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MOV122: Can I please get that hour and 26 minutes of my life back?

This reel of COL movies takes us back into the past to see the very very very very very low budget movie “Blood Guts Bullets and Octane” is this late 90’s take on the Tarantino style of film worth watching, or would we rather get run over by a 64 Pontiac LeMans? Next we jump to the present to watch the again oddly released Horror film “The Possession” Is this modern take on a classic genre a good one or has it left us wondering what possessed them to make it? Next up we jump to the not so distant future to talk about the release of “Cloud Atlas” will this be the film that regains the Wachowski’s the film making crown? Or are we expecting another Speed Racer? All this plus some news about theater ninjas, Jos Whedon writing shakespear? Oh god…another Transformers movie? All this plus some google powered 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon with COL Movies 122 “Can I please get that hour and 26 minutes of my life back?”

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News:

The Past: Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane
Rotten Tomatoes 43% Rotten; 37% Audience

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Director: Joe Carnahan

Staring: Joe Carnahan, Mike Maas, Nick Fenske, Mark Priolo

Trivia:

  • The Pontiac LeMans central to the story is a 1964 model, not a 1963.
  • Mr Reich claims to have doused Vernon with propane and roasted him in a motel room but when propane is decompressed and introduced into any atmosphere warmer than -43°C (-45.4°F) it instantly evaporates
  • There are several claims in the movie that the main car in the film was a 1963 Pontiac LeMans convertible. Yet, the car in the Movie was actually a 1964 Pontiac GTO convertible. On top of that, the Car on the Cover is a different generation GTO than the one in the movie. The GTO was not in existence in 1963.
  • As of 1999, the film had been negotiated to be developed by Carnahan and producer Bob Levy as a prime time series on NBC. However, the series has not materialized.

Talking Points:

  • The annoying switch from hand held to not…
  • The horrible dialogue
  • Budget: $7300, Earned: $13,674

What We Learned:

  • The best Car Salesmen in the business are fabulous magicians
  • You have to understand the nature of the sale to in order to understand the sell
  • you cannot sell shit, cuz shit don’t sell.
  • Sometimes in life you have to do things sight unseen
  • Johnny Cash got fucked at Folsom.

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Well, the first 24 minutes was weird. I wonder what the rest was like.
Ray: Its like a bad copy of a bad copy….I felt like this was watching the director/writer/lead actor masturbate on screen while he was watching himself masturbate on screen… perhaps for a drunken riff trax? other than that.. kill it with FIRE. Should have had a more accurate title… like “Bad Acting, Horrible Dialogue, and No Production Value” This is what happens when you try and copy Tarantino, but can’t actually write.
Steve: I don’t even know what I just watched. Clearly, it’s a car movie so Ray put it in – but I hate to say it but that just sucked. First – guys like this wouldn’t have dialogue like that, Second – there were too many characters, Third – this movie wishes it was Fargo and Reservoir Dogs. A definite skip-a-roo-ski.

The Present: The Possession
Rotten Tomatoes 37% Fresh; 55% Audience

Director: Ole Bornedal,

Starring: Natasha Calis, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick

Trivia:

  • Was originally rated R by the MPAA for “violence, terror and disturbing images” but the film was eventually edited to receive a PG-13 rating for “mature thematic material involving violence and disturbing sequences.”
  • While promoting the film on Craig Ferguson [airdate 8/29/12], Jeffrey Dean Morgan reported that strange incidents took place during production that couldn’t be explained. Lights exploded during the filming of key scenes; and just two days after wrapping principal photography, all of the props for the film, stored in case of re-shoots, were destroyed in a fire that mysteriously erupted from within the storage-house.
  • The story is based on the allegedly haunted Dybbuk box. Bornedal cited films like The Exorcist as an inspiration, praising their subtlety.
  • Bornedal stated that he was drawn to the script for The Possession, having seen it as more of an allegory for divorce than as a true horror film.
  • The owner of the Dybbuk box, Jason Haxton, offered to send it to producer Sam Raimi, who was both interested and reluctant. Raimi laughingly told an Entertainment Weekly interviewer, “I didn’t want anything to do with it. I’m scared of the thing.” He also told the interviewer that he was raised in a conservative Jewish home: “You don’t hear about dybbuks when you go to synagogue. I know the demonic lore of The Exorcist. But what does my faith believe about demonic possession? … The stories chilled me to the bone.” Jeffrey Dean Morgan felt similarly: “In the research I did, I started getting creeped out. My girlfriend was like, ‘Let’s just make sure that we don’t actually go near the real Dybbuk Box.'” “We were like, ‘Hell, no,'” recalls screenwriter Juliet Snowden. “‘We don’t want to see it. Don’t send us a picture of it.'”

