Access Atlanta > Movies > Blog > Archives > 2007 > September
September 2007
Where have all the Sean Connerys gone?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Where have all the Real Men in movies gone?
I’m talking about guys like John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Clint Eastwood (OK, let’s pretend “Bridges of Madison County” was never made) and Charlton Heston.
I don’t want to hear James Bond. He’s too smooth with the ladies. Actors today are wimps!
MIKE ANDERSON, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.
Dear When You Eat Meat, It Must Moo,
In days of yore, Grandpa Smithee had a vasectomy and, for whatever reason I have yet to fathom, decided to have it done without anesthesia.
I suppose that’s what you’re talking about. Grit one’s teeth and, in the words of another wise American, git ‘er done.
Just wondering, Mike, but where were you when “300” played in every theater on the planet? That movie had tons of over-abbed guys strutting around and knocking heads.
Russell Crowe is still amongst us in “3:10 to Yuma.” Tommy Lee Jones is in “In the Valley of Elah.” And surely Jason Statham is lurking around some opening weekend corner. You still have Kurt Russell. Maybe even Vince Vaughn. And, certainly, that big ape in Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” (the Real Man in that movie certainly was not Adrien Brody).
Plus, there’s always Denzel Washington. And get ready, Mike, because come Nov. 2 Mr. Washington will butt heads with Mr. Crowe in “American Gangster.”
But I do also feel your pain. And I know where to place the blame.
- A popular film. “The Revenge of the Nerds.”
Sorry to be the one to break it to you, pal, but the meek have already inherited the Earth. Geek is in. Geek is in control. The computer crowd has taken over.
They marched forward with their pocket protectors and now control the planet. Bill Gates is just one of them.
They control the summer box office. They watch horror films all year long.
This, ultimately, is why an underwear-wearing, bad-beat singing Marky Mark can emerge as Mark Wahlberg. It is why Mark Hamill was George Lucas’ vision of Luke Skywalker. It is why Shia LaBeouf is now Hollywood’s newest rising star.
It’s Shia who now gets the girl. And you better accept it.
Take my advice. Just keep chanting to yourself, “I’m a lumberjack, and I’m OK.”
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Heartbreak Kid” pillow bearing the face of Ben Stiller (I am not making this up) and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
“Con game” movies may be my favorite genre.
Some of the ones I enjoy most are “Matchstick Men,” “House of Games,” “The Spanish Prisoner,” “The Sting” and the first “Oceans” movie.
I, like many others, think you are a guru in all things movie-related and would enjoy seeing your top 10 con-game movies.
MARK AMUDEO, Smyrna
Dear Mr. Soze,
Sorry, but the bouncy “The Sting” won’t make my list. And my list, instead of strictly following a specific con, involves the art of the con and those who dwell in it.
1. “The Usual Suspects” (1995) - This was my once-wee son Cecil B.’s favorite movie when he was 12. Smart kid.
*2. “The Grifters” *(1990) - The ending is particularly awesome.
3. “Vertigo” (1958) - It might not be a traditional con movie, but the psychological power it wields is amazing.
4. “Nine Queens” (2000) - Classic con carried out in classic fashion.
5. “Wag the Dog” (1997) - This is what politics is all about. Very funny.
6. “House of Games” (1987) - Mysterious, complicated and all David Mamet.
7. “The Lady Eve” (1941) - Smart comedy. And I love cards.
8. “Six Degrees of Separation” (1993) - Our first proof that Will Smith is an excellent actor.
9. “Catch Me If You Can” (2002) - I just like it. And I’m generally not that big a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio.
10. “Paper Moon” (1973) - A lot better than the book - and the hillside confrontation scene between Trixie Delight (Madeline Kahn) and Addie (Tatum O’Neal) is dynamite.
ALAN
P.S. You get an “Ocean’s Thirteen” 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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Tyler Perry unleashes ‘Why Did I Get Married?’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tyler Perry’s new comedy/drama “Why Did I Get Married?” might require a warning label: Prolonged audience laughter can cause moviegoers to miss some dialogue.
