New Moon didn’t screen in time for publication but Drew Lazor went anyway:
Let’s start out by saying there’s no real point in criticizing Twilight. Complaining about the pointlessness of Stephanie Meyer’s bizarro Mormon fantasy world, populated by pouty, eyelash-fluttering studmuffin vampires, steroid-abusing American Indian werewolf boys and the screamingly self-absorbed teenage girls they lust after is akin to punching a tidal wave — it may make you feel like you’re fighting the good fight, but your ass is still going to drown. This series, for myriad reasons, has an unrelenting stranglehold on American pop culture and is not going to let go until the last drop of blood (money) has been drained from the veins of America’s shrieking tweens. So what exactly does Chris Weitz’s New Moon, which picks up right where Catherine Hardwicke’s 2008 smash left off, accomplish in terms of advancing our understanding of this arcane mess? Nothing in particular. Bella (Kristen Stewart, the No. 1-ranked lip biter/melodramatic sigher in Hollywood) still treats her friends and father like garbage because she’s so fixated on thousand-yard-stare-factory douchevamp Edward (Robert Pattinson), who abandons her early on after an ugly incident at his family’s house. Jacob (Taylor Lautner), tormented by Bella’s incessant mixed messages (“You’re beautiful! I love you! But I still like vampire guy better, he’s mad sparkly!”), lifts a shitload of weights, discovers he’s a werewolf and starts wearing nothing but jean shorts and running shoes. (We also learn that werewolves, while in human form, enjoy muffins for breakfast.) We eventually meet the Voltari vampire council, all of whom dress like they’re in a porn version of Immortal Beloved. The acting is crappy, the plot is stupid and Meyer seems to want every young girl in America to believe it’s OK to screw over everyone who cares about you in the name of restraining-order-worthy love. But this is the movie that made $26.3 million in a single night, so I’m going to go ahead and holster my haymakers and let that saltwater rush into my lungs real slow like.
CP: So, Ben, how did you immerse yourself in the role? BF: Oren set up a field trip for Woody and myself to go to Walter Reade Hospital before we started shooting, to spend time in the amputee ward. That was a life-changing experience. You can read things in the paper, and see things in the news, but to be in the amputee ward and touching a 19 year-old boy’s stump, it roots you. It becomes, in itself, its own kind of humble service trying to get out of the way of yourself and serve these men and women and represent them warts and all, scars and all.
It looked dire for the 941 Theater for awhile. The NoLibs movie theater/concert venue/weird-ass event space was shut down by L&I in October, making things like rent, bills and daily operative costs nearly impossible to cover. But the boys at 941 are picking themselves and holding a series of fundraisers. They’ve already raised $1000 via private donations. If they raise another grand, they have found an investor who will match the donations dollar-for-dollar.
The string of events kicks off tonight with a Mad Division DJ night featuring Joker, Nomad Subdivision Crew and more at the Mausoleum (12th and Spring Garden), where there will be a $2 suggested donation going to the 941. In fact, K. Ross Hoffman gave you the skinny on it in this week’s issue.
Without venues like 941, filmmakers, musicians and other artists lose an important avenue to present their work. Go out and support your local art scene! Click For More »
Wesley Willis, Chicago’s answer to Daniel Johnston, was a schizophrenic rock ‘n’ roll troubadour and outsider artist. His songs are simple, often just a drum machine or keyboard, all under Willis’ endearingly tone deaf voice. Incredibly prolific, Willis recorded over 50 albums. Filmed over the last four years of his life, the documentary Wesley Willis’ Joy Rides premiered at the 2008 Slamdance Film Festival (where Philly-set The New Year Parade took home top honors) and went on to the win the Gold Hugo for Chicago Award at the Chicago International Film Fest. The title refers to how Willis famously saw rock ‘n’ roll — as joy ride music.
In anticipation of Joy Rides‘ December 8 DVD release, National Mechanics will host a a free midnight screening of the doc on Monday, November 30. Trailer is above. What’s your fave Wesley Willis song? Nothing beats my frist experience with Willis, which was “Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonalds.” Enjoy.
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Wesley Willis Joyrides, Mon., Nov. 30, midnight, free, National Mechanics, 22 S. Third St., 215-701-4883.
Directed and co-written by Oren Moverman, The Messenger stars Ben Foster as Sgt. Will Montgomery, a soldier wounded in the Iraq war re-assigned to the Casualty Notification Office. With Capt. Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), Montgomery informs next of kin about their family members who have died in war. When he meets Olivia (Samantha Morton), Will develops a strong connection with her—one that prompts him to make some discoveries about himself. Cindy Fuchs reviews the film in this week’s issuebut I sat down with Moverman and Foster to discuss The Messenger and what they learned making this film. Click For More »
Students poured into Penn’s Irvine Auditorium last night to see hip-hop star Lupe Fiasco, who—along with rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC and producer Chris Moore (think American Pie and Good Will Hunting)—hosted a live performance and screening for upcoming doc The People Speak. Penn is the third stop on this college tour, which brings the film’s producers and cast members to eight universities across the country.
Lauren Seibert
Chris Moore and Fiasco
Directed by Tony Sacco and co-produced by Moore, Matt Damon, Anthony Arnove and historian Howard Zinn, The People Speak reveals an American history from the perspective of the people — the words of dissent and civil disobedience, focusing on the themes of class, women, race and war. Celebs, such as Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Don Cheadle, Kerry Washington and David Strathairn, read documents and speeches written by activists including Susan B. Anthony and Muhammad Ali. Interspersed between the spoken parts are musical performances by the likes of Bob Dylan and John Legend, hence Fiasco and DMC’s involvement.
