Tag Archives: Neve Campbell

Podcast

MOV045: “It’s All In The Reflexes”

The boys hit up the classic John Carpenter flick “Big Trouble In Little China”. Can Kurt Russell hang in a kung fu flick these days? They head to the theater to check out “Red Riding Hood”. Should the village just have let the wolf eat her? Lastly, they look into the future at “Scream 4”. Is the franchise still relevant or should Syndey just die already? All this, movie news, and more Flickchart!

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News:

  • Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79
  • National Velvet (12 Years Old)
  • Cleopatra
  • First Oscar In 1960 2nd in 1967
  • The Brothers Strause have a new movie
  • War of Ages
  • …an ancient artifact is uncovered, time is shattered and the seven greatest war leaders in history have to battle each other out. It’s sort of like The Lord of the Rings meets Gladiator. You have Napoleon vs. Julius Caesar vs. Attila the Hun vs. Genghis Khan vs. Alexander vs. Hannibal. So, there you go. It’s going to be in 3D and it’s a big sword-and-sandal epic.”
  • World War Z on the Ropes
  • Paramount can’t seem to find someone to share in the making of the $125 million dollar production
  • with an R rating that this production REQUIRES.- Paramount making it PG-13
  • produced by Brad Pitt who also stars in the film

Feedback: N/A

The Past: Big Trouble In Little China (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes: 82% Fresh, 78% Audience

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Director: John Carpenter

Starring: Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Victor Wong, Kate Burton, Donald Li

Trivia:

  • According to John Carpenter and Kurt Russell in the DVD Commentary, the story was originally written as a western but Carpenter decided to set it during modern times. They even mention that instead of Jack Burton’s truck being stolen, it was originally his horse.
  • The Brides of Lo Pan must have green eyes. Yet both Kim Cattrall and Suzee Pai had brown eyes in real life. Both wore green contacts for the movie. This is very obvious in the hi-def version of the movie.
  • According to John Carpenter on the audio commentary that the opening of the film with Egg Shen (Victor Wong) in the lawyer’s office was added in as a request from 20th Century Fox because to make Kurt Russell’s character Jack Burton to be more heroic
  • Both John Carpenter and Kurt Russell explain on the audio commentary that the test screening was so overwhelming positive that both of them expected it to be a big hit. However, 20th Century Fox put little into promoting the movie and it ended up being a box office bomb. However, it went on to be a huge cult hit through home video. Carpenter and Russell explained that the reason the studio did little to promote the film was because they didn’t know how to

Talking Points:

  • Kurt Russell channeling John Wayne?
  • Who knew this was a John Carpenter movie?
  • Did you have a favorite storm?

What We’ve Learned:

  • Chinese girls don’t come with green eyes
  • Green Eyes are like leather bucket seats
  • Pretending to be a repairman will get you past security every time
  • It’s all in the reflexes
  • John Carpenter shouldn’t be allowed to write songs

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Really enjoyed it, classic 80’s action movie.
Ray: Love it, when I watch this I turn into the 12 year old boy I was when it came out.
Steve: Have always loved this movie…can watch it constantly.

Intermission: Flickchart

The Present: Red Riding Hood (Released 3/11/11)
Rotten Tomatoes: 12% Rotten, 55% Audience

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Virginia Madsen, Lukas Haas, Julie Christie

Trivia:

  • Under Appian Way Productions, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Ireland, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Alex Mace and Julie Yorn produced the film.
  • Director Catherine Hardwicke had to persuade her Red Riding Hood star Amanda Seyfried to work with newcomer Shiloh Fernandez, “Amanda had met Shiloh before and did not like him, so when I told Amanda I was going to bring him in to audition, she made a face. But she tried it, and they hit it off.”
  • The film was filmed in Vancouver.
  • Early into production, the film was originally titled The Girl with the Red Riding Hood.
  • A novelisation of the film, written by Sarah Blakely-Cartwright, was released on 24 February 2011, prior to the film’s release. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.. However, the ending has received criticism for not including the story’s final chapter, which instead was only made available for download online following the release of the film.
  • The teaser trailer and the poster were released in November 2010, featuring “The Wolf”, a new song written exclusively for the film by Swedish act Fever Ray.

