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July 2007
Like my pal Bob Longino says, see ‘Bourne’ this weekend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s my indubitable list of what matters most among new movies this weekend:
1. “The Bourne Ultimatum.” What? Are you stupid? Go see it. It’s the best movie of the summer. AJC’s Bob Longino says so. So do I.
2. “Becoming Jane.” Not quite what Jane Austen would have written herself and we’d much rather see Anne Hathaway in those long-legged “The Devil Wears Prada” boots.
3. “El Cantante.” J-Lo and M-Ant in “Gigli, Part Deux.”
4. “Hot Rod.” Can’t say I’ve seen it, but some of star Andy Samberg’s “Saturday Night Live” music video skits have been hysterical.
5. “Bratz.” Wake me when it’s over. And if not, then kill me now.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Brace yourself for ‘Bourne Ultimatum’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Moviegoers can take the title “The Bourne Ultimatum” quite literally — it is maximum action, demanding of attention and, if you like spy movies, probably the film of the summer.
Granted, I like both of Matt Damon’s earlier “Bourne” movies. Like with the second film, “The Bourne Supremacy,” this one is directed by Brit Paul Greengrass, a most deserving Oscar nominee earlier this year for the gripping, you-are-there “United 93.”
He’s applied the same principles he used in “United” to “Ultimatum,” which officially debuts in theaters on Friday but also has late-night screenings available to the paying public on Thursday.
Get ready to hold onto your seat. The action is blistering, comes in orchestrated waves and culminates in what our spy Jason Bourne’s been after all along — the truth behind who he is, why he was a killer for U.S. intelligence and who’s responsible for everything that’s happened to him.
Of course, it would always help if a moviegoer had seen the first two movies, but enough information is parceled out that, not long into the movie, anyone should be able to discern what is happening and why.
As of Tuesday night, the film had a 94 percent approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com overall and 100 percent approval from “cream-of-the-crop” critics.
Here’s much of what fans will be talking about after “Ultimatum” opens:
The pacing: This film is frenetic and finely tuned. The action builds in ever increasing waves — foot races become motorcycle chases that become car chases — with welcome, time-to-breathe pauses between each. And they’re punctuated with background music of staccato violins and percussion that builds and builds, creating tension and complementing the action. The storyline also hops between a heady number of places — Moscow; Langley, Va.; Turin, Italy; Paris; London; New York, Madrid and Tangier, Morocco.
The fights: They’re plentiful and involve blistering hand-to-hand combat between Bourne and various police and espionage agents in several countries. The ultimate fisticuff fray occurs in Tangier.
The camera: The visuals are freewheeling with ample use of hand-held cameras. It can make a moviegoer dizzy. But while the action is frenzied, there is consistently just enough visual connection to realize exactly what is happening.
The cast: New faces include David Strathairn, Scott Glenn and Albert Finney as U.S. feds and Paddy Considine as a reporter for England’s The Guardian. Returning with Damon are Julia Stiles and Joan Allen.
(Click here to view photos from the premiere of “The Bourne Ultimatum.”)
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Bob Longino
J-Lo and her hubby-from-the-block in ‘El Cantante’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
J-Lo is up front and center in the new movie “El Cantante,” which translates to the singer and is about the adult life of popular salsa swinger Hector Lavoe, played by her hubby-from-the-block Marc Anthony.
Seems odd doesn’t it? After all the story is about his character.
But the movie, which opens nationwide on Friday, is clearly focused on Jennifer Lopez. She gets a series of scenes before we even see M-Ant.
You make the call whether this drug-laden, performance-happy, love-bites melodrama is “Gigli: The Musical.” I just know Lopez, who plays Lavoe’s firecracker wife Puchi in “El Cantante,” has been needing a good movie with her name on it for quite some time. I’ll be surprised if this is it.
Here’s what salsa fans and moviegoers will most likely be talking about after “El Cantante” opens:
The music: It’s frequent, energetic and involving. Among the songs Anthony sings: “Que Lio,” “Aquanile,” Escandalo” and, of course, “El Cantante.” Almost all the performance songs are accompanied by large subtitles that traverse the screen.
Puchi coochie coo: Lopez takes her role and acts like she’s Barbra Streisand in “The Way We Were.” Songs sung by Anthony suddenly seem to focus on her. She gets the most emotional breakdown scenes. She consistently appears in impeccable makeup and and a variety of hairstyles. Moviegoers will note one very revealing dress that sets off a family argument about her faithfulness.
The slo-mo: Director Leon Ichaso has a habit of throwing in brief, slow-motion moments in almost every scene. After a family argument, there’s slo-mo on Lopez’s face as she rubs her eyes. Just before his character does a bit of coke, there’s slo-mo of Anthony as he’s seated in his car. There’s slo-mo of Lopez stroking his hair, slo-mo at a party, slo-mo onstage, slo-mo in a bubble bath.
The drugs: Hector and Puchi share an obsession not only for each other but for coke. He goes heavy on the heroin.
The language: Lopez utters the first f-word. And the four-letter words erupt from there from time to time. The movie is Rated R mainly for the drug use and profanity.
(Click here to view photos from the Puerto Rico premiere of “El Cantante.”)
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Bob Longino
Reasons to love ‘The Simpsons Movie’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I have a distinct preference for “The Simpsons” of long ago — as in seasons four and five especially.
So while ye masses might embrace “The Simpsons Movie” a little tighter than myself, there are still many things in the big-screen version that I liked. Such as:
1. Homer’s Marriott military uniform. The epaulets certainly “made” the disguise.
2. Maggie. We have long been led to believe that Lisa is the brightest bulb in Simpsondom, but clearly little Maggie’s got everyone’s number.
3. Spider-Pig. Well, I thought it was funny the first time I saw it in a preview with Homer singing his “Spider-Pig” song. Then the marketing campaign ran the whole bit into the ground. It got so bad, the song was used in radio ads. Why would anyone in his or her right mind separate a joke’s visuals from its audio? Bizarre.
