redneck parents (played by Peter Stormare and Nicollette Sheridan), while Adam was Jewish (his very Jewish parents are played by Jon Lovitz and Rita Wilson).  This should not be an issue, but it becomes one, as we see that Adam has heavy anxiety issues, while Chris is used to roughhousing with his brothers and his father does not really enjoy Adam being one of Chris’ friends.  As time passes, the two sort of drift apart.

In their adulthood, Adam has somehow landed a trophy fiancé, Hannah Daniels (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), who is Jewish and quite wealthy due to her and her parent’s (played by Tom Arnold and Camryn Manheim) work as successful gynecologists.  Adam has stuck with the family business of professional embroidery and is bossed around constantly by his bride to be.  Meanwhile, Chris has his own plumbing business, but is in search of love in the form of a Jewish woman.  You see, Chris had a Jewish girlfriend in college, who dumped him, but since Chris loved having all his decisions made by her, he hopes to find someone that can fill that same role.  Naturally, after meeting the perfect Jewish woman, Alison Marks (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Chris decides to pretend to be a Jewish doctor and goes to seek advice from Adam for how to properly act like a Jew.  And the “hilarity” ensues.

I have not been masking my opinions about this film already, but I will say it again – I really disliked this movie.  I thought it was terrible.  Everything about how this story unfolded was pathetic.  None of the characters are particularly strong or likable.  The jokes are never clever and have no subtlety to them at all, working instead as bad pandering that makes constant use of the lowest common denominator type of humor.  Whether it is an attempt to make various Jewish references seem funny or just lay deep in various raunchy bits of humor, the film never rises above any level that hints at any sort of sneaky intelligence lurking underneath.  Everything just falls flat instead, and left me bored and displeased with having to slump in my seat and hope it would end sooner rather than later.

I won’t say that this movie is offensive.  Jewtopia is way too stupid to be offensive or have me care about the various Jewish stereotypes that are portrayed with an over-the-top sense of bad taste.  And of course, given that the filmmakers are Jewish (as am I), I know that this film was trying to essentially dare people to laugh at how ridiculous the stereotypes being delved into on screen are.  With that said, the film still failed in creating any sort of effective comedy out of  the types of jokes they were going for.  None of the same old jokes are ever given any sort of fresh life; no, instead we get funny accents, jokes about acting neurotic for no apparent reason, fun with circumcision humor, and various uses of old Yiddish terms to emphasize all of this “amusement”.  If Jewtopia was attempting to be some sort of satire, knowing how bad these jokes were and playing off of that factor, then the film definitely failed in every way possible.

There is not too much to say about the actors, other than the fact that few of them escape without embarrassing themselves too much.  Ivan Sergei basically serves as a substitute for a Brendan Fraser-type character, accept with no real charisma and the status of playing a pretty terrible person, who learns practically nothing over the course of the film and does not deserve his happy ending.  Joel David Moore reaches a point where he must hump a plastic dolphin for…I don’t know why.  For whatever reason, Peter Stormare is given the chance to flex his chops by donning a southern accent, which goes over terribly, while Tom Arnold and Jon Lovitz do their best at hanging around the film long enough to cash their paychecks.  Jamie Lynn-Sigler gets the chance to put her comedic timing to work; as she deals with being overly concerned about how pretty her vagina is (I can’t make this stuff up).  And Jennifer Love Hewitt apparently plays an idiot who can’t figure out what’s going on with her silly “Jewish” boyfriend.

Anyone that really loves movies like Epic Movie or Meet the Spartans will probably feel right at home with Jewtopia and for those that do have fun with those kinds of movies, let alone this movie, I can assure you that I have no problem with that.  It is not a matter of me being better than the humor that is presented here; I just don’t find it entertaining at all.  The film combines a slew of ridiculous raunchy humor, cracks at Jews vs. Gentiles, and various other jokes that I could see coming a mile away, with hopes that it would go another direction, but doesn’t and just left me feeling more numbness than anything really.  I have so far seen other films at the Newport Beach Film Festival that I enjoyed and I am sure the play must be something that is far more enjoyable, but Jewtopia gave me nothing to enjoy.  A great, big dud.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival!

The film stars Askel Hennie as Roger Brown.  Roger’s profession is a headhunter, who is looking to find the perfect candidates to become a part of the corporation he represents.  Roger also moonlights as an art thief, in order to cover his expenses and keep himself and his oblivious wife Diana (Synnøve Macody Lund) living a fairly high class lifestyle.  During the opening of Diana’s first art gallery in Oslo, Roger meets Clas Greve (Game of Thrones’ Nikolaj Coster-Waldau).  Clas is a former soldier and, until recently, a successful senior manager at a corporation that rivals Roger’s own place of business.  These various facts make Clas very qualified to be recruited by Roger.  The biggest kicker is that Clas is also in possession of a very rare painting, which Roger could easily help himself to, once he has the chance.

Roger has been having financial issues as of late, so stealing the painting from Clas is definitely a priority, but upon doing so, Roger discovers something very alarming.  With little time to really process what is going on, Roger finds himself in some serious trouble and is forced to go on the run, with not much hope in trusting anyone around him.  All he wanted to do was support himself and his wife, but Roger is going to have to use all of his cunning, if he ever wants to continue on with his desired lifestyle.

I hate being so vague in the twist that occur, but the film did well by me for not completely telegraphing how it was going to play out in the early goings.  I knew that the film was a thriller to some extent, but the way the plot unfolds was done so in a fairly entertaining way, as the thrilling aspect is essentially thrust upon Roger and the audience, with little warning beforehand.  Once the plot really kicks into gear, the film rarely lets up and instead has Roger basically suffering for a large portion of the film.  The man gets beat up in all sorts of ways, with only his fairly clever mind working to get him out of some pretty crazy situations.

On the whole, this story is not very deep.  Headhunters is based on a book by popular Norwegian author Jo Nesbø, which seems to have taken a cue from various other pulpy crime novels of the past.  It sets up the characters, some various pieces of information that may or may not be important down the road, and then provides various thrilling scenarios for Roger.  That said, there was a good amount of creativity and solid filmmaking at work to keep the film moving and myself engaged in the action.  Some bumps here or there in how to make some of the action-type scenarios more watchable, but I did admire the way Roger was forced into a number of do or die situations.

The film itself is never overly serious, which is reflected in the way the film bounces around some extremely violent scenarios with a filmmaking style that almost revels in the way the over-the-top nature of some of the thrills takes hold.  I could not help but think at times that the film was one of most violent live-action cartoons imaginable.  Headhunters is ostensible a chase film, with Roger on the run and in hiding for a large portion of the runtime, but the extent to which he needs to get out of precarious situations is at times almost too ridiculous, with moments that are resolved through pure luck.

One thing that really worked for me in this film was Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.  The blond, Danish actor was solid in the role that requires him to essentially only speak when he has to (and when he does, he’s actually pretty charming), but provide plenty of menace in the way his role plays out.  While Roger is basically a really lucky (and occasionally very clever) dweeb, Coster-Waldau’s Clas is a man on a mission, who has the know how to accomplish his goals.  I also appreciated the humor that came from the character Ove (Eivind Sander), Roger’s crime partner in the art theft world, who brought some lightness early on to the film.

Headhunters is a fine thriller overall.  It manages to be quite violent and stirs some tensions in various moments, but is entertaining to watch.  If one were to step back and think about how some of the twists in the story would work from a logical perspective, there is the chance that one could be less impressed with it, but I was caught up in the moment enough to not really focus too hard on the various and inherent flaws in a story built around many plot reversals.  The film is plenty fine in being a fun enough chase thriller.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival!

Here is the trailer for Headhunters:

As a resident of Southern California and one who is apparently eager to lose a lot of sleep for the sake of film, I plan to attend the festival, hopefully gaining access to many different screenings of films that I have my eye on.  I will do my best to provide reviews for films that have both been making there rounds through festivals and ones that are making their debuts at the NBFF.  With any luck, I may be able to score a few interviews with some actors and filmmakers as well.

Anyone with further interest should make sure to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival’s official website.  Furthermore, anyone who is actually in the Southern California area should try to make an effort to come down and be a part of the festival.  Having gone through this before, I can safely say there are many interesting and exciting films to check out, let alone plenty of stars and filmmakers currently hanging out in the area, so you never know who you might run into, let alone how much you may end up appreciating some of the films you see.

Among the films being screened at the NBFF, many highlights will be a number of west coast premieres and highly buzzed about features, including Jewtopia, Peace Love and Misunderstanding, Mariachi Gringo, Sunset Strip, Little Dancer, General Education, Swerve, I Am Not A Hipster, and the world premiere of Shanghai Calling. Additionally, plenty of documentaries, short films, collegiate films, and films from the Action Sports Film Series will be featured. There are definitely plenty of options for anyone who is willing to seek something out.

I will be posting reviews, updates, and whatever else I have time to write about throughout the week.  Until then, here is a trailer for the festival:

Official WonderCon panel description:

Sony: Resident Evil: Retribution, Looper, Amazing Spider-Man — In Resident Evil: Retribution, we learn more about Alice’s mysterious past as she continues to hunt those at The Umbrella Corporation responsible for the T-virus outbreak, a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, DC, and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun. Resident Evil: Retribution stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand, Shawn Roberts, and Boris Kodjoe. Appearing in person is Alice herself, Milla Jovovich, who along with writer/director Paul W. S. Anderson will host a preview and discussion of the wildly successful film franchise based on the popular video game series Resident Evil and this highly anticipated fifth installment, Resident Evil: Retribution in state-of-the art 3D.

Looper—Joseph Gordon-Levitt and writer-director Rian Johnson come to WonderCon to give fans a first look at the futuristic action thriller Looper. And when we say, “First look,” we mean it! The panel will premiere the first footage anyone anywhere has seen from this movie. In Looper, time travel will be invented, but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they send their target 30 years into the past, where a “looper”—a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)—is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good… until the day the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination.  The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson and also stars Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, and Jeff Daniels. Ram Bergman and James D. Stern produce.

The Amazing Spider-Man—The Amazing Spider-Man is back on the big screen, shot in 3D for the first time, and will be swinging into your neighborhood on July 3, 2012. Director Marc Webb and star Emma Stone appear live at WonderCon to give you your Spidey fix! For the fans who haven’t seen it, here is your chance to see the eight minutes of footage that the filmmakers recently presented in a 13-city global launch event.

The first film presented was Resident Evil: Retribution.  This is the fifth entry in the popular film franchise that started out as a video game adaptation.  It once again stars Milla Jovovich in the lead role, as Alice, and brings back writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson, who directed the first film and the previous entry, Afterlife.  Retribution picks up right where Afterlife left off, with Alice continuing to deal with the threat of the evil Umbrella Corporation, as she seeks to hunt those responsible for the T-Virus outbreak.  The film will apparently go global, as it spans several countries, all over the world.  Additionally, the film will also feature the reappearance of several characters from past entries in the series, including the return of Michelle Rodriguez and Oded Fehr.

To speak about the panel first, regardless of my own opinions about this franchise (which I could care less about), the audience reaction was generally high.  Milla Jovovich and Paul W.S. Anderson (currently married) were present and spoke enthusiastically about the film and the series as a whole.  Anderson in particular explained how specific rigs were designed for the 3D cameras used to shoot the film, in an effort to bring a more dynamic style to the cinematography, while incorporating the 3D effect.  As some may remember, Afterlife was shot using “the latest 3D technology” and Anderson went on to make 2011’s The Three Musketeers in the same manner.  For his third time working with this process, Anderson has said he and his crew were well versed in what was involved and is quite pleased with how well the filming went, given the complex equipment involved.

Jovovich was equally willing to share information about her experience with making the film.  She talked about how thrilled she was to be part of an action series that features a strong female lead and felt quite aware of how far the character has come and what developments ‘Alice’ has gone through.  I may not care much for this series, but the fact that Jovovich and the people involved still have a good time and a certain level of passion for being involved in this franchise is a nice thing to hear.

A couple other highlights of the panel included the mention of the return of Michelle Rodriguez, as both Jovovich and Anderson spoke about Rodriguez’s real life obsession with video games like Call of Duty and how she needed to be dragged away from the game controller, so she could hold an actual gun on set.  Another highlight was Anderson’s mention of his Mortal Kombat film (my person favorite video game adaptation) and how he still has an appreciation and love for that movie.  And finally, the question came up in regards to what other video game Anderson would love to make, which was answered with the suggestion of Donkey Kong, which could feature Jovovich in an ape outfit.  Not a bad idea.

The clip from the film, which audiences were treated with, involved Alice alone in a brightly lit hallway, running away from zombies.  Alice was carrying only a handgun and a flail (a chain with a mace on the end) and became forced to take out the zombies after her.  What followed was a 5-minute action sequence, which saw Alice doing plenty of fancy fighting tricks involving her weapons and skilled jump/flip abilities.  All of it was slick and presented in over-the-top 3D, basically fitting the exact tone that the Resident Evil film series has been achieving since day one.  Fans of the series, especially those who loved Afterlife, should be plenty pleased with how things will play out.

Resident Evil: Retribution opens September 14, 2012.  Check out the latest trailer below:

The next presentation was for the film Looper.  Looper is the new science-fiction film from writer/director Rian Johnson, who previously made the con artist film, The Brothers Bloom, and more notably Brick, a fantastic and stylized neo-noir, set in the realm of a high school.  Johnson was pretty tight-lipped about the actual plot of Looper, but the basic premise was made clear enough:  An assassin (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works for a mob in the year 2042 and kills people who are sent back in time, from the year 2072. He recognizes one victim (Bruce Willis) as an older version of himself and hesitates, resulting in the escape of his older self.  Looper may not have been on the radar of many, before this presentation, but even with the lack of anything more than a glimpse at the trailer, I think many were much more excited.

The audience only got to see a trailer for the film, which will not be released until April, but it certainly gave the impression of a clever science fiction film that benefited from having an intriguing premise, a great look to the film as a whole, and a strong cast, which also features Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels, Paul Dano, Piper Perabo, and Garret Dillahunt.  I am not going to go the lengths of saying that this is the Inception of 2012, but I do like to gravitate towards what I think are smart science fiction films that also work as solid action flicks.  Plus, given that this is a time travel film, I always love when films develop their various rules associated for the way they handle time travel (it should be noted that Shane Carruth, of Primer fame, was involved as a consultant for the film).

The panel was equally entertaining as well.  Director Rian Johnson and star Joseph Gordon-Levitt were present and the two are obviously very good friends at this point.  Having worked on Brick together and now together again for Looper, the two were very comfortable addressing each other and the audience with little teases about what is to come, when the film arrives in theaters.  Gordon-Levitt was noticeably happy, but humble, to not only be a part of Looper, but also The Dark Knight Rises and Spielberg’s Lincoln, which the audience was more than aware of, as they continued to ask questions regarding how comfortable he was in going from a successful TV series (3^rd Rock From the Sun) to smaller, independent features, to big budget blockbusters.  Johnson was also quite good at addressing the audience.  Given that he has more of a cult audience at this point, it was fun to see his sense of humor do enough to warm the crowd to him and the film (hopefully convincing many to check out his past film, if they had not already seen them), while also keeping the discussion informative.  Fun piece of information to have learned – a lot of effort was put into making Gordon-Levitt have the appearance of a young Bruce Willis.

Looper opens on September 28, 2012 and has a webpage anyone can check out, located HERE

I really wish a trailer was available to post (and maybe I’ll do so as an update or as a follow-up, once it becomes available), but for now, here is a trailer for Johnson’s first film – Brick:

The final portion of Sony’s WonderCon presentation was devoted to The Amazing Spider-Man.  As everyone is probably aware, the web-head returns to the big screen this July, but with a few changes.  The film is being directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) and features a new cast headlined by Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy.  The film will also feature Welsh actor Rhys Ifans as Dr. Kurt Connors aka The Lizard.  The Amazing Spider-Man will serve as a reintroduction to the character, touting the tagline of “The untold story”, as it features storylines previously unseen in the film (and actually seems to be incorporating a lot from the Ultimate Spider-Man comic universe).   And lastly, the film has been shot in 3D (the audience was treated to seeing the latest trailer in this format as well).

The panel for this film consisted of Emma Stone, Marc Webb, and producer Matt Tomach, who were all very pleased to be able to present footage from the film.  None of the footage was actually new, however, as it was the same 8-minute sizzle reel that played about a month ago, during a global launch for the film.  That said, the best thing I can say about what was shown is that it does a better job at truly showing off the tone of the film than I think the trailers have done thus far.  I do like the trailers in terms of seeing them portray a large-scale, spectacle film, based around Spider-Man, but what hasn’t been seen so much is how solid the character work looks to be.  From the footage shown, there is a real sense of strong chemistry between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy that feels very appropriate, as does the way Peter Parker seems to be acting in general.  More footage of the Lizard was also seen here, which looks fine enough, even if it is completely CG, but I am still hoping Ifans will do good enough justice to the Dr. Connors character in human form, as he is a very good actor.  Of course, I’m mainly happy that we finally have Parker’s homemade web shooters, as opposed to organic ones, but that’s just the comic geek in me speaking out.

The actual panel was another enjoyable one.  People certainly get a complete package when they get to deal with Emma Stone, as she is rather stunning, very personable, and a quick wit when addressing fans.  Marc Webb and Matt Tolmach also had some fun in taking the stage, thinking it would be cool to wear their 3D glasses, only to give up on that pretty quickly and addressing it head on.  Following the footage, the group was happy to participate in a Q&A, which did not lead to gaining a whole lot of depth about the film, especially as the majority of the questions were fans that simply wanted to ask cute questions for Emma Stone to answer.  Still, I think there was enough enthusiasm from the crowd to certainly suggest that people were pretty excited about seeing this new take on Spider-Man.

