WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH?

‘The American’ – The anti-blockbuster

cftoto — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:41:28 +0000

Look, Ma, George Clooney’s new movie “The American” doesn’t have any shaky cam scenes, gravity defying stunts or other exhausted film tics.

Let’s take a moment to drink that in.

Clooney’s film eschews more than just modern movie conventions. It neglects to give us a protagonist to cheer on. We’re left with Clooney’s star power and maturing acting skills, which are considerable, and a story which can’t rally to save itself in the film’s waning moments.

Clooney plays Jack, an assassin whose latest hit while stationed in Sweden goes awry. He takes out his target but also kills an innocent, someone he made the mistake of getting to know too well. So he decides to cool his heels in a quaint Italian hamlet while his boss (Johan Leyson) figures out what went wrong.

Before Jack can decompress he’s given another assignment, but it’s as mysterious as just about everything else in this minimalist yarn. He must help build a rifle for a fellow killer (Thekla Reuten).

In between long coffee breaks and thoughtfully staring into space, Jack falls for a local prostitute (Violante Placido), a subplot so stale it feels like a jumping off point for a film parody.

Our assassin spends little time working on his cover – he’s supposed to be a photographer on assignment. Jack never so much as fondles a camera shutter, and for a man in near constant danger he sure walks around as if there’s nothing to fear but a fearfully dull screenplay itself.

“The American” works when we see Jack handing the tools of his trade. There’s a panther-like grace to the way he builds his weapons that makes him menacing without saying a word.

And Clooney has very little to say in “The American.” It’s like the film was written for Clint Eastwood circa 1970, but Clooney’s man with an ordinary name lacks the presence Eastwood brought to his iconic roles of yore.

The film offers hints of Jack as an actual, full bodied character, but no such person ever emerges. Clooney’s supporting cast mates try to prop the assassin up, saying he’s a good man with a sinful past. Or something akin to that. They really don’t know anything about him, and nor do we. The presence of an avuncular priest also promises to enrich our understanding of Jack’s plight. But nothing ever materializes.

Kudos to Clooney for using his star power to make a movie that’s everything today’s blockbusters aren’t. It’s ironic that an American star could help make a movie with such an international feel.

“The American” is so thoroughly European you half expect the film to stop in its tracks for a Stella Artois commercial. It’s as if director Anton Corbijn gorged himself on ’70s era thrillers, the closest domestic films got to that Euro sensibility, but couldn’t manage to replicate the reasons why those features gave us so many enduring characters.

In “The American,” the more we get the more we see Clooney’s assassin, the less we care about his fate – or the movie as a whole.

(Photo: and Violante Placido and George Clooney star in “The American.” Focus Features/Photo credit: Giles Keyte)

Will ‘Machete’ impact immigration debate?

cftoto — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:53:37 +0000

Director Robert Rodriguez gave the conservative blogosphere fits when he cut a trailer for his newest film blasting Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law. (warning: link includes profanity)

But it was all a put on, the director assured us later.

Now that the film itself, “Machete,” is ready to be released the same arguments will likely return.

Early press accounts show the movie features a rabidly anti-immigrant politician who compares Mexicans to roaches as well as a Minuteman-style thug who shoots a pregnant Mexican woman.

Subtlety was never in Rodriguez’s directorial tool kit.

But will audiences who believe immigrants should come to America legally want to hear themselves described as hate mongers? Will the film simply stoke more ideological op-eds, or can it actually change a few hearts and minds on the issue?

It’s hard to see the movie doing anything but alienating audiences over its incendiary subject matter. That’s Rodriguez’s right, but if he really cared about the issue in play he might have taken a different tack. Or, perhaps, he could have avoided the subject altogether. He hardly seems the best choice to make a movie that can have a positive impact on a serious social issue.

That’s not a critique, per se. It’s just acknowledging that his filmmaking gifts don’t extend to that style of movie making. He’s a gifted shlock director, and there’s not a thing wrong with that. I’d rather watch a Rodriquez movie on a lazy Sunday afternoon than many Oscar-nominated features. Movies like “Desperado” and “From Dusk ‘Til Dawn” remain good, dirty fun. Nothing more.

By all early accounts, “Machete” is as over the top as the director’s past efforts. So it’s not as if he’s trying to make a sober political statement. Or is he?

