Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/The Exhibitionist: Long Story on Short Filmshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/the-exhibitionist-long-story-on-short-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/the-exhibitionist-long-story-on-short-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/the-exhibitionist-long-story-on-short-films/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



When was the last time you saw a short film in the theater? I don't mean an 85-minute animated movie; I mean an actual short, like they give separate Oscars to. Otherwise known as a short subject, defined (by the Academy) as anything with a running time less than 40 minutes. Chances are, unless you attend film festivals, go to see the toured screenings of Oscar shorts, or bought a ticket to Paris, Je T'Aime, it's been awhile since you actually saw a short film on a big screen.

Or, maybe I should specify that it's likely been awhile since you purposefully went to see a specifically timed screening of a short film or compilation of shorts at the theater. Technically some ads for Coca-Cola and other companies, the ones made by novice filmmakers as part of a competition or something, count as shorts. And, I'm fully aware that some arthouse cinemas, such as NYC's IFC Center, run a short film in place of pre-show commercials. But as far as I can tell, such shorts are not specifically advertised as screening at a designated time. Sure, you can go on the IFC Center's website and find out that Erik Rosenlund's Looking Glass is the short currently being shown (as it was this past week when I saw Trouble the Water there), but for most people (myself included), it's a surprise. And I doubt anyone has trekked to IFC just to see that particular film, unless anyone is a huge aficionado of frightening black and white Swedish animation.

Continue reading The Exhibitionist: Long Story on Short Films

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]]>baby cakes coffee lineBabyCakesCoffeeLinebrad neelyBradNeelycheat neutralCheatNeutralfeaturedfrancis ford coppolaFrancisFordCoppolai love youian martinIanMartinifc centerIfcCentermartin scorseseMartinScorsesemedia that mattersmedia that matters film festivalMediaThatMattersMediaThatMattersFilmFestivalnew yorknew york storiesNewYorkNewYorkStoriesparis je taimeParisJeTaimeroman postcardsRomanPostcardsrooftop filmsRooftopFilmsshort filmsshort subjectShortFilmsShortSubjectthe european kidTheEuropeanKidtrouble the waterTroubleTheWaterwoody allenWoodyAllenChristopher CampbellSun, 07 Sep 2008 09:02:00 ESTSnag This: '10 Yards: Fantasy Football'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/snag-this-10-yards-fantasy-football/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/snag-this-10-yards-fantasy-football/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/snag-this-10-yards-fantasy-football/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



In just a few hours from now, my Superbowl champion New York Giants will take the field against the Washington Redskins and officially kick off another fantastic year of football! (Non-football fans sigh, and quickly go back to whatever it was they were doing.) While I have a whole bunch of friends and family members who partake in a little something called fantasy football, I've never taken to it. Not that I think it's stupid or a waste of time (I actually feel it makes the game more exciting and worthwhile for lots), it's just that like a lot of stuff, I'm too lazy to get involved in the learning of rules, of player names, of positions, etc ... I'd much rather spend that time learning more about film so I can better serve you fine folks. Hmmm .... but who says we can't combine the two?

Yup, our good pals over at Snag Films (ya know, that groovy site that lets you watch tons of documentaries for free) are currently featuring the film 10 Yards: Fantasy Football (snag it above). A doc about fantasy football? One exists? Sure ... just check out the synopsis below.

From Award-Winning Filmmakers, Hunter Weeks and Josh Caldwell (10 MPH, 2007) comes the hilarious, offbeat, and all-encompassing portrayal of fantasy football. 10 YARDS captures the phenomenon of fantasy football in our society with specific focus on wacked-out j.fred's INTERGALACTIC CHAMPIONSHIP League, where the top prize is a box of Twinkies(R). As the season progresses, filmmakers Hunter & Josh (both members of j.fred's league) travel the country interviewing a variety of diverse fantasy football leagues, NFL players, commentators, and the guys who started it all in 1963. From all women's tackle football to Mexican mariachi bands, get ready for some of the best camaraderie ever in this 90-minute fantasyland.

Good luck football fans -- enjoy your season!

