An Open Letter from the Cast and Crew of Hot Tub Time Machine

Dear Edward D. Wood, Jr.,

So we herd you made a lot of crappy movies.  Guess what dude, we got a new movie that’s going to make your movie look like you spent time and money on the story.  We didn’t.  Stock footage, Mr. Wood?  We got stock footage of Regan that we put “LIVE” on the bottom of the screen so the audience know it’s the 80s!  Plus, where are all your sweet internet jokes?  We have them in spades.  Last time I saw your movies, not one internet joke.  LAME!  Don’t give me the internet wasn’t invented in the 60s or whenever you make ur little films b/c this movie’s in the flippin’ 80s and there was no internet but we could make it work.  Like this one time that was totally badass in our movie, this guy invents Google but since his name is Lou, he calls it Loogle.  Top that writing, Wood.

Oh yeah, you put Bela Lugosi in your movie reference the classic monster movies he was in… WE put Crispin Glover in the movie to reference the super cool awesome time travel movie he was in (he was the dad in Back to the Future for you n00bz, ha another internet reference suckaz, we are totally ON FIRE!! PLUS IT WAS FROM THE 80S REFERENCE TOO!!1).  Plus we also reference the Terminator and Back to the Future at the same time b/c they are both in the 80s and they have to send someone back in time to make someone get born in the future or we will use the disappear effect (like from when Marty was playing in the band and invented rock and roll) only now we have moar technology and it was a way cooler flicker effect.  Plus since this is a gross out comedy, the kid who came back in time watches his mom and dad make out and do super cool rated R-stuff.  America HECK YEAH!  Oh yeah, this one scene references Red Dawn, cuz that was a kick-ass 80s movie!  Plus, its got a KILLER sound track by Poison and Motley Lou (cuz Lou invents Motley Crue as well as Loogle).   Co-starring Chevy Chase from the 80s as himself.

So basically, you got pwnd Wood cuz our audience laughed the whole time.  Sometimes they were laughing with us, other times at us but they laughed.  And we got moar internetz than you.  Suck it.  Love,


The Cast and Crew of Hot Tub Time Machine.

 

PS: we got a lot of gay jokes and crap too cuz that craps funni.  This one time these two guys have to [SPOLIERZ HAHA!11  YOU GOTTA C DIZ MOVE TO SEE THEM!!1]. 

Survival of a Cult Genre Gone Mainstream: Survival of the Dead Review

By DJ Phantom 

Survival of the Dead is the latest zombie film from the Master of Zombies himself, George A. Romero and is a continuation (a sidequel?) of his previous film Diary of the Dead.  The Unnamed  Army Leader from Diary, played Alan Van Sprang, returns, this time he to be identified as “Crocket” and be given a more humanistic portrayal.

The film follows Crocket and his band of rouges as they meander the apocalypse and intercuts their story with that of dueling Irish families.  These two families, the O’Flynns and the Muldoons, live on separate sides of the same island, and disagree on everything from career paths (collectively sailors vs. ranchers) to how to resolve the zombie problem (killing the zombies vs. containing them until a cure is found).  Naturally, all paths convene.

The film is a “return to form” for Romero whose Diary was received lukewarm reviews (though I not sure he "left"...).  While Diary seemed a great concept (Romero commenting on the Blogosphere while using HD/YouTube amateurs shooting a “film with the film”), I will admit the actual resulting movie felt a little heavy-handed.  While the “this is all being shot ‘live”’ concept was visually interesting and created some unique set pieces, losing that angle frees Romero up, and he is allowed to create much better set-pieces, action, and story.  Particular action set-piece standouts include the suspense filled Dock/Barge sequence and a showdown at Zombie Corral. 

While the suspense and action are amped up in this film, the hit-you-over-the-head message is toned down… there is a voice over that explains Romero’s views, but Survival brings back a greater level of symbolism and subtlety to the story.  The new film was better able to indict extremism without the super-explain-it-to-you montages of Diary.  This film also uses moral ambiguity to a greater effect, as there are no clear cut “good guys.”  I think the best compare and contrast that can be offered of the two films is this: Diary of the Dead allowed the form and construction of the film to dictate the story (which was a fun exercise to be sure).  Survival of the Dead lets the construction of the film be dictated by the story. 

