World Premiere: Color Me Obsessed

Last night, I was the first person in the world to see Gorman Bechard's long awaited documentary on The Replacements, Color Me Obsessed, at the Gasparilla Film Festival. Not that I was the only person in the audience, but as some of you may know I have an unnamed genetic condition that allows my eyes to process images a split second faster than average.

However, I was there by myself in the other sense of the word. Not a problem as I wasn't going to miss this opportunity. As it turned out, I talked to some cool people in line including one woman who was there in Minneapolis for the 'Mats prime. And, as it so happened, she and her friend had a special festival pass and got me in early. Now, I'm not normally one for social interaction, but this lapse in protocol was rewarded with  some very entertaining stories from back in the day (including her pointing out the guy int he film she went to rehab with).

The film was terrific, a great history of the band and their legacy, poignant in places and downright funny in others. The music? What music? There wasn't any, as there wasn't any interviews of the band or even photos until the very end. As the director explained in the Q&A afterward, that was all by choice and not an issue with securing rights. He said he didn't want to make another VH1-type music doc and had an epiphany one night about doing it this way. "I don't believe in God, but I do believe in The Replacements," said Bechard. He explained that there are a lot of movies about Him without Him being seen or heard on screen. Turns out to have been the right call as it created an added air of mystery the band and no doubt served as a tantalizing peek inside for viewers not in the know.

While this was definitely very pro-Replacements (Bechard did not hide the fact that they are his favorite band), it was not necessarily a blind hagiography. You can't hide the band's warts without hiding the band's glory. They were the sum of their talents and their flaws, which is probably what makes their fans so loyal and their influence so great.

Generally speaking, the worst part of going to the movies by yourself is not having anyone to hold your seat when you hit the head. In this case, it was not having anyone to go with to the post-screening all Replacements performance by local band (and SMC friends) The Tim Version. So it goes.

Best Comedy: 2010 (Update)

No change at the top as Hot Tub Time Machine retains its crown. If anything, it retains it even more.

Due Date: Very disappointed in director Todd Philips. This just wasn't good. It's one thing when a script disregards logic for the sake of lowest common denominator action comedy, but it's even worse when the character driven scenes in between are disloyal to those same characters.  Nobody does anything that makes sense on any level and became a chore to finish. A pretty funny cameo by Danny McBride notwithstanding.

Jackass 3D: What is it about guys getting hit in the nuts that is so hard to not laugh at? I was actually thinking about this while watching guys getting hit in the nuts and felt incapable of not laughing. I hate playing the dude card, but it has to be hardwired in our DNA. Has anyone written a Freudian analysis on this?

I'm an unapologetic Jackass fan and for the most part this was more of the same of the good stuff. But I have to admit that it started getting old toward the end. And I think it's because I started getting old toward the end. We all did. They even showed clips of the guys when they first started years ago to hammer home the point. Let's call it a wrap, boys. For all our sakes.

Link du jour

Here are some very cool pix from the set of Taxi Driver by photographer Steve Schapiro.

Single Malt Cinema

Is this annoying? I've always liked it. Is that annoying?

Would Have Made a Better Oscars Host

This Should Make Up for Part III

Do You Get It Now?

Playlist: Red Lights

I really can't remember why I decided to watch this film. I assume I read somewhere that it was good, or more likely, that it was cool in that way that would make me sound cool to say that I saw it. Of course, it would have to be said to someone who not only saw it as well but thought it would be cool to hear that someone else had seen it. Then, if we were really as cool as we were pretending to be, we would punch each other in the face.

For everyone else, this is an interesting French thriller from a few years back. The first half takes place almost entirely in a car as a married couple set off to pick up their kids from summer camp. They fight, and the back and forth is very well written and really plays across Jean-Pierre Darroussin's face. It's a long trip and he's pissed, so he stops for a drink. Or two. France is a different place. He stops for double whiskeys unlike American rest stops where we stop for liters of soda and Cinnabon. Well, one time he comes back to the car--yes, he left his wife in the car--and she's not there. He finds a note that says she was taking a train. And that's where the thriller part kicks in.

This reminded me of two movies. First, for plot reasons, the 1988 Dutch film, The Vanishing, which was whatever the Dutch is for "terrific" (though stay away from the awfully remade Sandra Bullock version for Sandra Bullock reasons--sorry, Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock). The other film is the 2006 French adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel, Tell No One. Not that I have to tell SMC readers, but there are some very good foreign films out there far removed from the pretentious stigma of the past. See both of these.

