In the closing weeks of one of the lamest summer movie seasons in recent memory,
it’s probably too optimistic to expect one, just one, quality film to end this summer
on a positive note.
Nah, we can’t expect miracles, but we can expect another classic comedy brought
to us by those spoof auteurs Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. This time out the
target is the Twilight franchise, along with anything that’s currently popular in pop
culture at the moment.
Needless to say, these spoof films are irritating to a lot of moviegoers (myself
included). Unfortunately they make money, so the likelihood of them finally putting
an end to these is slim. I’ve already accepted the fact that I’ll most likely be hearing
about a new spooffilm again eventually. Spoof/Parody films are no longer thought of
as classic comedies,like 'Airplane!' or 'Blazing Saddles'. Younger audiences associate
the term 'spoof film with'Epic Movie', 'Date Movie' or 'Meet The Spartans'. They're
really getting shortchanged and the spoof film genre has really hit the bottom of the
cinematic barrel
In case you were wondering, nope I won’t be seeing it. I just don’t want to waste my time on this so-called comedy. Plus, I really have
no interest or knowledge about Twilight so seeing a spoof of it seems like a waste. Even though from my experience these spoof films
Friedberg and Seltzer specialize in never focus on the supposed target their planning to spoof. They never seem to have many ideas
about how to do that, so instead they fill the rest of the film with stupid sight gags, lame dance numbers, boring celebrity impressionists
and characters getting hit in the head.
These films are simply a string of random references to whatever’s popular in pop culture at the moment. The odd thing is that there’s
no spin or humor to any of it. In these films the comedy comes from just the fact that say, the Jersey Shore cast and Lady Gaga show
up…..and that’s it. They don’t do anything. There’s no joke about them. The appearance of look alikes is supposed to be enough for
a knee slapping moment. Just knowing that these two guys had a hand in any film…..well it’s not exactly a selling point. It’s kind of
just the opposite in fact!
What still irritates me about these….directors, is that there are much more creative, and funny spoofs of Twilight right on YouTube.
And the people who made them don’t have major studios releasing their stuff. I don’t understand how these guys continue working.
It seems like a real crime.
I will say despite at how horrible I think these films are and the disgust I feel that these filmmakers still gain employment and money
out of these lazy efforts, there is still one thing I like when these films come out – the anger by movie fans. There seems to be a great
number of film lovers that loudly express how much they dislike these films, plead that they will go away and Seltzer and Friedberg
switch careers. These rants have almost become an inevitable accompaniment with the release of the latest Friedberg/Seltzer effort.
Their loud, creative, colorful language is a lot of fun to listen to. I’m sure these rants are much more entertaining than anything in the
actual films.
I have yet to ever see Seltzer and Friedberg give any kind of interview to promote their films. There’s not really any photos of them or
much information about them in general. I’ll consistently see only one photo of these two guys used over and over again. It’s kind of
odd. It’s almost like they’re intentionally avoiding the spotlight. Maybe for good reason. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day it comes
out these guys are simply not real and these films were put together by nameless others. Seltzer and Friedberg simply became a new
anonymous pseudonym like Alan Smithee.
Unfortunately, during the first week of it’s release Vampires Suck has grossed $12 million dollars and hit number two at the weekly
box office. So, I hope all those Ranters save up some energy for yet another eventual diatribe. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing another
spoof movie real soon and I’ll be ready to listen to you guys and shake my head right along with you. I don’t think I’ll ever be breaking
my precedent of always skipping the latest Seltzer and Friedberg film.
INCEPTION REACTION
Since observing the anniversary of the release of Jaws, the film that ushered in the big
annual summer movie season as we know it (you can read about all that below) I
started wondering if 2010 could possibly rank as THE worst one in recent memory.
Look what moviegoers have gotten so far: Sex and the City 2, Robin Hood, Jonah Hex,
Prince of Persia, Killers, The A-Team, Knight & Day, Grown Ups, The Last Air Bender….Marmaduke (how can we forget that one!). Sure there have been a few highlights thanks to some smart smaller films and good old reliable Pixar, but generally this summer studio movie crop has pretty much sucked and has been forgettable.
Fortunately, Christopher Nolan’s Inception came out and reminded everyone that
people can appreciate a film that doesn’t pander to general audiences, a film that
challenges them and expects them to think in order to keep up with the story.
And it didn’t even need any cute dancing CGI furry animals to quickly become a
blockbuster.
