Tag Archives: Edward James Olmos

MOV041: “More Human than Human”

Do androids dream of electric sheep? Can an identity be stolen completely in just a couple of days? Can you really solve a mystery by jumping back to the last 8 minutes of someone’s life? All this and news on this week’s COL Movies.

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The Past: Blade Runner (1982)

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Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Howard, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos

Trivia:

  • While the film is loosely based on Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”, the title comes from a book by Alan Nourse called “The Bladerunner”. William S. Burroughs wrote a screenplay based on the Nourse book and a novella entitled “Blade Runner: A Movie.”Ridley Scott bought the rights to the title but not the screenplay or the book. The Burroughs composition defines a blade runner as “a person who sells illegal surgical instruments”
  • Although Philip K. Dick saw only the opening 20 minutes of footage prior to his death on March 2, 1982, he was extremely impressed, and has been quoted by Paul Sammon as saying, “It was my own interior world. They caught it perfectly.” However neither Ridley Scott nor screenwriter David Webb Peoples actually read Dick’s novel.
  • Exasperated crews often referred to the film as “Blood Runner”.
  • Titles considered for the film include ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’, ‘Android’, ‘Mechanismo’, ‘Dangerous Days’, and finally ‘Blade Runner’. After the film had changed its name from ‘Dangerous Days’ to ‘Blade Runner’, Ridley Scott decided he didn’t like the new name, and tried to call the film ‘Gotham City’, but Bob Kane (comic book creator of Batman) wouldn’t sell the rights to the name, so it returned to being called ‘Blade Runner’.
  • Originally, the novel (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) was set in 1992, although later editions brought the date forward to 2021. The film makers initially identified the date as 2020, but settled on 2019 because 2020 sounded too much like the common term for perfect vision, 20:20.
  • Ridley Scott cast Rutger Hauer in the role of Roy Batty without actually meeting the actor. He had watched his performances in Turkish Delight (1973), Keetje Tippel (1975) and Soldier of Orange (1977) and was so impressed, he cast him immediately. However, for their first meeting, Hauer decided to play a joke on Scott and he turned up wearing huge green sunglasses, pink satin pants and a white sweater with an image of a fox on the front. According to production executive Katherine Haber, when Scott saw Hauer, he literally turned white.
  • Ridley Scott actually turned down directorial duties on the project as he was about to begin work on another science fiction adaptation, Dune

Talking Points:

  • All the different versions, deleted scenes not withstanding do you feel the studio was right in insisting Ridley Scott put Harrison Ford’s voice over into the movie?
  • Theatrical Release
  • International Release
  • Directors Cut
  • Final Cut
  • Work-print
  • Was this the Inception of its day? (controversy wise, not popularity wise) Is Deckard a replicant or no? Even the cast doesn’t agree…. Scott says yes, Ford and Hauer say no.

What We’ve Learned:

  • In 8 years, Los Angeles will somehow merge into Detroit
  • In 8 years we will have flying cars
  • The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long
  • Nothing is worse than having an itch that you can never scratch
  • “It’s time to die!”
  • It sucks to only have 4 years to live.
  • Adama is good at Origami

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: A sci-fi classic. Must have for any geek.
Ray: A very cerebral sci-fi flick, I don’t think anyone has nailed sci-fi / noir quite as well as this movie. still holding up after almost 30 years!
Steve: Always an amazing movie. However…this particular cut leaves some WTF moments. All depends on which version you cherish.