Before the show I took part in a brief group interview with Fiasco and Moore, and the two talked a little about their reasons for getting involved. Fiasco said he had been invited to participate, and after reviewing the project and meeting Zinn, he was hooked. “You get to a point where it’s just like, oh, there was regular people in history,” said Fiasco. “It’s not all generals and politicians.”
The film is inspired by Howard Zinn’s two books, A People’s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History (co-edited with Anthony Arnove). Moore said that when he first read Zinn’s book, he was amazed that it could be considered a textbook. Click For More »
Gene Kelly once said that if Fred Astaire was the Cary Grant of dance, then he was the Marlon Brando. It’s an accurate comparison — with Astaire as the elegant twinkle toes and Kelly as the working man in T-shirt in jeans. So in honor of tonight’s Kelly/Astaire double feature of Singing in the Rain and Top Hat at Ibrahim Theater at International House, there’s only possible way to handle the situation … CAGE MATCH.
At the screening tonight, Dexel prof. Paula Marantz Cohen will argue for the side of Astaire, while the Bryn Mawr Film Institute’s Andrew J. Douglas will argue for Kelly. But one topic that probably won’t be discussed: Who would win in a fight? So, in a to-the-death battle, which one would take the top prize?
Is no one else creeped out by how Jeff Bridges looks like the perfect combination of Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson? Here, he plays Bad Blake, a once famous country singer who has fallen from grace and is trying to claw his way back up to relevancy. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays a young reporter who falls for our hero, despite the fact that he is freakishly older than she is. Robert Duvall gets a small trailer mention as Blake’s dear ol’ dad. But what’s crazy here is that Colin Farrell is slated to play the hot young thang country singer but he doesn’t get any type of billing here, not even trailer face time. What does that mean? Has he fallen from grace to the point where even his chiseled visage won’t attract theater goers? Or is his part simply so small that giving him a mention would be superfluous? Mos Def got tons of pimpage in the Next Day Air trailer and, while he was the best part of the movie, he’s in it for about ten minutes cumulatively.
What do you think the deal is?
I love movies about country music. Nashville,Tender Mercies, Sweet Dreams and my ultimate favorite: Coal Miner’s Daughter, about Loretta Lynn, played expertly by Sissy Spacek. I don’t know if it’s the music, the oft-alcohol soaked stories or the genre’s penchant for melodrama but I eat them up.
Crazy Heart is scheduled for a December 16, 2009 release.
Shaun Brady gives you the full scoop on Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire from Philly-native Lee Daniels (verdict: Daniels is up to the same melodramatic tricks but they work this time around due to strong performances) but, as loyal CP readers will know, we had A.D. Amorosi interview Daniels when he took Sundance by storm:
Unlike Woodsman and Shadowboxer, Daniels shot Push in Manhattan. He hated it. It wasn’t fun. “I wasn’t home,” says Daniels referring to Philly. Yes, he lives in New York City now. “But shooting there? There’re so many other famous directors doing likewise. You’re just one more. They don’t treat you well. Yawn.” So he shut down production and called in his Philly crew to take over. Lee Daniels is unstoppable no matter what Manhattan film crews or persnickety critics think. “Do people in the film biz think I’m crazy?” he asks, rephrasing a more delicately put question about his image. He laughs. “I don’t care what anyone thinks except my mother, my kids and my God. If I cared what people thought I’d be in Hollywood.”
In last week’s Kaleidoscope, I wrote about Robert Zemeckis’ Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Here’s what I said:
Robert Zemeckis haters say the director, who releases A Christmas Carol this week, values special effects over all else. But I’m always amazed by the way he uses them. Re-watch 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit? , in which the great Bob Hoskins interacts with cartoons as if they’re tangible beings; it still looks awesome in the era of CGI. (Plus, it’s considerably dirtier than I remember it.) Not impressed? As Roger asks, “Is there nothing that can permeate that impervious puss?”
Well, wouldn’t you know, it’s playing tomorrow as part of the Ritz at the Bourse’s Midnight Movies. Here’s my favorite scene for the criminally uninitiated/perennially nostalgic:
Hear me out, boys — Jessica Rabbit = sexiest cartoon character ever?
Also highly recommended: This selection of YouTube comments about the validity of Jessica and Roger Rabbit’s marriage. My fave comment is, “i’ve always wondered how Roger and Jessica met or what was their 1st date like.” Me too, anonymous YouTube commenter, me too.
Don’t forget, you can always find the Midnight Movie schedule, along with other repertory film listings at citypaper.net/repilm.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Sat., Nov. 14, midnight, $9, Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead St., 215-925-7500, landmarktheatres.com.
So here’s the deal with Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass: Vaughn, who directed the super fun Layer Cake and Stardust, wanted to make a movie about the titular comic series by Mark Millar, about an average kid who decides to become a super hero (of course, he would call himself Kick-Ass). But there was a problem. No studio in their right minds would take on an R-rated movie where a bunch of kids, including a young girl (Hit Girl), cuss a bunch and kill a lot of people in various violent ways. Do it up as a kids’ movie and it’s bound to suck. Do it as a movie for adults and the demo may be turned off by the child actors.
So what’s a director to do? Do it up his own damn self is what he does.
Staff Blog
THE SCENESTER: Howling at the New Moon, Blinded by the white and more
