See What I’m Saying
After this year’s Academy Awards, you might think that everything’s been done. A woman finally won best director, the lady from Speed won a best actress nod and the phrase “uber bingo” was used in an acceptance speech. That’s why we’re excited about the upcoming documentary “See What I’m Saying,” which breaks new ground for the deaf community. Directed and produced by filmmaker Hilari Scarl, the film not only follows four deaf/hard of hearing performers–a subset of the entertainment community that mainstream audiences know little about–but every print of the film is open captioned making it available to all audiences, including those who don’t know sign language. Unlike most films, where deaf audiences are limited to only a handful of options if they want to catch a captioned screening, all showings of SWIS will be accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing.
This heartfelt documentary follows four entertainers in the deaf community as they attempt to cross over to mainstream audiences during a single year: CJ Jones, an internationally celebrated comic in the deaf world, but virtually unknown to hearing audiences fights to cross over to the mainstream by producing the first international sign language theatre festival in Los Angeles; Bob Hiltermann, a drummer in the world’s only deaf rock band, Beethoven’s Nightmare, produces the largest show in the band’s 30 year history; Robert DeMayo, a brilliant actor who teaches at Juilliard, struggles to survive when he becomes homeless; and TL Forsberg, a hard-of-hearing singer finds herself caught between the hearing and deaf communities when she attracts a major producer to record her first CD “Not Deaf Enough.”
The world premier is being held at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater on March 18th.
Tickets are available here.
The film opens in Los Angeles March 19-April 1st. Tickets are available at www.seewhatimsayingmovie.com
The film premiers in New York City on April 9th – April 22nd at the Village East Cinema.
Tickets are available here.
For more information and screenings, visit www.seewhatimsayingmovie.com
Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway
The Runaways, one of our most highly anticipated movies will finally debut in theaters on March 19th. We’ve been waiting a very long time to see seems to be two great actresses bringing to life two amazing performers: Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie.
Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or an Independent Bookseller.
Click here to read a preview of the first two chapters.
About Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie, with her signature Bowie haircut and fishnet stockings, was the groundbreaking lead singer of ’70s teenage all-girl rock band the Runaways. At the tender age of fifteen, she joined a group of talented girls—Joan Jett and Lita Ford on guitar, Jackie Fox on bass, and Sandy West on drums—who could play rock like no one else.
Arriving on the Los Angeles music scene in 1975, they catapulted from playing small clubs to selling out major stadiums, headlining shows with opening acts like the Ramones, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, and Blondie. Currie lit up the stage with the provocative teen-rebellion songs “Cherry Bomb,” “Queens of Noise,” and “Born to Be Bad,” riding a wave of hit songs and platinum albums, all while touring around the world.
On the face of it, Currie’s is a riveting story of girl empowerment and fame. But it is also an intensely personal account of her struggles with drugs, sexual abuse, and violence. She and her bandmates, runaways all, were thrown into a decadent, high-pressure music scene where on the road, unsupervised for months at a time, they had to grow up fast and experience things that no teenage girls should. Neon Angel exposes the side of the music industry fans never get to see, and chronicles the group’s rise to fame and their ultimate demise.
Shocking and inspiring, funny and touching, Neon Angel stunningly re-creates a bygone era of rock and roll, all the while providing an inside look at growing up hard under the relentless glare of the public eye, and chronicling one tough woman’s fight to reclaim her life.
About The Runaways
The Runaways is based on lead-singer Cherie Currie’s book ‘Neon Angel’ – a reflection of her experiences as a rock star, but also delivering a strong anti-drug warning to teens and others. David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” serves as a metaphor for the narrative– a slow countdown, a surreal but spectacular rise to fame, then alienation and burnout – a long long way from home.
The movie chronicles THE RUNAWAYS from 1975 – 1977; formed by teenage girls living near Hollywood, CA., and heavily manipulated by their manager Kim Fowley as ‘jailbait rock’ (all the girls were 16 or younger when the band recorded their first album). The band ultimately succeeds on their own merits as musicians, becoming the first all-girl rock-band to ever break into the world of arena-filling hard rock acts.
