Hollywood Born

Twitter

2008-07-24T03:07:00.001-07:00

Cleaner, simpler, and more useful (well, more entertaining at least) than either MySpace or Facebook. Follow me.

C'mon.

Do it now:

http://www.twitter.com/630rge

The Dark Knight

2008-07-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

Incredible film. I need to catch it again before I can write anything more substantive, but I will say that it met my somewhat lofty expectations. Exceeded them in parts, even.

I say, Edward!

2008-07-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

2008-07-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

Loved it. A vast improvement over the first. Packed to the gills with Del Toroey goodness. And hilarious.

Blame Barack Obama If BIO-DOME 2 Never Sees The Light Of Day

2008-07-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

In Bruges

2008-07-02T23:28:00.000-07:00

Wonderfully funny, charming, and oddly melancholic film where genres intertwine effortlessly, resulting in what's easily one of the year's best films. Farrell I don't think has ever been better, and Gleeson - the real heart of the film - is simply a joy.

Also, a midget gets karate chopped.

RECOMMENDED.

Speaking of Wacky...

2008-07-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

http://mediamatters.org/items/200807020002

Wall-E and the Wacky Wight*

2008-07-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

Lulz to be had, courtesy of right wing buffoons (my favorite being Glenn Beck's only because I can just hear the man's insufferable smugness):

Glenn Beck: I can’t wait to teach my kids how we’ve destroyed the Earth. … Pixar is teaching. I can’t wait. You know if your kid has ever come home and said, “Dad, how come we use so much styrofoam,” oh, this is the movie for you.

*Alliteration FTW!

Booyah!

2008-07-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

Drank

2008-07-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

Bastardizing Update

2008-06-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

More on QT's upcoming We'll-Believe-It's-Happening-When-We're-Arguing-About-It-On-The-Internet film, Inglorious Bastards:

"I don't want it to feel like a period film. I want it to feel current. I want it to feel right now. One of the things I have to battle against is 30 years of Nazi-occupation TV movies where we've all seen the big streets and the vintage cars and the Swastikas, and we've just seen that ad nauseum. This is a modern, in-your-face movie. This is not a TV movie period piece."

I don't know, I believe it. I mean, what else is he doing? He's gotta make something. Unless we get more random bits of hearsay regarding another Kill Bill, a Vega Brothers film, or Thai Strippers from Outer Space, I don't think there's really all that much reason to doubt it so much at this point. And in any case, I WANT TO BELIEVE CUZ GODDAMN SON QUENTIN TARANTINO C'MON.

Holy 1080p, Batman!

2008-06-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

R.I.P.

2008-06-23T16:26:00.001-07:00

LOL KOOBRICK

2008-06-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

I will never understand this critique of Kubrick (and Eyes Wide Shut), which seems like the most obvious (and narrow-minded) of armchair psychologies. What I'm essentially reading here is that because the man began becoming a hermit post-60s, he then became so detached from what makes life life that his films somehow on a human level became invalidated? Was that ever even Kubrick's intent in the first place? Watching his films from 2001 on, I highly doubt it. But hey, what do I know? Maybe in a decade I'll think differently...

PROF. BRIAN O'BLIVION'S ALL-NEW FLESH FOR MEMORIAL DAY FILM (AND TV) QUIZ

2008-06-20T01:31:00.000-07:00

I love these. Thanks, Chris. Original posting can be found here.

1) Best transition from movies to TV (actor, actress, producer/director, movie/show)

Hmmm... Alfred Hitchcock?

2) Living film director you most missing seeing on the cultural landscape regularly

I think I might be too young to give a good answer here, but given another 5-10 years, probably Woody Allen. And then Martin Scorsese.

3) Eugene Pallette or Charles Coburn

Geez. Two awesome fatsos. But I'm gonna have to go with Coburn. He got to star with both Marilyn Monroe AND Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes*!

4) Fill in the blank: “I pray that no one ever turns _____________ into a movie.”

