I feel that I need to explain why this interview ended up being so short. See, Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody turned out to be two of the nicest and coolest people I have met. When I first got there, Jason, who by the way was wearing a Ghostbusters t-shirt, commented on my tattoos. (For those that don't know, I have quite a few tattoos of comic book characters) and then Diablo walked in and literally screamed when she saw the tattoo of Rogue from the X-Men on my leg. So a good amount of the alloted time was spent chatting about tattoos, the IMDB and truck driving. For those interested, I will be posting the full interview with all the chit chat on www.velvetropereviews.com in the near future.
ME: In Juno. how hard was it to ride that line between being funny and being serious?
Diablo Cody: You know, that’s always really tough. Originally I didn’t really set out to write a comedy strictly. And then it was my first screenplay, so I was still kind of discovering myself as a writer. As I moved forward I realized it definitely had a comedic voice to it. It was difficult because I always wanted it to be a little dark, and I always wanted it to be a little emotional but not too much so, so it was challenging. But the great thing about having a director who really understand the material is that he is very good at establishing tone, and so that perfect balance that you speak of is achieved.
ME: I didn’t see a lot that was dark, there were some little things….
DC: Yeah, not much left. Put it this way, I never imagined a cheerful orange and white poster when I was writing this movie. But Jason really brightened it up, and I’m glad that he did.
ME: I understand that you wrote a book so this becoming not quite a celebrity but more and more popular is kinda new, right?
DC: Yeah
ME: How has that treated you, and are you happy or do you wish you could go back?
DC: I’m incredibly happy, but at the same time it is a double edged sword, because you are praised and criticized in equal measure when you become a somewhat public figure.
Chit chat about IMDB
ME to Jason Reitman: You did a survey for the site trashwire.com for Thank You For Smoking. I was intrigued by one of your answers. I’m not a big fan of documentaries but This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated is one of my favorites. You had mentioned that if you had a billion dollars you would buy the MPAA and change how they do things. Have you had some kind of negative dealings with them?
JR: No no no, the MPAA has been very good to me. I don’t like a nanny state in film. I don’t like being told what to do, I don’t think people should be told what to do, I think people should be left to make decisions for themselves. That is somewhat at the core of both of my films, that people should be left to their own decisions.
Chat about This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated (which Cody hadn't seen yet) and the MPAA, and JR and DC chatting about their schedule, and truck driving
ME: I gotta ask, what kind of cool shit is going to be on the DVD?
JR: All kinds of cool shit. Deleted scenes, the original screen tests for the actors, there’s a music video that we cut together, there’s a blooper reel with a fake fight between me and Rainn Wilson, there’s a whole documentary on Diablo going from an internet blogger to a screen writer, some behind the scenes things. There’s like a Mystery Science Theater 3000 thing, Diablo and I deconstructing a scene like over our shoulders inside a movie theater. There’s tons of cool shit.
ME: I’ve always been a fan of the special features. Nowadays that’s more than half the reason to buy a DVD.
JR: The cool thing is, also, when you pee on the DVD case it tells you if you’re pregnant.
(laughter)
ME: Is it harder to direct established actors such as Bateman and Garner or younger talent like Cera and Page who are starting to make names for themselves?
JR: You know, every case is different, but on this film everything was easy. It was a delight with Jen, who’s very professional and very warm. And Jason is like the funniest guy you could have on set, so they make it very easy. And then Ellen and Michael are so easy going but so good and just tuning in to the perfect tone that there’s not many adjustments. You asked earlier about tonal adjustments….frankly that’s what made this movie so easy to do is that the actors were always kind of right there on the line and the adjustments that I would make would be very minor.
ME: Since Hollywood seems to be very sequel happy these days, at the drop of a hat for movies that really don’t deserve them, what you would see happening in a sequel?
DC: It’s hard for me to say because I feel so protective of the characters and I love them so much that I really want to freeze them in time and I don’t want them to have to go forward and experience any more.
JR: You talked a little bit about it…you know how Mark becomes an astronaut.
DC: Oh yeah, Mark becomes an astronaut.
JR: And he actually is the first guy to walk on Mars.
DC: It’s called Mission to Mark.
