Kevin Smith has put together some teaser footage for his upcoming flick, Zack and Miri Make A Porno. You can check it out at Quick Stop Entertainment.
May 30, 2008
Zack and Miri Teaser Trailer
Kevin Smith has put together some teaser footage for his upcoming flick, Zack and Miri Make A Porno. You can check it out at Quick Stop Entertainment.
May 12, 2008
CAPcast Episode 1
In which our heroes give their podcast a title, ponder the meaning of "tweens", and discuss the importance of Samuel L. Jackson
CLICK THE TITLE TO LISTEN
May 03, 2008
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
New Movie Review.
Written by Jason Segel
Directed by Nicholas Stoller
Starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is yet another classic produced by Judd Apatow. This time the Freaks & Geeks alumni in the spotlight is Jason Segel. Segel wrote the script and has the starring role of Peter. Peter is a composer for the TV show "Crime Scene", the star of which is Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), his longtime girlfriend. Early on, Peter is dumped by Sarah in one of the better breakup scenes I have ever seen. Yes it's hilarious that Peter happens to be nude when she breaks the news but the performances are what's really impressive. Having difficulty getting over being single, Peter leaves for a vacation in Hawaii. However, it turns out Sarah is there, when he arrives, with her new boyfriend, a famous pop star named Aldous Snow (Russel Brand).
Yes, the plot in it's simplest form doesn't sound too great. In comparison to 40-Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up it seems almost sitcom-y. Luckily, that isn't the case. The plot merely provides a scenario for all the actors to shine. Also, it is evident that this was written straight from the heart, and the sincerity is quite powerful. The laughs come quick in this movie and they're big laughs at that, very few cheap jokes and gags to be found. Nearly every funny part comes from the strength of the writing or the acting rather than vulgarity or slap stick. That's not to say the movie isn't dirty, but it certainly is all in good taste. Some scenes are absolute magic.
Director Nicholas Stoller is a master of comedic editing. Flashbacks/forwards rush to the screen out of nowhere, and are gone just as quick, but they enhance the movie extensively. An example of this method is when Peter is asked by a friendly local to help cook a pig. The movie quickly flashes forward to Peter having to slaughter the animal. It's loud and surprising and is one of the funniest moments in the entire film. Stoller is another person Judd Apatow has been loyal to, having been a writer on the short-lived series Undeclared.
The performances are shockingly perfect. Apatow is known to have said that out of all the young actors he worked with on Freaks & Geeks, Jason Segel was the one he thought would make it big in movies first. For those unaware of the talented cast of the TV show, it included James Franco and Seth Rogen (who are reunited in the upcoming Pineapple Express). It's very easy to see why Judd thought that. Segel may be playing just another version of his character from Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared, but he has now mastered it. He has always been great at playing the sensitive, low self esteem guy, but Segel steps it up here. To see him in this movie is to see legendary comedic work, he delivers the lines in ways no one else could and always, in a way, plays it serious. His character is not sacrificed for comedy. He has created a real man who cries several times earning sympathy not pity or shame. Jason Segel is excellent, but long time fans knew he had it in him. The bigger surprise is how superb everyone else is. Kristen Bell fearlessly takes on the role of Sarah Marshall, and manages to never play the bitch, which so many actresses would have. Bell gives Marshall humanity even when we don't like her. This pays off big later in the film, when our perspective changes. Mila Kunis is a revelation in this film. Her role is so key to making the movie really work and she delivers perfection. She shows such an awareness of her acting that we have never seen from her in That 70's Show. She doesn't use tricks, her facial expressions are varied and real and her use of the tone of her voice is genius. Somewhat unknown actor Russel Brand is brilliant as Aldous Snow. The egotistical pop star is not the hardest part to play but he elevates his character beyond expectation. The four main players all deserver to be stars, and with this movie they show that that could be in either comedy or drama. The supporting cast is remarkable, led by Paul Rudd as a stoner surfer and Jonah Hill as a waiter obsessed with Aldous Snow.
It's a bold statement, but thanks to Judd Apatow I believe this to be the true golden age of comedies. Consistently, we are seeing comedies that while being hilarious manage to convey meaning as well as provide at least a little insight. It is truly a great time to be a lover of film. Especially when it seems there's always another great comedy around the corner. With Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the streak continues and Jason Segel has now emerged as a star and a superb writer. It seems the list of great actors, writers and directors working with Apatow keeps growing. So knowing that, let me suggest a scary thought. That even after living through The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad and Forgetting Sarah Marshall that the best is still to come.
Written by Jason Segel
Directed by Nicholas Stoller
Starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is yet another classic produced by Judd Apatow. This time the Freaks & Geeks alumni in the spotlight is Jason Segel. Segel wrote the script and has the starring role of Peter. Peter is a composer for the TV show "Crime Scene", the star of which is Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), his longtime girlfriend. Early on, Peter is dumped by Sarah in one of the better breakup scenes I have ever seen. Yes it's hilarious that Peter happens to be nude when she breaks the news but the performances are what's really impressive. Having difficulty getting over being single, Peter leaves for a vacation in Hawaii. However, it turns out Sarah is there, when he arrives, with her new boyfriend, a famous pop star named Aldous Snow (Russel Brand).
Yes, the plot in it's simplest form doesn't sound too great. In comparison to 40-Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up it seems almost sitcom-y. Luckily, that isn't the case. The plot merely provides a scenario for all the actors to shine. Also, it is evident that this was written straight from the heart, and the sincerity is quite powerful. The laughs come quick in this movie and they're big laughs at that, very few cheap jokes and gags to be found. Nearly every funny part comes from the strength of the writing or the acting rather than vulgarity or slap stick. That's not to say the movie isn't dirty, but it certainly is all in good taste. Some scenes are absolute magic.
Director Nicholas Stoller is a master of comedic editing. Flashbacks/forwards rush to the screen out of nowhere, and are gone just as quick, but they enhance the movie extensively. An example of this method is when Peter is asked by a friendly local to help cook a pig. The movie quickly flashes forward to Peter having to slaughter the animal. It's loud and surprising and is one of the funniest moments in the entire film. Stoller is another person Judd Apatow has been loyal to, having been a writer on the short-lived series Undeclared.
The performances are shockingly perfect. Apatow is known to have said that out of all the young actors he worked with on Freaks & Geeks, Jason Segel was the one he thought would make it big in movies first. For those unaware of the talented cast of the TV show, it included James Franco and Seth Rogen (who are reunited in the upcoming Pineapple Express). It's very easy to see why Judd thought that. Segel may be playing just another version of his character from Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared, but he has now mastered it. He has always been great at playing the sensitive, low self esteem guy, but Segel steps it up here. To see him in this movie is to see legendary comedic work, he delivers the lines in ways no one else could and always, in a way, plays it serious. His character is not sacrificed for comedy. He has created a real man who cries several times earning sympathy not pity or shame. Jason Segel is excellent, but long time fans knew he had it in him. The bigger surprise is how superb everyone else is. Kristen Bell fearlessly takes on the role of Sarah Marshall, and manages to never play the bitch, which so many actresses would have. Bell gives Marshall humanity even when we don't like her. This pays off big later in the film, when our perspective changes. Mila Kunis is a revelation in this film. Her role is so key to making the movie really work and she delivers perfection. She shows such an awareness of her acting that we have never seen from her in That 70's Show. She doesn't use tricks, her facial expressions are varied and real and her use of the tone of her voice is genius. Somewhat unknown actor Russel Brand is brilliant as Aldous Snow. The egotistical pop star is not the hardest part to play but he elevates his character beyond expectation. The four main players all deserver to be stars, and with this movie they show that that could be in either comedy or drama. The supporting cast is remarkable, led by Paul Rudd as a stoner surfer and Jonah Hill as a waiter obsessed with Aldous Snow.
It's a bold statement, but thanks to Judd Apatow I believe this to be the true golden age of comedies. Consistently, we are seeing comedies that while being hilarious manage to convey meaning as well as provide at least a little insight. It is truly a great time to be a lover of film. Especially when it seems there's always another great comedy around the corner. With Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the streak continues and Jason Segel has now emerged as a star and a superb writer. It seems the list of great actors, writers and directors working with Apatow keeps growing. So knowing that, let me suggest a scary thought. That even after living through The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad and Forgetting Sarah Marshall that the best is still to come.
April 21, 2008
The Tracey Fragments
New Movie Review.
Tracey Berkowitz: "When a horse falls, foam comes out of its mouth. When it falls, the legs of the horse thrash and the horse is no good... So somebody shoots it. The horse turns into glue. A machine puts the glue into bottles and children squeeze the bottles to get the glue out and stick bits of paper onto cards. Glue gets on the children's hands and the children eat the glue. And the children become the horse."
Written and Directed by Bruce McDonald
Starring Ellen Page
Tracey Berkowitz is a 15 year old girl, alone, in her underwear, on a bus, wrapped in a curtain. Perhaps she should rethink her life a little. Over the course of The Tracey Fragments, she does. She recounts the events that lead her to this moment. It all started when her brother, Sonny, went missing. What makes matters worse is that Tracey was in charge of her Little brother’s well-being. Her deadbeat parents are furious and distraught. Tracey decides it is her responsibility and sneaks out to search for her sibling.
Knowing Bruce Mcdonald, The Tracey Fragments is likely more than meets the eye (and what meets the eye is incredible). I believe that in Tracey we have a symbolic 15 year old. Thanks to society, she has been desensitized and exposed to too much too soon. Like so many young people today, primarily girls, she has been stripped of her innocence and forced to mature, leaving a strange mix of experience, anger and naivete'. Sonny, her young brother, who, through flashbacks, we only see acting as a dog represents her lost innocence. The ensuing journey then, is the all too relatable wild goose chase to reclaim what is lost forever. Perhaps a simple concept, but the complex presentation heightens the effect.
The film is composed with multiple frames at once (think 24 but way more experimental). Occasionally there is only a small box somewhere onscreen. Sometimes the screen is full with many angles and even separate scenes. The style takes some getting used to and isn't always perfect. However, this is the first time I have seen this, and it is revolutionary. I certainly hope to see this built upon in the future.
