Weekly Links

For some bizarre reason I've been forgetting to check out links or save them, so I didn't have this ready for last week. This week, as usual, there are lots of lists (I liked the Girl Power flicks, and Best Date Movies), an interesting interview with Robert Downey, Jr., a couple tidbits for Joss Whedon fans, and an odd article debating the need for popcorn in theaters.

• New British Invasion: Hollywood's Most Sought-After Actors
• 28 Essential Girl Power Flicks
• Robert Downey Jr.: The Man Who Wasn't There
• 14 Movie Franchises That Should Stop
• Fan Rant: Movie Games
• Hollywood Gets Lost in Translation
• Top 10 Worst Sidekicks
• 18 Movie Clowns
• First Look at The Road
• What Would Don Draper Do?
• TV's 21 Sexiest Scenes, As Picked by Fans
• Talking with Stars of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
• A Film Series From on High
• Joss Whedon Talks About his Batman Movie That Never Was
• The 20 Best Date Movies Ever
• Bernie Mac's 10 Most Hilarious Moments
• NPR Talks Movie Curses
• Serenity Continues it's Voyage Online
• Cars that became Movie Stars
• From Subway Worker to Hollywood Screenwriter
• 11 Most Bizarre Tarantino Moments
• Would Banning Popcorn make Cinemas Better?
  

What Were They Thinking???

• In a shrewd, greed-driven move, Warner Brothers has set back the release date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (originally intended for this November 18) to next July 17. WTF!!! It would be one thing if the film were unfinished, but this ploy is purely to take advantage of the perceived movie drought next summer enabled by the recent writer's strike. This news was announced yesterday and today the Fall Movie Preview edition of Entertainment Weekly arrived at my door with a huge Harry Potter mug on the cover and a generous story inside. Great timing, Warner Brothers. At least now I know why you took so long to release the teaser trailer. If this affects the intended fall release date for The Deathly Hallows, Part One (the seventh film, due in fall 2010) or Part Two (due in summer 2011), heads will roll!
• Ever since I saw the first trailer for Beverly Hills Chihuahua I couldn't believe it was real. Those shamelessly pandering "Yo quiero Taco Bell" ads were occasionally cute, but do I really want to see an entire film about a talking chihuahua that acts like Paris Hilton's dog? No. So you can understand why is was disheartening to learn that Drew Barrymore is one of the leading voice talents on the film. Oh, Drew, why? I know she is occasionally too cute for comfort, but she seems like a genuinely sweet girl with a decent head on her shoulders, is one of the few big child star to movie mogul success stories out there, and the kind of girl it might be nice to have as a friend. (Am I projecting here? Maybe?) But there was no need for her to voice a chihuahua named Chloe! That's over the line, Ms. Barrymore!
• TNT's been running previews for it's new Law & Order clone franchise, "Raising the Bar" with star Mark-Paul Gosselaar. And his hair. Which requires it's own incomplete sentence because it is so heinous. Buddy, I know it's probably been tough to get away from your excellent altar ego, Zach Morris, and his ever-bleached blonde hair, but you've already gone brunette and put in 3 successful seasons on "NYPD Blue"; there was no need to grow a Tarzan-like coif for the role of a lawyer! Or is he a hippie lawyer? Works for the ACLU? Renegade, fighting the system troublemaker? Still - that hair must go if you plan on any of your former fans following you to TNT. This is just not gonna cut it.

Who I Love Right Now

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS

Said it before and I'll say it again - just watched Martin Scorcese's The Age of Innocence (though I watched it on youtube, which can't be a fair representation of his work) and Daniel Day-Lewis rocked in it!!! Honestly, the man rocks in everything he does because he is one of the best actors of his generation, goes completely method, living-in-the-part for every single one of his roles, and chooses characters carefully, on average only making one film every 2 years.

