And that has been The Dark Knight.  I am excited, I have been very excited, for about a year, or since the day I heard about Heath Ledger being cast as The Joker. As the release date approached however, I found myself feeling an anxiety about the movie. Perhaps this is due to the amount of talk about the movie as of late, the tragic death of Ledger, the fact that this is a sequel, or more likely an accumulation of all of these things and other unmentionable factors.

I love movies. And not for the typical reasons of being taken on an adventure, or being told a story, or to escape from reality. Don't get me wrong, all of these things are great, but the part that has always affected me the most is going to the movie, sitting in a dark auditorium with a group of strangers, and being shown something together. The movie itself can be crap, but the experience - hearing strangers hoarse laughs, listening to children talk or most of all the looks on peoples face as the lights come back up and we go back to normal. Seeing a movie on the big screen brings a new set of possibilities into the experience, and also closes critical ones as well.  When I watched Babel with a group of friends at home, we cracked jokes the whole time about Brad Pitts overacting and the uneasy weirdness of the deaf Japanese girl. This would not have happened in the theaters.

But back to my point, which is the Dark Knight and my anticipation. I have been counting down mentally to the release date, the 19th of July became a foundation for my summer planning, and the fact that I could see it five days after my birthday was nice as well. But here's the weird thing.

I avoided the movie like wildfire all weekend. I changed the subject of every conversation at work leading up to the release, and ran with my hands covering my ears from two girls talking about their favorite scenes. Not that I didn't want to have the movie ruined, I wanted to avoid hearing about the movie at all. Because hearing about it at this point only reminds me that I haven't seen it. Reminding me that I have been cowardly avoiding the potential of disapointment. My lovely girlfriend and I have been talking about the movie for months. The Ledger factor, the sheer awesomeness of the trailers (I love how acceptable awesome has become in mainstream culture,) the brillance of Christopher Nolan how he can maintain an artistic edge and still sell hundreds of millions of dollars in an opening weekend. There is nothing bad that has happened to knock this movie off of it's perch of potentially the greatest blockbuster of all time. And that is what scares the bejesus out of me.

I used to work for a theater as a projectionist. Every week a couple of new movies would come in, and the other projectionists and myself would have the fine opportunity of watching the movie before the audience could, the preview the print and make sure that Donald or Erich didn't fuck anything up. The staff would talk and talk about upcoming releases, reminded ominously by the rotation of posters and billboards and promotional statues. We were a five screen in an upper class town, so whatever was popular was showing. And time after time, I would build my expectation up for a movie, only to be quickly disappointed by the product. When I reflect on a movie, I sometimes reflect on how excited I was, then demur myself after I remember painful scenes or awkward dialogue, or just pitiful stunt casting (Nick Nolte in Hulk anyone?) So recently, whenever my girlfriend and I would talk about The Dark Knight, I would ask her to not say things that are overreaching like, "It's going to be the greatest movie ever," or "Heath Ledgers role is going to be the best," or "It's going to be so good that Christian Bale will climb out of the screen and blow a massive load on the audiences chest, and we will like it and ask for more!" I just can't stand being disapointed, so I've lowered my expectations from          

"Unfuckingbelievablyinsanelygood,"

to

"Itsgoingtobegoodnomatterwhatbutifitsunfuckingbelievablyinsanelygoodthenitwillcomeasasurprise."

I always want to love a movie. Especially with this one.

Heath Ledgers death has cast an unfortunate specter over the film itself. People have been talking about the sad circumstances surrounding his death rather than the incredible talent and charm he possessed. Consider the fact that the guy said he straight up he had no idea how to act after doing A Knights Tale, and that he wanted to be taken seriously and get serious roles. Look how quickly he turned himself around from one week teen hunk, to serious actor, getting seriously good roles. The sky could've been the limit with that guy.

So I am going to go see The Dark Knight tonight, at the 9:35 showing on the Westside. The guy I am going to see it with tonight, I have only seen one movie with before, and that was Spider Man 3 at a midnight showing (I have a theory that midnight showings tend to dilute your true feelings of a movie.) Paul and I may not have the best track record for movie going as it stands, but it can only get better after that massive abortion of a comic flick.

Maybe my expectations of what a movie can be has changed as I have aged, or maybe the potential for the market to unleash a movie that works on all counts has been lost. Maybe the hoopla surrounding this movie is too much for the movie to overcome. Either way, I am ready to see it.

I'll write something tomorrow about how I felt about it. I already feel alot more excited by writing this.

