Public Enemies - What Did You Think?
As IMAX technology has become a more popular filmmaking process over the past few years, we’ve tried to keep up with it as much as we can here at /Film. Just this past week, I wrote about how the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen IMAX experience compares unfavorably with The Dark Knight from last year. I’ve also urged people to see Watchmen in regular format before you check it out in IMAX. On this week’s episode of The Totally Rad Show, /Film friend Dan Trachtenberg opined that the Transformers IMAX experience rendered the action scenes virtually unwatchable. This raised the question for me: With ticket prices already high as they are, is the IMAX experience really worth it?
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/Filmcast Ep. 57 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (GUEST: Quint from Aint It Cool News)
Posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 by David Chen
In this episode of the /Filmcast, David Chen, Devindra Hardawar and Adam Quigley share their feelings on an Uncharted movie; get excited about a Facebook film based on Ben Mezrich’s new book; try not to think about the American Werewolf in London remake; mourn the passing of an influential pop star; and find there’s a lot less to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen than meets the eye. Special guest Eric Vespe (AKA Quint) from Aint It Cool News joins us.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us next Monday at 9 PM EST / 6 PM PST at Slashfilm’s live page as we review Public Enemies.
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The /Filmcast: After Dark - Ep. 56 - Movie Food and Favorite Song Usages (GUEST: Matt Singer from IFC News)
Posted on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 by David Chen
The /Filmcast: After Dark is a recording of what happens right after The /Filmcast is over, when the kids have gone to bed and the guys feel free to speak whatever is on their minds. In other words, it’s the leftover and disorganized ramblings, mindfarts, and brain diarrhea from The /Filmcast, all in one convenient audio file. In this episode, Dave Chen, Devindra Hardawar, and Adam Quigley discuss their favorite movie food scenes, praise the hilarity of Dog Bites Man, remember their favorite movie soundtrack song usages, and figure out exactly how many slices of American cheese Homer Simpson ate that fateful night. Special guest Matt Singer joins us from IFC News and the IFC News podcast.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us next MONDAY night at Slashfilm’s live page at 9 PM EST / 6 PM PST as we review Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
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The /Filmcast Interview: Director Kathryn Bigelow and Writer Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker)
Posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 by David Chen
The /Filmcast Interview is a series of conversations with actors, directors, and other key figures from the entertainment industry. In this episode, David Chen speaks with writer Mark Boal and legendary director Kathryn Bigelow about the process of creating their exciting new film, The Hurt Locker.
From the film’s production notes: “The Hurt Locker is a riveting suspenseful portrait of the courage under fire of the military’s unrecognized heroes: the technicians of a bomb squad who volunteer to challenge the odds and save lives in one of the world’s most dangerous places.” I’ve seen the film and think that it’s remarkable, functioning as both an gripping action film and a moody war movie. Certainly for any /Film readers out there, it’s definitely worthy of your attention. The movie is out in theaters today in NY/LA and will expand wider in the weeks to come.
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Have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Want to be interviewed on the /Filmcast? Feel free to e-mail us at slashfilmcast@gmail.com. You can also call and leave a voicemail at (781) 583-1993.
Question: What Are Your Favorite Movies Featuring Anachronistic Characters?
Posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 by David Chen
This past week saw the release of Harold Ramis’ Year One, with an all-star cast featuring Michael Cera, Jack Black, David Cross, Paul Rudd, etc. While the film had a few laughs, overall, we thought it was poorly put together and not really worthy of Ramis’ glory days. The script is half-baked, most of the humor is juvenile, and many scenes from the film seem truncated, with probably a lot of material left on the cutting room floor.
One thing that the film constantly mines for laughs is the fact that Jack Black and Michael Cera act very much like fish-out-of-water in the Biblical setting. The interplay between them and the other characters, who behave very much like they are part of the correct time period, helps to generate a lot of the awkward situations (and hopefully, hilarity!). On this week’s episode of The Totally Rad Show, /Film friend Dan Trachtenberg made a comparison to Shanghai Noon, in which Owen Wilson’s cowboy character acts like he’s…Owen Wilson from America, circa the 1990s.