This critic will see the film on Friday since I missed the preview screening earlier in the week, and my review will appear at PajamasMedia.com – look for a link at WWTW when it goes live.

(Photo: Actor Danny Trejo stars as one mad Mexican in “Machete,” a politically charged action film from director Robert Rodriguez. Photo: 20th Century Fox Films)

3D Wars! ‘Piranha 3D’ producer blasts Cameron, calls him ’self-serving’

cftoto — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:29:43 +0000

‘Gentleman, you can’t fight in here … this is a war room!”

The producer behind “Piranha 3D” is taking exception to James Cameron’s slam against his fishy take on the 3-D movement. And you don’t even need those silly glasses to enjoy the war of words.

Cameron, the uber-confident director behind “Avatar,” started the ruckus over at VanityFair.com by saying the new “Piranha” film helps give 3-D movies a bad name.

Now, “Piranha 3D” producer Mark Canton is firing back – with a tersely worded press release. Don’t make him angry, or he’ll Tweet it, too!

“Mr. Cameron, who singles himself out to be a visionary of movie-making, seems to have a small vision regarding any motion pictures that are not his own. It is amazing that in the movie-making process – which is certainly a team sport – that Cameron consistently celebrates himself out as though he is a team of one. His comments are ridiculous, self-serving and insulting to those of us who are not caught up in serving his ego and his rhetoric.”

And Canton is just getting warmed up.

“Let’s start by you accepting the fact that you were the original director of PIRANHA 2 and you were fired. Shame on you for thinking that genre movies and the real maestros like Roger Corman and his collaborators are any less auteur or impactful in the history of cinema than you. Martin Scorcese [sic] made Boxcar Bertha at the beginning of his career. And Francis Ford Coppola made Dimentia 13 [sic] back in 1963. And those are just a few examples of the talented and successful filmmakers whose roots are in genre films. Who are you to impugn any genre film or its creators?

Young directors should be inspired by you, not publicly castigated by your mean-spirited and flawed analysis.”

Yes, I know I’m simply prolonging the fight and giving “Piranha 3D” more publicity. But Cameron needs to know he’s not actually the king of the world, and more people who love a good horror film should check out “Piranha 3D.”

Besides, knowing how swiftly Cameron backs down from a fight, it’s likely the skirmish will end here.

DVDs of the Week: Geezer gone wild

cftoto — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:34:12 +0000

The shock success of “Gran Torino” should have meant “Harry Brown,” Michael Caine’s excursion into geezer gunplay, would similarly rock the box office.

But Caine’s film, released with little fanfare earlier this year, couldn’t duplicate the fate of Clint Eastwood’s vigilantes-on-Geritol flick.

“Brown” still should be seen, and its DVD and Blu-ray debut this week allows audiences can catch up on Caine’s most audacious role in recent memory.

“Harry Brown” Sometimes a man must fight back against the criminal scum in his neighborhood, no matter how old he may be. Michael Caine plays such a man, a codger drawing on his military background to clean up his community. But at what price to both himself and his soul? Caine makes Harry a believable vigilante even if some of the situations laid before us seem more rote than revelatory. The Blu-ray presentation includes some deleted scenes and a director’s commentary track.

“Marmaduke” – The most iconic Great Dane in pop culture gets his own movie, and it’s about what one would expect from a kid-friendly excursion. Marmaduke, voiced by Owen Wilson, moves to Orange County along with his loving family and ingratiates himself with the locals. The film trots out a “Some Kind of Wonderful” subplot betwixt the bad dog puns, but William H. Macy adds class to the proceedings as the boss of Marmaduke’s owner (played by Lee Pace). Blu-ray extras include eight deleted scenes, bloopers and a number of featurettes including “Puppy Marmaduke and Kitty Carlos: Home Movies,” “Cowabarka!” and a “Canine Casting” segment. Review coming soon to WWTW.
“Why Did I Get Married Too?” – Tyler Perry’s first sequel to one of his own stories catches up with the four couples who struggled so mightily in the 2007 original film. Now, they’re back on their annual couples retreat and they have new problems to overcome. The cast includes Perry, Sharon Leal, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott and an uncredited Dwayne Johnson in a cameo role. The Blu-ray extras include “Girl Talk: The Women of Married,” “Male Bonding: The Men of Married,” a couples character guide and the music video for co-star Janet Jackson’s “Nothing.” Not reviewed by WWTW.

