Monthly Archives: September 2010

Podcast

MOV020: “That Man… is a Brownie Hound.”

With a slow news week, we get into an amazing show featuring the 80’s classic “The Breakfast Club,” the Ben Affleck directed “The Town”, and the mind blowing “Sucker Punch” trailer. Slaine . . . is fucking gorgeous.

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News:

The Past: The Breakfast Club

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Director: John Hughes

Starring: Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall

Trivia:

  • Emilio Estevez was originally going to play Bender, but Hughes couldn’t find someone to play Andrew Clark so Emilio agreed to play Clark.
  • The Hallway, interior shots and the famous ending stroll through the football field were shot at Glenbrook North High School, John Hughes Alma mater
  • This like many of John Hughes film’s takes place in ficticious “Shermer, Illinois” But are based on the towns of Glenwood and Northbrook, Illinois where Hughes grew up. Until 1924 Northbrook, IL was called Shermerville Illinois
  • The exterior shots and library set was built inside the gymnasium of then closed school Main North High School, in Des Plains, IL before it was bought by the Illinois state police and turned into a police station
  • John Hughes appears briefly in a cameo as Brian’s father

Talking Points:

  • Who do/did you Identify with?
  • Is the dubbed TV version funnier than the original?
  • Andy calling Bender a “faggot”

What We’ve Learned:

  • Cutting class to go shopping does not make you a defective
  • All monkey business is ill advised
  • Claire is a fat girls name (Really? Have you seen Claire Danes?)
  • Everyone’s home life is unsatisfying
  • We are all pretty Bizarre, some are just better at Hiding it.
  • Emilio Estevez should not dance

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: It’s a classic, there’s no way for me NOT to recommend this.
Ray: If you have not seen this movie, please email me so i can come over and slap you.
Steve: Ultimate teenage angst and strangers become friends movie. Classic.

The Present: The Town

Director: Ben Affleck

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Titus Welliver, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper, Slaine

Trivia:

  • Every Boston Police cruiser shown in the film comes from the fictional district A-8, which also existed in Boston’s Finest (2010)
  • Shipped to theaters under the code name “Criminal Intent”.
  • The movie was shown at the Venice Film Festival and premiered at Boston’s Fenway Park.
  • The former MASSBank branch located in Melrose, Massachusetts was used as the location for the first robbery of the film, taking on the name Cambridge Merchants Bank (the exterior shots, however, are of Cambridge Savings Bank in Harvard Square).
  • Filming also took place at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut for casino scenes and Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Cedar Junction in Walpole, Massachusetts for use of their visiting room.
  • A voice in the trailer of the movie says: “There are over 300 bank robberies in Boston every year. Most of these professionals live in a 1-square-mile neighborhood called Charlestown.” In fact, there were 23 reported bank robberies in the entire state of Massachusetts in the first quarter of 2010, compared with 49 in Illinois and 136 in California, according to the FBI.

Talking Points:

  • Who did you root for in this movie?
  • Ben Affleck as a director? Voted best new filmmaker in 2007
  • Which is better, The Town or Takers?

What We Learned:

  • Slaine is fucking gorgeous.
  • Always ask a cop to see his ID
  • Masks are creepy
  • Every 6 year old in Charlestown can spot a undercover cop
  • If you see Skeletor come into a bank, get on the ground

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Slaine is fucking gorgeous.
Ray: Great movie.. the way a heist movie should be. Makes takers look even more like crap.
Steve: Really enjoyed it. Even without any “r”s in the entire movie.

The Future: Sucker Punch

Director: Zack Snyder

Starring: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Jamie Chung

Trivia:

  • Zack Snyder’s first film that is not based on another work. Dawn of the Dead (2004) was a remake of a 1978 film by ‘George A. Romero’. Both 300 (2006) and Watchmen (2009) were based on graphic novels. And Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010) is based on a children’s fantasy book. However, the film does heavily feature motifs from Lewis Carroll’s book Alice in Wonderland – the movie’s logline while being pitched to studios was even “Alice in Wonderland with machine guns.”
  • Zack Snyder told Vanessa Hudgens that this feature would be his first action movie, despite the fact that 300 (2006) is considered an action movie.