Charlie’s Angels Actress Farrah Fawcett Dies of Cancer at Age 62
Posted on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 by David Chen
Actress Farrah Fawcett, perhaps best known for her role as Jill Munroe in Charlie’s Angels, died today of cancer at the age of 62. In the 1970s, her role in Charlie’s Angels, combined with her marriage to actor Lee Majors and her appearance in an iconic pin-up poster (which sold 12 million copies), made her a celebrity.
Fawcett went on to appear in films such as The Cannonball Run, The Apostle, and Logan’s Run. She also starred in the TV movies such as The Burning Bed, and more recently, appeared in a documentary about her struggle with cancer, Farrah’s Story. That documentary aired on NBC this past May, and followed Fawcett in her attempts to treat her illness. She is survived by her longtime partner, Ryan O’Neal, and their 24-year old son, Raymond. Feel free to leave remembrances and tributes in the comments below.
/Filmcast Ep. 56 - Year One (GUEST: Matt Singer from IFC News)
Posted on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 by David Chen
In this episode of the /Filmcast, David Chen, Devindra Hardawar and Adam Quigley discuss how terrible the Antichrist videogame will be, explain why Christopher Nolan directing the third Batman film would be a no-win situation, and wonder if there’s anything to get excited about in an 5th Indiana Jones film. Special guest Matt Singer joins us from IFC News and the IFC News podcast.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us next Monday at 9 PM EST / 6 PM PST at Slashfilm’s live page as we review Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
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On Sponsored Posts and /Film’s Editorial Policies — Update: Away We Go
Posted on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 by David Chen
Update From Peter Sciretta:
Hey guys,
What a day… All of this went down right before I boarded a plane, and I just got to my hotel and would like to offer an additional update. I would like to say first off that I deeply regret that our actions may have cast any sort of disparaging light on Focus Features, Away We Go or the filmmakers in anyway. We along with our advertising agency, Gorilla Nation, take full responsibility for the presentation of the Sam Mendes editorial and understand that it was misleading and inappropriate. The decision to create an added value sponsored editorial was Gorilla Nation’s idea and was not suggested, seen or approved by Focus Features or their Agency. And as Dave mentions below, we weren’t even paid for the post itself.We came up with the idea to do the timeline/retrospective, which our ad agency, Gorilla Nation, then submitted to Focus Features. Focus was unaware that the feature would be presented as an editorial analysis written by one of /Film’s staff writers. When Focus executives saw the piece,which was at the same time as our readers did, they had the same reaction as many of you in that they did not condone paid editorial. Our conversations have taken place exclusively with Gorilla Nation, and we have had no direct contact with Focus Features or their agency over this editorial. I want to make that clear.
That said, I want to reiterate what Dave said below: We have listened to the feedback from our readers and colleagues, and have decided that sponsored editorials is not something we want to be involved with. We have always been honest with you guys, even in our disclosure of the sponsored editorial, and I wouldn’t want to lose the trust that we have built with you over the past few years.
Peter
Original Update from David Chen:
Earlier this morning, we put up a post on /Film that featured a brief look at the works of Sam Mendes. At the beginning of the article, we included the following text: “This post is sponsored by Focus Features - See Sam Mendes’ new movie Away We Go in Theaters Now!” The wording of this preamble and what it implies has sparked criticism from both readers and colleagues, and has called into question the journalistic integrity of the site as a whole. Since Twitter and /Film comments aren’t the best venues for a reasoned and elaborate discussion about these matters, I’m going to try to explain the circumstances under which this article was created, and why we made the decision to publish it. In brief, we were not paid in exchange for running that article. Details about this will follow after the jump, for those who are interested.