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]]>10 yards fantasy football10YardsFantasyFootballcinematicalsnag filmsSnagFilmsErik DavisThu, 04 Sep 2008 11:02:00 ESTCould Paris Hilton Doc Become Hottest Ticket in Toronto?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/could-paris-hilton-doc-become-hottest-ticket-in-toronto/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/could-paris-hilton-doc-become-hottest-ticket-in-toronto/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/could-paris-hilton-doc-become-hottest-ticket-in-toronto/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Oh yes, you heard that right -- and I almost slapped myself when, during a Toronto Fest meeting earlier today, I unfortunately had to inform our team that coverage of Paris, Not France was a top priority. Congrats Ms. Hilton, you've successfully found a way to turn all the attention toward your documentary by making it look like you want nothing to do with it. Of course, that's not the case at all -- heck, it's not like the chick ever pulled something like this before (cough ... sex tape ... cough). But let's back up for a minute ...

... there's a Paris Hilton documentary playing Toronto? Yup, it's called Paris, Not France, and it marks the first feature for music video and commercial director Adria Petty (daughter of Tom). What's it about? Apparently, the flick follows Paris around for a year and provides us with one of those intimate looks into the life of blah blah .... and then she says "That's hot" about a gazillion times ... the end. So why is everyone talking about it?

Well, because Paris (and her "people") somehow managed to get the festival to pull all but one screening of the doc for reasons they're not willing to disclose at this time. So what's up? Is Paris really that upset with the way she's portrayed in the film that she doesn't want it shown? Or, is this whole "pull the screenings, threaten lawsuits" thing just a ploy to get people (like us) talking and wanting and needing? I'd say it's certainly suspicious, especially since we're talking Paris Hilton here, who, whether you like it or not, is pretty smart when it comes to marketing herself as a larger-than-life personality.

What do you think? And does all this hoopla make you want to see the film even more?

[via Risky Biz Blog]

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]]>cinematicalfeaturednot franceparisparis hiltonParisHiltontiff2008toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalErik DavisWed, 03 Sep 2008 16:02:00 ESTNo, No, No! Could 'Watchmen' Get Delayed to 2010?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/no-no-no-could-watchmen-get-delayed-to-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/no-no-no-could-watchmen-get-delayed-to-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/no-no-no-could-watchmen-get-delayed-to-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Frakking lawsuits.

Last month, Elisabeth alerted you to the legal turmoil bubbling around Watchmen. Basically, 20th Century Fox used to have the rights, and claim they still have them, so they're trying to prevent Warner Brothers from releasing the eagerly awaited film. Warner Brothers, meanwhile, claims that Fox has sat silently until the film was set to go, knowing full well what was happening.

Now The New York Times says that Warner is pushing for a trial date of April, with Fox pushing for June. Assuming that the film can't be released until this is cleared up, we might not only not get Watchmen in March, but also not in the summer of 2009. Will we have to wait until 2010? I don't want to think about it. There's a whole swarm of moviegoers peeved about the Harry Potter delay. I can't imagine what a year-long delay would do to Watchmen fiends. Where's Doctor Manhattan when you need him? Or a jail-storming Nite Owl and Silk Spectre?

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]]>CinematicalfeaturedWatchmenWatchmen delayWatchmen legal troublesWatchmenDelayWatchmenLegalTroublesMonika BartyzelTue, 02 Sep 2008 12:02:00 ESTWayne Wang Offers His New Film Online, for Freehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/26/wayne-wang-offers-his-new-film-online-for-free/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/26/wayne-wang-offers-his-new-film-online-for-free/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/26/wayne-wang-offers-his-new-film-online-for-free/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Now, I know Wayne Wang isn't in most cinephiles' good graces these days.* He's spent most of the decade making bland and unremarkable middle-brow flicks like Maid in Manhattan, Because of Winn-Dixie and Last Holiday. But the director behind The Joy Luck Club and Chinese Box still has a fair bit of cachet, and when he does something like make his new film available in its entirety online and for free, people pay attention.

So, pay attention: Wang's The Princess of Nebraska, an indie he premiered at last year's Toronto International Film Festival (where it got a positive review from Cinematical's Kim Voynar), will be offered for free on the internet in September. The filmmaker partnered with ex-SXSW chief Matt Dentler and his Cinetic Rights Management to make this happen, as a means of releasing Princess simultaneously with its companion film, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, which will come to theaters courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. The exact plans of the release (i.e. where, how) haven't been announced, but I'll keep an eye on it. Take a look at this IndieWire story for more.

