CUBE

I recommend CUBE.

the world must know

The other night, while we were waiting for LOST, Phelps mentioned a new NBC show called Community that was to star Chevy Chase.



Curious about Chase's recent activity, I ordered Phelps to connect his computer to my skull to find out his last TV or movie appearance of note that I remembered. We determined that technology would not yet allow such an action, so he used IMDb. 1997's Vegas Vacation was the winner, but we ended up not caring about that once the following sequence of ludicrous discovery was initialized.

Chase is starring in an upcoming (?) 2009 film called Not Another Not Another Movie. The ridiculous title and its spoof-movie-spoof implications seized our full attention.

The IMDb summary:In this non- stop hilarious ride we follow a struggling Movie Studio that is willing to do anything to make a buck even if it means ruining its reputation, and running the Movie Industry into the ground. This film has everything that an audience wants from a LAUGH OUT LOUD COMEDY by taking a no-holds barred attack on the Spoof Genre from Blockbuster Action movies to Dramas and Documentaries to Popular Television shows. --Written by David MurphyI clicked David Murphy's name to see if he had written any other summaries. No dice.

Returning to the IMDb page, we noticed that the film also stars Vinnie Jones, Michael Madsden, and Burt "Cop and a Half" Reynolds.



Additionally, we noticed that the movie was directed by a one David Murphy. I didn't recognize any of his other titles, but I did recognize his name from 30 seconds earlier when I read the IMDb plot summary.

Quick sidebar: Here is the plot summary for his most recent movie, No Bad Days:

Set in the exotic terrain of the Yucatan Peninsula, NO BAD DAYS is an action/adventure film that manifests all the qualities that make for an entertaining and captivating film. The fast-pace style makes for a surprise at every turn, while the charisma and chemistry of the main characters create a romantic subplot. [etc. etc.]
-- Written by Instinct ProductionsGuess what production company made No Bad Days.

Back to the more important, possibly most-important-of-all-time movie. We traveled to its official website. Just go there--it's all gold. Make sure to check the "in the news" section.

The movie is about the creation of a spoof movie that spoofs spoof movies. Reynolds plays the actor playing the director in the movie in the movie, and his character is none too pleased about starring in a shoddy spoof spoof.

Later that night, we found the trailer.



I am concerned that Not Another Not Another Movie will be terrible. I was excited about Pauly Shore is Dead, and we all know how that turned out. I wouldn't expect much from a movie like this, either. Regardless, the sky-high concept and ingenious marketing approach is enough to warrant a try, if only so I can be in on the joke.

The only release date the internet has to offer is "2009." We may have already missed it. If not, I hope there's a midnight premiere planned. Because I'll be there.

great movie lines

not bad.

the mark inside

I finally watched Naked Lunch with commentary by David C-berg and Peter "Robocop" Weller... it was beautifully revealing, if incredibly dense. If you don't know the movie, it's about a writer/exterminator who becomes addicted to insecticide and, after he shoots his wife and his typewriter turns into a beetle, starts descending a bottomless, hallucinatory hole, seeking bizarre replacement fixes to vindicate his behavior.



I haven't read the book yet--the movie itself is only loosely based on it, while the rest is taken either from Burroughs's life and other work or Cronenberg's own brain. I'm fascinated by anything Burroughs I've encountered thus far--even his idiosyncratic voice, which Cronenberg describes as "metallic, nasal, Midwestern twang."

Two examples:

Recently featured on boing boing, an animation by some guy using a Burroughs audio clip:



And the striking opening to season 6 of The Sopranos. I could watch this over and over again.

screenwriting lemonadier whines about film industry

A wiseass writer in Hollywood is selling lemonade to finance his probably terrible film. (He's also using the above photo that he found on the internet to market his concoction.)

Not since Hollis Frampton's Lemon have filmmaking and the yellowest citrus cooperated with such harmony.

bale posted

By now you've probably seen or heard this:


But here's what I'll bet you didn't know. I wanted to find out who the Welsh prima donna was hissy fitting at, so I looked up the DP for Terminator Salvation. His name is Shane Hurlburt and he grew up in Ithaca, New York--though he didn't go to IC or Cornell. Fascinating.

terse review

I watched Vantage Point on Netflix Instant viewer.
Verdict: Terrible.
Don't see this. If you're at all intrigued by the premise, if you're the biggest LOST fan in the world, or if you think the trailer couldn't possibly advertise anything less than a great popcorn action flick, don't see this. Do see it if you're looking for an example of the absolute swill that some studios are willing to finance. There's a a protagonist who accomplishes jack shit thanks to a flock of other unsympathetic temp leads, a tepid rewinding gimmick too bland to detail, and more uninspired twists than I could keep track of. Why anyone would even mention this garbage in the same sentence as Rashomon is beyond me.

But man... what a great trailer. "Stop! REWIND THAT."
Even won an award.

star wars retold

Also found at neatorama, a funny star wars video:


Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

I bet it's the Joe Nicolosi who went to IC. I saw some of his animations at screenings and it seems like his style. Cool. Bonus point for the Wilhelm Scream when Lando gets speared.

first post back

I returned to Ithaca from Puerto Rico. Here's David Lynch.