Now this isn’t a review, so don’t worry about any possible spoilers. I will just say that I have seen the film and really enjoyed it
and it did have me thinking it over afterwards. However, I don’t think it’s the masterpiece some people are proclaiming it to be. Some
of the statements I’ve read from fans have made me raise the eyebrows on. I mean, when I see Inception ranked on IMDB as
supposedly the third best film ever, I can’t really take it seriously and wonder who is doing that voting. I haven’t got caught up in
the wave of hype that has enveloped some hardcore fans or the backlash that is sure to follow any blockbuster film.
I simply thought it was a very good film and one that I certainly would like to watch again. I don’t want to overhype anything, but I
would recommend it to someone if they haven’t seen it already. I still liked Nolan’s Memento and Dark Knight more, but Inception
is a good follow-up to Dark Knight, a film that surprised expectations and was an overwhelming success critically and commercially.
It seemed like a tough act to follow, but Inception does a great job of it.
It’s great to see a worthwhile film get this kind of attention and generate the enthusiasm Inception has done. It does reinforce the idea
that investing a ton of money into an original idea – not a sequel, not a remake – and giving control to a talented filmmaker can pay off
for the studio and film fans. I’d love to see that gamble happen more, but it’s a safer bet we’ll just get Alvin and Chipmunks Goto Hawaii.
I think the film will easily be remembered later this year when Oscar time comes rolling around. Since Nolan and Dark Knight were,
so many people felt, snubbed last time around, I’d bet the film will get a nomination for Best Picture. (they really like doing that
‘oh we missed you last time, so this one will make up for it’ kind of awards. So much for actual work earning the awards each year.
They should just have a category entitled ‘We Owed Ya!’)
Now that the Academy opened up the Best Picture slots to ten films Inception shouldn’t have any problem getting in there, unless
Yogi Bear gains momentum and nudges its way in. You can never tell.
Nolan will probably score his first director nomination. Certainly his script will get recognized. As if it wasn’t before, anticipation will
skyrocket for his next Bat Film.
Anyway, after thinking about Jaws and how that film still resonates thirty years after its release I started thinking of what films from
this summer will still be remembered and talked about in 2040. Not a lot of choices really. I’d give you Toy Story 3. Those Pixar films
will stand the test of time and kids will be watching them with their parents long after we’re all gone. Other than that this summer seemed
pretty forgettable without any highlights in sight.
Now I’ll gladly add Inception to the short list of films from the summer of 2010 that will be rewatched, discussed and entertain future
audiences that will seek it out.
Thanks Mr. Nolan.
So go check it out if you haven't yet already.
How can one not laugh when the boys cut loose.....
'Hooked On Stooges'
REMEMBERING 'JAWS'
If you’re a hardcore cinema fan you might have taken a few moments
recently to reflect on the 35th anniversary of the release of Jaws.
June 20, 1975 was the day a young director named Steven Spielberg
unveiled his troubled production on movie audiences. Based on the best
selling novel by Peter Benchley, it was a film plagued with production
problems, and inadvertently became a benchmark in cinema history.
Distributing it in a wide release pattern by releasing it to hundreds of
movie screens at once was unprecedented, especially during the dead
season of movies – in the middle of the summer. The gamble paid off
however making Jaws a cinematic phenomenon. The film was the first
to gross over a $100 million in ticket sales, it would be nominated for
four Academy Awards (including Best Picture) it made Spielberg a
name director, John Williams a composer to remember and proved that the summer time might not be such a bad place to release
audience pleasing entertainment.
The problems on the set have almost become common knowledge among movie fans. Simply said, the shark just didn’t work.
Looking back, it was blessing in disguise. The malfunctioning shark forced Spielberg to get creative and use other ways to give
the audience the idea the shark was actually under that swimmer or circling the boat. This major problem with the lack of a shark
and the ways Spielberg made his way around it, gave the film more tension and uneasiness. Jaws could have easily become a
monster-type movie, with a mammoth shark showing up all the time; instead it became one of the most inventive suspense
films ever. Jaws did for sharks, what Psycho did for showers. It cemented the fear and fascination with sharks in popular culture.
During the summer of '75, beach attendance dramatically dropped, which was attributed to the release of the film. Today hearing
the Jaws theme is a signal that something dangerous is lurking about.
Fortunately the shark never got a chance to overshadow the characters who were dealing with it. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss
and Robert Shaw are all just as memorable as anything in Jaws. When the shark is off-screen you don’t get impatient to get back
to it because Chief Brody, Matt Hooper and Quint are so much fun to watch interacting together. Whether they’re comparing scars,
getting seasick, recounting the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, talking about bite radius’, singing old sailing songs - the characters
in Jaws leave just as much of an impression as the shark attacks.