The movie focuses on the band’s formation, and their meteoric rise to fame. Their first single, ‘Cherry Bomb’, gets some attention in the United States, where THE RUNAWAYS’ U.S. tour hits major venues (Cobo Hall, with RUSH) and sleazy rock-clubs, often pairing them up with The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, and other popular 1970’s rock acts. But ‘Cherry Bomb’ and several other songs from THE RUNAWAYS’ first 2 albums become huge hits in Japan — and their arrival for a set of shows there in 1977 is like Beatle-Mania. The band is overwhelmed by the Japanese reception. Almost prophetic, THE RUNAWAYS’ last big hit song in Japan is ‘Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin’.
Cherie is initially thrilled to be in the band, and lives the rock star life. She pushes the edge — and their records sell well, generating lots of media controversy and hype. But during the tour of Japan, her personal life disintegrates, and she burns out — ultimately leaving The Runaways when they return to the U.S. The bass player (Jackie Fox) quits too, leaving only Lita Ford, Joan Jett and Sandy West. Joan Jett has decided that rock & roll is her life, and that The Runaways is her ‘family’; she is upset by Cherie’s decision to leave, but knows that decision is best — for Cherie.
THE RUNAWAYS’ success was earth-shaking in rock music — changing the rules forever. But with the successful 5-girl lineup no longer intact after the Japan tour, their future was dubious, at best. Lita Ford (guitar) and Sandy West (drums) still think the band can make it big again, so they persevere with Joan Jett.
Burton & Depp versus Jim & Arnold
In honor of the opening of Tim Burton and Johnny Depps’ Alice in Wonderland tomorrow, the always superb Vulture blog catalogs Cinema’s 15 Greatest Actor/Director pairs. Cameron & Schwarzenegger; Scorsese & DeNiro; Allen & Farrow–they’re all there.
We won’t spoil the whole piece for you, but here’s a fun tidbit from the entry on John Landis & Eddie Murphy:
We’ll let Landis explain this one: “The guy [Murphy] on Trading Places was young and full of energy and curious and funny and fresh and great. The guy on Coming to America was the pig of the world — the most unpleasant, arrogant, bullshit entourage … just an asshole.” Amazingly, they did actually work together again after that (on Cop III), but it’s safe to say it ain’t happening again.
First Annual Your It List Oscar Pool
This year’s Oscar season seems a bit more tame than past years. What with the 35 nominated films for Best Picture (none, by the way, being (500) Days of Summer, ahem). There are a lot of familiar names on the nominees lists, not quite as many “Who?” nominees… a lot of people seem to think the winners will be the obvious choices.
I’m hoping for a return to the surprise a la 1966 when Richard Burton lost the best actor nod for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf to Paul Scofield in A Man For All Seasons. Luckily Mrs. Burton won that year for Virginia Woolf, though rumoredly the couple abstained from attending due to Mr. Burton’s fear of losing (and worse his fear of losing and watching Mrs. Burton win). It was the first time either Burton ever abstained from anything.
The votes have been cast, somewhere a really boring looking accountant has them in a sealed briefcase. But let your voice be heard in the first annual Your It List Oscar Pool.
Click here to let us know who you think is going to win (don’t forget to leave your email address so we can contact you!).
On Monday, the person with the most correct answers will win a FULL BOX of movie flavored books, including:
Heads On and We Shoot
Avatar
My Word is My Bond
Pieces of My Heart
George Lucas’s Blockbusting
Showgirls, Teen Wolves, Astro Zombies
Tales from the Script
Some Like It Hot Companion
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Shutter Island
Crazy Heart
Coraline
Making of Coraline
We’ll announce the winners on Monday!
Click here for complete rules.
[Insert Very Important Date Joke Here]
The Royal Premiere of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland was held in rainy London last night. As can be expected when you mix Burton, Alice and the British, some wacky fashions were on display. Here are just a few of the wild styles from the red carpet (via HuffPo), and you can check out more here and here.
P.S. Little known fact: this movie is based on a book!
