In a fitting move to, ahem, milk the boycott against Cinemark Theaters and its subsidiaries for having openly supported Proposition 8's ban on gay marriage, moviegoers are now being encouraged to see Gus van Sant's new film, Milk -- a biopic about Harvey Milk (played by Sean Penn), who valiantly fought for gay rights before his tragic death in 1978 -- at any theater but those owned by Cinemark.
The website No MILK for Cinemark! also feature a printable PDF for flyers that say as much, as well as a link to its corresponding Facebook group, which had over 17,000 members as of this writing. Their revised aim is to cost the business $10,000, or equivalent to the amount donated by CEO Alan Stock to the Yes on 8 campaign.
It's a film well worth watching, though I can't say much (and don't really need to -- our James Rocchi will say his piece soon enough), but chances are that those going to see this film will be equally willing to give this movement some consideration.
On a normal weekend, there are usually eight or nine new independent films opening in limited release, compared to three four wide releases. But for Thanksgiving, those numbers switch sides -- the multiplexes will be crowded with Twilights and Bolts and Transporters and Christmases and so forth, while the art houses have only a few new titles arriving.
In other words, there's not much to say in this week's Indie Spotlight, and there won't be any need for a Spotlight next week at all. So enjoy these few limited-release films opening today and next Wednesday: The Betrayal, I Can't Think Straight, Lake City, and Special.
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon) What it is: A documentary about a family that emigrated to the U.S. after the bombings in their native Laos that occurred during the Vietnam War. What they're saying: Wow -- all 12 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are positive. "Lyrical, expansive, unbearably beautiful," etc. Where it's playing: New York City (IFC Center). More info: The official website has a list of release dates, most of which are several weeks hence.
Lake City What it is: A drama starring Troy Garity as a man who returns to his Southern home and his mom (Sissy Spacek) after a tragedy separated them for many years. What they're saying: Lake City is a lovely title, but the critics are saying it's all wet, or some other water-related metaphor. With 11 notices at Rotten Tomatoes, only one is positive, the rest indicating that despite Sissy Spacek's good performance, the movie is too serious, contrived, and banal. Where it's playing: New York City (Quad Cinema). More info: I can't find an official site anywhere.
It's a light weekend at the multiplexes, with just one new wide release to take in. The good news there is that once you're done watching James Bond kill and/or sleep with people, you'll have plenty of time to head to the art houses and see what the independent scene has to offer. The Indie Spotlight is here to round 'em up for you, and there are nine diverse choices opening today: Bohica, A Christmas Tale, Dostana, The Dukes, Faded Memories, House of the Sleeping Beauties, How About You, Slumdog Millionaire, and We Are Wizards.
Here's the lowdown on each of them:
Slumdog Millionaire What it is: It's the feel-good sensation of the year that has critics raving, that's what! It's about a kid from the streets of Mumbai who somehow makes it to the final round of India's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" -- and in particular about the events of his life that brought him there. What they're saying:Cinematical's Kim Voynar called it Danny Boyle's best film to date when she reviewed it at Telluride. It's rocking a 92% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 8.2 out of 10, making it one of the best-reviewed movies of the year. If this movie doesn't make you feel good it must be because your heart is gnarly and cankered. Where it's playing: New York City (Angelika, Lincoln Plaza), Los Angeles (The Landmark), Chicago (Landmark Century Centre, Century Evanston 18), San Francsico (Embarcadero). More info: The official site has a list of when it opens in other cities. Expansion starts next week.
Being the replaced man in Imagine Me & You, Matthew Goode (soon-to-be Watchmen) managed to balance the anger and loneliness of being second place while his wife found true love with their wedding florist. Now The Hollywood Reporter posts that he gets to be the dead remembrance of A Single Man along with Colin Firth and Julianne Moore.
This is Tom Ford's adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's 1964 novel about a gay Englishman and professor named George (Firth). Over the course of one day, the story follows George as he tries to continue his normal life and routine after the death of his partner Jim (Goode). Moore will play one of his fellow professors.
It'll be nice to see Firth take on an entirely different romantic role, in the wake of his many typical romances. As for the story, being "one of the first and best novels of the modern gay liberation movement," it should come as no surprise that the book was dedicated to friend and fellow writer Gore Vidal. So perhaps Vidal can play an educated cameo once again? We'll know soon enough -- the project is about to head into production.
Back in October of 2007, when Robert Pattinson signed on to play Salvador Dali in Little Ashes, he was merely Cedric Diggory, the slain cutey from the Potter series. Now he's the vampire hottie of Twilight, and is gearing up to make all the young vamp lovers squee. But he's also going to show us a saucy side of Dali next year, and to the right you can get a glimpse of what that will be like, courtesy of EW. (And more over at MTV.) Little Ashes focuses on the relationship between Dali and the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca. Dali swore that Lorca's lust for him never became physical, but screenwriter Philippa Goslett's take on the relationship is much steamier, insisting that they did consummate the relationship in some way.
