Category Archives: Ephemera

The Final Films of 25 Dead Actors

Ephemera, Musings

Over at the Bullz-Eye Blog, in an interesting and ruminative glimpse over the shoulder, Will Harris et al take a crack at 25 final films from no-longer-living legends, complete with trailers/clips. It’s an interesting lens through which to filter actors and actresses, and to a certain extent how they choose to cap their careers — whether they’re protective or mindful of “legacy” issues, or just like to work until they’re almost ready to keel over into a pine box kept at set’s edge… the “Jay Leno model,” it would seem. At any rate, a quick, fun read — though a tipster rightly points out that a funnier if perhaps slightly less tasteful article would have concentrated solely on the roster of well-known actors whose final films were, shall we say, significantly “lesser” than their work at the height of their careers (think Anthony Perkins, Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Donald Pleasence, etcetera).

Magnolia Buys Rights to Joaquin Phoenix Documentary

Ephemera

I don’t know if I’ll make the final cut — I was interviewed briefly at the Two Lovers junket, after an interesting interview — but Casey Affleck’s feature directorial debut on a very strange year in the life of brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix will be released on September 10, as Magnolia Pictures has wrapped up a deal for worldwide distribution rights. Titled I’m Still Here, the movie charts Phoenix’s announced retirement from acting, growth of a crazy prospector’s beard, and launching of a rap career.

In Regards to Interviews and Sequels That Never Were

Ephemera, Musings

In a newly published essay, Mark Twain assays the art and experience of the interview, while over at PopMatters, Monte Williams takes a flight-of-fancy look at sequels that never were. The latter is of particular interest to me in that I too feel often feel intrigued or interested most by what’s out-of-frame in sequels; I’d love (at least in theory) to see genre pieces spin-off and follow characters in more talky, urbane directions. If you give me an interesting character, I’m perfectly happy to follow them into new terrain. The mathematical studio formula of apportioned excess (e.g., Bad Boys II) makes for some absolutely terrible follow-ups, just on a very basic conceptual level.

Astana Action Film Festival Redefines Parameters of Action

Ephemera, Irritations, Screenings

From the “WTF” files comes word that the inaugural Astana International Action Film Festival, taking place June 27 through July 1 in Astana City, Kazakhstan (yes, that Kazakhstan), will feature a slate of more than 20 action films from a variety of countries. OK, right. So far, so good. Organized by director/producer Timur Bekmambetov, the festival’s stated aim is to bring together the Asian and Western film markets, by “showcasing a unique lineup of full-length action films along with a diverse forum of feature discussions from Academy Award-nominated producers, as well as a broad range of international filmmakers.”

So, gala premieres are set to include The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, District 9, The Last Airbender and Inhale, among other movies, and featured guests will include Harvey Weinstein, Mike Tyson, Lawrence
Bender, Sharlto Copley and Swedish multi-hyphenate Dolph Lundgren. And the official screening program will include the extended cuts of both Grindhouse flicks, Planet Terror and Death Proof, plus Lundgren’s Command Performance and the new The Karate Kid, along with… the forthcoming animated flick Despicable Me and Lucy Walker’s excellent nuclear non-proliferation documentary Countdown to Zero? Am I missing something here, or have the parameters of “action” been grossly elasticized? Is Bekmambetov promising model hookers for all the guests, or are the giftbags really that nice? For a full festival schedule, click here.

Annette Bening and Warren Beatty’s Daughter To Have Sex Change Operation

Ephemera

Tough news on a personal level for Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, whose oldest daughter, Kathlyn, is said to be going ahead with plans for gender reassignment surgery now that she/he-to-be is 18 years of age. I’m told this was behind Bening’s late cancellation of her attendance of the Los Angeles Film Festival‘s premiere presentation of The Kids Are All Right, much more so than any Lakers-related mayhem.

Yes, Jonah Hex Is That Short

Amusements, Ephemera

Yes, Jonah Hex is that short, actually. It’s 81 minutes and change, and if you throw out eight minutes for the end credits and almost six minutes of opening credit noodling, in which a live action sequence is intercut with some stylish animation, that’s around 67 minutes of actual narrative in which crucial character backstory, motivation and basic plot questions still aren’t answered.