I was a little worried about the overdone “feuding families” theme as evidenced in the trailer and I was also worried about the addition of western genre elements being to campy for a Romero film.  It works for the most part and is nowhere near as corny as it could have been.  There is some goofiness and “bad movie”-isms.  For example, a grenade goes off in one sequence and instead of blowing up the characters, the characters get charred clothes and faces, Looney Tunes style.  When using firearms, the accuracy of characters conveniently alternates between William Tell amazing and Imperial Stormtrooper abysmal depending on if a character needs to live or die in any given sequence.  It is to Romero’s credit though, that while God Mode seems to exist in characters, it isn’t always on and we never know who might get eaten next…

This film is a great and gory time at the movies.  If you can catch it at a midnight/late night show with a packed audience, you will not be disappointed.  Obviously recommended for Zombie and horror fans, but non-fans looking for an entry into the genre could do much worse.

Fairview St. Review: A Street Worth Seeking Out

 

By: DJ Phantom

  

Fairview St., written and directed by Michael McCallum, is a neo-noir drama set around Lansing, MI.  The film follows James Winton (M. McCallum, who also stars) after his release from prison and his attempts to assimilate back into civilian life.  However, Wintson’s attempts to start over are hindered by his old partner in crime Bobby Stone (Jerrod Root), who wants to lure him back to the streets, and a detective (Jeff Bone) whose vendetta makes him determined to put Winton back in jail.

As this is a true independent film with no ties to the major studios, those expecting a high gloss Hollywood picture will be disappointed.  That said, Fairview St. provides something that no amount of CGI can – characters the audience cares about.  While Hollywood is convinced I want to see crap pop out at me in 3D, it’s refreshing to see such character driven films as this.  Each main character in Fairview St. is allowed joy, pain and everything in between.  
 

McCallum turns in a strong performance as Winton, and the supporting cast does an incredible job amplifying his struggle, particularly in the reactions of his family whose dilemmas resonate strongly.  We know Winton wants to do right, but his family doesn’t deserve the heartbreak he’s caused and every frame they’re in celebrates his return and while remaining fearful of losing him again.  Winton’s family unit is comprised of his Father (played by Michael’s real life father, William C. McCallum) and his wife, Natalie (Elizabeth Moore) and they all share fantastically drawn and “real” scenes together.  Some of the scenes between the two McCallum’s in particular must have been emotionally trying due to their "real life" relationship, but the audience is all the more indebted to them for the resulting on screen relationship.  The absolute knockout performance, however, was from Jerrod Root as Bobby Stone, who steals every scene he’s in.  Root plays the motor mouth bad boy Bobby with the right amount of charisma, darkly comedic relief, and dangerous unpredictability that make us love watching him – but hope we never meet him in real life.  

The film is constructed in black and white, and uses the “fade” heavily, which felt like a nice throwback to both the silent and classic studio era (it would have been fun to see the classic iris show up, which has all but disappeared).  Cinematography is strong, with some very cool shot compositions.  The film also uses “live” ambient sound in the background of shooting locals which add a nice realism to the film, and is a big contributor to the lo-fi aesthetic that this film embodies.  Naturally, being a DIY/lo-fi film, there is bound to be few technical gaffes and sure a few lines of dialog could have been tightened up, etc. but in a way, they add to the overall charm of the film.  

If you have the opportunity to see this movie, I can’t recommend it enough.  I had an absolute blast watching it, and can't imagine any movie lover not finding something to enjoy.

Alphonso Bow Review: Statistically Safe Bet

 

 By: DJ Phantom. 

Alphonso Bow directed by Lije Sarki from a screenplay by M. Sarki follows the titular character and his friend Frank as they eat lunch in a restaurant.  The restaurant is the primary location in the film, and unfolds in “real-time” as the conversation takes place.  Jeffrey Pierce plays Alphonso with motor mouth precision and Michael Dempsey plays Frank his friend who meets up for lunch.  During the course of the conversation, the pair (primarily due to Alphonso) annoys and offends patrons and wait staff alike.  The conversation veers from the existence of aliens, to relationships, what kind of food is good, work and more.