(laughter)
JR: And Vanessa and the baby actually become a singing duo, and they take their act on the road and they go worldwide. But then it’s actually kind of heartbreaking because they get into a fight over like are they artists or do they create product, and it breaks them apart which is kind of sad. Juno becomes an ice cream inventor for Baskin Robbins and works as a scientist inventing flavors of ice cream.
ME: I missed the screening last night but I figured that seeing it twice in one month was enough. How many times have you guys seen it?
JR: I edited it so for a few months I constantly was watching it.
ME: Once you’re all done with this, all the promotions and the DVD is out, how long does it usually take before you go back and watch it. Like how long has it been since you watched Thank You For Smoking just for the hell of it?
JR: Start to finish? I have not watched it completely through. If it’s on TV I’ll watch a scene or two, but it’s a little hard to watch. I would watch it with an audience if they’re liking it. Like if they were going to put it in theaters for a night I would totally go.
And we chatted for a few minutes about Cody's upcoming project Jennifer's Body, but that is a story for another time.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Jason Reitman/Diablo Cody interview for Juno by ME
Movie Review: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story by ME
Title: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Starring: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, Raymond J. Barry
Directed By: Jake Kasdan
Produced By: Lewis Morton, Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan
Genre: Comedy, Musical/Performing Arts and Biopic
Running Time: 1 hr. 36 min.
Release Date: December 21st, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language.
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Dewey Cox knows the blues. From a childhood accident that left his brother cut in half to two failed marriages, from a father who shuns him to an evil addiction to drugs, Dewey feels the blues. This is his story.
Sounds like a biopic like Walk The Line doesn't it? Well, if you have been hiding under a rock the last few weeks and haven't seen any of the ads for Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, then let me tell you, it isn't. Walk Hard parodies Walk The Line and many other biopics. With sight gags that go beyond the crowning scene in Knocked Up to witty phrasings in song, Walk Hard is a solid effort that falls just shy of the mark made by Team Apatow's earlier efforts. That's not to say that it isn't a funny film, but it lacks the heart of Superbad, Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin.
Maybe I am putting too much blame on Apatow. Jake Kasdan, the director, could still be considered a little wet behind the ears with only Walk Hard, The TV Set, Orange County and Zero Effect under his belt film wise. To give him credit where deserved, he also directed a few episodes of Freaks and Geeks, the cult classic TV show that was the launching point for many of Apatow's regulars.
John C. Reilly really doesn't seem to be the kind of actor that should be able to play the lead in any film, and he covers that fact well. Reilly also wrote and sang most of the music in the film, which is quite impressive on it's own. What really helps is the supporting cast, most of which are familiar. Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, David Krumholtz, Harold Ramis, Martin Starr and a few more all add their little pieces that add up to help Reilly make Walk Hard a decent comedy. Some nice cameos as well. Look for Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly and Jack White as Elvis. And the best, Jack Black, Jonathan Schwartzman, Paul Rudd and Justin Long as The Beatles.
Final thoughts – While not one I would buy for my collection, Walk Hard is, at it's core, a funny movie that delivers the laughs, but falls short in character development. And I must warn you, there are a few shots of male full frontal nudity along with very suggestive, but very funny, lyrics in a few of the songs.
Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
DVD Review: Angel-A by JR
“Angel-A” is about Andre, a gambling ne’er-do-well who just can’t seem to catch a break from the many many people he owes money to. In a desperate attempt to end his life, and in a scene reminiscent of “It’s a Wonderful Life”, Andre attempts to leap off of a bridge to his impending death, only to be stopped when a beautiful leggy blonde jumps off right before he does. She says her name is Angela, and she’s a chain smoking “sexy bitch” who claims that since Andre has saved her life, she must save his.
The unlikely pair weave in and out of black and white bleak and deserted Parisian streets, knocking out Andre’s debt one by one. Angela appears to be either a smooth talker or a prostitute. Andre’s not quite sure which.
The acting in this movie had to work in order for the movie to work. Andre and Angela are on screen by themselves for most of the movie. Andre, played by “Amelie”’s Jamel Debbouze, is perfect in this part. Most of it has to do with how he looks. He just looks like a very clueless guy who would be down on his luck. He looks dirty and disheveled and naïve. Angela, played by relatively unknown Rie Rasmussen, is perfect as well. She’s beautiful, but very aloof. You never know exactly what she’s thinking. She’s very flirtatious with just about everyone, but clearly favors Andre. The two of them together make a very strange but sweet pair.
