Friday, July 31, 2009

Say Hello to the "Bad Guy"

"Bad Guy (2001)" is one of several films by South Korean writer/director Ki-duk Kim that I've had the pleasure of watching. Unlike his other films that I've seen, this one has a lot more action and a grittier storyline.

"When a local pimp is publicly humiliated by a snobbish college girl, he manipulates her into a life of sexual slavery at his brothel. As he watches her nightly humiliation from behind a two-way mirror, his obsessive desire consumes him while she learns there is no love more complete than her captor's."

When Violent Video Games and Prescription Drugs Collide...

...you get a trippy movie called "The Chumscrubber (2005)". (It's very loosely influenced by the same true story as "Alpha Dog (2006)".)

"The Chumscrubber is a dark comedy about the lives of people who live in upper-class suburbia. It all begins when Dean Stiffle finds the body of his friend, Troy. He doesn't bother telling any of the adults because he knows they won't care. Everyone in town is too self consumed to worry about anything else than themselves. And everybody is on some form of drug just to get themselves through the day. After Troy's death, local drug dealers at the school run out of their stash. They convince Dean to get Troy's stash or they are going to kill his brother that they kidnapped, but they grabbed the wrong kid."




(Sorry for the poor quality of the trailer...)

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Documentary vs. Biopic: Petey Greene Edition

I really loved the movie "Talk to Me (2007)" starring Don Cheadle. After watching it, I thought I knew a lot about Petey Greene.



But it wasn't until I watched "Adjust Your Color: The Truth of Petey Greene" (which won the 2009 Independent Lens Audience Award) on PBS that I really understood what made him such a legend.



(You can watch the entire episode here.)

No offense to Don Cheadle, but who do you think would have played a better Petey Greene?

Bill Paxton to Direct Another Horror Film!

If you have not already seen Bill Paxton's directorial debut, "Frailty (2001)", stop what you're doing, head to the nearest Blockbuster, and rent this movie immediately. It is such a great movie, yet it never quite got the recognition it deserves.



According to this report on Cinematical, Paxton is set to direct the film adaptation of The Bottoms by Joe Landsdale.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

11:14

"11:14 (2003)" is one of those movies that tells the story of one night from multiple perspectives. Normally this plot device can be difficult to pull off, but this film does it beautifully. Add to that an amazing ensemble cast (Patrick Swayze, Henry Thomas, Barbara Hershey, Hilary Swank, Colin Hanks, Shawn Hatosy, Rachel Leigh Cook, Ben Foster, and more) and you have a must see crime/drama/comedy.

Did You Know Jamie Kennedy Made a Documentary?

A very good one, actually, called "Heckler (2007)".

"HECKLER is a comedic feature documentary exploring the increasingly critical world we live in. After starring in a film that was critically bashed, Jamie Kennedy takes on hecklers and critics and ask some interesting questions of people such as George Lucas, Bill Maher, Mike Ditka, Rob Zombie, Howie Mandel and many more. This fast moving, hilarious documentary pulls no punches as you see an uncensored look at just how nasty and mean the fight is between those in the spotlight and those in the dark."

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Prom Night In Mississippi

HBO is airing the acclaimed documentary "Prom Night In Mississippi", about a small town that, until last year, held racially segregated proms. The tradition was finally ended when one of the town's famous residents, Morgan Freeman, offered to sponsor an integrated prom.



See Also: HBO Summer '09 Documentary Schedule

Watch Morgan Spurlock's New Documentary "The Entrepeneur" *FREE*

...until July 30th. SnagFilm is the best documentary site ever, and they are having a promotion called SummerFest:

"The SnagFilms SummerFest is a ground-breaking online festival featuring limited-duration showings of unreleased documentaries, beginning with the U.S. premiere of THE ENTREPRENEUR, directed by Jonathan Bricklin and presented by Oscar®-nominated Morgan Spurlock, whose “Super Size Me” was SnagFilms’ most popular title in its launch year. THE ENTREPRENEUR will have its U.S. premiere via a one-week screening beginning July 24 on snagfilms.com and simultaneously throughout the company’s distribution network (including AOL.com, Hulu.com and Fancast.com). This compelling and insightful documentary is the story of filmmaker Jonathan Bricklin’s father Malcolm, who attempted the nearly impossible – to create, from scratch, a new American car company. The film is Executive Produced by Academy Award®-nominated documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. That it is being shown exclusively for one week on SnagFilms, prior to theatrical or television distribution, is an example of how SnagFilms is opening up new distribution channels and opportunities for documentary filmmakers.

Over the next several weeks, The SnagFilms SummerFest will continue with exclusive, one-week showings of documentaries that have not yet been distributed theatrically or on television. SnagFilms will make further announcements on its exclusive SummerFest sneak peek films in the weeks ahead."