The film is a examination of conversation, and as such, the film is rich in dialog.  Alphonso talks the most and gets some great laughs.  While Dempsey’s work as Frank isn’t as flashy as Pierce's, like any good duo, the quiet member is often the one who holds the group together.  Frank’s reactions, goading  and honest inquiries make this conversation rich, and although it is lop-sided in terms of who gets more lines, this film would not work without a good Frank and Dempsey was perfect in this role. 

This film is recommended if you can seek it out.  Somewhere between comedy and drama, the film focuses on dialog when so many films gloss over it.  The film can get a little tedious from time to time, as a 70 minute movie revolving around one conversation might do, but smart camera movements and interjections from secondary characters keep the film lively.  If you are open minded enough to want to try the film, you will find a rich and enjoyable experience. 

The version screened at the Detroit Independent Film Festival was in black and white, although the trailer is in color. During a Q&A with the director after the screening it was suggested that film might still be tweaked here and there.  I can’t imagine the film would undergo any major tonal changes, with the exception of color being restored.  I figured I should mention this in the off chance the film I saw was not the final cut. 

The Lovely Bones Review: Stanley Tucci is watching, too bad no one else did...

By James Ryder.  

I wonder if anyone watched this movie before it was released.  

Peter Jackson: Alright Cut!  That’s wrap; ship it off to the theaters!

The biggest problem with The Lovely Bones is the tonal shifts and seemingly random editing.  One second we are in a scene in Heaven/Purgatory, then we have a wacky montage with Grandma, then a creepy moment with Stanley Tucci, then Mark Walberg is sad, now back to Heaven for more adventures!

The film (supposedly) follows Susie Salomon (Saoirse Ronan) in the events leading up to and following her death.  Before she dies we learn about the things she loves and share in some “coming-of-age” vignettes.  After she is murdered, we watch her families tortured response, her murderer’s worry of being caught, and her adjustment to the afterlife.  In random order.

Individual scenes that focus on one storyline can be really powerful and well constructed entities within the film.  Both the beginning and the end of the film, for example are the strongest parts of the picture because the film jumps around less.  No doubt Peter Jackson wanted to experiment with non-traditional editing, but man, this movie is all over the place.  For example, one of the most jarring aspects of the film was during scenes when Susie would look at living people from Heaven/Purgatory (the difference between Heaven and Purgatory is not really explored... from what I gather Purgatory is by the lighthouse and Heaven is under that tree over there...).  The film would use standard shot-reverse-shot between the real world and Heaven.  The two characters were supposed to be in the same scene but in two different planes of existence with different visuals.  So you might jump back and forth from a gazebo to a living room several times during a sequence if Susie was watching the sequence unfold.  Thankfully Jackson will give us clues that Susie is watching “real life” (through an icicle or other prop – all of which try to be part of a puzzle that we didn’t know existed until the film yells “HEY AUDIENCE ALL THESE PROPS ARE PART OF A PUZZLE”).

I’m not sure who I’d recommend this movie to...  There is some fun and solid work from highly talented players, but unfortunately, the overall progress of the film is extremely jarring and difficult viewing experience.  I suppose if you want to see the “latest Peter Jackson film,” the themes interest you, or maybe because you want to see the cluster**** I’ve just described, you might find some enjoyment here.  If you don’t think you would like it, you probably won’t.  

Brooklyn's Finest... maybe not so much...

-by Ann Marie. 

Brooklyn's Finest follows three cops, who we meet in the beginning. We start off with Sal (Ethan Hawke). He's sitting in a car listening to a guy talk about his time in front of the judge. The story then switches to the next character, Eddie (Richard Gere). He wakes up and is sweating. Eddie reaches for a bottle of whiskey and pours himself a glass. The last character we meet is Tango (Don Cheadle). Tango is an undercover cop working with the drug lord, Caz (Wesley Snipes). The movie has corruption, sex, tons of shootings and all three cops end up working together against drug gang.