As for the acting, the supporting players are apt but minor. The one, giant role in this movie is a superb performance from Oscar-nominee Ellen Page. Like many, I have seen a few of Page's roles and am convinced of her award winning future. Tracey Berkowitz stands as Exhibit C for evidence of her immense talent, her surprising turn in Hard Candy being B and the now legendary Juno as A (however, I have been unable to see her genius in "An American Crime" as of yet). She is small and she is gargantuan, the somewhat provocative material appears to be a cakewalk for her. She suavely cusses without any minuscule sign of inhibition. Her eyes contain a remarkable vulnerability but there is power behind them, like a deceptive blue flame. I can not think of a better actress.
The Tracey Fragments is a successfully experimental film from legendary Canadian director, Bruce McDonald. It is certainly not for everyone. It is complex, and even with a 77 minute running time with multiple frames at once, the pacing requires patience and may deter most viewers. The moviegoer who appreciates more complex artistry should be more than satisfied. Powerful acting, interesting storytelling and original film making add up as quite the treat for the right audience. Such a tale of lost purity is all too poignant. Through Ellen Page's creation of Tracey Berkowitz, we see a girl chewed up, swallowed, and spit back out, used to the furthest extent. What evokes the greatest sadness, however, is that we see within her some remaining innocence, but there are only fragments.
Tracey Berkowitz: "When a horse falls, foam comes out of its mouth. When it falls, the legs of the horse thrash and the horse is no good... So somebody shoots it. The horse turns into glue. A machine puts the glue into bottles and children squeeze the bottles to get the glue out and stick bits of paper onto cards. Glue gets on the children's hands and the children eat the glue. And the children become the horse."Written and Directed by Bruce McDonald
Starring Ellen Page
Tracey Berkowitz is a 15 year old girl, alone, in her underwear, on a bus, wrapped in a curtain. Perhaps she should rethink her life a little. Over the course of The Tracey Fragments, she does. She recounts the events that lead her to this moment. It all started when her brother, Sonny, went missing. What makes matters worse is that Tracey was in charge of her Little brother’s well-being. Her deadbeat parents are furious and distraught. Tracey decides it is her responsibility and sneaks out to search for her sibling.
Knowing Bruce Mcdonald, The Tracey Fragments is likely more than meets the eye (and what meets the eye is incredible). I believe that in Tracey we have a symbolic 15 year old. Thanks to society, she has been desensitized and exposed to too much too soon. Like so many young people today, primarily girls, she has been stripped of her innocence and forced to mature, leaving a strange mix of experience, anger and naivete'. Sonny, her young brother, who, through flashbacks, we only see acting as a dog represents her lost innocence. The ensuing journey then, is the all too relatable wild goose chase to reclaim what is lost forever. Perhaps a simple concept, but the complex presentation heightens the effect.
The film is composed with multiple frames at once (think 24 but way more experimental). Occasionally there is only a small box somewhere onscreen. Sometimes the screen is full with many angles and even separate scenes. The style takes some getting used to and isn't always perfect. However, this is the first time I have seen this, and it is revolutionary. I certainly hope to see this built upon in the future.
As for the acting, the supporting players are apt but minor. The one, giant role in this movie is a superb performance from Oscar-nominee Ellen Page. Like many, I have seen a few of Page's roles and am convinced of her award winning future. Tracey Berkowitz stands as Exhibit C for evidence of her immense talent, her surprising turn in Hard Candy being B and the now legendary Juno as A (however, I have been unable to see her genius in "An American Crime" as of yet). She is small and she is gargantuan, the somewhat provocative material appears to be a cakewalk for her. She suavely cusses without any minuscule sign of inhibition. Her eyes contain a remarkable vulnerability but there is power behind them, like a deceptive blue flame. I can not think of a better actress.
The Tracey Fragments is a successfully experimental film from legendary Canadian director, Bruce McDonald. It is certainly not for everyone. It is complex, and even with a 77 minute running time with multiple frames at once, the pacing requires patience and may deter most viewers. The moviegoer who appreciates more complex artistry should be more than satisfied. Powerful acting, interesting storytelling and original film making add up as quite the treat for the right audience. Such a tale of lost purity is all too poignant. Through Ellen Page's creation of Tracey Berkowitz, we see a girl chewed up, swallowed, and spit back out, used to the furthest extent. What evokes the greatest sadness, however, is that we see within her some remaining innocence, but there are only fragments.
April 17, 2008
I'm Going To Disneyland!
Right now, I'm sitting at the Vancouver International Airport waiting to board my flight to L.A. As I am going to Disneyland with my girlfriend, Nicole. I will not be back until the 24th, and I may not get a chance to post while I am down here. So, I shall leave with this video...
...and I actually had to board my flight without posting this, so what started in Vancouver is now in Anaheim. I have free internet, so I will be able to post. First up, a review of The Tracey Fragments which should be up within the next 48 hours.
...and I actually had to board my flight without posting this, so what started in Vancouver is now in Anaheim. I have free internet, so I will be able to post. First up, a review of The Tracey Fragments which should be up within the next 48 hours.
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