Articles Posted June 2009
Ryan Reynolds (EW Cover)
via tweetie Posted via web from Popscorn
The September Issue
This…is going….to be…awesome. Anna Wintour is obviously a fascinating character, and made ever more so by Meryl Streep’s portrayal of her in Devil Wears Prada. Apparently, for the first time ever, R.J. Cutler’s new film, The September Issue, goes behind the scenes to reveal all the sharp little details & drama that go into Vogue’s largest issue of the year.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Michael Bay certainly has his own style of film-making and is the industry’s veritable man-child director running amok with big budgets and even bigger explosions. And while Bay usually does what he does well (which says nothing of it actually being good), he’s overdone it with his latest, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The preceding film in 2007 introduced audiences to Hasbro’s nostalgic toy-line in fitting blockbuster fashion, bringing childhood imaginations to life in a way few thought possible. That right first step, presumably, gave Bay the inclination to crank it up to 11 this time and overload Revenge of the Fallen with so much eye candy and fury you’ll walk out of the theater with ocular cavities and a general amnesia to the preceding two-and-a-half hours. We’ll call the condition “Bay Overdose,” which can be traced back to a number of the film’s afflictions.
Zombieland
In the vein of the brilliant Sean of the Dead comes Zombieland, a wacky horror-comedy about a mismatched band of zombie apocalypse survivors. Woody Harrelson plays the suspiciously alert hick who is primed for an attack, while Michael Cera…shit, I mean Jesse Einsenberg portrays an introverted nerd whose paranoia and overly cautious nature comes in [...]
Lots ‘o Site Updates
If you tried accessing Popscorn the last couple of mornings, you might have seen the site in “Maintenance” mode. And for good reason. We’ve tweaked a few things that will hopefully make the content that much easier to navigate, and make room for some exciting new sections. Some of the updates include: 1) A streamlined [...]
The Proposal
Proposals for marriage are most always heavily orchestrated affairs. Despite considerable planning and meticulous execution, something usually goes awry. But what’s a fumbled word or an impatient fiance-to-be when you have love to fall back on? Margaret (Sandra Bullock) and Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) don’t have that luxury in Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses)-directed The Proposal, and a botched path to the altar means means one must leave the country — to the liberal netherworld of Canada. Theirs is a sham proposal, for sure; but the matter isn’t without a surprising degree of emotion. Like global warming kissing the Alaskan snow, your heart may reluctantly melt a little watching the matrimonial meanderings of Bullock and Reynolds. Solid writing and a genuine, convivial dynamic between the pair turns the otherwise artificial affair into an unusually enjoyable romantic comedy.
Year One
Year One goes back almost to the start of time. You know, back before there was laughter. And while Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera) learn all sorts of new things on their travels – like what wheels are and the definition of circumcision – they never really learn how to entertain an audience.
It’s quite a struggle to try and wrap one’s head around the plot of Year One, because it’s like trying to find logic in dribble, structure in chaos, or humor in crap. Granted, there is a scene where Zed eats crap, but there’s no humor in it (just some berries). Nor is it funny when Oh pees on his own face. Or when he has to rub oil into the High Priest’s (Oliver Platt) hirsute, distended belly. Or when Cain (Arrested Development’s David Cross) beats Abel (Paul Rudd) to death.
Fame
There are two basic rules in every writing class: one, don’t start a story with “It was a dark and stormy night,” and two, show, don’t tell. The fact that the new Fame trailer has to tell you the different components of the film – passion, heartbreak, love, friendship – is a little disconcerting. The [...]