So why am I gushing about his now instead of 6 months ago when he won every conceivable acting award for his performance in There Will Be Blood and accepted them all with unparalleled graciousness (even giving George Clooney a kiss on the head at the Oscars)? Because I recently watched, and remembered, how much I freaking love him in Last of the Mohicans, a movie I can't believe didn't make my top 100 (and will need to be rectified immediately). I also watched My Beautiful Laundrette (also on youtube), one of the two films responsible for announcing his arrival on the scene in 1985. And of course, The Age of Innocence (have I mentioned that yet?) And watching all of these films within a 7-day period really drives home what an amazing actor he is. Each of these characters has a completely different accent, physicality, and emotional bearing, and yet they were all portrayed flawlessly. Freaking love this man! (And did you know he is married to Rebecca Miller, daughter of playwright Arthur Miller, whom he met when he starred in an adaptation of her father's play The Crucible in 1996? These are the things to know!)


JOHNNY DEPP

Yes, it's a twofer this time (look for that again in "What I Love Right Now", coming next week!) But just as I have rediscovered Daniel Day-Lewis by watching some of his older work, I also rediscovered Johnny Depp by watching Benny & Joon, What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Edward Scissorhands all on the same day. It was a work out. The truth is, I watch the majority of these films for the commentaries (another thing I love right now) but then rewatched the films without the commentaries immediately after because I had forgotten how much I love them. Benny & Joon especially I hadn't watched in years. It's one of Depp's best performances actually, and he precisely imitates an entire range of Buster Keaton gags, yet makes it his own without the character's emotional truth having to rest on these physical expressions. He's just so vulnerable and lovably odd in this movie. And to follow that with his wonderfully nuanced, ordinary, (and again, vulnerable), portrayal of Gilbert was very impressive. Also one of the best actors of his generation, it's not like this is news to anyone - everyone knows Depp is a great actor who specializes in oddballs - but it is fun to go back and rediscover an actor's work.

If I Owned a Drive-In...

I couldn't escape this idea when compiling by Movie Theater list, so I decided not to limit myself. I've actually thought much longer and harder about owning my own drive-in than about owning my own theater. For those not blessed to grow up with a drive-in within easy driving distance, I pity you. There was no greater summer ritual in my house than the monthly (sometimes weekly) trips to the drive-in.


Unlike a theater experience, where you see only one film, usually have to buy the treats there, and have to abide by rules of theater-going conduct, the drive-in was so much more relaxed. You could buy a pizza before hopping in. You could bring chairs and pillows and blankets and stuffed animals and make a regular fort of the back seat. You could laugh and talk and question out loud, and even fall asleep during the second feature if you were tired. Because of these endless and unique attractions, it honestly didn't make much difference what movies were playing.

Sure, there were double features I didn't care to see, but had I gone with the right people and the right snacks, I don't think I would have minded. Plus, as the drive-ins are great excursions for families, they played lots of cartoons, young adult adventures, and even most of the adult films weren't rated more than PG-13. So, fun for everyone.


In addition to these myriad attractions, drive-ins also offered a special training I think the world is occasionally in dire need of - the "You let me in, I let one it, you let one in, etc," car shuffle. In my residential drive-in, the only exit was in the back left corner. In order to reach it, each row of cars had to file out on the left aisle. Obviously, as we were all headed there at the same time, some etiquette was required. The way my dad and I always played it was 1) patiently wait your turn. 2) the cars in the aisle should each stop as they file out to left at least one car from a row in. 3) after you have been allowed into the aisle, let the car waiting at the end of the next row in. 4) the car you just let in should let in a car at the next row. 5) you should also continue to let in a new car ever couple of rows to increase traffic flow, and be kind. I have borne witness to a great deal of parking lot clusterfucks that would have greatly benefited from following the drive-in exit strategy. If you are kind and let someone out, they should pass on the favor and you should benefit as well. That's how I see it.

Sadly the drive-in in my area has been scraped in favor of a Super Wal-Mart because the owners retired and there were no buyers. I imagine that if I were to ever own a drive-in (I'm mightily tempted, you should know) it would require the purchase of a large piece of land, and it would probably be smart to have my house on the same property, though far enough away to avoid too much noise. And since I wouldn't want to operate the thing every night, I would have to hire snack shop employees, and security staff. Ick, business. I'm not fond of that. But I think it would be worth it to preserve such a fabulous experience.