Getting to know your local ‘Marmaduke’

cftoto — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:42:38 +0000

The folks behind this week’s Blu-ray release of “Marmaduke” did a little research about those big ol’ Great Dane dogs.

They’ve gathered a list of breed-specific nuggets to share with the public, and WWTW is more than happy to post it here. Just remember – if you adopt a Great Dane he won’t necessarily speak in the So Cal rhythms of, say, Owen Wilson:

Feed me! Great Danes do eat more than, say, a puggle, but they chow down under 3 cups of dry dog food at a time. Giving them more can spell trouble, especially if they’re at that puppy stage since too much protein can damage their growing bones and joints.
Give love, get love: Some dogs are like Greta Garbo – they vant to be alone! Not Great Danes. If these dogs don’t have plenty of human contact they can get depressed, mentally unstable and even aggressive. And no one wants that.
Need an apartment dog? Yes, Great Danes love to stretch their legs, but even apartment dwellers can consider these dogs for their families. They aren’t as high energy as one might think, and with daily exercise a Great Dane can be right at home in cramped quarters.
Gentle giants: Great Danes look like tough customers, but the breed is known for being able to share their living quarters with small dogs and cats as well as toddlers. They also can be used as therapy dogs in some scenarios.

Top 5 actors you won’t see in five years

cftoto — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:13:12 +0000

It’s hard to imagine a more brutal profession than acting.

Sure, the A-listers have it easy, living lives of opulence and rarely raising so much as a callous on their hands from manual labor. But getting to that point – and staying there – is undeniably hard. Just ask every other waiter working in Hollywood, or all the actors who briefly found fame only to see their stars sink in short order.

So here are five actors who are currently starring on the big screen – but likely won’t be for long. Yes, they may still land supporting roles in lesser screen projects, but this critic senses their current gigs will dry up in short order – for a variety of reasons.

Megan Fox: Beauty in Hollywood comes with an unforgiving expiration date. Simply put, there’s always another gorgeous young actress vying for the role you want. Fox simply hasn’t shown the talent needed to beat back that competition, and her penchant for insulting the people who hire her won’t help her no matter how stunning she looks in slow-motion glamour shots.

Josh Duhamel: This choice hurts. Duhamel is both uncommonly handsome and comfortable on screen, a rare combination that usually leads to a lengthy film career. But he simply hasn’t chosen the right projects yet, and I fear his time is running out. Starring in those “Transformers” movies is a good way to introduce oneself to the public, but it’s all in the follow through – the subsequent projects meant to show you’re the real deal. Sadly,”When in Rome” wasn’t it. His newest film “Life As We Know It” could be the game changer he needs, although co-star Katherine Heigl’s ability to pick film projects all but dried up after “Knocked Up.”
Kristen Bell: The star of TV’s “Veronica Mars” keeps getting plum acting gigs, but she hasn’t shown she truly deserves them. Her work in “When in Rome,” “Serious Moonlight” and “Couples Retreat” didn’t stand out, and her upcoming comedy “You Again” looks like it’ll be stolen by Betty White. She’s attractive but in a brittle way, and while that may sound cruel I’m guessing rom-com queens should be more warm, more appealing in order to break through, Meg Ryan style.
Robert Pattinson/Taylor Lautner: The “Twilight” co-hunks seem like they’re on top of the world right now, but they may come crashing down to earth soon. It might not even be their fault. Pattinson proved he could act sans fangs in “Remember Me,” but critics and audiences alike ignored the movie. And Lautner’s work in the “Twilight” series shows he’s all abs, no charisma. It could be the venue for Lautner – the actor is stuck in a teen vehicle with directors who don’t put much emphasis on nuanced emoting. But hearing about the projects he’s lining up to take, including a movie based on the “Stretch Armstrong” toy, tells me Lautner isn’t here for the long haul.
Readers’ choice: Who strikes you as having a short shelf life in Hollywood at the moment – and why?

(Photo: Katherine Heigl as Holly Berenson, holding Sophie, and Josh Duhamel Eric Messer in Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures’ romantic comedy “Life As We Know It,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Peter Iovino)

Comment of the Week: A rant for the ages

cftoto — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:00:58 +0000

A guest post on why online film delivery isn’t clicking with filmmakers generated a feisty – and on target – comment from a new Watcher.