Alcune volte accade che quando un Libro, specie se questi è davvero meraviglioso, subisca una trasposizione cinematografica, la storia transitando dalla carta alla pellicola ne venga  inesorabilmente penalizzata, ‘raggiungendo’ lo spettatore in modo diverso dal  lettore.
Ma questo non è il  caso de ‘Il principe delle maree’ premiata trasposizione cinematografica del Libro di Pat Conroy, interpretato in modo sublime da due stelle del cinema di tutti i tempi: Barbra Streisand e Nick Nolte che in coppia sono riusciti a dar vita ad  una proiezione dallo splendore inarrivabile.

Sette candidature agli Oscar nell’anno di uscita il 1991, col titolo originale ‘The prince of tades’, il principe dell maree resta una delle più meravigliose storie d’amore mai narrate:  Recatosi a New York a causa dell'ennesimo tentativo di suicidio della sorella gemella Savannah, Tom Wingo conosce la psichiatra che l'ha in cura, Susan Lowenstein.
Dopo l'iniziale diffidenza e ritrosia a confidarsi, Tom, sollecitato sia dalla donna che lo incalza con abili domande, che dalla situazione drammatica della sorella, porta a poco a poco alla luce particolari, sepolti nell'inconscio, delle tragiche vicende della famiglia Wingo, composta da un padre violento ed alcoolizzato, una madre superficiale e fatua, ora divorziata e sposata ad un ricco possidente della zona, e tre figli.
Il maggiore, Luke, è morto tragicamente in una sparatoria con la polizia, Savannah ha cercato fortuna a New York come poetessa e Tom è insegnante e allenatore di football; è sposato con Sallie, con la quale il rapporto matrimoniale è in crisi ed ha tre figlie.
La psichiatra è a sua volta sposata con Herber Woodruff, un celebre violinista che non vede quasi mai ed ha un figlio, Bernard, col quale è in pieno conflitto.
Tom accetta di insegnare il football al ragazzo, che dopo un'iniziale ostilità cede al buon carattere ed alla simpatia umana di Tom. Frattanto Tom si concede una breve parentesi a casa per il compleanno della figlia minore: qui la moglie gli comunica che ha un amante, il quale vuole sposarla.
Sconvolto, torna a New York e trova finalmente il coraggio di confidare a Susan l'atroce storia di uno stupro subito dalla madre Lila, da Savannah e da lui, allora ragazzi, ad opera di tre evasi dal vicino penitenziario, che vennero uccisi dal fratello Luke, rientrato in casa, e dalla madre, che riesce a tenere nascosta la vicenda.
La confessione di questi avvenimenti tenuti nascosti per tanti anni libera Tom da complessi di colpa e consente a Susan, di guarire Savannah.
Una storia quella della famiglia Wingo struggente e drammatica, che prende meravigliosamente corpo e voce in modo stupendo attraverso l’interpretazione di un bravissimo Nick Nolte capace di vestire i panni di un Tom Wingo superbo, duro, morbido, ferito. Attraverso i gesti e le parole di una la splendida Brabra Streisand una psichiatra dai tratti algidi e il cuore contuso che riesce con la sua anima a bucare il video.
E intorno a loro il paesaggio incantato delle straordinarie  pagine di Conroy, coi colori caldi e  vibranti del bronzo e dell’oro, tonalità cupe, carnali, fascianti, forti, capaci di avviluppare lo spettatore facendolo vibrare nell’incalzare delle vicende in modo unico.
Tom il suo football, tenacia da vendere, occhi di cielo, sguardo vissuto e dentro l’anima il sale di ferite inguaribili.
La sua casa, lui, quel campanello, la porta che si apre, le mura tinte di sangue.
Lei la sua gemella il manicomio, le sue poesie da scrivere nell’aria, una sola lettera, una casella postale vuota, uno pseudonimo, una fiaba così riconoscibile all’orecchio del fratello.
Lei una psichiatra sola, vittima degli eventi, incapace di rialzare se stessa come riesce invece coi suoi pazienti, ferita dall’uomo che ama, forte, tenace, ma fragile, polvere di stelle dinanzi all’uomo ferito che è Wingo.
Colonne sonore da brivido, luoghi incontaminati, scene capaci di fermare il tempo e rivoltarlo, una gestualità perfetta.
Un film da oscar che è molto di più, un pezzo indimenticabile della storia del cinema, una pellicola che nell’ultima scena quella dell’auto in corsa guidata da un Tom Wingo finalmente ‘risolto’ non potrà lasciare occhi asciutti e che resterà nel cuore degli spettatori come uno dei momenti più grandiosi di quello che ha saputo classificarsi come il romanzo più spettacolare in forma sia cartacea che video degli ultimi anni.

Un film da cineteca che è una lezione d’Essere.

Lilith F.

Il principe delle maree
(The prince of tides)

Un film di Barbra Streisand.
Con Nick Nolte, Barbra Streisand, Kate Nelligan.
Genere Drammatico,
Colore 132 minuti
Produzione USA 1991.