That’s a problem many Hollywood-made comedies only wish they had.
“Married,” filmed partially in Atlanta and opening in theaters nationwide Oct. 12, had its first of several advance screenings here Thursday night. Perry introduced the film and, in his best Madea voice, cracked wise at a couple of standing audience members: “Sit down, sit down! The show’s gettin’ ready to start! Sit down, sit down!”
The film, rated PG-13 and starring Perry, Janet Jackson, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal and Jill Scott, is based on Perry’s stage play of the same name. It’s a boisterous look at the institution of marriage centering on four couples at a snow-covered mountain retreat. Their secrets, lies, cutting quips and psychological pain flow in emotional tidal waves.
Thursday night’s audience, many decidedly pro-Perry fans, often erupted in raucous laughter. Several threw their hands into the air amid audience screams upon hearing some of the film’s many shocking verbal revelations.
Here’s what moviegoers will likely be talking about once “Married” opens in theaters:
Tasha Smith: As sassy, brassy Angela, the character in everybody’s face and business, she steals every scene she’s in. Few should be surprised. Smith was the most powerful force in “ATL” where she played the cantankerous mother of rollerskating girls.
The dinner: The film’s centerpiece, with the main cast seated at a large dining table, is a meal where the final course is an eruption of dramatic and comedic tell-all-secrets. Nearly every character is hit with a verbal bombshell.
The female drama: Jackson and Scott each have important, prolonged scenes where their characters’ emotionally break down into heaps of grief.
“80-20”: In real-life commerce it means 80 percent of one’s business comes from 20 percent of the clients. In Perry’s “Married,” the principle is applied to adultery and a marital breakup with the perpetrator unwittingly losing more to gain less.
The tracking shot: This cinematic feat is becoming a Perry trademark in his films. In “Married,” Perry and Leal conduct a heated discussion involving their married characters while the camera follows them through various rooms of their stylish home.
The real-life issues: “Marriage” delves into adultery, obesity, verbal cruelty, loss of a child, dealing with ex-spouses and sexually transmitted diseases. But it also explores prayer, forgiveness, personal power and recovery.
The jokes: They come fast and furious. And at least one would give singer Al Green a jarring mental flashback. That’s because amid one barrage of quips at a group breakfast, one male character warns another: “You better handle that. She’s cookin’ grits.”
Permalink | Comments (81) | Categories: Bob Longino
Foxx’s ‘Kingdom’ is best new movie this weekend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s my indubitable list of what matters most among new movies this weekend:
1. “The Kingdom.” Jamie Foxx kicks terrorist butt in Saudi Arabia. It’s summer at the movies all over again.
2. “Deep Water.” Watchable documentary about a sail-around-the-world race. More proof that cheaters never prosper.
3. “King of California.” Michael Douglas all batty like he was in “Wonder Boys,” which was a far better movie than this one.
4. “Across the Universe.” Proof positive that any terrible idea cannot destroy the beauty and power of Beatles songs.
5. “Trade.” Overripe drama about a child sex slave ring. See it at your own peril.
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Best actress - Christie, Blanchett or Cotillard?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Unlike the potential Oscar actor race, the best actress category so far feels a bit thin. There are strong candidates, but not as many to choose from.
With plenty of fall films looming, here are the performances among actresses I like best so far:
Julie Christie, “Away From Her.” She would be an extremely deserving nominee.
Marion Cotillard, “La Vie En Rose.” They should just go ahead and give her the trophy now for her mesmerizing performance as Edith Piaf.
Cate Blanchett, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age.” As expected, she’s strong and controlling — though it could be argued that Samantha Morton does the better work as Mary, Queen of Scots. I also can’t wait to see Blanchett as Bob Dylan in “I’m Not There.”
Taraji P. Henson, “Talk to Me.” She’s a better bet for a supporting nod, but her performance is one of this year’s overall best.
Katherine Heigl,” Knocked Up.” Talk about a long shot. But her performance is the glue that makes this comedy really work.
Which actress performances have you liked so far this year? Who deserves an Oscar?
