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/Discuss: On Political Satire, Righties vs. Lefties, and Abused Film Criticshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/discuss-on-political-satire-righties-vs-lefties-and-abused-f/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/discuss-on-political-satire-righties-vs-lefties-and-abused-f/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/discuss-on-political-satire-righties-vs-lefties-and-abused-f/#commentsFiled under: ,



It was kind of a boring weekend, so I thought I'd have a chat with two of my good pals and then foist it off as an actual article. Our topic of discussion was An American Carol, its reception from film critics and moviegoers, and the aggressive ways in which people often communicate through the internet (our review is currently up to well over 100 comments). Joining us today are my esteemed colleagues Eric D. Snider and William B. Goss. Let's listen in, shall we?

Scott: You both saw and reviewed An American Carol. What can you tell us about readers' reactions to your articles?

Will: Reader reaction was, for the most part, violently contrarian, with many equating the lack of laughter on my part to some sort of deep-seated anti-American sentiments, and not due to David Zucker's anti-humor stance.

Eric: Mostly the same for me. A lot of comments were posted within a very short span of time, and they said basically the same thing as each other, making me wonder if there was an organized effort somewhere urging people to make their voices heard.

Scott: Would you say you walked into the film with any prejudice or bias?

Eric: I was predisposed to liking David Zucker. I even liked (for the most part) the last two "Scary Movie" films, which he directed, which I think put me in the minority. I was wary of how good a comedy would be when it was made with such a specific goal in mind -- usually you gotta let the humor come first, then the ideology, not the other way around -- but I was curious to see what would happen.

Will: While I LOVE Airplane!, really like the first Naked Gun, and genuinely enjoy Scary Movie 3, I didn't laugh during the trailer and couldn't recall if I was ever pleasantly surprised by any film that went unscreened for press.

Eric: Good point... Not screening is almost always a bad sign. I'm sure that dampened my expectations somewhat.

Continue reading Discuss: On Political Satire, Righties vs. Lefties, and Abused Film Critics

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]]>an american carolAnAmericanCarolcinematicalfeaturedScott WeinbergMon, 06 Oct 2008 12:02:00 ESTMichael Moore Tries to Shut Down the 'Slacker Uprising'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/michael-moore-tries-to-shut-down-the-slacker-uprising/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/michael-moore-tries-to-shut-down-the-slacker-uprising/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/michael-moore-tries-to-shut-down-the-slacker-uprising/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you happen to already be of the opinion that Michael Moore is not the lovable man of the people he appears to be, then this news probably won't be changing your feelings about him anytime soon. One month after Moore offered up free downloads of his latest documentary, Slacker Uprising, Torrent Freak reports that "In a letter dated September 25th, lawyers representing Westside Productions LLC, owner of the Slacker Uprising copyright sprang into action, demanding the removal of a torrent linking to the movie from any and all international sites."

Moore's latest was compiled of footage from his recent college tour -- a tour in which he traveled to colleges in the so-called 'swing states' to speak to students in an attempt to energize young voters. The film is a re-edited version of Moore's 2007 doc, Captain Mike Across America, which screened at TIFF in '07 to lukewarm reviews. Moore initially said the reason behind the free download was both a reward to fans who have supported him over the years, as well as a way to get out his message prior to the upcoming presidential election.

The download was offered only to those living in the US and Canada, but it didn't take long for the film to start popping up on numerous torrent sites outside of North America. Moore's lawyers inexplicably sent their letter to the DNS service (easyDNS) of one of the international sites pirating the flick, which is not required to comply with US law. A co-founder of easyDNS responded to Moore's lawyers with the following: "...Anybody with half a clue knows the net doesn't work like that. In any case, I've sent them our standard 'we're not the web host, we're just the lowly DNS service', but I did point out this seeming contradiction in Michael Moore's message vs. his lawyer's actions."

So while Moore may have every right to control how his film is distributed, maybe someone should have explained that old saying about the internet and pee in a pool.