So Enjoy!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Zombieland

The trailer for the new horror/comedy "Zombieland (2009)" starring Woody Harrelson looks promising.

Margaret Cho "Beautiful"

Don't let the trailer fool you, this is one of the raunchiest, most explicit stand up routines I've seen in a while, and it is awesome! It's airing on Showtime this month.

Friday, July 24, 2009

His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1282052/

Somehow I caught what was apparently the one and only time this was aired on Encore, and I am so glad I did. It was fascinating, even though I realized I barely remember several of the movies.

I couldn't find a trailer, so here are a couple of scenes from the documentary:



Thursday, July 23, 2009

Wu-Tang Chess Masters

Who knew such a thing as the Hip Hop Chess Federation even existed?



Spoiler: RZA wins.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

What Does This Documentary Have in Common With a Zombie Classic?

One of my all time favorite movies is "Return of the Living Dead (1985)". I even like the crazy punk/rock/thrasher soundtrack. One of the most memorable songs was "Burn the Flames" by Roky Erickson.



For years I never knew anything about Roky Erickson except that he had a song on the Return of the Living Dead soundtrack. Then I caught a documentary about him called "You're Gonna Miss Me (2005)". Turns out he was the lead singer in an influential psychadelic rock band called The 13th Floor Elevators. The documentary is about his battle with schizophrenia. It's gotta be hereditary, because his mom is batsh*t crazy! Sundance airs this doc occasionally, I highly recommend watching it if you can catch it, but it is disturbing at times.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Lady Vengeance

"After a 13-year imprisonment for the kidnap and murder of a 6 year old boy, beautiful Lee Guem-ja starts seeking revenge on the man that was really responsible for the boy's death. With the help of fellow inmates and reunited with her daughter, she gets closer and closer to her goal. But will her actions lead to the relief she seeks?"



"Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)" is the third film in South Korean director Chan-wook Park's revenge trilogy, following "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)" and "Oldboy (2003)". I haven't seen Mr. Vengeance (yet), but I have seen Oldboy, which was exquisite. It had the perfect blend of action, violence, dark humor, suspense, and one of the greatest twists in cinema history. So I was expecting a lot from Lady Vengeance. Turns out it was very little like Oldboy in that it had a lot less action and the gore was much more subtle. There was also a lot more symbolism in Lady Vengeance, and I have to admit even I was confused at times. Although it wasn't quite what I expected I still enjoyed it (it's actually really funny, in a disturbing way). And Geum-ja has got to be one of the coldest b*tches ever on screen. But I wouldn't be surprised if the remake (rumored to star Charlize Theron) is dramatically simplified for American audiences, which in this case might actually be a good thing.

Who is Jenny Lumet?


The Wall Street Journal has an interesting interview with Jenny Lumet, writer of "Rachel Getting Married (2008)" and daughter of director Sidney Lumet.



I've known of her for a while, because she starred in a great crime movie called "Q&A (1990)" that I don't think anyone has ever seen or heard of except me, despite a pretty heavyweight cast.

Monday, July 20, 2009

A Horror Movie Inspired by Real Events

Remember the woman that hit a homeless man and left him stuck in her windshield? Well Mena Suvari starred in a horror movie called "Stuck (2007)" based on that story.



It was written and directed by Stuart Gordon, who also brought us such classics as "Castle Freak (1995)" and "Re-Animator (1985)".

"Angela's Ashes" Author Frank McCourt Has Died

Frank McCourt Dies at 78

I really loved the movie "Angela's Ashes (1999)". It was sooooooo sad! In fact I liked it so much I read the book and it's followup, 'Tis.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Friday, July 17, 2009

Documentary vs. Biopic: Emmy Edition

"An old mother and her middle-aged daughter, the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, live their eccentric lives in a filthy, decaying mansion in East Hampton."

The recent announcement of the Emmy nominations has given me a reason to post the first of several rants. I don't necessarily have a problem with biopics themselves, but I strongly believe that if you really want to learn about a subject, documentaries are simply more reliable.

Case in point, HBO's "Grey Gardens (2009)", which was nominated for a whopping 17 Emmys. I must admit, any accolades that Jessica Lange receives for her portrayal of Big Edie are more than well deserved, she was amazing. Since I am a fan of Drew Barrymore, I won't comment on her performance.



I had seen the groundbreaking documentary "Grey Gardens (1975)" on which the HBO movie was based a few times, so for me the fictional version provided a lot of background that I had been curious about. But I hope that anyone who has or plans to watch it will at some point watch the documentary, because it is one of the most intriguing stories you will ever watch.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

HBO Summer '09 Documentary Schedule

More info, trailers, etc. here

Look out for more detailed posts from me once these air...


July 13th
TEDDY: In His Own Words | Produced by: Peter Kunhardt & Sheila Nevins
Explores the life and 46-year Senate career of Ted Kennedy through his own words, from his childhood up through his speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The film includes archival material and never-before-seen home movies.

