Tag Archives: Tarsem Singh

Podcast

MOV081: “Someday We’ll Find It”

In this 81st reel of COL Movies, the boys kick off the holiday season by bringing “The Muppet Christmas Carol” back. Conveniently, they then head to the theater to check out Jason Segal’s attempt to bring the beloved characters back into the limelight in “The Muppets”. Does it succeed? They then do a compare and contrast over the two upcoming Snow White tales, Julia Roberts’ “Mirror Mirror” and Charlize Theron’s “Snow White & The Hunstman”. Are fairy tales going to be the new “it” thing for 2012…sure looks like it! In news, we chat about Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus”, then discuss Cinemablend’s Top 25 Muppets list. It’s the 81st reel of COL Movies…”Someday We’ll Find It”

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News:

The Past: The Muppet Christmas Carol
Rotten Tomatoes: 68% Fresh, 80% Audience

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Director: Brian Henson

Starring: Michael Caine, The Great Gonzo, Rizzo The Rat, Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Frank Oz, Steven Mackintosh, Jessica Fox

Trivia:

  • The first feature-length production in which Kermit’s voice was not provided by Jim Henson (who had recently died). Steve Whitmire took over the role.
  • This was the first major Muppet project after the death of creator Jim Henson. Henson had performed Kermit and the role was now being handed down to Steve Whitmire. According to Whitmire he was incredibly nervous about taking over such an iconic character. The night before he had to go record Kermit’s songs for the movie, he had a dream where he met Henson in a hotel lobby and told him how unsure he was. In the dream, Henson reassured Whitmire that the feeling would pass. After waking up, Whitmire was confident and able to do the part.
  • There is a store called “Micklewhite”. Michael Caine’s real name is Maurice Micklewhite.
  • Towards the end of the film, a tavern called “Statler & Waldorf” (named after the famous Muppet hecklers) can be spotted.
  • David Hemmings, Ron Moody, David Warner, and George Carlin were among the actors who
  • Michael Caine considers the role of Scrooge to be one of his most memorable (to him) roles.
  • SERIES TRADEMARK: At the conclusion of the song “One More Sleep”, Kermit is seen standing alone in the street and a shooting star can been seen streaking across the sky. In many (in not all) of the Muppet movies, a shooting star goes across the sky at some point when Kermit is on.
  • According to Brian Henson, the decision to use Gonzo and Rizzo to narrate the story was made because he wanted to incorporate the narration and prose of the Charles Dickens novel into the film.
  • In the film’s first scene, there is a shop sign that reads “Duncan & Kenworthy”. Producer Duncan Kenworthy was one of the creators of Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock.
  • The movie is dedicated to the memory of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt. Henson, of course, was the creator of the Muppets. Hunt was one of the Muppet voice performers, perhaps best known as the voice of the character Scooter.
  • Jacob and Robert Marley surrounded by wailing cash boxes is a nod to Bob Marley & The Wailers.
  • Jacob and Robert Marley tell Scrooge to leave comedy to the bears. Statler and Waldorf, who play the Marley brothers, are known for constantly heckling Fozzie Bear for his poor comedy.

Talking Points:

  • Some of the muppets were CREEPY! Ghost of christmas past, kitty,
  • pacing…
  • Very classic telling of the take
  • Any fav Muppets?

What We’ve Learned:

  • December is harvest time for moneylenders.
  • Rat’s are versatile – bookkeepers, window squeege, fire bellows, chimney sweeps, Popsicles
  • Whispering = dramatic emphasis
  • Storytellers are omniscient
  • Rats don’t understand loneliness
  • Business.. its the America…er British Way
  • Never eat singing food
  • Life is made up of meetings and partings.