Not, probably, the start of a new Hollywood trend, given that The Princess of Nebraska -- a no-budget drama about a pregnant Chinese teenager's struggles in the United States -- probably wouldn't have done much business anyhow. But if Dentler and his colleagues can figure out a way to get people to watch the thing, who knows. Indie filmmakers could always use a new channel.

*The exception is our own Eric D. Snider, who informs me: "I love Wang films!"


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]]>a thousand years of good prayersAThousandYearsOfGoodPrayerscinetic rights managementCineticRightsManagementmatt dentlerMattDentlerthe princess of nebraskaThePrincessOfNebraskawayne wangWayneWangEugene NovikovTue, 26 Aug 2008 16:03:00 ESTThe Exhibitionist : 3 Defenses for 3-D Filmshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/22/3-defenses-for-3-d-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/22/3-defenses-for-3-d-films/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/22/3-defenses-for-3-d-films/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



As an opinionated cinephile, Roger Ebert has every right to dislike 3-D movies. And recently, on his blog, Roger Ebert's Journal, he wrote about such disfavor. Basically, in response to accidentally missing the press screening for the new animated 3-D flick Fly Me to the Moon, he admits that, because of a certain prejudice against the format, he likely wouldn't have enjoyed the movie anyway.

My issue here is not to attack Ebert's opinion or his belief that after half a century of dissatisfaction with the format he's never going to change his mind about it. He's free to express both. And while I disagree and am disappointed, I would never claim that Ebert doesn't know what he's talking about. He's certainly smarter about film than I'll ever be, and his opinions are far more respected than my own.

However, Ebert is also one of the most widely read film critics in the world, and therefore he is a pretty influential person when it comes to the subject of movies. And I would hate for moviegoers to dismiss the new wave of 3-D movies simply because of Ebert's stance on the format. So, I merely intend to respond to his opinion with an opinion of my own, as apparently one of the wider read gushers on the topic of digital 3-D.

Continue reading The Exhibitionist : 3 Defenses for 3-D Films

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]]>3-dbeowulfcaptain eoCaptainEoexhibitionistfeaturedfly me to the moonFlyMeToTheMoonimax 3-dImax3-djames cameronJamesCameronjourney to the center of the earthjourney to the center of the earth 3-dJourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarthJourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth3-dmonster houseMonsterHousereal dRealDroger ebertRogerEbertthe exhibitionistTheExhibitionistu2 3dU23dChristopher CampbellFri, 22 Aug 2008 21:02:00 ESTRestored 'Godfather' and 'Godfather Part II' Screen in NYChttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/20/restored-godfather-and-godfather-part-ii-screen-in-nyc/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/20/restored-godfather-and-godfather-part-ii-screen-in-nyc/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/20/restored-godfather-and-godfather-part-ii-screen-in-nyc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

New York City's Film Forum will be screening both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II during a special three week engagement beginning September 12. And yes, it's a big deal. The first two installments of Francis Ford Coppola's trilogy are often featured in repertory houses, sure, but Film Forum's presentation is of newly restored 35mm prints, which were produced under the direction of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis and the supervision of film historian and master preservationist Robert A. Harris. The Godfather will run solo from September 12 through September 18, then The Goffather Part II will run solo from September 19 through September 25, and finally, back-to-back screenings will be featured from September 26 through October 2 (the double feature does, unfortunately, require separate admissions). As far as I can tell, neither of these digitally restored classics includes new computer-generated characters or backgrounds, and obviously the guns are likely to still be guns rather than walkie talkies.

If you can't make it to NYC for any of these shows, Paramount is apparently also releasing the restored films in other select cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Or, you can check out the new versions as part of "The Godfather, the Coppola Restoration collection," which also includes a remastered Godfather Part III, on DVD or Blu-Ray beginning September 26 23 (the DVDs may be purchased in a 5-disc box set, which includes two discs of special features, or separately, in case you like to forget about Part III; the Blu-Ray versions seem to be only offered together in a 4-disc set).