Assuming you liked “The Simpsons Movie,” which parts did you find most funny? By the way, I saw the whole movie and I don’t recall seeing much of Patty and Selma. Did I just miss them? And while there might have been a wee too much Ned Flanders in the film, certainly there were other aspects you appreciated.
Permalink | Comments (22) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Lohan and a few other worthless movie celebs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At a Cobb County theater on Saturday, I walked right up to the box office and spoke these very words: “I need a ticket for the Lindsay Lohan c..ptacular.”
The ticket guy obliged immediately with a single admission for “I Know Who Killed Me.”
The movie is worse than you can possibly imagine. It begins with Lohan writhing on a stripper pole and, as horror movies do, ends in a blood bath based on an absolutely preposterous plot setup.
Lohan walks around in this movie (or really hobbles) minus one right hand and one right leg because she apparently has been sliced and diced by a serial killer.
This does not prevent her from having sex with a high school boyfriend. She dons a battery-operated prosthetic hand and prosthetic leg for this act, which she performs with as much relish as she does the many scenes in which she smokes cigarettes.
Clearly with “I Know Who Killed Me,” which is possibly the worst movie I’ve seen in 2007 and all of 2006, 2005 and 2004 and beyond, Miss Lohan is earning drinking money.
As an out-of-control movie star in constant DUI trouble, she is on the verge of … well, let’s be precise here … she has deep-sixed any chance at a credible screen career.
Why we pay attention to this young woman is beyond me — though it’s clear from the audience that attended the same screening of “I Know Who Killed Me” as I did, several were there to watch her spread her legs on the dance floor.
Miss Lohan, in my esteemed view, is a Hollywood liability, a young woman no longer in need of attention because she’s blown every single chance she’s had.
There are many like her in Hollywood — brazen lunatics who somehow believe what they do and say and how they act matters.
She’s the queen of the ridiculous. Britney, Nicole and Paris pale in comparison.
But, sadly, Lohan’s not alone.
Here are a few other movie celebs who’ve overstayed their welcome:
Cuba Gooding Jr. He may have an Oscar but he’s a rude, selfish individual ( I know; I’ve stood right next to him) who deserves to have to make sad comedies like “Boat Trip” and the upcoming “Daddy Day Care.”
Renee Zellweger. May she squint those eyes of hers forever. She treats people rudely. Only the truly self-absorbed cancel a scheduled interview minutes before it is to begin.
Gwyneth Paltrow. Why does this American woman speak as though she is British? And why does she continuously walk by the print press, ignoring them on red carpets like she would rather be any other place on Earth? You know what? You haven’t had a good movie since the 1990s.
Which movie stars bother you? Who acts bigger than they should? Brad Pitt?
Permalink | Comments (66) | Categories: Alan Smithee
‘Why Do Black Men Date White Women?’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First-time filmmaker Erik Gordon looked into the faces of a full crowd of mostly African American females and said exactly what I would have said if I had made his movie, “Why Do Black Men Date White Women?”
“Please,” he told the crowd, “don’t attack me!”
Fortunately, nobody did. Not physically.
Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of films that have played at the National Black Arts Festival’s Pan African Film Festival. Movies about Mozambique and Ghana, soul-searching documentaries and soul-wrenching dramas (certainly, this year’s violent and gripping “A Goat’s Tail” comes to mind).
But by its title alone, Gordon’s film, shown on Friday at the High Museum of Art’s Hill Auditorium, seemed like a no-brainer must-see. He dares to look at a cultural reality that while not exactly prominent, certainly does exist and makes us ask who are we and why are we the way we are.
What Gordon did was to take a camera through various parts of Atlanta, thrust it into people’s faces and boldly ask them the title’s question.
What did we learn from his film?
1. Several people say black women are independent, strong and intimidating. When approached in a club, one man says, black women are immediately defensive. Let’s quote him quoting them immediately after his pickup line: “‘Why the hell are you talking to me?’”
2. White women, one man says, will ask you if you want a massage. “Sisters,” he says, “don’t ask you nothing. They want to know how much money you got.”
3. “White women,” one astute young man voices, “will get up after sex and make you a sandwich.”
Good point.
I don’t know that Gordon, who attended college in Atlanta and lives in California, found definitive answers we can rely upon. Some of the reactions he got cannot be revealed on a family newspaper’s website. But you know what I am talking about.
The ultimate point, he says, was to get dialogue started.
So, what do you think? Why do some black men date white women? Is it relevant? Does it matter? Shouldn’t people date whomever they want?
Permalink | Comments (463) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Nobody changes my mind (except one stoned dude)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
My brother and I disagreed about the movie “Little Miss Sunshine.” I really liked the family and their different characters. My brother didn’t care for the movie and did not believe there could really be a family like the one portrayed.
Do you ever let others influence your review?
BARBARA PATE, Lawrenceville
Dear Your Brother Knows Nothing,
Unfortunately, we are all subject to outside influences.
I clearly recall not being too taken with “Star Wars” the first time I was able to see it in 1977. The problem had nothing to do with the film. It had everything to do with the stoned-out-of-his-gourd young gentleman (let’s call him “Goo Goo G’Joob”) who was seated to my immediate right.
The film began, the scripted scroll began to scroll and Mr. G’Joob uttered his first “Wow!”
Not a quick “wow” but something like “wooow,” lasting four seconds.
Every time a space ship appeared: “Wooow!” Each time a light saber ignited: “Wooow!” Every time Darth Vader heavily breathed a word: “Wooow!”
So I didn’t actually appreciate “Star Wars” until “The Empire Strikes Back.”
There are specific critics (well, probably two or three) I trust and if I find I don’t feel about a movie the way they do, I will think long and hard about it.
I’ve been known on several occasions to see a movie a couple of times in order to solidify my thoughts.
But if I really, really love and respect a movie, nobody’s going to change my mind about it.
Not ever.
ALAN
P.S. You get an “Evening” towel and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
It seems like there are a lot of popular movies that just aren’t very good. Some did well at the box office (like “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”) despite their lack of quality. Others, like the original “Godzilla” (with the ridiculous Raymond Burr inserts) and the “Rocky” sequels (which I personally love but must admit lack orginality and artistic quality), have been seen by seemingly everyone.
