Another Brilliant Leibovitz

Well it sure beats the original! See below.
Keep it up Apatow crew.

Lots of Movie News, plus my Embarrasing Addiction

Harry Potter goes to war with Iron Man

The final Harry Potter film (Deathly Hollows Pt.2) gets a release date! And that date is July 15, 2011. Deathly Hollows Pt. 1 is set for Nov. 19, 2010. Apparently the Iron Man featured film of The Avengers is also scheduled for a release on that exact same date as HPDH Pt. 2. Looks like it's war between the wizards and the marvel universe. As much as I loved Iron Man, I'm rooting for wands all the way.

The Class inspires revival of "cool teacher" movies

Tonight I'll be seeing The Class (Entre les murs), the Oscar nominated French drama about a teacher who navigates the difficult topic of race with his students in a "tough" neighborhood. I'm looking forward to seeing it (review to follow shortly), and today, Total Film happens to have a feature (in honor of The Class) called 7 Insanely Cool Movie Teachers. It's a pretty good list, that covers most bases. I have a soft Spot for Jack Black in School of Rock.

Freida Pinto signs on with Woody Allen

Rising Star Freida Pinto has already gotten her next big break. She recently stated that her next film will be with Woody Allen. It feels like Scarlett Johansson all over again. Supposedly Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins and Josh Brolin are also all aboard with Allen. So what will this new film be about? I'm thinking it will be about a marriage falling apart between Watts and Brolin, due to his affair with Pinto? And Hopkins can play the wise mentor that Watts turns to in her despair... thoughts?

B Team with Ferrell and Wahlberg?

Adam McKay is back with avengeance it would seem. After less than amazing results from Step Brothers and Talladega Nights, all following the insane success of Anchorman, McKay hopes to hit a high note again with Will Ferrell and possibly Mark Wahlberg on B Team (the possibilities are endless). The script is written by Chris Henchy, who also wrote Ferrell's upcoming movie, Land of the Lost. Ferrell and Wahlberg? Sign me up! (Didn't you see I Heart Huckabees?).

Gondry saves The Green Hornet

I'm sure you've already read this a million places before seeing it here, but did other blogs have this cool trippy picture? Michel Gondry has taken up the reigns of the The Green Hornet after Stephen Chow dropped out. The film written by Seth Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg, has a release date of June 25, 2010, not to be confused with The Green Lantern, set to release in December 2010. I'm all for Gondry taking a stab at Hornet, he is one of my favs. And things can't get any worse for the movie, right?

Blanchett to play Maid Marian

Cate Blanchett has officially signed on as Maid Marian in the upcoming adaptation of Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott. As much as I love Cate (despite her Benjamin Button misstep) and digg Ridley, I am less than pleased with Crowe. His last few movies have either been boring or uninteresting, or he's been boring an uninteresting in them. If I had heard about this back during his Gladiator days, I would have been a lot more enthused, but in the wake of films like Body of Lies and State of Play, I've just lost interest. But who knows?

Gore Verbinski to direct Clue Remake

Director Gore Verbinski, most famous for The Ring and Pirates of the Caribbean films, is not slated to direct a remake of Clue. This has got to be the umpteenth board game movie in the works. Unlike Candy Land however, Clue actually has the potential to make a good film (as evidenced by the 1985 Clue made with Tim Curry). I am pretty attached to the original Clue, but depending on casting, the remake could get my attention.

My Embarrasing Guilty Pleasure
Lastly, for now, I'm going to admit an embarrassing addiction. This is hard for me to say, but, I love watching Legend of the Seeker. As bad as the show might be, and as far away from the Goodkind books as the readers feel it is (never read them), I still love it. Gorgeous Australian Craig Horner plays Richard Cypher who is the "Seeker," a chosen one, on a quest to kill the evil Darken Rahl who has taken over the midlands. With him on his journey as his protectors and companions are, the high wizard Zeddicus Zu'l Zorrander aka Zed, and the beautiful confessor Kahlan (Bridget Regan). For a story that echos so many of the themes of Lord of the Rings, it is really nothing like it (except that they were both filmed in New Zealand). The show time and again lives up to it's syndicated nature. It has been likened to famed shows of the past, Hercules and Xena. I didn't watch either of those, so I can't fully compare their differences or similarities, but I can tell you that in it's own cheesy, lovable way, this show is fun to watch. Plus, I'm always a fan of good chemistry between leads (even when it's cliche). Check out Are You Screening's in-depth article on the show.



                                 

Short and Sweet: Oscar Edition

I'm getting the feeling from what I've been reading, that a lot of people enjoyed last night's Academy Awards show...

WHY?