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Best actor - Viggo, Cheadle or Clooney?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This movie year’s most interesting Oscar race will likely be for best actor. Why? Because the fall season’s barely begun and already there are plenty of worthy candidates.
Here’s a handful of some of my early favorites:
Viggo Mortensen, “Eastern Promises.” He haunts the film like Little Red Riding Hood’s wolf.
Tommy Lee Jones, “In the Valley of Elah.” This is classic Jones — gristly, intense and secure. I expect him to be just as good in “No Country for Old Men.”
Don Cheadle, “Talk to Me.” It’s amazing how easy he makes acting appear.
George Clooney, “Michael Clayton.” He never overpowers the film yet consistently demands your attention.
Gordon Pinsent, “Away From Her.” The next best thing in the movie to co-star Julie Christie.
Who have you seen so far that’s Oscar worthy? Which upcoming performances are you anticipating most? Brad Pitt in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”? Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in “American Gangster”?
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Sequels as good as the originals? Yep, quite a few
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Upon examining the hundreds of movie sequels that have come out over the years, my friends and I were discussing which “Part 2’s” have actually been as good or superior to the original.
Sadly, only “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Godfather 2” come to mind.
More often the results have been shameful, like “Exorcist 2 - The Heretic.”
Could you think of some other “Part 2’s” that were worth the price of admission?
SCOTT B. SNYDER, Wellington, Fla.
Dear Twice Is Nice,
You and yours must have missed the “Saturday Night Fever” sequel, “Staying Alive.” (Just kidding.)
But, seriously, you guys need to get out more.
Just off the top of my head, how about I give you 15?
“Aliens,” “The Road Warrior,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” “Dawn of the Dead,” “Kill Bill, Vol. 2,” “Evil Dead 2,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” “Toy Story 2,” “Bride of Frankenstein,” “After the Thin Man,” “Pusher II” and “Oldboy.”
ALAN
P.S. You get an “Across the Universe” paperweight and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
After completing 662 pages of Robert Ludlum’s novel, my wife and I attended the movie under the same title and, WOW, what happened? Totally, totally different. The credits mentioned Ludlum’s name, but was that for use of the title and main character Jason Bourne only?
Having read all the Bourne novels and attended the movies, this time Hollywood misused the title.
Only Mr. Smithee can expose this injustice for us who take the time to read.
WILLIAM LEGG, Stone Mountain
Dear David Webb,
One must assume you can be referring only to “The Bourne Ultimatum,” which happens to not only be an excellent movie but, seriously, the best movie of summer 2007.
Since a movie is not a book (and, apparently, vice versa), I usually don’t get too worked up over differences, unless changes are so heinous that I cannot sit still.
What matters to me is whether the film is intriguing, well-done, well-acted and commands my attention.
The latest “Bourne” scored across the board.
I must also admit that I did not read the book.
So - lucky me.
If you and yours were disturbed by what you saw, I ask only that you wait a bit of time and then try the movie again and judge it on its own merits and execution.
And, anyway, I know I for one would have been happier if the makers of “The Da Vinci Code” had decided to scrap the tome and develop something worth seeing.
But that didn’t happen.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Resident Evil: Extinction” sand ornament and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
I enjoy your articles. Did you base your picture in the AJC on David Niven in the 1960 movie, “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies”?
L.D. LOY, Conyers
Dear You Flatterer You,
David Niven?
No one has ever mistaken me for that Oscar-winning actor. I am most often mistaken for Russell Crowe, Hugh Grant or Johnny Depp.
And I certainly recognize the resemblance to those esteemed personages.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Fantastic Four” watch and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
After hearing several reviews and raves for “Death at a Funeral,” I began wondering about Frank Oz.
My research shows previous film involvement but my real curiosity wants to know if this is Frank Oz of the Muppets? How does one go from Gonzo to film?
FONDA MILLER, Lantana, Fla.
Dear Miss Wiggy,
Of course it’s Frank Oz of the Muppets who directed “Death at a Funeral.”