Summary:
A young girl, confined to a mental institution by her stepfather who plans to have her lobotomized in five days time, creates an imaginary world to plan her escape.

Trailer:

IGN Rewind Theater Analysis:

Excitement:
Jeff: Stoked
Ray: Steampunk, Katanas, Mobsters, Dragons.. oh my.
Steve: Looks like it will be interesting. Effects look amazing.

Coming Attractions

The Past: The Howling
The Present: Let Me In
The Future: My Soul To Take

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Podcast

MOV019: “Now I ain’t cheap, but I can be had.”

Super 8 starts filming, Superhero news, Romancing The Stone, Alpha & Omega, and It’s Kind of A Funny Story.

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News:

The Past: Romancing the Stone (1984)

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Director: Robert Zemekis

Starring: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito

Trivia:

  • The phrase “Romancing the Stone” is a piece of jewelers’ jargon, referring to a step in preparing a gem for use in jewelery.
  • Although, upon its release, comparisons to Raiders of the Lost Ark were inevitable (Time magazine called the movie “a distaff Raiders rip-off”), the screenplay for Romancing had actually been written five years earlier. It was written by a Malibu waitress named Diane Thomas in what would end up being her only screenplay; she died in a car crash shortly after the film’s release. Though Thomas received solo writing credit, several uncredited script doctors helped to refine the film’s screenplay.
  • The water taxi Joan Wilder rides to meet Ira is named “The Orca,” which is also the name of Quint’s boat in Jaws (1975). Jaws director Steven Spielberg produced director Robert Zemeckis’ previous film, Used Cars (1980). Zemeckis also co-wrote Spielberg’s 1941 (1979) which features a “Jaws” parody.
    Alan Silvestri was hired to do a temporary score for the film, but director Robert Zemeckis liked his work so much that he kept him on as composer.
  • At the beginning of the movie, when Joan Wilder has finished the book, she prepares “dinner” for her cat. This scene resembles a well-known commercial for cat-food.
  • The treasure map that is integral to the movie was designed by puzzle columnist Dr. Crypton.
  • In the English version of the film, Gloria speaks of “Macy’s” as the department store where Joan gets sick. The German edition of this movie says “Bloomingdale’s” instead of “Macy’s”. Gloria says “Bloomingdale’s” on the English audio of the DVD.
  • Reports of kidnappings in Colombia forced the location shoots to be done in Mexico.
  • The Eddy Grant song “Romancing the Stone” did not feature prominently in the film (the guitar solo can be heard in the background of the scene where Joan and Jack enter the house of her “fan,” Juan) and was not included on the soundtrack album. Although he was commisioned to write the song for the movie, the filmmakers chose not to use it. When the movie was released and proved to be a big hit, Eddy released the song on his own. One of the video clips of the song, however, makes prominent use of footage from various scenes from the film.
  • Both Sylvester Stallone and Christopher Reeve turned down the role of Jack T. Colton, before Michael Douglas accepted the part.
  • The stunt double for Kathleen Turner who did the actual mud slide scene was Jeannie Epper who was also the stunt body double for actress Lynda Carter on the “The New Adventures of Wonder Woman” (1975) television series.
  • Director Robert Zemeckis asked Danny DeVito to shoot a special promo for the movie. It was to be filmed on a Malibu beach, next to a tall cliff. For the promo, DeVito was strapped into a harness and hoisted fifty feet in the air by a huge crane. When he was in the air, DeVito discovered that there was a house on top of the cliff, with a swimming pool terrace outside. A woman in a bikini was lying on a deck chair next to the pool. She jumped up and began screaming at DeVito, yelling that he was a “peeping Tom”, and that she was going to call the police. In a panic, DeVito yelled for the film crew to bring him down at once. The film crew told him that the crane had jammed, and DeVito was left hanging in the air with the screaming woman throwing things at him from the top of the cliff. A few minutes later, the woman told DeVito that he was being filmed for a segment of the TV show, “TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes”.
  • When Jack is rummaging through his destroyed Jeep he throws out a couple of magazines including the July 1983 issue of Playboy before finding the picture of his dream yacht.
  • The white car driven by Ralph is a RENAULT 4L. Wich in Colombia back then it was the highest selling car in the country and it was known as the “faithful friend” (El amigo fiel) in the TV commercials for the car.
    Director trademark: panning across part of a room with a loudly ticking clock to a ringing phone (also found in Back to the Future and Amazing Stories Book Two: Go to the Head of the Class).
  • The Rolling Stone that Jack finds in the dead pilot’s bag is the September 9, 1982 edition, featuring Elvis Costello on the cover.
  • The scene in which Joan Wilder offers to pay Jack T. Colton in traveler’s checks and he asks if they are American Express is a reference to the American Express commercials featuring Karl Malden, who previously co-starred with Michael Douglas in “The Streets of San Francisco” (1972).
  • Studio executives were so sure this film would flop that Robert Zemeckis was pre-emptively fired from directing Cocoon (1985). It turned out to be such a success that Zemeckis was able to go forward on his own project, Back to the Future (1985).
  • According to Kathleen Turner’s memoirs Michael Douglas originally offered the role of Joan to Debra Winger. They met at a Mexican restaurant to discuss it but, according to Douglas, she ended up biting him. She didn’t get the part.
  • Manuel Ojeda was cast as Zolo based on a previous role in the film Green Ice (1981).
  • The film’s success also led to a sequel, 1985’s The Jewel of the Nile, without Zemeckis at the helm but with Douglas, Turner and DeVito all returning. Though it performed respectably, its success didn’t match that of the original. A second sequel called Crimson Eagle was planned but never got past the development stage.
  • The film was well received by critics and is considered by many as one of the best films of 1984. It holds an 86% approval rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 42 reviews