Talking Points:

  • Slow…slow…slow
  • The “Look” of the movie,,, made it feel like a syfi channel movie to me (ray)
  • (Steve) My major pet peeve – pick an accent people!
  • Did you figure it out?

What We Learned:

  • Werewolves can’t step on holy ground
  • Better the wolf takes the pig than you
  • All sorrows are less with bread

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: It was alright, melodramatic, but alright. That’s about it though.
Ray: Snoozer – unless you have a hardon for the fairy tale, avoid like the plague
Steve: Melodramatic is a great word for it. But I didn’t hate it.

The Future: Scream 4 (04/15/11)

Starring: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie

Trivia:

  • With four installments, this landmarks the Scream franchise as being one of the only horror franchises to have its main characters return for all its sequels.
  • Due for release almost 15 years after the original Scream (1996/I).
  • Wes Craven stated he was not going to return as director unless the script was as good as the first Scream (1996/I).

Talking Points:

  • Is this just milking a dead cow?
  • Who is the target audience for this?

Summary:
Sidney Prescott, now the author of a self-help book, returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey and Gale, who are now married, as well as her cousin Jill and her Aunt Kate. Unfortunately, Sidney’s appearance also brings about the return of Ghostface, putting Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, along with Jill, her friends, and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Really? I mean, really?
Ray: I loved the first scream.. the sequels have never done anything for me though.
Steve: Love that they’re coming up with new rules. And Sookie has a cameo! Rental.

Coming Attractions:

The Past
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The Present

The Future

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Podcast

MOV015: “We Are The Weirdos, Mister.”

This week we invoke the spirit, yawn at the mayham, and wonder at the fantasy.

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News:

Feedback:
5 Star Review from Dave in AZ: Awesome show, the group is well balanced to ensure that every aspect of the film gets a fair treatment by the crew. This podcast has helped me discover some great movies I never would have watched and helped rekindle my love of a few classics. Keep it up you will always have an avid listener in me.

The Past: The Craft (1996)

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Director: Andrew Fleming

Staring: Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell & Rachel True

Trivia:

  • Features over 3,000 snakes including pythons, boas, water snakes, garter snakes, rat snakes, and a 10 foot Amazon constrictor – even rare albino snakes.
  • Robin Tunney wore a wig in this because she had shaved her head for Empire Records (1995).
  • The Connie Francis song playing on the jukebox when the girls visit their newly rich friend Nancy is “Fallin'”.
  • Though all of the actresses playing teenagers were far past teenage years, at the time of filming Rachel True was almost 30 years old.
  • The shots of Nancy being covered in bugs were created by wrapping a life-cast of Fairuza Balk’s head and torso in green screen material. The bugs were filmed crawling all over the casting and then digitally composited on top of a live action plate of Balk.
  • On the special edition DVD of this film, Andrew Fleming states in the commentary that the production was geared toward earning a PG-13 rating from the MPAA. They followed all of the guidelines to earn that rating, but in the final outcome the film was rated R because the film dealt with teenage girls using witchcraft.
  • Although the name of the Catholic high school is never mentioned in the film, it was referred to as St. Bernard’s Academy in the film’s trailer. This is a nod by writer Peter Filardi to the real Saint Bernard High School in southeastern Connecticut, where Filardi grew up.
  • After Sarah returns to her house near the end, the house is full of snakes, rats, maggots, etc. As she retreats to the upstairs bathroom, we see her pass a whiteboard with the name Gustav Klimt. Gustav Klimt was an artist whose works were denounced for their eroticism. He was also known to have a common theme of the “Femme Fatale” or women who were empowered and strong.
  • In the shooting script, as well as early edits of the film, it is implied that only Sarah has actual magic powers, and that the other girls’ abilities are merely a result of their leaching off of Sarah’s magic.
  • According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, The Craft is the 7th highest grossing movie since 1980 dealing with the genre of witches
  • A straight-to-DVD sequel was in the works, but was terminated

Talking Points:

  • Heathers with witchcraft?
  • What would you do if you had powers?
  • Interesting that the trailer theme is the same as the theme for “Charmed” – is there a connection to interest?
  • Is the movie too “preachy” about “using your powers for good”?