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: I’ve always loved this movie and many different versions of A Christmas Carol. Outside of this, I really liked the short Micky’s Christmas Carol which I’d also recommend to anyone. Both of these are Christmas Traditions to watch for me. I think this should be in everyone’s collection, something to watch with family on a cold winter evening.
Ray: It’s cute, It’s the muppets.. if your a muppets fan it should be in your collection. Best version of A Christmas Carol? not sure id go that far.. but it is good
Steve: I like it, but do find the pace a bit slow. Seems like a pretty honest telling of the story and Michael Caine is great! The ghost Muppets, especially future, are really cool. I need to show this movie to my nieces and nephew.

The Present: The Muppets
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% Fresh, 92% Audience

Director: James Bobin

Starring: Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper, Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson

Trivia:

  • First theatrically-released Muppet film not to include Frank Oz
  • Of all the actors and actresses making cameos in this film, Alan Arkin is the only one to ever appear on The Muppet Show, back in 1979. Although Whoopi Goldberg appeared in an episode of the follow-up series Muppets Tonight in 1996 – a series set in a TV studio, not the classic Muppet Theater revisited in this film.
  • A picture of Jim Henson appears on a poster outside of the Muppet Theater and a picture of him with Kermit appears on the wall in Kermit’s old office.
  • A hidden Mickey Mouse appears in the fireworks at the end.
  • During the Muppet Telethon, the chickens clucked a rendition of Cee-Lo Green’s “Forget You’. At The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, Green performed the same song wearing a feathery costume that paid homage to Sir Elton John’s 25 October 1977 appearance on Elton John.
  • In the montage where the Muppets are retrieved from their current jobs, Scooter is shown in a Google reception area. At the time of release, this is indeed an actual office; it is the reception of Google’s office in Zurich.
  • At one point in the movie, a kid asks Kermit if he’s a Ninja Turtle. The Muppets were Made by Jim Henson, who also made the Animatronics for the Live Action Ninja Turtle film and its sequel.
  • The “standard Fame and Fortune contract” referenced several times in the movie (that would cede control of Muppet Studios and the Muppet name after 30 years), would seem to be a reference to the contract first given to the Muppets by Lew Lord (Orson Welles) in the very first Muppet Movie in 1979. After an impassioned plea by Kermit, Lew asks his secretary to “Prepare the standard Rich and Famous contract for Kermit the Frog & Company”.
  • An appearance by Elmo of Sesame Street was planned for a scene where lawyers would have nixed an attempt by the Muppets to have him host their show. According to Jason Segel, the cameo itself was forbidden by lawyers. Sesame Street characters had previously made cameos in The Muppet Show, The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan and various specials, but have not done so since the purchase of the Muppet characters by Disney in 2004.
  • This is the first time that John Krasinski has been in the same movie as his real-life wife, Emily Blunt, although they do not share any screen time together.
  • Emily Blunt reprises her role from The Devil Wears Prada as Miss Piggy’s receptionist.
  • At the end of the film as the camera tilts towards the sky showing the fireworks, you will see that three of the explosions are in the shape of Mickey Mouse’s iconic head. This is likely due to the Muppet franchise being owned by Disney. It’s also no coincidence that the Muppet Theatre was placed next to Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s theatre – a show on ABC, owned by Disney.
  • Featured some Muppets not seen since the 1980s, including the evil henchman dragon Muppet, ‘Uncle Deadly’.
  • First theatrical Muppet film in 12 years.
  • On its first 5 days it passed every Muppet film except the first in terms of box office gross.
  • In Kermit’s Office, there are many pictures of him with different special guest hosts like Steve Martin and Sandy Duncan. One of the pictures is of Kermit and Jim Henson who originally performed Kermit until his death in 1990.
  • Bret McKenzie taught Chris Cooper how to rap and use typical rapper mannerisms.
  • Rashida Jones plays an executive for the CDE television network. CDE is “ABC” (American Broadcasting Company) if you move each letter up 2 letters in the alphabet. ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company.
  • Jim Parsons (Human Walter) is the only actor whose cameo appearance was never announced or rumored.