It was boring to the max, and almost completely without surprises or standout memorable moments. But what's not surprising, is that a year lacking in great jaw dropping cinema, produced a less than amazing Oscar night. After all the glorified talk of making drastic changes and reinventing the very broken wheel that is the Academy Awards, all that was left were a few awkward musical numbers, one kind of funny video directed by Judd Apatow, and a failed stab at reviving "old hollywood." Maybe there is a generational gap in enjoyment level? I have found that people a little older really enjoyed the ceremony, and found it classier and more entertaining than it's been in years. But with younger people (like me) it felt was more boring and lacking in originality than ever. You can check out SpoutBlog Oscar's Twittered here, which is pretty hilarious. I won't go into too much more detail about the winners or the ceremony, cause it's been done ad-nausea already, but I will say that, 1. I got 12 out of my 15 predictions right (woot!), and 2. Despite my general upset with the show, below are a few of my fav moments. As you can see, there aren't many.

Anne Hathaway Singing with Hugh Jackman
I appreciated the opening musical number for what it tried to accomplish, and for the true earnestness of Jackman's (who was clearly nervous) performance, but that doesn't change the fact that the musical numbers felt awkward and a little uncomfortable. However, when Jackman literally swept Anne Hathaway off her chair and brought her up to sing, that was a great moment. Who'd have thought she'd get her big singing break as Richard Nixon?



Tina Fey and Steve Martin
Tina Fey and Steve Martin have already proven their hilarity to the world, but if there was anyone still out there questioning their comedic chops, the Oscars proved their humor once again. Check out some of their dialogue below:

Tina Fey: "It has been said that to write is to live forever."
Steve Martin: "The man who said that is dead."
TF: "Yet, we all know the importance of writing, because every great movie begins with a great screenplay."
SM: "Or, a very good idea for the poster. But usually, with a screenplay."
TF: "And every writer starts with a blank page."
SM: "And every blank page was once a tree."
TF: "And every tree was once a tiny seed."
SM: "And every tiny seed on Earth was placed here by the alien king Rondelay, to foster our titrates and fuel our positive transfers!"
TF: "But no one wants to hear about our religion Steve."

SM: "Don't fall in love with me."

Ben Stiller (as Joaquin Phoenix) and Natalie Portman
While it's not hard to do a Joaquin Phoenix impression these days, Ben Stiller still excelled at the task. From sticking his gum on the podium, to walking aimlessly around stage (reminiscent of John McCain), he got big laughs and it worked. Definitely one of the few memorable moments of the night.


Marion Cottilard Introducing Kate Winslet
I wasn't a fan of the whole "5 actors introducing the 5 nominees" thing. Not only did I miss seeing clips of the actor's performances, but it took them forever to give out the damn award! However, seeing Marion Cotillard's heartfelt introduction of Kate Winslet was sweet, and it melted some of my bitterness away. Plus I loved her dress! lots of sparkle this year.

Seth Rogen and James Franco reprising Pineapple Express
As they sit on the couch, watching this year's list of contenders, I'm reminded why I love these guys so much, and am saddened that their movie will never get more critical props. Whether they're chuckling manically at Kate Winslet's accent in The Reader, or stapling dollar bills to each other's heads, they're having a good time. I guess I just wish there had been more of that feeling throughout the show. But bringing in the Pineapple boys showed some growth on Oscar's part.



So there you have it, my 5 fav moments from this year's Academy Awards. It was a bummer year, there's a whole new year ahead of us, full of possibility and recession-ized movies, so who knows what the future will bring. Maybe next year we'll see Joaquin performing "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp."

Movie Review: Zack and Miri Make a Porno, victims of Subprime mortgage loans go out in mass to buy Camcorders

"They're upset 'cause I only fall in love with one woman in this movie," Seth Rogen jokes to Jay Leno regarding his fim, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, being banned in Salt Lake City. Rogen goes on to say he thinks it's odd for them to ban Zack and Miri (a romantic comedy), considering they have no qualms with showing Saw V, a movie franchise based on people being forced to brutally torture themselves. Sex is where Salt Lake draws the line, but they appear to be alone in their moral reprehension of the film. Zack and Miri is a relative hit landing in the number two spot in box offices this weekend (although some might attribute this to an alarming lack of better choices. Plus HSM3 is what nabbed the number one spot...). This must be good news to Kevin Smith's ears, whose last movie, Jersey Girl, was a huge flop. He also recently did Clerks II, but its success was inevitable, given it was the sequel to the movie that made him a directing legend and voice of the "slacker" generation. It was by sifting through the stars from the now infamous Judd Apatow crew though, that Smith was able to come back from the lifeless Jersey Girl and make a romantic comedy that actually resonates, sort of. In the wake of the country's ever deepening financial crisis, the movie can even be viewed as relevant. "I see it more as a a do-it-yourself annual than anything else," laughs Rogen to Leno. 