The Internet

I'm just kidding, btw. I'd actually love to see a movie on the Internet. I think a good film could come from anywhere.

5) Jane Greer or Veronica Lake

Veronica Lake

6) What was the last movie you saw in a theater? On DVD? And why?

Theater: The Incredible Hulk. Because... really, The Happening? My flask lacked the requisite Jameson for that screening.

DVD: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Because when a director bitches about why his film didn't win the Palme d'Or over 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (the next film sitting on my shelf to watch, for this very reason), I had to investigate further.

P.S. It's an amazing film.

7) Name an actor you think should be a star

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He's sooo close, though. And that's saying something considering all the shit movie's he been in.

8) Foxy Brown or Coffy

Never seen Foxy Brown, so Coffy it is.

9) Favorite TV show still without its own DVD box set

Not too long ago, I would've said Spaced.

(And yes, I know... but Region 2 can kiss my ass!)

10) Jack Elam or Neville Brand

Jack Elam, c'mon.

11) What movies would top your list of movies you need to revisit, for whatever reason?

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. I liked it well enough, but like most of Cassavetes' films, they're not easy viewing. It was the first one of his Criterion set that I watched (Ben, thank you), and I sure as shit wasn't expecting what I saw. So that's a definite (and eager) revist I need to make.

12) Zodiac or All the President’s Men

All the President's Men is a very good film. Problem is, Zodiac is a masterpiece.

13) Using our best reviewer-speak, what is an “important” film comedy? And what is to you the most important film comedy of the last 35 years?

An "important" film comedy is probably more about the non-comedy bits than the comedy bits. Most important then? Jesus. Maybe Groundhog Day? Annie Hall? Shaun of the Dead? I don't know. I'll go with Annie Hall.

14) Describe the ideal environment for watching a movie.

I'm going to somewhat crib from Chris' response because it pretty much hits on the stuff I'd want. When I had the chance to visit the set of Dreamgirls back in 2006, it was to my great privilege that it all went down at The Orpheum here in Downtown Los Angeles. And the place itself is almost exactly as Chris describes: retrofitted and wonderfully restored, beautifully lavish, great sound system. It only really lacked a full bar (ArcLight, how I love thee!) and spacious/comfortable seating, which I guess was their way of really preserving the original nature of the place. I had a chance to go again last year for the premiere of Grindhouse, and yeah, that pretty much was the best experience in the best environment for those films in particular. Better seats and a bar... man, The Orpheum would be BLISS.

15) Michelle Williams or Eva Mendes

Eva's got that Latin thing which automatically smolders, but still, I'm not that into her for whatever reason. Michelle Williams... have you seen her in I'm Not There? I was all, "Wud smash... wait, who the fuc... is that Michelle Williams?! In another movie with Heath Ledger who's ironically starring next to Christian Bale?? Wud smash."

16) What’s the worst movie title of all time?

The Last Mimzy? Get fucked, Bob Shaye.

17) Best movie about teaching and/or learning

Léon

18) Dracula (1931) or Horror of Dracula (1958)

Never watched the Christopher Lee version, so I'll go with the '31.

19) Why do you blog? Or if you don’t, why do you read blogs?

I blog, honestly, because it's the thing to do. Not that I'm consciously attempting to be hip to what's "in", just that when you hear everyone going on and on about something that's new (like MySpace, Facebook, etc.), curiosity will get to you. At least, this is what I thought back in like 2003-2004. And before that, I never considered writing in any sort of way. And ironically it's helped me get a few jobs here and there (LORD KNOWS WHY). Though now it's hard for me to find the time to really properly blog anymore, which is why I mostly post pictures or videos and single sentence comments (LESS IS MORE, PEOPLE, C'MON). But stuff like this I like, and I'll gladly take the time to do it.

Why do I read blogs? I don't really unless they're written by people I actually know (either IRL or through the internet). I know a lot of websites I read like, say, Defamer or Cinematical are considered "blogs" because of their format, but I sure don't consider them as such.

