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Reviews for "Speed Racer" (opening today) are, to use driving terms, all over the map.

 

The Good: Time's Richard Corliss: "'Speed Racer' announces the arrival of the virtual movie. If you watch the film overwhelmed by the assault of seductive visual information and wonder what you're seeing, here's the happy answer: the future of movies." [Actually that sounds kind of scary]

 

The Bad: Onion AV Club's Scott Tobias: "Borderline-experimental in the way it challenges the limits of perception.  It's forward-thinking, visionary, and much of the time unwatchable."

 

The Ugly: San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle: "If this action extravaganza represents the future of movies, it's going to be a sad, dead and awful future."

 

The Ugliest: Salon's Stephanie Zacharek: "This isn't a picture filled with wonder and a sense of fun; it's so jaded and crass that I almost wonder if it's a highly unscientific experiment designed to gauge how little audiences will settle for these days. Manic and multicolored, Speed Racer is an excess of nothingness."

 

Read more reviews at MetaCritic.

 

Finally.  A biography of eccentric (and that's a vast understatement) German actor Max Schreck, the greatest vapire ever put to celluloid in F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent "Nosferatu." Though the gorgeously shot "Shadow of the Vampire" featured an inspired performance by Willem Dafoe as Schreck, I wanted to know more about this impressive, yet bizarre actor.

 

From Galley Cat:

 

"'Whoever hopes to discover a vampire will be disappointed, but they will find an actor of real skill and versatility,' biographer Stefan Eickhoff tells Reuters. 'Yet he himself remains somewhat shrouded in mystery.' Max Schreck—Gespenstertheater ('Ghost Theater') will be published in Germany later this year. There's no mention of any American interest yet, but you translate this into English and it seems like it might be of a kind with the early Hollywood biographies the University Press of Kentucky has been doing regularly for the past few years..."

 

I love it when film writer/cultural philosopher/blonde booster Erik Kuersten preaches from his singular mountaintop -- this time championing/quivering in fear over cinematic blonde moms of death (just in time for Mother's Day).

 

Sayeth colleague (and fellow Swede -- I hear you brother) Kuersten:

 

"It's mother's day and as I was watching MULHOLLAND DRIVE just now for the millionth time, it occured to me that my love for cinema would not be nearly so fierce if not for my own mother was not a natural blonde, Swedish to be precise, and if you don't know what that means, it's a mix of tenderness and disinterest, the teutonic fire that burns not out nor warm nor long... and it's what cinema is! For psychological subtext there's Hitchcock and Lynch - Naomi Watts, the mother of mirrors hallucinating in her dirty bathrobe while we hover as camera lens ghosts at her hem line, or Marnie in PSYCHO or Melanie in THE BIRDS, creating this sense of unfulfillable longing-- we can never please her so we spend our lives creating shadow plays to distract ourselves... stuffing birds... a curious hobby, and not as expensive as you'd think, until they attack everyone as manifestations of Jessica Tandy's ferocious id."

 

Read the rest of his story here. Covering moms from "Persona" to "Poison Ivy" -- this is good good stuff.

 

 

--A first look at Sean Penn in Gus Van Sant's "Milk."

 

--James Brolin is replacing James Caan in David O. Russell's "Nailed." Guess he'll cough and choke on a cookie...

 

--It's like an indie-cute major talent explosion of crush-worthy actors: Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt together in the Marc Webb-helmed romantic comedy "500 Days of Summer." Wonder if she'll sing? Hope so.

 

--Classsics gone Blue-Ray. Criterion have announced thirteen titles from their collection to be released, beginning in October.

 

--"Beckett shmeckett." How can you not love Elaine Stritch?

 

Pamela Anderson recently had a garage sale and while I can agree with most of the items she cleared out -- why sell your book on the history of Grindhouse cinema Pam? That's a keeper!

 

From the Daily Mail:

 

"Fans hoping for an insight into Pamela would be interested to see her book collection, including political pundit William J. Bennett's moral story book 'The Book Of Virtues', Eddie Muller and Daniel Faris's 'Grindhouse: The Forbidden World of "Adults Only" Cinema' and the pictorial 'Kiss Kiss' by Patrick McMullan."

 

I already own a copy of Muller and Faris's "Grindhouse" but I would have loved to have purchased Miss Anderson's. Or at least told her to hang on to it! And further, reminded her to track down a copy of Eddie Muller's "Dark City" or even better,  "Dark City Dames: The Wicked Women of Film Noir" -- a book she might relate to...or gain some new fashion tips from.

 

MSN' Sean Nelson's blockbuster smackdown! 

Summer is here, and with it blockbuster season at the movies. Big events this year include the return of Indiana Jones and "X-Files" agents Mulder and Scully, Hulk and Batman sequels, a film version of the '60s TV series "Get Smart," plus vehicles for funnymen Mike Myers, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy and Will Ferrell, and a rash of other big budget extravaganzas.

Odds are good that many of these pictures will prove popular with moviegoers, who, as we all know, will see just about anything a good ad campaign tells them to. Odds are even better that many, if not most, of these films will suck, hard.