The movie doesn't stray from it's straightforward title for a second. Zack and Miri, two best friends since the first grade, are making a porno for some much needed money, and you're invited to watch their awkward realization that they're more than just friends. Stars Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, and Craig Robinson all hail from Apatowland, a place where nerds are cool and the funny guy always gets the girl. Judd Apatow may not have invented this concept, but he has run with it and taken the comedy genre by storm. But lest we forget, this isn't Apatow's movie.

Smith once said that he thinks of every movie he's ever made as a snapshot of his life at the time, but with Zack and Miri, it's more of a look back. "This movie is kind of a dressed up version about how we made Clerks," says Smith during an interview. "It's about a bunch of people who don't know anything about film, getting together to make a movie." As for the concept of DIY porn, Rogen says, "Anyone can do this." With half the people just out of college currently unemployed, who knows... we might start to see them pop up in our spam folder (but let's hope life doesn't imitate art). Ultimately the movie is very Kevin Smith; Slackers, cursing and a simplistic moral message (this one being sex is never as good without love). Zack and Miri might have its fair share of nudity (porn star Katie Morgan shows off her skills), and profanity as per usual, but it's ultimately about camaraderie (another Smith standard). People who barely know each other come together to help Zack and Miri with their insane brainchild. More than wanting to see them succeed, you really want to see how much fun they had. Afterall, anything that makes being poor/broke look like fun, is highly sought after in our current economy. There's a great scene where you see their first porno attempt entitled Star Whores, and it honestly makes you want to grab your lightsaber (that's what she said) and join them. However being that this is a Smith production, most of the movie feels overly simulated to the point of exhaustion. Basically we've seen it before and we'll see it again, but with Rogen manning the helm, we're likely to walk out the theater with a smile on our face. 

Rogen is now an official glittering comedy star. It's no surprise that Smith saw him in Virgin, fell in love and decided he had to write a movie for this guy. Rogen had often spoke about his lifelong dream to work with Smith, and says now that has happened, he can die. When it came time to cast the role of Miri, Rogen made a casting suggestion to Smith, and he jumped on it. "Banks has been Hollywood's best kept secret for a long time," says Smith during an interview. "But now the secret's out." Elizabeth Banks has played hilarious bit parts in movies like Wet Hot American Summer, 40 Year Old Virgin, and Catch Me If You Can, but with Zack and Miri, Role Models and W. all coming out in the last month, her name has finally made it to household status. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of the recognition. It's not every day you find a woman who is funny as she is knock-dead gorgeous. Apart from Miri, Zack needed another partner in crime, a producer/investor for their skin flick. Enter Craig Robinson, who began to get notice for his role as Darryl on The Office. He's done three movies with the Apatow crew, most recently playing a hitman in the sidesplitting Pineapple Express, but he still continues to get cast as bit part characters. Until we see more, Robinson is one trick pony at the moment. We laugh when he says "titties," but can't he do more? With so many Apatow veterans, you might forget it's a Kevin Smith movie (which has probably widened his audience), but then you see Jason Mewes (aka - Jay) and you remember.

What's clear from the beginning is that Zack and Miri are perfect for each other, but it takes gettin' it on in front of the camera to realize it. Their sex scene is the sweetest, least pornographic scene of the movie, and it's worth the wait (maybe not for the guys 'cause there's no naked Banks, but your girlfriend will love it). Overall the movie is about on par with Knocked Up, but dirtier, and just like in Knocked Up with its Cirque Du Soleil on acid sequence, Zack and Miri has a unique laugh out loud scene too. Guest stars Justin Long (Galaxy Quest) and Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) play a gay adult film star Brandon St. Randy and his boyfriend Bobby Long in attendance at Zack and Miri's ten-year high school reunion. It is one of the only improvised scenes of the movie was by far the funniest. My biggest complaint about the film was that Justin Long wasn't in more of it. 

Short and Sweet

Zack and Miri Make a Porno covers love, friendship, and creativity under the guise of a sex comedy. Comedic timing is spot on for all of the leads. Seth Rogen returns as the scheming schlub and Elizabeth Banks is the gorgeous girl who loves him anyway. It's got the Kevin Smith stamp on it from start to finish, so it's best not expect the world. Great date movie if the girl has a good sense of humor. Justin Long is a stand out. You almost want to see a movie just about his character. 

Overall I liked it a lot despite its lack of surprises (except for one [and that doesn't mean it's good]), but perhaps with more Justin screen time it could have been better. 

Fav Quotes

"I'll be your sherpa up the mountain of gayness." - Brandon St. Randy

"Don't thank me, just fuck me." - Miri Linky

(hope you like the first review! let me know what you think, i'm looking for ways to improve format etc.)