The Amazing Spider-Man swings into theaters on July 3, 2012.  The latest trailer is posted below:

Here is the official WonderCon panel description:

Universal Pictures: Battleship and Snow White and the Huntsman— Universal Pictures will present footage and special guests from two of its upcoming epic action-adventures: Battleship (May 18) and Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1). Battleship director/producer Peter Berg will be joined by two of the star’s from the film, Alexander Skarsgård and Brooklyn Decker, to discuss the project. Snow White and the Huntsman‘s director, Rupert Sanders, will answer questions about the new movie starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth and Sam Claflin.

The first panel up was Snow White and the Huntsman.  This will be the second Snow White-related film to come out in 2012, following the colorful-but-bland-looking Mirror Mirror.  ‘Huntsman’ looks like a decidedly darker take on the classic fairy tale, adding a level of Legend or Lord of the Rings-style of atmosphere.  The film stars Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Chrlize Theron as the evil queen, and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsmen.  The film also features a host of great English character actors as the seven dwarfs, including Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Brendan Gleeson, Toby Jones, Ray Winstone, and Nick Frost.

While I was already familiar and intrigued by this film, based on the look and tone that was shown in the first trailer, the new clip (posted below) that the audience was treated to gave a much more exciting preview of what is to come.  The same Lord of the Rings-style was very apparent, as the battle scenes in particular definitely had a familiar feel, but the most striking elements seen were the sequences that really dialed up the fantastical elements that will be featured in the film.  I am aware that this film has quite the budget, but watching this footage makes me aware that the budget has certainly been put to use.  The special effects look great, with the work done to make the normal-sized British actors look like dwarfs seeming particularly well done.  There were also instances that involved various creatures and a shattering effect applied to the destruction of armies, which looked really cool (more of this can be seen in the new trailer, also posted below).

The actual panel for the film, which featured Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, and director Rupert Saunders, was a bit of a mess, which I think can be mainly attributed to Stewart’s presence, which is kind of unfortunate.  Basically, WonderCon seems to have a bit of a grudge against the effect that Twilight has brought to its sister convention, San Diego Comic Con, which manifested itself by way of some awkward reactions to Stewart’s answers to questions.  What made matters a bit more irritating was the fact that Saunders was not too open in regards to really addressing his process in making the film.  Fortunately, Theron was a lot more game to have fun at the panel, openly attributing her ability to play dark and villainous characters to the fact that she’s a bitch (jokingly of course).  Overall, the panel may have had some hiccups in listening to the participants awkwardly answer questions from the crowd (who didn’t help things), but at least the footage was quite interesting.

Snow White and the Huntsman opens in theaters on June 1, 2012.  Check below to see a 5-minute sizzle reel from the film:

And check below here to see the latest trailer for the film:

Next up in Universal’s presentation was the panel for Battleship, the upcoming science fiction/naval warfare flick based on the popular Hasbro board game.  The film stars Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, and Liam Neeson.  It also features Alexander Skarsgård and Brooklyn Decker, who were present at the panel, along with director Peter Berg.  As some are aware, the film borrows loosely from the board game by featuring naval warfare, but adds on an alien invasion twist.

The audience was presented with two clips from the film.  The first clip was centered more around the human element of the film.  It featured Taylor Kitsch’s character interacting with Alexander Skarsgard, while also trying to woo Brooklyn Decker.  The best thing I can say about this clip is how the approach to comedy is much better than the past couple Transformers films, which try way too hard to be funny, when they don’t deal simply with robots rocking and socking each other.  The second clip was much more action heavy, as it featured Kitsch and the rest of his crew facing off against an alien in a heavy suit of armor.  The scene was a lot of fun, satisfying in how the action played out, and handled with a certain sense of style that certainly seems to evoke that of Michael Bay (in a good sort of way).

When the Q&A for the panel really kicked into gear, I was particularly satisfied with what Peter Berg had to say.  What audiences learned was how Berg originally wanted to make a movie based on In the Heart of the Sea, which is a book about the whaling ship known as the Essex, the same ship that was the basis for Moby Dick.  However, given some of the subject matter that takes place in that story, the studios were not exactly thrilled about making that movie.  Given that Berg still wanted to make some sort of naval film, when Battleship became an option for him, he felt he could make a fun popcorn flick out of it.

Berg also used this idea as a concept for his decision to add aliens to the property:  the Aliens don’t just show up randomly one day, they were invited — we contacted them.  This was followed by some explanation as to how, based around thoughts explained by Stephen Hawking in regards to research on the Goldilocks planets and NASA using SETI to send out signals.

And one last thing regarding Berg’s work on this film; he was apparently contacted by Kevin Costner, who wanted to make Berg aware of how difficult it was to work on a film based mainly on the ocean.  Overall, it was a pretty entertaining panel that spoke well for solidifying Battleship as a movie purely meant to be fun.

Battleship opens on May 18, 2012.  Check out the latest trailer for the film below:

WonderCon’s Panel Description:

Open Road Films: Lockout— Global exclusive! Be among the first in the world to see footage of the highly anticipated new film, Lockout. Starring Guy Pearce (Memento, The King’s Speech, upcoming Prometheus) and Maggie Grace (Taken, Taken 2, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Parts 1 & 2). Set in the near future, Lockout follows a falsely convicted ex-government agent (Pearce), whose one chance at obtaining freedom lies in the dangerous mission of rescuing the President’s daughter (Grace) from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum security prison. Lockout was directed by James Mather and Stephen Saint Leger from their script, co-written with Luc Besson, who is also a producer. Peter Stormare co-stars.

So this was an interesting but somewhat bland panel, mainly due to the fact that the only person to show up and promote the film was star Maggie Grace.  I imagine her role is pretty significant in the film, as she is playing opposite Guy Pearce, but it seems like more of the interesting details people could have learned about this high concept action flick could have been better communicated from nearly anyone else.  That said, Grace was pretty happy to talk about the film and be in front of a huge crowd to help show off her silly action film, so good on her.

The trailer was the first thing to be shown, in an effort to remind people what Lockout was, but the more interesting bit was the 5-minute clip from the film, which did a much better job of showing off the type of film that people will be getting into.  It featured a pretty fun action sequence involving Guy Pearce’s character, a convict, and a fight in zero-gravity.  This was followed by a pretty intense moment that involved a race against the clock, a needle, and an eye; with the clip ending right before things got too intense.

Knowing that the film is PG-13, I was into the footage enough to stay interested.  The basic concept of having Pearce play Kurt Russell in a film about a space jail is enough to satisfy me as is, but Luc Besson produced action flicks tend to be fun in and of themselves a lot of the time, so we will see.

The rest of the panel was decent enough, despite Grace being the only actress present to speak about the film.  She had more to say about hoping people get the tone of the film and referring to a lot of what people are in store for, as opposed to have cool tidbits of info to really delve into.

One additional note, Grace did speak a little about Taken 2, where she reprises her role as Liam Neeson’s daughter.  The film has apparently been filmed already and is due to come out this fall.  Not much is known about the plot, but it does involve a reversal of sorts, apparently, as Grace mentions that she was much more involved in the action.

Lockout opens on April 13^th, 2012.  Visit www.lockoutfilm.com to find out more about the film.

Check out the 5-minute clip that was shown at WonderCon below:

Here is the trailer for the film as well:

The WonderCon panel description: 

Fox Searchlight – Sound of My Voice:

Producer, writer, and actress Brit Marling is a rising talent and new voice in the genre world, creating independent films about everyday people finding themselves in fantastic circumstances. In her new film, The Sound of My Voice, Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius), a couple and documentary filmmaking team, infiltrate a mysterious group led by an enigmatic young woman named Maggie (Brit Marling). Intent on exposing her as a charlatan and freeing the followers from her grip, Peter and Lorna start to question their objective and each other as they unravel the secrets of Maggie’s underworld. Appearing in person: star, producer, and co- writer Brit Marling (Another Earth), and the film’s director/co-writer Zal Batmanglij.

The first thing that occurred during this panel was the decision to show the first 12 minutes of this film.  This entire clip can actually be found on the film’s website, but having seen the footage, I can say that I was certainly intrigued by the premise that is established.  We are thrown into a specific situation, as we follow a couple being initiated into the mysterious group, only to lead us into the introduction of Maggie, the leader.  We then learn of her backstory and eventually a big twist regarding a main element to this character, before the clip ends.  The most obvious comparison to make would be that Sound of My Voice looks to be a combination of two other Fox Searchlight films I enjoy – the cult thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene and the existential, sci-fi/drama Another Earth, which also starred and was co-written by Brit Marling.  The film certainly has the look and spirit of an independent feature, but I was also intrigued by the amount of mythology that this film seems to be creating from a few simple aspects.

Following the footage, two members of the supposed group that we see in the film took the stage for a brief period to further try and compel audiences to go and check out the film.  I have to hand it to these people for staying in character during the mixed reaction to this portion of the panel.  There was some laughter coming from the crowd as the two cultish members continued their dedication to presenting the film in a fairly obscure manner, but it at least was not as awkward as the Tim Burton gag that came in the panel that followed.

Things became clearer once star/co-writer Brit Marling and the film’s director/co-writer Zal Batmanglij came onto stage and spoke more about the film, the development process, and the excitement they have in presenting a small film to such a large crowd in this manner.  The inspiration for this film apparently came from a curiosity in regards to cult-like groups and developing a story from there, only to turn it into a much more involved screenplay.  The film was then made by very independent standards, with the main office for the film being set in Marling’s own apartment and having a lot of the cast and crew sleep there as well.  Given that the film apparently received a strong response at Sundance, I am interested in seeing how it is received upon theatrical release, given the effort to develop such an intriguing marketing campaign.

One final note, in the clip we saw, there was one particular moment that involved a very specific handshake for members of the group to perform.  Fittingly, we got to witness Marling and Batmanglij perform the handshake on stage as well.

Sound of My Voice will arrive in theaters on April 27^th; check out the website below to learn more:

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/soundofmyvoice/

Here are also some trailers and clips from the upcoming film:

Official film synopsis:

A distant Federation outpost Fort Casey comes under attack by bugs. The team on the fast attack ship Alesia is assigned to help the Starship John A. Warden stationed in Fort Casey evacuate along with the survivors and bring military intelligence safely back to Earth. Carl Jenkins, now ministry of Paranormal Warfare, takes the starship on a clandestine mission before its rendezvous with the Alesia and goes missing in the nebula. Now, the battle-hardened troopers are charged with a rescue mission that may lead to a much more sinister consequence than they ever could have imagined….

While I have not been a big fan of the past couple sequels, I still have a great deal of love for the original Paul Verhoeven film for a number of reasons.  Beyond being a slick action film, it delivered a lot of fun in the way of being a satirical take on war and government, while also delivering high in the way of creature effects and gore.  I am not sure how this new CG film will play out, but it does have Johnny Rico himself, Casper Van Dien, and the first film’s screenwriter, Edward Neumeier, in executive producer roles.  Given that I do enjoy the world that was created for this series, I can only hope that the same sort of spirit can be captured for this latest installment.

Learn more about the film at its website as well as on the film’s official blog, both links posted below:

Film Site:  http://www.starshiptroopersinvasion-movie.com/

Film Blog:  http://starshiptroopers.tumblr.com/

Here is WonderCon’s official panel description:

20th Century Fox and WonderCon attendees have two big reasons to celebrate the year’s event. Sir Ridley Scott, director of Alien and Blade Runner, returns to the genre he helped define and he’ll be live on stage to tell you all about Prometheus, his epic and groundbreaking new mythology. Sir Ridley and co-screenwriter Damon Lindelof will screen some exclusive footage.

You’ll also meet this country’s 16th president and first superhero — Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which explores the secret life of our greatest leader, and the untold story that shaped our nation. The filmmakers will screen special footage, which presents the visionary work of producer Tim Burton and director Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted), who bring a fresh and visceral voice to the classic portrayal of the bloodthirsty vampire, while imagining Lincoln as history’s greatest hunter of the undead.

Before I go into either of the films, I think it should be noted how awkwardly this panel started.  As Tim Burton is a producer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, he appeared in a video introduction, explaining why he could not be at WonderCon.  Apparently he was sick and still in London, presumably doing work on his film due out in the fall, Frankenweenie, but this was a strange intro.  It featured a skeleton being manipulated to appear as if it were Burton speaking and explaining how excited he was about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  The skeleton was accompanied by two Asian nurses and a large man, with an equally large beard.  I am not making this up and the very mixed reaction to this very strange intro was very noticeable.  By the end of it, we were all told to “#PreyForTim”.

Anyway, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was the first film to be presented at this panel and the panel featured star Benjamin Walker (Abe Lincoln himself), director Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Night Watch, Day Watch), and screenwriter (also the author of the novel that the film is based on) Seth Grahame-Smith.  These three went on to talk about how excited they were about finishing up this movie and having it ready for everyone else to see.  In particular, Grahame-Smith was very eager to talk about how willing he was to accept the changes that needed to be made in order to adapt his own book into a film structure.  Two particular points he made were in regards to characters that actors Rufus Sewell and Anthony Mackie play in the film, as they are not actually characters in the book.  Sewell will play the lead vampire/villain of the film – Adam, while Mackie will play William Johnson, a character who existed in real life, as Lincoln’s valet and friend, but will serve as a sidekick-type character for Lincoln, in the film, who will be helping to kill vampires.

Director Timur Bekmambetov is originally from Russia and his English is not the best, so he sat most of the discussions out, but one thing all three of them were clear on was recognizing how aware they had to be of the type of film they were making.  The title, alone, is a big key in what audiences are watching, but the group acknowledged how as stylish as they wanted the film to look, there will not be any attempts to “wink” at the camera.  Playing it straight was a big part of making the right kind of film, in their eyes, and this is where they thought Tim Burton’s presence as a producer was very helpful, in order to preserve this aspect of the film.

One crazy action sequence was shown, which featured Abraham Lincoln and William Johnson on board a train fighting vampires.  Anyone familiar with Bekmambetov’s previous films should have a good sense for how the look and style of action in this film will play out.  The whole sequence was very stylish indeed, complete with slow motion effects used a great deal, along with some very clever uses of an axe (lots of spinning), in order to properly vanquish vampires.  The fact that the train was moving along a giant bridge, which was on fire, only upped the ante further into a frenzy of over-the-top ridiculousness, balanced by a fun sense of cool, which this film is clearly striving for.  The audience certainly seemed pleased.

Being a fan of the original book as well as the visual style that Bekmambetov has been delivering in his films, I think this film will definitely bring something unique for audiences to enjoy.  I only hope that the nature of the story combined with the 21^st century twist on how this film unfolds will not be too much for this film to try and handle.

The film arrives in theaters on June 22, 2012.  Check out the new Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter trailer below:

Next up was the panel for Prometheus, the new science fiction film from director Ridley Scott, stepping back into the genre for the first time in over 30 years.  This was a panel that had a lot of anticipation, which was only met with a lot more excitement than there already was for the film.  The panel featured Ridley Scott, screenwriter Damon Lindelof, and stars Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender.

As many are aware, Prometheus is a film that began as a prequel to the original Alien, only to become something more.  Now it is known as a film, set in a science fiction universe that shares some DNA with the universe of Alien, but is also its own thing.   The basic concept for the plot is that a crew of the spaceship Prometheus, in the year 2085, explores an advanced alien civilization in search of the origins of humanity.  From there, other crazy things of course occur as well.  The film also stars Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, Patrick Wilson, Idris Elba, and Logan Marshall-Green.

Beyond being among the first to see the brand new trailer for the film, the most interesting thing about the panel was hearing Ridley Scott speak about stepping back into the world of science fiction.  He seemed quite pleased with getting back behind the production of a film set in that sort of genre and made it a point to say that he is looking forward to doing it again (whether it be a sequel to this film or a hint at something else *ahem* Blade Runner *ahem*).  Scott also spoke of his dealing with the practicality of CGI advances versus going about things the old fashioned way, where he basically stated that he is fine with the use of advanced tools, as long as he can still get what he things is best out it.  He explained how with the freedom that comes with being able to do so much more, there is much more of a challenge of competing with others in a field that has become quite crowded and still being able to show people something new.

With the new trailer, it certainly feels like we are getting something unique.  Regardless of the Alien-vibe that it echoes (and really, how is that a bad thing?), Prometheus definitely looks like a grand sci-fi experience, that I cannot wait to behold in all its IMAX 3D glory.

The film arrives in theaters on June 8, 2012.  Check out the new Prometheus trailer below:

While attending Fantastic Fest 2011, I caught the one and only screening of Adam Wingard’s You’re Next. Ever since that screening, I have ranted and raved the film to no less than two dozen people.  Usually I’ll say something like,  “You’re Next is an exceedingly excellent horror flick, one I’m convinced is destined to earn a sprawling contingent of fans when it opens in 2012”, but it’s true that I’ll sometimes just break down in joyous tears at the thought of Wingard’s film.  It’s really that good.

Then, when Sundance 2012 kicked off earlier this year, I was happily surprised to learn that Wingard was involved with another horror film that would be screening at that Festival, a found-footage horror anthology called V/H/S.  I also learned  that directors Ti West (House of The Devil), Glenn McQuaid (I Sell The Dead), David Bruckner (the underrated The Signal), Radio Silence (newcomers), and internet punching-bag Joe Swanberg were involved, and that each had crafted a short film for inclusion in VHS.  As it turned out, Wingard’s contribution was the wraparound segment that connects these shorts.  To my ears, all of this news was reason to celebrate.