Like us, he’s entitled to work on a variety of material.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Surf’s Up” penguin 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.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Out on Film to screen ‘Bubble’ and RuPaul movie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta’s 20th annual Out on Film will open Oct. 11 with Israel’s “The Bubble” and close Oct. 18 with Atlanta native RuPaul’s new film “Starrbooty.”
The event, Atlanta’s long-running lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender film festival, will be held at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. Tickets for major elements of the fest go on sale Friday at www.outonfilm.com.
“Bubble,” about a group of young friends living in Tel Aviv, is from director Eytan Fox, who earlier made “Yossi & Jagger.” After the fest, “Bubble” is expected to begin a theatrical run in Atlanta in early November.
“Starrbooty” features RuPaul as a supermodel going undercover as a prostitute to help a niece. RuPaul and director Mike Ruiz (“Latin Boys Go to Hell”) are expected to attend closing night festivities.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Bob Longino
Make sure you see ‘Eastern Promises’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s my indubitable list of what matters most among new movies this weekend:
1. “Eastern Promises” — Not as compelling a tale from David Cronenberg as “A History of Violence” but plenty bloody. Plus Russian-accented Viggo Mortensen’s the bomb.
2. “In the Valley of Elah” — Brimming with Oscar winners (Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon) who are pro enough to sell a story that could have used a little more work.
3. “Randy and the Mob” — Brimming with Georgia sites and Southern comedy … but still lacking.
4. “The Hunting Party” — A tale of intrique with a game Terrence Howard and a tired Richard Gere trying way too hard to be edgy and surprising.
5. “December Boys” — Harry Potter has his summer of ‘42. Daniel Radcliffe’s among Australian orphans learning about life and, in his case, sex. Dolores Umbridge would so not approve.
6. “In the Shadow of the Moon” — A documentary about U.S. missions to the moon … and Neil Armstrong’s not interviewed. So … why should I watch?
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May date for ‘Sex and the City: The Movie’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Looks like we have a date for “Sex and the City: The Movie” — May 30.
Boxofficemojo.com says the film will join the new “Indiana Jones” and “Chronicles of Narnia” installments in the opening month of next year’s summer season.
Plus, now we know Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is supposed to join the cast — Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon and Chris Noth — as Samantha’s personal assistant, Louise.
The story is supposed to be set four years after the end of the TV series and filming is, of course, in New York.
Can Hudson be in this movie and not sing? Which storylines are you hoping for? Should Charlotte’s Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler) return? (He’s said he’s in the movie.)
Permalink | Comments (72) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Alan Smithee’s best football movies ever
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Watching “We Are Marshall,” I find it hard to believe this film about a West Virginia football team and tragedy was shot mostly in metro Atlanta. But it was. And props to director McG for pulling it off.
“We Are Marshall,” with Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox and the great David Strathairn, is finally being released on DVD today and the timing is just right. The weather has turned cooler and pro, college and high school football have kicked off.
I love college football, even though UGA stumbled against (I hate even typing this) S-o-u-t-h C-a-r-o-l-i-n-a. So maybe it’s best just to think of my favorite football movies.
1. “Rudy” — Notre Dame isn’t any good this year, but this film always plays like a champion. It’s the best sports movie of all time (and I say that knowing how much I love “Field of Dreams”; “Hoosiers” is in there, too).
2. “Friday Night Lights” — Billy Bob Thornton is great even though this real-life story isn’t exactly the way it happened in real life.
3. “Brian’s Song” — Makes anybody weep.
4. “Horse Feathers” — The Marx Brothers and a pigskin? Yes.
5. “Remember the Titans” — Another made-in-Georgia movie, this time with an on-fire Denzel Washington as inspirational and demanding coach.
I also like “Waterboy,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Invincible,” “The Longest Yard,” “North Dallas Forty” and “Any Given Sunday.”
What’s your favorite football movie?
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Another winner for Jodie Foster
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I first remember seeing Jodie Foster on the big screen in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” She was 12. She was good then. She’s definitely good now.
She plays a woman caught up in violent revenge in “The Brave One,” which finished the weekend at No. 1 at the box-office. It’s a better movie than it has any right to be and that’s probably because Foster is in it. She and co-star Terrence Howard make the story interesting and believable. At least until the lame ending.