Talking Points:

What We’ve Learned:

  • If you’re taking traveler’s checks, make sure they are American Express
  • When standing on the side of a mountain in the rain, be weary of mud slides.
  • This is not the bus to Cartehena
  • “How about them snappers?”
  • Always have a remote controlled hydraulically driven ramp ready so you can make your escape from Colombian drug cartels

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Pleasantly Enjoyable. I’d call this a buy for Date Night.
Ray: Hasn’t aged well, but still a fun watch
Steve: Campy good fun. Always enjoyed this movie and glad we brought it back!

The Present: Alpha & Omega

Director: Anthony Bell & Ben Gluck

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Justin Long, Christina Ricci, Dennis Hopper, Danny Glover

Trivia:

  • Wolves from Alberta, Canada, were really used to repopulate Yellowstone National Park.
  • Dennis Hopper’s last film.
  • Key animation was done at Crest’s animation studio in India. Pre-production and post-production took place in Los Angeles.
  • The film received negative reviews and currently holds a 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a rating of 8% from “Top Critics” but has received a 62% positive rating from audience members.
  • The film earned an estimated $2.3 million on opening day, placing #5 at the box office. It is estimated to earn about $10 million on its opening weekend.

Talking Points:

  • What is the audience for this movie? Kids? Tweens? Adults? Confusing.

What We Learned:

  • When filming a cartoon in 3D, put a lot of rollercoaster-type shots to justify the expense
  • Being an omega seems like a whole lot more fun than an alpha!
  • There is no reasoning with an angry grizzly bear.

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Enjoyable, definitely geared for kids.
Ray:Think i need to be a tweenage girl to enjoy this one.
Steve: Balto + Lion King + Romeo & Juliet = an “eh” movie. Kids will love it.