And then, the screening took place.  We heard that people threw up after some of the film’s grislier images unfolded onscreen, that people had fainted (or were on the verge of fainting;  I’ve heard both versions), that the audience went absolutely apesh-t when the film wrapped, applauding and hollering, which is what the audience I’d seen You’re Next with did when that film came to an end.  Again, all of this sounded like good news to me.

Then again, how many horror films have inspired vomiting or fainting at film festivals over the past decade?  That seems to be the go-to marketing stunt (or is it?!) these days, a sure-fire way to get media coverage of your film while also implying that the movie-in-question is destined to be embraced by “real” horror fans.  There’s no way to know if these incidents are staged or the real deal, but after loving a big chunk of the work done by the directors behind VHS, I was inclined to buy into the hype.

“Besides”, I thought, “The critics—many of whom I tend to agree with when it comes to film—loved it.”

Well, as I learned with SXSW 2012’s John Dies at The End, it’s possible to disagree with anyone, even the guys who you agree with most of the time.  With Don Coscarelli’s John, I felt that the film wasn’t “bad”, but that it was the victim of an extreme case of overhype.  I walked outta that movie with an advanced case of disconnect, wondering if everyone else had seen the same flick I’d just seen.  I didn’t quite have that same feeling of disappointment with VHS—far from it, in fact—but I certainly think that a little expectation-curbing is in order.  If the reviews out of Sundance are to be believed, VHS is slated to be the year’s biggest horror film…and I simply don’t feel that this is the case.  It’s good, really good in spots, but—let’s be frank here—it’s no You’re Next.

And given the directors involved, I think it’s fair to make the comparison.  Joe Swanberg (a guy my buddy Chris just can’t get enough of), Ti West, Adam Wingard, and David Bruckner are all part of a new wave of horror filmmakers, and each seems to be involved in the others’ films in one capacity or another.  They appear to be a tight-knit little group of horror enthusiasts, and—for the most part—I’ve enjoyed their output thus far, particularly West’s House of The Devil, Wingard’s You’re Next, and Swanberg’s segment in VHS.  Their films carry a very specific aesthetic, and they’ve incorporated that aesthetic into every segment of VHS (one critic’s review called the film “mumblehorror”—a play on the oft-spoken but universally despised term “mumblecore”—but I think that’s more clever than it is correct).  And so, given the people involved, the timeframe in which the films were made, and the way both films feel, I don’t think it’s unfair to make the VHS/You’re Next comparison.  If only I could rave about both.

Anyway, VHS follows the typical horror anthology format:  you’ve got a “wraparound”/”bookend” segment that ties a number of other segments together, and—in-between those segments—we see the “wraparound” story progress.  Here, Wingard’s “bookends” tells the story of a group of hoodlums (imagine the Jackass guys on angel dust and with less morals) who we meet smashing windows in what appears to be an abandoned warehouse of some sort.  They then move on to a parking garage, where they forcibly drag a random woman in front of the camera and expose her breasts.  The point is made:  these aren’t good guys.

Soon enough, our band of heroes is tasked with tracking down a mysterious videotape, one that’s apparently locked inside an extremely creepy house somewhere on the other side of town.  Upon entering the house, they discover a dead old man in a recliner, a stack of videotapes, and a bank of TV monitors.  In an attempt to track down the tape they’ve come for, the guys start watching the dead guy’s tapes, and—perhaps as expected—it becomes clear that the recently deceased was a big fan of…well, in the film’s mythology, these are snuff films.

Each of the “tapes” that the guys watch is one of the film’s segments, a clever little device that I quite enjoyed (I wasn’t so fond of the wraparound story itself;  I just think the delivery system VHS uses to get us to these segments was very smart).  As with most anthology films, the segments themselves are a mixed bag, which means that you’re going to spend a lot of time after the film ends debating which one was “the best” with your friends.  Right now, the consensus seems to be that the “best” segment is—in typical anthology fashion—the last one, which oddly enough is the only segment directed by a newcomer.

That’d be the “haunted house” segment of the film, which was produced by a collective of short-filmmakers who go by the name Radio Silence.  As is the case with most of segments here, this installment is difficult to describe without spoiling things:  a quartet of dude-bros head out to a Halloween party, arrive at what they think is the correct house, and things go South from there.  There’s a twist here, but that’s also something that runs through each of the segments.  Clearly, this is an homage to the horror anthology work done by EC Comics, the sort of stuff that HBO used to mine to such wonderful effect on the dearly-departed Tales From The Crypt, and one can’t help but agree that the addition of a “twist” to each segment provides a little extra bang for the audience’s buck.

Here’s what happens in the other segments:  a trio of dude-bros go out for a night on the town, only to encounter more than they bargained for with a chick that—at first glance—appears to be nothing more than a garden-variety harlot (note:  I have been waiting to type the phrase “garden-variety harlot” for at least twenty years;  optional phrases included “bog-standard ho”, “everyday strumpet”, and “typical slut”, and—as an added bonus included with this review—all of those are yours to use as band names as you see fit);  a guy on a road trip with his girlfriend runs afoul of a drifter with a penchant for videotaping his (or is it a her?) crimes;  two guys and their lady-friends head into the woods and discover that the stated purpose of their hike was a flat-out lie;  and an out-of-town medical student chats on Skype with his girlfriend, who’s at home in her apparently haunted apartment (this was my personal favorite).

All of these segments contain a “twist”, but—far more importantly—all of these segments are shot in the found-footage style.  Some of the segments (particularly the Skype segment and the opener, with the garden-variety harlot)(that’s twice!!!) employ some pretty clever reasons for being found-footage in the first place, while others will give you that “Why is someone filming this instead of fleeing in terror?” feeling that many found-footage horror projects come pre-packaged with.  On the one hand, I thought that the found-footage format worked more than it didn’t in VHS.  On the other hand, I felt that some of the segments were almost too shaky, and I completely understood when a few friends who attended the screening told me that the film had given them motion-sickness.  I’m not prone to that while watching found-footage stuff, but if there was ever a film that could inspire that dreaded “seasickness” for me, it’d be this one.

I really, really liked VHS, but I didn’t feel like it was balls-out amazing.  It’s certainly gory, and it’s got some really effective moments that’ll stick with you long after you’ve seen it, but with You’re Next just a few months down the road, I can’t in good conscience slap VHS with the “year’s best horror film” label that some of my critical brethren are placing upon it.  Definitely be excited to see it, but definitely temper your expectations a bit.  Some of the reviews I’ve read have been hyperbolic, but it’s worth noting that I’ve yet to read a single review that’s dismissive of the film entirely.

By the way, I’d like to add this:  I saw VHS at midnight after standing in three two-hour lines throughout my festival-going day.  It’s entirely possible that I would’ve liked VHS more if I’d seen it at, say, three in the afternoon without having waited in a line dominated by loud-talkers and hygienically-challenged film geeks, and so I have every intention of seeing the film again when it hits theaters.  Also, see the hell out of Wingard’s You’re Next when it arrives:  you might just pee your pants with excitement.

While I’m not entirely certain that Gareth Evans’ The Raid has played every major film festival in the world at this point, it definitely seems like it’s played a bunch of ‘em.  Somehow, though, prior to this evening, the film had yet to grace a screen in Austin, TX.  As such, the film became one of the most in-demand tickets at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, and ended up playing to a helluva great, incredible grateful audience.

They did not leave disappointed.

SXSW 2012 will probably end up being remembered for any number of reasons—the opening of the Mondo Gallery, the world premieres of Casa de mi Padre, 21 Jump Street and Cabin in The Woods, the place where Badass Digest’s Film Crit Hulk finally showed his face in public for the first time, and on and on—but chief among them will be this:  SXSW brought The Raid to Austin, and we should never stop thanking it for that.

If you’re the type of film geek that follows the happenings at the world’s various film festivals (at this point, it seems as though there’s a new one each month), then you’ve probably already heard a thing or two about Evans’ film.  I know I did:  long before I’d even seen a trailer, I’d heard that The Raid was one of “the best action movies ever made”, “a major crowd-pleaser” and “packed with brutal, kick-ass violence”.  One critic after another has praised the film to me over the past six months (either directly or in reviews that sometimes felt hyperbolic), and so it was with great anticipation that I sat down for the film’s SXSW premiere on Monday evening.

Allow me to be the nineteen-gajillionth to say it: The Raid is almost unbelievably good.

It is, indeed, one of the best action films ever made (I think it’s the best of its kind since the original Die Hard), and is, in fact, a “major crowd-pleaser”.  I am also happy to report that the film is packed to the gills with brutal, kick-ass violence, just like we heard it was.   Anyone who sits down to watch The Raid in the hopes of seeing something spectacularly exciting will not leave disappointed.  This is the kind of film that inspires whooping, applause, nervous laughter, and rapturous applause from a packed crowd.  When the film gets around to opening later this month, see it on opening night with as many people as possible.

The plot’s simple, and that simplicity is one of about a dozen things I loved about the film:  in Jakarta, a SWAT team is tasked with entering a 15-story tenement building (actually, it may’ve been 13 floors, but you get the idea) and extracting a ruthless drug kingpin by the name of Tama (Ray Shetapy) who’s taken up residence on the top floor.  Led by the ridiculously badass Rama (Iko Uwais), the team’s got a helluva task in front of them:  the building’s swarming with bad guys, seemingly an entire team of them on each floor, and all of them appear to be working for—or, at the very least, loyal to—Tama.

The SWAT team fights their way into the building, but only gets as far as the sixth floor before Tama decides to throw down the gauntlet:  he jumps on the building’s intercom system and announces that anyone who can completely eliminate the SWAT team before it reaches its goal will be granted lifetime residence in the building, rent-free.  As you can imagine, this an immensely appealing offer to the building’s various ne’er-do-wells, and within moments the team is set upon by what appears to be every last martial arts expert in Jakarta.

And that’s…about it:  Simple.  Elegant.  Mind-blowing.

The film feels electric and alive, with strong performances and a ton of impressive martial arts work (let it be known that I am not a fan of the martial arts genre;  it simply does nothing for me).  Evans stages some truly epic battles here (I can think of at least four off the top of my head, and I know there’s probably twice that number in the film), and he wisely goes way, way out of his way to make each smack-down look completely different from the last;  you’re not just seeing two dudes pummel one another in a hallway over and over again.

Now, if Evans had just changed up the “look” of each fight sequence, he’d have had a winner on his hands.  But the astounding brutality—and the variety of ways in which this brutality is inflicted—is what really elevates The Raid to classic status.  Most action films are content to let the good guys shoot it out with the bad guys, over and over again without a moment spent considering where all that ammo’s coming from.

Here, though, Evans introduces a new element into each new fight scene:  knives, axes, machetes, furniture, exploding refrigerators, sniper rifles, and a variety of other weapons are put into play.  Though 90% of the film is spent watching dudes kill one another, there isn’t a moment that feels repetitive or redundant because Evans is always changing up the “how” of those kills.

Clearly, Evans was determined to keep things fresh, interesting, and savage from beginning to end, and he more than succeeded.  The audience I saw the film with went apesh-t for the film, yelling and cheering and applauding and groaning in all the right spots, and there was a thunderous round of applause at the end of the film (which Evans—who was in attendance—must have been thrilled by), the biggest I’ve heard at a SXSW screening this year.

The good news is, The Raid: Redemption has wrapped up its film festival tour, and is due to start hitting theaters later this month (March 23^rd, to be precise).  The bad news is, there’s still a sizable portion of American audiences that remain ambivalent about the idea of seeing foreign films.  This seems to occur mainly because this kind of audience member “doesn’t like reading subtitles”, but the larger truth is this:  middle America can be flat-out lazy when it comes to digesting films that fall outside their normal cinematic diet.

I’d really like to think that The Raid will be one of the few foreign flicks that finds an American audience, because it absolutely deserves it.  The flick’s fast, powerful, packed to the rafters with unique fight choreography, some very cool aesthetic choices, and is easily the best action film I’ve seen on a big screen in a long, long time.  But, hey, even if the flick doesn’t rake in millions of dollars in release, I have faith that it’ll eventually find its audience on Blu-ray and DVD.

Besides, The Raid proves that Gareth Evans is going to be kicking ass from the comfort of his director’s chair for a long time to come, and that’s some of the best news I’ve heard in ages.

It’s going to be very difficult to make a half-assed horror film in the wake of Cabin in The Woods.

Whether or not Joss Whedon set out to shame all the shoddy horror filmmakers out there (and how severe the resulting shaming might be) will be just one of several discussions to be had by audiences after Cabin in The Woods arrives on April 13th.  Whedon’s script—beautifully translated to the screen by Drew Goddard, who needs to be making more films right this very minute—ruthlessly mocks the conventions of, well, the “cabin in the woods” sub-genre, specifically, but poor horror filmmaking in general.

The “cabin in the woods” sub-genre is, after all, just a variation on the most popular horror sub-genre: the “slasher movie” genre.  You put a bunch of teens—a jock, a tramp, a nerd, a stoner, and a virgin—into an enclosed space, you have ‘em encounter malevolent forces, and then you have ‘em killed off, one-by-one, preferably in the most grisly way imaginable.  The “cabin in the woods” sub-genre adds the “getting directions from a scary local” scene to this list of directives (in addition to making the “enclosed space” a “remote space”), but otherwise they’re virtually the same damn thing.  And because Cabin in The Woods’ satire of these tropes is so trenchant, pulled off with such style and with so many effective punchlines, it’s hard to imagine anyone tackling this sub-genre in the future and not being laughed off the screen.

That’s the first thing you need to know about Cabin in The Woods.  The second thing is this:  you shouldn’t go out of your way to learn anything else about the film prior to seeing it.  Don’t watch trailers (even those are giving too much away), don’t read any other reviews (I’m going to go outta my way to make this piece completely spoilerless; tread onward without fear, my friends), and—for the love of God—don’t go reading any message boards, comments sections, Twitter feeds, or Facebook updates written by anyone who’s recently seen the flick.  While the film doesn’t feature one, big twist near its conclusion (it does, in fact, lay out much of its behind-the-scenes trickery from its very first scene), it does feature a number of surprises along the way, and seeing how Whedon and Goddard have structured this tale is one of its many pleasures.

Speaking of structure, the entire script– from the “Wait, what’s happening right now?” opening scene all the way through to the “Holy crap, did I really just see that?!” ending– may be built upon the ruthless mockery of horror’s oldest cliches, but the satire never feels like condemnation.  The tone is playful, almost light (as light as something with boobies, decapitations, and sometimes-both-at-the-same-time can be), and never points an accusatory finger directly at any one film or filmmaker.  While there’s any number of tired horror franchises and bad horror directors out there that Whedon’s script could’ve targeted, this feels less like an attack and more like one friend breaking another friend’s balls.

Let’s discuss the humor, since saying anything about the plot is completely out of the question.  While Cabin in The Woods is being (fairly) marketed as a horror film, it’s also at least 50% comedy, and might even be considered more than that depending on who’s making the call.  The audience I saw the film with was laughing throughout, and there were at least half a dozen instances where onscreen dialogue got trampled on by the audience’s sustained laughter.  I was prepared for Cabin to be funny, but I’ll confess that it was even funnier than I expected it to be (and pleasantly so).

I suppose one could market Cabin in The Woods as a satire, but the problem you’d run into with that is that some people might peg it as one of those Not Another_____ Movie things (those movies, by the way, aren’t fit to scrub Cabin in The Woods’ toilet).  In the end, though, it really doesn’t matter:  even if you wandered into Goddard’s film expecting a straight-up slasher flick, you’d be too won over by what the film actually is to bother complaining afterwards.  Whether you’ve come for the horror, the comedy, or both, you’re going to leave way more than satisfied.

As for the horror content, well, I wouldn’t say that Cabin in The Woods succeeds as a horror film in the traditional “Is it scary?” sense.   Then again, being “scary” doesn’t appear to be what’s on this film’s mind, anyway.  That said, if you’re wondering whether or not the flick serves up a few gruesome kills, killers, creatures, or the like, be aware that…well, you won’t be disappointed, no matter what sort of horror-genre tropes you’ve come looking for.  Let’s just say that—in the end—something for all horror-tastes is made available here.

The performances here are across-the-board great, with relative unknowns Franz Kanz (as the preternaturally wise stoner, Marty) and Kristen Connolly (as the virgin, Dana) giving the standout performances.  Chris Hemsworth—who can shortly be seen in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, reprising his role from Marvel Comics’ Thor—does some good work here, but it’s worth mentioning that Hemsworth looks noticeably younger here than he does, um, now.  There’s a good reason for that, of course– the film sat on the shelf for two years (more on this in a moment)– but it’s not a problem.  Just strange, and it kind of pulled me out of the movie whenever I find myself noticing it.

Another pair of shout-outs are in order for Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins, who play Richard and Steve, respectively.  These are two of our best character actors, and they knock their material out of the park in this.  I can’t really discuss who “Steve” and “Richard” are without getting into plot details, but I can tell you that I wish these two—and the job they’re doing—were given even more screen time;  I could’ve watched the entire story unfold from their point of view.  Whitford, in particular, seems to really be enjoying the chance to deliver Whedon’s lines.

Oh, and about that whole “sat on the shelf for two years thing”:  generally, when a film sits on the shelf for two years, it means that it’s an absolute trainwreck.  A studio doesn’t pump millions of dollars into a film and then do nothing with it because they’re so proud of the final result; they hide a movie on a shelf because they’re well aware of how much people are going to hate and/or mock it.  Look no further than this past weekend’s A Thousand Words, which stars the shambling, ghastly corpse of former comedian Eddie Murphy.   That thing was locked in a closet somewhere in Burbank for years before being dumped into theaters with little fanfare this weekend, which is usually what happens to films that’ve been “sitting on a shelf”.