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]]>documentarydownloadmichael mooreMichaelMooreslacker uprisingSlackerUprisingtorrentJessica BarnesFri, 03 Oct 2008 14:02:00 ESTInterview: 'Miracle at St. Anna' Director Spike Leehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/interview-miracle-at-st-anna-director-spike-lee/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/interview-miracle-at-st-anna-director-spike-lee/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/interview-miracle-at-st-anna-director-spike-lee/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



In Miracle at St. Anna, four African-American soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines in Italy near the end of World War II; caught between indifferent leadership and hostile troops, the four fight to survive -- and protect the Italian villagers they've come to know during their exile. Director Spike Lee spoke with Cinematical from New York about the challenges of film financing in modern Hollywood ("it's hard to get stuff made today that's not superhero, comic-book, TV show, sequel stuff. ..."), shooting in an 800-year-old Italian town (" ... all we had to do was take down the satellite dishes ...") and the challenges his new film faces (" ... historically, women do not run to see, or even walk to see, or even crawl to see World War II films ..."), The Wire ("'Omar's Coming!'"), sequel possibilities for Inside Man and more.

Lee even touched on politics and race in the here-and-now: "I'm optimistic. We're going to have a Black president. The 44th President of the United States is going to be a Black man ... I think this is a definite indication of how far America has moved in how it views race. ..."

Cinematical: I was very curious if you could talk a little bit about the genesis of what brought you specifically to Miracle at St. Anna as a film?

Spike Lee: I needed something to read; I went into my wife's office; looked up on her shelf upon shelf of books (laughs) and the spirit told me to go to this one book -- all the time my head is twisted to the side, trying to read the titles -- read this title, Miracle at St. Anna; that sounds interesting; take the book off the shelf, see the cover of a Black soldier with a young Italian kid, World War II, said "Let me read this. ..." After the first chapter, I said "I want to make this into a film, called up James McBride, we met ... and here we are. That's the abbreviated version. ...

Continue reading Interview: 'Miracle at St. Anna' Director Spike Lee

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]]>Derek LukeDerekLukeJames McBrideJamesMcbrideMichael EalyMichaelEalyMiracle at St. AnnaMiracleAtSt.AnnaSpike LeeSpikeLeeJames RocchiFri, 26 Sep 2008 21:33:00 ESTDiscuss: Rose McGowan Has Offended a Lot of Irish Peoplehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/18/discuss-rose-mcgowan-has-offended-a-lot-of-irish-people/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/18/discuss-rose-mcgowan-has-offended-a-lot-of-irish-people/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/18/discuss-rose-mcgowan-has-offended-a-lot-of-irish-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I guess when you make a movie about the Irish Republican Army and Northern Ireland's infamous "Troubles," you're bound to court some controversy. Fifty Dead Men Walking, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival despite legal threats from the man whose life it's based on (he has since dropped his suit), has now drawn more fire because of comments made by one of its stars, Rose McGowan.

During an interview in Toronto last week, McGowan, who plays an IRA operative in the film and whose father is Irish, said: "I imagine, had I grown up in Belfast, I would 100 percent have been in the IRA.... My heart just broke for the cause. Violence is not to be played out daily and provide an answer to problems, but I understand it."

This has caused a bit of a hullabaloo in that part of the world, where the IRA was officially classified as a terrorist group. (Its proponents saw themselves more as freedom fighters, striving to throw off the shackles of British rule.) Martin McGartland, the British secret agent whose infiltration of the IRA is the basis of the film, said, "Rose McGowan's comments were insulting to victims of IRA terrorism and she should apologize. It's easy to say this sort of thing when you live in L.A." A victims' advocacy group leader said, "She may as well add that she would have joined al-Qaeda and flew those planes into the Twin Towers had she been born a disgruntled Muslim."

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]]>featuredfifty dead men walkingFiftyDeadMenWalkingirarose mcgowanRoseMcgowantiff2008Eric D. SniderThu, 18 Sep 2008 19:03:00 ESTEwan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges 'Stare at Goats'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/14/ewan-mcgregor-kevin-spacey-jeff-bridges-stare-at-goats/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/14/ewan-mcgregor-kevin-spacey-jeff-bridges-stare-at-goats/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/14/ewan-mcgregor-kevin-spacey-jeff-bridges-stare-at-goats/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Do you remember a George Clooney project, green-lit in May, Men Who Stare at Goats?
Not only does it boast the coolest title in the world, but it's racking up a cast of equal greatness. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, and Jeff Bridges are joining Clooney, under Grant Heslov's direction.