Lionsgate Amusingly Explains Killers Hush Job

Amusements, Ephemera

The AP’s Christy Lemire has a nice piece in which she assays the lack of review screenings for Killers, and in which I partially rhapsodize on Lionsgate’s general strategy of muffled opinion for its forthcoming action-comedy, starring Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl.

The hilarious money quote of explanation from Lionsgate’s Wednesday statement: “We want to capitalize on the revolution in social media by letting audiences and critics define this film concurrently. In today’s socially connected marketplace, we all have the ability to share feedback instantly around the world. In keeping with this spirit, Lionsgate and the filmmakers want to give the opportunity to moviegoing audiences and critics alike to see Killers simultaneously, and share their thoughts in the medium of their choosing.”

This ignores some facts, of course. Sandwiched in between the releases of Gerard Butler’s The Ugly Truth and Law Abiding Citizen, each of which screened for critics and posted an opening weekend of over $20 million, Lionsgate released Gamer in September of last year. It didn’t screen in advance for critics, and it opened to around $9 million. But hey, a bonus to whomever at Lionsgate drafted the above response; it’s good, hard spin. Ridiculous, but in a finger-to-the-wind, let’s-toss-this-into-the-zeitgeist-peppermill-and-see-if-it-takes kind of way.

Soumya Sriraman Named Palisades Tartan President

Ephemera

Vin Roberti, Chairman of Palisades Media Corporation, announced today that veteran industry executive Soumya Sriraman has been named President and CEO of Palisades Tartan US and UK. “Soumya’s executive background with the studios and entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with her fresh perspective and keen insights, make her an ideal fit for our growing company,” stated Roberti. “We are looking forward to her immediate contributions.” Sriraman, for her part, returned the love: “Vin’s track record of success with Palisades is reflected in the amazing catalog and team he has built. I am a huge fan of the Tartan catalog and plan to aggressively rebuild the brand and introduce American audiences to a new collection of cutting-edge and remarkable films,” she said.

Straddling both continents, Palisades Tartan has emerged as one of the premier distributors of independent and arthouse cinema in the United States and United Kingdom, and has been at the forefront of a couple consumer trends, particularly as it relates to Asian cinema. Roberti and Sriraman added that they planned to aggressively build the Palisades Tartan brand in the American and British territories with new strategic acquisitions and mergers over the coming year. Sriraman remarked that despite shrinking shelf space, newer delivery mechanisms, including digital platforms, represented a significant opportunity, offering consumers many viewing modes to whet their appetite for independent films.

Todd McCarthy on Jean-Luc Godard’s Film Socialisme

Ephemera

Over on his new IndieWire blog, Todd McCarthy has a go at Jean-Luc Godard’s latest, Film Socialisme, noting that it elicited an empty reaction set from him — neither provoking, amusing, stimulating, intriguing, infuriating nor challenging. Sight unseen, but based on descriptions of the movie as well as wading through a couple of Godard’s last several films, I have to say I would most probably be inclined to agree. There’s a difference between works that are abstruse, but leave one a bit gobsmacked and leaning forward, and the punishing hectoring of a brilliant but mean-minded auteur.

Please Give Redux

Ephemera

Nicole Holofcener’s Please Give opens this week, which means there’s a chance to slap back up my review from last month. Some of its pivots are a bit too transparent in their commercial nature, but Holofcener has interesting things to say about the nature of what we materially covet and how that impacts our individual worldview, and she knows how to carefully seed a story with quietly revelatory dialogue.

Landmark Theatres Announces Eco-Friendly Popcorn Bags

Ephemera

In honor of Earth Day recently, Landmark Theatres announced that it’s initiating the launch of the new EcoSelect popcorn bag in its 55 theaters across the country. EcoSelect popcorn bags are made of Forest Stewardship Council-certified natural fiber, meaning up to 50 percent of the energy used to produce the natural fiber is sourced from hydro power and renewable bio-fuels. The bags are printed with water-based inks on natural, chlorine-free paper, and are also 100 percent biodegradable.