Talking Points:

Critic Notes:

  • Positives: The first half was very creepy and set a cool atmosphere around the box; If you believe in demons it will scare you to death; it’s eerily enjoyable fodder; One of the better “exorcism-inspired” films of recent years; Interesting twist involving Jewish faith rather than Christianity
  • Negatives: Didn’t really add anything to the genre; formulaic and predictable; relies on cliche’s rather than sucker punches; Raimi did it for the money, Bornedal phoned it in

What We Learned:

  • Pizza doesn’t grow on trees
  • Moths are just butterflies without the pretty color.
  • Don’t touch the box.

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: I hated it but I don’t. This is really not my type of movie but really felt it wasn’t too bad, if I liked this type of movie.
Ray: This movie has a strong start, but an awful finish. It made me jump a couple times, which is why we go to scary movies right? I think this would be more of a at home in the dark film than a theater movie.
Steve: Any PG-13 horror movie is already going to have me questioning just how good it is. However, considering that fact, I actually found it interesting. The effects, albeit lame story-wise at times, looked really cool – especially the times they were trying to show something inside someone trying to get out. I’m probably affected by the fact I actually saw the source material and see how they brought it to life – so I encourage others to do the same. I was satisfied.

The Future: Cloud Atlas

Release: October 26th, 2012

Director: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant

Summary:

An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.

Talking Points:

  • The structure of the book, will it translate to film?
  • “Extended” trailers – over 5 mins? really?

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff:. This looks like a very interesting, multigenerational plot. I’ve always liked the idea of history repeating itself and this kinda sorta goes in this direction. More of soul mates finding each other in each reincarnation, but that’s still an interesting story. I want to see it.
Ray: Looks like a very ambitious project, but from what I know about the book… I’m not sure how well this will translate to the screen, If the Wachowski’s can pull it off it will be an amazing film. Hopefully Ill have read the book by the time it comes out, but I’m excited to see it.
Steve: Wow…this kind of takes me back to our conversation about “The Tree of Life”. So not the kind of movie I seek out. It looks interesting, particularly visually. The concept seems pretty cool…but very heady. I think I just need to learn more about it before I can commit.

The Past: Mean Girls

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The Present: Resident Evil: Retribution

The Future: Oz: The Great and Powerful

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MOV067: “Scheiße”

In this 67th Reel of COL Movies, the boys head back in time for a little exercise – well, they watch someone else get exercise – in 1998’s German crime thriller, “Run Lola Run”. After working up a sweat, they head to the theater to see if Marcus Nispel’s reboot of “Conan The Barbarian” is it really as bad as all the critics say it is? In the future, they screen the trailer for the 4th installment of the Tom Cruise franchise, “Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol”. Is this a mission they’ll choose to accept? Or will the secretary disavow all knowledge of the review. Guess you’ll have to wait until December when the movie comes out to find out! All of this and movie news about how the earthquakes in Japan are making it tough for “The Wolverine”, and the titles “Toy Story” might have had. It’s an episode you won’t soon forget…or may find yourself reliving over and over…aww…Scheiße!