Durante 1994 tuvo lugar el genocidio de Ruanda, uno de los hechos de barbarie más significativos desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial y uno de los más vergonzosos episodios para una comunidad internacional más preocupada por salvaguardar sus propios intereses que por impedir la muerte del millón largo de personas (de etnia tutsi, pero también hutus moderados) que perdió la vida en aquellos trágicos días, o limitar la extensión posterior del conflicto a países vecinos como Burundi o Zaire (hoy de nuevo Congo), que no escatimaron medios en añadir víctimas a la cuenta de resultados a la que occidente contribuyó con su incapacidad o falta de voluntad, según el caso, para atajar una situación que se les fue de las manos, una responsabilidad que es doble en este caso y que se remonta a los días en que Congo, Ruanda y Burundi eran gestionados por la cruel e inhumana administración colonial belga, inventora de unas etnias que no existían con el fin de crear una estructura "burguesa" o "aristocrática" a la que inundar de comodidades y bienes materiales que la ayudara a dominar al resto de la población en un territorio tan extenso. De este modo, y teniendo en cuenta un dato tan objetivo como era el número de vacas que cada familia tenía en propiedad, el gobierno belga, uno de los más criminales de la Historia en su aventura colonial africana, dividió poblaciones que siempre habían convivido, amigos, familias e incluso matrimonios en etnias diferentes repartiendo un denominado "carnet étnico" que decía si uno era hutu o tutsi (así se crean esas naciones en las que muchas personas en occidente dicen creer como en dogmas de fe y que han defendido, y en algunos casos defienden aún hoy, con la guerra y la violencia, un acto arbitrario, una categorización de seres humanos cuyo último criterio a aplicar es precisamente la Humanidad, poniendo por delante cuestiones raciales, étnicas, lingüísticas, religiosas o culturales).

Esta producción sudafricana dirigida por Terry George aborda un hecho real en el marco del genocidio ruandés. El responsable de un hotel (magnífico Don Cheadle en un derroche interpretativo lleno de matices), impulsado por su deseo de proteger a su propia familia de los excesos violentos que recorrían el país de parte a parte, fue acogiendo en las reducidas dimensiones del edificio y sus instalaciones anexas primero a las familias de los empleados, luego a los amigos, y finalmente a todo aquel que, sin que importara lo más mínimo si se trataba de hutus o tutsis, huyera de la guerra y la muerte. La película retrata aquellos hechos de manera convincente, con una muy creíble recomposición de los sucesos tanto estética como narrativa, y sin caer en efectismos permite trasladar al espectador la zozobra, la incertidumbre, la angustia y el clima de violencia incontenible que como una ola arrasó con todo. A partir de ahí, la película, centralizando la narración en las difíciles circunstancias del encierro (constantes amenazas de asalto, suministro de provisiones y víveres, cuestiones de higiene y hacinamiento, la fragilidad de la resistencia emocional, etc.) retrata de forma verosímil el clima imperante en el país, los motivos profundos del estallido violento, el odio racial, las matanzas, la atmósfera opresiva de la caza sistemática del hombre, mujer o niño, y también el papel de la comunidad internacional (sobre todo encarnada en el papel del militar canadiense de los cascos azules interpretado por Nick Nolte, prisionero de la burocracia por un lado y de los intereses de países poderosos que limitaron el papel de la ONU de forma letal para cientos de miles de personas, y en el del fotógrafo que interpreta Joaquin Phoenix, el bienintencionado occidental que vive aterrorizado en un infierno de barbarie y carga contra la miseria moral de un occidente que lo permite e incluso lo alienta). Ése quizá sea el talón de aquiles de la película, los límites políticamente correctos (para occidente) del ejercicio divulgativo que supone el film sobre el genocidio ruandés. Porque la película, no sólo omite el surgimiento arbitrario y absurdo de una división étnica impuesta por los colonizadores europeos, sino que también pasa por encima de los intereses de potencias como Estados Unidos y Francia por su rivalidad económica en la zona de los Grandes Lagos africanos. Lejos de ser una guerra tribal, el conflicto tenía poderosas connotaciones económicas, comerciales y de gestión de influencias geopolíticas en las que Francia y Estados Unidos mantenían posiciones enfrentadas y que provocaron que el conflicto llegara a extremos de insólita crueldad (inolvidables imágenes las de las muertes a machetazos o los incendios de edificios con gente dentro) sin que la comunidad internacional enviara tropas que contuvieran las masacres y sin que la ONU, paralizada por su propia inutilidad cuando de enfrentarse a los poderosos se trata, pudiera hacer algo más que gritar en el desierto.