The Future: It’s Kind of a Funny Story

Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Keir Gilchrist, Lauren Graham, Zoe Kravitz, Viola Davis

Trivia:

  • In May 2006, Paramount Pictures and MTV Films acquired the film rights to the novel. Boden and Fleck were hired to adapt the screenplay. The film was later placed in turnaround and bought by Focus Features.
  • Production began in New York City on November 30, 2009. Principal photography took about six weeks, ending on February 2, 2010. Scenes taking place in the fictional Executive Pre-Professional High School were shot at Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, while Victory Memorial Hospital in Brooklyn stood in for Argenon Hospital.
  • The film was originally scheduled for a limited release in the United States on September 24, 2010. Focus Features later opted for a wide release of approximately 500 theaters across the US and a release date of October 8, 2010. The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.
  • To coincide with the film’s release Hyperion Books will publish a new edition of the novel, featuring photos from the film on the cover.

Talking Points:

  • Wow.. what a makeup job on zach! he looks awful!

Summary:
A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Strangely appealing. I don’t know why, but I really want to see this movie.
Ray: Not as enthusiastic as Jeff.. but id go see it.
Steve: Not really my kind of movie. No offense.

Coming Attractions

The Past: The Breakfast Club
The Present: The Town
The Future: Sucker Punch

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Podcast

MOV018: “There’s nothing like a good moose.”

Sequel news, Indian Summer, Resident Evil: Afterlife, and *sigh* Gulliver’s Travels.

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News:

Discussions:

The Past: Indian Summer (1993)

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Director: Mike Binder

Starring: Alan Arkin, Matt Craven, Diane Lane, Bill Paxton, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Pollak, Sam Raimi

Trivia:

  • Filmed at director Mike Binder’s childhood summer camp.
  • The characters of Matt and Brad are based on the two Michigan-born founders of the Canadian clothing company Roots. They attended Tamakwa, which is a real camp in Ontario’s Algonquin park.
  • Horror director Sam Raimi, who plays the character Stick Coder also attended this camp (Camp Tamakwa) as a child.
  • One of the founders of the real Camp Tamakwa is ‘Unca’ Lou Handler, whom the character in the movie is named after.
  • Matt Craven plays one of the adults returning to summer camp, where they have such fond memories. Craven also played a CIT (counselor in training) in Meatballs (1979), another film about summer camp. Both films were shot in Canada.
  • Ashley Williams, who plays Ida Heinken in the flashback scenes, is the younger sister of Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who plays Gwen.
  • There are a few scenes in which there are illustrations of Spider-Man. This is interesting considering that actor/director Sam Raimi went on to direct the original (ten years later), including its sequels.
  • During the closing credits, the Stick Coder character stares at the screen, just like the earlier characters who were staring at a moose.
  • The Shrek word was used in this film and was used as a camp gag/joke. This reference was based on the Shrek! book by William Steig. In the credits, Shrek kings are listed.

Talking Points:

  • Was the point about racism necessary or poignant to the story?

What We’ve Learned:

  • Shrek was a practical joke
  • Shrek is also a camp gag or joke (was that too mean?)
  • In the early 90s, even the 30 something men had mullets and all women had perms
  • Reunions are a good thing! Get together with some old friends and reminisce.

Trailer:
No trailer available online! 🙁

Recommendations:
Jeff: Holy crap! This is such a good movie! Definite buy for me.
Ray: Wow. I really had a hard time enjoying this film. It actually bummed me out.
Steve: Love it! Not a fan of the drug stuff, but otherwise it’s just a fun movie that reminds us to enjoy the fun times of our past.

The Present: Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D

Director: Paul W S Anderson

Starring: Milla Jovavich, Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts, Wentworth Miller

Trivia:

  • The name of this movie “Afterlife” is the same working title that was used in the previous movie before it became “Extinction”.
  • This is the first live-action movie based on a video game to be in 3-D.
  • The first Resident Evil film to be released in IMAX.
  • At the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, Anderson and Jeremy Bolt told ShockTilYouDrop.com that a fifth Resident Evil film would be possible, saying, “We always take it one movie at a time. We put so much effort into them and it is a family affair. It is all about making the best possible movie now and then promoting well and getting it out there. Making sure it is seen in the right way. When the dust settles then you think about something else. For us, it is not a business, it is a passion. You don’t want to start talking about the next baby until you make sure this one is okay.”
  • Anderson later told IGN that if the film is a success, he will do the fifth film and would like Leon Kennedy to make an appearance.

Talking Points:

  • Did the storyline deviate too much from the source? (game)

What We Learned:

  • Bullet time is one of the coolest movie tricks ever!
  • How to use bullet time to stretch 1 hours worth of story into 1 hour and 40 minutes.
  • Don’t give yourself the t-virus.
  • Just about anyone can either land or take off in a plane on a roof top.

Feedback:
Shadowolf1970

Hey Jeff, Ray and Steve
I’ve been a casual fan of the RE films for a while. Nothing more than a brainless distraction for an hour or so. Resident Evil: Afterlife is more of the same complete with cliffhanger ending. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just thought this was going to be the last one.
STORY
They conveniently wrap up the last film’s story line by blowing up all the Alice clones. It was a nice action sequence but i didn’t feel sorry for the girls when they died. Plus they de-power the protagonist in the first act but she still kicks butt later in the film like a super person? Then there are characters from the game dropped in (Chris Redfield and Wesker)and one bad guy that has NO place in this film. The Axe man. Oh and there’s also NO explanation as to why some of the zombies have weird things coming out of their faces. I played the games so I know what they are but if I was just a casual moviegoer I would be clueless. Still it’s clear who is good and who is bad in the film.
SFX and 3D
The visual effects overall were pretty decent. There were no CG characters except for the dogs at the end. The digital compositing could have been better in the clone’s action scenes. The 3D seemed a bit too gimmicky for me. It was really over the top in a couple of places, but there was one instance where it really worked and that was when the Axe man’s head exploded and gore flies into your face and sticks to the lens. I had to fight the urge to whip off my glasses! Still the 3D in the Tron Legacy teaser was much better than what we got in this whole film.
AFTER THOUGHTS
As low budget sci-fi/horror/action flicks go you could do worse. At least they are managing to keep some continuity going. Not a bad distraction for an afternoon matinee.
I give 3 out of 5.

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: Enjoyed the hell out of this movie, the 3D was great, especially the subtleties see it. Warning, this is an Action movie and that’s the point.
Ray: I enjoyed it, Definite see for the game fans.. Zombie movie fans might be a bit disappointed. Didnt think it was all that “3D”
Steve: I liked the 3D a lot, albeit many of the shots were gimmicky. Was glad to see Ali Larter got in on the action, as well.

The Future: Gulliver’s Travels

Starring: Jack Black, Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, Amanda Peet

Trivia:

  • Emily Blunt backed out of Iron Man 2 (2010) to do this movie.
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar was considered to play Princess of Lilliputia.
  • Taylor Lautner was originally cast as Horatio. But was dropped after producers changed their minds and considered him too young. Jason Segel replaced him.
  • The official trailer for Gulliver’s Travels was released on June 3, 2010 and attached to Marmaduke a day after.

Talking Points:

  • Why?

Summary:
The plot, according to news, centers on Lemuel Gulliver (Jack Black), a free-spirited travel writer who, on an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle, suddenly finds himself a giant among men when he washes ashore on the hidden island of Lilliput, home to a population of industrious, yet tiny, people.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Never want to see this for two words, Jack Black.
Ray: Would only want to see it for two words, Cathrine Tate
Steve: Don’t really have any words for this movie other than…next!

Coming Attractions

The Past: Romancing The Stone
The Present: Alpha & Omega
The Future: It’s Kind of A Funny Story

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Podcast

MOV017: “All Bones, No Bullshit”

The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys, Machete, and Devil. Also it’s a slow news week. Yeah, that’s about it. But the show was good.

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News:

The Past: The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002)

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Director: Peter Care

Starring: Jodi Foster, Emile Hirsch, Keiran Culkin, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jena Malone

Trivia:

Chris Fuhrman died of cancer before completing the final draft of the book. The movie is dedicated to him at the beginning of the final credits.

  • The final shot in the scene where the boys find an injured dog was actually just footage shot of the actors “resetting” after a blown take. It was kept in since it so clearly shows their fatigue and frustration.
  • In order to adapt the book in an effective way, Director Peter Care and Producer Jay Shapiro decided to use segments of animation throughout the film. Since most of the book is from Francis’ perspective and takes place in his mind, they needed to find a way to stay true to this “internal narrative”. “Animation seemed like a natural way to go in and out of this interior world and use that as the thread that ties everything together,” says Shapiro
  • Neither filmmakers nor Jodie Foster had planned on Foster also playing the part of the stern Catholic school teacher and headmistress, Sister Assumpta, as well as being producer. Foster was somehow attracted to the role, and called producing partner Meg Lefauve up with the offer to play this role, who graciously accepted, saying that it’s not “traditional casting to see a young beautiful woman in that kind of a role.”
  • Although the novel by Chris Fuhrman was set in 1970’s Savannah, Georgia, the filmmakers wanted a more “universal look” and decided not to specify a place. Most of the filming for the movie took place in Charleston, South Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina. There was also a lot of debate about whether the characters should have Southern accents, but to keep with this “universal feeling,” the producers decided against any strong accents.
  • In 2002, the film and Director Peter Care won the award for Best New Filmmaker from the Boston Society of Film Critics.
  • In 2003, the film won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.

Talking Points:

  • Does Keiran Culken seem to play the same character over and over?
  • Did the animation enhance the movie?

What We’ve Learned:

  • 3 full servings of distilled and reduced nyquil has no effect on the average house cat
  • Statues of Saints are much heavier than they appear, but magically get lighter once they reach the ground.
  • Nuns make excellent comic book villains
  • That’s a really thoughtful question
  • Always better to wait a few dates before dropping the incest bomb on someone

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: It’s a cute movie, the animated scenes were integrated well, recommendable but couldn’t keep my attention outside the animated scenes.
Ray: A very unique and interesting coming of age story, I highly recommend.
Steve: Stand By Me in the 80s, in a Catholic school…but liked the unique twists.

The Present: Machete

Director: Ethan Maniquis & Robert Rodriguez

Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert DeNiro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson, Lindsay Lohan

Trivia:

  • The film was based on the fake trailer featured before Robert Rodriguez’s double feature for Grindhouse (2007), Planet Terror (2007), which was co-produced by Quentin Tarantino and is also the producer on this film.
  • Danny Trejo, Jeff Fahey and Cheech Marin who are featured in the fake trailer featured in Grindhouse (2007), reprise their roles for this film as well. Tito Larriva, one of Robert Rodriguez’s closest friends and who’s acted in several films was featured in the trailer but at this point not confirmed to be in this film. Fahey was also featured in Planet Terror (2007) which was written, produced and directed by Rodriguez.
  • This film marks the second time that Robert De Niro and Quentin Tarantino have worked together. They previously worked together on Jackie Brown (1997), which De Niro was part of the ensemble like this film and Tarantino wrote, directed and produced that film.
  • Cheech Marin and Don Johnson both co-starred in the hit CBS series “Nash Bridges” (1996), as well as the Kevin Costner golf film Tin Cup (1996). This is the first time they have been in a film together in 10 years, with the end of “Nash Bridges” wrapping in 2000/2001.
  • This film is being made because of the fake trailer’s popularity after being featured in the theatrical version of Grindhouse (2007) along with the other fake trailers and advertisements featured in the film. “Thanksgiving” is the other popular fake trailer included in the film and was directed by Eli Roth and is now in development to be made into a full length film.
  • According to some reports, Robert Rodriguez claims to have filmed half this movie while making the fake trailer to be included for the theatrical version of Grindhouse (2007). These have yet to be confirmed by Rodriguez himself.
  • Robert Rodriguez wrote the script back in 1993 after he wrote Desperado (1995).
    Actor Chris Cooper reportedly turned down a role in the movie saying “it’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever read” after getting the script.
  • Lindsay Lohan filmed her role in three days.
  • Steven Seagal’s first theatrically released film since Half Past Dead (2002).
  • This marks the third time Steven Seagal and Danny Trejo have appeared together in a movie. First, briefly, in Marked for Death (1990), and again in Urban Justice (2007).
  • While Steven Seagal has played an anti-hero on more than one occasion, this film will mark the first time he’s ever played a full-out villain.
  • A fake trailer for the film was released on May 5, 2010, through Ain’t It Cool News. The trailer opened with Danny Trejo saying, “This is Machete with a special Cinco de Mayo message to Arizona,” followed by scenes of gun fire, blood shed, and highlights of the cast. The fake trailer combined elements of the Machete trailer that appeared in Grindhouse with footage from the actual film, and implied that the film would be about Machete leading a revolt against anti-immigration politicians and border vigilantes. According to Fox News, critics of illegal immigration were offended by the contents of the movie trailer. Production of the film predates the legislation, however. Rodriguez later revealed the trailer to be a joke, explaining “it was Cinco de Mayo and I had too much tequila.” The official theatrical trailer was released on July 8, 2010.
  • Fake Trailer

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Talking Points:

  • Do you think the “Grind house” aspect of this is lost on typical audiences?
  • Why the hell would anyone bring kids to this movie?
  • Cheech Marin as a “serious” actor?

What We Learned:

  • How to steer a car with a machete through someones back
  • Intestines are 60 feet long and incredibly rope like
  • Weed Whackers make awesome weapons
  • Machete don’t text
  • DeNiro makes a more convincing Mexican than Seagal

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: It was confusing on what this movie wanted to be. Had good laughs and some good action scenes but was just too inconsistent, meh.
Ray: Loved it, cant wait to see the next “Grindhouse” movie, I will definitely own this one!
Steve: Enjoyed it. I realized I laughed out loud several times during tense moments.

The Future: Devil

Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Bojana Novakovic, Geoffrey Arend, Chris Messina, Caroline Dhavernas, Jacob Vargas, Bokeem Woodbine, Matt Craven, Jenny O’Hara

Trivia:

  • In October 2008, Shyamalan announced, with the partnership of Media Rights Capital, that Devil will be made with the Dowdle brothers as the directors and Brian Nelson as the screenwriter. A year later, filming started on October 26 in Toronto. There was additional shooting for the film several months later in Los Angeles.
  • The film was set to have a release date on February 11, 2011 but was bumped up to September 17, 2010. The film’s trailer debuted online on July 13, 2010. The trailer is also attached with Inception, The Expendables, Salt, The Other Guys, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
  • On June 23, 2010, Shyamalan announced the second film in The Night Chronicles, currently titled Fourteen Seconds. The film is about a jury discussing a case dealing with the supernatural. Chris Sparling is set to write the script but there is no director presently attached.

Talking Points: The Night Chronicles- Movies Written but not Directed by M.Night… at this point is his name hurting these films?

Summary:
Set in an office building, five strangers are riding in an elevator when they suddenly find themselves trapped. After several terrifying and inexplicable events occur, such as the local fire department unable to open the elevator, the people begin to turn against each other when they begin to suspect that one of them is in fact, the Devil.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Meh, Might be good but not that interested.
Ray: The first of the Night Chronicles… anything with M.Nights name on it makes me cringe, but the trailer does look interesting.
Steve: Trailer actually looks good to me. I like these “close quarters” kind of movies where everyone is a suspect. As long as I’m not able to figure it out right away, I’ll be happy.

Coming Attractions

The Past:  Indian Summer
The Present:  Resident Evil: Afterlife
The Future:  Gulliver’s Travels

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