The Present: Unknown

Director: Juame Collet-Serra

Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aiden Quinn

Trivia:

  • Principal photography took place in early 2010 in Berlin, Germany, and in the Studio Babelsberg film studios.
  • The bridge the taxi plunges from is the Oberbaumbrücke.
  • The Friedrichstraße was blocked for several nights for the shooting of a car chase.
  • Some of the shooting was done in the Hotel Adlon. Other locations include the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin Central Station, Berlin Friedrichstraße station, Pariser Platz, Museum Island, the Oranienburger Straße in Berlin, and the Leipzig/Halle Airport.
  • According to Andrew Rona, the budget was $40 million. Dark Castle Entertainment contributed $30 million and German public film funds supported the production with €4,65 million (more than $6 million).
  • The film has received mixed to positive reviews, scoring 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 5.8/10, with the general consensus being “Liam Neeson elevates the proceedings considerably, but Unknown is ultimately too derivative — and implausible — to take advantage of its intriguing premise”.
  • Considerable praise has been placed on Neeson in the lead role and the unique premise of the film, and has comparisons with Neeson’s 2008 film Taken.
    * Richard Roeper gave the film a B+, reflecting “At times, Unknown stretches plausibility to the near breaking point, but it’s so well paced and the performances are so strong and most of the questions are ultimately answered. This is a very solid thriller.”

Talking Points:

  • So.. we figured this one out a long time ago.. but there was still a twist.

What We Learned:

  • Ask enough questions and the man who is lying will change his story
  • Germans are good at forgetting
  • Sentiment is always the first thing to go.
  • Don’t get your cyanide mixed up with your afternoon tea
  • There are obviously no patrol cars anywhere in Berlin

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: It’s a movie with a nice twist and resolution. Just wish it was better written.
Ray: Not Brilliant, Not Horrible, Once I got over the whole Total Recall thing and just relaxed.. it was entertaining. actors do a good job,… there is a twist at the end if you can stay entertained long enough to stay to the end.
Steve: I was a bad, bad movie reviewer. Life got in the way… I repent!

The Future: Source Code (4-1-2011)

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farminga

Trivia:

  • Topher Grace was considered for lead

Talking Points:

  • A dark version of groundhog day?

Summary:
An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Interesting, feels like it might be a good movie, but feeling like it might go horribly wrong.
Ray: I think it looks entertaining, enough to go see.. which is why i put it on our list 😀
Steve: Very Groundhog’s Day meets Quantum Leap…but with a higher budget. Looks interesting and seems like something I’d enjoy.

Coming Attractions
The Past

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The Present

The Future

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MOV008: “Some Monks Can Meditate For Four Days”

3D, 3D, 3D. Filmed in vs Upconversion, the next Spider-Man, Mad Max returns, The Deer Hunter, The Last Airbender, and The Green Hornet.

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Worst Movies Responses

Voicemail

  • Ron

(warning Google Voice transcription)
Hey this is wrong. I wanted to say that I’ve seen, or any of that means, and even going about it on monday, including problems and suggesting maybe. However, the one that I think is probably the worst of actually paid for is when I wanted to see. I know that you did last summer. I wanna hoping I can see each other. Michelle Gellar Bureau. But, and I need a cult rescheduling it may be really bye bye. It turned out to be one of the worst in Thursday hit it. Bye.

Twitter

  • Leggomycraiggo – I didn’t pay to see it in the theater, but a rental I heartly regret: Big Fish. Well, that or City of Lost Children
  • Lukifurcub – The Masters of the Universe with Courtney Cox no less.
  • A movie title Grayskull is currently in developement according to IMDB

Facebook –

  • Kevin (my brother) – I actually paid to see “Giglli” (Gigli) or whatever that Ben Affleck/Jennifer Lopez bomb was. Matinee, mind you. I went in thinking, “It can’t be as bad as they’re saying,” and walked out (a minute or two before the end, thinking, “Yep, it was that bad.
  • Gryphon – I’m at work and can’t call but I would have to say Legion. Although it was good to see that kid from American gothic all grown up… Cute!
  • Don – Event Horizon

Comments

  • Dogboi – The worst movie I ever paid to see was The Wedding Planner. What was I thinking? Matthew McConaughey *AND* Jennifer Lopez. How could it NOT be bad.

Email

Solaris (2002) (Why they felt the need to put this political story into movie form I’ll NEVER understand and why oh WHY did we need to see Clooney’s naked behind?)

The Thing (1982) (I watched this in the theater on an Army base and probably 1/2 of the mostly male audience left within 30 minutes about the same time I did. This movie had no redeeming value, at all. Well, at least not for the first 30 minutes, but it showed no signs of being anything more than a really bad gore fest.)