Larry offered up this pithy retort to those who think the only way to see a movie is in a theater. Let ‘er rip, Larry:

Note to filmmakers:

I want to watch films the way I want to watch them. I don’t want you or the theater controlling the sound, where I sit, when I can go to the can, what I can eat or drink, whether or not I am dressed or undressed.

I don’t want my shoes sticking to the floor in something I can only hope is no worse than a spilled soft drink. I don’t want to sit in a seat that might have previously held some Hollywood ‘fame whore’ without underwear who might be carrying the gift that keeps on giving. I don’t want to hear cellphones ringing and the subsequent conversation. I don’t want to hear babies crying or toddlers fussing. I don’t want to miss some of the movie because my bladder insists on attention.

Now, IF the credits include PIXAR I might drag myself to the theater.

Real life Ghostbusters review ‘The Last Exorcism’ – Part 2

cftoto — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:12:54 +0000

Bryan Bonner isn’t your average horror movie fan.

His work with the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society gives him a unique perspective on things that go bump in the night.

So WWTW asked him to review “The Last Exorcism,” the new horror film hitting theaters this weekend.

A spectacular film for 77 minutes … even though it is 87 minutes long

I was asked to be part of the duo who both hosted and introduced “The Last Exorcism” at a screening in Denver.

We had the opportunity to explain to a large group of people that everything that they see on TV and Film is not always the reality behind the facts of the case.

Because this was a screening of the film there was an introduction by director Eli Roth, a producer on the film. I thought that this was genius – not only did we get to feel as if we were special in some way but he explained how people who used Twitter to discuss the movie could actually be quoted in future promotions of the film. This is definitely a new way to create a viral campaign.

The movie started and it was amazing how the documentary style felt so authentic. The characters seemed to be very real and their backgrounds were extremely detailed. Because of this I was interested in the main character, a preacher named Cotton (Patrick Fabian). It’s something which has been lacking in most of the characters in today’s special effects driven movies.

The writers of “exorcism” have apparently had some experience with the fraudulent dealings that are ever present in the field of the paranormal. This worked well with some of the stories that we had discussed before the movie about our own dealings with phony exorcists.

As the title of this review suggests, all but the last ten minutes of this film are great. Which makes you wonder, what happened? It reminds me of other movies that have had similar issues. Last year’s “Paranormal Activity” was such a departure from the standard “horror movie” that it was a breath of fresh air. Well… at least till the end.

This is an example of what happens when a large production company decides to “improve” the movie by creating a new ending. I am hoping that this is the case with “The Last Exorcism” and we can see the “directors cut” ending on the DVD.

While I will definitely recommend this movie to all fans of horror/suspense movies, I just wish the ending was able to stand up to the rest of the movie.

(Photo: Ashley Bell stars as ‘Nell Sweetzer’ in “The Last Exorcism.” Photo courtesy of Lionsgate)

Why filmmakers aren’t embracing online movie delivery services

cftoto — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 22:23:26 +0000

(Guest post by James Mowery)

For many people, the recent advancements in computer technology have been life changing.

After all, it’s difficult to argue against the merits of having an entirely library of books, movies and music all at the tip of your fingertips on one device. That is, unless you are a filmmaker, musician or author.

Artists the world over have expressed their concern as of late about online delivery of their products, and for a variety of reasons. In particular, filmmakers are beginning to come down on online delivery, deeming it unsuitable for their work.

Filmmakers aren’t embracing online delivery for a variety of reasons.

For one, online delivery of films drastically increases the chance of movies being pirated, or stolen and freely disseminated throughout the Internet. While this practice is illegal, it runs rampant among internet users and shows no signs of slowing down. As a result, artists are losing out on the royalties they need in order to continue doing their work. Filmmakers, in particular, have seen the effects this problem has had on the industry first hand.

Perhaps the main reason why filmmakers are not exactly excited about online delivery is the fact that they feel as if their films aren’t being represented correctly through the medium. Films are meant to be viewed on a large screen with surround sound speakers, and most people who acquire movies through online delivery are watching them on their computer screens, listening to the sound through tiny speakers.

Filmmakers argue that this is not how their movies are meant to be experienced, and that opinions are thus skewed in different directions regarding the quality of the film.