Continue reading Restored 'Godfather' and 'Godfather Part II' Screen in NYC

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]]>featuredfrancis ford coppolaFrancisFordCoppolathe coppola restorationthe godfatherthe godfather part IIthe godfather part IIITheGodfatherTheGodfatherPartIiTheGodfatherPartIiiChristopher CampbellWed, 20 Aug 2008 16:02:00 ESTThe Exhibitionist: Heroes and Villainshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/17/the-exhibitionist-heroes-and-villains/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/17/the-exhibitionist-heroes-and-villains/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/17/the-exhibitionist-heroes-and-villains/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Week after week, I focus on the good and/or bad concerning moviegoing and the movie theatre industry. But as passionate as I am about the subjects of this column, I've never really felt strongly enough to label any one person either a hero or a villain to moviegoers. Perhaps the closest I've come to calling someone a hero was when I finally had my first experience with an Alamo Drafthouse cinema. On the other hand, I've certainly wanted to call a lot of people villains, including whoever was responsible for my worst moviegoing experience in years and whoever came up with the awful idea to produce scented pre-show ads.

So, it was by some sort of coincidence that last week actually brought news of both a remarkably heroic moviegoer and a terribly villainous theatre owner. Of course, you're welcome to disagree with me as I celebrate the former and castigate the latter. The interesting thing about these two individuals is that some of you may see my hero as a villain, and vice versa. In fact the law has deemed the former a criminal, and meanwhile tons of moviegoers in the UK are championing the actions of the latter. No wonder film exhibition is in such dire straits when there's such disagreement about how to improve the moviegoing experience.

Continue reading The Exhibitionist: Heroes and Villains

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]]>anthology film archivesAnthologyFilmArchivesbritish cinemaBritishCinemacurzon cinemasCurzonCinemaseastridge movies 4EastridgeMovies4everyman cinemaEverymanCinemaexhibitionistfeaturedfilm forumFilmForumiron manIronManmovie theatermovie theater etiquettemovie theatreMovieTheaterMovieTheaterEtiquetteMovieTheatrepaul mccartneyPaulMccartneypicturehouse cinemasPicturehouseCinemaspopcornreadmit ticketsReadmitTicketsrex cinemaRexCinemathe exhibitionistTheExhibitionisttricycle cinemaTricycleCinemaChristopher CampbellSun, 17 Aug 2008 09:02:00 ESTThe Rocchi Review -- With Kim Voynar of Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/16/the-rocchi-review-with-kim-voynar-of-cinematical/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/16/the-rocchi-review-with-kim-voynar-of-cinematical/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/16/the-rocchi-review-with-kim-voynar-of-cinematical/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



With Fall Festival season about to kick off, this week The Rocchi Review features James chatting with Cinematical's Film Festivals Editor Kim Voynar about the strange splendor of the Telluride Film Festival, what the most-anticipated movies will be at this year's Toronto Film Festival and much, much more. Will Zack and Miri Make a Porno make a splash? Will Rachel Getting Married get Anne Hathaway some respect? And does one of the most-anticipated films for Toronto really star Jean-Claude Van Damme? Cinematical's podcast is now available through iTunes; you can subscribe at this link. Also, you can listen directly here at Cinematical by clicking below:



As ever, you can download the entire podcast right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

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]]>Anne HathawayAnneHathawayfeaturedJCVDKevin SmithKevinSmithKim VoynarKimVoynarMe and Orson WellesMeAndOrsonWellesMidnight MadnessMidnightMadnessMiracle at St. AnnaMiracleAtSt.AnnaRachel Getting MarriedRachelGettingMarriedRichard LinklaterRichardLinklaterzack and miri make a pornoZackAndMiriMakeAPornoJames RocchiSat, 16 Aug 2008 21:02:00 ESTImage(s) of the Day: Awesome Crazy 4 Cult 2 Artworkhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/15/image-s-of-the-day-awesome-crazy-4-cult-2-artwork/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/15/image-s-of-the-day-awesome-crazy-4-cult-2-artwork/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/15/image-s-of-the-day-awesome-crazy-4-cult-2-artwork/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Over on his blog, writer-director Kevin Smith has unveiled a new photo from Zack and Miri Make a Porno (see updated gallery below), as well as a few pieces of ridiculously cool movie-inspired artwork from this year's Crazy 4 Cult 2 gallery showing in Los Angeles at Gallery1988 later this month. (He also briefly talks about seeing Watchmen, which he called "f**king astounding.") The above image is only half of Andrew Wilson's sprawling epic-like movie character poster (see miniature version of entire piece below), which will be on display and available for purchase at the gallery when the show opens with a reception hosted by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier on August 22. (The show itself will run from August 22 through September 12.)



**Click on the image above to head to a very cool website where you can scope out each character up close. How many can you spot?