What is your pick for the most popular “bad” movie of all time?
EDDIE NOVAK, Beavercreek, Ohio
Dear Poor Pretty Eddie,
What? I only get one?
Eddie, there’s not enough room to list all the popular bad movies.
And, like many people, my selection would depend on my mood.
What would likely top my list is “Forrest Gump.”
My close seconds would include “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “The English Patient,” the first two “Harry Potter” movies, the “Shrek” movies, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” the “Mission: Impossible” movies and the 1990s “Mummy” franchise. Oh, and “Grease.” All that’s just for starters.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Rocky Balboa” cup and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
I have finally seen one of America’s classic films, “The Deer Hunter.” Sadly, I was unimpressed. I felt the movie was too long and had some missing plot points — like who was the real father of Angela’s baby and what the heck was Michael doing in the Russian roulette gambling den after his ordeal? I like a good character development story like the next guy but I think I missed the boat on “Deer Hunter” and “The English Patient.”
MARION WALKER, JR., McDonough
Dear Batting .500,
You are so right. “The English Patient” is awful.
You are so wrong. “The Deer Hunter” is a fine film.
There have been Internet reports in the United Kingdom that director Michael Cimino says on a special edition DVD commentary track that Nick (Christopher Walken) is the father of Angela’s baby. Which not only would explain some of Nick’s actions but adds quite a bit of depth to the friendships being depicted.
And one must realize that in the film, Michael (Robert De Niro) returns to the roulette game to try and get his best friend Nick to mentally wake up and come home.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Harry Potter” T-shirt and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. SMITHEE?
E-mail him at alansmithee@ajc.com or go to accessAtlanta.com and click on Movies. Please include your name, city and daytime phone number. Mr. Smithee can’t reply to every request, but inquiries chosen for publication will receive movie-related prizes.
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‘Simpsons’ lead this weekend’s movie checklist
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are at least nine new movies debuting this weekend. Here’s my indubitable list of what matters most:
1. “The Simpsons Movie.” Very familiar, sometimes funny big-screen version and something we should all agree should’ve been better.
2. “No Reservations.” She’s a chef, he’s a chef. They argue and cook while the romantic-minded in the audience go, “Aww.”
3. “Sunshine.” Starts off as decent sci-fi thriller with astronauts heading for the sun and then implodes into a kind of slow-walking mummy dumbtacular.
4. “Black Sheep.” Bah-bah bloody, disgusting violence-of-the-lambs horror from New Zealand … in full color.
5. “Who’s Your Caddy?” Atlanta’s Big Boi takes a swing at his own kind of “Caddyshack.”
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‘No Reservations’ and its recipe for romance
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hollywood’s latest let’s-eat enterprise “No Reservations,” starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart and a lineup of intricately prepared dishes, is up against a formidable legacy of great food movies — “Babette’s Feast,” “Eat, Drink, Man, Woman,” “Big Night.” Even “Mostly Martha,” the German restaurant and relationship film on which “No Reservations” is based.
Metro Atlanta audiences have an affinity for romantic comedies and this newest food movie, with Zeta-Jones and Eckhart as dueling and dating chefs and opening in theaters on Friday, stresses both, especially the romance. Like in “Martha,” there are blind taste testings of sumptuous sauces that exude sex with a minimum of physicality.
Here are other aspects of “No Reservations” that audiences will likely be talking about:
The food: There’s much dialogue about and much preparation of scallops, quail, sea bass, expensive truffles, tiramisu and, especially, creme brulee.
The music: Eckhart’s lover-of-everything-Italian chef turns up opera music when he cooks and when he romances. We hear “Turandot’s” Nessun Dorma, a “Madame Butterfly” aria and more.
Abigail Breslin: The little “Little Miss Sunshine” actress plays Zeta-Jones’ niece who must come live with her after her mother dies in a car crash. In “No Reservations,” Breslin helps lead her emotionally uptight aunt toward more fulfilling relationships.
The kitchen: Like in “Ratatouille,” there are many scenes inside a bustling, big-city restaurant that conveys a feel for what it’s like to cook there.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Bob Longino
More good surprises from ‘Hairspray’ than just Travolta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There was much about “Hairspray” that moviegoers knew they could expect — that Queen Latifah could sing and act; that the songs were bouncy and fun; that Zac “High School Musical” Efron would feel at home; that as routund mama Edna, John Travolta in drag would go for excess.
But what helped make the musical so enjoyable was the unexpected. Here are a few aspects of “Hairspray,” which opened across the country on Friday, that surprised even me:
Who knew James Marsden could actually dance? As the smiling TV teen dance show host with the white-as-snow teeth, he proves more than once he’s got the shimmy and shake to be credible.
Who knew Amanda Bynes could actually act? She seems far away from her stilted work in the lame soccer comedy “She’s the Man.” She’s certainly not the best performer in “Hairspray” (it’s quite evident the girl can’t dance a single step), but this is her best work yet.
Who knew Elijah Kelley was a musical force to be reckoned with? The LaGrange native and newfound big-screen star held his own against a formdiable cast of Oscar vets, including nominees Travolta, Latifah and Michelle Pfeiffer and winner Christopher Walken. Expect to see more of Kelley in future projects.
What did you think of “Hairspray”? What worked for you? Is it a better musical than, say, “Dreamgirls” or “Chicago”?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Hollywood’s all about who’s got the biggest numbers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Why is a movie’s popularity based on receipts instead of tickets sold? I know movies are all about money, but listing the number of tickets sold would make comparing the most popular movies from year to year much easier, without having to adjust for inflation.
JEFFREY FREEMAN, Alpharetta
Dear Right You Are,
Your logic is astounding, my son. And quite sound. The best way to judge the popularity of every movie would be to count the number of actual tickets sold.
Here’s why it will never happen:
Reason 1: Hollywood executives are the only individuals on the whole planet whose egos depend solely on overstating the worth of the pure, smelly rubbish they dump into the public fray every week. And, trust me, execs are a needy bunch.