Over the years Foster has become one of Hollywood’s most dependable actresses. Like with Meryl Streep, Laura Linney or Kate Winslet, you know you’re going to see a solid performance.
My favorite films with Foster (in order): 1. “The Silence of the Lambs.” 2. “Taxi Driver.” 3. “The Accused.” 4. “The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys.” 5. “Freaky Friday.”
What’s your take on Jodie Foster? And which of her movies is your favorite?
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Alan Smithee
Once a stinker, pretty much always a stinker
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Your column is one of my favorites in the Friday newspaper. My question is, are there any movies that you have changed your opinion of over the years or that have improved significantly from some later revision or expanded version?
For example, when “Apocalypse Now” first came out, the first two words of critic Eleanor Ringel’s review were, “It stinks.” More recently, when the expanded version of “Apocalypse Now” was released, her review was much more positive.
How about you?
DAVID LUDLEY, Jonesboro
Dear The Whole Hill Smelled Like … Victory,
I believe that I can say with full accuracy that I not only have possessed great fondness for “Apocalypse Now” from the get-go, but that my fondness exceeds whatever opinion my former colleague Eleanor Ringel Gillespie has had of that great film.
I should also say that she did not review “Apocalypse Now Redux” for the AJC, but another former colleague of mine, Steve Murray, sure did. And, safe to say, he’s always liked “Apocalypse Now” as well.
At the same time, I am one who believes directors often should just leave well enough alone.
I wasn’t a fan of the additions to “Apocalypse Now.”
I wasn’t a fan of the additions to “Donnie Darko.”
I wasn’t a fan of the additions to “The Exorcist.”
Then again, while I deeply love “The Lord of the Rings” movies I saw in theaters, I think the extended DVD editions improve each of the installments.
I saw “El Cid” when I was a wee lad. I thought it quite a movie. In the decades since, it has fallen from the tippy-top of the theatrical food chain.
But I don’t recall if there ever was a movie I simply hated that, as the years have passed, I have discovered its elusive worth.
I can say that I remember a little talk I had with Ellen Burstyn in which I offered up that “maybe it’s me, but your performance in ‘The Last Picture Show’ just gets better and better every time I see that movie.”
She quickly put me in my place.
Her reply: “It’s you.”
ALAN
P.S. You get an “El Cantante” T-shirt and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
I find myself buying the paper on the day your column appears in order to make better film viewing choices.
Pop culture, blockbuster, high-budget films produced for the sole purpose of promoting a celebrity are abominations to the fine art of filmmaking. Is this why I never saw any promotion of the film “Black Snake Moan”? I found everything about the film brilliant.
Please reach into your wealth of knowledge and tell me any other film gems that have not been promoted.
SANDY GREEMAN, Atlanta
Dear Savvy Shopper,
If you, Sandy, had been traveling with me to Los Angeles for the Oscars earlier this year, you would have seen Hollywood inundated with billboards and bus stop signs promoting “Black Snake Moan.”
I certainly appreciated the concept of “Black Snake Moan,” I liked the music and I respect director Craig Brewer’s right to take a big risk. Too few films do that.
Here are a few films you should see if you haven’t already: “Hustle & Flow,” “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” “Chrystal,” “Away From Her,” “The Motorcycle Diaries,” “Reconstruction,” “American Splendor,” “The Proposition,” “The Dead Girl,” “Half Nelson” and “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.”
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Knocked Up” cap and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
FAN MAIL: A reader I know only as Sarita of Apple Valley, Calif., begs to differ with my low opinion of “Beyond the Sea.” To wit: “‘Beyond the Sea’ made, produced and starring Kevin Spacey, is a film made with his heart. That could be why you don’t like the movie. It has heart - and blood, sweat and tears - from Kevin Spacey. I do know that the film changed my life. It brought music back into my life.”
Ahem, Sarita. I must confess that no movie has ever changed my life. And so you are free to watch “Beyond the Sea” over and over and over, a film most certainly made with blood, sweat, tears, heart and ego.