20) Most memorable/disturbing death scene

I hate these cuz I can never pick just one. Memorable? Robert De Niro's in Heat. Disturbing? Frank Vincent's in Goodfellas. A little of both? The suit in RoboCop that gets blasted away by ED-209. Geez. Come to think of it, RoboCop is just an orgy of memorable/disturbing death scenes.

21) Jason Robards or Robert Shaw

"Y'all know me. Know how I earn a livin'. I'll catch this bird for you, but it ain't gonna be easy. Bad fish. Not like going down to the pond and chasing bluegills and tommycocks. This shark, swallow you whole. No shakin', no tenderizin', down you go. And we gotta do it quick, that'll bring back your tourists, put all your businesses on a payin' basis. But it's not gonna be pleasant. I value my neck a lot more than three thousand bucks, chief. I'll find him for three, but I'll catch him, and kill him, for ten. But you've gotta make up your minds. If you want to stay alive, then ante up. If you want to play it cheap, be on welfare the whole winter. I don't want no volunteers, I don't want no mates, there's too many captains on this island. Ten thousand dollars for me by myself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing."

Jason Robbards is great too, though.

22) A good candidate for Most Blasphemous Movie Ever

I... I can't think of anything. 1998's Godzilla? A) for fucking up Godzilla's design, and B) for breeding that Puff Daddy/Jimmy Page collaboration.

23) Rio Bravo or Red River

Rio Bravo

24) Werner Herzog is remaking Bad Lieutenant with Nicolas Cage—that’s reality. Try to outdo reality by concocting a match-up of director and title for a really strange imaginary remake.

Ugh. Coming off of that bit of Robert Shaw above, I was gonna say "Spike Lee's Jaws starring Denzel Washington as the shark!" but realized that Señor Brigden had made that joke back in TFL's heyday (I would link it, but Google can't seem to find it). Oh well.

25) Bulle Ogier or Charlotte Rampling

Rampling

26) In the Realm of the Senses— yes or no?

Yes!

27) Name a movie you think of as your own

I'm not gonna name it, cuz then people, should they hate it, will be afraid to discuss it with me in fear that I'm going to take it all personally and shit... WHICH I WOULD.

28) Winged Migration or Microcosmos

Microcosmos. It sounds cooler.

29) Your favorite football game featured in a movie

Christ... I'm almost said Jerry Maguire. What about... the arena football scene from Starship Troopers? LOL Casper Van Dien, amirite?

30) Wendy Hiller or Deborah Kerr

Deborah Kerr! The King and I!

31) Dirtiest secret you have that is related to the movies

I cackled like a hyena throughout Wrongfully Accused. While getting head.

32) Name a favorite film and describe how it is illuminated and enriched by another favorite film.

This was meant as a really long essay for TFL, but I never could figure out a way to conclude it. So here's the really short version: Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut followed by Munich. Both deal with the cyclical nature of vengeance (more so Munich, hence the book title "Vengeance" from which the film's based), but more importantly, both are wonderful snapshots of the futile and damaging conflict in the Middle-East over the territory of Israel. It's great to watch Munich right after KOH since KOH ends with a title card about how the conflict in that region would continue to rage on till the present. And at that point, you start seeing the overlap in themes. It's a pretty satisfying film-watching experience to make that bridge.

33) It’s a Gift or Horsefeathers

It's a Gift

34) Your best story about seeing a movie at a drive-in

I've sadly never experienced a Drive-In. If I can ever find one though, you can bet I'll watch whatever piece of shit is playing!

35) Victor Mature or Tyrone Power

Tyrone Power is awesome!

36) What does film criticism mean to you? Where do you think it’s headed?

I don't think I really have an opinion on what film critique means to me. I mean, I obviously enjoy it and take stock in it to a certain degree, but I'm not sure it means anything more than just a way to reevaluate (or reaffirm) my own thoughts on a film. Where's it headed? More voices, less quality control... and that's true of everything, not just film criticism.