There has got to be something in the water over at Hogwarts, or something in the air on the sets of darker teen fare. Rather than sticking with fluffy musicals or succumbing to celebrity, these guys are branching out and really challenging themselves. That's refreshing to see.
But back to Mr. Salvador: Do you buy Pattinson as Dali?
How on earth did an unheralded, under-the-radar movie from an untested distribution outfit manage to nearly out-earn a much-advertised period flick starring one of the biggest tabloid stars in the world, directed by one of the most respected? Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom, based on the Logo TV series, opened at theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington DC over the weekend and grossed $32,200 per screen, according to estimates compiled by Box Office Mojo. That puts it just behind Clint Eastwood's Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie. The romantic comedy follows four men and their partners as they travel to Martha's Vineyard and deal with relationship travails. The first release by Logo's film distribution unit, indieWIRE says that Noah's Arc "is already 2008's highest grossing narrative gay film overall."
If a romantic comedy starring gay African Americans sounds like an unlikely box office winner, what about a movie with a nearly unpronounceable title featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman as an aging theater director? Not exactly sexy, I suppose, but Synecdoche, New York nonetheless grossed $19,222 per screen at nine theaters in New York and Los Angeles. I don't think anyone expects this to be a huge box office smash, yet that's a good, strong start for Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut, one of the more intriguing films to be released this fall season.
The necessary background is here. Last week, Roger Ebert posted a one-star review of the indie drama Tru Loved. At the end of the scathing piece, he revealed that he had only watched 8 minutes of the film -- and that "after that, you're on your own." In a blog entry, he defended the review on aesthetic grounds: he placed the revelation at the end because it worked there. That post generated some 500 comments, and Will's post here a somewhat less impressive 17, splitting pretty evenly between commenters who sympathized with Ebert's life's-too-short impulse, and those who thought giving one star to a film he quit on, and hiding his dereliciton of duty at the bottom of the review, was not cool.
In a follow-up entry, Ebert agrees that it wasn't cool. He insists it wasn't unethical, but admits he shouldn't have done it. As penance, he watched the rest of the film and added a section to his review. "I will never, ever, again review a film I have not seen in its entirety," he says. "Never. Ever."
It seems to me that there has to be a middle ground here. There's nothing wrong with quitting on a film and then writing about it, perhaps shedding light on why you walked out. But you have to front it. And you can't claim it's a review -- that means no star ratings. I walked out of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and wrote about how awful it was. I don't think I did anything wrong. But I didn't pretend to be reviewing it.
That said, Ebert's addendum to his original "review" is characteristically insightful and well worth reading. And by the way: has anyone actually seen Tru Loved? What's its deal?
Earlier this week, Roger Ebert posted with his new batch of reviews one for the indie film Tru Loved, of which I personally know little aside from its opening in limited release this past Friday. Ebert's review is included among the six currently constituting that film's dead-even Tomatometer.
The twist is, Ebert admits to only having made it through the first eight minutes of the film before shutting it off. Normally, that's not exactly cricket, but considering how many movies he's seen, how many reviews he's written, how many Pulitzer Prizes he's won (and occasionally brandished), for him to say within that span of time that "I'm sure its heart is in the right place, but it fails at fundamentals we take for granted when we go to the movies" carries an appropriate heft. After all, he admits that "the rating only applies to the first eight minutes. After that, you're on your own."
He has subsequently linked to a lively blog discussion in which he defends his decision, while others chime in (most with careful consideration; others insist that Ebert should quit for such shenanigans). How about you guys: what's the earliest that you've ever given up on a movie (let's stick with theatrical experiences, as opposed to flippant channel surfing)? Are you cool with any reviewer pulling something like this, so long as they're open about it? What about when it's such an illustrious critic as Ebert throwing in the towel?
Here at the Indie Spotlight, we treat your multiplex woes with a healthy dose of limited-release independent flicks. Being an indie film doesn't automatically make it better than a mainstream movie -- but if it's bad, at least you know it didn't cost $100 million to make. Frugality is important in these trying economic times.
It's a rather light week for indies, with just four for our perusal: The Elephant King, Filth and Wisdom, Tru Loved, and What Just Happened. There's also Morning Light, a documentary about competitive open-sea sailing, which, while not an indie (it's from Disney), is opening on a limited number of screens. Cinematical's Jeffrey M. Anderson has a review here.
And now, the rundown!