There are plenty of reasons movies conceived to be big moneymakers don't age well -- the cheap thrills, special effects and so-called "high concepts" associated with blockbusters tend to wear thin on repeated viewings, and once the marketing wears off all that's left is a dim memory of being pandered to for a couple of hours in a room full of strangers. You can't even really blame the filmmakers, except in some cases (see below). After all, the more people you have to please, the less you're able to say.

In fairness, not all blockbusters are bad; take a stroll down the top 20 moneymakers of all time and you're likely to find several titles that qualify as legitimate classics. But as studios feel the pressure to put up bigger and bigger numbers, the bigger hits start feeling like bigger disappointments as years (and DVDs) go by. Here's a list of some of the box office's worst successes, with a couple of lifetime achievement awards included to dishonor two repeat offenders.

"Star Wars" Episodes I, II, III (1999, 2002, 2005)
This tale has been told many times, but it bears repeating. When George Lucas reopened the Pandora's box of his "Star Wars" series to make three "prequels" for a new generation of consumers, he ruined everything. Even the original trilogy now feels like some kind of weird suppressed memory. Looking back, weren't they kind of chintzy and awful, too? They certainly are now with all the digital changes Lucas has added. But, by contrast with the new trio, Episodes IV, V and VI are "The Godfather" I and II and "Citizen Kane"! Forget Jar Jar Binks -- "The Phantom Menace," "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" were all born dead, victims of lazy and cynical writing, filmmakers more interested in technological breakthroughs than in captivating viewers and, ultimately, a lack of vision. Lucas knew people would come see anything that said "Star Wars" on it, so he killed the goose to see where the gold came from. Even the force can't save him now.

Read his entire (dis) honor roll here.

--posted by Kim

 

Yes, I had to say it, but "Iron Man" director John Favreau is so money. As in literally. So. Money.

 

Entertainment Weekly caught up with Favreau regarding his smash hit:

 

"ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How are you feeling today?

"JON FAVREAU: I am doing good. It's nice when it works out this way. It doesn't happen that often! [Laughs]

This is just the second time that a non-sequel has grossed this much on its opening weekend.
Yeah, you know it's amazing, it's the biggest thrill. I remember the first [time I felt like this] was when I got my Chevy commercial and I got in SAG. That was a big one back in Chicago. Then when 'Swingers' got bought, that was a huge changing moment for me. And then 'Elf' — when 'Elf' took off, I felt it more, and I didn't think I could feel this way again, but I do. I do now. And Robert and I are just very, very appreciative and humbled by the whole thing. It's been a really wonderful, wonderful experience."

 

Read the entire interview here.

 

I'm a huge Dusty Springfield fan and a big Nicole Kidman booster and think the actress has shown brilliance in movies like "The Hours," "Dogville," and the oh-so-underrated "Birth."

 

But Nicole as the great Dusty Springfield? Nicole is super talented, can do just about anything but I dunno...

 

From New York Magazine:

 

"Writer Michael Cunningham knows from brilliant, troubled women...No wonder we were delighted when he told us last night, at the 2008 PEN gala at the Museum of Natural History, that he's writing the screenplay for a Fox 2000 biopic of brilliant, troubled sixties chanteuse Dusty Springfield, to be played by Nicole Kidman... So what was the essence of Dusty he was trying to get across?

 

"'She was a great artist who no one knew what to do with,' he said. "She was coming into her full powers at the same time the Beatles were,' he said, adding that she suddenly found herself the purveyor of a dying torchy genre. 'But she is clearly going into history with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.'"

 

He's right but again, I dunno...

 

 

 

 

--Scarlett off the Market. Sorry, Dave.

 

--New "The Dark Night" trailer. Still excited.

 

--"Anchoraman 2"? Really? Is this necessary?

 

--Is "Speed Racer" on a bad track?

 

--M. Night Shyamalan will receive a top honor in India. No surprise twist to this news. We think.

 

 

 

--"Iron Man" receives raves. I have high hopes. It's Robert Downey Jr. and he rarely lets me down, even in bad movies but, please "Iron Man" -- don't disapoint. Just don't. 

 

--Whereas "Made of Honor" well...ouch. I like the new, er... "hot" Patrick Dempsey and all (OK, so I never watch "Grey's Anatomy" and I never will...) but anyway...maybe he should go back to his geeky "Can't Buy Me Love" days. Remember those times oldsters? When Dempsey was a dork?

 

--As for "Redbelt." I don't need reviews. David Mamet made a movie about ultimate fighting. I'm first in line.

 

Once a year, we take time to reflect on all the sacrifices, good deeds and sweet qualities of good old Mom. All those Mother's Day bouquets, cards and ... more brunches are just a way to say, "We love you, Ma; you're perfect."

But what if mom isn't so perfect? And we're not talking flaws like burning the chicken or forgetting to pick you up at volleyball practice. No, we mean like beating you with wire hangers, signing you up for a lobotomy, or turning you into a zombielike assassin to kill a major political figure.

Bad moms aren't the norm in real life (and we here at MSN all love our mothers -- really), but they sure make terrific fodder for the ultimate evil figures on film. So, to counterbalance all the sweetness and light you'll be enduring on Mom's special day, we've listed our favorite meanest movie mommies.