*This "gentleman" prefers brunettes...

Saul Bass Lives On!

2008-06-17T20:15:00.000-07:00

Great piece of pop art. Can't wait for this flick.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

2008-06-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

Beautiful piece of filmmaking. A real gut-punch.

And yes...

2008-06-14T01:14:00.000-07:00

...I noticed.

Kong '76

2008-06-14T00:48:00.000-07:00

Boy, they really go out of their way to make Kong a sleaze. And though the idea of bestiality on such a massive scale is kind of intriguing (my Furries fondness revealed!), it ends up making the titular ape pretty unsympathetic. For all of PJ's excesses, his bloated Kong at least nailed that sweet "beauty and the beast" dynamic.

Would thoroughly smash Jessica Lange here, though. And Charles Grodin, why not? It's Charles Grodin.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Read Herr Brigden's diatribe on this celluloid mess right here!

Oh, Jeffrey Wellolols...

2008-06-11T01:10:00.000-07:00

Linkage.

I've come up with a new reason to leave movies before they've ended. Over the last two days I've left two as they got into their third acts because -- I'm being serious -- I liked them so much I didn't want their endings to spoil them.

I did this with a showing of Clint Eastwood's Breezy at the Aero on Sunday night. This wasn't the main reason I bailed last night on the last 15 minutes of You Don't Mess With the Zohan, but it was an underlying one.

You're liking the film, it's going well, everything's working...so why mess with the possibility of the ending screwing everything up? Leave 15 minutes before it ends, ask your friends what happens, and then catch the whole thing on DVD three or four months hence. Especially if the film in question is a drama that's subtly telegraphing that some kind of heavy or unpleasant turnaround is just around the corner. Or if some guy is sitting next to you and ruining everything by saying "wow!" when hot girls in hot underwear make a brief appearance. Get out while the going is good.

Obviously this is an incredibly lowbrow attitude for someone such as myself*. I'm not confessing to it with any pride or suggesting in any way that I'm going to watch films with this attitude henceforth. I'm just saying that over the last 48 hours I've left two films that I liked, and that my reason or doing so made sense to me, and that it left me in peace.

*Again, LOLs aplenty.

My new hero?

2008-06-02T23:52:00.000-07:00

Eric Bana.

Naked. Space. Vampire.

2008-05-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

My name is Chest Rockwell and I approve this film.

Empire of the Sun

2008-05-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Still possibly my favorite of Spielberg's films. Not sure if it's my all-time fave of his, since I'm still trying to go through as much of his filmography as I can since having watched Crystal Skull.

Also, Christian Bale - He's fantastic. The most emotive I've ever seen him be!

Paul's Brain Trust

2008-05-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Paul Prischman was one of the regulars here at Hollywood Born, and though I never got the chance to meet him face to face, thanks to the wonderful modern world of internet relationships, he nevertheless, in our relatively short time of brief on and off contact, became someone I would consider to be a friend. One who was never less than kind and generous with me in all the time that I've known him.

Paul is currently undergoing intense chemotherapy to help battle Grade 4 brain cancer (Glioblastoma Multiforme) discovered from a malignant brain tumor which had been removed several months ago. This fund is in support of the growing medical costs common to this sort of treatment (treatment my own grandmother was given three years ago to battle ovarian cancer).

For more information on Paul's Brain Trust, click the great picture above (courtesy of The Digital Bits), or click here to read Jeremy Smith's write-up over at CHUD.com. I hope everyone here who sees this that has any sort of vested interest in Paul or even just his work can contribute something, however small, if not simply just your thoughts and prayers for him and his family.

Fucking FINALLY

2008-05-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

From Cannes:

Host: What are the next films that you are going to be making? We're hearing KILL BILL 3, KILL BILL 4, which one is it?

Tarantino: The next movie I'm doing is my World War II movie. I just finished up the first draft and if ALL GOES WELL, I will be here, in Cannes, in 2009 with INGLORIOUS BASTARDS!