When at South By I know a lot of new people might end up looking at my blog, so I like to put my best posts forward, or at least the ones I particularly like. To wit…
More tomorrow.
Do the Bobble Thing (2006)
March 9, 2007 By 1 Comment
SXSW, Here I Come!
March 8, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Leaving tomorrow. Plan on seeing:
People turn into rats. That’s about it.
Doc on the title. 12 voters’ stories from November 2004.
Doc on Michael Moore’s Farenheit 911 publicity tour and the ensuing chaos.
Killer sheep. What?
You know those guys who dress up like superheroes on Hollywood Boulevard? Yeah, it’s about them.
I think the title is relatively clear.
Of course, I may not make it to any of these. Seeing films at SXSW is hard because there is just so much else involving living, breathing human beings in even higher resolution than hi-def! To wit:
Learning Interaction Design From Las Vegas
and, of course…
And even that’s just a rough sketch, leaving out hundreds of other options.
I Want My Twenty Bucks Back
March 7, 2007 By Leave a Comment
A couple of weeks ago I renewed my subscription to Premiere magazine for three years. Funny story.
I grew up with this magazine. I’m pretty sure I bought the first issue. My movie preview is based, in part, on theirs. What’s more, I’m not sure I can name another mainstream movie magazine.
Online, however, it’s another story. They’re going to be the little fish (as most print publications are in the online space, few magazine-affiliated blogs, for example, break into the Technorati Top 100). To Premiere’s credit, however, their site is getting much better.
It’s Frank Miller Time
March 6, 2007 By Leave a Comment
I have underestimated the power of Travolta, Lawrence, Allen and Macy. I predicted $75mil for Wild Hogs and it will likely top $114mil. I was a little more on target with Zodiac which, as I mentioned before, is required viewing.
3/9
Wide
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
300 vs. 1,000,000.
WILL IT SUCK?
300 isn’t even out yet, and it’s already on the IMDB Top 250.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Until recently, no other film dared open wide against it. At the last minute, Fox decided to open The Ultimate Gift on 800 screens, reasoning that a Christian-themed flick about a guy collecting an inheritance probably qualifies as counter-programming. $115mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Guy gets an inheritance but has to do a bunch of stupid tasks to get it. Stupid dead grandfather.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed, with critics liking it less than audiences, but the same can be said for the director’s last film, One Night With the King. Abigail Breslin’s up in here, which may explain the timing of the release.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Fox has upped the ad campaign in accordance with a recent switch to a wide release. Still don’t see this doing that much better than One Night. $15mil.
Limited
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
The story of one Indian family’s heritage, father to son.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed. Here’s your chance to see if Kal Penn can break out of Kumar/Taj comic relief prison. From Monsoon Wedding helmer Mira Nair.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The Wind That Shakes the Barley might be a little bit of an issue the following week, but not by much. $7mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Family struggles to save its members from a sea creature attacking Seoul.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is fantastic. I haven’t been this psyched for a horror film since The Descent.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Two problems. One, the film needs more awareness, and Magnolia isn’t known for producing that (except with Jesus Camp). Two, even if there were greater awareness, most of this film’s audience is out at 300 this week. $4mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
A Kazakh story that does not involve a fat man’s genitals on Borat’s mouth.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed, but generally positive. Still, you have to wonder, how did Jay Hernandez end up in here? Also keep an eye out for CSI regular Archie Kao as well as Jason Scott Lee and Mark Dacascos. Kazakhstan’s entry for Best Foreign Oscar, and got a Golden Globe nod for Best Score (no, I don’t remember that either).
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Needs more buzz. $500,000.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Guy decides to make a movie about female pleasure. Mature themes ensue.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, and the phrases “authentically arousing” and “erection-inducing” have come up in reviews.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If audiences watch the international trailer, quite well I imagine. $2mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Another True Rwandan Story. This one focuses on a white priest and schoolteacher who have to decide whether to bail or stick around when their refugee friends start getting slaughtered.
WILL IT SUCK?
Other than getting some flack for telling a black story from a white perspective, the movie’s garnering some good buzz. Sort of like a harsher Hotel Rwanda.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Needs a bigger push, and a less crowded weekend. $750,000.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Doc on credit card debt.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, and certainly a ripe topic.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Again, crowded weekend, not much press, and the aforementioned Magnolia problem. $500,000.
Next Week: An army of killer ventriloquist dummies. No, really.
Don’t Hate Me Because I Haven’t Seen 300
March 5, 2007 By Leave a Comment
In NYC all day, so not much time to post (or see a sneak of 300, which I won’t get a chance to see until I get back from SXSW). But I will share this, my favorite quote about the flick so far, from director Zack Snyder on the high-tech methods used to shoot the film:
“People sometimes ask me, ‘Is this the future of movies?’…I hope not, it’s exhausting.”
via Wired.
PS: When did Heroes get better than Lost?
I Love the Se7enties
March 4, 2007 By Leave a Comment
No time to post the movie preview just yet. Gonna be in NYC all day. I will say, however, that had Zodiac been released in the fall, it could easily have been a contendah, and may very well be again next January if people remember. Go see it.
When in Doubt, Post a Meme
March 2, 2007 By 2 Comments
Tagged by Kevin.
1. Grab the book closest to you.
Done.
2. Open page 123, go down to the fifth sentence.
This doesn’t really have sentences, but OK.
3. Post the text of the next three sentences on your blog.
Some examples: inter-American, interstate, interracial.
intercontinental ballistic missile See ICBM, ICBMs.
Internal Revenue Service IRS is acceptable on second reference.
4. Name the book and the author.
The Associated Press Stylebook by, um, The Associated Press.
5. Tag three people
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