The film is based on Jon Ronson's book of the same title, and follows his investigation into the secret wing of the U.S. First Earth Battalion, a paranormal research unit created in 1978. Its goal was to create "Warrior Monks," supersoldiers who could do all sorts of comic-booky things like walk through walls, become invisible, read minds, and kill creatures by staring at them long enough. One soldier in Ronson's book claims he killed a hamster and a goat doing just that.

The adaptation is already switching things around a bit -- it's set in Iraq (where some of the supersoldiers have been reportedly deployed), and McGregor will be playing a stand-in for Ronson named Bob Wilton. He's desperate for a story, and stumbles upon the craziest one of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady, played by Clooney, who claims to be a secret psychic soldier, reactivated after 9/11. As they travel through Iraq, investigating the story, they meet Bill Django, played by Bridges, who is the founder of the program and Cassady's mentor. Spacey will play Larry Hooper, another former psychic who is running a prison camp in Iraq.

While the topic of psychic supersoldiers seems to lend itself to comedy, Iraq and prison camps don't, so who knows what tone this will strike. Every actor in this can switch effortlessly from dramatic to quirky -- it's going to be a treat seeing them all in one film. Especially one with psychics and goat murders.

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]]>Ewan McGregorEwanMcgregorGeorge ClooneyGeorgeClooneygrant heslovGrantHeslovJeff BridgesJeffBridgesjon ronsonJonRonsonkevin spaceyKevinSpaceymandate picturesMandatePicturesmen who stare at goatsMenWhoStareAtGoatsElisabeth RappeSun, 14 Sep 2008 12:32:00 ESTSarah Palin: a Bad Disney Movie Waiting to Happen?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/sarah-palin-a-bad-disney-movie-waiting-to-happen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/sarah-palin-a-bad-disney-movie-waiting-to-happen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/sarah-palin-a-bad-disney-movie-waiting-to-happen/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When Sarah Palin was announced as John McCain's running mate, people were quick to name the lookalikes who could play her in a movie. But it took Matt Damon to tell us what kind of movie it would actually be. Fearfully predicting that McCain will die in office, the actor says Palin's advancement to the presidency would be like the plot of a bad Disney movie. He even imagines a scene from the movie involving Palin's showdown against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin "using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink." Basically he's described something along the lines of King Ralph, only with a hockey mom president instead of an American slob turned British monarch.

Of course, Damon's snide comments are probably meant to be a joke, even if he looks 100% serious while saying it. But the thing he fails to realize is that America loves these kinds of "bad" Disney movies involving fish out of water stories and simple folk characters who rise to the top. "The Hockey Mom" would certainly be a bigger hit than Damon's non Ocean's and Bourne movies. So, his attempt to humorously describe a bad scenario may in fact be welcomed as a heartwarming and crowd-pleasing possible future. Either way, his intended criticism of Palin is just the latest in useless political commentary from celebrities, something we can't get away from listening to, whether because of the media's attention to it or due to our own obsessions with what's on movie stars' minds.

To hear the rest, check out the clip after the jump. And to see Gina Gershon portray Palin in new Funny or Die spoof, click here.

Continue reading Sarah Palin: a Bad Disney Movie Waiting to Happen?

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]]>king ralphKingRalphmatt damonMattDamonsarah palinSarahPalinChristopher CampbellThu, 11 Sep 2008 17:40:00 ESTPOLL: Does Alba's Topless Bondage Photo Make You Want to Vote?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/poll-does-albas-topless-bondage-photo-make-you-want-to-vote/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/poll-does-albas-topless-bondage-photo-make-you-want-to-vote/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/poll-does-albas-topless-bondage-photo-make-you-want-to-vote/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click image above for hi-res scary Alba gallery

Well, she's done it again. Yesterday I overheard two people talking in the street about "the actress who went topless in a Declare Yourself bondage billboard" ... and I immediately thought of Jessica Alba, who's made a name for herself lately more for the wacky photos she's posed for than her actual movie roles. First, there was Jessica Alba re-enacting classic horror movie moments, then it was Jessica Alba posing as Charlie Chaplin -- and now we have my personal favorite: Jessica Alba posing as the victim of a serial killer for a billboard that's supposed to get people to vote. ("It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.")