Read (but watch out for spoilers), enjoy, and make sure none of these end up in the DVD player at the end of the day: You may regret forgetting to send out that card...

"Carrie" (1976)

Who's Your Mommy? Margaret White (Piper Laurie). This religious fanatic mother chastises, beats and generally acts loony toward her blossoming daughter, lonely high school outcast Carrie White (Sissy Spacek).

Meanest Moment: Carrie comes home early from school... more after enduring the trauma of having her first period in front of all the girls in gym class. She tells Mother, and what should normally be a "Lifetime-movie moment" between mother and daughter turns into a night of hell as Carrie's psycho-religious-nut mama locks her in a closet to do penance for her sins.

Memorable Quote: "They're all gonna laugh at you." -- Margaret White's response to Carrie's excitement about going to her prom.

Maternal Comeuppance? Oh, you bet. After getting pig's blood dumped on her at the prom and single-handedly killing nearly everyone in the gymnasium, a rage-filled, telekinetic Carrie comes home to her harping mother. Not a good time to nag, Mama. That "they're all gonna laugh at you" has run like a mantra through Carrie's head, making the sweetest revenge aimed at ol' mom. Remember, moms: Don't mess with your daughter if she can make knives fly out of drawers with her mind.

Read the rest of my big bad mamas here.

--posted by Kim

 

Yes! My good friend and colleague D.K. Holm's weekend fundraiser was a smashing success. Money was donated, friends were gathered, artists, musicians, filmmakers and then some entertained. All in honor of the great D.K. Sadly, I was not able to attend (which really bummed me out), but it appears D.K. received all kinds of great support, all of which he deserves. 

 

My ex Oregonian colleague Shawn Levy wrote about the event. Here's a snippet:

 

"Because I know he sees life in terms of movies, I entitled this post about last night's benefit for D. K. Holm with a quote from the end of 'It's a Wonderful Life.' But throughout the evening, I was continually reminded of the scene in 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' in which Huck and Tom Sawyer, presumed dead by their kin, have the eerie experience of sneaking into town and attending their own funeral, where their finest qualities are eulogized by their loved ones. If Doug ever wondered where he stood in the hearts of his peers, friends, colleagues and fellow Portlanders, he knows for certain now."

Read more of Shawn's wonderful write-up here.

 

I miss you D.K.! (And say hello to Jimbo who I spy sitting behind you!).

 

Also, don't forget to donate.

 

It's hot. I'm driving out to the desert (to work). I'm in a crappy mood. There's only one thing to do -- get my Tony Montana/"Scarface" on. Why does this over the top, shattered American Dream always make me feel better? (And it's not just La Pfeiffer in those fantastic slinky clothes -- and by the way -- it was her 50th Birthday yesterday --Happy 5-0 Michelle.). Anyway, I need to think about this:

 

“What's he got that I don’t?” asks the ambitious Cuban émigré Tony Montana — a focused young man whose intense drive for power and wealth will propel him into a rise and fall of epic proportions. Cocksure, flashy, broadly smiling and with a charismatic personality that simultaneously frightens and impresses people, Montana, the 'Scarface,' of the title, will swiftly rise from the hardscrabble have-nots to the luxurious haves, only to devolve (to quote that other reckless vision of American prosperity, Britney Spears) into a gimme more — far more.

 

Viciously directed by an inspired Brian De Palma and written with gloriously unsubtle gusto by Oliver Stone, the much-quoted “Scarface” (reworked from Howard Hawks’ original 1932 masterpiece starring Paul Muni) is now a rightful classic. In telling the story of Montana (played by Al Pacino), who with his best friend, Manny (Steven Bauer), covets and chases ultimate success and power, De Palma revels in the conspicuous consumption and unhealthy realizations of an especially fractured American dream.

 

The film opens in the early ’80s, when Fidel Castro allowed boatloads of emigrants out of Cuba, many of them from emptied jail cells. Montana enacts his first deed (or misdeed) by snuffing out a fellow prisoner in return for citizenship (“I kill a communist for fun, but for a green card, I gonna carve him up real nice”). He soon becomes right-hand man to Florida drug lord Frank Lopez (a terrific Robert Loggia), whom he will supersede in innumerable ways (including stealing his wife, Elvira, played by a memorable Michelle Pfeiffer).

 

With bodies left behind, Montana ascends to massive wealth and stature only to crash — spectacularly so. Unhappy with his unfulfilled wife, obsessed with his baby sister, Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and having cast out the one man he can trust, his best friend Manny, Montana precipitates the film’s tragic, much quoted finale with his overzealous attitude. If you’ve never heard “Say hello to my little friend,” then your first viewing of “Scarface” will be quite a ride.

 

A remake that ranks right alongside its original, “Scarface” (released in 1983) is wonderfully excessive, supremely stylized, vulgar, splendidly acted (especially by a bravura Pacino) and, often, weirdly beautiful. Teetering just over the edge but contained enough to maintain a sense of realism, the movie is stunningly operatic yet gritty and real. With a lot of bark and an equal amount of bite, “Scarface” isn’t just a movie but a bloody, brilliant experience.