Alice star and Tim Burton’s wife, Helena Bonham Carter
The UK’s Michelle Obama: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Singer Paloma Faith
Re-visiting The Door in the Floor
Thursday’s New York Times features an eloquent love letter to Jeff Bridges, written by my favorite contemporary film reviewer, Manohla Dargis. Her rhapsodic prose makes me want to lock away my keyboard and retire from this whole wordsmithing gig, but, alas, I must put bread on the table.
Bridges has long been one of my favorite actors–an avuncular leading man whose characters would be a hell of a lot more fun to hang out with than any Clooney-portrayed slickster. And unlike most of his out-of-touch peers, you get the feeling the man himself would be a great guy to (political cliche notwithstanding) have a beer with.
Dargis’s piece did a fine job of capturing those very same qualities that make Bridges such a compelling actor, and her graceful words do him justice better than mine can. Yet in her short career retrospective, she left out my favorite Bridges’ performance: as children’s book writer/illustrator Ted Cole in 2004’s The Door in the Floor. The film–an adaptation of the first third of John Irving’s novel A Widow for One Year–didn’t make much of a splash commercially, and I only learned of it from my much better informed filmmaker friend Joel. But there’s something really special in Bridges’ character that has stayed with me more closely than his other fantastic roles.
In her piece, Dargis quotes the legendary film critic Pauline Kael as saying, “Jeff Bridges is enough to make a picture worth seeing.” This certainly holds true for The Door in the Floor. What could come off as a melodramatic (children have died, parents grieve, beaches are wind-strewn), mediocre film is elevated to must-see status by the complexity of Jeff Bridges’ performance. He’s a man employed to write books less than 100 words in length, yet he hires an aspiring writer as an assistant–ostensibly to type and retype his brief manuscripts, but in actuality to act as his chauffeur since he has a suspended license. He plays squash in a caftan in a converted barn. He’s a fucker and a fighter, but you get the feeling it’s only to conform to the stereotype of the aggressive, masculine artist pioneered by his Hamptons’ predecessor Jackson Pollock. In other words, this is The Dude, if only recreational bowling and pot smoking paid as well as writing blockbuster children’s literature. You get all of the nonchalance and unforced coolness of his classic Lebowski role, in a setting that’s much more relatable to your average viewer.
If you haven’t seen The Door in the Floor, and you’re looking to brush up on your Jeff Bridges’ oeuvre, add it to your Netflix queue for an excellent pre-Oscars primer. Then when he finally gets his long-deserved Academy Award on March 7th, you’ll have even more reason to cheer the Academy’s good sense.
Celebrate the DVD Release of the September Issue with Grace and André!
The surprisingly hilarious fashion documentary, The September Issue, chronicling the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue—the largest issue in that magazine’s history—just released on DVD on Tuesday! I don’t know about you, but I cannot wait to watch Grace and Anna duel it out over and over again on DVD. Of course, I already know youritlist’s Joseph agrees with me.
Even better is that according to the NYTimes Style Magazine, the DVD contains: “90 minutes of extra footage, including a side-splitting cover-line meeting; Anna Wintour admonishing Olivier Theyskens, then at the helm of Nina Ricci, for rescheduling one of his shows (“You’ll never do that again,” Wintour proclaims); and plenty of gems from the film’s accidental breakout vedette, Grace Coddington.”
And the best news of all is that this Thursday, Feb. 25th, NYC-dwellers will get a chance to see meet some of the stars of the film! In a special discussion moderated by Vogue Contributing Editor William Norwich, director R.J. Cutler will be joined by Vogue’s Creative Director Grace Coddington and Vogue’s Editor-at-Large André Leon Talley at the Union Square Barnes & Noble in Manhattan (33 East 17th Street at Union Square) at 7pm. The event is free but you best get there early to get seats! The editors will be signing the special Barnes and Noble exclusive 3-disc DVD edition of The September Issue, which includes the never-before-seen “The Met Ball” mini-documentary.
If you can’t make it to the signing this Thursday (why not?) be sure to check out R.J. Cutler’s informative and entertaining Huffington Post blog, “What I Learned From Anna Wintour”, in which he shares valuable lessons gleaned from the fashion maven while filming the documentary.