Reason 2: Your practice would certainly mean that movies like “Gone With the Wind” and “Birth of a Nation” would be considered the top films in American cinematic history.
Clearly, those studio execs involved with those films are no longer with us, thereby rendering them unable to thump their massively important chests at their studio competitors, which in turn would unhinge the very reason Hollywood exists.
Reason 3: Hollywood is not here to make movies and be fair. It exists for the sole purpose of allowing the powerful to belittle the less powerful.
Reason 4: Doing things your way, Jeff, would expose the fact that Hollywood doesn’t sell nearly as many tickets as it did, say, in the 1940s, an era when billions and billions of tickets were sold each year because there was no prevalence of a little thing called television.
And really, Jeff, you live in America. Have you not figured out yet that the goal of red-blooded democracy is commerce?
Get off the facts, my son, and climb aboard “Titanic.”
Don’t you want to be like James Cameron at the Oscars and shout out, “I’m king of the world!” — no matter how asinine you might appear doing so?
ALAN
P.S. You get a “The Simpsons Movie” flip book and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Re: Your recent column on the Oscars and women directors.
Am I wrong that Barbra Streisand directed herself in “Yentl”? If she did, don’t you think you forgot about her??? Don’t you think she was deserving?
GERRY AND JACK BARNICK, Boynton Beach, Fla.
Dear Don’t Rain on My Parade,
Of course the esteemed and wonderful Ms. Streisand directed “Yentl.”
Unfortunately, she also included in said film a scene quite reminiscent of the massively cinematic tugboat ride in “Funny Girl,” which, though she starred in it, she did not direct because William Wyler did.
She also directed “The Prince of Tides” and somehow decided it was appropriate to turn the focus on her character even though the book was about, uh, Nick Nolte’s character.
She directed “The Mirror Has Two Faces.”
And we’ll let that last sentence just stand by itself without embellishment.
Trust me, I did not forget Barbra. Who could?
Was she deserving?
No.
ALAN
P.S. You get a can of Ultra-Clutch “Hairspray” hairspray and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
FAN MAIL: As astute readers know, I never ask for testimonials. But come they do. As in this beautiful memo from Alpharetta’s lovely Linda McGinn:
“How incredible for me to read your (recent) article discussing ‘The Haunting’ of 1963. I was an ingenue of just 14 years when I saw it in 1963 and it SCARED ME TO DEATH. I was unable to enter a closet or darkened room for years afterward, and when I try to convey its impact, no one quite believes me. … Thank you for acknowledging the impact of the film on those of us who saw it the first time around.
“Stamp the back of my hand with red ink — I’ve been validated!”
It is my pleasure to let Linda know now that coming her way is a “No Reservations” apron and, of course, an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
To you all, I remain ALAN SMITHEE, ESQ.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. SMITHEE?
E-mail him at alansmithee@ajc.com or go to accessatlanta.com and click on Movies. Please include your name, city and daytime phone number. Mr. Smithee can’t reply to every request, but inquiries chosen for publication will receive movie-related prizes.
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This weekend try ‘Hairspray.’ And more you need to know
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Only four new movies open this weekend (thanks to the overwhelming juggernaut that is “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”). Here’s my indubitable list of what matters most:
1. “Hairspray.” Exactly what musical fans want it to be. Fun. Kitschy. Lite. Energetic. I saw it a week ago and — good thing or not — the song “You Can’t Stop The Beat” won’t stop ringing in my head.
2. “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.” Exactly what Adam Sandler fans want it to be. Offensive. Sexist. Silly when it isn’t stupid. Brimming with gay jokes. And ending with a positive message.
3. “Angel-A.” Say “Paris” and “cinematography” three times each.
4. “Eagle vs Shark.” To vibe with this New Zealand comedy, word is you have to be a Kiwi. Which I am not.
5. “The Golden Door,” “The Lives of Others,” “Talk to Me.” If you haven’t seen these yet, do so pronto.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Alan Smithee
‘The Simpsons’: Hooray for mostly 2-D animation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you been watching Fox prime-time TV lately? I’m already tired of seeing Homer Simpson invade the screen over and over to promote “The Simpsons Movie,” which debuts July 27.
Does “The Simpsons” even need promotion? I think not, but Homer’s expected to show up in some product-placement bit on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” next Tuesday anyway.
That’s the same night many critics will finally be allowed to see the movie. 20th Century Fox was earlier trying to keep the entire film a more closely guarded secret.
Often, heavy promotion and a late screening to the press has meant a movie’s just not up to par. And, at least in this case, my once wee son, Cecil B., who knows everything about “The Simpsons,” advises that the TV series peaked in quality some 10 years ago.
What I want to care about most, however, is that in the preview at least, the mostly traditional 2-D animation looks really good. And as someone who has now had to sit through an endless wave of CGI-animated movies, I hope “The Simpsons” sparks more of a renewed interest in more traditional cartooning.
What’s your take on the coming movie? Is everyone in your family going?
Permalink | Comments (15) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Let’s count the various jokes in ‘Chuck and Larry’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Since Adam Sandler’s “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry” is a comedy — and a bawdy one at that — let’s count the different kinds of humor.
Fat jokes: 30. Most seem to be aimed at co-star Kevin James. Dead wife jokes: 2. Gay jokes: I must apologize, I gave up counting after 45.
“Chuck and Larry,” originally rated R but trimmed to obtain a PG-13 and running 110 minutes, opens in theaters nationwide on Friday. But I caught a screening Tuesday night. Sandler and James play, respectfully, Chuck and Larry, Brooklyn firefighters and long-time friends. In order to financially protect his two young children in the wake of the year-ago death of his wife, Larry comes up with a scheme for he and Chuck to pose as a gay couple and obtain domestic partnership rights
It’s a traditional Sandler movie, brimming with sexist images (how do filmmakers decide just how many busty Hooters girls need to giggle and bounce around Chuck’s apartment? Somehow, they arrived at the number five). There’s the aforementioned fat jokes, at their apex a bit involving the rescue of an overly obese man in an apartment house fire.
