Poop Sandwich

Going the Distance to the Last American Afterlife with a Machete

Lydia — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:54:59 +0000

Synopsis

Experience a new dimension in action horror as director Paul W.S. Anderson uses the 3D technology pioneered by James Cameron and Vincent Pace to take movie lovers on a nightmare thrill-ride. It’s been five years since the zombie virus swept across the globe, and Alice (Milla Jovovich) is still traveling tirelessly in search of survivors. When the Umbrella Corporation ratchets up the stakes, an old friend turns up to lend Alice a helping hand. Rumor has it that some survivors have found sanctuary in Los Angeles, but when Alice and friends show up they find the city overrun with zombies, and quickly realize they’ve stumbled into a diabolical trap. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Review

Milla Jovovich really is a great action movie actress and gets underutilized as one. I liked the first Resident Evil very much, but they have gotten less interesting as the series has gone on. Do we really need another Resident Evil film? Does it really need to be in 3D? No, no we don’t. But I do think we need more original, cool action films starring Milla.

Synopsis

Robert Rodriguez brings a new breed of anti-hero to the big screen in this hyper-violent adaptation of the “fake” trailer originally featured in the 2007 double-feature exploitation throwback Grindhouse. Machete (Danny Trejo) is a former Mexican Federale who plays by his own rules, and doesn’t answer to anybody. In the wake of a harrowing encounter with feared drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal), Machete finds himself in Texas, where the shadowy Benz (Jeff Fahey) offers him the opportunity to make some quick cash by assassinating the unscrupulous Senator McLaughlin (Robert DeNiro). When the job goes awry and Machete realizes he’s been set up, he turns to fierce taco queen Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), heavily-armed holy man Padre (Cheech Marin), and trigger-happy socialite April (Lindsay Lohan) to show Benz that he just messed with the wrong Mexican. But before they can get to Benz, Machete’s gang will have to contend with blade-wielding ICE agent Sartana (Jessica Alba), who never met an adversary she couldn’t flay. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Review

Robert Rodriguez is the man. I love his work. And I love that he made a trailer for a grindhouse film and then made the actual film after it was super popular. I love the premise of this film as well. And I like the cast. I’m not sure that this will be his tour-de-force; It’s more likely to be a fun diversion…a very bloody and violent, fun diversion. But I’ll be at the theatre to support it and Robert and films made in Austin, TX.

Synopsis

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star in this romantic comedy about a long-distance romance that may be worth fighting for. Garrett (Long) is still nursing the wounds from a recent breakup when he meets Erin (Barrymore), an unflinchingly honest girl with a big talent for bar trivia. Hitting it off immediately, the pair spend a romantic summer together in New York City. It was supposed to be a summer fling, but as fall approaches and Erin returns to San Francisco, the spark is still there. Subsequently dividing his days between working and hitting the bars with best friends Box (Jason Sudeikis) and Dan (Charlie Day), Garrett drops everything whenever Erin calls. The more Garrett’s phone rings, the more his pals begin to suspect that their drinking buddy is taking the relationship a little too seriously. And they’re not the only ones; Erin’s sister, Corrine (Christina Applegate), is keen to ensure that her smitten sibling doesn’t repeat the mistakes of her past, and she makes no attempts to sugarcoat the fact that she disapproves of the coast-to-coast romance. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and as the texting becomes more intense, both Garrett and Erin start to suspect that their summer fling may just be the real thing. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Review

The only thing that makes me think this film will be watchable is the cast. particularly Jason Sudeikis and the awesome Charlie Day. Other wise the plot sounds tedious and predictable…like most romantic comedies. But Drew Barrymore does have some charm, and the supporting cast is funny, so who knows. Maybe it’ll be good. Still, I’ll wait and see it on HBO.

