Posts by Sarah G. «
Trailer Trash: Oblivious Boyfriends Edition
Come join us for a discussion of the trailers we’ve been privileged to experience over the last month or so. Are they tantalizing nuggets of the hits of tomorrow? Or harbingers of Gnomeo and Juliets to come? We do not know! But we will assume that we do, because it is our way. Have YOU seen a trailer lately? Do tell. In the Comments, please—we can’t hear you from our cubicles.
Sarah: Hello Kimberly! Happy Oscars Eve Eve Week to you! Shall we distract ourselves from the For Your Consideration ads with a little Trailer Trash? I’ll lead off with Rubber, a movie about a killer tire. I, um, well…it’s a movie about a tire that kills people. So. That’s all there really is to say? I think I want to see it?
Let’s Talk About…Ebert Presents At the Movies
A stylist for this woman, we implore you.
To: Kimberly
From: Sarah
Hello there, Kimberly!
So, now that we’ve seen two episodes of Ebert Presents: At the Movies, I feel like we can talk about our first impressions. My impression of the first episode was pretty negative, to be honest. The hosts, Christy Lemire and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, didn’t do much for me. Their discussions of new movies seemed soooo long and lacking in chemistry. Ebert’s short review was by far the most entertaining part of the show. I like how he chooses different famous voices to read his typed words aloud (SML talking point Werner Herzog for the first episode). This second episode was already more watchable for me, however. I may just be getting used to the hosts, and the absence of SML nemesis Kim Morgan was helpful. I still don’t particularly enjoy Lemire or Vishnevetsky, who seems to be trying particularly hard to be interesting and controversial. And I still miss Scotlips. But I’m trying to be patient. Ebert’s review was again the highlight.
A question for you, Kimberly: Is the sound looping off when you watch this show on your TV? Two weeks in a row, the sound of people talking doesn’t match up with the lips moving and it’s sort of driving me crazy.
Your thoughts?
Hugs,
Sarah Read more »
Let’s Talk About: The Golden Globes
Hello again, you skinny bitch you.
Rebecca: LOVED IT!
Cast your vote….I’m going on record as a supporter of Ricky Gervais and his hilarious hosting gig at the Golden Globes last night—he was totally on the mark. Re-watching his opening monologue this morning (follow the link to popeater) and then some of his supposedly offensive introductions, I say, “suck it up” you sensitive Hollywood types! What say you? Right now the “was Ricky Gervais mean?” vote on the moviefone blog is running 1,216 in the “no, he was funny” column vs. 977 in the “yes, he was over the top.” My vote is in.
Fashion-wise, I thought it was a great night and can’t wait to watch Joan Rivers and crew tonight on E! Fashion Police. Here’s a nice slideshow from the NYT. Read more »
On Our Radar: The Golden Globes
SML pretend BFF Ricky Gervais
This Sunday’s broadcast of the 2011 Golden Globes has us pretty excited over here. Kudos to the Hollywood Foreign Press for bringing SML favorite Ricky Gervais back for a second year. Will he top last year’s hilarious Mel Gibson intro? (All the video of this is sadly gone, but you remember what he said: “I like a beer as much as the next man. Unless the next man is Mel Gibson.”) What will the dresses look like this year? Who will be drunk on stage? Who will get snubbed in the In Memoriam reel? It’s all very exciting. Let’s all meet back here next week to discuss the highs and lows, shall we?