So I imagined, if I owned a drive-in for 1 month, what would I play? This is what I came up with, and it's entirely based on what I'm really feeling at the moment.

WEEKEND #1:The Brave Little Toaster is a great movie not associated with Disney, and with a fairly creative concept (the heroes are all household objects left behind) that sometimes is really creepy (their showdown with more modern appliances is eerie). It's one I've always loved but haven't watches in a long time. For the second feature, Back to the Future is just one of those movies that everyone can enjoy, it's still light enough for the whole family, and I think would make this an excellent double feature.


WEEKEND #2:I think I've said it before, but it bears repeating - I love '80's teen movies. This one isn't even from John Hughes, but features Corey Haim in probably his best performance, as well as pre-crazy Charlie Sheen as football quarterback Cappie. Most of the plot points are fairly prosaic (Lucas is an outsider who joins the football team to get a girl) but the individual moments and outcomes are not. And I thought that shifting from this fairly pleasant experience to Scream would be nice and jarring. They fit together in that they both take place in high school, but are obviously very different. At this point, most people who like Scream know it so well it would be the perfect drive-in movie, to quote along with outloud, to ignore if you prefer more amorous pursuits, and since you know everything that happens, if it's occasionally too dark to see, you'll still be able to follow. Plus, don't horror movies and drive-ins just belong together?


WEEKEND #3:Spirited Away is a foreign animated film, but it's bright, completely unique, and the dubbed version is pretty well-done, so it would be watchable without the subtitles (which tends to be the problem with showing foreign films at drive-ins.) I think kids would love it! And for the second feature, Jurassic Park for the grown-ups. Again, well known so okay in the dark scenes, engaging and exciting, and the suspense again makes it perfect for the drive-in.


WEEKEND #4:
This one is totally just what I would want to see. I love Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and think it would be a riot to watch at a drive-in with my own family some day. I suppose I have some lingering nostalgic connections to that movie. And having it followed with Sixteen Candles was a no-brainer. It's actually decently risque in terms of language and nudity, but still sweet, with enough action and jokes to keep everyone engaged. Plus it has that perfect ending. As with some of my movie theater choices, this is just a film that I would love to see at the drive-in.

New Blog!

Found this blog a few weeks ago and it has been consistently cracking me up ever since. Entitled the FAIL BLOG it compiles pictures and videos sent in from readers to show examples of signs, buses, advertising, packaging and other basic things not accomplishing what they set out to do, hence FAILING! (Like a sign that reads "Open 25 Hours" - obviously a big fail!)

So far my favorite has been this little excerpt taken from a forum page where a poster with the heading "book rental service?" wrote this:

"was just thinking, my sister does -alot- of reading, and spends like $1000 a year on just books alone, most of them she reads once then never looks at again, is there any kind of like....video rental store but for books? would make things alot cheaper, plus once one person has read one the next person can get enjoyment from it etc"

I was laughing over this one for days.

This blog is now listed in my links in case you ever wanna check it out. It should provide ample chuckles, especially in the middle of a boring work day. Enjoy!

If I Owned A Theater...

Not surprisingly, I'm sure, this has always been a fantasy of mine. What it would be like to own and operate a theater in a small to midsize town, and play a roster of films that are not mainstream. Art-house theaters can be the most fun to attend, even if the seating is cramped and they lack stadium style steps, but the people there take the movies seriously and aren't just out for a loud action romp. But what would be really fun is playing older movies as well as new independent releases. I saw Taxi Driver for the first time at the Bijou theater in Eugene and I'm sure the experience was greatly enhanced by seeing it on a big screen. Likewise, I would love to have Hitchcock weekends, or John Hughes retrospectives - replay all the films I missed in theaters when I was in diapers and not born.