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for voting. By all means, please vote and have a say in who our next elected officials are. (And check out the Declare Yourself website for info on how to do that) But really? The last presidential election brought us P-Diddy's Vote or Die (another brilliant slogan that made no sense), and now here's Alba straight out of Saw VI. What's next? [Insert A-list actor here] with his throat slashed holding up the bloody spine that's just been ripped from his body, with the phrase, "Vote Now You Spineless American Moron" underneath?

Can't we just get the folks behind The Dark Knight's viral campaign to come up with something a little more clever ... and less freak-ish?

View Poll



Gallery: Jessica Alba is Scary

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]]>cinematicaldeclare yourself billboardDeclareYourselfBillboardjessica albajessica alba bondage billboardJessicaAlbaJessicaAlbaBondageBillboardvote or dieVoteOrDieErik DavisThu, 11 Sep 2008 13:02:00 ESTTIFF Interview: 'The Hurt Locker' Director Kathryn Bigelow and Screenwriter Mark Boalhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/10/tiff-interview-the-hurt-locker-director-kathryn-bigelow-and-sc/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/10/tiff-interview-the-hurt-locker-director-kathryn-bigelow-and-sc/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/10/tiff-interview-the-hurt-locker-director-kathryn-bigelow-and-sc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



The Hurt Locker sees director Kathryn Bigelow craft a big, booming tale of tension based on journalist Mark Boal's experiences and interviews with bomb disposal experts in the streets of Iraq. Toronto didn't just see The Hurt Locker earn raves from many critics; it also saw the film get picked up by Summit Entertainment for distribution. Cinematical spoke with Bigelow and Boal in Toronto about breaking the audience's unconscious link between an actor's salary and a character's destiny, whether or not their film is really apolitical, the fun and excitement of blowing things up on-set, how making the movie yourself is the best way to be sure you make the movie you want to and much more.Cinematical's podcast content 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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]]>jeremy RennerJeremyRennerKathryn BigelowKathrynBigelowMark BoalMarkBoalThe Hurt LockerTheHurtLockertiff2008James RocchiWed, 10 Sep 2008 20:02:00 ESTTIFF Interview: Bill Maher of 'Religulous'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/tiff-interview-bill-maher-of-religulous/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/tiff-interview-bill-maher-of-religulous/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/tiff-interview-bill-maher-of-religulous/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



Even after debuting Religulous, his new docu-comedy about faith in the modern world directed by Larry Charles (Borat), Bill Maher still has plenty of questions of his own: "I was saying to Larry in the car on the way over here: I suddenly realized that I don't know the relationship between the Devil and the Antichrist. Do you? I mean, we both know those terms, but they're not the same guy, I don't think. I'm not sure if the Devil works for the Antichrist? Or the Antichrist for the Devil? Or is it like the Joker and the Riddler -- neither of them work for each other, but they gang up on Batman ...?" Maher spoke with Cinematical in Toronto about the difference between 'changing your mind' and 'flip-flopping,' what wound up on the cutting-room floor, getting in harm's way for the sake of a great scene, why it's doubtful he'll follow Religulous with another feature film and much more.

Cinematical's podcast content 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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]]>AthiesmBill MaherBillMaherLarry CharlesLarryCharlesReligulousTIFF2008James RocchiSun, 07 Sep 2008 22:02:00 ESTTIFF Review: Religuloushttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/tiff-review-religulous/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/tiff-review-religulous/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/07/tiff-review-religulous/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



I contend we are both atheists; I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours. -- Stephen F. Roberts

In Religulous, stand-up social commentator Bill Maher doesn't just assert how he believes in one less god than many of us, and he doesn't just craft bold, bizarre and hilarious moments of comedy and discussion with the help of director Larry Charles (Borat). More importantly, and more intriguingly, Maher states the film's thesis in an introduction filmed at Megiddo, the prophesied location of the final battle of Armageddon as written in Revelation; Maher, much like author Sam Harris does in his excellent (if dry) book The End of Faith, proposes that religious belief, in an age of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, actively endangers humanity through encouraging conflict, promising rewards for irrational behavior, justifying artificial divisions and enabling other unfounded and unkind forms of thinking. Or, as Maher succinctly puts it early on, "When Revelations was written, only God had the power to destroy the world. ..."