Synopsis

In the aftermath of a job gone awry, an American hitman retreats to the Italian countryside, where he befriends a local priest and strikes up an unexpected romance while awaiting the details of his next assignment. Jack (George Clooney) is lucky to be alive after his Swedish assignment went sour, and he knows that it’s only a matter of time before his luck runs out. Not eager to tempt fate again, Jack arrives in a small Italian town and takes a job assembling a weapon for the mysterious Mathilde (Thekla Reuten). During this uncharacteristically peaceful interlude, Jack befriends kindly clergyman Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli), and connects with pretty local Clara (Violante Placido). But in the process of reaching out for a little human contact, Jack is making himself more vulnerable than ever. Adapted from the novel A Very Private Gentleman by author Martin Booth. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Review

Of all the films out right now, I’d say this is your best bet if you want to see a good film. George Clooney is always charming and interesting, and I like the 70′s style of the film. Plus it’s set in Italy, which is always good. I’d say this one is worth paying to see.

Synopsis

When he arrives on the rural Louisiana farm of Louis Sweetzer, the Reverend Cotton Marcus expects to perform just another routine “exorcism” on a disturbed religious fanatic. An earnest fundamentalist, Sweetzer has contacted the charismatic preacher as a last resort, certain his teenage daughter Nell is possessed by a demon who must be exorcized before their terrifying ordeal ends in unimaginable tragedy. Buckling under the weight of his conscience after years of parting desperate believers with their money, Cotton and his crew plan to film a confessionary documentary of this, his last exorcism. But upon arriving at the already blood drenched family farm, it is soon clear that nothing could have prepared him for the true evil he encounters there. Now, too late to turn back, Reverend Marcus’ own beliefs are shaken to the core when he and his crew must find a way to save Nell – and themselves – before it is too late.

Review

I just don’t find most horror films very interesting. And most of them are also not very scary. I doubt this one will be anything special either. Unless you’re a teenager, you should avoid this film.

Scream!

Lydia — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:55:56 +0000

This is awesome. Apparently there is a particular scream called the Wilhelm scream that is used over and over in movies. Check out the video and the article below. –Lydia

Hit video game features film’s most famous scream

by Mike Smith

August 13 4:54 P.M.

Pop quiz: what does a plummeting Death Star stormtrooper in the original Star Wars, a defeated Nazi in Raiders of the Lost Ark, a dive-bombed hunter in Howard the Duck, and a fallen cowboy in 2010 hit video game Red Dead Redemption have in common?

Movie buffs will know the answer, but the rest of us may have to listen more closely: they all utter the same scream as they perish.

The famous sound-effect is called the Wilhelm scream — named after one of the first characters to use it on screen — and it’s become a favorite in-joke of sound directors and film fans.

Originally created for 1951 western “Distant Drums,” the distinctive scream was uttered by a soldier after being bitten by a crocodile. Its next appearance — hollered by a character named “Private Wilhelm” in 1953 cowboys-and-Indians flick “The Charge at Feather River” — gave it its name. From there, it found its way into a stock sound effects library used by Warner Bros. and was soon featured in many more movies during the 50s.

But it wasn’t until the late 1970s that the Wilhelm would rise to prominence, thanks largely to the efforts of Ben Burtt, the celebrated sound designer behind many of Star Wars’ iconic audio effects. Burtt liked the sound so much, he used it in many movies during the late 70s and 80s, including the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones films. Other soundmen followed suit, and you’ll be able to spot it in a seriously diverse set of movies, like Toy Story, Gremlins II, Reservoir Dogs, and even The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

In Red Dead Redemption, it turns up all over the place — usually as you shoot an opponent off his horse. Here’s an example that takes place during the mission “We Shall Be Together in Paradise,” as the game’s lead, John Marston, is fighting his way along the San Luis river, picking off attackers that line the south bank.

What to see this weekend: Uh…

Lydia — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Deadly piranhas? An ugly nanny? A stupid comedy about semen mishap? And another stupid comedy with base humor? Great weekend for movies.