Mork & Darwin: The Reveal
The people have spoken!
It’s time to reveal the results of the 2009 Mork & Darwin showdowns.
Stay tuned for the first 2010 edition next week. Spoiler alert: it involves a pair of lips that would make Jocelyn Wildenstein jealous.
Volume the First: Patch Adams takes the “most stupefying” prize in a landslide over the formidable Benthocodon jelly:
Volume 2: Bicentennial Man and the Dumbo Octopus are still locked in an epic 50/50 battle:
Finally, in third round action, Man of the Year is re-named Stupefaction of the Year as it pummels the Antarctic Octopus!
[Results as of 12 pm (ET) 1/6/10]
Crazy sea creature photos from Claire Nouvian’s THE DEEP.
You can only hope to contain him.
On screen and off, Nic Cage has played many roles: Ghost Rider, face transplantee, Coppola, Oscar winner, prodigious shopper. He has the elastic face and acting chops that suit almost any role. But if you’ve ever wished that Cage could be an even bigger presence on the world stage, this is your lucky day. At Niccageaseveryone, you can see Cage inhabiting roles from teen idol to Dr. Who. Take note: this is what the magic of Photoshop was meant for.
Some of the blog’s best offerings:
NC as Sarah Palin
NC as Captain Kirk. (More incredible Kirk madness here.)
NC as fellow hunk Zac Efron (apologies to Joseph).
NC as the Great Emancipator (aka the only American greater than Cage himself).
No uncertainty about Uncertainty
We are all faced with hundreds, maybe thousands, of minuscule decisions each day. Bus or subway? Where and when to go to lunch? Work late or cut out early? The other day during a much-needed day of hookey from the YIL-factory I was walking by the IFC Center and saw a poster for Uncertainty, next showing in twenty minutes. I was sick of walking the streets in the cold and not buying Christmas presents so I ducked into the theatre and am very glad I did.
Manhattan or Brooklyn?
Easy question. Where to spend the 4th of July. Your girlfriend’s family’s party in Brooklyn or your buddy’s party in Manhattan. Flip a coin.
That’s how Uncertainybegins. With the flip of a coin. What follows are two separate movies: one follows Bobby (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his girlfriend Kate (Lynn Collins) to Brooklyn. Intertwined is the second movie – what would have happen had the two chosen to spend the day in Manhattan.
At first glimpse the premise is reminiscent of the less-than-stellar Gwyneth Paltrow 1998 film Sliding Doors (I much prefer her Great Expectations from the same year). To keep both Uncertainy story lines separate the film’s writers/directors used color: Yellow for Manhattan (clothes, taxi that brings them there) and Green for Brooklyn (clothes, minivan that brings them there). A much more clever device than Paltrow’s odd blonde/brunette hair cut and coloring.
What follows are two incredible stories as different as can be. In Manhattan Bobby and Kate find a cellphone in the back of a cab that leads to a fast-paced, gripping espionage story of murder, blackmail and what two people would be willing to do for more money than they could ever fathom having with action scenes of roof jumping that rival the Jason Bourne films. Not an easy feat for an independent film.
In Brooklyn, surrounded by her family, Bobby and Kate come to terms about their feelings for each other, their future, her mother’s disapproval. It is an intense, sometimes stifling, family/relationship drama.
The in-depth, claustrophobic nature of the film and the relationship presented on screen set to a defined period of time of both the Manhattan and Brooklyn films reminded me of a mix of Ethan Hawke/Julie Delpy Before Sunrise and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers/Scarlett Johansson Match Point.
While not the perfect movie – a few of the loose ends seem to tie up a bit too easy at the end – Uncertainly certainly is a movie to be seen. Levitt, once again as he did in (500) Days of Summer (which you may or may not have heard I kinda liked), proves his ranking as one of the top actors under thirty today and Lynn Collins shows her dramatic abilities are far superior to her roles in True Blood and X-Men: Wolverine (which is a damn good show and a fine movie themselves).