Talking Points:

  • Did it have the nostalgia of the originals?
  • References to other Muppet movies
  • Voices
  • Human singers – without Muppets
  • Any fav Muppets?

What We Learned:

  • Kermit is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
  • Selena Gomez has no idea who the Muppets are…who’s she?
  • Kermit imagines the audience naked when he’s on stage.
  • Celebrities aren’t people
  • The Muppets aren’t bilingual
  • Neil Patrick Harris gets snotty when he doesn’t get to host
  • Ma Na Ma Na

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: I laughed, I cried, I felt like I was 6 years old again and enjoying every minute if it. I love the Muppets. Go, go see it. NOW.
Ray: I thought it was a nice re-introduction to the Muppets. I really liked seeing how the Muppets had moved on. The audience really seemed to enjoy this one. Everyone clapped at the end. I’d say if your gonna pick one family movie to see this Christmas this would be high on my list.
Steve: I am a huge fan of The Muppets and always have been. However, this one didn’t have me the whole way through. I really enjoyed when The Muppets were on screen, but there was too much human-only stuff that didn’t make i feel like it was a “Muppet” movie…just a vehicle for the actors.

The Future: Snow White & The Huntsman

Director: Rupert Sanders

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron

Summary:

In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.

Trivia:

  • Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder were considered to play Ravenna, the Evil Queen.
  • Charlize Theron dropped out from J. Edgar to do this movie.
  • Johnny Depp, Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender were considered to play Eric, The Huntsman.
  • For months, Viggo Mortensen was in talks to star as the Huntsman, but negotiations fell through and Mortensen dropped out.
  • After Viggo Mortensen passed on the movie, the role was offered to Hugh Jackman who also declined.
  • Dakota Fanning, Saoirse Ronan, Riley Keough, Alicia Vikander, Bella Heathcote, Selena Gomez, Emily Browning, Lily Collins and Felicity Jones were considered for the role of Snow White.
  • All seven dwarves are named after Roman Emperors: Caesar, Tiberius, Constantine, Claudius, Hadrian, Nero and Trajan.
  • During filming Kristen Stewart accidentally punched co-star Chris Hemsworth in the face giving him a black eye.
  • Production of the film was temporarily shut down in October 2011 after Kristen Stewart tore a ligament in her thumb during an attack scene with the dwarves. Stewart also suffered from a foot injury sustained on set.
  • Filming began in the United Kingdom in October 2011.
  • Lily Collins auditioned for the lead role but lost to Kristen Stewart. She was later cast in the other Snow White movie, Mirror Mirror.

The Future: Mirror Mirror

Director: Tarsem Singh

Starring: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts and Armie Hammer

Summary:

An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright..

Trivia:

  • Saoirse Ronan was considered for the role of Snow White, but the age difference between her and Armie Hammer was too big.
  • Alex Pettyfer, James Holzier, and James McAvoy were all considered for the part of Prince Andrew Alcott.
  • The original script included a scene between a shirtless Prince (Armie Hammer) and the Queen (Julia Roberts) in which the Queen remarks how smooth his chest is. This line had to be eliminated when Hammer refused to shave the hair off his chest for the scene.

Talking Points:

  • Antz V A Bugs Life, and Deep Impact V Amaggeddon

Trailers:

Excitement:
Jeff: Very different takes on the Snow White story. I actually kinda want to see both of them. Snow White for the action/drama, and Mirror Mirror for the comedy.
Ray: The Huntsman is the one pulling me to the theater, but I prefer a dark fantasy over a comedy.. Mirror Mirror looks a little too Shrekish to me.
Steve: The Huntsman seems more in my personal wheelhouse, whereas Mirror Mirror looks as though it is going to be a bit schitzo – fighting the family friendly Disney-fied look with a sarcastic comedy edge. For me, Nathan Lane and Julia Roberts would be the draw for Mirror Mirror, whereas the dark edge of Huntsman and Chris Hemsworth would be the draws for that one. My money’s on Huntsman – especially since it’s got Twilight power.