I’m too tired and too upset about having sat through The Expendables to give these much thought. Here’s what I’ll say. Unfortunately, Nanny McPhee is probably your best option for a new film this weekend. The only other option is the over-the-top, kitschy Piranhas 3D, which could be fun if you like gore and are drunk.

I recommend you go see Scott Pilgrim instead. It’s incredibly entertaining and is going to be dramatically better than any of the new films out this week, and probably than any other film currently out (not counting Toy Story 3 and Inception, of course).

Battleship: The Movie

Lydia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:49:25 +0000

Over $200 mil so far and Rhianna is the biggest name in the film? Aliens at sea? Sounds like a disaster to me! –Lydia

Costly “Battleship” setting sail in rough waters (Reuters)

Source: Reuters Fri Aug 13, 2010, 7:23 am EDT

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – As “Battleship” steams toward a start date this month, the pricey adaptation of the Hasbro board game is entering deep, treacherous waters.

With a budget of $200 million or more and no major movie stars on board, the Universal project is raising eyebrows among industry insiders who question whether the expensive gamble will pay off when the film comes out in 2012.

“It’s a big bet like many, many big bets from many studios,” Universal chairman Adam Fogelson told The Hollywood Reporter. “We will be nowhere near the high point and nowhere near the low point of what people are spending.”

But several huge questions hover over “Battleship” — which begins filming in 15 days in Hawaii — that simply don’t apply to other big-ticket movies. In “Battleship,” Universal has a director, Peter Berg, with some experience in action films, but he’s not a brand name in the genre. And the concept is based on a board game that has sold more than 100 million units and raked in $1 billion-plus. This comes at a time when some studio executives wonder if the public is tiring of the presold concepts to which Hollywood has been clinging.

By far the most significant entry from the relatively new regime of Fogelson and co-chairman Donna Langley, “Battleship” is based on the Hasbro game about naval strategy that has been around since World War I. Berg has come up with a modern twist: making “Battleship” a movie about an alien invasion at sea.

But the grief and financial woe brought about over the years by oceanic epics — think “Waterworld” — is a part of Hollywood history.

Adding to the pressure: new bosses at Comcast waiting to finalize the acquisition of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. Aside from “Despicable Me,” the studio has been on a cold streak and at the same time is developing a reputation for bloated budgets.

Universal’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” opening Friday, cost $80 million-$90 million (the studio puts the number at closer to $60 million) — rather pricey for a genre movie based on a cult comic book. Last year, the studio spent $100 million on the Adam Sandler comedy “Funny People,” compared with the more modest $60 million that Paramount, DreamWorks and Spyglass spent recently on a comparable film, “Dinner for Schmucks.”

Executives even considered scuttling “Battleship” in June, sources said. Such a move isn’t unprecedented: Universal did that with “Cartel” five weeks before the Josh Brolin crime drama was to shoot this year in Mexico City, and with “American Gangster,” the Russell Crowe-Denzel Washington crime drama that came back to life with a smaller budget.

Fogelson denied the project was ever in jeopardy and said the studio was firmly committed based on Berg’s vision for the film. Berg, whose previous movie was 2008′s “Hancock” for Sony, is the son of a naval historian, and he wrote a high-school essay about how the Japanese could have won the Battle of Midway. He also directed the 2004 feature “Friday Night Lights” and 2007′s “The Kingdom,” both for Universal.

“He has a very strong passion and affinity for this material,” Fogelson said. “He is a fan of the history and the current state of the military. He knows that world really, really well, and he is inspirational when he is talking about it.”

Fogelson said he wasn’t concerned about Berg’s relative lack of experience on action films.

“He made ‘Hancock,’ so Will Smith thought he was a good choice for an effects-driven spectacle that cost a lot of money,” he said. Hancock grossed $624 million worldwide on a $150 million budget. Unlike “Battleship,” however, it featured a big movie star in Smith.

Fogelson maintains that “Battleship” doesn’t need a big star and in fact is well-cast. The topliners are Taylor Kitsch (“Friday Night Lights”) and R&B singer Rihanna, making her feature debut.