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News:

The Past: Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Fresh, 88% Audience

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Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu and Herbert Knaup

Trivia:

  • Tom Tykwer hated the empty space on the wall and asked production designer Alexander Manasse to paint a picture of Kim Novak as she was in Vertigo. But Alexander didn’t remember what she looked like, so Tom suggested he painted her from behind. Alexander completed the picture within fifteen minutes.
  • During shooting, Franka Potente could not wash her hair for seven weeks because the red hair color was very sensitive to water and would have got lighter with every washing.
  • The two sentences at the opening (“The ball is round” and “The game lasts 90 minutes”) are famous quotes by German soccer coaching legend Sepp Herberger.
  • When Manni says Shrimp in Florida he is actually giving credit to the person who wrote the movie. It is a family nickname of this uncredited person.
  • The blind woman that Manni borrows the phone card from is Moritz Bleibtreu’s mother, Monica Bleibtreu.
  • The shot where the roulette ball lands on 20 was not a trick shot – the crew simply filmed the ball dropping into the wheel, and it hit 20 on one of their first takes.
  • Hans Paetsch, who speaks the narration at the beginning, is Germany’s most popular fairy tale narrator. His characteristic voice is easily recognized by anyone who grew up with fairy tale records in Germany.
  • The glass clock in the bank is broken using a small air rifle firing a small stone.
  • It took nearly five weeks to persuade a supermarket in Berlin to allow them to shoot the robbery sequence.
  • This film contains about 1581 transitions (edits, dissolves, fades, wipes, etc) in 71 minutes of action (i.e. excluding the credits, and pre-credits sequence). This equates to an Average Shot Length of about 2.7 seconds. Interestingly, the editing is relatively slower towards the end of the film. For most contemporary films, the opposite is the norm.
  • Lola screams for twenty seconds in the Roulette scene, she also bets to the number twenty, the only bills she had were twenties, the first story lasts twenty minutes and twenty minutes was also the time she had to get the money.
  • The money bag, stolen by a homeless man, has Russian lettering on it – “Malossol Original”. It’s actually a bag for Russian Caspian caviar under the brand “Malossol Original”.
  • In the film, Manni needs 100,000 marks. In 1998, the exchange rate for marks was 1.789 making this sum equivalent to $55,897.15 in the US. At the end, Lola winnings amount to 126,000 marks ($70,430.41).
  • The decoration on the wall of the teller is a bill from Mozambique issued by Banco Nacional Utramarino in the value of 100 Escudos.
  • During the third sequence after the head on car collision a moped rider rear ends the white car and lands on the windshields. Most viewers do not realize that this is the man who stole Lola’s moped, so he gets his comeuppance in the end.

Talking Points:

  • Different types of film used, color, animation, black and white, video.
  • English or German?
  • Flash forwards.
  • The effects of one even can affect lot of other things.
  • What does the blind lady know?
  • Did Lola Remember the previous iterations?
  • Did you have a “favorite” version?

What We’ve Learned:

  • Keep an eye on your Moped
  • Don’t run that much in flat boots. Get some sneaks! (Shin splints!!)
  • Avoid the guy standing in the stairwell with the dog – he’s a jerk.
  • Screaming at the top of your lungs makes everything better.
  • Don’t leave the bag of cash you’re supposed to deliver to criminals on the subway. Nothing good can come of it.
  • German is NOT a sexy language. (Fuzz Disagrees!)
  • Schtop

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: One of the most brilliant films of all time. I have a hard time understanding how anyone could not want this in their movie collection.
Ray: An enjoyable film… but I will say films with a breakneck non-stop pace are not for everyone.
Steve: Super cool movie…hard to decide which version of the story I like the best. Super creative…and Manni’s not hard to look at.