With Cabin in The Woods, however, the film’s release (originally slated for February of 2010) was indefinitely pushed when MGM—the film’s original studio—ran into money troubles awhile back.  Eventually, someone at Lionsgate set eyes on the flick and realized what kind of untapped gold MGM was sitting on, picked it up, and now they’re gonna put it in theaters.  Yes, Lionsgate’s responsible for the annual testicle-punch that was Saw parts 3 through 7 (or wherever they “wrapped it up”), but please don’t hold that against them:  in the case of Cabin in The Woods, they’ve done something borderline heroic.

You’re going to be hearing a lot about Cabin in The Woods when it opens.  Something tells me that this one’s got a really good chance of catching on, of becoming the Scream of a new generation (despite the fact that the films Cabin’s mocking are—for the most part—not ones that belong to this generation), and I bet a whole bunch of people are going to want to talk about the flick as soon as they’ve seen it.  Don’t let one of these loudmouths ruin the film for you:  do yourselves a favor, and see Cabin in The Woods when it opens on April 13th.  Not only will you be getting a headstart on those-that-would-spoil-a-movie-for-you, but you’ll also be supporting a truly outstanding horror-comedy, and that’s the kind of film we need to see a helluva lot more of.

I wish I could say more, but for the time being, that’s all I can say without spoiling a helluva good time at the movies.

LAAF Event Description:

The all-time classic THE IRON GIANT comes to the big screen for one very big, very special celebration.  All ticket sales go to charity. Cast & crew reunion – featuring director/writer Brad Bird and a panel hosted by well-known Animation Director Tom Sito including, Brad Booker – animator, Steve Markowski – storyboard, Mark Whiting – production designer, Eddie Rosas – animator, Alan Bodner – art director, and Tad Gielow – computer engineer.  With actors Christopher McDonald (voice of Kent Mansley) and Eli Marienthal (voice of Hogarth Hughes).

For those not as familiar, The Iron Giant is a film about a boy in 1957, during the period of the space race between the U.S. and Russia, who discovers a giant robot in the woods.  The boy, Hogarth Hughes, befriends the robot, who is apparently capable of learning and feeling emotion.  Due to the arrival of a paranoid government agent, Hogarth must do his best to hide the giant robot, in order to stop the army from trying to destroy it.

There are many things that are special about the film, but what makes it stand out, I believe, is the amount of sentiment that comes from the relationship that develops between Hogarth and the giant robot.  For literally being from opposite worlds, seeing how this plays out is especially fascinating and affecting as the story goes on.  The Iron Giant is also notable for being a traditionally hand-drawn animated film that incorporates a lot of 3D animation as well.  Set in the 1950s, it has a wonderful retro vibe, but looks great regardless (and unfortunately, I did not learn whether or not the film would be coming to Blu-ray anytime soon).

Below I have embedded a recording of the full Q&A that took place.  It was quite entertaining and insightful to listen to, especially for anyone that wanted to know more about some what took place in regards to the production of the film.  I have tried to adjust the sound a bit to make it clear enough, though some of the panel’s microphones were lower than the others.  Regardless, please enjoy.

Here is a link, if the embed doesn’t work in your browser: Q&A

I would like to also add how pleasant and humble everyone who participated in the panel was.  The cast and crew, particularly Brad Bird, were all willing to autograph pictures and memorabilia, along with pose for photos for the many fans in attendance.  Eli Marienthal has certainly grown up as well.  13 years after the film’s initial release, he is now 26-years old and studying to get his Ph.D in Geography at Berkley.  Of course, Brad Bird has also managed to find continued success with The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and his recent live-action film debut of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.  What seemed most apparent is how happy they all were to talk about The Iron Giant, which is a film that they seem to clearly all love and appreciate.  And why shouldn’t they?  The Iron Giant is a great film that was able to continue on, even after mixed success theatrically.

The Los Angeles Animation Festival was founded in 2007 by John Andrews and Miles Flanagan.  Frustrated by the lack of a cohesive animation festival in Los Angeles, the founders sought to create a festival experience that allowed unknown animators to meet and mingle with industry professionals.  LAAF is now the largest International Animation Festival in Los Angeles and offers a unique social and business experience to those attending, celebrating both mainstream and independent animation with special screenings, events, panels, awards and contests.  The Festival will take place from March 7-11, 2012, at the Regent Showcase Theater.  Learn more about it here:  http://blog.laafest.com/

As I contemplate a week’s worth of reporting on the Oscars, my mind starts to question the enthusiasm with which I follow the Oscars. I mean, it is simply an awards show to give prizes to people who make entertainment for the rest of us, right? I mean, what’s the big deal?

As I near the point of dismissing the whole event and thinking that it is completely out of hand, the ebb gives way to flow as I think about the impact of a well-told story in cinema. Whether it be documentary films that cast a light on people suffering or triumphing in obscurity, or the animated features that teach moral truths to our children, or a pure entertainment film that challenges us like “Schindler’s List”, I am reminded that film is a powerful medium that can be used to move our world forward.

So, when you tune in the Oscars tonight, remember, this evening is about more than simply who wins best actor or best actress. This evening is about the people that move forward the art form of Cinema and use it to change the world. These people are animators, writers, directors, sound people, editors, set designers, and many other professions.

While we still pay homage to Shakespeare, Aesop, and Plato, so will future generations revere and study the accomplishments of the honorees of this evening. Let’s not dismiss this art form as pure entertainment. It is much more than that today, and certainly will be in the future.

A special thank our to our sponsors for making my coverage possible. They include: Ashtabula County Medical Center, The Geneva Lodge and Conference Center, Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor, Heather Johnson Independent Distributor of Premiere Designs Jewelry, Star 97.1 FM, Whysoblu.com, Magic Oldies 102.5, The Star Beacon, and 98.3 FM-The Bull.

This year’s nominated features include, “Rango”, “Puss in Boots”, “Chico and Rita”, “A Cat in Paris”, and “Kung Fu Panda 2”. What makes the evening so enjoyable is the format: The moderator of the evening, this year was Patton Oswalt, opens the show, then features a clip of one of the films. When the 10 minute clip completes, the director, writer, or animator takes the stage for a one on one interview with the moderator.

Each feature gets this treatment until all of the animated features have had their turn. Then, the moderator invites all the filmmakers back on stage in one large group to take questions from the audience, which range from the simple, “Was making the film difficult”, to the more advanced film school student inquiry like, “Do you concentrate on the color palette or more on character when starting the story boards?”

There are some striking differences in this year’s features, which I discuss in the video segment for today. One thing is for sure: Animated features are here to stay in all their various forms and will likely be a favorite movie style of audiences of all ages long into the future.

A special thank our to our sponsors for making my coverage possible. They include: Ashtabula County Medical Center, The Geneva Lodge and Conference Center, Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor, Heather Johnson Independent Distributor of Premiere Designs Jewelry, Star 97.1 FM, Whysoblu.com, Magic Oldies 102.5, The Star Beacon, and 98.3 FM-The Bull.

The Food and Beverage Preview was better than ever. I grazed the full hour we were loose in on the red carpet. Along the way, I consumed four different types of pizza: four cheese pizza, veggie pizza, smoked salmon pizza, and barbeque chicken pizza. We also sampled spicy tuna bites, salmon and caviar Oscars, crab cakes, mini-burgers, and sever other appetizers.

As you’ll see in the video, one of the sous chefs had a monopoly on desserts, bringing us cookies, raspberry torts, and two different pop-up desserts. Yum! And, as you can imagine, all the food tasted spectacular and looked the part of a five-star selection. Oh, and don’t forget the unique Champagne cocktail made exclusively for the Oscars. I can’t remember what the recipe was, but I did enough research on it!

Today we are reminded that even though we may have a low opinion of movie stars and media moguls, but when I experience the events at the Academy, it is refreshing to know that there are still people in the world who strive for excellence, want to reflect class, and show how classy things can be done if we pay attention to detail. I know that when I get back to the office next week, I will keep in mind the attention to detail and the high standards by which the Academy operates, and put that to use in my business affairs.

A special thank our to our sponsors for making my coverage possible. They include: Ashtabula County Medical Center, The Geneva Lodge and Conference Center, Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor, Heather Johnson Independent Distributor of Premiere Designs Jewelry, Star 97.1 FM, Whysoblu.com, Magic Oldies 102.5, The Star Beacon, and 98.3 FM-The Bull.

As you might deduce by reading my blog posts, one of my hobbies is freelance writing. I like to do stage plays and screenplays, and cover media events (like the Oscars!). So, I’ve done my research on writing a movie and what the academics have decided that a movie should be. I want to share some of that basic knowledge and then see if you can apply it to picking your winners from this year’s Oscar nominees.

First, a motion picture is by and large just that: A movie should take advantage of the visual image on the screen. Second, based upon the first, follow the basic rule of “Show don’t tell” (love this in the Netflix commercial). Movies that employ a lot of voice-over, as in a movie like “The Vow” are not considered high art when they break the basic rules.

Thirdly, artists in any medium try to evoke emotions in us and sometimes by shocking us with realities of our world that exist, but that maybe we sanitize and avoid. Same is true in movies. The Academy respects filmmakers that bring out this dirty laundry and bring it the forefront.

So, when you are filling out your ballot for your favorite movies and actors this year, keep that in mind. Did the movie use the pure art form like the “Artist”? Did it show us a real character dealing with life without voice over like “Moneyball?” Or, did an actor go deep into an uncomfortable place and deliver a gritty, naked emotional performance as in “The Help” or “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?” Think like and Academy member and you will be surprised how many winners you can predict.

A special thank our to our sponsors for making my coverage possible. They include: Ashtabula County Medical Center, The Geneva Lodge and Conference Center, Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor, Heather Johnson Independent Distributor of Premiere Designs Jewelry, Star 97.1 FM, Whysoblu.com, Magic Oldies 102.5, The Star Beacon, and 98.3 FM-The Bull.

As I sat in the ballroom of the Geneva Lodge last year (shameless plug for a sponsor) at ACMC’s Oscar Night America Cleveland (another one!) watching the broadcast, I couldn’t help but yearn for the days of hosts who could bring out the class that is Oscar, have the experience to appreciate the stage they were occupying, and appreciates the legacy of an awards show dating back to 1929! I’m giving last year a mulligan and waiting on pins and needles for this year’s broadcast.

I can remember watching footage of the Oscars with Bob Hope as host. Then, growing up, I saw a variety of hosts from David Letterman, Steve Martin, Johnny Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, and even Hugh Jackman control the stage and entertain the VIPs and the viewer at home. Since I have so much respect for the people at the Academy behind the Oscars production, I think we’re in for a treat this year!

We need to thank our sponsors for making my coverage possible. They include: Ashtabula County Medical Center, The Geneva Lodge and Conference Center, Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor, Heather Johnson Independent Distributor of Premiere Designs Jewelry, Star 97.1 FM, Whysoblu.com, Magic Oldies 102.5, The Star Beacon, and 98.3 FM-The Bull.

Anyway, the year before last I noticed an interesting post on the Oscars.org website while researching my coverage opportunities. The post mentioned this event called Oscar Night America, where the Academy would work with a local non-profit organization to help them produce a fund-raiser around the Oscars broadcast. Since I have had the privilege of working with the folks at the ACMC Foundation, the non-profit fund-raising part of ACMC, I approached them about taking advantage of the program.

They expressed some interest, so I called my contact at the Academy and asked if the ACMC Foundation could create the event for the Greater Cleveland area. After several emails, a formal application, and some follow-up questions, our very own ACMC Foundation was named the official host of Oscar Night America Cleveland, the only official Academy sanctioned Oscar watch party for Northeast Ohio.

Last year was the first year ACMC hosted ONA and it was a bit of a learning curve. Partly because it was a new event, and partly because I was so involved in the planning! This year though, I took a step back and let the great event planners at ACMC take the lead and they have a new and improved event to look forward to. Watch the video story for important information and video from last year’s event.

So, thanks to ACMC, you too can get involved in Oscar night and hate me a little less. We need to thank our sponsors for making my coverage possible. They include: Ashtabula County Medical Center, The Geneva Lodge and Conference Center, Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor, Heather Johnson Independent Distributor of Premiere Designs Jewelry, Star 97.1 FM, Whysoblu.com, Magic Oldies 102.5, The Star Beacon, and 98.3 FM-The Bull.

We’ll have stories for you all week leading up to the Oscars telecast on Sunday night. Tomorrow, we’ll feature information on Oscar Night America Cleveland, the only official Oscars watch party for Greater Cleveland. Oscar Night America Cleveland is your opportunity to walk the red carpet and be part of the Oscars! On Wednesday, we’ll share some thoughts on this year’s host of the Academy Awards.

Thursday’s story will focus on the nominees and I’ll check in with Northeast Ohio movie critic and radio personality Jim Kulko, aka Jim-iny Critic, and get his predictions on the Oscar winners for this year. Friday, we’ll have footage from the Governor’s Ball Food and Beverage Preview. Hopefully, we’ll score a couple of sound-bites from Chef Wolfgang Puck.

Then on Saturday, we’ll bring you behind the scenes video from the Animated Features Symposium, where they honor the filmmakers behind this year’s Oscar Nominated Animated Features. Then, on Saturday, we’ll bring you the same insider’s view of the Makeup Symposium at the Academy.

All in all, it will be a fun and busy week, so check back to this website everyday to follow the action!

Ken Johnson is a special features correspondent of CableSuite 541, Inc.

The Avengers @Avengers

The #Avengers Global Fan Chat is about to begin! Get your questions ready for Joss Whedon, @twhiddleston, @clarkgregg and @samuelljackson!

The Avengers

Don’t forget: Immediately following our #Avengers fan chat, we’ll show you a tease of our Super Bowl XLVI commercial. It’s almost time!

The Avengers

Use #Avengers to ask your questions and direct to one of the participants. Use “For JW” if you have a question for Joss!

The Avengers

Here we go, @SamuelLJackson, @twhiddleston, @clarkgregg! Here’s Joss! Send through your #Avengers questions!

Samuel L. Jackson

Question:

For @SamuelLJackson , do we get to see some cool interaction with you and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) a few times??

Answer:

all the time, but it’s sorta contentious.

Question:

To Mr. Whedon, how many #Avengers comics did you read as reference for this movie?

Answer:

“I had already read them all.”

Question:

@twhiddleston @SamuelLJackson What was your biggest challenge in playing Loki and Fury in the #Avengers?

Answer:

SamuelLJackson

losing the weight to fit my costume & keep it off.

@clarkgregg

CG with the Whedon Wizard at @avengers tweet chat

Clark Gregg

Very diff dynamic in IM, Thor and Avengers, diff heroes, more layers to Coulson’s world/powers revealed

Question:

For JW: Is the movie’s plot going to reference any classic Avengers stories or be a more “ulitmate-ized” story?

Answer:

“It’s a combo platter: classic, Ultimate, plus a little “Richie Rich” & “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”

Question:

For JW, was there an Avenger you wanted to put in the movie but couldn’t make it work for whatever reason be it budget or time? #Avengers

Answer:

“I’m a fan of the Wasp. She’s goofy and sting-y.”

Question:

@twhiddleston Were the stunts more difficult this time around in The Avengers as opposed to Thor & how’d u prepare for them?

Answer:

More stunts. More training. Day in, day out. Running, jumping, flying, twisting. We worked like athletes. It was really fun.

Question:

@SamuelLJackson How much of your portrayal is based on comics Nick Fury and how much of Nick Fury is based on you?

Answer:

there’s a lot of Nick Fury in me already.

Question:

@twhiddleston @SamuelLJackson What was your biggest challenge in playing Loki and Fury in the #Avengers ?

Answer:

The biggest challenge was magnifying his menace without losing touch of his emotional truth. Keeping his chaos honest!

Question:

@SamuelLJackson Will we get to see any background on Fury?

Answer:

not yet.

Question:

For JW: what about the Spiderman cameo in #Avengers?

Answer:

“There is no Spider-Man cameo. But the Avengers do turn off the dark.”

“Coulson’s the fan dubbed chuck norris of @avengers” due respect, but Coulson crush walker tex ranger…w/ a bag of flour

Question:

@SamuelLJackson did the eyepatch throw off your depth perception?

Answer:

not at all, there was a new memory factor involved.

Question:

@twhiddleston You’ve said that in you listened to Prodigy for Loki. What did you listen to this time to get rdy for the #Avengers?

Answer:

“Archangel”, by a band called Burial. And not a little of Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack compositions.

In all honesty, yes. Sometimes you wake up feeling warm and sunny, but the scene requires hatefulness and spite.

Question:

@twhiddleston what kind of relationship do you have with other actors on the set of “The Avengers”?

Answer:

Nothing but love… It wasn’t called Group Hug for nothing!

You have to reach deeper. And stay aware of the fact that the emotions are true, but they’re not mine.

Question:

@SamuelLJackson are we going to see you kick some ass?! Maybe @twhiddleston ass?

Answer:

Fo Sho!

Question:

For JW: Most Difficult and Best things about filming (part) of The #Avengers in NYC?

Answer:

JW: “Who gets the last bagel.”

Question:

@clarkgregg @SamuelLJackson @twhiddleston funniest moment on Avengers set?:-)#Avengers

Answer:

Getting the giggles when the Hulk smashed. Joss got the giggles too. I was hopeless.

Question:

@twhiddleston Might we see a more mischievous (rather than mostly just evil) Loki in the #Avengers ?