The film is shot entirely in black and white, for what reason I do not know, but it’s gorgeous. Paris never looked so sad and deserted than it does in this film. The shots are bleak but full. Not a detail is unnoticed. The signature Luc Besson filmmaking style is easily spotted as well with the jerky shots around the characters, and the spectacular filming of the climactic ending.
With all of the things this film has going for it, it should be better than it is. The script has it’s moments of charm and wit, but for the most part is pretty dull. It’s very unfortunate, especially with all of the potential that this film has going for it.
If you’re a Luc Besson like me, this one should be a no-brainer. If you missed it in theaters, go rent it now. If not, skip it and go for one of the better Luc Besson films. Even with this semi-flop, he’s a director to keep your eyes peeled for.
3 out of 5 stars
Jenny Rushing
Monday, December 17, 2007
Movie Review: Enchanted by JR
Starring: Amy Adams, Julie Andrews, James Marsden, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel
Directed by: Kevin Lima
MPAA rating: PG for some scary scenes and mild innuendo
Release Date: November 21, 2007
Every Disney Princess movie is essentially the same, right? Princess to be lives in poverty, meets a prince, the next day they get married and live happily ever after. “Enchanted” begins like a typical Disney Princess movie, only there’s a hurdle to jump over to get to the “married” and the “happily ever after”. The Princess-to-be, Giselle, is hated by the Princely-Hubby-to-be’s wicked stepmother, and as she is tra-la-ing to her wedding, she is pushed down a wishing well and lands in New York City where she is no longer a cartoon and nothing is “happily ever after”.
There have been many attempts at a fractured fairy tale. Some have been hits, “The Princess Bride”, and some have been misses, “Happily N’Ever After” and “Hoodwinked”. This one is a hit out of the ballpark. The satire is pitch perfect, never dry or dated. The jokes are laugh out loud funny, not roll your eyes babyish. It makes fun of every Disney movie out there while still being the type of movie it makes fun of. It’s hysterical! My favorite cliché they make fun of is the woodland animals that help the Princess-to-be a la “Snow White” and “Cinderella”. In “Enchanted”, woodland creatures come to help Giselle whenever she calls for them by singing out the window. Only when she makes it to New York, other kinds of…animals…come to help her clean. I won’t give it away, but the audience loved it!
Most recently, Amy Adams has received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Giselle, and let me tell you, even though she’s going up against some heavy hitters like Marion Cottilard for “La Vie en Rose”, the nomination is well-deserved. She’s adorable as the wide-eyed, happy-go-lucky, spontaneous-song-singing Giselle. There is no doubt that she is a princess and she’s just lost. She’s a joy to watch, literally. I had a grin plastered to my face through the entire movie. Other notable cast members include James Marsden as the goofy yet charming Prince, Susan Sarandon as the wicked stepmother, Patrick Dempsey aka McDreamy as the single father who tries to help Giselle get back to wherever she’s from, Julie Andrews as the Narrator, and, my favorite, Idina Menzel (Wicked) as Patrick Dempsey’s girlfriend. What a cast! Everyone is on top of their game here and looking like they’re having the time of their lives in these roles.
The music is also excellent. For you musical lovers, there’s a great scene in which Giselle bursts into song in the middle of Central Park and gets everyone involved in a huge song and dance number. It’s so much fun! We were dancing in our seats along with them. The soundtrack is a must for every Disney fan.
If you’ve not seen “Enchanted” yet, the holidays are the perfect time to do so. Most of us are with family and that usually includes children. This movie is a great choice for children of all ages. We took my 13 year old cousin and she loved it just as much if not more than my five year old little girl. In fact, my dad liked it probably more than anyone. This movie is for everyone. I can’t wait to see it again.
4.5 out of 5 stars (because I’m biased towards musicals and Disney)
Jenny Rushing
beccajane67@yahoo.com
Friday, December 14, 2007
Movie Review: I Am Legend by ME
Title: I Am Legend
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Charlie Tahan
Directed By: Francis Lawrence
Produced By: Erwin Stoff, Michael Tadross, Dana Goldberg
Genre: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Release Date: December 14th, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Disappointed. That is how I Am Legend left me feeling. Kind of like opening the greatest Christmas present ever and finding that the batteries didn't come with it and every single store is closed.