Its too late to see Uncertainty at the IFC Center in New York (though it does seem to be still playing in LA), but the smart folks over at IFC released the movie On Demandsimul with the theatre release. So look for it there.
YIL Presents: Mork & Darwin Volume 2
After a tremendous response to Volume 1 of our Mork & Darwin series, we’re back with round two. This week we ask you to carefully determine the following: which is more stupefying, Bicentennial Man or the Dumbo octopus?
Dumbo octopus photo is from Claire Nouvian’s THE DEEP.
Bare with me
for a moment. The Telegraph is reporting that actor and downright nice guy (cause, you know, we’re friends) Daniel Radcliffe will have a nude scene in the upcoming Harry Potter and his Deadly Member the Deathly Hallows.
The article quotes the film’s director, David Yates, “Dan has appeared nude in the past. There are a couple of scenes in the new film in which he will undress, but we’re still thinking about how to present it.”
I don’t suggest taking a lesson from the newly minted almost-nude former future son-in-law of Sarah Palin, Levi Johnston. His recent Playgirl photo spread was, while thrilling, a bit of a let down.
oh levi ...
This will be nothing new for Mr. Radcliffe who went full frontal (and dorsal for that matter) 8 times a week, both on Broadway and in London’s West End in Equus. He also has a book coming out at the end of the year. In it, he allows photographer Tim Hailand to follow him for a day — all day — including a trip to the shower. Good form, Daniel; I like where you’re going with this.
Radcliffe in Equus
My only request is that this not be a publicity stunt, like Levi’s. All talk and no Potter.
The Ultimate Avatar IMAX Experience Giveaway
UPDATE: All winners have been selected and notified….thanks for playing!
YourItList.com and IMAX are offering you a chance to enjoy the ultimate Avatar experience. Read about the world of Pandora in “James Cameron’s Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora,” then experience the world of Pandora for yourself in IMAX 3D, and finally, bring the excitement home with an Avatar IMAX t-shirt.
To enter for a chance to win, just send an email to YourItList@harpercollins.com with subject line: AVATAR before 1:00PM (EST) on December 17th. We will randomly be selecting 1 Grand Prize winner, 1 First Prize Winner, 5 Second Prize Winners and 10 Third Prize Winners from the emails received. No purchase necessary. The last entry will be accepted at 1:00 PM (EST) on December 17th, 2009.
- Grand Prize (1): Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora, IMAX tickets for you and 20 of your friends, Avatar IMAX t-shirt (approx. retail value $237.98 )
- 1st Prize (1): Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora, 4-pack of IMAX tickets, Avatar IMAX t-shirt (approx. retail value $77.98 )
- 2nd Prize (5): Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora, pair of IMAX tickets, Avatar IMAX t-shirt (approx. retail value $57.98/prize)
- 3rd Prize (10): Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora and Avatar IMAX t-shirt (approx. retail value $37.98/prize).
Avatar has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through proprietary IMAX DMR® technology. With crystal clear images, laser-aligned digital sound and maximized field of view, IMAX provides the world’s most immersive movie experience. Visit www.IMAX.com for more information and to find a theater near you!
Click here to view official rules.
YIL Presents: Mork & Darwin, Volume the First
Today, in honor of Darwin Year, we bring you a new weekly YIL feature: Mork & Darwin.
Mork & Darwin is the brainchild of YIL friend Will. He posits that for every discovery of an incredibly odd head-scratcher of a deep sea creature, there is an equally odd head-scratcher of a Robin Williams movie. Mork & Darwin, now a regular YIL feature, puts that hypothesis to the test. Each week, Will plans to present us with a perfect pairing of ocean dweller and Williams film. Your job is to vote for which is more stupefying.
Without further ado, I give you Mork & Darwin, Volume the First:
Benthocodon jelly photo is from Claire Nouvian’s THE DEEP.
Sideshow Collectibles present the Avatar A.M.P. suit
Everyone has a James Cameron fanatic in their life. Whether it’s your brother who can’t say goodbye without throwing in an “Hasta la vista, baby,” or your niece who saved her 13 Titanic ticket stubs since 1997, Cameron’s films elicit unfettered enthusiasm.