Of course after seeing the impact Jaws had on audiences and the success it had had, sequels were inevitable. Of course it was
impossible to duplicate it, but that didn’t stop filmmakers from trying. In 1983 the nifty allure of seeing the shark in 3-D couldn’t
overcome all the well done components that the original had. By 1987’s ‘Jaws: The Revenge’ (which has since been ranked by
many as one of the worst films ever made) it was thankfully decided to leave Jaws alone.
I’ve watched Jaws countless times and every time it’s always a satisfying experience. Sure I know where all the ‘scare moments’
are, but it’s such a well done film the scares are not the only thing it has going for it. The acting, directing, editing, music, the story,
the characters - all of it continues to make it a real thrilling film to watch. Despite all the great films Spielberg has been a part of since
Jaws, in many ways I think it continues to be his best film.
THE RETURN OF TRON!
After Jeff Bridges has now won his Oscar, the next we’ll be seeing him is in the long-awaited Tron sequel! At least it’s been hoped for by long-time fans of the 1982 film.
During the late 70’s/early 80’s Disney studios was at a crossroads. With their animation films nearly winding to a halt they didn’t have much product to give to audiences. So thinking it was time to try some new things it was decided they attempt some more adult fare and they ventured into the PG-Rated realm. Ooooh.
There was mixed success with it. Latching onto the popularity of science-fiction at the time, their first PG-rated film, the Black Hole in 1979 earned some decent money, but only after it being the most expensive film Disney ever made. It’s fondly remembered by audience members who saw it at that certain age where anything with a spaceship was cool. You don’t really see it pop up too often anymore. I’m not even sure it’s ever been released on DVD.
In 1982 Tron was released. Latching onto the burgeoning popularity of video games, it told the story of Kevin Flynn a game designer who gets transported inside a video game and soon finds himself not just playing for points, but for his life!!!
Sounds pretty awesome huh? And visually it is. Being one of the first films to utilize computer graphics it does has a very unique look to it and pushed the boundries of special effects, unfortunately the story isn’t as good as the effects or ideas the film tries to tackle. (that’s just my opinion). Yet it still does have enough in it
that when the original young fans of the film saw it, it left a deep impression. The lightcycles will always be cool to me.
Tron never became the next big thing that Disney apparently hoped it would. There were some novelizations, t-shirts, video games, toys, but after awhile Tron slipped away to it’s quiet spot in movie history. It would become one of those films that fans would carry with them through the years, where occasionally it would be mentioned and remembered. With the help of the prism of nostalgia, it helped make the film seem better than it actually was. Time and perspectivecan do that to some films. There would be sporadic rumors through the years about a sequel, but nothing ever came of it.
Until now…..
The release of news and trailers for Tron Legacy have been met with a lot of anticipation from fans. Dreading the ‘lazy remake’ approach Hollywood excels at it was with great delight to find out that this would indeed be a sequel. A followup. A continuation of the story and the characters from 1982. Having Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner back was a real thrill to see. I’m still not completely sold on this ‘Flynn has a son’ (ie. We need a demogarpahicaly attractive character to court the younger audience into this thing approach) but at least the two main actors are back!
From the looks of things so far, this appears to be a much darker story into the Tron world. Bridges’ Flynn is a changed character from the free-wheeling video game whiz he was twenty-eight years ago. The effects are obviously more polished looking than they were in the original. The outfits less silly looking and the lightcycles are back!
It's kind of funny how this now looked at 'hokey' original film with the weird name has spawned a sequel that is now one of the most highly anticipated films of the year. Obviously, Tron has attracted some new fans in the past twenty-eight years.
I’m hoping this followup will not only be a leap in special effects as the original was, but more importantly build on the story in unique and unexpected ways. Have it be more like the Matrix, than Speed Racer! Where the original had simplicity, hopefully this new one will be more challenging and warrant the time that’s been between the chapters of the story. It would be somewhat disappointing if we only get to watch Flynn’s son walk through the same story as his father did, only this time the special effects look cooler and are in 3D.
So Tron Fans, let’s hope for the best. Even if this sequel is an uninspired followup with a paper-thin story and one-dimensional characters at least the lightcycles are back!!!
A COMEDY TO DIE FOR! 
INCEPTION REACTION
REMEMBERING 'JAWS' 
THE RETURN OF TRON!