In addition to Wilson's poster, Smith threw up a taste of what else will be on display (see two images in the gallery below; I apologize for not knowing artist names), and you can also see (and learn) more over on the Crazy 4 Cult 2 website and Gallery1988 blog. Wish I could attend, but the whole living on the other side of the country thing kinda gets in the way. If you go, definitely let us know how it is.

Gallery: Crazy 4 Cult 2



Gallery: Zack and Miri Make a Porno

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]]>andrew wilsonAndrewWilsoncinematicalcrazy 4 cult 2Crazy4Cult2featuredkevin smithKevinSmithscott mosierScottMosierErik DavisFri, 15 Aug 2008 15:02:00 ESTBREAKING: 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' Moved to Next July!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/breaking-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-moved-to-next/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/breaking-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-moved-to-next/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/breaking-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-moved-to-next/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Thanksgiving just got a lot less magical. Warner Bros. has announced that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, originally scheduled for release on Nov. 21, has been pushed back to July 17. As in 2009. As in ELEVEN MONTHS AWAY! It's enough to make you utter an unforgivable curse, such as "Avada Kedavra!" or "What the f***?!"

A film's release date being moved back is usually a sign that the production is in trouble, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. For one thing, the production on Half-Blood Prince is pretty much finished already, and it's not like the director, producers, or actors were inexperienced screw-ups. No, the date change in this case seems to be purely strategic. Said top WB honcho Alan Horn in a press release:

"Our reasons for shifting Half-Blood Prince to summer are twofold: We know the summer season is an ideal window for a family tent-pole release.... Additionally, like every other studio, we are still feeling the repercussions of the writers' strike, which impacted the readiness of scripts for other films, changing the competitive landscape for 2009 and offering new windows of opportunity that we wanted to take advantage of.... [Half-Blood Prince] perfectly fills the gap for a major tent-pole release for mid-summer."

There are two ways of reading that. One is that WB won't have anything else PG-13 and family-friendly ready for mid-summer, so Half-Blood Prince has been called in to save the day. The other is that WB is well aware that the other studios' summer plans were screwed up by the strike, so they've moved Harry Potter into position to take full advantage of that weakness. Both are probably at least partially true, and it's a pretty savvy move in either case.

Continue reading BREAKING: 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' Moved to Next July!

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]]>featuredhalf-blood prince release date changeHalf-bloodPrinceReleaseDateChangeharry potter and the half-blood princeharry potter release date changeHarryPotterAndTheHalf-bloodPrinceHarryPotterReleaseDateChangeEric D. SniderThu, 14 Aug 2008 17:02:00 ESTFilmmaker Natalie and Singer Scarlett -- The Boleyn Girls' New Projectshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/filmmaker-natalie-and-singer-scarlett-the-boleyn-girls-new-p/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/filmmaker-natalie-and-singer-scarlett-the-boleyn-girls-new-p/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/filmmaker-natalie-and-singer-scarlett-the-boleyn-girls-new-p/#commentsFiled under: ,

Both Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson leapt from the world of Henry VIII into city love with New York, I Love You, but that's not all they're working on:
  • When Portman joined the Big Apple film, it was said to be her directorial debut, but it looks like another film is sliding in front of it. The CBC reports that a 17-minute film she directed, titled Eve, will debut at the Venice Film Festival this month. Organizers are describing her film as a "civilized comedy" and expect the budding filmmaker to be at the opening. Nothing else is being said about the plot, but I imagine it could be quite interesting -- the film stars Ben Gazzara and the one and only Lauren Bacall.
  • We've seen the many faces of ScarJo's acting. We've heard her tackle Tom Waits songs, we're on our way to seeing her directorial debut in New York, I Love You, she's apparently looking for a threesome and now she wants more. Showbiz Spy reports that she's itching to develop a film she can direct, and after that, she'd "love to do another album," citing how much she loved living with music and working with musicians. Oh Scarlett, do you really want to take that path again?