Small deal, some will say. But every bit of environmental overhaul helps. After all, “Landmark Theatres sells almost two million bags of popcorn every year,” said Damien Farley, Landmark Theatres’ Director of Concessions. “It’s important to make improvements where you can, and this is just one step in an ongoing effort.”

Karate Kid Blu-ray Touts Pop-Up Trivia Track

Ephemera

There’s another iteration coming to theaters this year, so the original Karate Kid hits Blu-ray on May 11, which could, and I’m just wildly speculating here, lead to a nationwide epidemic of adolescent leg-sweeping in the final month of school. Among the Blu-ray add-ons is “Blu-Pop,” a picture-in-picture bonus feature that includes pop-up interviews, production trivia and other factoids, anecdotes from the actors and martial arts information. Preview it by clicking here.

Will The Strangers Get a Sequel, With Liv Tyler?

Casting About, Ephemera

Late to the party, but I wanted to give a tip of the cap to Ryan Rotten over at Shock Till You Drop, who has news about a potential sequel to The Strangers, which was actually one of the more effective exercises in purebred, string-pulling horror craftsmanship from 2008. He sorts through its fitful pre-production history, and examines the script, from Bryan Bertino, the director of the first film. It’d be not bad at all for this thing to go off, but as Rotten points out, it would likely have to happen sooner rather than later in order to capitalize on an already shrinking window of public memory and genre fan goodwill.

Monster House Screenwriter Calls Steven Spielberg a Moron

Amusements, Ephemera

Trendspotters, take note. Less than a week after screenwriter J.D. Shapiro manned up and (amusingly) apologized for his part in Battlefield Earth, Monster House screenwriter Dan Harmon is dropping nuts on director Gil Kenan and executive producer Steven Spielberg in an email to a friend, calling the former a “hack” and the latter a “moron.” Movieline has the scoop, which, though a few days old and removed from its original source, is probably still eliciting apologetic emails.

Luke Y. Thompson on Kevin Smith and Film Critics

Ephemera, Musings

For those interested, Luke Y. Thompson drops a response to Kevin Smith’s diatribe against film critics, unleashed on Twitter over the past 48 hours. And he makes some good points, namely regarding the validity of opinion, which is what armchair pundits always invoke when they want to get all Sarah Palin on folks and paint film critics as effete elitists. Also, he’s right — there is (and should be) a certain stigma or price paid for films/studios when they don’t screen a film for review. It’s no big deal in the grand scheme of things, I agree, and totally well within a studio/filmmaker’s rights to do this, but it’s also certainly fair game to write about that fact, and let savvy moviegoers know. If that informs their opinion of said product, so be it.

Did Viacom Secretly Upload Clips of Own Shows to YouTube?

Ephemera

So Viacom hired 18 different marketing agencies to secretly upload clips of its own properties to YouTube, in order to bolster its eventual case for litigation against the site, and purchasing owner Google, according to a piece from The Wrap’s Dylan Stableford? Shocking! By which I mean not at all. After all, this is how entertainment conglomerates play, no? Rough and dirty and under the table — never content to admit they missed the boat or got passed by on some technological advance, but instead get a piece of whatever new pie is out there, no matter how they have to fudge the facts. It’s all white-collar criminal engineering, I realize, but I’d pay to see a movie about this sort of cloak-and-dagger shenanigans. Well, if at least one lawyer got punched in the balls.

IGN Triggers Across-Board Layoffs Despite 40% Growth

Ephemera, Irritations

Not explicitly film-related, per se, but Joystiq is reporting — complete with a leaked inter-office memo from IGN president Roy Bahat that describes part of the company’s core mission as “serving advertisers looking to reach men” — that entertainment site IGN is laying off staffers across all its divisions, despite a 40 percent growth in audience over the last year. Bad news for some good people, and good news, unfortunately, for some bad people… or at least undeserving people.