SCHOOL OF FILM & ACTING

THIS WEEKEND’S INFINITE PLAYLIST

It looks like Hollywood is ready to open up the gates and release a huge herd of flicks this weekend. Ten, count ‘em Ten, films make their debut at the theatre over the ghe next few days and several of them are hotly anticipated. So which of these ten will become cash cows and which will be left to slaughter, well that’s a tough one.

Conventional wisdom and my general dislike of Chihuahas says that Beverly Hills Chihuahua will be a disaster simply because the trailer was enough to make a grown man give into most of his violent impulses, but then again it is a kids movie so one could safely place it somewhere in the top ten when the dust settles on Monday.

I think the ones that will draw the most audience and critical attention are sure to be Religulous, How To Lose Friends and Alienate People, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Religulous will likely only hit it big in the blue states, but there seem to have been the emergence of more blue states over the last few days, so that could be good for returns. Nick & Norah scores points with a large audience for the sole reason that I think Michael Cera is quickly becoming this generation’s John Cusack. He’s the every guy that every guy thinks they can relate with. Sure hismovie’s aren’t as completely wacky like One Crazy Summer and Better off Dead, but he’s got almost the same universal appeal.

Speaking of universal appeal, we could use a nice feel good and then feel bad and then maybe feel good again inspirational sports story. The Express fits nice and snug in that round peg that was previously occupied by films like Remember The Titans, Glory Road, We Are Marshall, and whatever. That being said, I do have an interest in seeing it due to certain alma mater implications.

Several other films not poised to make a big monetary splash but that will probably be conversational fodder are An American Carol, the conservative comedy from one of the Zucker brothers that seems slightly insane; Rachel Getting Married, Anne Hathaway’s possible Oscar turn; and finally Flash of Genius, the story of your intermittent windshield wipers…now that’s just strange. Oh so much to chose from this weekend, chose wisely. And if you don’t, just go see something else rightafter.

This blog is published by The film school & acting School at the New York Film Academy. Visit our website to learn more about our exciting curriculum!

THREE FILMS

Upon first glance at this weekend’s releases, it appears that the Hollywood monkey is heaving a large mass of fecal film matter at the big screen. I have a nearly impossible time believing that Lakeview Terrace is a Neil Labute film seeing as director of such films as In The Company of Men, and The Shape of Things has always managed to keep audiences rapt using a clever cruelty. While Lakeview Terrace could be going that way with it’s bad cop vibe, I can’t stop thinking of Unlawful Entry whenever I see it. It just kind of looks annoying and the early response hasn’t been too great.

My Best Friends Girl is another clunker in Kate Hudson’s long descent into the abyss of unwatchable romantic comedies. The former Oscar winner essentially looks to be starring to the sequel to How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days with each successive appearance. This time she stars with Dane Cook and Jason Biggs instead of Matthew McConaughey. I’m not really sure either of her costars them deserve further mention, though I’ve never seen anyone get further career mileage from unfunny comedy routines and intercourse with a dessert.

Conversely, I can’t think of a bad thing Ricky Gervais has done. Unfortunately, the lighthearted trailer to Ghost Town almost activated my upchuck reflex. That being said, maybe the track record of the star of the original “The Office” series and HBO’s “Extras” should be reason enough to give this one more than a pregnant pause. I’m not sure that Ghost Town blows anyone away with it’s box office numbers this weekend, but it could make for an enjoyable evening or afternoon of entertainment at your local theater, as the early critical returns have been anything but lackluster. Here’s hoping that Mr. Gervais keeps his track record in tact.

This blog is published by The film school & acting School at the New York Film Academy. Visit our website to learn more about our exciting curriculum!

BOX OFFICE GHOST

It was another weekend absent of appealing options at the movies and the box office reflected the lack of fresh choices. The top film was the Neil Labute directed Lakeview Terrace which scored $15 million flat on the money meter…a $4 million abatement from last weeks #1, Burn After Reading, which slipped down to second place. Rounding out the top five were the horribly reviewed My Best Friends Girl, Igor and Righteous Kill.

The other film in wide release this weekend, Ghost Town, barely broke into the top ten just beating out The Dark Knight for 8th place.While it’s opened to rave reviews, I think the problem with Ricky Gervais’ first star vehicle for Paramount is that it’s a little lost on who it’s audience is. Judging by the trailer this film, it was made to look like a run of the mill semi-ridiculous, American romantic comedy that could star just about anyone. Unfortunately, the people who go to see innocuous romantic comedies go to see them for stars like Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore, not necessarily a frumpy, yet impossibly witty forty-seven year old men best known as the architect of a British television classic. The involvement of Greg Kinnear certainly adds more star appeal, but rest assured Gervais is the star here and that’s ultimately a hard sell on this side of the pond, though not to this writer.

The worst part is, that given the cast, I’m not sure if there’s a way to repackage this to appeal to the masses. I think it will be much more successful on the British Isle because of the amount of reverence people have for “The Office” over there. Here in the States invoking that television title just brings up visions of Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson. Oh well, poor little Ghost Town, lost at the box office. Won’t someone come along and save it…probably not.

This blog is published by The film school & acting school at the New York Film Academy. Visit our website to learn more about our exciting curriculum!

Tom Cruise Is Not A Nazi

Tom Cruise is not a Nazi. I never thought that putting the words “is not a Nazi” and combining it with one of the more influential names in Hollywood could be a bad thing, but after watching the trailer to the much-troubled production that is Bryan Singer’s Valkyrie, I decided it was ever so appropriate. Tom Cruise will forever be identified as the quintessential cocky American character. From Risky Business all the way up to A Few Good Men and even in his recent bomb, Lions For Lambs he has always portrayed what is more or less the golden boy sans-blonde hair. The only departure I can think of from this usual modus operandi is in the recent comedy hit Tropic Thunder in which he undergoes a total transformation for the role of Les Grossman.