I know there are others that were awful, but those are the ones that I REALLY remember as regretting going to.

Marcia

The Past: The Deer Hunter

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Director: Michael Cimino

Staring: Robert De Niro, John Cazale, John Savage, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep

Trivia:

  • 1979 Oscar Award winner for Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Christopher Walken, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Picture, and Best Sound
  • The slapping in the Russian roulette sequences was 100% authentic. The actors grew very agitated by the constant slapping, which, naturally, added to the realism of the scenes.
  • Robert De Niro recently explained that the scene where Michael visits Steve in the hospital for the first time was the most emotional scene that he was ever involved with. He broke down in tears while discussing the scene in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Robert De Niro (2003) (TV).
  • The wedding sequences were filmed in the summer, but were set in the fall. To accomplish a look of fall, leaves were removed from trees and painted orange. They were then reattached to the trees.
  • John Wayne’s final public appearance was to present the Best Picture Oscar to The Deer Hunter (1978) at The 51st Annual Academy Awards (1979) (TV). It was not a film Wayne was fond of, since it presented a very different view of the Vietnam War than his own movie, The Green Berets (1968), had a decade earlier.
  • First feature film depicting the U.S. involvement in Vietnam to be filmed on location in Thailand.
  • Features the worlds first (and Only) Christian Football Waltz “Drop Kick Me Jesus (Through the Goalposts of Life)” from 1976 which is odd, because the movie had to take place prior to 1976

Talking Points:

  • Holy long-ass movie!
  • Tons of extras!
  • Do y’all think this movie is how it really was for people who were going to Vietnam?

What We’ve Learned:

  • These wedding sequences have no significance what-so-ever. It is meant to take up film space and waste the watcher’s time.
  • Robert DeNiro was kinda hot when he was younger.
  • Regardless of the movie, Christopher Walken is always creepy.

Trailer:

Drop Kick Me Jesus:

Recommendations:

Jeff: /yawn
Ray: I think this was a really powerful movie, i would not discount the first act as being unnecessary at all. Powerful performances by a very young De Niro and Walken.
Steve: Wow…it took me two layovers and a flight from Houston to Tampa to watch this movie! I might have liked it if it was shorter and more to the point. Had promise, but I just lost interest.

The Present: The Last Airbender

Director: M. Night Shyamalan (Schmalamadingdong)

Staring: Noah Ringer, Nicole Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Aasif Mandvi

Trivia:

  • The film was originally titled “”Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005)”, after the TV show it was based on. However, James Cameron and 20th Century Fox had already registered the film title Avatar (2009), so the word was dropped from the title to avoid confusion.
  • Jesse McCartney was originally cast to play Zuko, but was replaced with Dev Patel due to scheduling conflicts.
  • This is the first adaptation that M. Night Shyamalan directed.
  • The release of this movie prompted a group of fans to remodel a 1985 Chevy Astro van into an Appa look-a-like, known as The Appamobile.
  • Voice actor Dee Bradley Baker voiced Appa and Momo in the original animated show “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005) and reprises those roles uncredited for the live-action film adaptation.
  • This is the first PG-rated film (in the USA) M. Night Shyamalan has directed since Wide Awake (1998).
  • According to M. Night Shyamalan, the “mispronunciation” of the names of some of the characters (Aang, Sokka, Avatar, etc) is due to the fact that he wished to ‘honor the source material’ and use the Asian pronunciation.
  • Another “giant change” M. Night Shyamalan made from the animated series to the big screen was to limit the Fire Bender’s source of fire. Only the highest of the Fire Benders can conjure flames from their chi.
  • A scene involving the Kyoshi Warriors and the introduction of Suki (Sokka’s other love interest) was filmed but removed from the final cut, due to the director’s belief that it was a separate story and would only distract from the movie’s main storyline.
  • Critics Vs Airbender – The 6 Most Savage Quotes (Thanks Chris from the Dammit Lets Eat Podcast)

Talking Points:

  • Races
  • Bending
  • Length
  • Script
  • Sequel? Will Book Two: Earth be made?
  • The scenes were too quick – only true fans will even care about it (or get it, for that matter)

What We’ve Learned:

  • The cartoons on Nickelodeon are SO much better!
  • It looks great!
  • 3-D does not save a movie.
  • Don’t buy into the hype.
  • Falcor > Appa

Trailer:

Recommendations:

Jeff: Rent the DVD will be fine. Might be worth seeing in the Theaters but do NOT watch in 3D, it’s not worth the extra charge.
Ray: Bad Acting! Horrible Script! Unintentionally hillarious! I wanted to walk out. Just watch my reaction LOL
Steve: I’m a fan of this series, so I really, really wanted to like it. M. Night – really????

The Future: The Green Hornet

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Seth Rogan, Jay Chou, Christopher Walz, Edward Furlong, Edward James Olmos, Tom Wilkinson, Analeigh Tipton (Homo Alert – yep…Analeigh from America’s Next Top Model Cycle 11!!!)

Trivia:

  • Seth Rogen shed 30 pounds to play the titular role.
  • In late 2008, Stephen Chow was set to direct and co-star as Kato. However, creative differences prevented him from doing so although, for a while, it seemed he was still set to play Kato when Michel Gondry became attached.
  • ‘The Green Hornet’ was originally a radio show, first broadcast in 1936 and running to 1952. Although there were two serials in the 1940s (13 and 15 chapters, respectively), the last six chapters of the first one re-edited into a 100-minute feature and several episodes of the 1966 TV series were edited together into a pair of 90-minute films, this is the first original feature-length Hollywood treatment of the costumed hero.
  • The film’s release date was originally the day that an adaptation of another emerald hero was to be released, Green Lantern (2011).
  • When the rights to the Green Hornet property were purchased by Mirimax, Kevin Smith was attached to write and direct this film. However, Smith pulled out of directing due to an insecurity of directing something with such a larger budget than he was used to. He stayed on as writer and wrote two drafts, but with no further progress with the script, the rights were let go and purchased by Columbia Pictures. Then, coincidentally, his Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) star, Seth Rogen, became attached to star and write the screenplay.
  • On July 23, 2009, Rogen, along with everyone else officially attached to the project at that point, appeared at the San Diego Comic-Con International and unveiled the Black Beauty, the Green Hornet’s car, as it will appear in the film. According to The New York Times, the production modified 29 cars to portray the Green Hornet’s luxurious supercar. The 29 cars were a mix of 1964, 1965 and 1966 Chrysler Imperials modified to resemble (but not exactly duplicate) the two 1966 Imperials used to portray the Black Beauty in the 1966 television series. The producers turned down product placement deals with both BMW and General Motors in favor of using the classic Chrysler.
  • The first trailer was released online on June 24, 2010 and was attached to screenings of Grown Ups, another film distributed by Columbia Pictures.
  • The film was originally set for a release for June 25, 2010 but the studio gave that release date to the comedy film Grown Ups. Sony then pushed the film for a December 22, 2010. The film is now slated to release on January 14th, 2011 due to the film’s 3-D conversion.

Talking Points:

  • Seth Rogan as a superhero? Can we really take him seriously?
  • Will this be an epic fail due to 3-D conversion?
  • What is it about Cameron Diaz and Green Hued Superhero’s (AICN)

Summary:
Newspaper publisher Britt Reid moonlights as a masked crimefighter called The Green Hornet accompanied by his similarly masked valet, martial arts expert Kato. Despite his heroic intentions, he is considered so disreputable among legitimate law enforcement that he is able to talk casually with known criminals and even do business with them.

Trailer:

Excitement:

Jeff: /giggle
Ray: Cautiously optimistic based on the International Trailer.. the Domestic Trailer was bad.
Steve: Based on the trailer…not even REMOTELY interested. I’d only see it to see how Analeigh does in it.

Coming Attractions: Steve

The Past: Heathers
The Present: Predators
The Future: Megamind

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