Answer:

ENTIRELY. More mischievous. More evil. More hubristic. More delusional. More damaged. More badass.

Question:

For @SamuelLJackson Who’s your favorite Avenger?#Avengers

Answer:

Black Widow is my pick!

Question:

For JW: Everyone always asks what the hardest part of directing the movie was. What was the easiest? #Avengers

Answer:

JW: “Controlling the meat puppets…I mean, actors.”

Question:

@clarkgregg @twhiddleston @SamuelLJackson Care to share the best of the #Avengers bloopers with us?

Answer:

JW: “Not when @SamuelLJackson says them.”

Question:

@SamuelLJackson How much of your own stunts did you do? How did you prepare for all the physical work? #avengers

Answer:

As much as the insurance company allowed. I prepped by working out a bit?

Question:

My question is for Clark Gregg. What do you like most about playing Agent Phil Coulson #Avengers

Answer:

Every single part of it.

Question:

For JW what was ur first reaction to getting the chance to direct the #Avengers

Answer:

JW: “What moron would take a job that hard? Show me this moron, so that I may mock him.”

Question:

For JW Any big lessons learned from filming/one thing you wish you could do over? Also, Clark Gregg/Joss Whedon TV series? Please? #avengers

Answer:

Great idea. Asking him now. Joss????

Question:

#ForJW: will the female characters, esp. Black Widow, remind the boys how strong they are, and how?

Answer:

JW: “The females will spend their time whimpering and baking and being befuddled by math.” #sarcasm

Question:

Has the ante been upped on Easter Eggs? And if so, how attentive will movie goers have to be to stop them? #Avengers

Answer:

“There will be actual dyed eggs. Try to find them all!”

Question:

For @clarkgregg: Agent Coulson is one of my favorite characters! In the #Avengers do we get to see a lot more of him in action?

Answer:

Oh hell yes…

Question:

JW: can we expect some bromance Between captain america and iron man?

Answer:

“Not as long as there’s two of them and only one bagel. Heroes need carbs.”

Question:

@Avengers Clark Gregg: Love your Character… Are you going to see more action in the Avengers?

Answer:

Everybody sees more action in the avengers, hell, the audience even has to fight bad guys

Question:

JW- Can you enjoy #Avengers without seeing all the other films? @Avengers

Answer:

“You don’t need to see any @Marvel movies to enjoy #Avengers! But you need to see Steel Magnolias, like, six times.”

Question:

@SamuelLJackson, who was your first favorite superhero? #Avengers

Answer:

The Flash

Question:

@twhiddleston in Thor Loki was looking for Odin’s attention and approval, now is he looking for revenge? #avengers

Answer:

He doesn’t want revenge so much as identity. Belonging. Purpose. Self-esteem. Through delusional dreams.

Question:

@ SamuelLJackson Eye patch did not interfere during the filming? # Avengers

Answer:

Not a bit. Makes me feel cool!

Tom Hiddleston

The most badass tweets on twitter come from one place: @godofbadassery. Yes I am talking to myself.

Question:

For JW: How long did it take to shoot the movie?

Answer:

“I started when I was 12 and should be done by May 3rd at 11:59 pm.”

Question:

@clarkgregg Will we see you with flour bags again?

Answer:

Coulson never kills with the same cooking ingredient twice

The Avengers

JW: “Heading back to editing. You are all now my very best friends.”

Question:

@SamuelLJackson @clarkgregg @twhiddleston What do you consider your character’s theme song for The #Avengers?

Answer:

Born Free/ Hendrix.

Question:

Who was the jokester on the set? There is always one on every movie shoot. #Avengers

Answer:

JW: “I had the jokester put down on day 3.”

Question:

@twhiddleston Loki’s costume looks great, but so terribly intricate. How long did it usually take getting everything on? #Avengers

Answer:

About forty-five minutes to an hour, depending on how energetic I am feeling. Kudos to Bob Moore Jnr.

Question:

@twhiddleston Loki’s costume looks great, but so terribly intricate. How long did it usually take getting everything on? #Avengers

Answer:

@xoxogossipthor Bob Moore Jnr. from the costume department. Dressing was a two man job. But we had a great playlist & we laughed a lot.

Question:

For Clark Gregg. What do u like best about Coulson?

Answer:

the bulletproof dolce suits

Clark Gregg @clarkgregg

CG with the Whedon Wizard at @avengers tweet chat

Question:

@Avengers JW: I’m assuming #Avengers will be a masterpiece of wit and sarcasm. Which character got the most snark? @clarkgregg perhaps?

Answer:

That’s a toss up, an awful lot of Avenger-snark to go around…

Question:

For @SamuelLJackson Nick Fury or Mace Windu?

Answer:

Jedi or mortal? You be the judge!

Question:

@twhiddleston what did you do to get into character for #Avengers ?

Answer:

Learn lines. Run five miles a day. Get dressed and go through the works. Turn up on set. And play.

Here’s a photo of @twhiddleston tweeting away for the #Avengers fan chat!

Samuel L. Jackson @SamuelLJackson

Here a mughuqqa is at da @Avengers twitter rest!

Question:

@avengers @SamuelLJackson @twhiddleston @clarkgregg Feels like every question has already been asked…so how was catering on set?

Answer:

JW: “I stayed away from catering. But it smelled good from far away.”

Question:

@clarkgregg — does that mean that he’s moving on to vegetable oil and paprika?

Answer:

@ramdonomo I’m sorry. I cannot disclose SHIELD approved lethal ingredients.

Question:

@clarkgregg @Avengers Funniest experience with a fan?

Answer:

May have signed some large boobs at NYCC

Samuel L. Jackson @SamuelLJackson

Nick Fury OUT MAVENGERFUQQAS!

Question:

@Avengers @twhiddleston Scariest moment on set? Any injuries?

Answer:

twhiddleston

I smashed my elbow when facing down the great green incarnation of rage. I guess the Hulk really does smash.

The Avengers

Joss is back to editing #Avengers. @SamuelLJackson @clarkgregg & @twhiddleston are wrapping up. Super Bowl XLVI commercial tease coming!

Question:

@twhiddleston Who was the funnest #Avenger to fight?

Answer:

Brother-to-brother is intense. Hemsworth is a giant, but we trust each other implicitly as actors…

Question:

Shakespeare quote to describe Loki?

Answer:

“O beware my lord of jealousy, it is the green eyed monster that doth mock the meat it feeds on” (Othello)

Question:

@twhiddleston Who was the funnest #Avenger to fight?

Answer:

#Avengers which means we can really commit to the physicality of the choreography, and imbue it with emotion.

Question:

@ Clarkgregg, please tell me what happend Can With The wasp? thank you.

Answer:

Coulson and Wasp broke up. It was very painful.

Question:

@twhiddleston Five years ago, would you have believed that you would play the most badass villain in superhero movie history?

Answer:

Bless you. And no!

Question:

@twhiddleston Shakespeare quote to describe Loki?

Answer:

“Stand up for bastards!” (King Lear)

Question:

@clarkgregg Where does Coulson buy his suits? #Avengers

Answer:

@Reggicidal assembling late night in the ABQ

Question:

@clarkgregg Will you have an action figure released? If not, are you jealous. #Avengers

Answer:

No coulson action figure, very jealous

Clark Gregg

@clarkgregg Where does Coulson buy his suits?#Avengers – Dolce has a SHIELD outlet

@twhiddleston @samuelljackson @clarkgregg Have you ever wanted to wear Iron Man suit ?#avengers — wearing it now

Question:

@twhiddleston Will we see you pole dancing again in #Avengers? just like we did in Thor:)

Answer:

Ahem… (clears throat)… er… well… I don’t think so. Joss?

Clark Gregg

Meeting some skrull friends for lunch. Thanks for the all the support! Coulson out!

The Avengers

Thanks for assembling in the #Avengers Global Fan Chat! Here’s a sneak peek at our exclusive Super Bowl XLVI commercial

Tom Hiddleston

By the way… IN THE END, IT WILL BE EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF.

My three year old son Nathan had just spent two days at Disneyland before entering the big extravaganza at the D23 Expo.  For the previous 48 hours, Nathan had been waiting in very long lines at the parks, but had gotten used to the idea that you wait and wait and then go on a fun ride.  After waiting in line to pick up his ticket, Nathan was wondering where the ride was.  It was hard for his three year old brain to understand that we were there to look at things.  Upon entering the show floor, Nathan’s realized that this place was pretty cool and both lightning McQueen and Mater were waiting there to greet him.  While I wanted to look at the Dharma van from LOST but I was quickly overruled.

Nathan approached Lightning McQueen expecting his friend to respond to him and the following conversation followed:

Nathan: Hi, I’m Nathan

Lightning McQueen: Silence

Nathan: This is my mom, her name is Jami.

Lightning McQueen: Silence

Nathan: I came here.

Lightning McQueen: Silence

Nathan: Why are you here?

Lightning McQueen: Silence

Nathan: WHY AREN’T YOU TALKING TO ME!?!?!

At that point, Nathan decided he was done looking at things and it was time to do something.  Luckily, it was time for our appointment to check out the new game for the Kinect for the XBox 360, Disneyland Adventures.

Disneyland Adventures lets you explore the Disneyland park.  I immediately wished we had this before visiting Disneyland.  For anyone who loves Disneyland, they would love exploring their favorite areas of the park.  For us, with a preschooler, it would have assisted a lot in explaining what we were planning to do.  We could have showed Nathan what the park looks like and how we are going to go to each ride, and wait in line.

Whether we want him to or not, when we are playing our Kinect games, Nathan wants to play too.  Inevitably we will ask if he wants to play, he will say no and then see us doing it and want to jump in.  I was happy to see that Disneyland Adventures allows cooperative play, and allows you to jump in or out of game play without disturbing the other player.  Having two players with different skill levels is also not a problem.  I shouldn’t have been surprised that Disney would create a game for both adults and little kids can play together.  The game has a bunch of  fun mini-games based on following rides in the park:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Haunted Mansion
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Jungle Cruise

Disneyland Adventures also allows you to play adventures based on popular Disneyland rides.  Nathan tested out the Peter Pan adventure.  He enjoyed flying through the air, and seemed to understand which character he was controlling (that doesn’t always happen).

One of the reasons our family enjoys the Kinect is because its fun to play and to watch.  The D23  Kinect Demonstration area was basically like a people aquarium.  It was a great advertisement for the game since people could see in to the room and watch you have fun and look a little silly while you are playing the various adventures.

Disneyland Adventures, published by Microsoft Corporation, is scheduled to be released this November.  It’s definitely a game for the whole family that I plan to add to our collection.  I can’t wait to have Nathan try battling Captain Hook.  I will also use the game to introduce Nathan to the concept of collecting autographs from the Disney characters.  The game offers quite a bit of things to do including the ability to:

• Create memories. Whether it’s your first time or hundredth time exploring Disneyland park, relive your fondest memories or embark on a new adventure.
• Discover Disneyland park. Whether you want to go on an adventure in your favorite attraction or explore the entire park, “Kinect: Disneyland Adventures” allows you to play at your own pace and customize your own Disneyland park experiences right from your living room, whenever you want.
• Explore attractions. Experience your favorite Disneyland park attractions as immersive adventures — explore Neverland at Peter Pan’s side and take up your sword to fight Captain Hook; battle your way to the island in Pirates of the Caribbean; or partner with a friend to enjoy the fascinating world of Alice in Wonderland.
• Meet the characters. Share magical moments with your favorite Disney characters — hug a princess, high-five Mickey Mouse, collect autographs and accept quests.
• Collect and unlock. Collect Disney-themed items, rewards and Xbox 360 Achievements as you make your way through the park to discover new game experiences, including themed parades and firework displays.
• Cooperative play. Partner with a friend or family member to explore Disneyland park; have him or her jump in to lend a hand on difficult challenges and help you earn rewards. Designed to adjust difficulty based on skill, “Kinect: Disneyland Adventures” ensures that everyone is having fun and playing together.

This game is a lot of fun to play for both kids and adults and it’s perfect for families that love Disneyland!  Look for it to come out exclusively for the XBOX 360 this November!

Pre-order your copy today!

Jeramy Davis (0-0)/Tyree Johnson (1-2)- These 2 Super-Heavyweights slammed into each other for the first fight of the night.  Some quick strikes and hard slams led to exhaustion for both fighters.  After 3 rounds, Johnson evens up his record at 2-2 with a unanimous decision victory.

Zach Jefferson(0-0)/Jonathan Flores (0-0)- These two 170 lb fighters made their Roctagon debut.  Quick fists and a rear-naked choke make for a quick victory for Flores with only 1:23 into the first round.

Dave Zimmerman(0-0)/Daniel Coffman(1-0)- An explosive start and a quick achilles hold 21 seconds into the first round lead to an easy victory for Coffman.

Brian Knox(2-0)/Jake Hedrick (2-0)- “Anything you can do I can do better”, Jake Hedrick reverses full mounts and gets out of a triangle hold for a unanimous decision victory over Knox in the first 145 lb fight of the night.

Edwin Taylor(1-0)/Jerrett “Hightower” Scott (1-0)- An explosive start and explosive fists lead to an explosive finish for the hard-hitting Taylor.

Joshua Hardwick(0-0)/Alphie Reyes (1-0)- Reyes intensity and massive beard prove to be too much for the green Hardwick as Reyes ends the fight quickly with a rear-naked choke in the first.

Jeremiah Yeager(4-2)/Arman Allyev (2-2)- Yeager and Allyev have a stand-up showdown but Yeager walks away with a split decision victory.

Roger Blankenship(4-4)/Mark “Hollywood” MacDonald (4-4)- Both fighters look for their fifth win while the rivalry between Cleveland and Pittsburg goes deeper than football as Blankenship and MacDonald battle it out on the grid iron for their cities.  Cleveland’s own Roger Blankenship wins with a split decision over Pittsburg’s MacDonald to chants of Cleveland from the crowd.

Josh Lasich(1-0)/Mike “Soul Train” Karis (3-0)- First round- Lasich dominates with rear position over Karis for all of first with a brief breath of life from Karis at the end. Second round- Little bit of stand-up game quickly  goes to ground as Lasich gets rear position again, this time locking in a rear-naked choke and winning by submission.

Brandon Seyler(4-1)/Rob Miller (11-2)- The title fight of the night was between these two masters of the mat.  Miller was defending his title against the up and coming Seyler.  First round-A couple kicks from Miller lead to a hard takedown by Seyler…enter groundgame, where Miller and Seyler battle for strategic position.  Seylers energy and desire showed flashes early on, but it was Millers experience that took control of the round.  Second round-Millers experience didn’t have time to take control this time as Seyelers energy and ferociousness lead to a devastating chokehold submission for a huge upset over the champ.  Miller stayed down unconscious after the fight ended and medics rushed to his aid.  After revival, Miller clearly didn’t know where he was, and ran around the ring, swinging blindly, before climbing over the cage and wildly throwing his body to the ground.  The medic and friends again rushed to his aid, this time to calm him as well as  resuscitate him.  After making sure he was all right, Miller entered the ring to congratulate the new champion, Brandon Seyler.

Certainly an exciting night for fans with a huge upset to end the night.  Be sure to come to the next Roctagon event, once again at the Westside Masonic Temple November 17th…..who knows what you’ll see!

Photos by Scott T. Morrison / Discovery Photo

As stated, Frankenweenie is a remake of one of Burton’s earliest works.  Now having the means to really flesh out this story, he has decided to recreate the film as a stop-animated feature.  There are a few quirks to this method of filming, as many know, but Burton looks to be adding more.  As those who are familiar with the original short film are aware, it was filmed in black & white, evoking the spirit of the original Frankenstein.  For this new Frankenweenie, Burton is creating this animated feature in black & white as well.  He is also shooting the film in 3D.  These two factors make the film more intriguing to me, as the last notable stop-animated film to be shot in 3D was the wonderful Coraline, which looked great in that format.  There is a hand-crafted quality to stop-animation, which actually makes 3D more immersive.  Adding black & white to that equation is an element that should give Frankenweenie quite the unique aesthetic.

Participating in the production of the film are several Tim Burton regulars.  Danny Elfman will of course provide the score for the film.  Screenwriter John August (Big Fish) has adapted the original’s story into a full script.  As a chance in pace, neither Johnny Depp nor Helena Bonham Carter will be a part of the cast (as of yet, anyway); however the voice talent that is involved with the film includes Winona Ryder, Martin Landau, Catherine O’Hara, and Martin Short.  On hand to actually present on stage were producers Don Hahn and Allison Abbate, along with a special guest.  One of the Frankenweenie stop-animation models was present as well, with Abbate giving an example of how to actually pose these small models when it comes to shooting them on film.

While only a brief making-of featurette was shown at the panel, along with the stop-motion example on stage, I again found myself optimistic about this film.  It mainly has to do with the fact that Tim Burton is getting back to something that stemmed from his own mind.  His older films, such as Bettlejuice and Edward Scissorhands are great examples his imagination at work and revisting this old short film of his could turn into something quite enjoyable.

Disney’s Official Synopsis:

From creative genius Tim Burton comes Frankenweenie, a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.

Frankenweenie is due to come out October 5, 2012.  Look below to watch the original short film.

The presentation for John Carter was similar to the others, but had more information to share.  Director Andrew Stanton came on stage and explained what John Carter is, which included a brief history lesson of sorts about the legacy of this character and how the original novels, from which the character originated, have been the biggest inspiration for a majority of the science fiction properties known by everyone today.  Stanton also explained a bit about what went into the making of the film.  What I found most interesting was his process for filming the actors portraying 12-foot tall aliens.  Rather than just dealing with that aspect in post-production, Stanton actually had the actors in motion capture suits, while standing and walking on stilts.  By doing this, he would have both his alien characters and regular sized actors be able to act more naturally, given the correct eye line to play off of each other during their interactions.