The legendary director’s next opus, Avatar, promises to inspire its fair share of super-fandom as well. As you’re making your holiday shopping list, check out the beautifully-recreated, limited-edition A.M.P suit maquette from Sideshow Collectibles. Perfect for the soon-to-be Avatar obsessive in your life.
Sideshow describes their product thusly, and you can find all of the details here:
Launching the Sideshow Collectibles line of AVATAR collectibles is the AMP Suit Maquette, created in conjunction with one of the film’s special effects studios, Legacy Effects. Created directly from 3D modeled by the team that created the 14-foot suit used during filming, the AMP Suit is a truly authentic scaled representation. Each piece is individually painted and finished, each with its own unique quality and detail that is the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. The AMP Suite Maquette is the perfect addition to any display.
10 Movies That Changed The (End Of The) World
In light of the recent release of 2012, Michael Adams, author of Showgirls, Teen Wolves, and Astro Zombies: A Film Critic’s Year-Long Quest to Find the Worst Movie Ever Made (on sale 1/19/10), has catalogued in his regular column for Rotten Tomatoes ten landmark films of the disaster genre.
Going as far back at 1900 with his analysis of Panorama of Wreckage of Waterfront and bringing us all the way up to, well, the future with his discussion of The Road (forthcoming), this catalog provides an interesting perspective on how over the past century our fears and vision of our Judgment Day have changed…and stayed the same.
Heads on and we give you a free book…
UPDATE: We have a winner! Congrats!
As we’ve mentioned earlier, the film adaptation for Maurice Sendak’s much loved Where The Wild Things Are is out today. Also out this week, our very own and very beautiful Heads On and We Shoot: The Making of Where the Wild Things Are.
We’ve got one copy of the book, signed by both director Spike Jonze AND David Eggers, (who both wrote the screenplay together) that we’d like to give away to one of you, our dear readers.
To enter for a chance to win, just send an email to YourItList@harpercollins.com before 1:00PM on October 22nd. I will randomly be selecting 1 winner from the emails received. No purchase necessary. The last entry will be accepted at 1:00 on October 22nd. Approximate retail value of the prize is $39.95.
Good luck kids!
Click here to view official rules.
Come on, Rogue.
Unlike your more overt rogue-types, like a certain former presidential ticket to be named later, I’ve always considered myself an undercover rogue. My civil disobedience tends towards the somewhat pedestrian–driving slowly in the left lane, returning library books a day late, that sort of thing. But I want to be a real rogue: the kind who considers veni, vidi, vici an understatement. That’s why Werner Herzog’s Rogue Film School caught my eye. Sure I can barely find the power button on a digital camera, have no facility with Final Cut Pro, and likely couldn’t direct a flock of pigeons to a breadcrumb factory. But I’m certainly intrigued by the thought of being cooped up in a room with the same guy who went head-to-head with an immensely imbalanced and homicidal Klaus Kinski on the set, and even listened to the live tapes of Timothy Treadwell’s gruesome demise.
I’ve gleaned a few interesting particulars from the program’s website:
- Prior working experience, diplomas, credits are of minor importance. {Sigh of relief}
- At the end of the seminar, each participant will receive a certificate of participation and a signed copy of Werner Herzog’s “Conquest of the Useless“. {This certificate must be catnip to maladjusted ladies}
- The fee for a long weekend (Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday) is US $1450 {assuming 8 hour days, that’s only $1/minute. I spend more than that to get my hair cut by someone who never even ate a shoe!}
- Depending on the materials, the attention will revolve around essential questions [such as]: How do you narrate a story? (This will certainly depart from the brainless teachings of three-act-screenplays). {Haven’t we all had enough of the brainless teachings of three-act-screenplays?}
- Related, but more practical subjects, will be the art of lockpicking. Traveling on foot. The exhilaration of being shot at unsuccessfully. The athletic side of filmmaking. The creation of your own shooting permits. The neutralization of bureaucracy. Guerrilla tactics. Self reliance. {My check’s in the mail.}
If you’re unfamiliar with Mr. Herzog, may I suggest watching the documentary My Best Fiend before signing on for a 3-day seminar. It’s best to go into something like this fully informed.