Coming Attractions

The Past

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The Present

The Future

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MOV080: “If you weren’t such a goddamn puff, we could all be happy!”

Join us on this brand new reel of COL: Movies as we step back to look at 2009’s “A Single Man” A Sad but beautifully poetic film based on the 1964 novel of the same name. Some feel its beautiful, some feel its depressing. Will we enjoy it or feel like throwing ourselves off a bridge? Next we Jump into the present to watch “Immortals” a movie helmed by “The Cell” Director Tarsem Singh, and “300” Producers Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton. Does it live up to its predecessor? Or do we wish it was buried under Mount Tartarus? Finally we look at the upcoming “The Darkest Hour” This Alien invasion Film is set to invade theaters on Christmas day, will we be rushing out to see it? All this plus movie news and more so grab your kleenex and your xiphos and join us for this reel of COL: Movies “If you weren’t such a goddamn puff, we could all be happy!”

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News:

The Past: A Single Man (2009)
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Fresh, 78% Audience

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Director: Tom Ford

Starring: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode

Trivia:

  • Tom Ford’s directorial debut.
  • Despite having produced many movies, this is the first time Chris Weitz has worked as a producer on a feature film, without his brother Paul Weitz’s involvement.
  • Victoria Silvstedt auditioned for a role.
  • Colin Firth was originally not available for the role and someone else was cast. Then there was a shift in the movie schedule and Firth was eventually able to take the part.
  • Tom Ford revealed in an interview that the role of Kenny was originally given to a more famous actor (an article with E! Online states the original casting choice was Jamie Bell) who then didn’t show up to the costume fitting five days prior to shooting. Ford then remembered an audition tape by Nicholas Hoult.
  • Don Bachardy, the long-time partner of Christopher Isherwood (on whose novel this film is based) makes a cameo appearance. According to Tom Ford, in a December 14 2009 interview with Terry Gross, Bachardy was a huge help all through the writing of the film and, in the scene, is wearing a pair of lucky red socks that belonged to Isherwood.
  • Tom Ford explained in a Fresh Air interview that he created a back story for George’s suit based on the George character. He decided that George would have had his suit custom made on Saville Row on a trip home to England, which informed its cut and color. He also decided that, since ‘old-school’ British people of wealth tend to be thrifty with clothing, that his suit was a few years old. Ford even went as far as putting a label on the inside of the suit with his name and the date that it was made for him (1957).
  • Tom Ford financed the film himself.
  • The film was shot in just 21 days.
  • In the original novel, George is only known by his first name. The original screenplay gives him a full name: George Carlyle Falconer. “Carlyle” is also director Tom Ford’s middle name while “Falconer” is both the surname of Ford’s first lover – illustrator Ian Falconer – and the name of a brand of sunglasses Ford’s company makes.
  • In his acceptance speech when he won a BAFTA for Best Actor on 21 February 2010, Colin Firth revealed that he had been on the point of turning down the part and had the email to director Tom Ford in his outbox, waiting to be sent. Then a man arrived to repair his refrigerator and Firth reconsidered. He thanked “the fridge guy” in his speech.