PS: Be sure to tune into NBC’s always awful red carpet coverage 30 minutes before the show starts. Can’t wait to hear what hit song they’ve re-written to include movie and TV references this year! I’m going to guess something by the Black Eyed Peas.
del Toro’s Creepy Origins: Cronos
CRONOS (1993/CRITERION EDITION DVD) So after years languishing in the Saved section of my Netflix queue, Cronos finally arrived in my mailbox. The delay seems to have been caused by the development of the brand spanking new Criterion Edition, the lovely special features of which I didn’t really spend much time on. But I’m sure they’re super nice! For an older movie made on what I’m assuming was a limited budget, this edition looks very clean and clear, so bravo Criterion! Now, to the movie itself. Well. Much like my experiences with Guillermo del Toro’s catalogue so far, the movie itself is frustratingly uneven. (I’d place myself somewhere in between the IMDb commenters “This movie is a treasure!” and “OMG THIS MOVIE SUCKED.”) The story is unique and darkly creepy (see also, Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, The Devil’s Backbone), and the first half or so had me completely engaged. But by the end, illogical plot developments and some seriously silly-looking make-up effects had distracted to me to the point of not caring about or believing in the story and characters (see also, Hellboy II: The Golden Army). To be fair, this was del Toro’s first full-length movie. IMDb tells me that he started writing the script 10 years before the movie came out, and I’m sure he didn’t have a Hellboy-sized budget to work with, so we can forgive him some of the plot cliches and rubber-face-mask effects. There are hints throughout the movie at his potential genius, including a scene involving a needle and thread in the facial area that reminded me of the unforgettable scene in Pan’s Labyrinth when the General sews up his own slashed cheek. At his very best, like in that scene, del Toro shows us things that are completely new in their brutality, creativity, and heart. And I guess that’s what I keep waiting to see more of from him. One more note: Ron Perlman, who we know better covered in red paint as Hellboy himself, is cast here as a thug trying to retrieve the Cronos device from our protagonist, Jesus (the Spanish name, not the deity). His performance is…um…not so great, but it did provide me with some unintentional (maybe not?) comic relief.
Grade: C+
Queue Query: Foreign Films Aplenty Edition
We stole this idea from Slate because we think it’s fun. Sue us. (Please don’t sue us.) Without any advance reordering to save face, we present to you the first five entries in Sarah’s Netflix queue, along with some brief commentary. Judge if you must. We’re not afraid of you.
1. Cronos (1993). This is the first feature-length directorial effort from Guillermo del Toro. I’ll let Netflix’s plot summary do my, um, summarizing: “After an ancient device attaches itself to his body, aging antiques dealer Jesus (Federico Luppi) struggles to cope with an insatiable thirst for human blood, a menacing brute (Ron Perlman) dead set on retrieving the mechanism and the gradual realization that he cannot die.” Is that exciting, or what? That’s pretty exciting. I’ve had this in the “Saved” section of my queue since Pan’s Labyrinth was in theaters, and it’s finally available on DVD. Not sure what the wait was, but I’ll certainly report back on the results.
2. Vengeance (2009). A French-Hong Kong collaboration directed by Hong Kong legend Johnnie To, I know very little about this one other than that it’s a revenge thriller involving the mafia and hit men that takes place in Hong Kong but with a heavily French cast. The star is Johnny Hallyday, who again I know nothing about, but look at how awesomely grizzly he is! All very intriguing, yes? Yes. Read more »
Trailer Trash: Portman’s Questionable Decisions Edition
Come join us for a discussion of the trailers we’ve been privileged to experience over the last month or so. Are they tantalizing nuggets of the hits of tomorrow? Or harbingers of The Next Three Dayses to come? We do not know! But we will assume that we do, because it is our way. Have YOU seen a trailer lately? Do tell. In the Comments, please—we can’t hear you from our cubicles.
Sarah: Kimberly! There are like 40 million new trailers making their way around the internets right now! I really had a hard time choosing just two to focus on here (although, Warner Brothers helped me out some by taking down the Green Lantern trailer that popped up briefly last week. Sexiest Man Alive [NOPE] Ryan Reynolds in tights! HEE!).