I came across this idea on another blog (again, not a surprise) where movie bloggers "Tag" each other. The challenge is to come up with 12 movies you would play over 6 days, if you owned a theater. I'm not sure why 12 or why only 6 days, but that's the way this idea's been set up, so I'll play along. I'm assuming the theater is a one-screen kinda deal, so most of my picks can play as double features if so desired.


TUESDAY:Obviously the theme is foreign films. Both of these are pretty well known, but they're two of my favorites. I didn't see Amelie until it was on video, but the color palette and camera style would be so enchanting in a theater. The Lives of Others is the film that beat Pan's Labyrinth for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars in 2006, but it's such an engaging, well-crafted drama that I wish more people I know had seen.


WEDNESDAY:Both of these are smaller films, unseen by many. Dear Frankie is about a young deaf boy who writes to his absentee father, not knowing that it is his mother who writes him back. The kid who plays Frankie (Jack McElhone) is just incredible, and the movie just gives me the warm fuzzies all over, without being condescending. Me and You and Everyone We Know is one of the films on my "need to watch alone" list because I could imagine it being really awkward to see with an audience, especially one that's not open to slightly controversial takes on subject matter. But I've been watching it so much lately and have just fallen in love with it. It's so unique and also leaves me with a positive, hopeful feeling I think others, however few, would also feel.


THURSDAY:
Musical Day! I could have picked Moulin Rouge (God knows I was tempted) but thought I'd go with something old, Top Hat - a classic pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and Across the Universe, which is just too much visual fun to not see it in a theater.


FRIDAY:I was going to go with a horror night, but there weren't enough "off-the-beaten-path" horror movies that I've seen and would recommend. But I do love being scared. So I chose the lesser-known Hitchcock film with a great villain, Strangers on a Train, and the classic horror film ending of Carrie, even if the first hour of the movie isn't all that terrifying.


SATURDAY:This trifecta would really just tickle me pink. None are films I saw in the theater, all are action-adventure films I love that hold my interest on every viewing, and they would make a great triple feature. Personally, I prefer Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to Raiders, but it's the classic, and I did already see Crusade in the theater (when I was freaking 9! - terrified me! Thanks a lot mom and dad!) Romancing the Stone and Last of the Mohicans are just the perfect blend of romance and action for me. (Plus I've been in this extreme Daniel Day-Lewis phase lately - Scorcese's The Age of Innocence is fantastic!)


SUNDAY:
This is why I could get away with three films on Saturday. This 4-hour epic will only be able to fit in 2 or 3 showings in one day. I know it's well-known and overhyped, but it's huge and grand and technicolor and I really want to see it on a theater screen. I never have and I can only imagine how much more beautiful and powerful it is when it's surrounding you.

Waiting for the "Harry Potter" teaser trailer

I have been diligently waiting for the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince trailer to arrive in theaters and on the Internet (do we still need to capitalize 'internet'?) all summer. You'd think that a big movie coming out on November 18th (that's only 4 months away) would have seen fit to release a trailer at some point earlier this summer. But, though the rumors kept popping up that it would be before Iron Man, then Prince Caspian, then The Dark Knight, the much anticipated trailer never appeared - not even the teaser trailer! I knew this because I routinely checked IMDb waiting for the fanboys to go nuts with post headings like "OMG - THE TRAILER IS HERE!!!!!" And still it did not come.

I know the Harry Potter franchise has enough of a following that they don't need to release trailers for it's sequels a year in advance to generate buzz. But if I see trailers for next Christmas's The Duchess in February, I feel entitled to 60 seconds of Harry Potter previews in May, June at the latest. The teaser for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was seen a full summer before it's intended release.

So I went out of town for 3 days this week, and when I checked all my blogs upon returning, there it was! Yay! There's nary a scene of Ron (my personal favorite) and not even much Harry; rather the teaser focuses on Dumbledore, the Horcruxes, and a memory of a young Voldemort. It's great, totally creepy, and so encouraging to see that the film will be taking those memories seriously.