And then the opening titles kick in, a montage of Maher globe-trotting in search of people to talk to, and as the guitar riffs of The Who's "The Seeker" ring out, we recognize that we're going to get plenty of sizzle along with the steak in Religulous, lots of showbusiness to liven up the soul-searching. Like most documentaries dealing with weighty matters, though, the concern in Religulous isn't that there'll be no sizzle with the steak but rather if there'll be steak to go with the sizzle; does Religulous have the right ratio of factual points to funny punch lines, a balanced mix of context and comedy?

Continue reading TIFF Review: Religulous

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]]>Bill MaherBillMaherBoratLarry CharlesLarryCharlesreligulousSam HarrissSamHarrissThe End of FaithTheEndOfFaithTIFF2008James RocchiSun, 07 Sep 2008 13:33:00 ESTMark Cuban Picking Up 'Che'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The New York Post ran a little piece yesterday about hearing a rumor that Mark Cuban's Magnolia pictures has signed to distribute Steven Soderbergh's Che, which James and I saw at Cannes and very much enjoyed. I emailed Cuban earlier to ask whether the rumor is true, and got back from him "working on it," which to me sounds very promising. Cuban's a smart guy and he's not afraid to take risks; now he'll just have to figure out how to package and market the damn thing.

Many of us who loved the film at Cannes pondered over drinks after that screeing who would be brave enough to pick it up for distribution, and whether if it did get picked up it would show in one part in its entirety with an intermission, as we saw it at there, or two separate films, or perhaps one greatly edited shorter film. I'm glad to hear that someone's going to pick it up, and I'm curious now to see which way Cuban will play the release of the film. Any thoughts from those who've seen it as to which you'd prefer?

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]]>chemark cubanMarkCubansteven soderbergKim VoynarSat, 06 Sep 2008 08:02:00 ESTMichael Moore Offering 'Slacker' for Free Onlinehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/michael-moore-offering-slacker-for-free-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/michael-moore-offering-slacker-for-free-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/michael-moore-offering-slacker-for-free-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The latest documentary from Michael Moore will be released exclusively online beginning September 23. FOR FREE. Yes, that's right, and it's a dream come true for both Moore's fans and those millions of anti-fans that despise him. For the followers it's obviously good because they don't have to wait very long to own a copy of the movie. For the enemies it's good because they can check out the movie without giving the man a dime. Or be witnessed buying a ticket.

The 97-minute film is titled Slacker Uprising (formerly Captain Mike Across America), and it's about Moore's 62-city tour during the 2004 presidential election, as he attempts to rally young "slacker" voters. The premise doesn't sound quite as intriguing as his last election-year release, Fahrenheit 9/11 -- which may be part of the reason this one is not receiving a proper theatrical opening. But Moore also says this method is particularly to thank his fans as the 20th anniversary of Roger & Me approaches.

Continue reading Michael Moore Offering 'Slacker' for Free Online

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]]>fahrenheit 911Fahrenheit911michael mooreMichaelMooreroger meRogerMeslacker uprisingSlackerUprisingChristopher CampbellThu, 04 Sep 2008 19:45:00 ESTFan Made: Hilarious 'Juneau' Posterhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/fan-made-hilarious-juneau-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/fan-made-hilarious-juneau-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/fan-made-hilarious-juneau-poster/#commentsFiled under: , ,



... and speaking of pregnant girls ...

I probably don't have to explain this poster too much, since, ya know, all anyone has been talking about for the past couple days is how Governor Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter was knocked up. The Juneau stands, of course, for Juneau, Alaska, which makes this whole thing that much easier to spoof. And how can you not love that tagline ... "A comedy about running for president ...and the bumps along the way." (It's a joke! Lighten up Pubs and enjoy your convention!) The poster, however, is slightly behind the ball -- from what I understand, we do know who the babydaddy is; he has curly hair and looks like every single male lacrosse player I've ever met. They play lacrosse in Alaska? Right on! We here at Cinematical wish these two younger-than-they-should-be parents a long and prosperous life together. (And let us know when we should start blaming the film Juno for this pregnancy. Damn you Hollywood! You done it again!)