  • A scene in the film shows a large drawing by the artist Don Bachardy, the longtime companion of Christopher Isherwood.
  • The scenes set at the college where George teaches were filmed on the grounds of what was once Ambassador College in Pasadena. Ambassador College was founded during the 1940s by then-famous radio preacher Herbert W. Armstrong to groom students for lives of service to their churches. Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, enrollment rose enough that other branches of the school were opened in the UK and Texas, but by 1990, enrollment had fallen so much that the Pasadena campus was closed (all campuses had closed by 1997). Since 1990, the former Ambassador Pasadena campus buildings have been periodically used by a high school, for church services, and by the A Single Man film crew, and the property has been the subject of a long-stymied mixed-use apartment and commercial development attempt called “Westgate Pasadena.”
  • “India”, the dog that George sees in the car, belongs to Tom Ford.
  • The glass-and-wood home that George and Jim shared is a real house in Glendale, California: The Schaffer Residence, built in 1949 by the mid-century Modernist architect John Lautner (1911-1994).
  • During the DVD commentary, Tom Ford says that when Jennifer (the little neighbor girl) speaks to George in the bank, some of what she says is based on Ford’s own childhood. For instance, she has a pet scorpion because Ford and his sister also had a pet scorpion when they were little; her older brother is named “Tom” because Ford’s own first name is Tom; she speaks of her brother Tom giving her hair treatments with eggs because that was something Ford did for his own sister many times; and she obliviously says that her brother Tom is “light in his loafers” (a slightly derogatory euphemism for being gay) because Ford is himself gay.
  • While reading on the couch, Jim shows that he is reading ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ by Truman Capote. Cast member Lee Pace appeared in Infamous, which chronicles Capote’s life during the writing of In Cold Blood.
  • Colin Firth is the only British actor playing a British character. His American partner and student are played by British actors Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult, respectively, while his British friend Charlotte is played by American actress Julianne Moore.
  • Several times, George and other characters refer to their “invisibility” as a minority (in their cases, as gay men in early 1960s American society). George is referring here to the concept of social “invisibility” of black people put forth by Ralph Ellison in his classic novel ‘The Invisible Man’, which was first published about ten years before the events of this movie take place.
  • Contrary to popular belief, Tom Ford did not design the costumes of the film. Arianne Phillips did.
  • Tom Ford had Colin Firth wear Creed’s Bois du Portugal aftershave during the shooting of the film as Ford believed it would help Firth get into the character of George Falconer.
  • Colin Firth’s character George mentions in a conversation with Nicholas Hoult that he once took mescaline and ended up shaving off one of his eyebrows. This actually happened to director Tom Ford; he was taking the drug with Stephen Spender when he went home, looked in the mirror and “thought it was taking over his face”.
  • George’s pistol is a Webley revolver, which was a standard firearm issued to British and Commonwealth troops for three-quarters of a century, from 1887 to 1963 (the year after the movie takes place). Firing the .455 caliber Webley cartridge, it was one of the most powerful handguns ever made.

