Review: "Testament" Still Testifies (Happy B'day, Lukas Haas)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 54 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Testament (1983)
Running time: 89 minutes (1 hour, 29 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR:  Lynne Littman
WRITER:  John Sacret Young (based upon the short story, “The Last Testament” by Carol Amen)
PRODUCERS:  John Bernstein and Lynne Littman
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Steven Poster
EDITOR:  Suzanne Pettit
COMPOSER:  James Horner
Academy Award nominee

Starring:  Jane Alexander, William Devane, Rossie Harris, Roxana Zal, Lukas Haas, Philip Anglim, Lilia Skala, Leon Ames, Lurene Tuttle, Rebecca De Mornay, Kevin Costner, Mako, Mico Olmos, and Gerry Murillo

DRAMA

The subject of this movie review is Testament, a 1983 post-apocalyptic drama.  The film is based on the short story, “The Last Testament,” which first appeared in print in 1981 and was written by Carol Amen.  Testament the film focuses on a woman and her small suburban American family as they struggle to survive after a nuclear attack.

Talk about a time capsule movie, I hadn’t seen the anti-nuclear war/proliferation or anti-nukes film, Testament, in 21 years, and found it quite by accident on Internet rental service, Netflix.  Back in the early 80’s, Testament really fit in with a time when so many people thought the U.S. and the USSR were going to destroy the world in an inevitable nuclear world war, each side seemingly primed for mutually assured destruction.  Still, the film’s drama remains potent because its story of a community devastated by a man-made horror is timeless.

Testament is the story of Carol Wetherly (Jane Alexander), who becomes the family matriarch and leader when nuclear bombs are detonated across the country, and her husband, Tom (William Devane), doesn’t make it home to their suburb of Hamlin from his job in San Francisco.  As neighbors and members of her family begin to die from the fallout, Carol takes in orphans and tries to keep what’s left of her family together.  When it seems that everyone’s fate is sealed by radiation poison and it seems that they’re cut off from the rest of the world (or what still exists of civilization), she tries to teach her children adult matters that they will never live to learn.

Testament was originally a made-for-TV movie that impressed executives at Paramount Pictures enough to get it released theatrically.  The fact that it played in theatres made Jane Alexander eligible for post-season film awards, and she earned 1984 Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for best actress.  She dominates this film, and the tragic post-war existence of the survivors is etched in her performance.

There are some moments in this film that will stay with me forever, such as Carol washing her youngest child, Scottie (Lukas Haas), who has profuse bleeding in his stool – totally heart wrenching.  Even at an hour and a half running time, the film seems a bit long, as if it makes its point halfway through the film and everything else is just morbid piling on.  Still, the film gets across two points – humans will struggle to survive, even under the most adverse conditions.  Secondly, we humans will hurt ourselves more than anything else on the planet could.  Although I think that leaders who make the decision to go to war don’t give a damn about such movies, Testament is good enough for those of us who do.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, April 8, 2005

Updated:  Wednesday, April 16, 2014

NOTES:
1984 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Jane Alexander)

1984 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Jane Alexander)

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

New Tom Cruise Movie "Edge of Tomorrow" Headed for Bookshelves

VIZ MEDIA’S HAIKASORU IMPRINT ANNOUNCES EDGE OF TOMORROW OFFICIAL MOVIE TIE-IN NOVEL AND ALL YOU NEED IS KILL ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL RELEASE

Two New Science Fiction Action Titles Timed To Release With The Summer Blockbuster Movie EDGE OF TOMORROW Starring Tom Cruise And Emily Blunt

VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint supports the upcoming release of the gripping sci-fi action film, Edge of Tomorrow with the release of an official movie tie-in novel on April 29th. The new EDGE OF TOMORROW paperback release will carry an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN. The book features a cover with the official movie poster featuring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in their title roles from the film. The EDGE OF TOMORROW novel was written by Japanese author Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and was previously published as ALL YOU NEED IS KILL.

The Haikasoru imprint has also announced the May 6th release of the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel adaptation. Written by Haikasoru editor and noted sci-fi author, Nick Mamatas, and featuring full-color artwork by popular comic book artist Lee Ferguson (Green Arrow, Miranda Mercury), the new graphic novel offers a single-volume retelling of the original ALL YOU NEED IS KILL novel that inspired the EDGE OF TOMORROW movie. The graphic novel carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN, and features an oversized North American graphic novel trim size of 6 5/8" x 10 ¼”. An eBook edition will also be available worldwide for $8.99 (U.S. / CAN) for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, and the Kobo eBooks Store. North American fans can also access the graphic novel digitally on the VIZ Manga App as well as through VIZManga.com.

The Edge of Tomorrow feature film is slated for U.S. release from Warner Bros. Pictures on June 6th, and will be presented in 3D and 2D in select theaters, and 3D IMAX. The movie is directed by Doug Liman and stars Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton.

The story is set in the future when aliens called Mimics invade. Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. But he dies on the battlefield after only a few minutes, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally – the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death?

In 2009, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL served as the launch title for Haikasoru, a unique imprint developed by VIZ Media dedicated to publishing the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy for English-speaking audiences. New York Times best-selling author John Scalzi declared ALL YOU NEED IS KILL to be a novel that, "reads fast, kicks ass, and keeps on coming," and it has proven to be one of Haikasoru's most popular titles. Sakurazaka's other novels include Characters (co-written with Hiroki Azuma) and SLUM ONLINE, which was published in English by Haikasoru in 2010.

“Live…die…repeat. ALL YOU NEED IS KILL / EDGE OF TOMORROW delivers a nightmarish, action-packed spin on reliving one’s own triumphs, and failures,” says Nick Mamatas, Editor, Haikasoru. “Catch the original story that inspired the gripping movie with the official movie tie-in edition and in the Western comic book mode with the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel. Both of these debuts are perfect reads leading up to the highly anticipated theatrical debut of Edge of Tomorrow this summer!”

"The ALL YOU NEED TO KILL graphic novel stays very true to the original source novel," says Joel Enos, editor for the new comic. "We made a conscious effort to create something unique that could stand on it's own away from both the original novel, the film and the upcoming manga, but would nicely complement and pay respects to all three! Lee's retro-futuristic art style especially puts ALL YOU NEED TO KILL as a comic into it's own orbit!"

Author Hiroshi Sakurazaka was born in Tokyo in 1970 and published his first novel, Modern Magic Made Simple, in 2003 with Super Dash Bunko, a popular young adult light novel imprint. There are now seven volumes in the series, and it was adapted as a manga in 2008 and became a television anime series in 2009. His 2004 short story, "Saitama Chainsaw Massacre," also won the 16th SF Magazine Reader's Award. Sakurazaka published All You Need Is Kill with Super Dash Bunko in 2004 and earned his first Seiun Award nomination for best of the year honors in Japanese science fiction. In 2010, Sakurazaka started an experimental digital magazine AiR with fellow author Junji Hotta. He remains one of Japan's most energetic writers of both light novels and adult science fiction.

Haikasoru’s Nick Mamatas is the author of several novels, including The Damned Highway (with Brian Keene) and Love is the Law. His short fiction has appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, Tor.com, Weird Tales, and numerous other venues. He's also written comics for Media Blasters and the Squid Works! Collective and has been nominated for the Hugo, World Fantasy, Bram Stoker, and Shirley Jackson awards.