Stanton then brought out three stars of the film, including Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins! from Friday Night Lights and Gambit from X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Willem Dafoe, and Lynn Collins (also from X-Men Origins: Wolverine).  As the three arrived on stage and got to speak about being a part of the film, Stanton then announced that the audience would be treated to four separate scenes from the film.  The first scene involved John Carter and Dafoe’s alien character, Tars Tarkas meeting for the first time and John discovering that he can leap great bounds on Mars.  The second clip featured John Carter escaping from being bound inside of a cave, only to befriend a large Martian-type dog of sorts.  The third clip involved John and Collins’ character discussing John’s decision about possibly remaining on Mars to help fight for what is right.  The final clip looked like something out of the end of Attack of the Clones, as we found John and Tars facing off in a gladiator arena against a large creature.

The clips shown did enough to serve their purpose.  I have a good enough idea of what the tone of the film will be at this point.  What I have been most intrigued about concerning this film was the fact that Stanton, known for his work on directing Pixar films, would be handling his first live-action feature, which is an ambitious sci-fi adventure.  From the trailer, I could not say I was more excited about the film.  After seeing the footage, I am still optimistic, but it also did not raise my excitement.  I am confident in the subject matter and the people involved however, so I can certainly get behind this film, just as I did when Tron: Legacy was the big upcoming live-action film from Disney the previous year.

Something nice about this panel was the actual participation from the cast in answering some questions and inviting a bit of conversation about the actual making of the film.  While it was nice to have the other cast members of the other films that were present appear on stage and wave hello, I can appreciate having the cast actually involved in the film’s discussion on stage.  I would have to say this is most likely due to the fact that John Carter is basically an unknown property as far as the general movie audience is concerned and it will need all the support it can get, once it arrives in theaters this upcoming spring 2012.

Here’s the official synopsis from Disney:

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL-E), JOHN CARTER OF MARS brings this captivating hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings. Based on the first of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ ‘Barsoom Series,’ the film chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (Taylor Kitch), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins).

John Carter will be released in theaters and IMAX 3D on March 9, 2012.  Check out the trailer below:

The presentation for The Muppets was simple enough, but quite enjoyable nonetheless.  Star and screenwriter Jason Segel and Kermit the Frog arrived on stage and had some fun with the crowd.  The two then announced that they would be letting the audience have a look at two scenes from the film.  It was then noted that Miss Piggy would be arriving shortly, which worried Segel and Kermit, as they realized that the scenes being shown did not feature her at all.  Sure enough, Miss Piggy arrived on stage, riding in the sidecar of a motorcycle, and was upset once she learned that audiences would not be seeing her in the clips from the film.  Regardless, audiences were treated to some footage anyway.

The clips that were shown communicated exactly what one would hope for from a new Muppets movie.  The first clip was just a fun scene that set the tone for the film, which is that of that same level of joyful irreverence that has fueled past Muppets films.  Jason Segel, Amy Adams, and the new Muppet character, Walter all look to be having a lot of fun in this film.  The second clip was just classic Muppets.  The entire Muppets cast arrives at their old theater and decides to clean it up…the Muppets way, which means singing a popular rock song, while doing so.  Simple enough, but still charming and hilarious.  I was very happy to have this sneak peak at the film and I will definitely looking forward to seeing the whole thing as soon as it’s time to play the music and light the lights.

Official Movie Synopsis:

On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds.  To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways:  Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.  Directed by James Bobin (Flight of the Conchords) and written by Segel and Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) , The Muppets Movie features cameos by Zach Galifianakis, Billy Crystal, Jack Black, Alan Arkin, and Jean-Claude Van Damme, among others, The Muppets hits the big screen Nov. 23, 2011.

Start Your Muppet Fun Early By Ordering A Copy Of The Green Album:

The first presentation was all about Brave, the upcoming ancient adventure epic, featuring Pixar’s first female lead character as well as period setting.  Directors Mark Andrews (wearing a kilt) and Brenda Chapman were on hand to present some new behind the scenes footage and a full scene (though not completely finished) from the film.  The directors were then joined by stars Kelly Macdonald and Kevin McKidd on stage, who were proud to be a part of a new Pixar feature film.  While I am already a huge Pixar fan, I was happy to see just a small peak at what looks to be a very strong and ambitious entry into their film catalogue.

Disney’s Synopsis of Brave:

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In Brave, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Brave was written by Brenda Chapman and Irene Mecchi and is directed by Chapman and Mark Andrews.  The film is scheduled for release on June 22, 2012.

Next up was a very small look at the prequel to Monsters, Inc.  Director Dan Scanlon was on hand to show off the new designs for Mike and Sulley in their college years, as well as announce some of the returning actors and newest additions for the voice cast.  Audiences then got to see a video featuring John Goodman and Billy Crystal, explaining how thrilled they were to be returning as these characters, only to then have Crystal enter onto the actual stage and explain in person how excited he was.  I know there are a lot of people who really fell in love with the original Monsters, Inc. and the characters in that film, so I can only hope that they will come to love this newest entry into that world as well.

News thus far about Monsters University:

Monsters University will be a prequel, which focuses on Sulley and Mike’s studies at the University of Fear, where they start off as rivals but soon become best friends.  The feature will be directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae. It was also announced that John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi will be reprising their roles. New voice cast includes Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray and Peter Sohn. Monsters University will be released June 21^st, 2013.

The Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs

Very little information was given about the Pixar film set to come out after Monsters University, but an intriguing enough setup was given:

What if that life-changing asteroid missed Earth?  Director Bob Peterson’s hilarious tale depicts a world where dinosaurs never went extinct.

The film does not have a title yet, but it does have quite the interesting setup for a premise.  The film is being directed by Bob Peterson and Peter Sohn, and is scheduled for release on November 27, 2013

The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside the Mind

Just as little information was given about the 2014 Pixar film as well:

Pixar takes audiences on incredible journeys into extraordinary worlds: from the darkest depths of the ocean to the top of the Tepui Mountains in South America; from the fictional metropolis of Monstropolis to a futuristic fantasy of outer space. From director Pete Docter (Up and Monsters, Inc.) and producer Jonas Rivera (Up), the inventive new film will take you to a place that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen: the world inside the human mind.  The film is scheduled for release on May 30, 2014.

While Brave was certainly the film I was anticipating to see new footage of, I was very pleased with this presentation of all the future Pixar films.  There was a lot to chew on here, with some really interesting ideas and creative talent involved for their upcoming projects.  As the presentation was ending, John Lasseter did have one more surprise as well.  As Pixar is celebrating its 25^th year as an animation studio, life-size Buzz and Woody characters appeared on stage with a large cake for all of the Pixar crew and directors who were currently on stage as well.  Lasseter then proclaimed that he should always have enough for everyone, which was followed by the announcement, “Cupcakes for everyone!”  Teams of people then entered the floor, with boxed of cupcakes for the massive D23 Arena audience.  It was a nice and tasty way for Pixar to end their pretty spectacular presentation.

Disney provided the summary seen below:

Some of us are born to be bad, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it. Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore (TV’s “The Simpsons,” “Futurama”) take moviegoers on a hilarious, video-game-hopping journey in “Wreck-It Ralph,” the story of an arcade game Bad Guy determined to prove he can be a Good Guy. Produced by Clark Spencer (“Lilo & Stitch,” “Bolt”) and featuring the voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch, the CG comedy adventure will hit theaters on Nov. 2, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

Says Moore, “I love the idea of a very simple 8-bit video game character struggling with the complex question: ‘isn’t there more to life than the role I’ve been assigned?’ In his quest for the answer, we journey with our hero through three visually distinct video game worlds. It’s unlike anything anyone’s seen before, and I’m thrilled to be to creating it here at Walt Disney Animation Studios.”

Wreck-It Ralph (voice of Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game’s perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of McBrayer). Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes… so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan—win a medal—but soon wrecks everything, and accidently unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph’s only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Silverman), a young troublemaking “glitch” from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it’s “Game Over” for the entire arcade?

The presentation was exciting enough.  The film’s director, Rich Moore, gave audiences a sneak peak at the film.  We were able to see the film’s opening, which was still early in development.  No animation, only storyboards and some early concept art ideas were presented.  That said, it was very funny, definitely due to the presence of John C. Reilly as the lead character.  Appearing in person were two members of the cast, Jack McBrayer and Sarah Silverman.  Overall, there was enough to the presentation, which has me anticipating its release quite a bit.  I mean…it’s a cartoon that has fun playing with video game conventions.  I’m sold on this, so well played Disney.

The Avengers presentation began before the new footage was shown with a reel that highlighted all the important moments in the previous five Marvel movies (Iron Man 1 & 2, The Incredibly Hulk, Thor, Captain America), including the end credit scenes. Those were edited between the following words, “From Technology, To Mythology, From Science, To Legend, Has All Been Leading to This.”  Producer Kevin Feige then came out, talked about being a Disney geek, and said there are only two weeks left of shooting but he wanted to show something special to D23.  What followed was a scene and a montage of new footage, which I will attempt to describe.

The scene began with Loki (Tom Hiddleston) being locked in a large, circular glass room that looked very high tech.  Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) then entered the area, pressed a button and assured Loki that he is locked up tight.  At this point, it is revealed that they are aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and very high in the sky.  Fury states that Loki will be dropped from 30,000 feet in the air if he were to try and escape.  Loki calmly states that he is aware of his situation, but is also aware that the room he is locked in was not originally meant for him, as it is too large.  Loki and Fury then bicker about the tesseract (the Cosmic Cube), which grants ultimate power, followed by Loki calling Fury desperate, as he needed so many superheroes to stop him.  As we watch this discussion, it is revealed that the Avengers are watching it as well, via security camera.  As Fury leaves the room, while Loki stares at the security camera, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) states, “He really does grow on you, doesn’t he?”

The next segment starts off with Nick Fury addressing S.H.I.E.L.D.’s original plan of bringing together all of the powerful and extraordinary people of the world together as a team, in order to preserve the world’s safety.  And then all the crazy awesomeness kicks in.  A ton of different shots from the film involving the different Avengers appear, as Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) singles out Loki as being responsible for, “pissing all of them off.”  After seeing these various shots that include Cap jumping away from explosions in his new suit, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Cap fighting, Iron Man mid flight, and shots of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in action, the real tease kicks in.  Loki states, “I have an army.”  Stark responds, “We have a Hulk.”  Cut to the first shot of Hulk screaming into the camera! Credits.

As the cheers raged on, Kevin Feige then introduced a number of the cast members who were basically available to wave hello to the crowd.  The stars present included Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson, and Cobie Smulders.  Downey Jr. naturally took control of the mic and got the crowd all riled up even more.  After seeing the footage once, the cast made us aware that they had not seen this before and asked if we wanted to see it again.  The answer was obviously yes, and the footage was played again.  Feige stated that this footage would not be available for a while, so it was certainly a good way to show some exclusive footage and build the buzz on what looks to be a pretty kick ass film.  The Avengers assemble May 4, 2012.

I had the chance to talk to Nickie from Chula Vista, CA, and ask her a few questions.

Why did you decide to sleep out?

I like Stephanie Meyers and the Twilight series, and I was really hoping to meet the cast. Also I wanted to make sure I get into Hall H, I really want to see the movie clips!

What is your favorite Book/Movie in the series and why?

Breaking Dawn is my favorite book. Bella’s transformation into the vampire world and how her relationship with Edward finally comes together.

Well I have to ask are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?

I love them both! And also Bella! I have my tickets for next year’s Comic Con already!

It was a long cold night but the reward was beyond what I could have imagined. We where treated to breakfast. They passed out water, orange juice, bananas’, and assorted muffins. They also passed out Breaking Dawn mugs and posters.

This was my first year at Comic Con, I really didn’t expect this, it was really cool. In my eyes it shows that Summit and the cast of Breaking Dawn care for their fans as much as the fans do for them! And if that wasn’t enough, Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen), Nikki Reed (Rosalie Hale), Elizabeth Reaser (Esme Cullen), Booboo Stewart (Seth Clearwater), Julia Jones (Leah Clearwater) came out into the crowds and started signing autographs, taking pictures, talking to fans. They where actually going up and down the lines. It was amazing that they would just jump right into the lines, and it’s not like they signed a few autographs and left, they stayed for an hour or so. And if I may say, the ladies of Twilight are so gorgeous, what makes them even more beautiful was the kindness that they showed their fans. They took time with them and gave a lot of people some very special memories!

Finally around 10:45 we made our way into Hall H. Once inside of Hall H, with a crowd of over 6,000 fans the cast took the stage! The panel included: Bill Condon (Director), Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan), Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black), Elizabeth Reaser (Esme) , Nikki Reed (Rosalie), and Ashley Greene (Alice).

The first clip they showed was about Jacob: It begins with Jacob talking to Esme and Carlisle. “Carlisle you’re the enemy now” Jacob warns. “Sam won’t hesitate, you will be slaughtered.”  Jacob also admits that the Cullen’s clan is indeed a family. “This is a family as strong as the one I was born into.” I know what I have to do.”

Taylor about his character: “Jacob at the beginning is the Jacob you know, then his heart is crushed.”  “He is forced to grow up, and become a different person.”

Another clip they showed The honeymoon at Isle Esme. Everyone went crazy!!

Bella and Edward walk into the bedroom, “You tired?”  he asked.  She shakes her head no. He invites her to swim. “I could use a few human minutes,” she says. He kisses her forehead, and then opens a sliding door leading to a private beach, and undresses as he walks towards the water. Hall H went wild. Let me just add Rob has been working out for this movie. So HOT! Bella is in the bathroom, giving herself a little pep talk as she looks in the mirror. She brushes her teeth, brushes her hair, and shaves her legs, and pick through some lingerie. It’s too much for her, she holds her head on the floor.

She walks out onto the beach in just a towel, she drops the towel, naked in the moonlight she strolls into the water where Edward waits, already swimming in the water, naked.

The place goes crazy again!!!!

The fans got to ask questions, but my favorite was from a little girl. She asked Rob, “Do you like having a baby with Bella?”

His answer: “I like babies. It was fun, especially in this series. You’re playing the statuesque guy, but as soon as you have a baby no one can contain their emotions, which is what Edward has been doing this whole time.”

Check out some of my photos below. Hope you like them, I had a blast!

Also check out the pic to see if Brian White is Team Edward or Team Jacob!

Spartacus: Vengeance

The interview roundtables were held on Friday, July 22nd at the beautiful Hilton Bayfront hotel.   The star participants included Liam McIntyre, Lucy Lawless, Manu Bennett, Dustin Clare, Katrina Law and executive producer Steven S. DeKnight.   They were all on hand to discuss everything related to the prequel, the first season and the hotly anticipated second season…no holds barred.   I will present them below in the order as they were conducted (please excuse the poor iPhone pictures).  For anyone that does not want to listen to the audio interviews in their entirety I was also nice enough to very briefly summarize what was said by each actor.   Why?  Because I’m such a nice guy!

Liam McIntyre (Spartacus) and Steven DeKnight

Newcomer Liam McIntyre claimed he was already a big fan of the show before trying out.   He said he lost so much weight for the role.   He talked about his rigorous diet and the boot camp he underwent last September.  He said there were two days in particular that were the toughest.

DeKnight talked about Andy Whitfield’s departure from the show and his wishes to want the show to continue.  He said he was not trying to cast to recreate the physical appearance of Andy, but instead for talent.

Lucy Lawless (Lucretia)

Lucy recounts how her character lost a lot in Season 1.  She said her character will fight for survival in Season 2, but she’s got a master plan and endgame in sight.  She also talked about the show’s great writing.  She went on to admit that she is a bit nervous without John Hannah this season.   She says that Viva Bianca will bring more intrigue to the show.  She finished by talking about the sheer amount of money that goes into the show and how her character in Season 2 will initially be desolate, but will quickly get her mojo back.

Manu Bennett (Crixus)

Manu commented on how the scripts for the show are great.  He said in the second season there will still be a struggle between his character and Spartacus because of their different nationalities.  He said the second season will have lots of retribution.   He claims the appeal of the show is that viewers love the show and the characters no matter if they are villains or good guys.  He expanded upon his love for working on the show by saying that the actors are allowed to give insight and ideas about their characters to Steven DeKnight.  He says nothing stays the same.   He also said that camera and special effects have upped the game and that the aerial landscape shot in the Season 2 trailer will blow you away now that they are out in the real world.

Katrina Law (Mira)

Katrina says that Mira’s biggest journey in Season 2 is figuring out who she is, how does she fit into this new world and what does it mean to be free.  She says that Mira loves Spartacus because of the tender way he acts and how he treated his wife.  She claims there are not a lot of pranks on the set because there is a lot of ground to cover and tight shooting schedules.  She commented on the brilliant one liners we all came to know and love from the show.  She said they just finished episode 6 before breaking for a short hiatus.  She is excited to see Mira’s journey.  When asked, she said the actors get the script 1-1.5 weeks beforehand.  She also said we will see a lot of female slaves this year.  She went on to say that the sets are so varied and she is really proud of the show.  She is appreciative of her role.  She finished by saying that she watched the prequels as a fan much like the first 10 episodes of Season 1.  And oh yeah…I can’t forget this.  She called me out at the table and asked me if I interviewed her before.  When I said yes, she said she knew my name was familiar.   Needless to say, I had a sh1t eating grin on my face.   That full interview can be found here.