Talking Points:

  • Wait, did they actually sleep together?
  • Depressing, Beautiful, or both?
  • Julianne Moore gave us a mix of Patsy and Edina
  • Mr. Potter – lol
  • Steve – I hate Fuzz for picking this movie this week…I’ll explain why.

What We’ve Learned:

  • Only Fools greet the day with a smile, and only fools could possibly escape the truth that now isn’t simply now.
  • When living in a glass house… Curtains can be REALLY important.
  • You can’t live in Los Angeles and be afraid of cars.
  • Sometimes awful things have their own kind of beauty
  • Lovers are like buses, sometimes you just have to wait a little while and another one comes along.
  • Most things don’t work out the way people plan.
  • One must always appreciate life’s little gifts.
  • Experience is not what happens to a man, but what a man does with what happens to him.

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Kinda depressing but tugged at my heartstrings. I have mixed feelings, but still think it’s a worth see.
Ray: I found this film to be one of the most beautiful and sadly poetic things I have seen in quite some time. I can see how some people perceive it as being depressing, but really it has the opposite effect on me.
Steve: Definitely shows that people who think they’re at the end of their rope should open up their eyes to everything that is around them before giving in. If it were only that easy… Well acted movie, even though it was on the depressing side.

The Present: Immortals
Rotten Tomatoes: 36% Rotten, 75% Audience

Director: Tarsem Singh

Starring: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, John Hurt

Trivia:

  • The film was previously named Dawn of War and War of the Gods before being officially named Immortals, and is loosely based on the Greek myths of Theseus and the Minotaur and the Titanomachy.
  • Director Tarsem Singh said that he is planned the action film using Renaissance painting styles. He then went on to say that the film is “Basically, Caravaggio meets Fight Club. It’s a really hardcore action film done in Renaissance painting style. I want to see how that goes; it’s turned into something really cool. I’m going for a very contemporary look on top of that so I’m kind of going with, you know, Renaissance time with electricity. So it’s a bit like Baz Luhrman doing Romeo + Juliet in Mexico; it’s just taking a particular Greek tale and half (make it contemporary) and telling it.”
  • The film had a production budget of $80 million ($75 million after tax rebates) to $120 million and cost “at least” $50 million to market.

Talking Points:

  • mmmm…Kellan Lutz (aka Posieden)
  • The Cinematography of the Action scenes vs Everything else. “Renaissance time with electricity”
  • What did you think of the movie’s telling of the myths?

What We Learned:

  • The Gods wear a lot of crazy jewelry and head pieces.
  • Mickey Rourke is truly typecast as Mickey Rourke in every movie he’s in.
  • That bull shaped oven is a crappy way to go.
  • Reminder ladies…you can get pregnant the one and only time you have sex.
  • Leave the titans be!

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: THIS IS SPARTA! All over again. I agree with both ratings of this movie. The critics are right and so is the audience, this was a fun action movie to watch, but they could have used the bow more and developed the story more.
Ray: Action Scenes.. Yay… Almost everything else… Booo.. unfortunately the Boo To Yay Ratio was much too High.
Steve: Solid mix of 300 and Clash of the Titans. Mickey Rourke was a surprise, but all in all I enjoyed it. Definitely has an epic feel and the 3D was well done.

The Future: The Darkest Hour

Director: Chris Gorak

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella

Summary:

The story tells of a group of five young people who fight to survive in Russia after an alien invasion, the catch being that the aliens are invisible energy lifeforms.

Trivia:

  • Production was suspended for a planned two weeks due to the extraordinary air pollution caused by heavy smoke from the wild fires surrounding Moscow in August 2010. It eventually resumed three weeks later

Talking Points:

  • Another Skyline?
  • New TV spot and picture gallery – http://www.cinemablend.com/new/TV-Spot-Stills-Sci-Fi-Thriller-Darkest-Hour-28029.html

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Meh, another sci-fi invasion movie. Neat concept for the invading aliens but feeling this will be a bad movie.
Ray: Cautiously optimistic……Timur can be hit (9,Wanted) or miss (Apollo 18, XXX Watch) with me…
Steve: Has the potential to be good. I like what I see from the trailer. Invisible predators are always creepy.

Coming Attractions

The Past

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The Present

The Future

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MOV059: “Let’s Do The Time Warp Again!”

This week the boys round out pride month by getting stranded in front of Dr. Frank-N-furters castle and explore the crazy twists and turns of the 1975 cult hit musical Rocky Horror Picture Show.Does the show go on? or should this science fiction double feature get zapped by the antimatter beam? Next we put the pedal to the metal and talk about Pixar’s Cars 2, does this somewhat unexpected sequel it make it to the winners circle? or crash and burn before making it to the finish line? Lastly we take a look at the trailer for Immortals a November film brought to us by the producers responsible for 300, is this an epic blockbuster in the making or just another thanksgiving turkey? All this, movie news and more! so get that Transit Beam ready and join us for the next reel of COL Movies!

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News:

  • All-You-Can-Watch MoviePass Brings Netflix Model to Theaters – http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/06/all-you-can-watch-moviepass-brings-netflix-model-to-theaters/?currentPage=all
  • $50 a month for all the movies you can watch
  • In Beta and currently only rolling out in San Francisco Bay Area right now
  • These San Francisco Bay Area Theaters will participate in the MoviePass beta, which launches Wednesday: The Clay, Bridge, Lumiere, Embarcadero, Opera Plaza Cinemas and AMC Van Ness 14 in San Francisco; AMC Bay Street 16 in Emeryville; California Theatres and Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley; Piedmont Theatre in Oakland; Albany Twin in Albany; Big Cinemas Towne 3, Camera 3, Camera 12, AMC Eastridge 15 and AMC Saratoga 14 in San Jose; Camera 7 in Campbell; AMC Mercado 20 in Santa Clara; AMC Cupertino Square 16 in Cupertino; Camera Cinemas Los Gatos in Los Gatos; and Aquarius in Palo Alto.
  • Another movie based on a ride from Disneyland is in the works http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/disney-developing-matterhorn-inspired-adventure-movie-the-hill/
  • Lindhoff spills the beans on the upcoming Ridley Scott film ‘Prometheus’ http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/damon-lindelof-reveals-prometheus-alien-universe-connection/
  • Tom Hanks Says Another ‘Toy Story’ Apparently Already in the Works
  • http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/tom-hanks-says-another-toy-story-apparently-already-in-the-works/
  • Jeff completes the Gay Pride Month Movie Challenge 10 minutes before the show. Check out the discussion on the most Recent Episode of Cubs Out Loud.

Feedback:

Hi Guys,

I heard about your show on The Morning Stream and just wanted to say
that I really enjoy it. Not sure how many subscribers you have out
there but you now have one more. Keep up the good work.

Best,
Ryan the german chaser

ON iTunes – 5 star rating from SpeedRcr on June 26 – The guys are nice and the show is fun.

The Past: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Rotten Tomatoes: 76% Fresh; 85% Audience

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Director: Jim Sharman
Starring: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Jonathan Adams, Peter Hinwood, Meat Loaf

Trivia:

  • Mick Jagger wanted to play Dr. Frank N. Furter in the film version
  • Aside from the chemical symbols scrawled on the lab wall next to the control panel, there is a grocery list calling for flour, eggs, bread, sugar and two hypodermics.
  • Steve Martin auditioned for the role of Brad
  • Most of the actors weren’t told of the prop corpse of Eddie under the dining room tablecloth. When it was revealed during filming, their looks of horror are geniune.
  • the Museum Lichtspiele cinema in Muenchen, Germany has been screened the movie every week since 24 June 1977, offering special “RHPS-Kits” to enable celebrations during the show. They contain: a biscuit (for the toast), rice, a whistle, a candle (for “There’s a light”) and a sheet of paper with instructions for the time warp.
  • At the midnight showings, not only do patrons dress up, they bring props. There are no hard-and-fast rules on props, but the following is a list of some of the most common:
  • Rice (to be thrown at Ralph and Betty’s wedding)
  • Water pistols (back row squirts them during rain scene)
  • Newspapers (for front and middle rows to shield themselves from rain)
  • Flashlights or cigarette lighters (“There’s a Light” verse of “Over at Frankenstein Place”)
  • Rubber gloves (during and after the creation speech, Frank snaps his gloves three times)
  • Noisemakers (the Transylvanians applaud Frank’s creation – so should you)
  • Toilet paper preferably “Scott’s” brand (when Brad yells “Great scott!”, throw a roll)
  • Confetti (at the end of the “Charles Atlas” reprise, the Transylvanians throw confetti)
  • Toast (when Frank proposes a toast at dinner)
  • Party hat (when Frank puts on his hat to wish Rocky happy birthday, so does the audience)
  • Bell (“When we made it/did you hear a bell ring?”)
  • Cards (“Cards for sorrow/cards for pain”)
  • The props tend to vary somewhat from city to city, especially as some localities (and theaters) impose restrictions. For example, the “There’s a light” prop was almost always lighters during the original 1970s shows, but open flames are now banned in most movie theaters (either by theater policy or by law – and considering that another common prop is newspapers, this is generally a good idea). Another example is that some fans insist that the toast should be buttered. However, many theaters frown on this, due to the mess (and the possibility of someone slipping).
  • One night, during a typical midnight screening at a New York theater, a patron was asked to leave before the film ended. This patron was accused of being an impostor. The patron was Tim Curry.