In Valkyrie, Cruise plays the role of Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a high-ranking SS Officer during WWII who is involved in a plot to murder Hitler. The only problem with this is, you wouldn’t know Cruise is even playing German if the uniforms didn’t scream it. Judging by his lack of an accent, his name might as well be Jimmy Watkins, an American spy within the SS who has to take out Hitler. There is nary an attempt to even sound slightly European, let alone German by Cruise who must think that his cache alone can carry the film. If he was trying to prove any range or depth the least he could’ve done was try and we would’ve all laughed or marveled at his effort, but like Sean Connery in The Hunt for Red October, and Kevin Costner in Robin Hood before him, Cruise is content to play himself in the hopes that we’ll all follow along and think…”this is happening in Germany and Tom Cruise is disappearing into the character of a German officer…Wow he totally disappeared into that role and I didn’t even realize I was watching Tom Cruise.” However, I seriously doubt they will happen. They might as well have put Matthew McConaughey in the film and had him talk like a stoned surfer dude wearing a Nazi uniform. Bottom line. Tom Cruise doesn’t do accents, so he shouldn’t do movies where he should have an accent.

As far as the rest of the trailer, Valkyrie looks like an intense political thriller, but if I’m going to have to enjoy it, I’m going to have to create my own alternate reality in my mind and pretend that all of this WWII Hitler-business took place in America and the Nazi Party was just a bunch of cocky American prep-school guys who love flying airplanes and prosecuting high ranking army officials like Col. Nathan R. Jessup. Then again, if I bought it with Connery so many times before, maybe I can buy it here…but I wouldn’t count on it.

This blog is published by The film school & Acting School at the New York Film Academy. Visit our website to learn more about our exciting curriculum!

Toronto International Film Festival #6

Report from Laura Desiree - Recent NYFA ‘08 Producer Graduate

Danny Boyle’s super-popular Slumdog Millionaire (picked up by Warner Bros. /Fox Searchlight Pictures) was selected for this years Cadillac People’s Choice Award. The film was granted a fourth screening this past Saturday night at the Visa Screening Room (Elgin Theater), the free screening attracted a massive swarm of festival-aficionados and eager first-timers, desperate for a ticket (so desperate that violent rains couldn’t discourage them!) As said by Festival Director, Piers Handling “The film is an eloquent and moving account of a boy who attempts to become a millionaire on a television game show, rediscovering the love of his life in the process…Boyle uses this extraordinary premise to paint a kaleidoscopic portrait of a society built around survival of the fittest, where betrayal is commonplace and greed and corruption lie just around every corner”

Friday night Midnight Madness Selection was Miguel Marti’s saucy horror flick, SexyKiller (or “What Happens when the Med-school Barbie-Girl turns Rabid, Blood Thirsty and Ruthless with Large Blades!”) The Midnight Madness Screenings are known for the wild following and loyal fans it brings in, and this event was surely well attended. With beach balls flying around the Ryerson University Theater, and members of the Toronto Zombie-Walk in the seats dressed in full gore-galore get ups, the rowdy crowd was tough to hush.

As Miguel took the stage to welcome us all to his World premier of the film, femme fatale and lead actress, Macarena Gomez joined him, greeted with a roaring applause. As his translator she communicated how excited he was to have a full house for this first screening. The film was fast-paced, sexy, squeamish and candy-coated with a playful soundtrack that included remixes of 90’s classics such as Aqua’s “Barbie Girl”.
Completing the screening and a quick Q & A, Miguel and Macarena headed to The Drake Hotel for a little schmoozing and necessary celebrating!

But more than a west-end after party stirred Friday’s nightlife. This was the night of the highly anticipated Lindsay Lohan party (hosted by the ginger-haired starlet and her Gal-Pal, celebrity DJ, Samantha Ronson). The event was hosted at the super-chic Ultra Supper Club on Queen Street. With a crowd of cameras and no-name hopefuls waiting for the red velvet rope to open for them, we pushed our anxious group through with a little shameless “name-dropping” to the Maitre d’, and inside was a tightly packed, sweat drenched horde of animal-like party goers!

On the elevated platform was Samantha Ronson, unable to see passed the wall of cameras flashing a mere meter away from her face. Mixing the Rolling Stones into today’s top 20 hits, Ronson proved herself a seasoned party-provider. Lohan arrived later in the night, and as usual took her stand next to Ronson, but wavered as she sought refuge behind the 8-foot speakers. The cameras never stopped flashing.

Industry-types mingled upstairs where the songs still blasted through speakers, but couch space and bottle service granted them a more comfortable surrounding.

Saturday night celebrates the end of the Festival with the Dundas-Square Public Festival Wrap Party (following the People’s Choice Screening), a welcoming, interactive event that highlights some of the festivals selections (displayed through a highlight reel), as well as musical performances to entertain the gathering. For those with a little more pocket-change at the end of it all was the Closing Night Gala and Cocktail Party.

I found a few scalped tickets online, but figured since most hot-shots had left town by now, the $100 price check probably wasn’t worth it!

Heading home on the final night of the Festival, a young man handed me a DVD from a large stack with some title scribbled on in a Sharpie pen. He tells me he didn’t make the festival this year and is a new, independent filmmaker. He asks me to watch it when I can… It is now I realize that this is what it’s really about. The chance of getting it into the right persons hands, the chance of having your film screened in a festival… regardless of its significance, and the hope that one day, someone will recognize your name as one of the many gifted visionaries that keep this industry thriving with thought and inspiration.

Persistence is key.
See you next year!

This blog is published by The film school & Acting School at the New York Film Academy. Visit our website to learn more about our exciting curriculum!