Anyway, I’ll begin with Your Highness from used-to-be-really-arty-and-interesting director David Gordon Green. This trailer pains me physically. A wacky period stoner comedy with pointlessly profane contemporary dialogue and gratuitous nudity? Did we as a nation learn nothing from Year One? This is a big deal cast, too! Danny McBride, James Franco, and even the lovely Zooey Deschanel: sure. But Portman is a bit of a surprise here, yes? Flashing her ass and her really, really bad British accent around? Help me understand, Kimberly. What are all these people doing in this? How did this get made? Will people see it? (A note before you click play: Red Band trailer alert! Pitifully misused F-words aplenty!)
Saying Goodbye to Childhood with Toy Story 3
TOY STORY 3 (DVD/2010) We were way more excited than grown adults probably should be to finally see Toy Story 3 at my house, being big fans of the first two and Pixar in general, and having missed it in 3D in theaters over the summer. I remember reading the rave reviews when it was out, and it’s on all the early Oscar lists as a done deal for a Best Picture nomination. And we watched it, and it was…fine? Okay, more than fine. It was great-looking and genuinely funny and sweet. This final chapter in the film series follows the toys’ adventures as their owner Andy prepares to leave home for college. As usual, they find themselves removed from their house and have to struggle and work together and learn lessons in order to get back to where they belong. There are some new toys to get to know–some good, some mean, and some SUPER CREEPY. Also, John Lasseter and crew made the very wise decision to exclude any musical numbers this time. There is a lot to like about the movie, really. There was just no way it was going to live up to our expectations and the hype. And I think by the third movie in a series, writers are trying to show the audience something new and exciting, so the action in this one seemed really amped up. Read more »
On Our Radar: Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields
All in a day's work for Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt, and a little less so his band The Magnetic Fields, is one of those polarizing figures. You either love him or hate him (or a third category: never heard of him). He’s an unbelievably talented and prolific song writer, cranking out albums with The Magnetic Fields in addition to three other bands and at least two side projects at all times, including a 2009 staging of a not-for-kids musical based on the Neil Gaiman book Coraline (strangely not associated with the movie version of that book that came out the same year). His music and lyrics generally strike a lovely tone of sadly funny–unique, sweet without being sticky, and surreal but totally recognizable. My favorites of his songs live in the same part of my brain as the very best of Wes Anderson’s movies, if you get me. (It’s okay if you don’t; that doesn’t make much sense.) He tours with his band but is very open about pretty much hating playing live, due in equal parts to an ear condition that makes applause and loud music literally painful to him and to his generally prickly personality. I’ve seen him live a few times and have found him in turns to be dryly hilarious, self-deprecating, extremely entertaining, really boring, and rude to and dismissive of an audience that clearly loves him. I find him fasinating, and the documentary about him and the band that’s been floating around festivals since June ought to be really great. Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields hasn’t graced my city yet, but I’m keeping an eye out for it (maybe it will show up this year at STIFF?) and will report back as soon as possible. In the meantime, please enjoy these enticing clips.
Trailer Trash: “Ninjas. Damn.” Edition
Come join us for a discussion of the trailers we’ve been privileged to experience over the last month or so. Are they tantalizing nuggets of the hits of tomorrow? Or harbingers of Knight and Days to come? We do not know! But we will assume that we do, because it is our way. Have YOU seen a trailer lately? Do tell. In the Comments, please—we can’t hear you from our cubicles.
Kimberly: I am truly baffled by Paul (is it for children? Will there be alien farting?), and frankly, I’m not a fan of Simon Pegg’s Edgar Wright-less work (see How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, Run, Fatboy, Run—wait, don’t! I was kidding!). But Greg Mottola is a pretty skilled comedy director, and loves buddies, so I guess I am cautiously optimistic? Choosing Seth Rogen’s voice may have been a mistake, though—all I can think is “That’s the voice of the Green Hornet, debonair newspaper publisher by day, masked superhero by night! Swoon!” (Sometimes I watch that trailer when I’m feeling blue—instant laughs!) Small compliant: Why don’t they give Jane Lynch props in this? Isn’t she famous and beloved by all now?