Dustin Clare (Gannicus)

I don’t know what it is about this guy, but I loved him in the prequels and he really impressed me in person, but I digress.   Dustin shied away from the initial question asked of him because he cannot giveaway the plot of Season 2 and how the characters will all meet up.  He says his character has a strong sense of purpose and won’t be swayed by anyone.  He would not elaborate on any character relationships.  He did know ahead of time that he would be in Season 2.  Lucky man!   He confirmed that 5 years of fictional time has elapsed between the prequel series and Season 2.  He said he was not included in the hunt for Andy’s replacement.  He also said he did a musical in Australia.  He said there will be romantic subplots and women in his life in Season 2.  He said gladiator school was hard and again and not easy at all.   He expanded by saying that he doesn’t eat a lot and does lots of stunts.   He finished that thought by saying the stunt team was nominated for an Emmy for the fight scene in episode 6 of the prequel and that the fight scene took 8 days to film.  He answered my final question by saying that Season 2 will both be about revenge and being hunted.

So let me ask.   Are you all as excited as I am?   Because…I cannot ‘effing wait!   Gladiators!

Season 2′s trailer premiered first at the Comic-Con panel on Friday, July 22nd.  It has since been shared with members of the press.   Make sure to check it out below as well as some of our exclusive balcony pictures I snapped of the cast at the Hilton Bayfront hotel.   What a beautiful view!   Enjoy!

So with that all being said, I am pleased to share with you my 17-minute conversation with two of my newest favorites, Adam Rifkin and Tim Sullivan.  And if those names sound familiar to you, then they should.  They just so happened to be involved and responsible for a little cult favorite of mine, Detroit Rock City.  By the way, can we get this out on Blu-ray already?!  Click below to listen to the audio interview in its entirety.  Enjoy!

Comic-Con 2011: Interview with CHILLERAMA’s Adam Rifkin and Tim Sullivan by Darkest Night Productions

If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the full review of Chillerama here.

Chillerama

Up first is the segment of the film known as  “Wadzilla” and it is directed and written by  Adam Rifkin.  Rifkin is notably known because of a little cult classic he once directed, Detroit Rock City.  The 1950′s monster movie spoof is about a guy that goes to get his sperm count checked and through some prescribed medication, he ends up creating one hell of a big sperm that ultimately attacks New York City.   Tell me you read that sentence without chuckling.  I dare you!  Yep, that’s right…a killer sperm.  Picture a giant sperm-like Pac Man creature with razor sharp teeth and there’s your vision of a killer sperm.

The second segment in Chillerama is called “I Was a Teenage Werebear.”  It is directed and written by Tim Sullivan and stars Sean Paul Lockhart, Gabby West, Anton Troy, Lin Shaye, Adam Robitel and even Ron Jeremy.   Basically, it’s both a musical and a spoof of Rebel Without a Cause, Grease and The Twilight Saga.  You may remember Lin from a little successful film already this year called Insidious.  And Ron Jeremy…well his name goes without saying.  I can honestly say that after hanging with the cast after the film’s premiere last Friday night, they are all a swell bunch of werebears and I’m happy to have met their acquaintance.

Up next was the main reason I was there, in support of my main man.  “The Diary of Anne Frankenstein” is directed and written by Adam Green.  The black and white film about Hitler trying to create the perfect killing machine to win the war stars Avatar and Hatchet‘s Joel Moore.   Moore plays Hitler and his bumbling vernacular, complete with English subtitles, steals the show.  “It was a mash, it was a monster mash!”  And to hear the crowd clapping along as Adam’s segment closed was just music to my ears.

And last but certainly not least, “Zom B Movie” is a spoof of 70′s and 80′s zombie films.  It was directed and written by Joe Lynch.  In the end, there’s a reason why this segment is last in the anthology.   It ties together all the events woven in between each segment.   I guess I should back up a minute here and let you all know that Chillerama is actually an anthology capsulated within its own film.   That’s right.   You heard me.   Chillerama is its own film that just so happens to encompass all the segments and Joe Lynch’s finale brilliantly, in my opinion (rules of three), sends this film off in a promising way all horror and gore hounds will love.

So here’s the thing folks.   Chillerama is ghoulishly good and delicious.   Its like getting your favorite candy as a kid after an exhausting night of trick ‘r treating.  There’s no way around it.   If you are a fan of “old school” horror and comedy, there’s no way you can’t have fun with this one.  And if you can’t, then you are already a brain dead zombie to me.   Chillerama will have you in stitches one moment and gasping in disbelief at the rude, crude and gruesome events unfolding onscreen the next.  You won’t find anything more offensive than this film and I mean that in the nicest of ways.  I sincerely do.

Before the film’s screening, there was a short question and answer session with all four directors.  Now tell me.   How cool is that?  The full length audio from the Q&A can be listened to below in it’s entirety.  The audio is a bit rough because well, let’s face it…their PA system wasn’t the best.   It wasn’t my fault.   Honestly!  But it’s still worth a listen, IMO.

Comic-Con 2011: Chillerama Q&A by Darkest Night Productions

As you heard in the above audio file, the film premiered to the captive Gas Lamp Cinema crowd raw and uncut, meaning some of the special effects were not completed as of yet.   However, that did not stop me from enjoying this one and eating up every delicious morsel Rifkin, Sullivan, Green and Lynch had to offer.   This is the feature every director in the aforementioned genres would love to make and have fun with and these four guys are doing just that…living the dream.

There is talk of a month long drive-in tour in support of the release of Chillerama.  Unfortunately, I do not know the when, where and other pertinent details just yet.  However, I do know the following.  When Chillerama makes it’s way to home video later this year, there will be a place on my Blu-ray shelves for it.  That’s confirmed, baby!  Until then, if you get the chance to experience this the way it was meant to be seen…at the drive-in, then by all means go for it!   Do it for America!   It’s an America tradition (past time) after all.  It’s almost like a civic duty.  You have to go!  Come to Cleveland, OH…PLEASE guys!

First up…Machete!  Machete Kills and Machete Kills again have been greenlit!  The third film is supposed to be a space opera.  He announced that Spy Kids 4 will be presented in 4D with an aromascope.  Also, the following news will make many Rodriguez and Miller fans very happy.  Sin City 2 will start filming this year or it won’t happen at all.  He would love to do it in 3D and it’s now titled A Dame To Kill For.

But perhaps, even more important, Mr. Rodriguez was very ecstatic to discuss his newest production company called Quick Draw Productions.  It’s a film production company that can develop, finance, greenlight and produce films.  That will allow him and his team to focus on story and character.

Quick Draw’s first project will be Heavy Metal.  His biggest announcement, according to him, was the partnership with AMD that will push the production boundaries of technology in his films.  He has worked with them for the past 10 years.

And last but not least, he also announced another project called Fire and Ice based on the artwork of Frank Frazetta.

When does this guy sleep?

Guillermo Del Toro was on hand to give fans a sneak peak at his newest upcoming horror film, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.  He was joined by stars Guy Pearce and Ron Perlman.  Director Nicolas Winding Refn was also there to show us some scenes from his upcoming film, starring Ryan Gosling, called Drive.  They both look pretty appealing if I do say so myself.

Up next, Fox treated fans to some extended footage of a film I am really looking forward to, Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  Also, Justin Timberlake (who did not seem to want to pose for pictures) was on stage bringing sexy back along with the beautiful Amanda Seyfried to give fans a sneak peak at their upcoming film called In Time.  And oh yeah…there was this little film they showed some clips of too.  What was that name?  Oh yeah!  Prometheus!  Anyone ever hear of it?  Charlize Theron was live on stage as the moderator and her talked to Ridley Scott via videoconferencing.

Check ut some of our exclusive photos below.  Enjoy!

So anyway, the following is a quick summary of everything that went down in the 45-minute panel…

To begin the panel, an exclusive Season 2 Comic-Con 2011 highlight reel was shown to the screaming audience.

The day of the panel, July 23rd, just so happened to be Paul’s birthday.

The panel talked a little bit about the character of Stefan and his dark place he will be in during Season 3.

They spent some time joking around with Nina and her dual roles.

There were also some joking moments when they talked about the characters of Caroline and Tyler and if they hooked up how they would have puppies.

The moderators asked the actors what roles they would want to play.  There were some entertaining answers.  Candice was the only one that responded that she was perfectly happy with her Caroline character.

A female audience member asked Paul for his name sign.  He got embarrassed.  He eventually got up in front of the screaming audience and personally delivered it to the lucky fan.

The Vampire Diaries is the most popular US show in Brazil.  I just thought you should know that!

And now…drum roll please…enjoy the following select pictures that I was able to capture at the 2011 Vampire Diaries Comic-Con panel.

Horror fans will have a chance to catch an exclusive first glimpse of Image Entertainment’s highly anticipated horror anthology film CHILLERAMA during the world famous San Diego Comic Con 2011 with a special sneak preview of the film on Friday evening, July 22^nd at the Gaslamp 15 Cinemas. After the screening, stay for a Q&A with ALL FOUR DIRECTORS – Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin and Tim Sullivan – moderated by DreadCentral.com’s Steve “Uncle Creepy” Barton!

Produced by ArieScope Pictures and in the spirit of classic “omnibus” films like Dead of Night, Tales From the Crypt, Creepshow and Twilight Zone: The Movie, CHILLERAMA offers something for every bad taste.  With titles like “Wadzilla,” “I Was A Teenage Werebear,” The Diary of Anne Frankenstein,” and “Zom-B-Movie,” CHILLERAMA features appearances by Joel David Moore (Avatar, Hatchet), Lin Shaye (Insidious), Ray Wise (X-Men: First Class), Kane Hodder (Hatchet and Hatchet II), Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, Sharktopus) and more cameos than one can (body) count, CHILLERAMA is a festival of gore, guts, goofiness and good times.

Dr. Who Toys!

2 of my favorites side-by-side!

Everyone’s favorite serial killer!

This sign is made up of thousands of little cars.

You gotta get around somehow, right?

Just what the world needs.

Bieber fever!  I took this for you, Gerard!

It looks like it’s for real.

I took this one for you, Sean.

Looks like there’s a Lego TV special coming in the fall.

February 2, 2012 is the 3-D release date of Episode 1.

Last but not least here is a friend I made.

In addition to conceptualizing the project as a TV show over  a movie, it was also Murphy’s idea to create the tour which features cast members Lea Michele (Rachel), Chris Colfer (Kurt), Dianna Agron (Quinn), Cory Monteith (Finn), Amber Riley (Mercedes), Kevin McHale (Artie), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), Naya Rivera (Santana), Harry Shum Jr. (Mike), Chord Overstreet (Sam), Ashley Fink (Lauren), Darren Criss (Blaine), Mark Salling (Puck), and oh-my-god-girl-can-you-dance Heather Morris (Brittany).  On June 14th, 2011, this amazing cast made Cleveland home for a night as they took to the stage at Quicken Loans Arena.  So how was this unconvential transition from TV to stage?  Before we answer that, we need to check out the opening act.

If you’ve never visited www.TheLXD.com, you need to do that right now.  Go ahead.  I’ll wait.  This article is still going to be here when you get back.  For those not familiar, LXD stands for the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers.  Created by director Jon Chu (Step Up 3D), this web-based series (which is also available on DVD) follows a good versus evil plot line focused around dance.  Their dancing builds momentum and energy which can manifest itself into a physically damaging weapon.  You’ll experience hip-hop, breakdancing, expressionist/modern dance, pop lockers and some people that are darn near acrobats.  Taking the stage for about 20 minutes, the LXD troupe featured approximately 8 dancers, all taking their turns on stage to wow the crowd.  However, there were fleeting moments when the choreography actually allowed them to go all out.  Quite frequently, it was far too contained and fragmented for the most part, prohibiting that energy from reaching the audience for the maximum effect.  Make no mistake; this group can bring it any day of the week.  I just wish their choreographer let ‘em bring it that often.

After some 40 mnutes of downtime, the lights finally went down again and the 16,000+ audience unleashed a shrill yet positive scream of approval (it seems that Glee‘s got a significant teenie-bopper fanbase).  My prediction was the show would close with Journey’s famous “Don’t Stop Believing,” a song made hugely popular once again through its revival on the first season of Glee.  As it turns out, I was completely wrong and this is what the show opened with.  The place went nuts and as for the cast members, well, they pulled it off with spunk and energy, not to mention a heaping round of solid notes.  The entire show is comprised of songs performed on the show, and while doing so, the cast remained in character.  This added a little bit of well-placed humor to the evening and pretty much gave the audience what they wanted.

Some of the other highlights of the evening included Heather Morris’ performance of Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U,” which she pulled off with incredible ease and sex appeal.  This girl has moves and believe me, she knows how to use them.  Kevin McHale gave a dance-inducing delivery of Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.” while Harry Shum Jr. danced his seemingly boneless body around the stage.  Even Darren Criss brought out his pack of Warblers (which drew more than a few favorably mammoth screams of approval) for some smooth-steppin’ tunes backed up by some very prominent stage presence.  Minus the Warblers, the whole Glee cast came out for an abridged version of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” while donned in white t-shirts labeled with their characters’ flaws.  The most savvy performance of the night has to go to Chris Colfer and Lea Michele’s “Happy Days Are Here Again / Get Happy.”  It was nothing short of beautiful and was easily one of the most memorable moments in the entire show, and let me just add, Lea Michele is something incredible in person.  This girl just belts out one tune after another with depth and passion.

So with that in mind, fans of the Fox show will most certainly get their money worth.  For those with no opinion of Glee, I would still recommend catching this act when it’s in town, simply because it’s just damn good music and a box full of talent (not a little box either…like an arena-sized box).  And for those who don’t like Glee, well doom on you, sourpuss.  The cast gave us attendees 90 amazing minutes of entertainment and I did not see one person exit that building without a smile emblazoned on their face…including yours truly.

Regardless of which stars would be present, it seems like an opportunity like this was not one I should have passed up.  These kinds of events only seem to imply fun, as they are all about supporting a good cause, while also getting the chance to enjoy a fun activity.  In the case of this event, I really wanted to see stars race around in go-karts, while having a fun time, and that is exactly what I got to see and do.  Along with the support of several celebrities providing fun commentary during the race, a few musical performances on the stage next to the track, and some other guest appearances, having a group of young stars, lead by an older celeb heading up each go-kart team was a whole lot of fun.

Stars at the event included Alfonso Ribeiro (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Steve-O (Jackass), Justin “JC” Jones (Glee), Verne Troyer (Austin Powers), Nike Pro-Skater Danny Supa, Mark Christopher Lawrence (Chuck), Christopher Daniels (TNA Wrestling, ROH), Thomas DeCoud from the Atlanta Falcons, Dorian Gregory (Charmed), Darren Sharper from the New Orleans Saints, Gary Sturgis (Diary of a Mad Black Woman), Miss California International – Brittany Wagner, recording artist Mann, and NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.  Many younger stars were present as well, as they were the most willing participants in the actual go-karting.  These younger stars included Kyle Massey, Christopher Massey, Jared Kusnitz, Danika Yarosh, Zach Callison, Austin Anderson, Dan Benson, Kenton Duty, and Jordan Monaghan.  Honestly, there were so many young stars present that I just gave up on listing their credits.  The list of people I have presented here only makes up about a third of the stars present at this very fun tournament event.

Once the red carpet cleared out and the event finally started to get underway, audiences were treated to a number of the celebrities making announcements about all of the participating charities and organizations that they were at the event supporting, along with a general dose of entertainment, as everyone was around to have a good time.  Following these announcements was a performance by the R&B duo Mona Lisa, who have toured with artists such as Beyonce and look to be on the verge of breaking out.  After this performance, the race finally began, as actor Verne Troyer took the stage as the official starter for the tournament.  As he declared racers to start their (go-kart) engines, members of the various go-kart teams were ready to do their best at racing around the track in record times.  It was in fact the times taken for each lap that would determine how well their charity would benefit from a grand prize at the end of the tournament.  As each team began to race, the tournament would continue to be hosted by Eric Dickerson and actor Gary Sturgis, who would be providing commentary throughout.

Of course, the most important aspect of this whole event was the cause that everyone was here in support of, which was to benefit the American Diabetes Association.  The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading nonprofit charity providing diabetes research, information and advocacy.  Various non-profit organizations and health facilities were willing to reach out and show their support and involvement with the tournament as well, including the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, St. Jude’s Research Center, City of Hope Centers, The Salvation Army, Boys & Girls Club of America, Autism Speaks, and Shriners Hospital.  Attending celebrities would be leading one of sixteen children’s team in hopes of winning a cash prize, which would be donated to the organization of their choice.

As stated by event organizer Stacy Lyles, “It is definitely a family event that will show the public an interactive and engaging way to save a child’s life and have fun at the same time.”  This seemed to certainly be the case, as lots of fun was had by all of the stars and audiences alike.  The tournament played a big part, but the event also featured interactive games, musical performances, health culinary demonstrations, professional trainers, and the latest on diabetes prevention and advances.  All of the stars were certainly ready and willing to interact with others there just to have a good time, as no one was too busy to stop, take photos, and chat with their fans.  I certainly had a nice time, as it was a nice way to continue easing into an exciting summer.

Find out more information here:

http://www.diabetes.org

http://www.k1speed.com/

Check out a small video I made of the actual race here:

And feel free to check out many more pictures I took here (click to enlarge):

Jacob:  I’m gonna make a list.  I got like a million things I wanna do.