The second part of Red Lights begins with the husband waking up on the side of the road with little memory of the long night before. As events unfold, we learn the very important lesson of not stopping for double whiskeys while driving a long distance at night. Like Tell No One, the ending is weighed down by a lot of exposition. Remember all that tension from the past 90 minutes? Here's why. Merci. Maybe it sounds better in French. Good film, though.

Overpopulation

Check this guy out. He's a Mexican newspaper vendor. And he's got 83 tattoos of Julia Roberts.

Big deal. I have a life-size tatt of Danny Devito on my ass.

Lifetime Movies : 2002

One of my favorite things about this site is lifetime movies...and I have been so very neglectful. Thankfully Frank wrote in and of course I agree. Adaptation is amazing. I saw it for the first time on dvd, probably a year or two after it came out...I was not hooked on Charlie Kaufman as I was with Being John Malkovich and so never got to see it in the theater. The first time I saw it I was stunned as to how much was going on with the story. Then after repeated watches it gets clearer...and at the same time more complicated when you start to think of all the levels of reality and film and book this movie reacts on. Once then you have me going to the everglades and getting lost looking for the ghost orchid...your whole universe starts to collapse with reality folding into reality...the key here is that just like Synechdoche...the film is about life and creation...both the creation of man and the creation of a work of art that imitates man.

Best Film 2002: Adaptation

I remember being sad that Charlie did not win for the screenplay...I really had wanted to see it in theaters.

Others:

The Two Towers:

At this point I was hooked...One a year was perfect release times and this film had the most awsome fight scene of Helms Deep (at least till Return of the King)

Gangs of New York:
When I revisit this film its for Daniel Day Lewis...I could not even rememebr the rest of the film...its about revenge or something...

25th Hour:
I just saw this one I think last year...its awsome...and Spike Lee I think unknowingly made a masterpeice about more then just a guy going to jail..its about America Post 9-11

Spotlight: Emma Stone

It isn't often that we get a second chance as viewers. I'm not talking about re-makes, which usually feel like we are being unconstitutionally subjected to double jeopardy (not to be confused with Ashley Judd's Double Jeopardy, torture enough in original form). Remember Lindsay Lohan? No, she's not dead, but you've probably exiled her to your pop cultural blind spot by this point. She's the actress equivalent of a meth lab explosion...but not too long ago she was poised as America's next sweetheart because America can't go more than 6 months without a new sweetheart. At her age, America is starting to look a little desperate.

I always though Lindsay was overrated. She was good in Mean Girls and did show promise as a comedic actress, but overall really didn't do it for me. Maybe I was just holding out for the next gen model, the one where they got the bugs worked out (stupid shoplifting coke whore glitch!). As it usually doesn't work out with me, waiting for 2.0 is starting to look like a good decision.

Emma Stone's first real exposure came in 2007's Superbad (though she was in an episode of Lucky Louie). Not to spoil a future post, but the movie was one of the funniest of the year and besides giving birth to the legend of McLovin' gave us a classic "hey, who's that chick" moment. But this wasn't a walk in the park. Emma payed her dues having to serve as Jonah Hill's love interest. I know, girls like funny guys. Jonah Hill's not that funny. All of Monty Python wasn't that funny.

But since most of us (not even me) don't keep a spreadsheet on actors to keep an eye on and have to rely on our faulty human memories, I had a "hey, that's what's her name" moment the following year. That would be while watching the underrated "The Rocker," Rainn Wilson's attempt at cashing in on Dwight Shrute. Underrated thanks to Stone and a really good performance by Josh Gad. Who? He's the fat kid who hasn't been in much of note since but showed incredible comedic delivery. Seriously, watch it. Anyway, I now knew  Stone's name.

Next, she made The House Bunny with Anna Faris, which seems like something I would have seen. But I didn't. I did see 2009's Zombieland and, look at that, there's that girl again. Another supporting role, but a supporting role in one of the most fun films of the decade. And she got a bit of a promotion to Jesse Eisenberg's love interest. Excuse me, Academy Award nominee Jesese Eisenberg. Girls like sensitive funny guys, right? (Bonus cool Zombieland link.)