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]]>CinematicalEveNatalie PortmanNataliePortmanScarlett JohanssonScarlettJohanssonMonika BartyzelThu, 14 Aug 2008 08:02:00 ESTThe Exhibitionist: Return of Smell-O-Visionhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/10/the-exhibitionist-return-of-smell-o-vision/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/10/the-exhibitionist-return-of-smell-o-vision/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/10/the-exhibitionist-return-of-smell-o-vision/#commentsFiled under: ,



Moviegoing seems to be living in the past these days, as both 3-D and large format projection have become attractions at mainstream cinemas again, just as they were half a century ago. Of course, there are updated differences -- the new 3-D is digital and now employs glasses that don't give us headaches, and the large format presentation, IMAX (which is actually almost 40 years old and is technically not really similar at all to the Cinemascope, Cinerama, VistaVision, etc., which were used in the 1950s), is finally separating itself from its usual museum-set association to move into more multiplexes and offer more blockbusters, like the popcorns and sodas, appropriately super-sized.

So where is the return of that other, less successful, less fondly remembered novelty also implemented in desperate times to woo audiences away from their television? You know, that ridiculous idea that's so unappealing that it's a wonder it was even allowed to enter public awareness, let alone cement itself undeservedly onto the timeline of significant moments in film history. Smell-O-Vision. Where is the return of Smell-O-Vision?

Continue reading The Exhibitionist: Return of Smell-O-Vision

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]]>advertisingadvertising ageAdvertisingAgecinescentconcessionconcession standConcessionStandodoramapineapple expressPineappleExpresspopcornpre-show adsPre-showAdspreshowsmell-o-visionthe exhibitionistTheExhibitionistChristopher CampbellSun, 10 Aug 2008 09:02:00 ESTCirque du Soleil Heads to Theaters via The Hot Tickethttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/08/cirque-du-soleil-heads-to-theaters-via-the-hot-ticket/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/08/cirque-du-soleil-heads-to-theaters-via-the-hot-ticket/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/08/cirque-du-soleil-heads-to-theaters-via-the-hot-ticket/#commentsFiled under: ,



Have I ever told you that I'm obsessed with watching Cirque du Soleil shows? I've seen at least 10 live performances in the past few years and highly recommend them to anyone who's never taken the Cirque plunge. In fact, now you have more of a reason to check out a Cirque show because their latest, Delirium, is coming to a theater near you at the end of the month. Sony Pictures Releasing has set up this new programming division called The Hot Ticket, and they specialize in bringing stuff like rock concerts, Broadway shows and premier sporting events to theaters across the United States and Canada. We've talked about this sort of thing a bunch before, and it's definitely a smart move for theaters; one that might eventually become the norm.

So far, The Hot Ticket is bringing Delirium (I'd shell out money to see Delirious on the big screen too, by the way) to theaters for a limited run of four days (August 20, 21, 23 and 24). You can find out where it's playing near you by visiting The Hot Ticket website. Aside from Delirium, they'll also be bringing the show Rent to theaters in September. As far as the viewing experience goes, here's a quote from their website: "Each presentation from The Hot Ticket will be a limited engagement and events will be shown in 2K and 4K digital theaters to ensure the highest quality viewing experience. With the very best in special event programming and state-of-the-art digital projection and sound in theaters, The Hot Ticket will offer the kind of unparalleled access that will make these events memorable viewing experiences."

Sounds like something worth trying out. What do you think? Is this the future of theatrical entertainment? (Check out some really cool images from Delirium in the gallery below.)

Gallery: Cirque du Soleil: Delirium

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]]>cinematicalcirque du soleilCirqueDuSoleildeliriumrentsony pictures releasingSonyPicturesReleasingthe hot ticketTheHotTicketErik DavisFri, 08 Aug 2008 12:32:00 ESTDiscuss: Movies That Deserved a Different Ratinghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/07/discuss-movies-that-deserved-a-different-rating/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/07/discuss-movies-that-deserved-a-different-rating/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/07/discuss-movies-that-deserved-a-different-rating/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Over the past few weeks, movie ratings have been a popular topic for discussion. While Kevin Smith's upcoming Zack and Miri Make a Porno appealed an NC-17 rating (and won), The Dark Knight was enjoying a record-setting box office take and a pretty controversial PG-13 rating. Once again, we ask: Why is sex more inappropriate than violence? Should raunchy language and a few "thrusts" be condemned while a dude with half his face falling off and a psychopathic, murderous clown get off practically unscathed? And are there other issues at work here? Does a film with a giant budget and an all-star cast get it "easier" than a smaller film with a lesser-known cast and a director who chain smokes profanity?

