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NYC Summer Film Festivals -- New York Summer 2004 Guide

NYC Summer Film Festivals -- New York Summer 2004 Guide

"The Brooklyn International Film Festival There are bound to be a few gems in this eclectic, dizzying lineup of 100 films: Perhaps The Kings of Brooklyn, a Wall Street thriller starring David Keith—or Mendy, about a young Brooklyn Hasidic boy. Regardless, there will surely be some fun on June 9, when Boy George makes his appearance at the after-party for Everything Taboo, the documentary about his troubled musical, at the Williamsburg club Volume. "

The Kings of Brooklyn | The Brooklyn International Film Festival

The Kings of Brooklyn | The Brooklyn International Film Festival

Michael Moore Documentary Trailer now online

Michael Moore Hates America

MMHA - The Trailer

A young filmmaker tries to "Michael Moore" Michael Moore.

(I was going to write "a young filmmaker tries to Roger (and Me) Michael Moore but the mental image that resulted (a guy "rogering" MM) was far to distrubing to inflict on my gentle readers...oops...)

Senses Working - May 13

Watching:

From Nicheflix

La Caja 507 (capsule review) - Damn near perfect crime-drama from Spain.

Two Hands (capsule review) - A young Heath Ledger loses Bryan Brown's money and all hell breaks loose in this early film from Gregor Jordan (Ned Kelly)

Listening

Exotic Beatles and, as ever, Easy Tempo.

The New York Times > Summer Movies Special

The New York Times > Movies > Movies Special

Nothing on the summer cinema horizon thrills me much this time around. I'm sure there are a bunch of good flicks but my personal buzz meter is reading close to zero. YMMV.

DVD Shopping List

DVD New Release Schedule May 4

It's going to be A Night in the Home Theater once I get my hands on the amazing Marx Brothers Collection - 7 classics in one set - A Night at The Opera, A Day at The Races, A Night in Casablanca, Room Service, At the Circus, Go West, and The Big Store. Plus an outstanding selection of extras. I have some of these on Laserdisc but with nothing like these bonus features.

Also on my list The Triplets of Belleville, which I missed in theaters.

My daughter wants - but will not get - The Challange of the Superfriends and an 8 film Abbott and Costello set. I'm not a bad dad but my Marx Brothers jones must be fulfilled at any cost!

My wife's not getting The Last Samurai either...

DVD Shopping List

It's a good week for horror re-issues with a cool Universal Box Set containing all three of their two disc classic monster re-releases (Drac, Frankie, Wolfie) with a trio of Sideshow busts along for the ride.There's a set of Hammer Horror as well plus Big Fish, new ER, Profiler, and Dick Van Dyke, an Ingmar Bergman Box plus Basil Rathbone's two 20th Century Fox Sherlock Holmes flix.

Best of this week's new DVD releases

The Terminal

The Terminal

Watch the preview for Steven Spielberg's new, slightly reality based, Tom Hanks castaway in an airport with Catherine Zeta Jones flick.

Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds

Official Movie Website.

THE KISS

THE KISS

via The Rub

Sad tale of dis-illusionment Hollywood style as a filmaker finds out the hard way that, to his producers, he's merely a hired hand - no matter how much artistry he may possess - and that, to them, he can't be trusted with the soundtrack to his own film.

excerpt:

"After turning in that "director's cut," the powers that be re-edited the movie from scratch. All (and I mean every lick) of the score and soundtrack was removed. (Tunes by Mark Mulcahy, Lori Carson, the Getup Kids, Matt Pond PA, the Reputation, the Trollops, Shellye Valauskas, Azure Ray, and of course Crooked Fingers, to name them all.) Songs that not only fit, but that made the film come alive, made it special, made it something of which I was proud."

BBC : Rejected Exorcist 'heads for DVD'

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Rejected Exorcist 'heads for DVD'

An Exorcist prequel that was rejected for not being gory enough is to come out on DVD alongside a new version that was made to replace it, reports say.

It's Schrader versus Harlin - may the best director win! Schrader's probably the more talented chap but Harlin has the genre experiance on his side. Actually, since both films are getting released, evryone wins - much better than when a film dies a slow death in the archives or on the cutting room floor.

DiamondDead :: The Official DiamondDead Website

DiamondDead :: The Official DiamondDead Website

via Drew's Script-O-Rama

Read the first draft script, written by Brian Cooper, for George Romero's current horror production - a collaboration with Rock Horror composer Richard Hartley.

NYC Premiere Set For Strummer Documentary

NYC Premiere Set For Strummer Documentary : BILLBOARD

The Joe Strummer documentary "Let's Rock Again!" will receive its world premiere next month at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. Produced by Strummer and longtime friend Dick Rude, the one-hour film was shot over the 18 months leading up to the late-Clash frontman's untimely December 2002 death.

Still have trouble getting my head around Joe's passing. I doubt I'll make the premiere but I'll keep an eye out for a wider release (how likely?) or DVD (more likely?).

LET THE HOBBIT HAPPEN! - Letter Writing Campaign to Make the Hobbit Film a Reality

LET THE HOBBIT HAPPEN! - Letter Writing Campaign to Make the Hobbit Film a Reality

28 Days Later Review

via dvd-a-day update

Rather negative review of Danny Boyle's entry into the surprisingly lucrative world of zombie movies.

Complete Review

MAYOR OF THE SUNSET STRIP

MAYOR OF THE SUNSET STRIP

The Rodney Bingenheimer doc from George Hickenlooper is out in selected theaters.

Bingenheimer and Hickenlooper. Sounds like an old vaudeville act, something to do with ukuleless and cat juggling more likely than not.

The Ladykillers - Film Review

Never having been that great a fan of the Coen Brothers it likely comes as less of a shock to me just how misguided and inept thier re-imagining of the classic Ealing (dark)comedy The Ladykillers is. Tom Hanks stars, in a truly bizarre performace that you'd expect more from Crispin Glover or roly poly Marlon Brando, heading an efficiant but too broadly drawn ensamble cast that also includes Marlon Wayans, Irma P. Hall (the film's lone comedic brightspot), and J.K. Simmons.

While the original was sublimely funny, thanks in no small part to Sir Alec Guiness' brilliant work in the lead role, this Southern Gothic slapstick mess could should have been called Earnest Robs a Casino. But I've always though the Coen's were getting away with it - capable filmakers to be sure but absurdly overpraised.Now the rest of the world will know that feeling, for one film at least.

School of Rock DVD Review

dvd-a-day.com School of Rock

Surprisingly conventional comedy from writer Mike White (Chuck and Buck), director Richard Linklater (Slacker) and frenetic star Jack Black (Tenacious D). While Black easily solidifies his place as a John Belushi for the 21st Century his role here could have just as easily been played by a Jon Cryer or Breckin Meyer – okay, Black is way better than those guys but the point is the script is so predicable and safe Black becomes the only thing worth watching and eventually even he wears thin.

Complete Review

School of Rock would make a great double feature with Disney's Freaky Friday remake. Both could have been, should have been, but sadly aren't quite killer genre transcending kid's films.