“Taylor is on the shortlist of actors in this range,” Fogelson said. “Rihanna has no shortage of opportunities and choices.”

Fogelson was not worried about audiences warming to a movie based on a board game, either.

“You’re talking about a property that worldwide has more awareness than most, if not all, of Hasbro properties that preceded it,” he said. “Worldwide, more people have played Battleship than played with Transformers.” The first two films in the latter franchise have grossed more than $1.5 billion worldwide for the studio, and a third is shooting in Chicago.

Fogelson said Universal carefully evaluated specific aspects of the game that would work for the film. “The game has not included a battle between Earth and alien forces,” he acknowledged, but he cited several aspects of it that will be reflected in the film.

“There’s the fact that you can’t see your opponent, the underlying emotional reasons behind who plays the game and how they play the game,” Fogelson said. “There’s absolutely a way within the story that’s been constructed here to take advantage of the game’s name and elements that will make the movie fun.”

Fogelson also said the studio has planned carefully in preparing to shoot on the water, dismissing critics citing the “water issue.” If water movies were invariably troubled, he said, “Disney shouldn’t have made ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’”

That franchise has brought in $1.6 billion; Disney, in fact, has tightened its script for the now-shooting “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” to make it less water-based than the previous films.

Universal was swamped with negative press in 1995 when it produced Kevin Costner‘s “Waterworld,” which had a budget that soared to a then-record $175 million. The troubled production had to deal with a set-destroying hurricane, and Costner seemed lost at sea as a director. James Cameron also faced much-publicized challenges while making “The Abyss,” which ended up grossing $54 million in 1989.

One way Universal has kept “Battleship” from capsizing was organizing the shoot in a way that keeps it on land as much as possible. At this point, the plan calls for only five days of production on the water, with the remainder of the five-week shoot in Hawaii land-based. The rest of the sea action will be shot on soundstages in Baton Rouge, La., and the production will be CGI-heavy.

One heartening reality Universal and Berg can recall as they press forward: It wasn’t until 1997, almost a decade after “Abyss,” that Cameron headed back to the water with a hugely budgeted project that throughout its production was seen as teetering on the brink of disaster. That, of course, was “Titanic.”

Pixar: Win!

Lydia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:41:24 +0000

“Toy Story 3″ top-grossing animated film of all time (Reuters)

Source: Reuters Fri Aug 13, 2010, 8:26 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Woody and his pals have elbowed aside the green ogre, with Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 3″ climbing above Paramount/DreamWorks’ “Shrek 2″ to become the top-grossing animated film worldwide.

Walt Disney Studios announced Friday that “Toy” has taken in $920 million at the global box office, topping “Shrek’s” $919.8 million. Globally, it’s Disney’s fourth-highest-grossing film, trailing two of the installments in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and Tim Burton‘s “Alice in Wonderland.”

The 3D toon also has crossed the $400 million mark domestically, the second Disney film to hit that level, after 2006′s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” which took in $423 million domestically.

In 1995, Pixar launched the “Toy Story” franchise, with its central characters of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and their fellow toys.

Released June 18, “Toy Story 3,” directed by Lee Unkrich, recorded Pixar’s highest-grossing opening weekend, taking in $109 million in North America, and was the 11th Disney/Pixar title to debut in the No. 1 position on its opening weekend of wide release. The movie will be released on Blu-ray and DVD November 2.

MGM going down the crapper!

Lydia — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:44:53 +0000

The chance of bankruptcy at MGM grows

Lenders could offer new capital to keep Bond movie rights

By Carl DiOrio

Things are going so badly with MGM’s restructuring review that a forced bankruptcy is a real possibility by Sept. 15.

Then again, lenders don’t want to lose control of the studio’s lucrative James Bond movie rights. So one of them could still dig deeper to provide enough new equity capital to make a voluntary restructuring feasible.

Or if that option fails, the Century City studio could obtain a seventh extension of its debt forbearance agreement with its 100-plus lenders.