Harvey Keitel stars in the film as Duke White.  Duke literally begins the film with a noose around his neck, as he prepares to kill himself.  He hasn’t been an ideal father to his five boys.  Known for being a bad gambler and famous fight fixer, any of the luck that Duke has had has certainly run out. The sons return to their family home in Niagara Falls, for their father’s funeral, only to learn of another terrible thing about their father during the reading of his will.  Years ago, Duke signed up his three eldest sons for unsafe drug tests that turned out to have dire consequences: the boys’ life expectancy have been substantially reduced.  This is news that obviously stirs up things significantly for the boys, who each decide to handle their new found expiration date differently.

The sons include Cal (Scott Caan), a womanizer, who decides to hook up with an old flame, Miranda (Tricia Helfer), despite her record for not keeping a husband too long, due to their untimely demise.  Then there is Jacob (Paulo Costanzo), who is known for being bright and cautious, but has now decided to grab life by the…well he’s going to take a lot more risks now, more than ever, and he’ll be accompanied by the youngest brother, Todd (Siam Yu).  Finally, you have Nuts (Jason Jones), the eldest son, who was once a boxer, now helping to train his other brother, the slow witted Juicy (Jared Keeso), despite his reservations about involving himself in a seedy business.  All of the boys will be accomplishing a lot over the course of the next couple of days, so hopefully a little word of advice from their uncle (the always great J.K. Simmons) and possibly some outside interference from Duke will provide some further help.

While enjoyable in a light sort of way, I think one of the main problems I had with this movie is that I could not get past how unreal these characters felt.  These are only people that would exist in a movie.  Now obviously this is a movie, which could make one assume that there shouldn’t be a problem, but I think it is the fact that these characters have been written so overtly as ones who are supposed to be funny, quirky, charming, and witty in the most fitting kinds of ways, that the story does not seem so much to lend itself to naturally progressing as it seems to just be going through its very written structure.  Basically, the film may be trying too hard to have you like these characters, overlooking some of the qualities that would have them be more realistically relatable.

Now, having said that, the actors involved manage to do what they can, mostly very well.  Caan has played this type of character many times, but it is a comfortable role for him to play, as a smooth talking sleaze.  Costanzo has done the know-it-all thing many times, but I like watching him on screen.  I really enjoyed Jason Jones as the eldest son, as his character arc actually had the most weight to it, while enough pathos was effectively created for the character.  And of course, J.K. Simmons can do practically anything, as he is simply saddled with nailing several fitting lines of dialogue, but does so effortlessly.  I did also enjoy seeing Keitel, as his authority in films is generally quite strong, but it only went so far to serve the story, as he was basically a comedic narrator in the background.

As a whole, the film’s story manages to work itself into a fitting tale that involves multiple characters, all intertwining, making chance encounters, and benefiting each other in various ways.  I mentioned Guy Ritchie early on for a reason, as the style is one thing, but the fact that this film functions like a truncated version of Snatch seems very apparent (there is even a climatic Boxing match).  Having received that vibe while watching the film, it is not something that bothered me; it just made the film seem a bit less fresh, as I was very aware of the kind of comic beats I knew it needed to hit.

The direction is another big part of this film.  Writer/director Jonathan Sobol and his crew have gone through large efforts to add plenty of style throughout.  Utilizing split screens, slow motion, rapid editing moments, different film stocks and color grading, this film is all over the place in terms of tackling intriguing adventures in fun cinematography.  It is certainly a way to keep this film from feeling like it was ever slowing down, and at just over 90 minutes, I do give credit to the film having pretty solid pacing throughout.

I also credit the film for its general level of fun.  Despite many things that could be seen as problems, the film is very much a crowd pleaser.  The actors all get along well, Keitel’s voice over and flashbacks lead to some pretty funny moments, and the overall spirit of the film is breezy enough to not mind the lack of stakes that should be present for characters that are basically facing death in their near futures.  I was also happy to see the film take advantage of its location at and around Niagara Falls.  As the producer pointed out before the screening began, it is not an area that I have seen very often in film, let alone the actual city around the water.

A Beginner’s Guide to Endings is a very serviceable comedy.  I am sorry if that comes off worse than it sounds, but despite its flaws, the film does have a nice charm and energy to it, which makes it worth catching at some point.  There are fun moments and I can always appreciate a cast that has good chemistry.  The story is not exactly fresh, but it does have fun with what it accomplishes, and mixed with the relatively speedy pace and flashy direction, it is enough to have kept me entertained.

What the hell is wrong with this family?

Click on the poster below to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website.  As this was my last screened film for the festival, be sure to find all the Festival reviews I have written at Why So Blu HERE.  One final note, it has been a fun and exhausting week, as I was able to screen many films, meet a lot of good people (filmmakers and others alike), and have a generally wonderful time throughout the festival.  Ideally, I would have written a more in depth article about the festival as a whole, but I just honestly do not have the time to properly assemble an appropriate and substantial article to my liking.  With that in mind, I just want to say thank you to all involved with the festival, as they put on a very solid event that I look forward to attending next year.

Warwick:  You can’t kill me, I’m having a dinner party.

The film begins with John (Clayne Crawford), an injured criminal, currently on the run after dropping off a large sum of money he has stolen in a bank robbery.  As police are currently tracking him down, John needs to get off the streets.  He soon finds himself in front of the home of Warwick (David Hyde Pierce).  Posing as a friend of a friend, John claims to have recently arrived in Los Angeles, but lost his luggage at the airport in the process, and was mugged during his travel, leaving him with only the option of contacting Warwick.  Warwick finds the story convincing enough to let John into his home, despite plans to host a dinner party in an hour’s time.

[Note: Since the film’s theatrical trailer (let alone some of my pictures) gives away a key twist that is revealed early on, I am going to say skip the following paragraph if you really want to stay in the dark on the first surprise.]

Following a few glasses of wine, John and Warwick soon hear about John’s own infamy on the radio, leading to John giving up the act and revealing his true nature to Warwick.  However, Warwick has his own surprise for John, as a reversal is pulled and John finds himself at the mercy of Warwick’s own insane game.  Now trapped inside the house of a sophisticated and fun-loving sociopath, John has now become the featured guest of the night.

Knowing very little about this movie going in, the film pulled the rug out from under me several times, which I appreciated.  Even in the handling of the first twist, which I sort of saw coming, I was still caught off guard in the way that it was handled.  It was not a matter of the film tricking me, but the fact that it was carefully constructed to have me in a certain level of comfort, only to reveal a completely different layer, which I respected the film for.  I have seen similar films use the same kind of setups and reveals, some working better than others, but this film was easily a very good example of how to properly handle key story twists in a small scale thriller.

Also key to this film is the performance by David Hyde Pierce, who does a fantastic job at playing a seriously creepy individual.  He has all the mannerisms and idiosyncrasies of a character that Pierce could be seen playing at any other time, only to add a completely new and, in many ways, terrifying layer to his persona.  Everything he does in this film seems perfectly set to Pierce’s skills as an actor, but this additional aspect does so in a fascinatingly creepy manner.  The way he reveals his true intentions and expresses this other side of himself to the helpless John character is both thrilling and intriguing to watch.

Clayne Crawford is also good in this film.  He has to play a character that we are not too sure about, but cannot help to sympathize with, as he is forced to deal with something much worse than he could have ever imagined.  It also helps that he is given a certain amount of level-headedness that works its way into the story enough to keep things lively between Warwick and himself, without putting the film into territory that feels too ridiculous.  The film also goes to the lengths of incorporating some flashbacks to better establish why John ended up in his predicament, which are well utilized.

Writer/director Nick Tomnay does a solid job at creating a tense ride that keeps you guessing.  The majority of the film is set within Warwick’s house and Tomnay does a great job at keeping the setting fresh throughout.  The way he captures the “out there” quality of Warwick is also effectively handled.  Tomnay must deal with a certain… imaginary aspect to Warwick, which manages to do justice to how we view this character, how he sees things from within his own mind, and how John views everything.  The filmmaking is well handled to match the film’s ambitions.  This keeps the film interesting, adds the darkly comic layer, but also functions to maintain that offbeat layer of tension, which really does a great favor to the film.

The film is short enough that it does not outstay its welcome.  While one may have to forgive a number of conveniences required in order to accept the way things all play out in the end, I think the energy of the film is high enough where it should not really matter.  Along with the initial twist, there are a lot of reveals that pile on towards the end of the film, which managed to not overwhelm what the film was trying to accomplish.  Instead, it becomes a tense journey that continues to challenge its characters and deliver a suitably on edge experience for the audience.

I have failed to mention this for other films, but being that I saw this film at the film festival, it should be noted that a majority of these films won’t actually be hitting regular screens until they find distributors.  The Perfect Host is actually a film that has gone through all the motions and toured around at enough festivals to have found a distributor, which means it will be available OnDemand and in theaters in the near future.  This is good news, as the film is very good.  It creates a very tense atmosphere, while still managing to hit some darkly comic beats.  Best of all, it has David Hyde Pierce showing an all new facet of his talents, which should not be missed.

Warwick:  Is everyone not enjoying themselves?

John:  I can speak for everyone here, but I’m having a great time.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival.

Psychiatrist:  That is an interesting metaphor.

Benno:  No, it is not a metaphor, I am really losing sand.

The film stars Fabian Krüger as Benno, an average, slightly bitter, man who works in a stamp appraisal shop in Switzerland.  Benno also has a taste for music, but cannot stand the woman who owns the coffee shop below his apartment, due to the fact that she constantly practices a one-woman orchestra loudly at nights while he is trying to sleep.  This woman is Sandra (Irene Brügger), whom Benno believes to be untalented and unattractive.

Things take a very odd turn for Benno, who starts to discover a small amount of sand in his home, then at his work, and soon everywhere he goes.  The amount of sand becomes larger, and Benno soon discovers that it is trickling out of him.  Benno eventually finds that his sand has the ability to make people fall asleep instantly, but is more concerned with the dire shape that he soon finds himself in.  As if this were not enough, Benno also finds that every time he falls asleep (due mainly to the sand he inhales), Sandra not only appears in his dreams, but shares the dream within her own mind as well.  The two of them will have to figure out the meaning of all of this together, if Benno wants to try and keep himself in one piece, opposed to millions.

The vibe I got from this film was akin to a romantic/fantasy comedy like Defending Your Life in the way that this film gets by mainly due to the charm and energy from the characters and how they respond to what the premise gives them to work with.  I was also reminded of a film like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; in the way this film has been practically made, with some minor digital touches, in an effort to better convey a strong visual storytelling element.  There is also a bit of meanness that echoes the tone of Eternal Sunshine, but without ever becoming something more extreme than it needs to be.

Present at the screening was the writer/producer/director, Peter Luisi, who explained how this film was essentially a remake of his own short film school assignment, where he was tasked with making a film that had no dialogue.  I can see how this would have worked for that project, as the film uses sand as a very clever device.  It is a great kind of substance to visually portray on screen in relation to the dilemma of the characters, while also suggesting many deeper themes and motifs that relate to them.  Given that Luisi has now made a full length feature, his talents as a writer have continued to payoff, as I really enjoyed the way the story played itself out, now adding dialogue as well.

His characters are a lot of fun, with a good handle on keeping the comedic aspect alive throughout, while settling into some of the more emotional elements later on.  Both lead actors are quite good, sharing a nice sense of chemistry, which can be credited to them and the script as well.  Krüger as Benno, in particular, does a fine job at creating a character who we are not supposed to initially be fond of, but must evolve to liking him as the film goes along and he gets himself into more dire straits.  He also handles physical comedy quite well.  The way Benno handles all of the sand manages to be funny and engaging, while also presenting a dramatic side to his unfortunate dilemma, as time goes on.

The filmmaking is quite solid throughout.  While the film does move along a bit slowly towards the middle, I was engaged enough with the story and characters enough to not mind so much.  It helps that the film stretches its budget (always the nature of independent films) to work out a convincing way to show a character who is constantly spilling sand from within himself.  It becomes this hilarious burden that is used effectively enough to enhance the comedy and the drama when needed.  As Benno starts to suffer a bit more later on in the film, Luisi and his crew also finds ways to have enough fun with camera tricks and editing techniques to continue to create effective ways of showing off the fantasy angle.  There is an effective soundtrack within the film as well, which manages to actually link itself into the story in a neat way.

It is nice to be seeing so many wonderful films at the festival.  I was once again highly entertained during this screening, which is one of the things I usually hope for.  Der Sandmann is a very charming film that is funny, engaging, and well put together.  It also has a sweetness to it, which I think should be able to balance out the strangeness that some may find in its premise.  I embrace the strange, however, so to me, I was pleased to find a romantic comedy that manages to be different from the usual blandness and create a unique premise that is fully realized and adds to the visual sense of a film.  Very entertaining, creative, and thoughtful.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival.

Frisbee:  They don’t call him “Sweet JP” for nothin’.

The film is set in the distant future.  While technology has advanced far enough that everyone now rides on various types of airborne vehicles, there are still those who love to drive and race with cars, as modified and destructive as they now may be.  Every five years a race known as Redline takes place, which is the toughest and most destructive underground car race in the universe.  The most elite drivers must earn spots to compete in what becomes a winner-takes-all race to the finish.  There are no real rules to the actual race, which means anything goes when it comes to foul play.

The hero of this story is a man named JP (voiced by Takuya Kimura).  JP is a bad boy-type; a reckless driver, fitted with piercings, leather jacket, and a large duck haircut.  He has a past history of working with his best friend and mechanic, Frisbee, to participate in races that have been fixed, so the two can contribute and get paid off by the mob.  Having just gotten out of prison for fixing races and then participating in another race (which ended in a spectacular crash), JP soon finds that his racing skills still managed to have garnered him a spot in the next Redline race.

Problems for JP escalate further, as the Redline race is set to take place on a planet known as Roboworld.  Since the race seems to happen anywhere that is decided on, Roboworld is not pleased with the idea of tons of media coverage showing off what is apparently a secretive military zone.  Regardless, the race must go on and JP is right in the middle of all of this.  He soon meets all of the other racers as well, including a girl he knew from his younger days, Sanosee (voiced by Yu Aoi), who is one of the favorites to win.  With threats coming from the Roboworld leaders, the mafia, and the other racers, it is going to be one hell of a battle to win an extreme race with no rules.

This film is tons of fun.  It is an assault on the senses, in a very good way.  There is so much life and energy dedicated to the making of this feature.  This is director Takeshi Koike’s first full length feature film, which has taken him seven years to complete, but it was all worth it, as he and his loyal crew have pulled off such a wonderful job of making a fantastically ridiculous racing action film.

Redline plays lot like a fully animated comic book, with various homages made to many talented filmmakers, such as Tarantino or Edgar Wright in the way some of the manic energy comes across.  Many films come to mind when thinking about how this film stacks up to other similar features.  One can easily place this film alongside say Speed Racer or the pod-racing sequence in Star Wars: Episode 1, as well as a film like Death Race 2000.  Gamers may even be reminded of the F-Zero racing series when watching or reading about this film.  All of these references speak to just the kind of tone this film is going for, which is one that suggests a high speed roller-coaster of fun.

The story has the advantage of presenting something quite simple, despite all of the abstract elements that I will speak more about in a bit.  It has a standard story structure that is very easy to get into.  You follow one racer, and watch as he interacts with the others, reflects on his own experiences, and becomes involved in the crazy, climatic race.  What certainly helps is how the film is incredibly self aware and does not try to take itself seriously.  Redline knows exactly what kind of film it is, providing plenty of mocking takes on the way some of the characters have been designed, the use of standard clichés that involve some of the characters, the way the music enters into play, and in other various ways that one would see as quite familiar for an anime feature.  The key is how well the film manages to play off these aspects as incredibly funny without ever seeming to break its incredibly fun spirit.  The film is in on the joke, but it cares enough about its story and characters to maintain a proper balance.

As far as the more abstract elements go, speaking as a person who has enjoyed his fair share of anime, but is in no way an expert, I can say that this film falls in line with the type of anime that I can appreciate due to how generally approachable it would seem to be.  The film thrusts you into this world, which features a variety of different species, with almost no setup, yet I feel one can quickly come aboard with the universe that this film is presenting.  As it goes on, there are some of those more bizarre elements, which involve how to measure what the stakes are when opponents keep becoming larger and characters seem to be taking a beating, yet continue, let alone become stronger.  The fact that the film has a purposeful nature in embracing how over-the-top it is certainly helped in not taking away from my experience by becoming too weird for my tastes.  On the contrary, I was engaged throughout and loved all of the details that made this world and these characters come to life.

The animation by the Madhouse animation studio is wonderful.  Working heavily with bright colors and not afraid of backing off from elaborate racing and action sequences, this film is a product of what I can only assume was thousands of hours of work.  The film used over 100,000 handmade drawings, mixed with the use of computer animation, and it has all worked itself out to become this wonderfully crazy full length feature.  Additionally, The various character designs were all interesting and handled well enough to create distinct personalities, including the supporting ones.  The designs for the different racing models fall into a similar regard.  The film has a great soundtrack as well, with beats that exemplify the energy that this film has and how much fun it is to watch.

Redline was just a joy to watch from start to finish.  It is easily a film that I would have no qualms with purchasing on Blu-ray whenever it hopefully makes its official entrance into the U.S. for all audiences to experience, because there is no other way I would wish to see this wonderfully animated film again, unless it would be on another big screen.  I know it must have been a positive experience, when I feel like I would not mind seeing spin off films for many of the supporting characters from within this universe as well.  The whole film seemed to have me on a rocket that let me blast off along an exciting race track full of color, fun, humor, and plenty of excitement from start to the finish line.

Click on the poster to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website, and be sure to check back to Why So Blu throughout the week for more of my coverage of the festival.

Watch the trailer for Redline here: