Tag Archives: Mila Kunis

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MOV123: “He’s Almost Too Gay To Function”

It’s all about girl power in this in this reel of COL Movies, where the boys start off by going back in time to review the Tina Fey written gem, “Mean Girls”. After getting schooled (get it?), they catch back up with Alice for some more ass-kicking as she tries to take down the Umbrella Corporation for the 5th time in “Resident Evil: Retribution”. From there, we’re off somewhere over the rainbow with James Franco and a triumvirate of extremely talented female actors as the witches in Sam Raimi’s “Oz: The Great and Powerful”. In news, “The Hobbit” trilogy goes real time, Joss Whedon talks about why he isn’t exactly thrilled about “Avengers 2”, and the Looney Tunes are coming back to the big screen. It’s the 123rd reel of COL Movies…”He’s almost too gay to function”

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The Past: Mean Girls (2004)
Rotten Tomatoes 83% Fresh; 66% Audience

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Director: Mark Waters

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey

Trivia:

  • Nearly earned an R rating for explicit, risqué gags and jokes which were subsequently cut.
  • In the book upon which the movie is based, the most popular girl in a school is given the title “Queen Bee”. In the movie, the character who fits that description is named Regina – “queen” in Latin.
  • Amy Poehler who plays Mrs. George is only seven years older than her on screen daughter Rachel McAdams (Regina George).
  • Although the movie was not filmed in the rich north suburbs of Chicago known as the ‘North Shore’ (where it is said to take place), several real places in the area are mentioned. These include Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Illinois (although the scene was filmed at Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke, Ontario), Walker Brothers Pancake House (the gift certificates at the end have the restaurant’s real logo), and Northwestern University. In addition, a deleted scene featured on the DVD mentions Hecky’s, a real barbecue restaurant in Evanston, Illinois. School scenes were filmed at Lincoln Park High School, Chicago. Exterior shots of the school were of Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, Etobicoke, as well as hallway scenes. Some scenes also filmed at a lake front park in Lincoln Park, Chicago.
  • Though set on the North Shore of Chicago, the film was mostly shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute and Malvern Collegiate Institute. Notable landmarks include the University of Toronto’s Convocation Hall and Sherway Gardens.
  • Kevin Gnapoor’s phone number on his business card uses the North Shore’s real area code, 847.
  • Amanda Seyfried, who plays Karen in the film, was initially supposed to play Cady, but producer Lorne Michaels thought she would be better as the “dumb girl”.
  • Initially, Lindsay Lohan was cast as Regina, but decided to play the “nice girl” so the public wouldn’t base her real personality on Regina’s. Rachel McAdams was chosen to play the “mean girl” because “only nice girls can play mean girls” according to the producer.
  • Tim Meadows broke his hand before shooting and had to wear a cast, so the explanation that his character Mr. Duvall had carpal tunnel was added.
  • Lacey Chabert was the first and only choice for the role of Gretchen.
  • In the scene where Cady was asked if her “muffin was buttered”, the line was originally going to be, “Is your cherry popped?” The same goes for the girl who “made out with a hot dog” this was going to be “masturbated with a hot dog”. These were omitted in order for the film to gain a PG 13+ rating instead of a R
  • This movie is based upon the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence” by Rosalind Wiseman, even though it is a non-fiction parental self-help guide with no narrative at all.
  • In the scene where Christmas candy canes are being distributed in the classroom Damien, dressed in a Santa suit, reads out the name Glenn Cocco, a good friend of Tina Fey.
  • Tina Fey and Amy Poehler coached Rajiv Surendra on how to rap for his on-screen performance in the school’s Winter Talent Show.
  • Cady’s mom gets tenure at Northwestern, which is Ana Gasteyer’s alma mater in real life.
  • Producer Tina Fey confessed that, when casting the film, she liked Jonathan Bennett (Aaron Samuels) because “he looked like Jimmy Fallon”.
  • The skirts for the Christmas talent show are made of plastic; the costume designer says they were made of that fabric to “represent the Plastics”.
  • The character Mrs. Norbury was named after a German teacher at Upper Darby High School, where Tina Fey attended.
  • The scene in which Cady walks in on Jason and Gretchen kissing at her party is much different in the first draft of the script. Originally, she walks in on Gretchen performing oral sex on Jason (no nudity, nothing graphic), but this was subsequently cut from the final print in order to achieve a PG-13 rating
  • Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams play characters who attend the same school and are in the same grade, in spite of the 8 year age difference between the two actresses.
  • In the math class Kevin gives Cady his card. It says, KEVIN GNAPOOR MATH ENTHUSIAST/BAD-ASS M.C. 847-555-2148
  • Ashley Tisdale auditioned for Karen Smith.
  • Lizzy Caplan’s character was named Janis Ian as an homage to musician Janis Ian, the first Saturday Night Live musical guest (alongside Billy Preston). Ian’s song “At Seventeen” which can be heard playing in the background when the girls are fighting at Regina’s house. Other characters bullying Caplan’s character persistently call her a lesbian throughout the movie; the real Janis Ian is an out lesbian.
  • Lizzy Caplan was at first considered too pretty for Janis, to which Fey felt a “Kelly Osbourne-like actress” was necessary, but Caplan was picked for being the “most energetic”.
  • Rachel McAdams wore a blonde wig while filming the movie.
  • Cady gets very excited at the dance when she “actually recognizes” one of the songs being played. That song is “Built This Way,” which was performed and co-written by London-born singer-songwriter and DJ Samantha Ronson. About four years after the release of this movie, and after several years of press speculation, Lindsay Lohan and Ronson acknowledged they were in a romantic relationship.
  • The main character, played by Lindsay Lohan, is named “Cady”, which has a common pronunciation (“Katie”) but an uncommon spelling for an American girl’s first name. In keeping with the film’s theme of female empowerment, it is the same spelling as the birth last name of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an 18th-century pioneer in the American Women’s Rights movement.
  • When Tina Fey planned to adapt Queen Bees and Wannabes into a film, she didn’t realize it was a guidebook with no fictional narrative. She feared she’d backed herself into a corner after finalizing the deal with Paramount.
  • Tina Fey envisioned backgrounds for all of the characters. If any of the actors had questions about their characters she could fill in the blanks for them.
  • The casting department searched through four cities to find the right actor to play Damien.
  • Unusual among Mark Waters-directed films in that there are no supernatural elements in the plot.
  • In her autobiography, ‘Bossypants’, Tina Fey says that she named the character Damian after “TV Guide” writer Damian Holbrook, who has been her friend since they met as teens in a summer theater workshop in their Pennsylvania hometown.
  • Cady’s friend Janis Ian is likely related to Janis Ian, the singer of “At Seventeen,” a song about realizing at age 17 the beautiful are favored. “I learned the truth at seventeen that love was meant for beauty queens … and those of us with ravaged faces, lacking in the social graces, desperately remained at home, inventing lovers on the phone.” The song is also playing in the scene when Karen tells Cady that she has a “fifth sense … It’s like ESPN or something.”
  • In its opening weekend, the film grossed $24,432,195 in 2,839 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #1 at the box office. It was the best Lohan film debut at number one. By the end of its run, Mean Girls grossed $86,058,055 domestically and $42,984,816 internationally, totaling $129,042,871 worldwide.

Talking Points:

  • Inevitable comparison to Heathers
  • The use of the internal thoughts
  • The bus
  • The Burn Book
  • The backhanded compliments during the intervention

What We Learned:

  • Foot cream smells like peppermint
  • Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it
  • Everyone in Africa knows Swedish
  • Friends who secretly hate you are called “fraitors”
  • Homeschoolers are freaks
  • Jumbo tampons are helpful when you have a heavy flow and wide-set vagina
  • Don’t have sex because you’ll get pregnant and die
  • That is so fetch!

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: I was surprised by how much I didn’t run and hide for this movie. The quotient was so low and the writing so clever, how can you not like it? I loved it, watch it now.
Ray: Can you believe I’ve never seen this before? I really thought it was funny, and of course it’s set in the North Shore of Chicago, so what’s not to like? It’s definitely reminiscent of Heathers, just not as dark.
Steve: A great update of Heathers, with Tina Fey intelligence. Great characters, smart writing, and solid acting from a young cast, as well as some memorable cameos from SNL greats. Definitely worth watching and reminiscing about the good…um…maybe just days of high school.

The Present: Resident Evil: Retribution
Rotten Tomatoes 29% Rotten; 60% Audience

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez, Aryana Engineer, Bingbing Li, Boris Kudjoe

Trivia:

  • Jensen Ackles was considered for the role of Leon S. Kennedy, but the role later went to Johann Urb.
  • The first movie of the series not to feature undead dogs.
  • The role of Becky was not considered to be hearing-impaired, but after an outstanding audition, the role was later given to Aryana Engineer.
  • During the car chase scene from the Las Plagas/Zombie infected Russian army the music playing during this scene is titled ‘Phantom Chase’ by tomandandy. This song particularly references music from the original Resident Evil (1996) video game. The name of the song that is referenced is ‘Second Floor Mansion’.
  • After the release of Resident Evil: Afterlife, director Paul W. S. Anderson was in discussion with Screen Gems of filming a fifth and sixth film back to back. But Anderson later decided to just focus on Retribution. Anderson explains that a sixth film will only be made based on the success of Retribution and will most likely be the finale of the series.
  • An element from Resident Evil 4, a parasite called Las Plagas plays a part in the film and allows the undead to “run around, ride motorbikes, and shoot machine guns.”
  • An action scene inspired by Resident Evil 5 where the characters are driving a Hummer while being chased by zombies is featured, but for the film the Hummer was changed to a Rolls Royce Phantom.
  • The film’s fight sequences were influenced by Asian cinema. “We watched a lot of Thai movies this time around because of the movies (Powell) has done” says Anderson. “He did The Last Samurai as well. He has worked with a lot of Japanese stuntmen and he has worked with a lot of Hong Kong stuntmen. But we felt the area that hadn’t been mined by western cinema much was that whole kind of high impact Thai style of fighting. So we just watched a lot of action sequences from a lot of Thai movies. There were moves and just a general feel that we thought we could infuse the movie with. You know, that kind of bone crunch where you really feel the impact. We tried to bring that into the movie, which is also good for 3D because obviously 3D makes it harder to sell those kind of fake phony punches because you see the distance between the fist and the face. So that kind of Thai style of fighting where you actually make contact is a lot stronger.”
  • Filming locations included Toronto at Cinespace’s Kipling studio facility,[5] Times Square in New York City, Tokyo, and Red Square in Moscow.
  • On October 11, a platform collapsed during the second day of filming and injured 16 people on the set. According to Toronto police, ten people were taken to the hospital for emergency treatment. Injuries included bruises and broken bones. Emergency workers had a difficult time determining which injuries were real since the people were dressed in zombie costumes with fake blood.
  • The streets of Red Square were cleared for a day and background filming was done in the Russian subway after it was cleared for five hours. Most of the streets were built into sets. The car chase scene was filmed in late November in Moscow.
  • The music group Tomandandy, who performed the Afterlife score, returned to score Retribution. Anderson explains that the score for this film will be a progression of Afterlife, stating that he “wants to kind of mesh their more electronic stuff with an orchestra this time. It still has that cool tomandandy feel, but it has a more epic scope to it.”
  • The first teaser trailer of the film, was attached to Underworld Awakening and released in January 2012, featuring product placement promoting Sony products such as the Xperia phone, the PlayStation Vita and the Tablet S before transitioning into a post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C., with Alice standing on the roof of the White House.
  • A viral website umbrellacorporation.net supposedly informed about Umbrella’s on a recruitment tour all over the world searching for “great minds to help them advance”. On several occasions, a video of Alice (Milla Jovovich) shows up, telling you not to trust Umbrella.
  • On August 10, 2012, a group of 27 people dressed as zombies “invaded” the Shibuya shopping district and handed out leaflets to promote the film.
  • Resident Evil: Retribution had its world premiere in Japan (where it’s retitled Biohazard V: Retribution) on September 3 and had its release worldwide on September 14th.

Talking Points:

  • Felt like a clip show right before the end of a reality series

Critic Notes:

  • Positives: While the director explains all at the end, it’s clear the big full blown nutty days are still to come; Anderson knows how to do a great fight sequence
  • Negatives: Same old, same old; got tired of the slo-mo; flimsy plot structure; “apparently zombie hordes have taken over the world, but there is an endless supply of black leather unitards”; At last, we thought Alice might say “we survived”, but alas no.

What We Learned:

  • This is Alice…and it’s her world
  • When trying to escape a zombie menace, go into the dark subway tunnels
  • Rain’s sister is not very nice
  • Clones wear leather unitards

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: Well this is a first, Usually I’m pretty good with an RE movie. It does something interesting and I enjoy myself. . . . this . . . didn’t. For the first time I’m just tired of Resident Evil Movies and they are going to do another one. Thanks, Paul WS Anderson but you need to stop. Right now. No more cliffhangers at the end of movies. This is enough.
Ray: This just confirms me suspicions that every single one of these movies since the first one has been made for the sole purpose of masturbating Japanese fans. The dialogue was delivered horribly, the acting was..not even passable, but it you take this and watch the dialogue from the very first resident evil games.. it’s almost exactly the same… I’d stay away unless you are a crazy die hard fan.. oh and everyone tells me skip the 3D
Steve: Kind of a best of the best moments from the previous films, so it had a “clip show” feel. While it isn’t Shakespeare, it’s good for what it is and the fight scenes were fricken awesome! Michelle Rodriguez ‘roiding up to right two guys and the fight between Alice and Jill were both pretty damn epic. Honestly, I was really hoping they would end it…but I guess we’ll have to wait and see if there will actually be a 6th installment.

The Future: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Release: March 8, 2013

Director: Sam Raimi

Starring: Mila Kunis, James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz

Summary:

Sam Raimi’s film is set before the events of the 1939 film and the original book. When Oscar Diggs a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking… that is until he meets the witches Theodora, Evanora, and Glinda who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity, and even a bit of wizardry, Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Talking Points:

  • Robert Downey, Jr. was Raimi’s first choice for the part of Oz. When Downey declined, Johnny Depp was linked to the role. By the end of February 2011, James Franco was in final negotiations to star in this film. This is the first time that Franco and Raimi have worked together following the conclusion of the Spider-Man trilogy.
  • Principal photography with 3D cameras for Oz: The Great and Powerful began July 2011 in Pontiac, Michigan.
  • The script was written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire with Joe Roth serving as a producer. In an interview, director Sam Raimi stated that Kapner used information about the Wizard from L. Frank Baum’s books, but the film will also “nod lovingly” to the 1939 classic film.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Honestly, I don’t have much to say about this. It’s a Prequel to The Wiz but for some reason they decided not to get another Richard Prior, I really don’t see why? In any case, looks fun, but it’s looking so different than The Wiz.
Ray: I’m super excited to see this… I’ve always thought that even though it would be sacrilege to do it, one movie I’ve always thought would be worthy of a modern remake was Wizard of Oz, glad they went the prequel route so they don’t really have to commit to messing with that until this proves to be a success… I’m excited to see it. Franco is riding high in my head since Planet of the Apes.
Steve: Comes off way more “fantastical” than the original movie. It will be interesting to see how they interplay the original mythology in the prequel. The female cast of witches seems like a solid group of actors, so I hope that Franco holds his own and doesn’t just act like he’s high the whole time.

The Past: Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo

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The Present: Dredd

The Future: Gayby

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MOV101: “Bring down the walls of Jericho!”

It’s the one hundred and first reel of COL Movies where the boys start off with 1934’s “It Happened One Night” A movie that shows up on not one, not two, not three, but 4 of AFI’s top films list. Does this one stand the test of time and earn its place on those lists in our eyes? From a romantic comedy to a movie that seems to defy typical classification we head to “The Cabin In the Woods” Did it hold up to our expectations or blow them out of the water. Last but certainly not least we head to the not so distant future to check out Seth MacFarlane’s directorial debut “Ted”. Does the idea of a foul mouth walking talking teddy bear get our fur up? All that plus news about Movie Studios, Mockingjays, Mercenaries and more on this reel of COL Movies: Bring down the walls of Jericho!

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The Past: It Happened One Night (1934)
Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Fresh, 92% Audience

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Director: Frank Capra

Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly

Trivia:

  • Robert Montgomery turned down the male lead, saying the script was the worst thing he had ever read.
  • Director Frank Capra came up with the idea about “the walls of Jericho” because Claudette Colbert refused to undress in front of the camera.
  • This was the first film to win the Oscar “grand slam” (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Screenplay).
  • When Clark Gable showed up for work on the first day, he reportedly said grimly, “Let’s get this over with.”
  • Claudette Colbert only wears four different outfits throughout the course of the film: a flimsy nightgown at the beginning, her traveling suit, Clark Gable’s pajamas, and her wedding dress.
  • While shooting the scene where he undresses, Clark Gable had trouble removing his undershirt while keeping his humorous flow going and took too long. As a result the undershirt was abandoned altogether. It then became cool to not wear an undershirt which resulted in a large drop in undershirt sales around the country. Legend has it that in response, some underwear manufacturers tried to sue Columbia
  • Was the first film to win both the Academy Award and National Board of Review Award for the Best Picture.
  • The first of only three films to win every major Academy Award, including Best Picture. The Last Emperor and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
  • When director Frank Capra asked Claudette Colbert to expose her leg for the hitchhiking scene, she at first refused. Later, after having seen the leg of her body double, she changed her mind insisting that “that is not my leg!”
  • Is often credited as the very first screwball comedy
  • Columbia Pictures was considered a Poverty Row studio at the time of the film’s release. Both MGM and Warner Brothers would lend out temperamental actors to Columbia as a ‘humbling experience.’ Studio boss Harry Cohn, who was loath to pay for his own roster of contract stars during the early 30’s, would invariably assign them to work on Frank Capra’s films. Although the studio had received Oscar nominations prior to this picture, its success virtually single-handedly lifted Columbia out of the ranks of poverty row.
  • Clark Gable gave his Oscar for It Happened One Night to a child who admired it, telling him it was the winning of the statue that had mattered, not owning it. The child returned the Oscar to the Gable family after Clark’s death.
  • she was so convinced that she would lose the Oscar competition in 1935 to write-in nominee Bette Davis, that Claudette Colbert decided not to attend the awards ceremony. When she, contrary to her belief, won that year for her performance in It Happened One Night she was summoned from a train station to pick up her Oscar.

Talking Points:

  • the original runaway bride?
  • The first “Screwball” comedy?
  • The portrayal of the media and differences today

What We Learned:

  • Don’t sit on newspapers with white pants.
  • You could smoke a pipe on a bus back in the day
  • You gotta be too careful with who you hit it up with
  • Darn clever those armenians
  • Watch out for road thieves.
  • Women, the colder they are, the hotter they get.
  • No two men undress the same way
  • When hitchhiking, show a little leg.

Trailer

Recommendations:
Jeff: Maybe it’s just me, but this just felt like a typical movie of these times. I didn’t feel anything special about it. I just liked it. Good old timey movie. It was good. Yeah.
Ray: This is another one of those archetypal stories… of two polar opposites finding each other while on a journey. It was entertaining and enjoyable. If you’re into old movies it’s a fun one, not boring at all. Rent it and watch it on a night in for two.
Steve: OK, I will admit that I was entertained. However, still very old school and misogynistic, which annoyed me.

The Present: The Cabin In the Woods

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Fresh; 81% Audience

Director: Drew Goddard

Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford

Trivia:

  • Shot in 2009, but not released until 2012
  • Amy Acker and Fran Kranz both had roles on Joss Whedon’s latest television series Dollhouse. Tom Lenk had a recurring role on Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as appearing on the spin-off series, Angel, in which Acker also had a regular role.
  • The project began filming in March 2009 and completed on May 29, 2009 shooting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Joss Whedon co-wrote the script with Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard, who also directed the film, marking his directorial debut. Goddard previously worked with Whedon on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel as a writer.
  • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on November 3, 2010, but the movie will still be released as one of MGM’s last pre-Spyglass films in development; the film will be released in April 2012.
  • It was slated for wide release on February 5, 2010 and then delayed until January 14, 2011 so the film could be converted to 3D. However, on June 17, 2010, MGM announced that the film would be delayed indefinitely due to ongoing financial difficulties at the studio.
  • On March 16, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported the following: “New (MGM) chief executives Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum are seeking to sell both (a) Red Dawn (remake) and the horror film The Cabin in the Woods, the last two pictures produced under a previous regime, as they try to reshape the 87-year-old company.”
  • On July 20, 2011, Lionsgate announced that they had acquired the distribution rights to the film and set a release date of April 13, 2012.
  • On the white board in the control room when the staff are taking bets on the victims potential killers, both “Deadites” as well as “Angry Molesting Tree” are listed. These are obvious references to the The Evil Dead films which also featured a cabin in the woods.
  • Immediately after an early preview screening with fan Q&A, the first question Director Drew Goddard was asked was, “Will there be a sequel?” To which he responded, “Have you seen the ending to my movie?”
  • Among the possible choices on the facility’s betting board are the following: Werewolf, Alien Beast, Mutants, Wraiths, Zombies, Reptilius, Clowns, Witches, Sexy Witches, Demons, Hell Lord, Angry Molesting Tree, Giant Snake, Deadites, Kevin, Mummy, The Bride, The Scarecrow Folk, Snowman, Dragonbat, Vampires, Dismemberment Gobllins, Sugarplum Fairy, Merman, The Reanimated, Unicorn, Huron, Sasquatch/Wendigo/Yeti, Dolls, Zombie Redneck Torture Family, The Doctors, Jack O’ Lantern, Giant, and Twins.
  • In the tie-in book The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion, Joss Whedon says that Hadley and Sitterson represent the writers of this movie, Drew Goddard and Whedon himself.
  • Among the various possible monsters on the control room white board, one of them is just listed as “Kevin.” Although Kevin is never seen, in the tie-in book The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion co-writer Drew Goddard said that Kevin was meant to be “a sweet-looking guy who seemed like he might work at Best Buy–until he dismembers people.”
  • During the rampage, one of the monsters that is briefly visible is a Reaver, the main monsters in Whedon’s cult TV show “Firefly”

Talking Points:

  • So, was it what you expected?
  • our original excitement:
  • Jeff: Yeah, I’ll pass.
  • Ray: I’m there… I love that the trailer straight up calls out the fact that you think you’ve seen this movie..and then slaps you in the face with something unexpected.
  • Steve: Looks like it’s going to be just like Friday the 13th, then takes an updated spin. I love Joss Whedon, so I am clearly going to be there!
  • Anyone else hoping it was Cthulhu?
  • Sigourney cameo
  • “options” – after seeing the options, would you have rather seen something else than the zombies?
  • The reason for the delay 2009-2012: 3D conversion: The film’s release date was postponed because the studio wanted to convert it to 3D, despite objections from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. These plans were eventually scrapped, and the film was released only in 2D.
  • Polarizing movie – why don’t people like it? (some wanted pure horror…thought some of the “tricks” were hokey…thought it was too comedic)
  • Interesting blog comparing “Cabin” to “Buffy

What We Learned:

  • Cops will never pull over the car with a giant bong in it.
  • Never play truth or dare when you’re in a cabin in the woods.
  • Make sure you go into the cellar door that opens randomly when you’re all sitting around in an unfamiliar house.
  • One way mirrors are cool.
  • Zombies.and Zombie Redneck Torture Family are entirely separate things. It’s like the difference between an elephant and an elephant seal.
  • Asian children under 10 are much smarter than American college students when dealing with paranormal monsters, and will kick your ass.
  • Uncreative people work in maintenance.
  • You can die with them, or die for them.
  • Do NOT read the frickin’ LATIN.
  • The Virgin’s optional as long as she dies last.