Before I explain any of that though, I will say that we are concerned and aware of your responses to this article. We also understand that our actions do not occur in a vacuum, that they affect other movie bloggers as well. While the realities underlying the situation are too complex to explain in one sentence, please understand that we have heard your comments and from this point on, it will be the policy of /Film not to run sponsored editorials.
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How The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen IMAX Experience Compares with The Dark Knight
Posted on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 by David Chen
Last summer, Christopher Nolan wowed IMAX audiences by shooting the establishing shots and several action sequences of The Dark Knight in IMAX. Many were concerned that the effect would be jarring: Since only a few sequences were shot in IMAX, the picture would have to switch back and forth between a widescreen presentation and a native 70mm IMAX presentation (which filled up the entire whole, square-shaped frame).
Nonetheless, in the context of the film, these swaps made sense. The resulting establishing shots gave Gotham city a feeling of grandeur and openness unique to the IMAX format. The action scenes, already visually spectacular, took on a heightened immediacy and drama.
That’s why I was excited to hear that the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen would feature four scenes shot in native IMAX, and that the IMAX version of the film would be slightly longer with more robot fighting. Would the IMAX presentation enhance the film, as it did for The Dark Knight? Read onwards to learn what to expect when you walk into that enormous IMAX theater this weekend.
[By necessity, this article will contain MINOR spoilers about some sequences towards the end of the film. You have been warned.]
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This post is sponsored by Focus Features - See Sam Mendes’ new movie Away We Go in Theaters Now!
Few directors have ascended to the upper echelons of Hollywood talent as quickly as Sam Mendes. While Mendes was no slouch when he first got into the film business (he had directed several critically acclaimed stage plays, many featuring movie actors), he became one of the few directors to earn an Oscar for a directorial debut, for his work in 1999’s American Beauty. Since then, he has expanded his style considerably, crafting a different world for each of his films, every one possessed of a distinct palette and a unique texture.
Above all, Mendes’ films are films of ideas. Even when set in the relentless monotony of the suburbs, each one of his films feels epic in scope and sweeping in message. Yet each one of his films (even Jarhead, which examined military bonds, as well as his new film, Away We Go) seems to return to the common theme of family and the ties that bind. I can’t say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of his movies, but I can say I’m glad they exist because they are always thought-provoking and, as a bonus, beautiful.
With the recent release of Mendes’ new film Away We Go, we thought it’d be cool to take a look back at Mendes filmography. Hit the jump for a quick take on each of his films [very minor spoilers for all films follow].
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The /Filmcast: Bonus Episode - An Evening with Actor Clifton Collins Jr., Man of a Thousand Faces
Posted on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 by David Chen
In this special bonus episode of the /Filmcast, Dave Chen and Devindra Hardawar chat with the incredibly talented Clifton Collins Jr. about his illustrious film career, some of his favorite roles, and his exciting future projects. During this episode, we learned what it feels like to beat up James Van Der Beek, why he changes his name from Clifton Gonzales Gonzales, what it’s like to lose a bunch of weight in an extremely short period of time to prepare for a boxing role, what the mood was on the set of Star Trek, and also, who can play dead better: Clifton Collins Jr. or Samuel L. Jackson? Hit the jump to hear all about it!
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The /Filmcast: After Dark - Ep. 55 - Alex Albrecht (from Diggnation and the Totally Rad Show) Speaks on Internet Fame and Fandom
Posted on Sunday, June 21st, 2009 by David Chen
The /Filmcast: After Dark is a recording of what happens right after The /Filmcast is over, when the kids have gone to bed and the guys feel free to speak whatever is on their minds. In other words, it’s the leftover and disorganized ramblings, mindfarts, and brain diarrhea from The /Filmcast, all in one convenient audio file. In this episode, Dave Chen, Devindra Hardawar, and Adam Quigley speak with Alex Albrecht (from Diggnation and the Totally Rad Show) about internet fame, fans, and his exciting next project.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us next TUESDAY night at Slashfilm’s live page at 10 PM EST / 7 PM PST as we review Year One.
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[Photo from Flickr user TheOriginal_Kevie]