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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‘Valley of Elah’: Military murder in the wake of Iraq
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of the fall film season’s first Oscar contenders - the Iraq War-tinged drama “In the Valley of Elah” - is loosely “inspired” by the 2003 stateside killing of returning vet Richard R. Davis, 24, near Fort Benning, Ga.
Moviegoers should take the word inspired literally. The resulting fictional film - the title refers to the biblical site where David slew Goliath - bears little resemblance to the Georgia case.
Names have been changed. Characters have been dreamed up. Georgia is never even mentioned. And the whole thing was filmed mostly in New Mexico.
But the R-rated “Elah,” which debuts in theaters Sept. 21 and stars Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon and Charlize Theron, is one in a string of coming dramas that explores or questions U.S. policy in Iraq or deals with counterterrorism. Among others: “The Kingdom” with Jamie Foxx, “Grace is Gone” starring John Cusack, “Redacted” directed by Venice Film Festival winner Brian De Palma and “Stop-Loss” with Ryan Phillippe.
“Elah” wonders about the resulting psychological effects on returning soldiers. As one young soldier says to Jones, who plays a Tennessee father searching for answers in the disappearance and brutal murder and dismemberment of his soldier son, “They shouldn’t send heroes to Iraq … They should just nuke it and turn it all back to dust.”
Sarandon plays Jones’ wife and Theron portrays a New Mexico police detective investigating the case.
Here’s what moviegoers will likely be talking about when “Elah” opens:
The Oscars already won: The talent possesses a slew of Academy Awards. The film is written and directed by double winner Paul Haggis (“Crash”) and Jones (“The Fugitive”), Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and Theron (“Monster”) have one acting Oscar each. The closing song comes from Annie Lennox, who shared the best song Oscar for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” Among recognizable castmembers: Jason Patric, James Franco, Barry Corbin, Frances Fisher and Josh Brolin.
The corpses: There are graphic depictions of the scattered remains of Jones’ murdered, dismembered and burned soldier son. Plus there’s a sub-plot killing with a female corpse that will likely remind some of “The Silence of the Lambs.”
Fathers and sons; mothers and sons: While the film’s lynchpin is a mystery surrounding the soldier killing, much of the story’s depth comes not only from moral questions surrounding the U.S. presence in Iraq but from connections the characters make as parents.
The not-so-subtle imagery: To sledgehammer his point of the effect of Iraq, Haggis twice employs scenes of a U.S. flag being shown upside down - an official signal of extreme distress.
Permalink | | Categories: Bob Longino
You see too much violence in movies?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The words from “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” still ring in my ear - Sandy Dennis chanting “violence, violence” as the film’s verbal fireballs approach physical fisticuffs.
I think of “Woolf” and Dennis because I overheard a moviegoer who saw David Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises” at the Toronto festival say that she remains partially turned off by the film because of its depiction of violence.
Too graphic?
As if extreme violence isn’t painful, grotesque, stomach-churning. Trust me, Cronenberg is doing us all a favor.
His “History of Violence” was graphic. But “Eastern Promises” turns it up, pitting a naked Viggo Mortensen in a bathhouse fight against two thugs. Blades rip at exposed flesh. Blood flows and smears the floor. And of course it’s not pretty when one guy gets stabbed in the eye.
But real-life violence isn’t pretty. It’s ugly and shocking.
Too many movies make violence look as harmless and dull as a videogame. I like Jamie Foxx’s upcoming “The Kingdom,” but I don’t really recall seeing much blood in all its bombs, bullets and carnage.
Jodie Foster’s new “The Brave One” is loaded with violence. A brutal beating. Gunshots to the face. But nothing with the intensity of what Cronenberg shows.
Is there too much violence in movies? Or do you want violence toned down? Can violence be entertaining?
Permalink | Comments (23) | Categories: Alan Smithee
At the Toronto fest: To be or not to be Jerry Springer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Toronto - I’ve covered film festivals at Sundance, in Seattle, certainly in Atlanta and once stood on the main drag in Dahlonega talking to John Waters before that North Georgia town’s film event made its move to Rome.