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: Honestly, I have a little bit of conflicting emotions about this movie. I really liked it, especially Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins scenes, but it also felt a little flat. It’s definitely worth a look see. Just don’t expect that scary of a movie.
Ray: I’ve always said I love movies that do something you don’t expect. Of course the trailer hints at something.. I felt sort of like I was watching a really cool Twilight Zone episode. Definitely worth going to see! I will own this.
Steve: Definitely enjoyed it! Totally unique and felt very “Buffy” and “Angel” to me. Did several things I didn’t expect, even if they were almost too crazy. Joss did not disappoint me!!

The Future: Ted

Release: July 13, 2012

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane

Summary:

John, a perfectly normal Boston native whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. The bear (Ted) remains his best friend well into his adult years. Conflict emerges when Ted’s irresponsible and vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John’s attempt to embrace his adulthood and the woman of his dreams, Lori.

Talking Points

  • Seth MacFarlane directing!

Regular Trailer:

Red Band Trailer #1:

Red Band Trailer #2:

Excitement:
Jeff: You know, I’m totally excited to not see this movie. It’s going to be hysterical and brilliant. I hope everyone else goes to see it. If this was in a movie draft, I’d probably pick it up for 10 Jeffery Jeffersons.
Ray: What can I say? it’s got a dirty foul mouthed stuffed teddy bear… Voiced by Seth Macfarlane. How could I NOT be excited to see it ?
Steve: When the trailer started, I will admit I gave a huge eyeroll…but then it grew on me. I don’t know if I want to rush out to see it, but seems like I’d enjoy and it would definitely be something different. The effects – especially the interactivity between people and Ted – look awesome!

The Past:

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The Present:

The Future:

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MOV042: “Latrine!”

What’s the top Spoof movies of all time? Is going crazy a good storyline? Can Jeff stand Danny McBride? This, Oscar Talk, Top Secret and more on this episode of COL Movies.

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News:

  • First real good look at the Red Skull? http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Witness-The-First-Real-Look-At-Captain-America-s-The-Red-Skull-23469.html
  • Blade Runner Reboot in the works http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Blade-Runner-Reboot-Close-To-Becoming-A-Reality-23453.html
  • Alcon Entertainment Quote “This is a major acquisition for our company, and a personal favorite film for both of us. We recognize the responsibility we have to do justice to the memory of the original with any prequel or sequel we produce. We have long-term goals for the franchise, and are exploring multi-platform concepts, not just limiting ourselves to one medium only.”
  • Help save “The Kings Speech” by not going to see it. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Help-Save-The-King-s-Speech-By-Refusing-To-See-It-23385.html
  • Oscars talk.

The Past: Top Secret! (1984)

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Director: (s) Jim Abrahams;David Zucker;Jerry Zucker
Starring: Val Kilmer, Peter Cushing, Lucy Gutteridge
Rotten Tomatoes: 76% Fresh

Trivia:

  • The Latin spoken by the priest at Fleurgendorf Prison on the way to the execution room is just random phrases, borrowed partly from the religious, medical and legal professions
  • After receiving an order, one of the German officers replies with, “Ich liebe Dich, mein Schatz,” which translates to “I love you, honey.”
  • The surfing sequences were filmed at Holywell Bay, Cornwall, UK (a few miles down the coast from Newquay, a popular surfing town). The palm trees were fake, and the surf shack was in fact the actual lifeguard’s hut (which is still there). The beach is recognizable by the two large rock formations located at the left of the beach, approx 100 meters out to sea.
  • German dub version uses next to no Yiddish, opting instead on either Saxonian accent or High German. Several jokes are rewritten to spoof the GDR to make up for the fact that the script did not excel in research of GDR specifics. It also dispenses with the film’s notion of portraying the East German (GDR) regime as “born-again Nazis”
  • Val Kilmer’s first feature film
  • Cows Hate having things on their feet so the bottoms were cut out of the wellington boots, and are attached to the cows legs
  • The scene in which Lucy Gutteridge looks down from the balcony onto the street to see hamsters and mice was in fact a miniature from Superman (1978). The Zucker Brothers and Jim Abrahams stated in their DVD commentary that they found it in the old Shepperton studios and thought it would be a great idea to use it in somewhere in the movie.

Talking Points:

  • I love how Peter Cushing gets top billing in this movie.. for being in one scene

What We’ve Learned:

  • Never order the Ripple
  • Swedish is essentially English backwards.
  • The East Germans Hated the Montgomery Wards Catalog
  • Never use the “Anal Intruder” unsupervised
  • Remember European power outlets have a different voltage.

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: One of my favorite comedies. Subtle but silly, and absurd.
Ray: This is probably one of my least favorite spoofs… the movie just doesn’t work for me, I don’t find a lot of it funny, and I just don’t get the Nazi take on East Germany
Steve: Has it’s moments – like the East German women’s wrestling team – that just remind me of growing up in the 70s and 80s. Not the best, but not the worst.

Intermission: Top Spoof movies

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The Present: Black Swan

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% Fresh

Trivia:

  • The script took around ten years to make it to the screen
  • Darren Aronofsky offered Mila Kunis the role of Lily over Skype, without an audition
  • The soundtrack, composed by Clint Mansell is a variation on Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” ballet, but played backwards and in a distorted manner.
  • Nina’s cell phone ring tone is the Theme of the Black Swan.
  • The overhead shot of Nina in the bathtub is an exact replica of a shot in the Japanese anime thriller Perfect Blue (1998). Prior to Requiem for a Dream (2000), Darren Aronofsky bought the remake rights to the film just to use that one sequence.

Talking Points:

  • Was there a point this movie was trying to get across?
  • Holy cow! That’s Mila Kunis!?
  • Ballerina Fight Club!
  • Wynona Rider’s character/performance?

What We Learned:

  • Natalie did a convincing job as a prima ballerina
  • These Bitches Be CRAZY
  • Always make sure your mother is not in the room before you start masturbating

Trailer:

Recommendations:
Jeff: A definite thinking film. With the one viewing, I didn’t like it but kept me thinking after the show, I feel like multiple viewings will get me to like it better. Well done.
Ray: A Darren Aronofsky film that deals with a person who has an obsession/addiction in their lives that 4slowly causes them to self destruct? Never seen THAT before!
Steve: I got lost…but enjoyed the movie for it’s visuals and the performances. Maybe I’m just not smart enough for this one. 🙁

The Future: Your Highness (4-8-2011)

Starring: Danny McBride, Zooey Deschanel, James Franco, Natalie Portman

Trivia:

  • Although the film was written by writer Ben Best and actor Danny McBride, the dialogue is heavily improvised. Director David Gordon Green said there was never a script used on-set.
  • For the green band (appropriate audiences) trailer a shot of Natalie Portman’s back (that was also used unaltered in the red band trailer) was digitally altered to turn a thong into a more substantial and less revealing garment.

Talking Points:

  • I wouldn’t mind seeing Natalie Portman as Lara Croft after seeing this.
  • James Franco?

Summary:

  • When Prince Fabious’s bride is kidnapped, he goes on a quest to rescue her… accompanied by his lazy useless brother Thadeous.

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Kill me.
Ray:Feels like “A Princess Bride” I’d go see it
Steve: Looks hokey, but enough interest for me to give it a shot on DVD.

Coming Attractions

The Past

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The Present

The Future

 

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