No doubt there are shady politics at play here (as is all over this fine country of ours), and over the years there have been a number of films that deserved a different rating. Over on OMG Lists, they currently have up a list of six wrongly rated movies; films that, for one reason or another, deserved either a lower or a higher rating. It's a weird system, for sure -- these days, if you're a comedy, you kinda want that 'R' rating because your box office take will most likely be higher. However, if you're a horror flick, you want to try for a PG-13. Strange world we live in ...

But anyway, among the films featured on their list are Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which, at the time, received an R-rating because of a few profanity-laced scenes, but totally could've gotten away with a PG-13. Or what about Jaws ... with its PG rating! Hey, it's a film about a giant shark that devours people -- bring the whole family!

Continue reading Discuss: Movies That Deserved a Different Rating

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]]>bad news bearsBadNewsBearscant buy me loveCantBuyMeLovecinematicaljawsmovie ratingsMovieRatingsmovies that deserved a different ratingMoviesThatDeservedADifferentRatingmpaashowgirlsthe dark knightTheDarkKnightzack and miri make a pornoZackAndMiriMakeAPornoErik DavisThu, 07 Aug 2008 12:02:00 ESTPoll: What Are You Watching -- 'Pineapple Express' or 'Traveling Pants 2'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/06/poll-what-are-you-watching-pineapple-express-or-traveling/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/06/poll-what-are-you-watching-pineapple-express-or-traveling/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/06/poll-what-are-you-watching-pineapple-express-or-traveling/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Hey, when did the LA Times become the new Cinematical (ahem ... and ahem)?

We've got such craziness this week with two big summer films landing in theaters on Wednesday instead of Friday. No, you don't have some fancy holiday weekend coming up (sorry cubicle dude), but the Olympics do begin later this week, and, well, some of us really want to get our Women's Swimming 100m Butterfly on. That said, those mid-weekers have a choice between the weed action/comedy Pineapple Express and the sober adventure/comedy/romance/jeans-wearing sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.

I imagine each film has a completely different audience, with one attracting stoners, fans of Judd Apatow-produced content, comedy nuts and the Girls Obsessed with Seth Rogen Association of America (or GOWSRAA), while the other looks to bring in pre-teen and teenage girls (and their parents) who like to watch other girls come of age and explore the rest of their lives ... or something like that. Word has it each flick is worthy of your nine bucks (I've seen Pineapple and can vouch for its coolness), so it's really about which movie fits your cinematic tastes.

So, what are you watching: Pineapple Express or The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2?

View Poll

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]]>cinematicalpineapple expressPineappleExpressthe sisterhood of the traveling pants 2TheSisterhoodOfTheTravelingPants2Erik DavisWed, 06 Aug 2008 12:35:00 ESTFan Made: Steampunk 'Star Wars' Action Figureshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/04/fan-made-steampunk-star-wars-action-figures/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/04/fan-made-steampunk-star-wars-action-figures/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/04/fan-made-steampunk-star-wars-action-figures/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Cinematical reader Todd Y. clued us into these very cool Star Wars figures re-designed in a Steampunk sorta way. As explained on the site, "Steampunk is a genre of science fiction fantasy that generally contains worlds full of amazing technologies in the form of antiquated systems." Titled Sillof's Workshop, the site houses all sorts of different figures; from Gaslight Justice League and Victorian Avengers to Star Wars: 1942 and Steampunk Empire Strikes Back. Apart from the figures, Sillof has also created some very cool dioramas, sculptures and replica props. We've pulled out some of our favorites from the Star Wars collection and stuck them in the gallery below for you to check out. Afterward, make sure you skip on over to Sillof's Workshop to see the rest.

Gallery: Steampunk Star Wars

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedsillofs workshopSillofsWorkshopstar warsStarWarssteampunk star warsSteampunkStarWarsErik DavisMon, 04 Aug 2008 15:02:00 ESTThe Exhibitionist: Repeat Businesshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/03/the-exhibitionist-repeat-business/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/03/the-exhibitionist-repeat-business/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/03/the-exhibitionist-repeat-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



Behold my 1000-plus words way of asking you this simple question: how many times have you seen The Dark Knight?

Here's a little story I probably tell too often (it's even in my "Meet the Team" bio): Long ago, at an art school that should remain nameless (I hated the place too much to give it any kind of credit), I studied film production, with the crazy notion that I would be the one to bridge the gap between Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino (this was in the mid-90s, when all film students just wanted to be the latter). And while I wasn't any good at being the kind of leader necessary to be a great director, I thought I was on track to (at the very least) become an Oscar-winning screenwriter.