Talking Points:

  • Has anyone been to an actual midnight showing of this?
  • What do you guys think the cult appeal is for this movie?
  • video release – impact on popularity?

What We’ve Learned:

  • Always keep that AAA card handy
  • Dominant and Forceful = the perfect specimen of manhood
  • Wheelchairs can climb stairs as long as magnets are involved.
  • Don’t get hot and flustered, use a bit of mustard.
  • Ask for nothing and you shall receive it in abundance

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Everyone should see this once especially with a group at home. Check out the DVD with the prompts.
Ray: Everyone should see this movie at least once.
Steve: Brings back so many memories…but honestly, I miss this in the theater. DVD at home is just not the same.

The Present: Cars 2 (2011)
Rotten Tomatoes: 34% Rotten; 64% Audience

Director: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis
Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, John Turturro, Bonnie Hunt

Trivia:

  • Finn McMissile is a stylized Aston Martin DB5, James Bond’s trademark vehicle. (According to ‘James Bond Vehicles’ by John Cork and Collin Stutz, it never carried missiles, though. The Goldfinger version had machine guns where McMissile has his missiles.)
  • Out of respect for Paul Newman, who died in 2008, Doc Hudson is not included in this film.
  • The first John Lasseter-directed Pixar film not to have a score by Randy Newman.
  • The name Miles Axlerod, as voiced by Eddie Izzard, was taken from one of Izzard’s stand-up routines about the invention of the wheel and axle.
  • John Lasseter conceived the story for the sequel while he was in Europe promoting the first “Cars”.
  • Finn McMissile was actually conceived for an unused scene in the first “Cars” where Lightning McQueen and Sally were seeing a spy movie featuring McMissile while on a date. McMissile was saved for this sequel.

Talking Points:

  • What did you think of the opener “Hawaiian Vacation”
  • was this made Simply to make money? Merch? (only pixar film to get such low scores on RT)
  • Environmental message a little heavy handed?
  • Violence? Friends with kids had bad reactions…
  • Is the Radiator Springs movie theater showing “The Incredibles” a clue to anything?
  • State Farm commercial
  • Steve request about summer movies that kids might like
  • Random – did y’all have Puss In Boots trailer ahead of this? WTF?

What We Learned:

  • He who finds a friend finds a treasure
  • A wise car hears one word and understands two…
  • To crush their dreams, you must first raise them high

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Very cute movie. I recommend seeing it, but unless you’re excited to see it. Wait for DVD.
Ray: The movie my inner 8 year old has been waiting for… its like lasseter read my brain. I actually enjoyed this one much more than the first.
Steve: Thought it was alright. I liked that Mater was more in this one. Also liked the spy stuff…who doesn’t? 🙂

The Future: Immortals

Director: Tarsem Singh
Starring: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, John Hurt

Trivia:

  • The film was previously named Dawn of War and War of the Gods before being officially named Immortals and is loosely based on the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and the Titanomachy.

Talking Points:

  • Is the 300 “look” being used to ride off the coat tails of that movies success?

Summary:

In Tarsem Singh’s upcoming film Immortals, Hyperion(Mickey Rourke) is a king who declares war on humanity and leads a bloodthirsty army on a murderous rampage across Greece in search of the Epirus Bow in order to free the Titans and annihilate the Gods and mankind. It is left to a peasant named Theseus (Henry Cavill), chosen by Zeus (Luke Evans) and accompanied by the priestess Phaedra (Freida Pinto) and a slave (Stephen Dorff), to protect his homeland and save the gods.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: These type of movies always make me want to go see them. I think Gladiator started that for me. I’ve been burned by Clash of the Titan, I’m just hoping for at least a fun ride if not a good movie.
Ray: Looks pretty, I hope the story holds up to the visuals
Steve: Seems just like a hybrid of Clash of the Titans and 300. Trailer draws me in, but I’m sceptical.

Coming Attractions

The Past
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The Present

The Future

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