What Just Happened What it is: Barry Levinson directs an all-star cast (Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro) in this Hollywood satire about a fading producer. What they're saying:Cinematical's Scott Weinberg gave it a lukewarm review at Sundance, basically saying that if you're a big movie buff who already knows how Hollywood works, there won't be much new to laugh at. At Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews are 2-to-1 in favor of the flick. Where it's playing: A few dozen screens in several major markets: New York, L.A., San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix. More info: The official site has a complete list of theaters, as well as where it's opening next. The Elephant King What it is: A drama about two American brothers sexing their way through Thailand one summer. What they're saying: All four reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are scathing, calling it naive and desperate. But Variety's review, for some reason not yet posted at RT, has high praise for the acting and says the movie "deserves to find an audience." Where it's playing: New York City (Angelika Film Center). More info: The official site.
Welcome to the Indie Spotlight, our weekly roundup of the limited-release films opening outside the multiplexes all over this great land of ours. There are quite a few indie films debuting today, and while it's especially good news for movie buffs in New York City, the rest of us can make a note of the ones that look good and keep an eye out for when they come to our neck of the woods (wherever that neck may be).
Today we have, in alphabetical order: Ashes of Time Redux, Billy: The Early Years, Breakfast with Scot, Choose Connor, Fraude: Mexico 2006, Good Dick, Happy-Go-Lucky, Nights and Weekends, and Talento de Barrio. Here's the scoop on each of them, from widest opening to smallest.
Billy: The Early Years What it is: A friendly, faithful biopic about the Rev. Billy Graham. What they're saying: Nothing so far. If I had to guess, I'd reckon fans of the good reverend will find it pleasant, while those unfamiliar with or uninterested in him will find it boring. That's if I had to guess. Where it's playing: About 300 locations throughout the southeastern quadrant of the United States, below the Mason-Dixon line and east of Amarillo. More info: Here's the official site.
Talento de Barrio What it is: Puerto Rican drama starring Daddy Yankee as a drug dealer who falls in love and becomes a reggaeton singer. I guess it's like a Puerto Rican Hustle & Flow. What they're saying: The only two reviews available so far are very, very negative. Where it's playing: About 20 screens in the greater New York City and Los Angeles areas. More info: The official site lists the theaters it's playing in.
Women loved him, men wanted to be him, and now Steven Soderbergh wants to tell us all about him. (One of those claims may actually be false.) According to Variety, Soderbergh is developing a biopic of the flamboyant pianist for Warner Bros -- naturally, he'll be directing, and the busiest pen in Hollywood, Richard LaGravanese, is writing the script.
More interesting than that is the casting -- Soderbergh says he's actually drafted his old Traffic star Michael Douglas to play the man of a thousand candlelabras. He's also in talks with Matt Damon to play Scott Thorson, the man who sued Liberace for palimony, claiming they had been in a relationship for five years. To this day, apparently no one really knows what Liberace's sexual orientation was -- even Alice Cooper couldn't figure it out upon meeting him. (Thanks, Soderbergh! I learned something already.)
Despite everything being in place, this won't actually be the film Soderbergh follows Che up with -- which is a shame, because nothing should follow up Che but a man who exudes capitalism. Apparently, we're two Soderbergh projects away from getting this biopic, so don't get too wound up! You'll have forgotten all about it by the time it films, and it will be a pleasant surprise. There's not much to attract my personal interest, except the thought of Douglas donning those fabulous costumes. I can already predict an Oscar nod for a costume designer in this project's future.
Look, I don't want to make it sound like an either/or thing. You can see wide-release films AND art-house indies. I'm just saying that on this particular weekend, the only wide release is something starring Nicolas Cage in a mullet, and it wasn't screened for critics. So if it were an either/or thing, this would be a good time to become an art-house fanatic, and the Indie Spotlight is here to let you know what your options are. Seven films are opening in limited release today: August Evening, Everybody Wants to Be Italian, Mister Foe, Ping Pong Playa, Save Me, A Secret, and Surfer, Dude. Here's the scoop on each of them.
Everybody Wants to Be Italian What it is: A romantic comedy about a man and woman who both pretend to be Italian because they think the other is. OK, maybe this doesn't actually sound any better than the Nicolas Cage/mullet thing. What they're saying: At Rotten Tomatoes, all of the reviews so far are giving it a big ol' kick in the meatballs. Where it's playing: A few dozen theaters all over New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and ... Salt Lake City? Well, OK. More info: The official site has a handy list of theaters where it's playing.
Ping Pong Playa What it is: A light, clean comedy about an Asian-American kid who has to step in when his family's ping pong championship is threatened. What they're saying:Cinematical's Monika Bartyzel found it simply adorable last year at Toronto, saying it's predictable but charming. The reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are mixed so far -- it's either sweet and likable, or an annoying Napoleon Dynamite retread. Where it's playing: New York City, plus the California cities of San Francisco, Alhambra, Berkeley, Glendale, Hollywood, Irvine, and San Jose. More info: The official site has upcoming playdates, too.