But Monday at the Toronto International Film Festival was the first time I’ve ever been followed two or more blocks of a big city by a drunken vagrant who thought I was Jerry Springer and that my reporter’s notebook sticking out of my back pocket was to be used exclusively to obtain cherished celebrity autographs.
The vagrant talked incessantly. I said nothing, not even a word to advise my newfound buddy that I don’t ask for celebrity autographs.
But I shouldn’[t complain. Celebrities are often everywhere at film festivals - yes, Robert Redford showed up on the streets of Park City, Utah, at Sundance when I was there; so did Kiss singer Gene Simmons. So why should it surprise anyone that someone with hazy vision thinks they’ve spotted Springer. But could I not have at least been mistaken for Donald Sutherland?
I came to Toronto to see Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and hear them talk about their new documentary “Man From Plains.”
And I feel better now, because before the only other president I’d been able to see up close and personal was Richard Nixon.
You know who’s fun to meet? Brad Garrett, Dennis Hopper, Molly Shannon, George Clooney and Fernando “City of God” Meirelles.
By the way, I sat in a Four Seasons Hotel hallway here on Sunday and watched silently as Brad Pitt, and later Tilda Swinton, walked by.
They probably thought I was some drunken vagrant.
Have you had encounters with the famous? If not, who would you most like to see or meet?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Bob Longino
Thou shalt not assume remakes are recent trend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Oh font of movie knowledge, can you answer a question for me? I seem to remember that there was a movie entitled “The Ten Commandments” that was made before the one that Charlton Heston was in.
BARBARA SCHWARTZ, Jensen Beach, Fla.
Dear Oh Lack of Movie Knowledge,
Are you one of those moviegoers who thinks remakes are a particularly nasty enterprise exclusive to present times?
Know that Hollywood is a land of suited egomaniacs who have yet to formulate a novel idea.
Behold! There was indeed a movie entitled “The Ten Commandments” that debuted in 1923 and was filmed at the behest of Cecil B. DeMille (the same Cecil B. who made Heston’s film more than three decades later).
The first “Ten” was a silent film and involved multiple stories, including Moses leading the Jews out of bondage in Egypt and subsequently bestowing upon them a list of do’s and don’ts, plus a modern-day tale of woe and such that begins with a mother reading the Bible to two sons.
I will also tell you — because if I don’t some other know-it-all will certainly feign superiority to me by blabbing it to you — that the 1923 effect of parting the Red Sea was attained by filming two blocks of blue gelatin set down side by side, heating them until they melted and then reversing the footage.
ALAN
P.S. You get a pair of “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” sunglasses (made in China, no less) and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Why do production companies release holiday themed movies months prior to the holiday. Such as in the case of “Halloween.” With Halloween being two months away, why not hold the movie until then?
LYNN TODD, Lake Worth, Fla.
Dear Boo,
I could say, “Why should the movies behave any differently than retail merchants who begin advertising Christmas before anyone says, ‘Trick or treat’?”
I could say that.
But I’d rather say that Rob Zombie, who directed the newfangled “Halloween,” is a moviemaker of minimal talent with a very limited audience. And since the end of August with its lower audience numbers is traditionally the special time of year to dump particularly lame movies on the paying public (hey, anybody out there see “Balls of Fury”?), it makes complete sense to place a lame moviemaker’s lame film on a lame box-office weekend.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “The Invasion” T-shirt (because, clearly, I’m housecleaning summer’s gifts) and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Why are the latest action movies being filmed in Jumblevision? After 40 minutes of “The Bourne Ultimatum,” I had to go throw up.
Why can’t the ratings system add another letter: J for Jumblevision; not suitable for people prone to motion sickness.
What can I do?
DIANE McALLISTER, Ely, Minn.
Dear Queasy,
For one thing, you can stay out of the roller coaster waiting line if you happen to notice I’m in it.
If you’re going to be throwing up cotton candy and funnel cakes, I’d prefer not to ride along.