While this is mainly a gay-joke film that many might find offensive, “Chuck and Larry” ends up swinging both ways. To balance things out, our firefighters eventually learn to aggressively defend alternative lifestyles.
Here are a few other things moviegoers might be talking about:
The firehouse shower sequence: Crowded with bathing firemen, it takes the traditional drop-the-soap joke and twists it in another direction.
The dance: At an AIDS fund-raiser that Chuck and Larry call “homopalooza,” they are encouraged to take the floor and they improvise a memorable moment.
Jessica Biel: She seems to be in this movie mainly to wear tight clothes and skimpy underwear to show off her body. You can bet it’s a nice one.
The cameos: TV’s Richard Chamberlain shows up as a city official. Lance Bass has a quick moment as a band leader. And many of the small parts involve Sandler’s “Saturday Night Live” pals, including David Spade and Rachel Dratch.
(Click here to view photos from the premiere of “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.”)
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Bob Longino
‘300’ on DVD extra bloody
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There is no mistaking the intention of the Spartan movie “300.” Its title is scrawled in blood.
Most major critics didn’t much care for all the film’s violence, hyper-realism and slow-motion blood-letting. But I begged to differ. “300” is a fully realized film of Frank Miller’s unique graphic novel about 300 Spartans and others battling legions of Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. Visually, it’s the most stunning film of 2007.
Just a couple of days ago, the two-disc DVD landed on my desk. It’s due to arrive in stores on July 31.
There are three deleted scenes, two involving that grotesque hunchback. The best scene shows a Persian giant who carries a small archer on his back. As the giant trudges into battle a Spartan slices off his left leg. The commentary suggests this scene didn’t make it into the film because it was too fantastical. I think it’s because it’s a lesser Oliphant.
The funniest extra has film director Zach Snyder and Miller talking about how hard it was to sell the film’s concept to Hollywood. Snyder quips how Hollywood suits would talk about focus groups and how audiences love a dog. That’s when Miller interjects a new title: ” ‘The 300 Corgis.’ “
“300” is already one of Amazon.com’s top 3 sellers. Did you like “300”? Are you going to buy the DVD? And how important is the film’s style to Hollywood action movies?
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Who’s your favorite “Harry Potter” teacher?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I found plenty of things to enjoy about “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” — Potter and his witch pals flying around London on broomsticks; Dumbledore’s picture-perfect escape via his magical, fiery Phoenix; and the scary attack (near a playground, no less) of a pair of soul-sucking Dementors.
All that was good. But what was great was everything about mind-your-Ministry-manners Dolores Umbridge, so skillfully portrayed by the great British actress Imelda Staunton. Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) ought to watch his back because she turned her witchy teacher into one of the best “Potter” characters ever.
We’ve all suffered through at least one totalitarian teacher just like her. (You out there reading this, Ms. McClure? Oh, I bet you are.)
What parts of “Order of the Phoenix” worked for you? (Please don’t say it was the centaurs or that goofy giant; they both needed more CGI attention). And who’s your favorite “Potter” teacher?
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See what they’ve done to John Travolta in ‘Hairspray’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chances are you’ve already seen John Travolta in drag and fat prosthetics in previews for the PG-rated “Hairspray.” He is definitely a sight.
But nothing can prepare you for the full Travolta and what he does in director/choreographer Adam Shankman’s shake, rattle and roll musical set in 1962 Baltimore.
As the film’s rotund Edna Turnblad, Travolta dons horned-rim glasses, later pushes his full-figured body into a short, spangly pink gown and, after you think you’ve probably seen it all, turns his back to solidly shake his double-wide caboose.
Some might call this scene-stealing. But just imagine the Travolta of “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease” made to look like Kirstie Alley before her well-publicized diet and doing a Tina Turner dance stomp. It is mind-boggling.
“Hairspray,” based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical that was based on John Waters’ original 1988 film of rock and roll, TV teen dance shows and a call for integration, opens nationwide July 20. Several preview screenings have been held in Atlanta. The AJC attended one Thursday night.
In addition to Travolta, here’s what “Hairspray” moviegoers will likely be talking about:
The cast: It’s big and notable. Travolta gets to dance with onscreen hubby Christopher Walken. “High School Musical” star Zac Efron plays TV show dance and songman Link (he’s appeared to have learned a few things in between films). Oscar nominee Queen Latifah belts out a strong civil rights protest song. And plus-sized newcomer Nikki Blonsky goes toe-to-toe with Travolta on the dance floor as the film’s high school heroine Tracy Turnblad.
The cameos: Look for John Waters early in the film as a flasher. Ricki Lake, who starred in Waters’ earlier screen version, plays a talent scout. And Jerry Stiller, who played Tracy’s dad in the first film, shows up here as a store owner of plus-sized attire.
The songs: They’re plentiful, often especially energetic and seemingly arrive back to back to back. And just about everybody sings, including Travolta.
The style: Hair is, naturally for the era, piled high. One blond wig on Latifah seems headed for the moon. And costume colors are often quite loud — Travolta in purple; nemesis Michelle Pfeiffer in red.
(Click here to view photos from the “Hairspray” premiere.)
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Blood and gore not needed to scare your pants off
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Readers,
Many of you write me to say once a week is not enough of me. And I’m here to tell you that Mr. Alan Smithee is now online at Accessatlanta.com every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
I’m right here five days a week - blogging about movies, telling you on Thursdays which movies are worth seeing over the weekend and, of course, on Friday providing the answers to your cinematic queries.
It’s your gain. And my pleasure.
Now … on with today’s show …
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Many of my friends love to see horror movies, but I don’t really do insane, demented, gory killers or sadistic, mangling monsters who leave a wake of blood and guts.
Could you recommend some good movies that are more suspense-focused than ones that try mainly to gross out the audience?
ABIGAIL TOWNSEND, Duluth
Dear They’re Coming for You, Barbara,
Some time ago, when my once-wee sons D.W. and Cecil B. were actually wee, they asked for a scary movie for Friday the 13th.