The Present: Conan The Barbarian
Rotten Tomatoes: 24% Rotten 46% Audience

Director: Marcus Nispel

Starring: Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman and Rose McGowan

Trivia:

  • Kellan Lutz and Jared Padalecki were considered for the lead, but the role went to Jason Momoa.
  • Dolph Lundgren, then Mickey Rourke were in talks to play Corin, Conan’s father, but Rourke turned it down to do Immortals before Ron Perlman was cast.
  • Ron Perlman, who plays Conan’s father Corin, previously voiced Conan himself in the video game Conan and the unreleased animated film Conan: Red Nails.
  • The film had spent seven years in development at Warner Bros. before the rights were shifted to Nu Image/Millennium Films in 2007, with a clause wishing for immediate start on production.
  • Lionsgate and Sony Pictures entered negotiations for distribution, with the film seeing many directors, prominently Brett Ratner, before settling on Nispel in 2009 and subsequently bringing together a cast and crew.
  • Filming began on March 15, 2010 and concluded on June 5, 2010. Filming was first hoped to be started in Spring 2008. Nothing was set until Ratner came on board. Filming had a set date for August 24, 2008, in Bulgaria. Ratner however departed in May that year, and the start-date for filming was pushed back, with South Africa being revealed as another filming destination.. Filming finally began, in Bulgaria, on March 15, 2010
  • The film was first released on August 17, 2011 in four countries: France, Belgium, Iceland and the Philippines
  • The film had a 3-D conversion in post production.
  • Early in the pre-production process Conan was a temporary title for the film, until it was changed to Conan 3D. Finally, early on December 2010, the title was definitely changed to Conan the Barbarian, as was titled the John Millius 1982 film

Talking Points:

  • Did it come off very spoofish at times? (baby, eggs, catapulting a prisoner)
  • Only performance worth noting – Rose McGowan (Steve)
  • The sand fighter guys were the coolest part.
  • The most generic bad guy ever… his daughter should have been the main antagonist

What We Learned:

  • If your wife is stabbed in battle, it just takes one quick cut to remove the baby and he comes out clean-ish.
  • Cesarean Sections were BRUTAL back in the day.
  • Before you Wield it, you must learn it.
  • If your mother names you Co-NAN, it’s annoying when everyone else calls you Co-nun.

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: It was alright. I really enjoyed myself. Okay to see in a theater, but okay to wait for DVD.
Ray: It’s Conan.. did it need to be remade? no, but I was hoping that maybe it would help get this kinda movie back into theaters
Steve: Boo…hiss. Should have gone straight to DVD. Why didn’t we see “Fright Night” this week?

The Future: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton

Summary:

When a terrorist bombing destroys the Kremlin, the United States government initiates a black ops “ghost protocol” and disavows the entire Impossible Mission Force. Ethan Hunt and his team are to be blamed for the attack, but are allowed to escape as part of a plan to enable them to operate in the dark, outside of their agency. However, Hunt is warned that if any member of his team is captured during their mission, they will be charged as terrorists planning to incite global nuclear war. Ethan is then forced to work with ex-IMF agent Brandt, who knows more about Hunt and his past than even Hunt himself.

Trivia:

  • Brad Bird’s live-action directorial debut.
  • Anthony Mackie, Christopher Egan and Kevin Zegers were considered to play Brandt.
  • Kristin Kreuk and Lauren German were considered to play Jane Carter.
  • Jacinda Barrett auditioned for a role and even revealed some information about the project’s reboot direction.
  • Jeremy Renner’s character Brandt, was specifically created as the eventual replacement for Tom Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt for when Cruise decides to step away from the franchise.
  • The film was originally announced with a working name of Mission: Impossible 4, and codenamed “Aries” during early production.
  • Rumors initially mentioned that the film might not even carry the Mission: Impossible name, though this was later discounted.
  • Principal photography began by September 30, 2010. Pictures of the set were leaked to the internet showing Cruise in a Russian officer disguise..
  • Filming took place in Dubai, Prague, Moscow, Mumbai, and Vancouver.
  • The film was partially shot with IMAX cameras.
  • The first full, official trailer was released on June 29, 2011, and attached to Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: *giggles*
Ray: I was never impressed with the MI franchise, but this trailer has me wanting to see this. Hooray for Brad Bird!
Steve: Another “boys and their toys” movie. Slick and high tech looking, but I still haven’t seen 2 & 3.

Coming Attractions:

The Past
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The Present

The Future

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