In any case, little more than a month before $400 million-plus in owed debt and interest payments come due, this much is certain: Frustration has never been higher with the more than yearlong effort to heal the ailing Lion.

“It’s kind of become a joke,” said an exec at one of the companies considering a strategic partnership with MGM. “There is a real fatigue among the lenders after all of the forbearance agreements.”

The studio has secured six forbearance agreements, or delays of the deadline for paying principal and interest on its senior bank debt. Strapped by almost $4 billion in total corporate debt, MGM repeatedly has gotten lenders to postpone recoupment of a $250 million revolving credit facility and $200 million or so in related interest payments.

Certainly, the array of possibilities have grown no more appetizing since the Lion fired MGM chief Harry Sloan after a failed months-long search for studio financing. Its more concerted search for restructuring options kicked in the following November, when it formally retained the Moelis & Co. consultancy.

A forced bankruptcy reorganization — like any prepackaged deal — would shift MGM ownership from a current consortium to studio debtholders. But it also likely would spell the end of MGM’s role as a film producer or distributor.

Several major film projects already have been stalled by the studio’s financial ill-health, including the next James Bond pic and two films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book “The Hobbit.” Other projects treading water include a planned “Three Stooges” movie and a “Robocop” remake.

Should the studio be forced into bankruptcy court, it still could keep the lights on by shifting money tagged for debt interest payments to administrative purposes. But overhead, including exec salaries in the moribund film-production division, likely would be pared dramatically.

As for the fear of losing control of 007 rights, there is no legal consensus on whether lenders would lose those rights in the event of a forced bankruptcy. But such concern has been enough to force lenders to agree to the half-dozen debt payment extensions.

J.P. Morgan leads a steering committee representing the broader group of MGM lenders, which is also getting advice from the Houlihan Lokey advisory firm.

X-Men: First Class updates

Lydia — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:18:44 +0000

The best part of the X-men movies, and the heart of the comics too, is the relationship between Professor X and Magneto, played perfectly by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. The first film was good overall and the sequels not terrible, until you get to the Wolverine spin-off, which even Hugh Jackman’s talents couldn’t save.

A new spin-off has just begun filming, X-men: First Class, and it focuses on that conflict between Xavier and Magneto. Here’s the plot summary: Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-MEN.

I like the concept for the film very much, but I worry about new actors playing the leads. Also Bryan Singer isn’t directing due to scheduling conflicts, but at least he’s the producer.

James McAvoy is going to play young Xavier. His biggest role so far (besides Mr. Tumnus in the Lion Witch & Wardrobe) is the kid in Wanted. I’m not too impressed. Michael Fassbender is playing Magneto. He does look the part and he was in Inglorious Basterds, so I have higher hopes for him.

One person I’m interested in is Nicholas Hoult. He played the boy in About A Boy and he was very good in that. He’s set to play the Beast in First Class. He also is going to be in the new Mad Max movie. He’s suddenly doing well after quite a few years of nothing much. I like him and I love the Beast, so I’m interested to see how he does.

Other characters in the new X-men movie are Emma Frost. Mystique, Banshee, Havok, Darwin, and Kevin Bacon.

Batman 3: Gotham

Lydia — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:19:37 +0000

Roger Ebert posted a link to this blog which has pages it claims is from the new Christopher Nolan Batman movie telling the story of the Penguin’s origin. Ebert says he doubts it’s real, and I do too, but mostly because it lists Jonah Hill as playing the Penguin. It also says Catwoman and The Riddler are in the film.

Well, I guess we’ll have to wait and see! Here’s the link.

http://gothamakabatman3.blogspot.com/

Eat, Pray, & Step Up to the Expendable Good Guys Vs. the World

Lydia — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:23:31 +0000

Synopsis

New York’s intense street dancing underground comes alive in eye-popping Digital 3D in the third installment of the “Step Up” franchise as the raw, passion-fueled culture goes global. A tight-knit group of street dancers, including Luke (Rick Malambri) and Natalie (Sharni Vinson), team up with NYU freshman Moose (Adam Sevani), and find themselves pitted against the world’s best hip hop dancers in a high-stakes showdown that will change their lives forever.

Review

I just saw Step Up 2 The Streets last weekend and, although it was very predictable and not too realistic, it wasn’t that bad. I kind of enjoyed it. So maybe this film will be entertaining too. I’m sure it will also be very predictable and not too realistic, but, if you like dance movies, you might have a good time watching people kick you in the face in 3D.

Synopsis

A desk-jockey detective and his tough-talking partner get their moment to shine in this buddy police comedy starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and directed by Adam McKay (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby). New York City detective Allen Gamble (Ferrell) is more comfortable pushing pencils than busting bad guys. A meticulous forensic accountant, his numbers are never off. Detective Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) is Gamble’s reluctant partner. Try as Detective Hoitz might to get back on the streets, an embarrassing encounter with Derek Jeter has left a sizable black mark on his permanent record. Detectives Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) are the complete opposites of Gamble and Hoitz: unwaveringly confident, they always get their man, and they do it with style to spare. When the time comes for Gamble and Hoitz to prove their mettle and save the day, their incompetence becomes the stuff of legend. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Review

I do love Will Ferrell, and the director of this film also directed my favorite Ferrell films, so that is a good sign, I think. There is a distinct possibility that this film will be dumb, not funny, but going on the trailers, the hilarious MTV Movie Awards performance, and the previous work of the director, I say this one is worth a shot. I’m in.

Synopsis

An all-star cast of action-movie icons headline Sylvester Stallone’s explosive action thriller about a group of hard-nosed mercenaries who are double-crossed during a treacherous mission. Approached by the shadowy Church to overthrow tyrannical South American dictator General Gaza (David Zayas) and restore order to the troubled island country of Vilena, stoic soldier of fortune Barney Ross (Stallone) rounds up an unstoppable team that includes former SAS soldier and blade specialist Lee Christmas (Jason Statham); martial arts expert Yin (Jet Li); trigger-happy Hale Caesar (Terry Crews); cerebral demolitions expert Toll Road (Randy Couture); and haunted sniper Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), a combat veteran who never misses his mark. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Review

This film does, indeed, as the poster claims, have a great cast. I love the idea of this film. However I worry at the execution of it. It feels like a great idea with no follow through. I have a hunch it’s not going to be as cool as it could have been. I’ll be checking it out on Netflix next year, I think.

Synopsis

A woman who once made it her goal in life to marry and rear a family finds her priorities suddenly shifting in Ryan Murphy and Jennifer Salt’s adaptation of author Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling memoir. In the eyes of many, Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) was a woman who had it all — a loving husband, a great career, and a weekend home — but sometimes one realizes too little too late that they haven’t gotten what they truly wanted from life. On the heels of a painful divorce, the woman who had previously looked forward to a contented life of domestic bliss sets out to seek her true destiny by traveling first to Italy, where she learns to appreciate nourishment; then to India, where she discovers the power of prayer; and finally to Bali, where she unexpectedly finds the meaning of true love. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Review

YES. I read the book and loved it. Julia Roberts is perfect casting. I love the concept of this true story. I will be dragging Benny to the theater to see this one as soon as possible. It’s a real life fantasy and fairytale story and I can’t wait to see in the movie what Liz Gilbert got to see in real life. Oh, Italy…

Synopsis

Based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Oni Press comic book of the same name, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows the eponymous slacker rocker on his colorful quest to defeat his dream girl’s seven evil ex-boyfriends. Twenty-two-year-old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) may not have a job, but rocking the bass for his band, Sex Bob-omb, is a tough job unto itself. When Scott locks eyes with Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he knows she’s the girl he wants to grow old with. But Ramona has some serious baggage; her supercharged exes rue the thought of her being with another man, and they’ll crush any guy who gives her a second glance. Now, in order to win Ramona’s heart, Scott will do battle with everyone from vegan-powered rock gods to sinister skateboarders, never losing sight of his gorgeous goal as he pummels his way to victory.~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Review

I haven’t read the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, but I have a few friends who are peeing all over themselves with excitement over this film, so I have to give it the benefit of the doubt. The style of the film looks fun and I imagine the film will be very entertaining to watch. I’m not super excited to see it personally, but I’m going to recommend it because I’ll probably get yelled at if I don’t. Yay, Scott Pilgrim…I guess.