Nevertheless, online delivery has truly taken off. Much to the dismay of filmmakers worldwide, many people consider it to be the wave of the future.

- James Mowery is a computer geek who writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to Led TV.

Real-life Ghostbusters review ‘The Last Exorcism’ – Part 1

cftoto — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:35:08 +0000

Who you gonna call when you need an expert opinion on “The Last Exorcism?”

Your friendly neighborhood “Ghostbusters” don’t actually exist. But the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society does. The group, which uses a scientific approach to study paranormal phenomena, offered up two critiques of the new horror movie that uses the real practice of exorcisms to scare us silly.

The group also has an Internet radio show Monday nights at 7 p.m. Mountain Time (9 p.m. EST).

So while WWTW already chimed in with a review, who better than Paranormal experts to give their take on the shock tale?

Today’s review comes from RMPRS’s Baxter, while Bryan Bonner shares his insights on the movie in Part 2 of this post:

The Only Salvation of This Movie Is to Leave Before the Ending

I was recently lucky enough to help host the Denver screening of “The Last Exorcism.” I arrived an hour early and the line for entry already stretched for blocks. The buzz about this film has been fantastic.

My job at this screening was to introduce the film to the audience with my paranormal partner, Bryan Bonner. We are paranormal claims investigators with Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society. Liongate wanted us to give a few spooky experiences that we’ve had to the audience in order to prime them for the movie. Well, give us a microphone and put us in front of a crowd and you can’t keep our mouths shut about anything!

I started explaining to the crowd that the 1973 horror classic “The Exorcist” was part of the reason we started in this business. We had, in fact, witnessed three exorcisms in the last month. We then went on to express our opinion that the exorcisms were frauds. We felt that the exorcist in question was employing hypnosis techniques to achieve the state of frenzy that he needed to get more donations. Both Bryan and I are certified hypnotherapists and recognized the approach.

We then fielded questions for the next ten minutes. They ranged from “Can I come?” to “How can you put your soul in such danger by being exposed to this stuff?”

I replied to that query with, “Someone has to do it and most of the evil we see is in the form of fraud. It has to be exposed!”

With that, we wrapped it up and got seated for the movie. Right from the start, I was enthralled with the realism of the documentary style. The main character, a lifelong reverend (I mean LIFELONG. His father was a pastor and he did his first sermon at seven years old!), just oozed with apathy about religion. He didn’t believe in anything anymore, he just did what he knew how to do and he was good at it. His sharp sense of humor and disgust for the belief of his parishioners was surprisingly entertaining to watch.

The pace of the movie really just kept going at an enthralling, building, burning rate. It was a bit like the terror one feels when the monster doesn’t run after you but only walks with a steady and unending pace. It knows that it will catch you and doesn’t have to run.

The family that calls the reverend for help is suitably creepy. The father is a fundamentalist that doesn’t really know how to think for himself. The daughter is terribly sheltered from the outside world and may be suffering from abuse from her father. The son is clever and scarred by all that he has seen. He thinks the father is the problem and not the work of demons at all.

Throughout the movie, the tension is well broken up with humor. Those little breaks from the stress really make the movie that much more powerful.

Any demon worth his salt is going to confuse us. It would want us to think that insanity is more probable than the existence of demons. It keeps dropping clues in both directions to keep us off balance. “The Last Exorcism” does just that extremely well. The reverend and the documentary film crew are faced with solving this mystery and their feelings of despair are palpable as they draw closer to their own truths. They come to a point where they truly feel that they have it solved.

This is the point where you should leave the theater. The ending is a tacked-on, ’70s B-movie rip-off that ruined what was the best horror movie I have seen in years.

Now, I know that you are going to stay and watch the ending anyway, but you have been warned. Maybe the warning in itself will make the impact of the fall from grace that this film takes a bit more tolerable.

When this particular demon possesses someone, there is only one way for their soul’s salvation: Exorcism or death. It seems to me that killing the victim would be a “cop-out” way out. The hard effort of making an exorcism work is the noble action to take. Well, these movie makers gave up on the hard work and just went ahead and shot the movie in the face.

It turns out that their initial hard work is what really saved the soul of this movie.

(Photo: Ashley Bell stars as ‘Nell Sweetzer’ in “The Last Exorcism.” Photo credit: Patti Perret)