Then last year she finally gets a film of her own: Easy A. How big a success was it? It inspired this very post that you are reading now. Right now! Stone carries a pretty good film (with help from funny turns by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as her parents) and proves she should be considered a legit star. It's her Mean Girls. She plays one of those unrealistically smart and funny high school girls, but with enough charm that you start to fantasize about being her classmate in the way that the best 80s teen movie characters managed to get into your head and distort your perception of the real world and ultimately lead you down the road of disappointment. But, you know, in a good way.

Which all leads me to having to admit I am now excited about Stone as Gwen Stacey in next year's The Amazing Spider-Man. Not to mention a Spidey played by Andrew Garfield, who was probably 2010's actor of the year for me. And not to mention it's being directed by (500) Days of Summer's Marc Webb. Actually, now I'm going to pissed if it's not great. And not in a good way.

Lifetime Movies: 2002

As if in a rallying cry response to the horrors of the previous September, 2002 gave America a lot to take its mind off the real world at-large. A strong year with a little bit of everything film-wise. I couldn't tell you anything else that happened that year. Like one of those big fat guys, the last decade doesn't have much definition for me.

Winner: Adaptation

I rewatched this recently just to see if I remembered it correctly. Turns out I didn't. Not that I didn't like it the first go around, but like I mentioned above, its uniqueness seemed to have gotten lost in the shuffle. I don't understand how something this smart and original got made in the first place. Charlie Kaufman is the screenwriter of the decade.

Films of Note:


Punch-Drunk Love: I just rewatched this, too, because I take this seriously. And it somehow had slipped even further than Adaptation in my recollection. Part of the problem was that at the time this was neither another Magnolia nor another Adam Sandler comedy. It was what it, of course, still is: a P.T. Anderson cinematic short story that's surprisingly deep and touching. The peek of Sandler's career.

About a Boy: Take about a rare double-double: one of my favorite books (by one of my favorite authors, Nick Hornby) adapted into one of my favorite movies. Maybe the perfect role for Hugh Grant and just pitch-perfect charming on every level.

The Bourne Identity: Turned out to be the template for the decade's action movies. Not a bad thing at all, other than that Hollywood is so depressingly unoriginal. But don't hate the original. Who knew Will Hunting was such a badass?

Secretary: How long did it take them to cast James Spader in this sexy S&M pic? Spader! But the big score here was Maggie Gyllenhaal in a career-making role (hey, she was in Adaptation, too!). Oddly, director Steven Shainberg never did much else.

8 Mile: The classic music biopic but with the added edge of actually starring the biggest musician at the time. Slim Shady was up for the challenge with an undeniably good performance as basically himself. But it's the music that gives this so much life and, believe it or not, gave Eminem an Oscar. He now has as many as Pacino and Scorsese.

28 Days Later: I've written about this before, but it's worth mentioning again how amazing the first half of this film is. Danny Boyle creates one of the most haunting dystopian worlds to date and proves what an eclectic and

Spider-Man: If I needed proof that I have lost all track of time, they are already rebooting this franchise. Regardless of how the new one turns out, let's not forget how much fun Sam Raimi's first Spidey film was. Still one of the best superhero movies.

Chicago: Finally, here's your Oscar winner. And, you know what? It's not a bad choice in the context of how the Academy votes. A musical with good music and some creative and exciting choreography.

Playlist: Gasland

Why do I keep watching this stuff? Like I don't have enough to make me angry just by opening my eyes each morning, I go and learn something new. Idiot.

What I learned about in Josh Fox's Oscar-nominated doc is the practice of fracking. You know, hydraulic fracturing. You know, the process of drilling down to get natural gas. Like I said, fracking. Needless to say, this isn't a corporate promotional video.

Turns out that they use chemicals to frack. The ones that poison drinking water and give you cancer. Now before you ask how that's even possible considering our scientific knowledge concerning poison and cancer, allow me to offer two words: Dick Cheney. Of course.

Seems ol' Lucidick pushed through a little exemption (adorably nicknamed the Halliburton Loophole) in the Bush Energy Bill. That would be to exempt the companies drilling for gas from the Safe Drinking Water Act. If you're not familiar with every Act like I am, this one was intended to make sure our Drinking Water remains safe. That image at the top? That's someone's kitchen sink. And it's not the only one.