My Best Fiend: Trailer
Werner Herzog|MySpace Videos
The Wild Things on the Really Small Screen
If you’ve been watching color television, or reading your local newspaper or even frequenting incredibly informative blogs, you probably know by now that the film adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s killer children’s book Where the Wild Things Are is premiering next week. What you might not know, unless you’re a regular visitor to We Love You So, is that the movie’s iPhone app is now available for no cost (other than the time it takes to download it from the app store).
I’ve been pelting Carol with dirt clumps (and incurring his wild wrath), watching trailers, and listening to songs from the Karen O soundtrack. Just what I needed to hold me over until the incredible ‘making of’ book comes out next Tuesday and the movie releases on Friday!
Dress Like a Wild Thing
So I know we’re all super excited for Where The Wild Things Are movie to come out in theaters October 16th. In fact, some people may even be so excited they feel inclined to dress like a wild thing for the occasion. If you are one of those special people, then the new Opening Ceremony Where The Wild Things Are collection–created in collaboration with director Spike Jonze– is for you. Get your Wild Thing on for as little as $220 for the Alexander faux-fur mini skirt, or splurge for the $600 Max jumpsuit (with tail).
$600 max jumpsuit, photo courtesy of openingceremy.us
Check out the rest of the furry collection here. Of course, if these prices don’t fit in your Wild budget, then try this lower-priced suggestion from nymag.com.
Love, God and Brain Damage
This year’s ten-day Imagine Science Film Festival kicks off October 15th with an intriguing lineup of over 50 films. More than a week’s worth of indie films about geeky subjects like wormholes and artificial hearts is a dream come true for the likes of me and my nerdy compatriots. To get a personal perspective on the film, we asked Joel Garber, writer and director of The Strange Rebirth of Andre Weil (buy tickets here) a few questions. Described as “A boy meets girl… Boy gets shot in the head… Boy turns to God short film,” TSROAW tackles the complex intersection of neurology, spirituality and identity, but through the lens of romantic comedy.
Your short film, The Strange Rebirth of Andre Weil, was accepted into quite a few film festivals around the country. Since the film’s themes are so closely tied to science, does the Imagine Science Film Festival feel like an especially natural fit?
Absolutely. David Penn, a friend of mine whose music is used in the film, made me aware of the fest after he’d attended last year. I’m honored to be a part of it this year and TSROAW definitely seems like a good match. A number of the narrative devices in the film are rooted in real science.
What sparked your interest in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, the affliction at the center of the film’s plot?
Well the sort of motivating force behind the movie is my great fear that we’re all one traumatic brain injury away from becoming different people, assuming different identities of one sort or another. In doing research on the variety of afflictions that people suffer as a result of head trauma TLE stood out as especially cinematic because it can be tied into questions of spirituality, and I’ve always loved films that deal with issues of faith and religion. Now having said that, it’s important to remember that my film only scratches the surface as far as tackling these ideas. It’s really more of a romantic comedy. And it’s only 16 minutes long!
This year has been coined “ Darwin Year,” since it’s the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. While natural selection is now the standard rallying cry of atheists and non-believers, many of Darwin’s contemporaries found his theory compatible with their religious views. TSROAW explores the idea that religious fervor and brain chemistry could be linked—but do you see that as a refutation of the existence of a divine creator?
No, and it’s a very good question. I’m loathe to point to the ideas in my film as some sort of silver bullet that disproves religion or religious experience, as someone like Richard Dawkins might. My position is that of an agnostic and I think it’s also the position of the film, as you’ll see. The neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran who’s become pretty well known over the last few years believes that the relationship between the temporal lobes and spirituality could be thought of as a sort of antenna into the mysteries of the universe. I like that idea.
Have you seen any of the other films being featured in this year’s Imagine Science festival? Which are you particularly looking forward to?