Then, in the middle of my freshman year, I went to see 12 Monkeys. And when it was over, I stayed in the theater and I watched it again. I believe this to be the moment when I decided that I no longer wanted to be a filmmaker and wanted to be a film watcher. But it would take me another year of school -- during which I changed the names in my dream from Spielberg and Tarantino to Gilliam and Hartley -- to realize that I could be a ... professional movie theater employee!

Years more would go by before I actually realized that I was better off writing about the movies than attempting to write for the movies, and fortunately all that time managing multiplexes gave me an extra niche to write about, as well. This week's column, however, despite its long-winded introduction, is not about how I came to write "The Exhibitionist." It's actually more specifically about that repeat screening of 12 Monkeys 12 years ago. Because thanks to The Dark Knight's box office success reportedly linked in part to repeat business, I've been thinking about the few movies that I've actually seen in the theater more than once.

Continue reading The Exhibitionist: Repeat Business

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]]>12 monkeys12Monkeyselliott gouldElliottGouldfeaturedman on wireManOnWirerepeat businessRepeatBusinessthe dark knightthe exhibitionistTheDarkKnightTheExhibitionisttwelve monkeysTwelveMonkeysChristopher CampbellSun, 03 Aug 2008 09:02:00 ESTCatch the Bargain 'Midnight Meat Train'!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/02/catch-the-bargain-midnight-meat-train/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/02/catch-the-bargain-midnight-meat-train/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/02/catch-the-bargain-midnight-meat-train/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When was the last time you saw a first-run movie on opening night and paid just $1.75? Hardcore horror flick The Midnight Meat Train has been relegated to second-run theaters in its limited, 100-screen release this weekend, as William Goss nicely detailed for us. (Thanks to commenter Christopher for pointing out that Dread Central compiled a very handy list of theaters.) Let me testify: watching the movie at a theater with cheap seats did not enhance the experience.

Here's why: The Midnight Meat Train is a very good flick -- I agree completely with our own horror hound Scott Weinberg that "it's one of the most effective horror films of the year" -- and horror fans who sought it out deserved to see it in the best possible environment. I was fortunate in that one of the six theaters playing it in the Dallas / Ft. Worth Metroplex is only about 10 miles away, though I had a devil of a time finding it. Unfortunately, the theater has seen better days, the seating layout is not optimal, and the audio equipment is lacking.

It felt surreal to watch the far inferior The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor at a Cinemark complex with great sound and a huge screen and then travel 10 miles to see The Midnight Meat Train at another Cinemark complex with sound that lacked any oomph and a much smaller screen. Nonetheless, the 9:25 p.m. show drew a mixed crowd of 60-70 people, despite zero advertising in the local newspapers, and folks seemed satisfied with what they saw.

Continue reading Catch the Bargain 'Midnight Meat Train'!

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]]>clive barkerCliveBarkermidnight meat trainMidnightMeatTrainryuhei kitamuraRyuheiKitamuraPeter MartinSat, 02 Aug 2008 09:03:00 ESTSweeet 'Watchmen' Character Posters!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/01/sweeet-watchmen-character-posters/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/01/sweeet-watchmen-character-posters/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/01/sweeet-watchmen-character-posters/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



... Because when you woke up this morning, the first thought to hit your brain was, "Wouldn't it be great to get a good look at some naked blue ass at some point today." That's what we're here for!

All kidding aside, Warner Bros. has released some really cool Watchmen character posters, all of which you can check out (in giant form) by clicking through the gallery below. Watchmen was among a small group of films that had a major presence at this year's San Diego Comic Con. Director Zack Snyder had his entire cast in attendance, and he also brought with him an extended trailer for the flick that had fans (including our own Elisabeth Rappe) all giddy and whatnot. I plan to start reading the graphic novel for the first time next week (so I can actually know what the hell I'm writing about as the film's release date grows closer), but in the meantime feel free to tell us what you're most excited about seeing.

Watchmen hits theaters on March 6, 2009.

Gallery: Watchmen Character Posters

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedwatchmenwatchmen movie postersWatchmenMoviePosterszack snyderZackSnyderErik DavisFri, 01 Aug 2008 15:02:00 EST