I sympathize with you that a jittery camera (used in the case of “Bourne Ultimatum” and other movies to achieve a sense of heightened reality) makes your tummy go flip-flop.
But there are many moviegoers, especially one named Mr. Alan Smithee, who quite enjoy what you refer to as Jumblevision.
I suggest you pay close attention to movie previews of films you suspect might go all jumbly on you. And then stay away from those movies.
If the rating system simply must provide a “J” for you, then it will also have to employ a “C” designation for me as well.
“C” would alert me to the presence in any film of Carrot Top. Because I’ll be the first to admit that if I see him, I immediately throw up.
ALAN
P.S. You get a bottle of “28 Weeks Later” virus slime 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.
Permalink | | Categories: Alan Smithee
The details, controversy in Carter’s ‘Man From Plains’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The new Jimmy Carter documentary “Man From Plains” begins not with the 39th U.S. president, but with his late mother, Lillian, waxing wise with Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show” in June 1979.
She’s there to counter a spate of Carson jokes at her son’s expense and in her inviting, downhome Southern drawl, also cements for the record Carter’s view of anyone’s personal opinion.
“He never criticizes what I say,” Lillian Carter says. A poignant quote perhaps because for more than two hours, Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme’s “Man From Plains” then delves into the verbal controversy surrounding Carter’s latest book, “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” as the former president tirelessly treks from New York to Los Angeles with stops inbetween on a multi-city American media tour in the latter days of 2006.
In the onslaught of global insta-news, November and December of last year can seem long behind us, but over the next few days “Man From Plains” will swing world attention back to Carter’s bestseller.
On Friday, “Man From Plains” will debut at the Venice International Film Festival in Italy. Then on Monday afternoon, Jimmy and Rosaylnn Carter will appear at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada to speak about their life views. A Toronto screening of the documentary will follow.
The film, which was screened for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week, could open in New York in October and is tentatively expected to debut in metro Atlanta in early November.
In his book, Carter maintains Israel cannot achieve lasting peace with Palestinians without withdrawing from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. He’s particularly critical of the security walls in those areas constructed by Israel for protection, which he says ultimately constricts Palestinian freedom.
Though Demme is a public supporter of the former president, his film pulls no punches. At times on his tour, various critics call Carter a liar, a bigot and an anti-Semite. But he’s also met at a string of book signings by a smiling public eager to thank the Nobel Peace Prize winner for his humanitarian practices.
Here are other aspects of the documentary that moviegoers will likely be talking about when “Man From Plains” opens in theaters:
The downhome details: The president and Mrs. Carter are shown riding bikes in Plains. Carter talks about the importance of his family’s land while riding in a car traveling on red clay roads. He wears a string tie as he speaks about Christianity at his church, a belt buckle emblazoned with his initials “J.C.” while speaking at a social gathering that includes a meal of fried quail marinated in ranch dressing. At home, he’s shown leafing through Bible while writing a speech on his laptop.
The presidential tears: Carter cries softly at least twice in the film — while talking about his late mother’s visit to India where she served in the Peace Corps and while extolling the intelligence and dedication of young interns at the Carter Center.
The media cameos: The film records dozens of interviews, including portions with Wolf Blitzer, Judy Woodruff, Jay Leno, Tavis Smiley, Charlie Rose and Al Franken. There are also segments taken from interviews with an Israeli TV journalist and Al Jazeera.
About George W. Bush: Carter talks briefly and frankly about his issues with Bush policies involving both North Korea and the lack of cleanup in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. At one point on his book tour, he’s advised that a media outlet wants to ask him “how you feel about Bush policy.” His curt reply: “Hmmh!”
The Camp David accord: Rosalynn Carter recalls difficult verbal exchanges between Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Israel’s Menachem Begin at the 1978 peace talks at Camp David. She could hear them from a nearby room. “The voices were so angry,” she says. Her husband then began meeting with each individually. Later, when it appeared there would be no accord she says the president wrote statements to each of Begin’s grandchildren and handed them to him. She says soon afterward, a Begin staffer returned to say the Israeli prime minister would sign the agreement.
Permalink | | Categories: Bob Longino