I haven’t seen any of the films but In Search of Memory, a documentary about the neuroscientist Eric Kandel looks interesting. There’s also a short about CERN, the large hadron collider in Europe, the most expensive science experiment in history, which I’d like to see.
Q5: While there are a handful of science-based films that have achieved broad-based success (Frankenstein, A Beautiful Mind, Awakenings), the genre doesn’t quite have the box office profile of say, slasher films or period dramas. What are some of your under-appreciated favorites? Did any of them influence TSROAW?
Well I think this festival takes pains to draw a distinction between “science films” and “science fiction films.” Of course, sci-fi has been a huge box office draw. I’m a big fan of the Back to the Future series, but that’s not exactly under appreciated eh? Maybe The Man Who Fell to Earth? Alphaville? Contact? Those aren’t really either. And they’re all “sci-fi,” more then “science.” Jeez man, I think you’ve stumped me! I mean there are hundreds of great films that incorporate science that you wouldn’t really think of categorizing firstly as “science films,” right? How about Herzog’s The White Diamond?
(Watch a trailer for The Strange Rebirth of Andre Weil here.)
Wizarding World of Harry Potter set to open spring 2010!
What’s the next stop on the Hogwarts Express Train? The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, of course!
Universal Studios Orlando announced yesterday that the long-awaited Potter land will open in spring 2010.
Visitors will enter the park through billowing smoke of the Hogwarts Express Train and hear the whistle signaling its arrival in Hogsmeade station. Then they can visit the following locations (list courtesy of the LA Times):
Attractions
* Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — An indoor attraction bringing the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life
* Dragon Challenge — A Triwizard Tournament-themed dueling roller coaster
* Flight of the Hippogriff — A family coaster simulating a Hippogriff training flight over the grounds of Hogwarts castle
Food
* Three Broomsticks restaurant — Traditional British fare
* Hog’s Head pub — Drinks including Butterbeer and pumpkin juice
* Dervish and Banges — A magical instruments and equipment shop featuring Quidditch equipment, Spectrespecs and Remembralls
* Honeydukes — A sweet shop with treats such as Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans
Shops
* Ollivanders — An interactive wand shop where the wand chooses the wizard
* Zonko’s — A joke shop with a collection of tricks and jokes, including Extendable Ears, Boxing Telescopes and Sneakoscopes
* Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods — Ministry of Magic merchandise including Omnioculars and remote-control Golden Snitches
* Owl Post — The post office sends letters with a certified Hogsmeade postmark and sells official Wizarding World of Harry Potter stamps
* The Owlery — A roost for mail-delivery owls
Looks like they have come one step closer to making the Harry Potter world come alive for reals. While we wait for spring 2010, let’s decide what we’re most excited about. I’ll go first.
My ideal day in the park:
First, I would run to Ollivanders and pick up my personalized wand (in case of magical emergencies during the rest of my visit), then hit up the Forbidden Journey and Dragon Challenge for some action-packed adventure. Then, I would refuel with some British grub from the Three Broomsticks and a Butterbeer from the Hog’s Head Pub. To top it off, I would do some satisfying shopping at Zonko’s and Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. Sounds like a perfect Potter day to me!
What would you do at the park?
(Hint: If you need more ideas, check out this virtual map of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter).
Carrie is back!
Yes? Or nooooooo?
Filming for the 2nd Sex and the City movie started yesterday in NYC. Some photos of Carrie on the set have already surfaced. Check out those shoes! Fabulous? Or…not? Even for Carrie, these could be a stretch. Leave your thoughts!
Find even more photos here.
Mourning the Loss of ’80s Teen Flick Director John Hughes
A few moments ago, the Los Angeles Times confirmed that John Hughes died of a heart attack earlier today while on a morning walk in New York City. In addition to directing the much loved films “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” he made a star of teen idol Molly Ringwald, who was in the first two.
In middle school, I don’t think I ever went more than a month without watching one of Hughes’ movies. Today, I mourn the loss of this brilliant filmmaker, a sentiment that, ironically, validates the despicable Mr. Rooney’s line in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:” “Between grief and nothing… I’ll take grief.”