Sundance Favorite Finally Gets Released After Thirteen Years

Lydia — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:01:47 +0000

This is a really cool story. I can’t wait to see the film! -L

by Jonathan Crow · August 3, 2010

Back in 1997, “Colin Fitz Lives!” was the darling of the Sundance film festival. The low-budget comedy was praised by Roger Ebert and Harry Knowles. It went on to win a slew of film fest awards and looked poised to be another breakout indie hit like Kevin Smith’s “Clerks”, Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs” and Robert Rodriquez’s “El Mariachi.”

Instead, the movie just disappeared.

Over the years, “Colin Fitz Lives!” developed into something of a legend in the indie world. Fans everywhere wondered when the “greatest film never released” — as it was dubbed by the San Francisco Chronicle — was ever going to hit their local theater. Fourteen years and three presidents later, the movie is finally about to get its theatrical due.

So what happened? As director Robert Bella describes in an essay that appeared in Indiewire.com, the short answer is crippling debt.

Back in the days before the Internet, Bella was a struggling actor with dreams of directing when he came across a script written by his friend Tom Morrissey — a tale about two clueless security guards posted at the grave of Colin Fitz, a dead rock star with a very obsessive fan base.

Even though he had never directed a thing, much less went to film school, Bella decided to make the movie.

At first, the stars seemed to align for the budding filmmaker. He managed to line up an impressive array of actors — including William H. Macy (“Fargo”), Martha Plimpton (“The Goonies”) and John C. McGinley (“Scrubs”) — provided that he shoot immediately.

Bella had $50,000 of his own cash he was willing to put into the project and managed to raise another $100K. With today’s cheap digital video cameras and editing software, that would be plenty to finish a feature film. But that wasn’t the case in the analog ’90s when it was commonly understood that shooting, cutting and printing a feature film would cost a half million dollars.

His plan was shoot first and raise money for post production later. Yet not long after production wrapped and with his coffers depleted, Bella received a call from Sundance with an offer he couldn’t refuse. “The good news: The film had been accepted into Dramatic Competition. The bad news: A 35mm print had to be in Park City, Utah. In eight weeks.”

So he did what every budding indie filmmaker would do in that situation: He maxed out 20 credit cards to raise the money needed to make a finished print of the film.

In spite of the warm reception “Colin Fitz Lives” got at Sundance, Bella soon discovered none of the distribution deals offered would cover his costs. When it was all added up, including music rights, lab fees, and deferred salaries, the filmmaker realized that he would owe about $250,000.

The amount proved to be crippling for the struggling filmmaker; he was financially wrecked and his movie was in hock. He even wound up on the street for a spell. “I had called in so many favors, crashed on so many couches, and borrowed so much money from friends and relatives that I simply could not bear to ask for yet one more favor. So, I slept in a storage space. Along with all my worldly possessions.”

It took six years for Bella to dig himself out of personal debt and another eight to buy back his movie from his creditors. Along the way, he managed to direct a few other low-budget movies and act in a handful of others. Then not long after managed to buy back his cut negatives from the lab, he was casually approached by Arianna Bocco of IFC Films.

“‘What ever happened with ‘Colin Fitz’?” [she asked.]
I told her, ‘It’s sitting in my closet. Wanna buy it?’
Lo and behold, she said: “Sure!’

I couldn’t believe it. After all those years – it was just that easy.”

“Colin Fitz Lives!” comes out on demand August 4 and then in a limited theatrical release August 6.