It's 2012, Robert Neville (Will Smith), is the last survivor living in New York after the “cure” for cancer mutated the rest of the population into bloodthirsty, light sensitive monsters. During the day he hunts and hits golf balls with his dog while waiting for other survivors to find him. But at night, he hides in fear of the mutated population that wants to kill him. Why? We don't know. And, Neville just happens to be a scientist trying to find a cure.
I Am Legend starts strong, with sweeping shots of a New York city gone to seed, slowly being reclaimed by nature. We learn what Neville does every day with little spots of Will Smith's trademark humor. Intermittently told through flashbacks and dreams is the story of what happened to the world and Neville's family in particular.
Will Smith does a great job of carrying the film pretty much on his own, being that he is the only actor onscreen during most of the film. By taking mannequins and posing them in a video store, he creates some semblance of the way life used to be. While this could be construed as crazy, you can plainly see that this is just a step in keeping his own sanity. He does have the required crying scene that seems to be in most of his recent films, but it is understandable in this film and I won't penalize Smith for it this time. Not much more can be said about the cast except for a neat little cameo by Emma Thompson as the Dr. who found the “cure”. Also, fans of the Sci-Fi Channel's Eureka may recognize Salli Blake. She plays Smith's wife in the flashbacks and is Allison Blake on Eureka.
Before I get to why the movie was disappointing, I want to say that the first three quarters were really good. It takes a combination of talents to keep a movie with mostly only one cast member interesting. Director Francis Lawrence coupled with Will Smith does this quite well. The effects are top notch. New York looks extremely creepy, reminiscent of the establishing shots of London in 28 Weeks Later but with the style of WETA's work on Peter Jacksons King Kong. The creatures are creepy without looking too dehumanized.
What doesn't work is the end. Feeling truncated and incomplete, I Am Legend could have easily added another twenty minutes to it's running time of an hour and forty minutes to provide a better sense of closure. I can't say any more without giving it away, sorry.
Notice that there was no mention of any of the other versions of this film. There have been two others, Omega Man starring Charleton Heston and The Last Man On Earth, starring Vincent Price. All three films were based on the novel by Richard Matheson, he who has penned What Dreams May Come and The Incredible Shrinking Man, among others. There was no mention because I haven't seen any of the others or read the book. Plan and simple.
All in all, I cared more for the dog than I did Robert Neville. What does that tell you?
Until Will Smith really is the last man on earth,
keep reading
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
DVD Review: La Vie En Rose by JR
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Movie Review: Awake by DN
Awake (2007)
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Lena Olin, & Terrence Howard
Directed by: Joby Harold
Genre: Drama/Thriller
MPAA Rating: R for language, an intense disturbing situation, and brief drug use.
Release Date: November 30, 2007
In "Awake," a psychological thriller that tells the story of a man (Christensen) undergoing heart surgery while experiencing a phenomenon called "anesthetic awareness," which leaves him awake but paralyzed throughout the operation. As various obstacles present themselves, his wife (Alba) must make life-altering decisions while wrestling with her own personal drama.
Going in to this film, I was skeptical of the acting prowess of both Alba and Christensen, knowing that they've both left me feeling less than satisfied in the past. What I found was right on, in that their acting is it's usual cut and dry, monotone, walk through. It feels that both Christensen and Alba are just going through the processes while filming this movie. On the offset, you have screen and stage veteran Lena Olin, who shines as the mother of Christensen's character, and Terrence Howard, who once again proves he is a dark horse of acting ability.
The story revolves around how Clayton Beresford (Christensen), remains awake while under anesthesia, hearing the plotting and planning of his corrupt and crooked surgeons, who are planning on killing him during open heart surgery. Before watching the film, I had a strong thought in my head for what the purpose of the murder would be, and at the time I was not only skeptical of it, I was disappointed it. Disappointed with my own idea... fortunately, I was shocked to find the real reason behind the homicide. This would be only the first of a couple shocking twists and turns, which would find myself and most of the other the theater-goers on the edge of our seats.
Once you get the past horrid acting of the two main characters, you'll find yourself immersed in a story of intrigue and suspicion, which in the end gives great pay off, and left me feeling quite satisfied. I give Awake 3.5 out of 5 stars.