July 20th
PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI | Directed by: Paul Saltzman
An official selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, follows the students, teachers and parents of Charleston, Miss. as they prepare for the first integrated prom at Charleston High. Even though the students share classes and every other aspect of school life, the town of Charleston had a tradition of holding two proms, one white, one black. In 1997, Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman made an historic offer to his hometown high school: He would foot the bill for the school’s senior prom — on the condition that both black and white students be allowed to attend. Freeman’s offer was ignored, but in 2008, he made it again. This time, the school accepted and
history was made, but not without significant opposition.

July 27th
THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD | Directed by: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno and Kurt Engfehr
Follows two professional tricksters as they infiltrate the world of big business and pull off outrageous pranks in an effort to highlight the human toll of greed and profiteering. This lively documentary focuses on the efforts of Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno,frontmen for the Yes Men, to champion worthy causes – and battle the excesses of today’s free-market economy – through high-profile, politically charged hoaxes.

August 3rd
BOY INTERRUPTED | Directed by: Dana Perry
Tells the heartbreaking story of Evan Perry, a 15-year-old boy who jumped to his death from his New York City bedroom window after a lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder. An official selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the documentary recounts Evan’s life and death in the words of his parents, filmmakers Hart and Dana Perry, and others who knew him. Illustrating how one family deals with generations of loss and grief, this moving film defies the stigma associated with mental illness and suicide among children.

August 10th
THE NINE LIVES OF MARION BARRY | Directed by: Dana Flor & Toby Oppenheimer
Profiles the controversial Washington, D.C. politician, viewed by some as a philandering, drug-addled disaster, and by others as a folk hero. His soaring achievements, catastrophic failures and phoenix-like rebirths have made him a symbol of indestructibility. Today, Barry is once again in the political limelight.

August 17th
FIXER: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi | Directed by: Ian Olds
Focuses on the 2007 kidnapping and murder of a 24-year-old Afghan who was hired by foreign journalists to help gather news stories. Ajmal Naqshbandi and an Italian reporter were captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan, but while the journalist was spared, he was killed. Interweaving footage of Ajmal on assignment with an American journalist six months before his abduction, this 2009 Tribeca Film Festival winner shows how Ajmal’s friends, family and fellow abductee try to make sense of his murder.

August 24th
WHICH WAY HOME | Directed by: Rebecca Cammisa
An official selection of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and the upcoming 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival, views the immigration issue through the eyes of children who face harrowing dangers as they journey to the United States. The film follows unaccompanied child migrants traveling by freight train through Mexico, including Jose, a nine-year-old El Salvadoran, who has been abandoned by smugglers and ends up alone in a Mexican detention center, and 14-year-old Kevin, a streetwise Honduran who hopes he will find work in New York City in order to send money back to his mother.

August 31st
YOUTH KNOWS NO PAIN | Directed by: Mitch McCabe
Follows filmmaker Mitch McCabe, the age-obsessed daughter of a plastic surgeon, as she journeys through America’s $60 billion a year anti-aging world. In this “Alice in Wonderland” tale, McCabe spends two years traveling across the country visiting doctors and experts, living with a cross-section of characters from Minnesota to Texas who have gone to varying lengths to “beat the clock.”

September 7th
THE LAST TRUCK: Closing of a GM Plant | Directed by: Steve Bogner & Julia Reichart
Tells the inside story of the last days of a General Motors plant in Moraine, Ohio, as lived by the people who worked the line.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Sweet Cake! Zombie Hello Kitty Edition


Saw this over on the hilarious site Cake Wrecks

The Short Life of Jose Antonio Gutierrez

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492484/

"A look behind the heroic story of a Guatamalan immigrant who became the first U.S. soldier to die in the American-led war in Iraq."


Monday, July 13, 2009

This is the Life

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178658/

"In 1989, a collective of young artists gathered at a non-descript health food store in gang-infested South Central Los Angeles. Their mandate? To explore the musical boundaries of hip hop and reject gangster rap. THIS IS THE LIFE chronicles the rise and fall of this "family" of African-American street poets, while examining their obstacles to commercial success. They all took different paths but remain connected by the music they made, the alternative hip hop movement they developed, and their worldwide influence on the art form."

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Smiley Face

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780608/
"After a young actress unknowingly eats her roommate's pot cupcakes, her day becomes a series of misadventures."



I caught this movie on Showtime, having never even heard of it. I thought it was pretty funny, but what I didn't realize is that it was directed by Gregg Araki.

Since I had already seen "Nowhere (1997)" and most of "Mysterious Skin (2004)", I knew that his films usually have a lot of sex, drugs, and surreal situations. So for him, "Smiley Face" was actually pretty tame (there was no sex whatsoever). This movie is worth watching, but don't expect too much.