Update: Thanks to Goss for pointing us toward two more funny posters, located in the gallery below.

Gallery: Palin Posters



[Thanks Kevin and Goss]

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]]>Bristol PalinBristolPalincinematicalfeaturedjuneaujunosarah palinSarahPalinErik DavisWed, 03 Sep 2008 12:02:00 EST'Watchmen' Has Its Court Date Sethttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/watchmen-has-its-court-date-set/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/watchmen-has-its-court-date-set/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/watchmen-has-its-court-date-set/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

The date has been set for Warner Bros and Fox to go head to head -- and it should soothe the fearful. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studios will be going before the judge on January 6th. There's plenty of time, even at a snail's pace, for the issue to be resolved before the March 6th opening. (It's like the court is going along with the movie marketing -- we'll get a video journal the same day. There really is no such thing as bad publicity in Tinseltown!)

Furthermore, U.S. District Court Judge Gary Allan Feess says that Fox shouldn't attempt to file a preliminary injunction against Warners to stop the release of the film because the issues surrounding the case were too complex to be solved in an interim basis. Instead, both studios are being ordered to put their cases together, and start expedited discovery and depositions. This thing could get quite big -- as the New York Times pointed out, Paramount, Legendary Pictures, and even Universal could get hauled into it, alongside Lawrence Gordon, who's really the man in question in all this.

And remember, this is if it actually makes it to court. This could easily be settled before Christmas, with Warners handing over a nice chunk of The Dark Knight change just to be done with it. (How appropriate that Bruce Wayne help out other costumed vigilantes.) It depends how fierce the studio is feeling, and how certain they are of their case -- but all signs point to you keeping your March 6th moviegoing plans.

You really have to feel bad for the cast and crew on this one, though. All that happy buzz of ComicCon panels and promo posters squashed under a heap of legalese. Oh well, at least Fox can't take away what we've already been given. Check out our Watchmen gallery below.

Gallery: Watchmen

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]]>20th century fox20thCenturyFoxAlan MooreAlanMoorefeaturedWarner BrosWarnerBrosWatchmenWatchmen legal battleWatchmenLegalBattleZack SnyderZackSnyderElisabeth RappeWed, 03 Sep 2008 09:45:00 ESTViggo Mortensen and Jason Isaacs Are 'Good'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/viggo-mortensen-and-jason-isaacs-are-good/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/viggo-mortensen-and-jason-isaacs-are-good/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/viggo-mortensen-and-jason-isaacs-are-good/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Starring the brilliant combination of Viggo Mortensen and Jason Isaacs, Good is in danger of becoming one of those "What the heck ever happened to " films that's been in limbo for too long. Though it's fate is still in doubt (I think it's heading to TIFF 2008), at least we now have a trailer via JoBlo. It has been floating around the Internet for weeks, but never in a working embed -- let's all thank JoBlo for pinning it down.

Based on CP Taylor's play, the story follows John Halder, a literary professor in 1930's Germany, who's book on compassionate euthanasia draws some interest from the new Nazi government. Halder's professional and political career rises, and he continues to make more moral compromises -- much to the dismay of his Jewish friend, Maurice, who suffers at the hands of the regime. It's been a pet project for Isaacs for a few years, and saw numerous actors come and go from the part of Halder. Thankfully, the always-perfect Mortensen stuck. I'm dying to see these two onscreen together in what promises to be an excellent and heartbreaking film. I hope we have an American release date soon.

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]]>CP TaylorCpTaylorGoodJason IsaacsJasonIsaacsViggo MortensenViggoMortensenElisabeth RappeFri, 29 Aug 2008 20:03:00 ESTHow Dubya Met Laura, Stone-Stylehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/how-dubya-met-laura-stone-style/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/how-dubya-met-laura-stone-style/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/how-dubya-met-laura-stone-style/#commentsFiled under: ,



There are girls swinging on a red swingset and piles of potluck food piled high on the tables, all nestled into a wood-fence-lined back yard. According to Oliver Stone's W., this is how George W. Bush met Laura Welch -- the girl who says: "I read. I smoke. I admire." No wonder the two ended up together!

The above is a clip about their meeting, which has popped up over at CNN. Now I know that the big question surrounding this film is whether people will go to see it, or ignore it, kind of like the proliferation of Iraq war films out there. I have to say, if W. tanks when it hits screens on October 17, it would be a waste. The film looks entertaining, it has a distinct life to it, and it would be a shame to miss how the killer cast takes on their roles -- Brolin, Banks, Cromwell, Burstyn, Newton, Dreyfuss, Wright, Glenn, Gruffudd, and Bradford.

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]]>CinematicalOliver StoneOliverStoneWW.Monika BartyzelFri, 29 Aug 2008 17:33:00 ESTPublic Service Announcement: The Best Film of the Year is on HBOhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/23/public-service-announcement-the-best-film-of-the-year-is-on-hbo/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/23/public-service-announcement-the-best-film-of-the-year-is-on-hbo/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/23/public-service-announcement-the-best-film-of-the-year-is-on-hbo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sometimes cinemaniacs get rewarded for stepping outside the theater. Scott Weinberg, his tongue possibly in cheek, thinks a viral 4-minute internet video is the best movie of the year. I am convinced that the year's best fiction-on-film (so far -- though I have trouble imagining anything topping it) is currently airing on HBO. That would be Generation Kill, the seven-part, eight-hour Iraq War miniseries from David Simon and Ed Burns (The Wire). I know, I know: this is Cinematical, not TV Squad. But Generation Kill is something no movie lover should ignore.

Fans of The Wire already know of Simon and Burns's uncanny, unparalleled ability to weave together hyper-realism, trenchant commentary and riveting drama, but even they may be stunned, as I was, by what this smaller-scale project has to offer. It is, quite simply, the deepest and most sympathetic portrayal of the military -- any military -- I have ever seen. It may also be the first "Hollywood" take on the Iraq War that is genuinely thoughtful and de-politicized. Rather than offering a polemic, the series (adapted from a book by Evan Wright, a reporter who rode with the 1st Recon Marine Unit) just observes -- and, by all accounts, gets close to the truth.

Continue reading Public Service Announcement: The Best Film of the Year is on HBO

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]]>alexander skarsgardAlexanderSkarsgarddavid simonDavidSimoned burnsEdBurnsgeneration killGenerationKilllee tergesenLeeTergesenstark sandsStarkSandsthe wireTheWireEugene NovikovSat, 23 Aug 2008 16:32:00 ESTIs 'An American Carol' a Parody or a Right-Wing Diatribe?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/19/is-an-american-carol-a-parody-or-a-right-wing-diatribe/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/19/is-an-american-carol-a-parody-or-a-right-wing-diatribe/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/19/is-an-american-carol-a-parody-or-a-right-wing-diatribe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You may have heard that spoof veteran David Zucker's newest project, An American Carol, is a takedown of Michael Moore. You can now have a look at the trailer, online at Yahoo!. And then you can riddle me this: Does An American Carol look like a clever parody of Moore's documentaries, or just a partisan attack on the filmmaker? Or, put another way, is the clip of Bill O'Reilly slapping around Kevin Farley's "Michael Malone" a commentary on the rivalry between the two, or right-wing wish fulfillment? One thing to note before answering is that O'Reilly appears in the film himself, while Moore does not.

Moore is obviously fair game; I've enjoyed his films, and sympathize with (some of) his politics, but I'd eagerly watch a skillful spoof of the pudgy, faux-working-class provocateur. I think parts of the trailer are pretty funny ("Here I am on the island paradise Cuba!"). But if the point is just to pile on the guy, with a rah-rah patriotic, stop-hating-America message at the end, then I'm significantly less interested.

The thing is, the trailer really doesn't make clear what's going on. On one hand, prominent conservatives like O'Reilly and James Woods appear to deliver literal and figurative blows. On the other, "Michael Malone" gets accused of being a slaveowner, which sounds more like a parody of conservative attacks on Moore than of Moore himself. And is Trace Adkins poking fun at his image here, or is he for real?

We know that Zucker is himself conservative, and that the movie is political -- which is fine. But is it political in an incisive, worthwhile way, or in the brainless beatdown mode of Ann Coulter et al? What do you think?

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]]>an american carolAnAmericanCarolbill oreillyBillOreillydavid zuckerDavidZuckerfeaturedjames woodsJamesWoodskevin farleyKevinFarleymichael mooreMichaelMooretrace adkinsTraceAdkinsEugene NovikovTue, 19 Aug 2008 15:02:00 EST'Watchmen' in Lots of Legal Troublehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/18/watchmen-in-lots-of-legal-trouble/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/18/watchmen-in-lots-of-legal-trouble/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/18/watchmen-in-lots-of-legal-trouble/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Things rarely go smoothly for costumed adventurers -- and the courtroom, it seems, is no exception. Nikke Finke reports that a federal judge has denied to dismiss 20th Century Fox's legal claim on Watchmen. You may remember that they filed a lawsuit back in February claiming that their rights to the DC property still held. They seek an injunction to prevent Warner Bros' adaptation of Watchmen from being released at all.
And at this point, that federal judge agrees with them.

Warner Bros, obviously, cries foul. They point out that several studios have tried to develop the property for years, with Fox saying nary a word, and passed up the chance to properly reacquire the rights some time back. Their view of the lawsuit is that it's just an opportunistic grab on a movie that has been gaining more and more buzz. You can read the whole legal chronology over on Deadline Hollywood (Finke's done a top-notch job of documenting the ins and outs) and see which side you come down on. It's exhausting -- isn't this what studios have lawyers for? To avoid this kind of last-minute litigation lunacy?

It's unlikely that the movie will really be delayed -- but it is possible that Warner Bros. will have to hand Fox a substantial chunk of change in order to release the film, as they had to do for Dukes of Hazzard some years back. As one of Finke's readers noted, suddenly the Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince schedule shift makes a lot more sense. The studio's 2009 budget could be pretty tight.

Watchmen opens (hopefully) March 6th, 2009.

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]]>20th Century Fox20thCenturyFoxAlan MooreAlanMooreDave GibbonsDaveGibbonsrights to WatchmenRightsToWatchmenWatchmenWatchmen legal problemsWatchmenLegalProblemsZack SnyderZackSnyderElisabeth RappeMon, 18 Aug 2008 20:03:00 ESTArab Countries Won't Get to Mess with 'Zohan'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/18/arab-countries-wont-get-to-mess-with-zohan/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/18/arab-countries-wont-get-to-mess-with-zohan/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/18/arab-countries-wont-get-to-mess-with-zohan/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Adam Sandler's most recent not-very-funny comedy, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, has earned about 100 million U.S. dollars since its release in June. It's not going to be pulling in any Egyptian gineih, Lebanese lira, or U.A.E. dirhams, though, because the censors in those countries have banned the film from local cinemas. I'm tempted to say that for the first time ever I'm jealous of Middle Eastern moviegoers, but that would be a shallow joke. Besides, no matter how lousy a movie is, it's nice to at least have the option of watching it.

Film censorship is common in Arab countries. What's noteworthy here is that the film in question is about Israeli/Palestinian relations, a subject that's probably of some considerable interest to many people in that region. Sandler's character, a former Israeli spy, moves to New York and gets a job at a hair salon run by a Lebanese-American woman -- but people in Lebanon won't be able to see the film. I guess the movie's final message of looking past our differences and learning to get along with each other was deemed too offensive.

Well, OK, as noted in Variety, anything with a lot of sexual content, political messages, or religion bashing is liable not to make it past the censors in the Arab world, and Zohan has plenty of all three. The film's Middle East distributor, Circuit-Empire, is still showing the film to the other Arab countries' censorship boards, but they don't expect it to fare any better than it did in Egypt, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. Sorry, Middle East! You'll have to view images of Sandler's comically oversized package by some other means!

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]]>adam sandlerAdamSandlermiddle eastMiddleEastyou dont mess with the zohanYouDontMessWithTheZohanEric D. SniderMon, 18 Aug 2008 10:03:00 EST