What We’ve Learned:

  • All you need to become a witch is buy “Wiccan For Dummies”
  • Hormonal teenage girls should not have magical powers
  • Remember whatever you put out you get back times three!

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Love it, definitely worth the buy.
Ray: Heathers – Clever Writing + Witchcraft = The Craft.
Steve: Loved this movie when it came out…effects haven’t stood the test of time very well, but still a solid movie.

The Present: The Expendables

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Staring: Slyvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas

Trivia:

  • According to Sylvester Stallone, the villain and plot of the film is based on Manuel Noriega, the former military dictator of Panama who had a corrupt relationship with the CIA and drugs.
  • Director and star Sylvester Stallone sustained 14 injuries making this movie including breaking a tooth, rupturing his ankle and getting a hairline fracture in his neck that required the surgical insertion of a metal plate. He also had bronchitis and shingles during the shoot.
  • The silver badge on General Garza’s right breast is actually a United States Army Combat Action Badge. It is awarded to non-infantry soldiers who have actually engaged an enemy force in combat, and worn on the left breast. Since it would be nearly impossible for a foreign general to earn a CAB legitimately, the costume department most likely simply picked out a random military badge.
  • According to Sylvester Stallone, the Red Beret soldiers are actual Brazilian MMA fighters who volunteered to play the role.
  • This is the first film that Sylvester Stallone has directed since Staying Alive (1983) that doesn’t involve his characters John Rambo or Rocky Balboa.
  • In summer 2010, Brazilian company O2 Filmes released a statement saying it was still owed more than $2 million US for its work on the film

Talking Points:

  • Age Demographic.. more popular with 40+?
  • Was it necessary to explode bodies throughout the movie?

What We’ve Learned:

  • A ton of action movie stars in a movie does not mean it will be any good

Trailer:

Recommendations:

Jeff: Skip it
Ray: Found it fairly boring..and overly gory
Steve: Was extremely let down by this movie…can’t believe it’s doing so well in the box office.

The Future: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Starring: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter, Laura Bent, Gary Sweet

Trivia:

  • After The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) didn’t fare too well at the box office, the Walt Disney Company decided for budgetary and logistical reasons not to co-produce and co-finance this or any of the following chapters of the Narnia series.
  • When Michael Apted signed on to direct in June 2007, filming was set to begin in January 2008 for a release date of May 1, 2009. Shooting would have begun in Malta and then moved to Prague and Iceland. A few months later, the Walt Disney Company announced, “In consideration of the challenging schedules for (its) young actors,” it was delaying the release date to May 7, 2010, and filming was moved to October 2008. The shoot got rescheduled to Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico, where two-thirds of the film would be shot at the water tank that was used for Titanic (1997) and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). Filming was also scheduled for Australia. Disney and Walden eventually grew concerned over Mexico’s safety, and Australian officials at Warner Roadshow Studios in Queensland offered to become the project’s base for the whole shoot.
  • The first trailer was released online at midnight EST on June 16, 2010, and theatrically on June 18, 2010, attached to Toy Story 3 (2010). On screens where Toy Story was shown in 3D, the Dawn Treader trailer was also 3D.
  • Producer Mark Johnson admitted that “We made some mistakes with Prince Caspian and I don’t want to make them again.” He said it’s “very important” that filmmakers regain that magic for Dawn Treader, now in the editing stages—and he’s convinced they’ve found it: “I want to climb on the rooftops and say we have a wonderful Narnia movie.”

Talking Points:

  • Does the loss of Disney backing impact this movie?

Summary:
The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, their cousin Eustace Scrubb and King Caspian to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea. Their Mission-on which rests the fate of Narnia itself-takes the courageous voyagers to mysterious islands and a river that turns to gold, to fateful confrontations with magical creatures and sinister enemies, with meeting of Lilliandil the half star to a reunion with their friend and protector “the Great lion” Aslan.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: No excitement here nor there.
Ray: I’m holding my breath.. the Trailer doesn’t hint at plot at all.. effects look good even without Disney.
Steve: I miss the old animated versions of these books…the trailer looks neat, but don’t know that it’s drawing me in.

Coming Attractions

The Past: Hudson Hawk
The Present: Takers
The Future: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

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