I obligingly reached into the Smithee DVD vault and proceeded to present “The Haunting.”
No, not that utterly asinine 1999 remake with Catherine Zeta-Jones and her heaving upper torso trying to contend with a gigantic ghost who sounded like a heaving windbag.
What I am talking about is four-time Oscar winner Robert Wise’s tremendous 1963 thriller co-starring Julie Harris and Claire Bloom.
There’s no gore, no manglings, no buckets o’ blood. Just a big, creaking house and psychological uneasiness.
D.W. and Cecil B. saw about five minutes of the film before they started screaming and begging me to turn it off. They were too scared.
Which, dearest Abigail, might suggest that my kind of bloodless horror film might be too much for you, too.
But I always hope.
Good ghost stories: The aforementioned “The Haunting,” “The Innocents,” “The Blair Witch Project,” “The Lady in White.”
Eerie mysteries: “Donnie Darko,” “Les Diaboliques,” “The Third Man,” “Rear Window,” “Spoorloos,” “Fargo,” “Dead Again,” “The Grifters,” “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte,” “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” “Scream of Fear.”
Weird thrillers: “Pan’s Labyrinth” (this one does have a bit of gore), “The Silence of the Lambs” (most of its gore is suggested), “Blue Velvet,” “Freaks” and “Carrie” (excuse the pig blood).
Classic twisters: “Vertigo,” “The Lady Vanishes,” “The Maltese Falcon,” “North by Northwest,” “Blade Runner,” “Dirty Harry,” “Shadow of a Doubt,” “The Killers,” “In Cold Blood,” “Eye of the Needle,” “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.”
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” T-shirt and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Will Bruce Campbell ever get the recognition he deserves?
JOSEPH PRINCE, Tabor City, N.C.
Dear That’s Right … Who’s Laughing Now?
Is it not enough that the wonderful Bruce Campbell has a legion of adoring fans (including my once wee-sons D.W. and Cecil B.) and takes numerous calls to do cameos (the “Spidey” films) not to mention that he got to be the voice of Chicken Bittle in “Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters”?
Mr. Campbell is a cult icon. He makes movies — the “Evil Dead” films, “Bubba Ho-tep” — that only the specially gifted can appreciate.
Seriously, Joe, do you really want Bruce to run off with Angelina Jolie and be an international celebrity with intense starshine and the moniker Joluce?
I didn’t think so.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Knocked Up” T-shirt and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
FAN MAIL: My recent praise of “The Thin Red Line” elicited this short tale from an e-mailer I know only as “Rick”:
“My father came back from New Guinea in 1944 a malaria-wracked 2nd lieutenant. He made reference to his experiences only twice, but they didn’t include the numerous medals and citations which I found one day as a bored teenager digging through the garage, opening sealed lockers and boxes.
“Later that day at a sporting goods store, I tried to draw him out by holding a rifle and commenting on how I didn’t see myself ever being able to kill anyone. He turned slowly to me until his eyes locked onto mine and in a flat tone said, ‘That view changes the first time someone shoots at you … and misses.’
“The second reference came a few days later, when he walked into my room and said if I wanted to know more about his experiences, I should see/read ‘The Thin Red Line.’
“End of conversation!”
HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. SMITHEE?
E-mail him at alansmithee@ajc.com or go to accessatlanta.com and click on Movies. Please include your name, city and daytime phone number. Mr. Smithee can’t reply to every request, but inquiries chosen for publication will receive movie-related prizes.
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All you need to know about new movies this weekend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At least nine new movies are available this weekend.
Here’s my indubitable list of what matters most:
1. “Talk to Me.” The always excellent Don Cheadle plays the late, real-life, in-your-face D.C. DJ Petey Greene. The film’s good. Cheadle’s great. See it as soon as you can.
2. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. You mean you haven’t seen it yet? If you’ve never heard of British actress Imelda Staunton (she plays the officious Dolores Umbridge) you’ll never forget her after this.
3. “Rescue Dawn.” Christian Bale and Steve Zahn pretend they’re in “The Deer Hunter.” But this time there’s no guy shouting, “MAU!”
4. “Introducing the Dwights.” When does Brenda Blethyn not play a terrifically dysfunctional mother? I thoroughly enjoyed much of the movie but not the parts where she’s screeching.
5. “Joshua.” A mildly creepy devil-child story that could sure use more doses of creep.
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I survived ‘Potter’ in 3-D at midnight. So I want a T-shirt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I distinctly recall donning a colorful Hawaiian shirt and white slacks to attend a Beach Boys concert at the long-gone Omni Coliseum. So who am I to cast aspersions on the fully grown woman walking around at 2:30 this early morning in a purple robe and toting a blond wand at the Mall of Georgia’s Regal theater.
She, like me (though I wore much more everyday attire), attended the first screening in Georgia of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” in 3-D at Regal’s IMAX theater. It started at midnight.
And she’s got nothing on the young man waiting in line for the 3 a.m. show (do “Potter” fans ever sleep? I am afraid not). His head is ensconced in some putrid, creamed pea-colored cloth that renders him oddly identical to the noseless Ralph Fiennes, who plays the film series’ evil and horrid-looking Lord Voldemort. I rate the waiting young man’s costume both pitiful and perfect.
“Potter” fans love their “Potter” movies. For the “Order of the Phoenix,” our sold-out crowd often reacted with laughter and applause. They clapped and exhaled sounds of joy when the cat ate the big ear (either read the book or go see the movie; it would take forever to explain). They laughed knowingly when little white-haired Luna Lovegood said, “Pudding.”
But they did not whoop and holler when Harry Potter had his first lip-to-lip kiss ever in his entire life. He smooched Cho Chang and it looked like it might last as long as “Goblet of Fire.” The audience, however, remained mostly hushed … until the follow-up tell-all scene with Potter pals Hermione and Ron. They laughed especially hard then.
Anyway, this screening was about IMAX and that means big. I think it’s a great way to see a summer movie, but there’s bad with the good.