Artist Lee Ferguson has worked in comics since 2001, when he broke in at Marvel on the 9/11 Heroes tribute book, followed by work on the company's X-Men titles. Since then, he's worked at DC, IDW, and Dynamite, while also putting out Freak, his creator-owned project from Image Comics. His newest book is The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury, co-created with Brandon Thomas and published through Archaia Comics. In 2012, Miranda Mercury was on YALSA’s Best Graphic Novels for Teens list and was also nominated for four Glyph Awards, including Best Artist.

For more information on EDGE OF TOMORROW / ALL YOU NEED IS KILL and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit www.haikasoru.com.

For more information on other titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

Animated "The Book of Life" Gets Art Book

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND DARK HORSE ANNOUNCE A NEW PROJECT BASED ON THE UPCOMING FILM THE BOOK OF LIFE

Dark Horse, a premier publisher of creator-owned and licensed content, today announces a partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products: an upcoming project based on this year’s highly anticipated film from Fox Animation Studios, The Book of Life. In September 2014, Dark Horse will release The Art of The Book of Life, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film.

The Art of The Book of Life is an inspirational behind-the-scenes look at the making of the animated feature film. Packed with production art, stills, and more, this is an essential companion to the film.

The Art of The Book of Life arrives on sale on September 3, 2014.

About The Book of Life
From visionary producer Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and director Jorge R. Gutierrez (El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera), this upcoming feature length film is a celebration of the power of friendship and family, told through stunning visuals.

The Book of Life is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart.  Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, The Book of Life encourages us to celebrate the past while looking forward to the future.

About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Geof Darrow, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Halo, Serenity, The Legend of Zelda, Game of Thrones, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

About Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products
A division of 21st Century Fox and recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Century Fox Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, the flagship studio leading the industry in supplying award-winning and blockbuster primetime television programming and entertainment content.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" Leads 2014 MTV Movie Award Winners (Complete List)

by Amos Semien

The nominations for the 2014 MTV Movie Awards were revealed on Thursday, March 6, 2014. The 2014 MTV Movie Awards ceremony was held on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.  The ceremony was hosted by Conan O'Brien.

The 2013 MTV Movie Awards winners:

MOVIE OF THE YEAR
• "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
• Jennifer Lawrence — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
• Josh Hutcherson — "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
• Will Poulter— "We're the Millers"

BEST KISS
• Emma Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Will Poulter — "We're the Millers"

BEST FIGHT
• "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" — Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly vs. Orcs

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
• Jonah Hill — "The Wolf of Wall Street"

BEST SCARED-AS-S**T PERFORMANCE
• Brad Pitt — "World War Z"

BEST ON-SCREEN DUO
• Vin Diesel and Paul Walker — "Fast & Furious 6"

BEST SHIRTLESS PERFORMANCE
• Zac Efron — "That Awkward Moment"

#WTF MOMENT
• The Lude Scene — "The Wolf of Wall Street"

BEST VILLAIN
• Mila Kunis — "Oz The Great and Powerful"

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION
• Jared Leto — "Dallas Buyers Club"

BEST MUSICAL MOMENT
• Backstreet Boys, Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen and Craig Robinson Peform in Heaven — "This is the End"

BEST CAMEO PERFORMANCE
• Rihanna — "This is the End"

BEST HERO
• Henry Cavill as Clark Kent — "Man of Steel"

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
Tris from the film "Divergent" and performed by Shailene Woodley

MTV GENERATION AWARD:
Mark Wahlberg

MTV TRAILBLAZER AWARD:
Channing Tatum

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Monday Morning Grumble #2 Reminder

The campaign rolls on:

Review: "Eragon" Lacks Fire (Happy B'day, Robert Carlyle)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 258 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Eragon (2006)
Running time:  104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – PG for fantasy violence, intense battle sequences, and some frightening images
DIRECTOR:  Stefan Fangmeier
WRITER:  Peter Buchman (based upon the novel by Christopher Paolini)
PRODUCERS:  John Davis, Adam Goodman, and Wyck Godfrey
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Hugh Johnson (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Roger Barton, Masahiro Hirakubo, and Chris Lebenzon
COMPOSER:  Patrick Doyle

FANTASY/ACTION

Starring:  Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, Djimon Hounsou, Garrett Hedlund, Rachel Weisz (voice) and John Malkovich, Alun Armstrong, Chris Egan, Gary Lewis, Richard Rifkin, Steve Speirs, Joss Stone, and Caroline Chikezie

The subject of this movie review is Eragon, a 2006 action-fantasy film.  It is based on the 2002 novel, Eragon, by Christopher Paolini.  Eragon the film follows a farm boy whose discovery of a dragon’s egg leads him on a predestined journey to defend his homeland from an evil king.

When he was a teenager, Christopher Paolini wrote the novel Eragon, which went from being privately published by his parents to being a worldwide bestseller published by Alfred A. Knopf.  Now, a film adaptation arrives with hopes of capturing much of the audience that devoured The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and Disney/Walden Media’s 2005 The Chronicles of Narnia movie adaptation.

Once upon a time in the land of Alagaësia, Dragon Riders brought peace and prosperity, and the Dragons gave their Riders magical powers.  They were unbeaten until one of their own, a Rider named Galbatorix (John Malkovich), rebelled against the other Riders and destroyed them so that he could have all the power for himself.  Now, King Galbatorix rules Alagaësia, and no one can stop him.

There is, however, another dragon egg, and it is in the possession of Arya (Sienna Guillory).  Using a spell and a prayer, her magic sends the egg where a young farm boy named Eragon (Ed Speleers) finds it.  Unsure of what this shiny stone is, Eragon watches as the egg hatches and out pops a dragon he names Saphira (voice of Rachel Weisz).  With the help of a mentor named Brom (Jeremy Irons), Eragon begins the journey to become one with Saphira as she grows more mature and passes more magical power onto him.  Eragon will need it to defeat a Shade (sorcerer) named Durza (Robert Carlyle), a minion of Galbatorix’s.  Eragon joins with the rebel group, the Varden and their leader, Ajihad (Djimon Hounsou), for a coming battle against Galbatorix’s forces.  Will Eragon and Saphira have bonded together enough to match the dark magic of Durza when it counts most?

On a recent talk show appearance near the time the film, Eragon, was released, the host asked Christopher Paolini point black if the young author liked the film adaptation of his best-selling and acclaimed children’s book.  Paolini dodged the question twice saying that he was thrilled to see his characters and hear dialogue he wrote on screen.  It only takes a few minutes into this movie to understand the young author’s misgivings.

Eragon has a mediocre script, no one, from the director to the cast, rises above it.  The movie only comes to life when Eragon and Saphira together or Saphira alone are on screen.  Director Stefan Fangmeier spent over 20 years working in companies that provided visual effects and computer effects for films, so his affinity with this film seems completely directed at the biggest computer effect in Eragon, the dragon Saphira.  The rest of the time, Eragon is just as awkward and clumsy as a run of the mill Sci-Fi Channel fantasy flick.

Eragon has the same quality acting as that of a middling TV movie, but with movie star names.  Jeremy Irons, who has spent a small part of the decade and a half since winning an Oscar, slumming as a serious-thespian-for-hire in various popcorn movies (Die Hard with a Vengeance) and costume drama/action movies (Kingdom of Heaven).  There is no doubt that Christopher Paolini created the character Irons plays, Brom, to be Eragon’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, but for all the effort Irons gives, Brom is more Yogi Bear than Obi-Wan.

Ed Speleers looks the part of Eragon – a boy determined to take on a task bigger and older than he is, but getting the look right is as far as Speleers goes.  His performance ranges for flat to just flat-out overacting.  Rachel Weisz’s voice performance as Saphira is weak and isn’t befitting of an actress of her skill.  Besides, she sounds more like Minnie Driver than herself.

By using two of Hollywood’s most honored visual effects houses, WETA Digital (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong) and Industrial Light and Magic (the Star Wars franchise and Jurassic Park), the producers of this film hoped to reach their stated goal of creating a photo-real dragon in Saphira.  She’s not quite that.  The CGI and computer rendering created a fantastical creature in Saphira, a computer generated beast with marvelous simulated skin texture.  The dragon looks as if she had really been there on location with the live actors during principal photography.

It’s clear that the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and George Lucas played a big part in the creation of Paolini’s original novel, yet the film comes across as a weak-kneed knock off Tolkien with a few tattered borrowings from Lucas.  If not for the CGI dragon and the climatic battle scene (created by WETA), Eragon would be one of the saddest fantasy movies in recent memory.  Only the stunningly beautiful locales where it was filmed (Hungary and Slovakia), some lavish costumes, and a sweet blend of action, fantasy and CGI make Eragon worth watching… at home.

5 of 10
C+

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Update:  Monday, April 14, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites: "Batman-Superman" Flick Jumps Ahead of Captain America 3

by Leroy Douresseaux

Just found this from Saturday on Forbes:

The untitled Batman/Superman movie may still plan to duke it out with Captain America 3 at the box office on May 6, 2016.  However, Warner Bros. has moved the Superman-Batman team-up flick one week ahead, April 29, 2016 for its release in the United Kingdom.

Filmmaker Kevin Smith Joins Batman Celebration at WonderCon 2014

DC Entertainment Celebrates 75 Years of Batman at WonderCon 2014 with Stellar Collection of Talent and Events

All-Star Batman 75th Anniversary Panel includes Jim Lee, Kevin Smith, Kevin Conroy, Bruce Timm, Ralph Garman And Peter Girardi

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment (DCE) will mark the 75th anniversary of its iconic Batman character at WonderCon 2014 with an impressive line-up of can’t-miss reveals and exclusives sure to thrill fans of the world’s most popular Super Hero.

A special highlight of DCE’s WonderCon activities will be the Batman 75th Anniversary Panel scheduled for Saturday, April 19 at 4 pm. The exclusive event brings together a stunning collection of superstar talent heavily influenced by the legendary Dark Knight and his rich 75-year history. DCE co-publisher and renowned Batman artist Jim Lee will join the all-star celebrity duo and writers of the forthcoming BATMAN ’66 MEETS THE GREEN HORNET mini-series Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats) and Ralph Garman (Family Guy, KROQ radio personality), the legendary voice of Batman Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Arkham Knight), Peter Girardi, SVP – Creative Affairs, Warner Bros Animation and groundbreaking Batman animator Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series) in a fascinating discussion about the celebrated Super Hero. The must-see panel will also feature an exclusive premiere of an animated short from Darwyn Cooke, inspired by the Batman Beyond series.

In addition, DCE will join Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation for special events including:

    The world premiere of Son of Batman, the landmark 20th entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Taking place Friday at 6:00 pm, the screening precedes a star-studded panel including the voice of Batman, Jason O'Mara (Terra Nova, Life on Mars).

    A special screening of an all-new episode of Teen Titans Go! scheduled for Friday at 2:00 pm. Go behind the scenes of the fan-favorite series with a panel featuring the show’s producers and members of the voice cast.

    Son of Batman and Teen Titans Go! select voice cast signings will be held at the DCE booth (wristbands required). The Teen Titans Go! signing will take place on Friday at 1:30pm and signings for Son of Batman will take place on Friday at 3:30pm.

Fans attending WonderCon also have the chance to pick-up three exclusive variant comic books at the Graphitti Designs booth (#301) including:

    The debut issue of the new blockbuster weekly BATMAN: ETERNAL #1

    The latest “Riddler” themed cover of BATMAN #29 in a location-specific hue of blue from artist Greg Capullo

    The must-own debut issue of THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE #1 featuring an exclusive 3-D motion cover, never before seen and only available at the Con

Home to the most talented writers and artists in the business, DCE’s interactive 1200 square foot booth (#401) will serve as a hub for its stellar collection of appearances, announcements and events at WonderCon 2014.

Can’t make the Con? DC Entertainment’s website (http://www.dccomics.com/) is the go-to place for behind the scenes coverage and in-depth interviews. Also, look out for a WonderCon 2014 special edition of DC All Access webseries premiering on Tuesday, April 22 at 10am PST.

Download the DC Entertainment Events App on Apple’s App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dc-entertainment-events/id632275356?ls=1&mt=8) or the Google Play Store to stay up to speed on all DC Entertainment signings and panels at WonderCon.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.

Peter Dinklage Joins Chris Columbus' "Pixels"

SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT SLATES "PIXELS" FOR SUMMER 2015

Principal Photography Begins in June on Iconic Video Game Action Comedy Starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage and Josh Gad, directed by Chris Columbus

Michelle Monaghan and Peter Dinklage have joined Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Josh Gad in the cast of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Pixels, which will be directed by Chris Columbus and released in the Summer of 2015. Principal photography will begin in June of this year on the Happy Madison/1492 Pictures production, which was written by Tim Herlihy and Timothy Dowling, based on the short film directed by Patrick Jean and produced by One More Production. Pixels will be produced by Happy Madison’s Adam Sandler and Allen Covert, and 1492 Pictures’ Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe. Executive producers are Barry Bernardi, Jack Giarraputo, Tim Herlihy, Heather Parry and Seth Gordon.

In the film, when aliens misinterpret video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them, they attack the Earth, using the games as models for their various assaults. President Will Cooper has to call on his childhood best friend, ’80s video game champion Jules Brenner, now a home theater installer, to lead a team of old-school arcaders to defeat the aliens and save the planet.

Columbus and the studio are working with many of the 1980s’ most iconic videogame brands in an effort to bring together on the big screen the characters from the decade’s quintessential games. "By combining the visceral power of 80’s arcade games with state-of-the-art visual effects, Pixels will take the audience to a place they’ve never been before," stated Columbus.

Commenting on the announcement, Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures said, "Working together, Adam Sandler and Chris Columbus have created a story that will deliver truly unique action, comedy and special effects, and bring back beloved arcade game characters in a delightfully original manner. Pixels is the perfect showcase for Adam's brand of all-audience comedy."

About Sony Pictures:
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com

Review: "Anchorman 2" is Enough... Really

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 19 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
Running time:  112 minutes; MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual content, drug use, language and comic violence
DIRECTOR:  Adam McKay
WRITERS:  Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (based on characters created by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay)
PRODUCERS:  Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Patrick Capone and Oliver Wood (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Brent White and Melissa Bretherton
COMPOSERS:  Andrew Feltenstein and John Nau

COMEDY

Starring:  Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steven Carell, David Koechner, Christina Applegate, Dylan Baker, Meagan Good, Judah Nelson, James Marsden, Greg Kinnear, Josh Lawson, Kristen Wiig, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Bill Curtis (narrator) and Harrison Ford with Will Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kirsten Dunst, Marion Cotillard, and Joe Washington

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is a 2013 comedy directed by Adam McKay and written by McKay and actor Will Ferrell.  The film is a sequel to Anchorman:  The Legend of Ron Burgundy.  Anchorman 2 finds Ron Burgundy putting the 70s behind him and returning to New York City to take a 24-hour news channel by storm.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues begins in New York City where Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) are the husband and wife co-anchors of WBC News.  Then, Veronica is promoted, while Ron is fired.  Ron returns to San Diego, but soon gets an offer to return to NYC.  GNN – Global News Network – is the world’s first 24-hour news network, and they offer Ron a job.

Ron gets to form his own news team, so he reassembles his old gang:  lecherous beat reporter, Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd); Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), the mentally challenged weatherman; and Champ Kind (David Koechner), the chauvinist, racist, and dude-cowboy sports reporter.  Back in NYC, Ron discovers that Veronica has moved on from their relationship, and he struggles to connect with his son, Walter (Judah Nelson).  GNN also proves to be filled with people that don’t like Ron and are determined to keep him from becoming a star in the big city.

However it worked out, having nine years pass between the first Anchorman movie and the sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, is a good thing.  If the sequel had been released even as late as five years after the original, I think it would have been too soon.  Nine years later, audiences are again ready for more of the utterly ridiculous antics of Ron Burgundy and his three clownish amigos plus one chick.  Yes, there are new characters, but the sequel is more of the same.

The noticeable difference is that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay gleefully poke fun at and mock cable news networks and the non-news, infotainment media junk food that these networks have elevated to top story status over the last two decades.  This includes car chases, celebrity scandals, missing white girls, and other lurid news.  Without being named, FOX News takes the biggest hits from Anchorman 2.

A lot of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues made me laugh out loud, but I found that the film was too long at almost two hours of runtime.  I was ready for it to be over, even with all the movie star and celebrity cameos that fill the last act like sparkly roaches.  Do I want more Ron Burgundy?  Ask me in another nine years.

6 of 10
B

Friday, April 11, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Amazon.com Announces Two New Television Pilots for Amazon Instant Video

Amazon Greenlights New Pilots The Cosmopolitans and Hand of God

Adam Brody, Chloë Sevigny, Carrie MacLemore and Dree Hemingway to star in dramatic comedy The Cosmopolitans Written and Directed by Whit Stillman

Ron Perlman, Dana Delany, Garret Dillahunt and Alona Tal to star in drama Hand of God Directed by Marc Forster and Written by Ben Watkins

Both shows will be a part of Amazon’s third pilot season, which will debut later this year on Amazon Instant Video

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios today announced it has greenlit two new pilots—the half hour dramatic comedy The Cosmopolitans, from Whit Stillman, and one hour drama Hand of God from Executive Producers Marc Forster, Ben Watkins, Ron Perlman, Brian Wilkins and Jeff King—for its third pilot season debuting later this year on Amazon Instant Video. Customers will once again be invited to watch and provide feedback on the shows they want to see turned into full series, which will then become available on Prime Instant Video. Additional pilots joining The Cosmopolitans and Hand of God in the third pilot season will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We’re very pleased to be working with Whit, Ron, Ben, and Marc on developing these pilots,” said Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. “The Cosmopolitans and Hand of God both contain rich stories and deep characters that we think customers will really enjoy. I’m looking forward to seeing our customers’ reactions when they debut.”

The Cosmopolitans
Written, directed and produced by Academy Award nominee Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco), The Cosmopolitans follows a group of young American expatriates in Paris searching for love and friendship in a foreign city. The dramatic comedy pilot stars Adam Brody as “Jimmy,” Chloë Sevigny as “Vicky,” Carrie MacLemore as “Aubrey,” Dree Hemingway as “Camille,” Freddy Åsblom as “Fritz,” Shaun Evans as “Hal,” and Adriano Giannini as “Sando.” The Cosmopolitans begins shooting this week in Paris.

Hand of God
Marking the television debut of renowned filmmaker Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland, World War Z) and written by Ben Watkins, Hand of God stars Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman in his first lead television role since Sons of Anarchy as “Judge Pernell Harris.” Hand of God also stars Dana Delany as the Judge’s protective wife “Crystal Harris,” Garret Dillahunt as “KD,” the born-again sociopath, whose violent tendencies are exploited by Pernell, Andre Royo as the slick, smart, gregarious, and greedy mayor “Robert ‘Bobo’ Boston,” Alona Tal as Pernell’s grieving daughter-in-law “Jocelyn Harris,” Julian Morris as the questionable preacher “Paul Dobson,” Elizabeth McLaughlin as the preacher’s sultry girlfriend “Alicia,” and Emayatzy Corinealdi as Pernell’s call girl / confidante “Tessie.” The show centers on the powerful Judge Harris, a hard-living, law-bending married man with a high-end call girl on the side, who suffers a mental breakdown, and goes on a vigilante quest to find the rapist who tore his family apart. With no real evidence to go on, Pernell begins to rely on "visions" and “messages” he believes are being sent by God through Pernell's ventilator-bound son. Forster, Watkins, Perlman, Wilkins and King serve as Executive Producers, and Jillian Kugler as co-Executive Producer. Hand of God begins shooting this week in the Los Angeles and Long Beach areas.

About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series—one that’s open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script and will then be notified within 45 days if that script is optioned. Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions and those who choose to make their projects public will also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community.

More than 23,000 movie and approximately 6,000 series projects have been submitted to Amazon Studios. Amazon Studios continues to invite series creators to upload their proposals for comedy and children’s programming at http://studios.amazon.com/getting-started/series or submit them privately via Amazon Studios.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Amazon Fire TV is a tiny box that plugs into your HDTV for easy and instant access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, SHOWTIME, low-cost video rentals, and much more. Kindle Paperwhite is the world’s best-selling and most advanced e-reader. It features new display technology with higher contrast, the next generation built-in light, a faster processor, the latest touch technology, and exclusive new features designed from the ground up for readers. Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, features improved fonts and faster page turns. The new Kindle Fire HDX features a stunning exclusive 7” or 8.9” HDX display, a quad-core 2.2 GHz processor, 2x more memory, and 11 hours of battery life, as well as exclusive new features of Fire OS 3.0 including X-Ray for Music, Second Screen, Prime Instant Video downloads, and the revolutionary new Mayday button. The all-new Kindle Fire HD includes an HD display, high-performance processor and dual speakers at a breakthrough price.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.es, www.amazon.com.br, www.amazon.in, www.amazon.com.mx, and www.amazon.com.au. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

Review: Special Effects Keeps "Evolution" Going (Happy B'day, Orlando Jones)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 118 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Evolution (2001)
Running time:  101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, and for sci-fi action
DIRECTOR:  Ivan Reitman
WRITERS:  David Diamond and David Weissman, and Don Jakoby; story by Don Jakoby
PRODUCERS:  Daniel Goldberg, Joe Medjuck, and Ivan Reitman
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Michael Chapman (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Wendy Greene Bricmont and Sheldon Kahn
COMPOSER:  John Powell

SCI-FI/COMEDY

Starring:  David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, Ted Levine, Dan Aykroyd, Ethan Suplee, Ty Burrell, Sarah Silverman, and John Cho

The subject of this movie review is Evolution, a 2001 science fiction comedy from director Ivan Reitman.  The film follows four people who are fighting an alien organism that has been rapidly evolving into outlandish creatures ever since its arrival on Earth inside a meteor.

Evolution makes me think of Ghostbusters (the former was released 17 years to the date of the latter’s release).  Maybe, that’s because both films share the same director, Ivan Reitman, and maybe because both films seem to have the same ebb and flow.  While the latter pretty much realized its promise of being a very funny and popular film, the former pretty much failed on both counts.

Dr. Ira Kane (David Duchovny), a biology teacher (and disgraced government employee), and his colleague Harry Block (Orlando Jones) see fame and fortune when firefighter cadet Wayne Grey (Seann William Scott) alerts them to a meteorite that recently crashed into a local cave.  The meteorite emits a bluish fluid, and Dr Kane and Prof. Block are shocked to discover that the fluid contains many single-cell organisms that are evolving before their very eyes.  The alien life forms evolve and adapt at such an incredible rate (into countless wonderful animal-like forms) that they threaten to prove Charles Darwin right – the strongest will survive and they will take over the world.  When the military suddenly arrives, they only make matters worse.  Of course, it’s up to Kane, Block, Grey, and sexy government scientist Dr. Allison Reed (Julianne Moore) to save the world from the fate of this alien evolution.

This film has two things going for it, the comedic performances of the actors and the special effects.  Reitman, a veteran of many excellent funny movies, leans on the latter for his new film.  Whereas Ghostbusters used SFX in service of a great cast of funnymen, Evolution seems enthralled by the CGI technology that didn’t exist at the time of Ghostbusters.  Weird animal aliens fun amok in this film, some resembling dinosaurs and wild animals, others resembling slugs and worms.  I was impressed by the visual finesse of the special effects, but I’d hoped that the movie would be funnier, but it only managed to be lukewarm.

The cast only manages to be really on their game for about half of the film’s running time.  Seann William Scott and Orlando Jones are seemingly inspired, but Reitman doesn’t really let them reach the heights of which they are capable.  Duchovny plays it a bit too cool, but at times he is bursting at the seams to really let his funny side loose.  Ms. Moore is almost reduced to being the pretty female attachment, which is an utter waste when one considers are tremendous acting talent.  Maybe, she isn’t a comedic actress, but she can do more than just be the female costar.

Occasionally intriguing, sometimes pleasant, and infrequently exciting, Evolution is sadly another mediocre film that only lazily aimed at being special.  The filmmakers either didn’t put in the work required to make this film really good, or despite their best efforts, they assembled enough defective parts to ruin what could have been a good film.

5 of 10
B-

Updated:  Thursday, April 10, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teaser Poster: Donatello - Choose Your Weapon

Visit the official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tumblr and choose your weapon.
http://tmntmovie.tumblr.com/

In theaters August 8th 2014

Watch the official teaser trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRipBOQl95o
Official Tumblr: http://tmntmovie.tumblr.com/
Official Site: http://www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com/
Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/tmntmovie
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TMNT
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/TMNTmovie

Review: "Super Troopers" Can Be Funny (Happy B'day, Jay Chandrasekhar)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 36 (of 2002) by Leroy Douresseaux

Super Troopers (2001)
Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – R for language, sexual content and drug use
DIRECTOR:  Jay Chandrasekhar
WRITERS:  Broken Lizard (Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske)
PRODUCER:  Richard Perello
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Joaquín Baca-Asay
EDITORS:  Jumbulingam (Jay Chandrasekhar), Jacob Craycroft, and Kevin Heffernan
COMPOSERS:  38 Special

COMEDY

Starring:  Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Marisa Coughlan, Brian Cox, Daniel van Bargen, Michael Weaver, Dan Fey, Jim Gaffigan, and Lynda Carter

The subject of this movie review is Super Troopers, a 2001 comedy starring the comedy troupe, Broken Lizard, and directed by member, Jay Chandrasekhar.  The film focuses on five Vermont state troopers, who are pranksters and screws ups, trying to outperform an overachieving local police department.  Although Super Troopers was shown at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, it did not receive a national U.S. theatrical release (by Fox Searchlight Pictures) until 2002.

Movie reviewers often take the easy road or the high-minded road when they opine on what we film lovers call the guilty pleasure – the bad movie that is “really (seriously, now) entertaining.”  So a movie often has to be taken for what it is, and what it is may not amount to very much.  Perhaps the filmmakers were expressing themselves in the only way they knew.  They were being themselves or being true to their game.  Or maybe speaking in their own voices and not in someone else’s voice, and they made a movie just to have a silly time.

This is Super Troopers, and for the sake of the usual argument, this is a poorly constructed movie.  It’s way too long, has a poor story, a predictable plot and premise, a boring setting, and is set in an indeterminate time, etc.

The plot, in which the appealing underdogs must overcome the overachieving jerks in order to save their low rent livelihoods, is the stiff upon which this cast hangs their act, and the act is the show.

Broken Lizard is a New York and Los Angeles based comedy troop made up of this movie’s director and his co-writers.  The movie is merely a vehicle for their uproarious act.  I’ve never seen them onstage, but, based upon this funny (no, really) film, I’m anxious to taste them.  They are difficult to categorize.  They aren’t slackers, because they lack the phony Gen X cool, and they aren’t thugs, ruffians, and lowlifes.  Goofy and dumb doesn’t quite fit.

They’re like regulars guys, and their extreme antics are their means to wile away the extreme boredom, continued dullness, and constant pain-in-the-ass throb of life.  Their sexual antics are loud without being raunchy.  Their act is harmful, but like “Beavis and Butthead” and “Bart Simpson,” they are mostly harmful to themselves.  Broken Lizard comes across as regular guys having a way too wild time.

When you watch Super Troopers, you can forget about what a movie is supposed to be like and what’s supposed to be in a movie, you just have a great time laughing at these clowns.

Yeah, maybe the show does go on a bit too long, as if Broken Lizard is not aware that as funny as they are, they can wear out their welcome, but that doesn’t take away from the fun, not by much.

6 of 10
B

Updated:  Wednesday, April 09, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Happy Birthday, Liz Martel

Happy B'day, sister girl.  Hope you have a great day and many, many, many more.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Teaser Poster - Raphael: Choose Your Weapon

Visit the official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tumblr and choose your weapon.
http://tmntmovie.tumblr.com/

In theaters August 8th 2014

Watch the official teaser trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRipBOQl95o
Official Tumblr: http://tmntmovie.tumblr.com/
Official Site: http://www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com/
Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/tmntmovie
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TMNT
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/TMNTmovie

Oscar Nominee Review: "The Wolf of Wall Street" is a Howler

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 18 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Running time:  180 minutes (3 hours)
MPAA – R for sequences of strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language throughout, and for some violence
DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese
WRITER: Terence Winter (based on the book by Jordan Belfort)
PRODUCERS: Riza Aziz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joey McFarland, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and Martin Scorsese
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rodrigo Prieto (D.o.P)
EDITOR: Thelma Schoonmaker
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA/COMEDY/BIOFILM

Starring:  Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley, Cristin Milioti, Shea Whigham, P.J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi, Brian Sacca, Henry Zebrowski, Ethan Suplee, Bo Dietl, and Johnnie Mae

The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 drama, bio-film, and black comedy from director Martin Scorsese and writer Terence Winter.  The film stars actor Leonardo DiCaprio and is the fifth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio.

The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the memoirs of Jordan Belfort (the 2007 book, The Wolf of Wall Street).  The Wolf of Wall Street the film dramatizes the true story of Belfort:  how he rose to become a wealthy stockbroker, how he lived the high-life, and how he fell into the clutches of the FBI.

Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) breaks the fourth wall of the movie screen and narrates The Wolf of Wall Street.  He gives a tour of his incredible financial wealth, which includes a lavish house on Long Island’s Gold Coast and his trophy wife, Naomi Lapaglia (Margot Robbie).  He then goes back to the beginning of his career in a low-level job at an established Wall Street firm.  Although he soon moves into a job as a real stock broker, the firm soon goes bankrupt.

Belfort then tells us of his less glamorous job selling penny stocks.  However, his aggressive pitching style makes him a huge success in penny stocks.  Eventually, Belfort opens his own brokerage firm, Stratton Oakmont, Inc., and hires his low-rent pals to be his first employees.  His controversial style earns him the moniker, the “Wolf of Wall Street.”  Belfort makes more money than he can spend, and he leads a decadent lifestyle of sex-filled, drug-fueled parties.  However, all that money and his reputation earn Belfort the attention of the FBI and an ambitious agent, Patrick Denham (Kyle Chandler), who begins investigating Belfort and Stratton Oakmont.

The Wolf of Wall Street is a box office success and earned many accolades, including five Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe award win for Leonardo DiCaprio.  Still, the film is controversial, mostly for its moral ambiguity, sexual content, the presence of drugs, and/or its vulgarity, among many complaints.

I don’t see the film as morally ambiguous.  The filmmakers are clear in the storytelling and the depiction of the characters and their actions that Jordan Belfort and his cohorts are crooks and scam artists, and they are certainly depraved and lecherous.  Belfort may be a sociopath, and he is at least self-centered and narcissistic.  Wall Street did not make him the way he is; it is simply the perfect place for Belfort to be what he is.

Director Martin Scorsese, writer Terence Winter, and lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio offer a black comedy that is timeless in its focus.  They hold the mirror up to us and make it clear that people never change and they never learn.  People chase money and some money chasers prey on other money chasers.  They are the predators that clean up and rake in the dough every time.  As this kind of predator – this wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprio gives a performance that deserves to be described as a tour de force.

Some predators live it up on their ill-gotten gains.  The Wolf of Wall Street shows us the ribaldry and depravity of those who live it up to the extreme.  And this film is a blast because of that.  If you stop yourself from thinking about the real-life Jordan Belfort’s victims, you might find this film dynamic and irreverent.  Scorsese isn’t glorifying Belfort’s excessive lifestyle.  Instead, the director offers a great character study of a larger-than-life American archetype; this is a randy version of that archetype.  This version simply spends more time with his pants down and blow up his nose than most.

You can hate both the player and the game, but it is hard to hate The Wolf of Wall Street, at least it is for me.  This fifth Marty and Leo film makes me eager for the sixth.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, April 04, 2014


NOTES:
2014 Academy Awards, USA:  5 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Joey McFarland, and Martin Scorsese), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Leonardo DiCaprio), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jonah Hill), “Best Achievement in Directing” (Martin Scorsese), “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Terence Winter)

2014 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Leonardo DiCaprio); 1 nomination: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical)”

2014 BAFTA Awards:  4 nominations: “Best Adapted Screenplay” (Terence Winter), “Best Leading Actor” (Leonardo DiCaprio), “Best Editing” (Thelma Schoonmaker), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Martin Scorsese)

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

William H. Macy's "Rudderless" Finds Distributors

Paramount Home Media Distribution and Samuel Goldwyn Films Collaborate on Distribution of William H. Macy’s Directorial Debut and Sundance Feature RUDDERLESS

Starring Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman, Jamie Chung, Selena Gomez and Laurence Fishburne

HOLLYWOOD--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Paramount Home Media Distribution and Samuel Goldwyn Films announced today a collaboration to bring RUDDERLESS to theatrical and home viewing audiences. The feature directorial debut of Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee* William H. Macy, RUDDERLESS was produced by Keith Kjarval (Unified Pictures) and Brad Greiner in association with Aaron L. Gilbert's Bron Studios and had its world premiere as the Closing Night Film at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film stars Billy Crudup (Almost Famous), Anton Yelchin (Star Trek Into Darkness), Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”), Jamie Chung (“Believe”), Selena Gomez (Spring Breakers) and Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix).

Samuel Goldwyn Films will handle U.S. theatrical distribution day-and-date with Paramount Home Media Distribution’s VOD release. Paramount will also handle other U.S. ancillary platforms and all distribution in Canada, the UK, Russia and certain territories in Asia.

After a man has his life torn apart when he loses his son, he is content wasting the rest of his days until he discovers a box of unpublished music. Coming from such an unexpected source, the music is a revelation. He begins obsessively learning the songs, until one day he decides to play one of them at a local bar. The song captivates a young musician in the audience and the two unlikely friends decide to form a local band that gains sudden popularity and changes both of their lives.

"After seeing such a fabulous response at Sundance, we are thrilled to be partnering with two of the most prestigious distributors in our business on my directing debut,” said director William H. Macy. “When I first moved to LA, many years ago, I lived just off of Melrose, and I passed those beautiful gates to Paramount almost every day. Seeing them become our partner on RUDDERLESS and adding the storied Goldwyn Company into the mix excites me to no end."

“William H. Macy has always been a true talent in front of the cameras and now also proves to be a major force behind the scenes. Billy Crudup, Felicity Huffman and the rest of the cast deliver stellar performances. We are excited to again partner with Paramount Home Media Distribution in bringing Macy’s remarkable first feature to theaters,” said Peter Goldwyn, Senior Vice President, Samuel Goldwyn Films.

“RUDDERLESS is an incredibly powerful and moving film and we are extremely excited to bring it to audiences around the world,” said Syrinthia Studer, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Acquisitions, Paramount Home Media Distribution. “William H. Macy has delivered a terrific first feature with extraordinary performances by his stellar cast, a compelling story and wonderful original music. We feel confident that it will be embraced by audiences both in the U.S. and internationally.”

The deal was negotiated by Paramount Home Media Distribution, WME Global and Peter Goldwyn, Senior Vice President of Samuel Goldwyn Films, with Radiant Films handling international.

About Samuel Goldwyn Films
Samuel Goldwyn Films is a major, independently owned and operated motion-picture company that develops, produces and distributes innovative feature films and documentaries. The company is dedicated to working with both world renowned and emerging writers/filmmakers and committed to filmed entertainment that offers original voices in uniquely told stories. This is best exemplified by the Academy Award® nominated THE SQUID AND THE WHALE and SUPER SIZE ME; AMAZING GRACE and Julie Delpy's hit comedy 2 DAYS IN PARIS. Past Goldwyn titles include the critically hailed ELEGY starring Academy Award® winner Penélope Cruz, HARRY BROWN starring Michael Caine and the box office smash FIREPROOF. MAO’S LAST DANCER, directed by Academy Award® nominee Bruce Beresford was one of the top grossing independent films of 2010. Samuel Goldwyn Films released THE WHISTLEBLOWER, a powerful, ripped from the headlines thriller starring Academy Award® winner Rachel Weisz and the 2012 critics’ darling, ROBOT & FRANK, starring Academy Award® nominee Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler and Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon. Additional Samuel Goldwyn Films releases include DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL, an acclaimed documentary about the late fashion icon, Gilles Bourdos’ RENOIR, the lush film about the famous painter’s later years and France’s official submission for the 2014 Academy Awards®, Academy Award® nominee James Cromwell starrer, STILL MINE, and the Jason Wise much buzzed about film SOMM. Upcoming releases include Academy Award®-winner Freida Mock’s critically acclaimed documentary ANITA featuring intimate and in-depth interviews with Anita Hill and filmmaker Lucia Puenzo’s haunting film and Argentina’s official submission to the 2014 Academy Awards® THE GERMAN DOCTOR.

About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for certain DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

About Unified Pictures:
Unified Pictures operates as an independent film production and distribution company dedicated to the development, financing, production and distribution of top-tier filmed entertainment. With several cutting-edge and artistically innovative films, Unified Pictures has established an impressive presence in a wide variety of film genres.

The company has completed seven films in the past two and a half years. Unified’s latest film “Loitering with Intent,” starring Sam Rockwell, Marisa Tomei and Natasha Lyonne is world premiering at the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival.

Additional films include William H. Macy’s directorial debut “Rudderless,” which closed this year’s Sundance Film Festival; "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete" (dir. George Tillman Jr., starring Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks), which opened the 2013 Sundance Film Festival; "A Single Shot" (dir. David Rosenthal, starring Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Jeffrey Wright), which premiered at the 2013 Berlin Film Festival; and “Trust Me” (dir. Clark Gregg, starring Gregg, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Peet, Molly Shannon, and William H. Macy) which had its world premiere at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival.

For more information please visit www.unifiedpictures.com.

About Bron Studios
Bron Studios is a British Columbia based producer of original motion pictures. Bron co-­‐produced the Sundance closing night film Rudderless, starring Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Selena Gomez and Laurence Fishburne and directed by William H. Macy. Bron’s recent productions include: Welcome to Me, starring Kristen Wiig, Tim Robbins, Wes Bentley and James Marsden; Trust Me, starring Clark Gregg, Amanda Peet, Sam Rockwell, and Alison Janney, and A Single Shot, starring Sam Rockwell, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Isaacs, and William H. Macy. Bron is led by Managing Director Aaron L. Gilbert, Executive Producer and/or Producer of recent films Kill Me 3 Times, Son of a Gun, Miss Julie, Elsa & Fred, Ginger and Rosa, The English Teacher, Lullaby, and others. For more information please visit www.bronstudios.com.

*Academy Award nominee Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Fargo, 1996; Golden Globe nominee Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Seabiscuit, 2004; Golden Globe nominee Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, The Wool Cap (2005) and Door to Door (2003)

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I Launched "Grumble #2" Indiegogo Campaign

Review: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" Rises

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 17 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Running time:  136 minutes (2 hours, 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, gunplay and action throughout
DIRECTORS:  Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
WRITERS:  Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely; from a story and concept by Ed Brubaker (based upon the comic books by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Trent Opaloch (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jeffrey Ford
COMPOSER:  Henry Jackman

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring:  Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scartlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Maximiliano Hernandez, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Toby Jones, Jenny Agutter, and Stan Lee

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a 2014 superhero film featuring Marvel Comics character, Captain America.  It is a direct sequel to the 2011 film, Captain America: The First Avenger, and is also a follow-up to 2012’s Marvel’s The Avengers.  This movie is also the ninth film produced by Marvel Studios (a sister company of Marvel Comics) in its Marvel Cinematic Universe.  The Avenger’s director Joss Whedon contributes a post-credits scene for this film.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier finds Captain America joining forces with his Avengers teammate, The Black Widow, to fight a covert enemy and an assassin who has some kind of link to Captain America’s past.  Captain America: The Winter Soldier is Marvel’s most mature movie to date, and it is also the best of the Marvel films that focus on one hero.  It is a must-see for fans of superhero movies.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier opens two years after the events of The Avengers.  Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) lives in Washington D.C. and continues to work as Captain America (Chris Evans) for the espionage agency, S.H.I.E.L.D.  As a man of the 1930s and 40s, however, Rogers struggles to adapt to contemporary society.

He also has misgivings about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s recent activities.  After a rescue operation, Rogers comes into conflict with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., but soon finds that he and Fury have problems in common.  They are facing off with a mysterious assassin known as The Winter Solider (Sebastian Stan), and he seems to be every bit as powerful and as skilled as Captain America.

To stop him, Captain America joins forces with Natasha Romanoff a/k/a The Black Widow (Scartlett Johansson).  When things get too hot even for the two of them, they find a friend in ex-paratrooper Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who possesses a winged-flight exoskeleton called “Falcon.”  Still, that may not be enough to stop a conspiracy which has its tentacles everywhere.

While Captain America: The First Avenger is as much a World War II fantasy adventure film as it is a superhero movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a superhero movie that acts like an installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, with some Jason Bourne thrown in for good measure.  And I like it.  The Winter Soldier is funny, awe-inspiring, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, and riveting.  It is a big movie packed with the kind of CGI that makes you think everything on the screen is real.  It was hard for me to look away from the screen because this is the kind of movie that really grabs hold of your attention at the start of the story and won’t let go even at the end.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is also a character drama and political thriller that examines the lead characters’ lives in the context of the modern geopolitical climate and state-security apparatus.  In one way or another, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Nick Fury are basically out of step with either the times (Rogers) or their place in national and international politics and intrigue (Romanoff and Fury).  The film asks the questions:  how much are their lives tied to their jobs and what are they willing to do to achieve righteousness?  They are forced to confront what they both want and believe the truth to be and what it may actually be.  To that end, Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, and Scartlett Johansson give some of the best performances seen in superhero movies over the past twenty-five years.  I don’t want to spoil the movie, but I will say that this film’s other actors, especially Robert Redford, are also good.

I have heard that some have described Captain America: The Winter Soldier as being Marvel Studio’s equivalent of the 2008 Batman film, The Dark Knight.  I wouldn’t go quite that far, but The Winter Soldier is exceptional.  One measurement of how good a movie is that I use works out like this:  if I don’t want a movie to end, then I really, really like it.  I did not want Captain America: The Winter Soldier to end.  I could have watched another half-hour or so.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, April 06, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Oscar-Winner Holly Hunter Leads New Cast Additions to Superman/Batman Film

Holly Hunter Joins the Cast of Director Zack Snyder’s Untitled Superman/Batman Film from Warner Bros. Pictures

Callan Mulvey and Tao Okamoto add to the international ensemble.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Oscar®-winning actress Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey of “300: Rise of an Empire,” and Tao Okamoto of “The Wolverine” have joined the cast of the upcoming Zack Snyder untitled Superman/Batman film. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

All three actors will play characters newly created for the film.

Snyder stated, “Holly has always been one of my favorite actresses; she has immense talent and is always captivating on screen. I had an opportunity to meet her a while back and knew instantly that I had to work with her, so as we began writing the script I made sure to create a role specifically for her.

“I just had the good fortune to work with Callan on ‘300: Rise of an Empire’ and was very impressed with his incredible talent,” the director continued. “He’s a fantastic actor and I’m looking forward to having the chance to work with him again. And, quite simply, Tao is a striking presence whose beauty is aptly rivaled by her amazing abilities as an actress. I’m really excited to have her joining us on this adventure.”

Hunter received the Academy Award® and a Golden Globe Award for her starring role in Jane Campion’s “The Piano.” She also garnered Oscar® nominations for her work in “Broadcast News,” “The Firm” and “Thirteen.” She has starred in such films as the Coen brothers’ “Raising Arizona” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” Steven Spielberg’s “Always,” Lasse Halström’s “Once Around,” Jodie Foster’s “Home for the Holidays” and Brad Bird’s animated hit “The Incredibles.” Hunter was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award® when she reunited with Campion for the TV miniseries “Top of the Lake.” She next appears in David Gordon Green’s “Manglehorn” and in Terrence Malick’s upcoming feature.

Australian-born Mulvey stars in the current box office hit “300: Rise of an Empire,” produced by Snyder. He also appeared in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty,” and will next be seen in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

In addition to “The Wolverine,” Okamoto also appeared in the video “The Wolverine: The Path of a Ronin,” and in the Japanese television miniseries “Chi no wadachi.”

Snyder’s film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. The film also stars Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and reunites “Man of Steel” stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.

The new film is currently being written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

The film is set to open worldwide on May 6, 2016, and is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.

VIZ Media Celebrates 15th Anniversary of "Battle Royale" Novel with New Releases

NEW BATTLE ROYALE RELEASES FROM VIZ MEDIA’S HAIKASORU IMPRINT CELEBRATE THE 15th ANNIVERSARY OF THE RIVETING NOVEL

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED Novel Features A New Translation While The BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK Explores The Novel’s Tremendous Impact On Pop Culture

VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint commemorates the 15th Anniversary of the original debut of one of the most controversial works of modern Japanese literary fiction with the release of BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED and the BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK: Essays on the Cult Classic Novel by Koushun Takami.

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED features a brand new translation of the smash hit near-future dystopian thriller along with new cover art by Tomer Hanuka and an afterword by author Koushun Takami. The BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK presents an insightful collection of essays by some of the most important writers of popular fiction on the impact of the novel, related films and manga series on pop culture and the controversy and continuing social debate that has surrounded BATTLE ROYALE ever since its release.

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED is available now from Haikasoru as a print-only release for $16.99 U.S./ $19.99 CAN, while the BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK is offered in print for $14.99 U.S./$16.99 CAN, as well as an eBook edition for $7.99 (U.S. / CAN) for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, and the Kobo eBooks Store.

Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences, and is the first imprint based in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation.

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED, by Koushun Takami • MSRP: $16.99 U.S. / $19.99 CAN • Available Now

Koushun Takami’s notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan—where it then proceeded to become a runaway best seller—Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world. Made into a controversial hit movie of the same name, Battle Royale is already a contemporary Japanese pulp classic, now available in a new English-language translation.

BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK: Essays on the Cult Classic Novel by Koushun Takami • MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN • Available Now

Koushun Takami’s Battle Royale is an international best seller, the basis of the cult film, and the inspiration for a popular manga. And fifteen years after its initial release, Battle Royale remains a controversial pop culture phenomenon. Join New York Times best-selling author John Skipp, Batman screenwriter Sam Hamm, Philip K. Dick Award-nominated novelist Toh EnJoe, and an array of writers, scholars, and fans in discussing girl power, firepower, professional wrestling, bad movies, the survival chances of Hollywood’s leading teen icons in a battle royale, and so much more!

“BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED delivers a new translation of the cult classic the occasion of its 15th Anniversary and presents a prime opportunity to revisit this gripping story, or dive into it for the very first time,” says Haikasoru editor Nick Mamatas. “The BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK is the first-ever English language release to examine the property’s cultural impact from an array of acclaimed writers. We invite readers to discover both of these riveting new releases from Haikasoru!”

Koushun Takami was born in 1969 in Amagasaki near Osaka and grew up in Kagawa Prefecture of Shikoku (the fourth largest island in Japan), where he currently resides. After graduating from Osaka University with a degree in literature, he worked for a newspaper company, Shikoku Shinbun, for five years, reporting on politics, police reports, and economics. Also, he attended Nihon University’s liberal arts correspondence-course program and acquired an English teaching certificate for junior high and high school.

Battle Royale, completed after Takami left the newspaper company, was his debut work and his only novel published so far. With its publication in Japan in 1999, it received widespread support and became a best seller. Battle Royale was serialized as a comic, made into a feature film in 2000, and has been translated into more than ten languages. Since its initial release, Battle Royale continues to be a cult favorite in Japan and internationally.

For more information these titles and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit the dedicated website at www.haikasoru.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.

Review: "PORKY'S" is Still a Raunchy Classic (Remembering Bob Clark)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 16 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Porky’s (1982)
Running time:  94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – R
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Bob Clark
PRODUCERS:  Don Carmody and Bob Clark
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Reginald H. Morris (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Stan Cole
COMPOSER:  Paul Zaza and Carl Zittrer

COMEDY

Starring:  Dan Monahan, Mark Herrier, Wyatt Knight, Roger Wilson, Cyril O’Reilly, Tony Ganios, Kaki Hunter, Kim Cattrall, Nancy Parsons, Scott Colomby, Boyd Gaines, Doug McGrath, Art Hindle, Wayne Maunder, Chuck Mitchell, and Alex Karras

The subject of this movie review is Porky’s, a 1982 Canadian-American sex comedy from writer-director Bob Clark.  The film is set in 1954 and focuses on a group of high school boys who try to help a buddy lose his virginity and end up seeking revenge on the sleazy owner of a honky tonk and his redneck sheriff brother.

Porky’s spawned a franchise, including two direct sequels.  The film won the Golden Reel Award at the 1983 Genie Awards and also received a “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” nomination for actor, Doug McGrath.  Porky’s was a surprise box office success and for decades was the highest-grossing Canadian film of all time.  It apparently still is, when adjusting for inflation.

Porky’s is set in Angel Beach, a small town in South Florida.  There, we find six teens that are desperate for sexual satisfaction.  These young, red-bloodied, American males, who play basketball for Angel Beach High School, have raging hormones and are horny for just about any female willing to do “it” with them.

The most desperate is Edward “Pee Wee” Morris (Dan Monahan), a short guy (in more ways than one), who wants desperately for a girl to relieve him of the burden of his virginity.  Pee Wee and friends hope to find sexual relief at a notorious honky-tonk joint in the next county, Porky’s.  However, the club’s owner, Porky (Chuck Mitchell) himself, rips them off and throws them out – even going so far as to seriously injury one of the teens who later seeks to get back at Porky.

So Pee Wee, Billy (Mark Herrier), Tommy (Wyatt Knight), and the rest of the gang plot an incredible revenge against Porky and his brother, the redneck Sheriff Wallace (Alex Karras).  Meanwhile, the boys’ adventures and activities earn them the unwanted attention of the foul-tempered girls’ gym teacher, Beulah Balbricker (Nancy Parsons).  Also, new junior basketball coach, Roy Brackett (Boyd Gaines), seduces sexy fellow gym instructor, Honeywell (Kim Cattrall), and makes a shocking discovery about how she acts during the heat of passion.

The late filmmaker Bob Clark is probably best known for his holiday movie classic, A Christmas Story (1983).  His infamous teen comedy, Porky’s, is also fondly remembered and apparently has influenced other filmmakers who have made teen films.

With Porky's, Clark, who died with his son in a 2007 car accident, took an unabashed and fanciful look at raucous high school adolescence in the 1950s.  However, the story has a timeless quality because of the truth at the heart of its idiocy:  sex weighs heavily on the minds of both high school boys and girls.  Porky’s can be pretty frank about that reality, but that is what makes this film both unique and unforgettable and difficult to duplicate – as its less successful sequels can attest.

Porky’s is silly, even a bit misogynistic, but I first saw it as a teenager and loved it.  Other than being a teenaged male, I had nothing in common with the characters, but I loved the film.  It is funny just to watch these high school kids’ antics – both guys and girls.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, April 04, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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