There were many high profile actors in this film such as Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes. There were some actors that seemed off their game in this movie. Richard Gere seemed out of place for the character Eddie. There seemed to be a disconnect between his character and seeing Gere as the actor. Also seeing Ethan Hawke play a corrupt cop like Sal seemed confusing. The only two actors that seemed to fit their parts on screen were Wesley Snipes and Don Cheadle as they portrayed part of the drug gangs in New York City.


Brooklyn's Finest had some interesting shot choices. At the beginning of the movie, the establishing shot is revealed, but instead of just hearing natural sound, the audience hears Hawke and the guy he's sitting next to in the car. The audience doesn't see the two actors until after a close up shot of the car and more of the dialogue is revealed. This technique is used again when Gere is talking to his boss, the audience sees Gere leaving the locker room and heading up the stairs towards the office. After all those actions, the audience sees Gere sitting in a chair and we see and hear the dialogue synched up. Another noted shot that seemed worthy of mentioning was when Hawke is looking through a drug infested house for money. The camera stays still on a shot in the hallway and the audience just see Hawke walk by the camera into other rooms. It's a unique idea to keep the camera steady instead of following because by this time the audience knows exactly what he is looking for.


Now there were some scenes in the movie that didn't seem necessary. Before Gere is walking to where a prostitute lives he sees a girl being dragged up from the basement of the apartment complex. I deem that scene important, but once he gets into the apartment and to the prostitute, I feel the need to seem him actually have sex with her is not important. This seemed explicit and only existed to shock. The dialogue for the scene seemed uncomfortable for the audience level, but it did state it was rated R. The other scene in the movie that seemed unnecessary was when Cheadle and Snipes were in the strip club. Granted I understand, criminals meet in strip clubs to discuss business, as shown in many gang related movies, but the scenes could have been done tastefully.


Directed by Antoine Fuqua, this isn't his first movie to be shown on the big screen. Fuqua has directed movies such as Shooter, King Arthur, Training Day and Tears of the Sun. He has many projects that are in development and one in pre-production. Scheduled to come out this year is Pablo Escobar, but in development is Consent to Kill, Miss: Better Living Through Crime, SIS, The Jazz Ambassadors and Family Reunion.

This movie is recommended for anyone interesting in cop movies or those who are a fan of Wesley Snipes, Richard Gere, Don Cheadle or Ethan Hawke.

Alice In Wonderland Review

-by Ann Marie

Off with their heads!

"Alice in Wonderland" follows the story of Alice (Mia Wasikowska), but this time she's all grown up. Alice has to face the hardest choice, marrying Lord Ascot (Tim Pigott-Smith). Before she answers, Alice runs after a rabbit, who keeps looking at his watch. Just like in the cartoon, Alice follows the rabbit all the way to his hole and falls in. Where things start to change is when Alice is trying to open the door, there is commentary from the rabbit. The audience realizes Alice has been here before. Alice meets many of her old friends, but doesn't remember. The movie fills in a lot of blanks that were missing from the first time Alice was in Wonderland. Her mission is revealed to her.

There were many known actors in the movie. They did a flawless job on screen. Johnny Depp filled the shoes and hat of the Mad Hatter. His acting worked with the character he was portraying on screen. Joining Depp on screen was Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Tim Pigott-Smith, Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman.

Viewers have a choice of seeing the movie regular or in 3D. The 3D version was very well done, except for some minor scenes. The branches in the forest scenes became hard to focus on. Once past the forest scene there were many scenes that looked great. If seeing the moving, watch for the ending after the blue carterpillar turns into a butterfly.

Directed by Tim Burton, this movie contained his style. Tim Burton has directed many other films with Johnny Depp and his wife, Helena Bonham Carter. Burton is known for "Edward Scissorhands," "Batman Returns," "Ed Wood," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

This movie is for anyone who is a fan of Tim Burton or Johnny Depp or anyone who likes "Alice in Wonderland."