To paraphrase an IM conversation I just had with a friend regarding the trailer for Gus van Sant's forthcoming biopic, Milk: he thought the trailer was "incredible", whereas I felt it painted openly gay elected official Harvey Milk in a bit too saintly a light, at least within those two-and-a-half minutes, much to his chagrin.
I'm not saying that the real-life Milk wasn't a key figure in the fight for gay rights; I'm not saying that he deserved to be assassinated by Dan White (Josh Brolin); I'm not saying that Sean Penn doesn't look or sound just like the guy (that, I cannot speak for) and won't turn in an impressive performance. All I can speak for is the trailer itself and how I felt towards it.
So, as I go to put the 1984 Oscar-winning doc The Trials of Harvey Milk in my Netflix Queue, in the name of knowing better, would any of you care to attest for both the accuracy and anticipation behind this project?
Jim and Ewan sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N..well, you get the idea. Thanks to Jim Carrey Online, we now have our first official look at the happy couple in the black comedy, I Love You Phillip Morris. Elisabeth brought us a behind the scenes photo back in May, but in spite of the thrill of seeing Jim Carrey and Rodrigo Santoro dripping with sun-tan oil and Versace, I was a little disappointed that my favorite Scot was nowhere to be seen -- until now.
Morris was written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, who are also the guys responsible for the raunchy holiday offering Bad Santa. The script was based on the book by the same name from the Houston Chronicle crime reporter, Steve McVicker. Carrey stars as Steven Russell, a happily married con-man who finds himself falling in love with his cell-mate, Phillip Morris (as played by McGregor). Russell spent years defying the judicial system, and also spent most of his criminal career hopping in and out of prison through a variety of elaborate schemes. Russell even posed as his Morris' lawyer to get him switched to a closer prison. But it all came crashing down when in 1988, Russell was sentenced to 144 years in prison. Leslie Mann joined the cast back in April as Carrey's abandoned wife, and Santoro also stars as another of Carrey's paramours.
Even though plenty of actors still struggle with playing characters in same-sex relationships, without 'wimping' out all together (yes, I'm looking at you Will Smith). But like always, I think that McGregor will pull through just fine. As for Carrey? Now that's another question all together...what do you think?
I Love You Phillip Morris is scheduled to arrive in theaters in Spring, 2009
Another day, another George Lucas related kerfluffle. There's an, um, interesting new character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars named Zero Ziro the Hutt. He's purple, covered in sky blue tattoos, sports a peacock feather behind his squashy head, and really digs Cher.
Ok, I made that last one up, but only just barely. Because according to MTV, Jabba's uncle, Ziro the Hutt "is a gay stereotype that makes what Jar Jar Binks represented to the island of Jamaica look subtle by comparison." It's not his look, design, or movements that push him into iffy waters, but the voice: Ziro speaks like Truman Capote.
Why? Because Lucas insisted on it. Director Dave Filoni was one of many among the crew that was caught off guard by the request. "Ziro, Jabba's uncle, originally spoke in Hutt-ese, like Jabba and then he had a different sluggish voice just like Jabba, and then George one day was watching it and said 'I want him to sound like Truman Capote.' He actually said that and we were like 'Wow!' It's a hybrid of it but the inspiration is definitely there on Capote. It's one of those things that takes him from being an interesting character and I think really does put him over the top and does something. He's a favorite among the crew here."
In a fitting move to, ahem, milk the boycott against Cinemark Theaters and its subsidiaries for having openly supported Proposition 8's ban on gay marriage, moviegoers are now being encouraged to see Gus van Sant's new film, Milk -- a biopic about Harvey Milk (played by Sean Penn), who valiantly fought for gay rights before his tragic death in 1978 -- at any theater but those owned by Cinemark.
On a normal weekend, there are usually eight or nine new independent films opening in limited release, compared to three four wide releases. But for Thanksgiving, those numbers switch sides -- the multiplexes will be crowded with Twilights and Bolts and Transporters and Christmases and so forth, while the art houses have only a few new titles arriving. 
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Earlier this week, Roger Ebert posted with his new batch of reviews one for the indie film 
Here at the Indie Spotlight, we treat your multiplex woes with a healthy dose of limited-release independent flicks. Being an indie film doesn't automatically make it better than a mainstream movie -- but if it's bad, at least you know it didn't cost $100 million to make. Frugality is important in these trying economic times.
Women loved him, men wanted to be him, and now 
Look, I don't want to make it sound like an either/or thing. You can see wide-release films AND art-house indies. I'm just saying that on this particular weekend, the only wide release is something starring Nicolas Cage in a mullet, and it wasn't screened for critics. So if it 
Another day, another 