For one thing, I grew tired of seeing Daniel Radcliffe’s big-old head pancaked with makeup. But at the same time, when mean-old Dolores Umbridge makes him write with her special quill with his right hand so that it ultimately scratches “I must not tell lies” into his skin on top of his left hand, the effect is much stronger on IMAX than in regular showings. I should know because I’ve now seen it in both formats.
But didn’t I say that this “Potter” was in 3-D?
I did. And it’s the first Potter movie ever in 3-D. Except there’s only about 20 minutes of the 2-hour plus movie actually in 3-D. And understand, this movie wasn’t really made to be shown in 3-D so there’s nothing in it like in the 3-D “Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein” where a spear goes through a guy’s body and dangles his bloody innards right in front of your face.
In “Order of the Phoenix” there’s just obvious depth perception — like a very long hallway with a faraway door and it does look pretty imposing in 3-D which I guess is why a girl in the back unexpectedly uttered a big “WOW.”
But no sight in the whole film was as stunning as one of the guys standing in the 3 a.m. line with our very own He Who Must Not Be Named. This dude had stringy long black hair and wore a black plastic garbage bag that left his hairy legs exposed. He also had on long elf ears.
If he was trying to look like the film’s house-elf Kreacher, he, uh, missed.
After walking past him, I just kept wanting to turn around and say, “For Frodo.”
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Mr. Smithee’s advice for your DVD rental queue
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Get ready to adjust your Netflix queue. Arriving today on DVD is Susanne Bier’s wonderful “After the Wedding,” a thoroughly involving and often surprising Danish film starring the equally wonderful Mads Mikkelsen (for you non-foreign film aficionados, he was the villain in “Casino Royale”).
Nominated for this year’s foreign film Oscar (it lost to “The Lives of Others”), “Wedding” is a drama about family secrets. And like in so many Danish films, when those secrets peek out, hold onto your armchair.
So many movielovers prefer French films, but I’m a sucker for the Danes. There’s a consistent thread of intelligence in their films and the story often seems so indelibly fused with the art of filmmaking.
Here are a few other great Danish films (I’ve intentionally left out “Babette’s Feast” because so many have already seen it):
1. “Open Hearts” (2002). Bier’s best film, it involves a couple devastated by a tragic street accident and the doctor (Mikkelsen) who steps in. 2. “Reconstruction” (2003). One of the best movies ever about love and its frailty. 3. “The Five Obstructions” (2003). This is textbook Lars von Trier; a documentary unleashing his diabolical genius on a fellow filmmaker. 4. “The Celebration” (1998). Family secrets will get you every time. 5. “The Idiots” (1998). Von Trier’s experimental Dogma film with cult-like characters playing out their individual inner spaz.
Oh, and about that Mikkelsen. If you want to see him at his finest, check out the edgy, vicious and heartbreaking drug-and-crime drama “Pusher 2.”
Besides, there’s nothing wrong with subtitles. Is there?
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Add ‘Transformers’ to Mr. Smithee’s Top 10 FX movies
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Transformers” has already made gobs of money — $67.6 million over the weekend; $152.5 million in North America since its late-night debut last Monday.
It’s a silly movie. But it works, partly because of lead actor Shia LaBeouf and mostly because of great special effects. The CGI is outstanding.
I remember the summer season four years ago when critics and moviegoers wailed about how computer imagery often didn’t look real enough — the obviously superimposed airborne car flying over Martin Lawrence’s head in “Bad Boys II,” the overly digitized burly brawl in “The Matrix Reloaded.”
Let me say this: the giant robotic scorpion attack in “Transformers” is one of the best FX sequences — ever.
Here’s my top 10 special effects movies of all time (and, yes, I intended to leave off “Titanic”):
1. “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003). In one word: Gollum. 2. “Star Wars” (1977). Maybe it looks primitive now. But it was light years ahead of its time. 3. “Jurassic Park” (1993). Triceratops, T-rexes and raptors, oh my. 4. “The Matrix” (1999). Monster use of time-freezing photography. 5. “King Kong” (1933). Monster use of stop-motion animation. 6. “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968). To infinity and beyond. 7. “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991). Enter the shape-shifting cyborg. 8. “Aliens” (1986). Triples the fun of the chest-busting original. 9. “Jason and the Argonauts” (1963). Worth seeing for the sword-wielding skeletons alone. 10. “Transformers” (2007). More than meets the eye.
What films do you think have the best special effects?
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Robots, battles! And Jordy says goodbye
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Finally, here comes “Transformers,” a movie that makes summer the kind of fun it SHOULD be.
Up till now, things have been a little lame at the ‘plex, know what I mean? Caribbean pirates, again? Kick that series to death already.
Justin Timberlake joined the “Shrek” crew … and brought SuckyBack.
Uncle Ben wasn’t killed by the guy we thought? Look, people, if you’re making a gazillion bucks for those “Spider-Man” movies, get your story straight. I don’t want any more dance routines in “Spidey 4,” either. And Kirsten Dunst sleepwalking her way through another movie? Whatever.
Anyway, “Transformers” makes up for a lot of early-summer lameness. Lotsa explosions. Lotsa wrecks. Awesome FX. Cute girls with perky twins. Everything you want in a movie — at least if you don’t mind some lousy jokes in a PG-13 movie that’s screaming to be a hard R.
The plot is pretty simple. The good robots the Autobots and the evil robots the Decepticons come to Earth searching for some kind of cosmic Xbox. Who cares why they come, right — so long as we get bot-on-bot smackdowns.
But for the first hour or so, you may think Michael Bay has totally dropped the ball, because we spend way too much time with all these boring HUMANS.
The main one is Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), this high schooler that gets his first car — a banged-up yellow Camaro. And Sam kind of just takes it in stride when it turns out to be the robot Bumblebee in disguise. That’s what I missed in this movie — a sense of danger or surprise. It’s like everybody’s sort of used to seeing giant Swiss Army knife robots wandering all over the place.
Instead of trying to get that Spielberg-like sense of awe (and Spielberg is one of the movie producers, so it’s not like Bay couldn’t pick his brain a little), the director goes for really dumb jokes and ethnic humor that seems to be what he thinks makes America great.