Keep in mind, however, that Fox isn't Michael Moore. He's just a guy who started worrying about his own home in rural Pennsylvania and decided to investigate. No one he meets gives one red damn about Republicans or Democrats. They just would prefer to die from obesity like every other American. It's a national problem and, I hope not to your surprise, no one cares. The Environmental Protection Agency is a joke. Congress is, well, Congress. State governments...oh, forget it.  

Best Comedy: 2010

Let's ride the wayback machine backward, which does not mean we are actually going forward. It just means we'll probably throw up sooner. I tell you what, the person who comes up with time machine strength Dramamine will have themselves a mint. Of course, they'll have to call it something else or they'll lose it all in a lawsuit to Dramamine. Timeamine? Different enough. Bank it. Boom.

And before you nerds write in to tell me 2010 is the start of a new decade...actually there's no need to write in at all now is there. As a compromise, I give full permission to call me on it when I do the Best of the Teens in 2019. If there's still an Internet. Oops, spoiler alert!

Anyway, we're going to start with last year and make our way back to the year the world ended. Remember 2000? Me either. That's why we have Wikipedia. And then, when we're all done, maybe we'll have a definitive Best Comedies of the Decade list. If you're good.

Winner: Hot Tub Time Machine

This should have been done by the time you stopped laughing at the title, but then the laughing didn't stop. Unlike something like Snakes on a Plane which was just piss poor filmmaking with a hipster-baiting name, director Steve Pink stuck to his guns and took his subject seriously. Yes, that subject was a hot tub time machine, but you can't criticize a comedy for a ridiculous premise. As that noted English wit Henry VIII taught us, it's all about the execution. Plus, a one-armed Crispin Glover. Fun and funny, with just enough T&A to honor its 80s setting, March release HTTM holds on for the win. Kajagoogoo! (obligatory time period pop reference)

Runner-Up: Get Him to the Greek

Probably a better film than HTTM, though it does lose steam at the end. I'm a Russell Brand fan so it's hard for me to know if you need to be to get the most out of this movie. He's a terrific stand-up with a natural feel for comedy. Plus, he's married to Katy Perry. That has nothing to do with anything other than if given the chance, I would definitely Freaky Friday with him. Though I'd probably end up showering the whole time because, let's face it, he always looks so unclean. But I guess chicks dig that. I'd probably end up swapping bodies with Jonah Hill. Who, since we're actually still in the same paragraph, does a great job holding this movie together. Here's hoping he doesn't fall off the Galifianakis Cliff on Jack Black Mountain.

Not a deep comedic pool last year, was it? Admittedly, I haven't seen Due Date as of press time (which will be in a few minutes), but I'm not expecting top two things. Of course, since this is online, I can change anything I want at anytime with no repercussions. Suck it, accountability.

Loser: Date Night

Garbage. An embarrassment on every level. Tina Fey's 2008 "Baby Mama" wasn't funny, but it was competent enough. And whether you understandably dislike her because she's been so overexposed, I don't think you can deny that she is talented. Same goes for Steve Carrell, who also has some legit acting chops. But he had a rough year. Dinner for Schmucks was an hour too long and further proof that Paul Rudd needs to be stopped (although former Conchord Jemaine Clement comes off big time). Right, Date Night. It felt as if there was no script and the actors intentionally did not improvise, but half-remembered what characters did in the similar situations in other bad comedies.

What did I miss? No, that's not rhetorical.

March Preview

Lion or lamb, or zombie sheep? How, oh how, is March going to bring it? Here's what I'm looking forward to...

Sucker Punch (3.25): Potential to be the greatest movie ever. This is either going to peak in the trailer or it's going to be phenomenal. Can't wait to see what Zack Snyder does with Superman.

Paul (3.18): Pegg and Frost together again. No, Edgar Wright behind the camera, though. Still excited, but not as excited as I would be if the titular character were actually Friend of the Blog Paul. When will Hollywood cash in the Big Ticket?

The Adjustment Bureau (3.4): Matt Damon and Emily Blunt in a P.K. Dick adaptation. Been waiting for this since last summer, which is usually a red flag, but the trailer looks pretty good. At least it didn't come out in January.

Should mention:
Take Me Home Tonight (3.4): Another hey let's pretend the 80s were the greatest decade ever comedy, but Hot Tub Time Machine came through early last year, so maybe.

Battle: Los Angeles (3.11): Expect the next week to be nothing but ads for this, but I don't know. Another alien invasion movie? Eh.