Like, if you’re a black guy in a Michael Bay movie, you better be fat and loud and funny, scarfing down doughnuts and crashing through windows screaming like a little girl. If you’re Bernie Mac’s grandma, flip everybody off. If you’re Bernie Mac himself, you say your name is Bobby Bolivia, “Like the country, except without the runs.” And if you’re a robot with a black-sounding voice, you go by the name of Jazz and you love to — wait for it — BREAKDANCE.
Honest, I swear to [spiritual leader of Christianity], this stuff is in the movie. And I guess that’s why Bumblebee, when he’s disguised as a Camaro, keeps playing songs like “Baby Come Back” and “Sexual Healing,” taking us back to the 1970s, when they only seemed to put black people in movies to be the comic relief.
Except … back in the ’70s they didn’t have the Jessica Alba-carrot-orange spray-on tans the women in “Transformers” wear. So every time they show up you remember we’re still in the 21st century.
The main girl is Mikaela (Megan Fox), one of Sam’s classmates, though she looks like maybe she’s there to get her GED while she works nights at the Pink Pony. She’s a knockout, and even better, she knows cars. She gets under Sam’s hood — the CAMARO hood, I mean — and explains the engine. She points at one part and goes, “It squirts the fuel in so you can go faster.” Which is exactly the kind of thing Sam does NOT need.
Later a robot goes, “This boy’s pheromone levels suggest he wants to mate with the female.” And I know putting it like that makes the movie PG-13. But it sounds a lot dirtier saying it that way than going, “Dude wants to get it on,” right?
Things get better an hour or so in, when Optimus Prime and his posse come to Earth and start knocking the [feces] out of Megatron. And when that robot [urinates] on the crazy Fed played by John Turturro? That had my son Cal almost rolling in the gook under his seat, he was laughing so hard. So I guess PG-13 isn’t such a bad thing.
Anyway, speaking of “Transformers,” the Movies & More section is going through some transformations, too. Just so you know, this is my last column. And I want to thank everybody who’s been reading me the last four years. It’s been a blast, even when the movies were bombs — am I right?
Parle vous foreign films? Monsieur Smithee does
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
I am a foreign film fanatic and I would feel fantastic and fabulous if you would recommend 15 of your favorite foreign films. I am a faithful follower of your fascinating, famous columns.
HENRIETTA ROSNER, Boynton Beach, Fla.
Dear Favorite Fan,
As anyone who knows me is well aware, I am not just an avid cinema watcher, but a voracious cinema reader.
Subtitles? Bring ‘em on.
There are reasons why subtitles are a necessity in watching foreign films.
Reason 1: I am fluent in one language.
Reason 2: A dubbed film delivers an inaccurate sense of an actor’s overall performance. I - which also means you - need to hear the performer’s words to understand the character’s emotional arc.
Some moviegoers complain - I know; I receive their e-mails - that subtitles make them miss the action.
I will grant them that, initially, there is short adjustment period. But, honestly, human beings have the capability to play a piano or organ. And many people seem to be able to yak on the phone and drive at the same time. So why not read and look?
If I had but 15 foreign films to recommend and each had to be from a different country (I just have to make things harder), it would be these:
“City of God” from Brazil. “Fanny and Alexander” from Sweden. “Eat, Drink, Man, Woman” from Taiwan. “La Dolce Vita” from Italy. “Rashomon” from Japan. “The 400 Blows” from France. “Metropolis” from Germany. “Talk to Her” from Spain. “Pan’s Labyrinth” from Mexico. “The Decalogue” from Poland (yes, I know it’s a TV series of 10 episodes, but I’m counting it as one film).
Also “The Kingdom” from Denmark (see “Decalogue”). “Fateless” from Hungary. “Moolaade” from Senegal. “Kung Fu Hustle” from China. And “Paradise Now” from Palestine.
And just because, off the top of my head I can also recommend “Seven Samurai,” “M,” “Ran,” “The Bicycle Thief,” “Umberto D,” “Yojimbo,” “Children of Paradise,” “Grand Illusion,” “Battleship Potemkin,” “The Wages of Fear” and “Nosferatu.”
Also “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” “Das Boot,” “Amores Perros,” “Life Is Beautiful,” “Run Lola Run,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “The Killer,” “Sanjuro” and “Hero.” Plus “The Element of Crime,” “The Idiots,” “Night of the Shooting Stars,” the “Pusher” trilogy, “Wings of Desire,” “Water,” “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “In the Mood for Love,” “The Sea Inside,” “Open Hearts,” “The Lives of Others,” “Oldboy,” “High and Low” and “House of Flying Daggers.”
All that’s a good start.
ALAN
P.S. You get a new “Harry Potter” shirt and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
In your esteemed opinion, why hasn’t one woman won an Oscar for directing?
Which women directors would you have nominated for what movies?
T. BEERMANN, Atlanta
Dear Feminine Side,
The reason is simple: It’s the same reason not one woman has ever been president of the United States.
Women have won Oscars for directing short films. And at least one foreign film winner - “Nowhere in Africa” - was helmed by a woman.
To date, three women have been nominated for the best director Oscar - Lina Wertmuller (“Seven Beauties”), Jane Campion (“The Piano”) and Sofia Coppola (“Lost in Translation”).
Here are others I would have nominated:
Sofia Coppola for “The Virgin Suicides” at the 2000 awards. I would have nixed Lasse Hallstrom (“The Ciderhouse Rules”). That same year I also would have put up Kimberly Pierce (“Boys Don’t Cry”) over Michael Mann (“The Insider”).
Nora Ephron for “Sleepless in Seattle” at the 1994 awards. Jim Sheridan (“In the Name of the Father”) wouldn’t have made my list.
Penny Marshall for “Big” at the 1989 awards. The too-lucky male nominee that year was Charles Crichton (“A Fish Called Wanda”).
Kasi Lemmons for “Eve’s Bayou” at the 1998 awards. I would’ve cut out Peter Cattaneo (“The Full Monty”).
ALAN
P.S. You get an “Evening” bag and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
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