Brillante, emotiva, verosímil, la película nos acerca una historia que contada de cualquier otro modo supondría una dosis inadmisible de barbarie y crueldad, centrándose en un aspecto humano que contrasta con el ambiente primario de violencia sin freno que primó en el conflicto. Aunque la cinta bordea la estética televisiva, de forma que tenemos muy presentes los reportajes de los informativos (lo cual puede restarle, aunque parezca contraproducente, intensidad en su impacto en el espectador), la recreación de los hechos resulta convincente a pesar de algunos cabos sueltos y la falta de concreción acerca del papel internacional en los acontecimientos. Por otro lado, las interpretaciones son magníficas y en algunos casos, como sucede con la actriz protagonista (Sophie Okonedo), sus expresiones y actitudes resultan tan desarmantes como la actitud irracionalmente violenta de la mayoría de los cazadores de hombres que pululan por la ciudad buscando a quien matar, o como las crueles y venenosas arengas que desde la radio alentaban a continuar con la sangría.

Una película que nos lleva además a reflexionar acerca del concepto de colonialismo, neocolonialismo y democracia, nos hace preguntarnos si realmente la descolonización existió o se mantiene hoy, y sobre la idea que en occidente tenemos de lo que sucede en África. La descolonización política no fue acompañada de una descolonización económica, que las elites de los nuevos países, impuestas por o conniventes con el antiguo poder colonial, siguieron manteniendo en beneficio propio y de las multinacionales occidentales. Las políticas de occidente en África vienen impuestas por los intereses de sus empresas, y de hecho, son las que realmente sustentan los avances económicos y políticos en esos territorios o bien los cortan de raíz. No hay régimen dictatorial en África que no venga impuesto por un determinado interés occidental, de igual modo que no ha habido un movimiento regeneracionista en cualquier país africano que no haya venido seguido de represión, muertes y guerras civiles en las que los causantes no hayan sido dictadores africanos mantenidos en el poder por países occidentales, cuyos intereses salvaguardan. A esta corriente responde la irrupción de China en el mapa geoestratégico africano, un país que a cambio de petróleo ofrece asistencia tecnológica sin hacer preguntas en cuanto al nivel de respeto de los derechos humanos, y que se ha ido introduciendo en muchos casos como socio preferente.

Pero no sólo occidente es culpable y los africanos son unas pobres vícitimas. También éstos tienen su responsabilidad. Las clases dirigentes criadas a la luz del colonialismo o las elites revolucionarias corrompidas tras su llegada al poder hacen que se amasen inimaginables fortunas en manos de políticos corruptos y dictadores criminales: ahí están los negocios inmobiliarios de Obiang en Estados Unidos, las multimillonarias cuentas de Mobutu en Suiza, la extrema riqueza de Robert Mugabe en Zimbabwe, o por ejemplo, los cinco mil millones de dólares que llegó a amasar en tan sólo cinco años en el poder el antiguo dictador de Nigeria, fallecido, curiosamente, por sobredosis de viagra. Criaturas mantenidas y cebadas por occidente, pero consentidas por un poder militar y político que aspira a llevarse las migajas, mientras el destino de los ciudadanos es servir de carnaza o de brazo criminal cuando cambia el juego de intereses de occidente en África, un continente que, en su mayor parte, sigue siendo una colonia y al que nadie interesa ayudar, sólo a los ciudadanos bienintencionados de occidente que desconocen lo que sus gobiernos o las empresas que producen las marcas de los bienes de consumo que compran, hacen en África. Como decía un titular de un diario de Tanzania: "las ayudas al desarrollo de África es dinero que entregan los pobres de los países ricos a los ricos de los países pobres".

• Bust out your hairspray: VH1, the network that seems to be vying with MTV for the title of “least culturally redeeming network” just gave the green light to Rock of Love 3 starring the ever-so-dated and syphilitic Bret Michaels. If you’re keeping count at home, the tally of reality unerotica shows on VH1 is up to 9, with three seasons of Flavor Flav tossing clocks and cock in the faces of fame-starved hussies, two seasons of the trashtastic Flavor of Love reject New York getting her toes hoovered, three seasons of an aging hair metal rocker using cable TV to get groupie love from women born after Poison stopped being relevant, and the refreshingly frank I Love Money, which contains a hodgepodge of sex-crazed rejects from the previous eight shows and is guaranteed to be at least mildly revolting. In somewhat related news, the stock of pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, manufacturers of the Herpes management drug Valtrex, jumped up 15 points today.

• Honky Cream: In keeping with their trend of naming Ice Cream flavors after past-their-prime rock stars, Ben & Jerry’s has created “Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road” in honor of Sir Elton John. The limited edition flavor, with its mix of chocolate ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough, white chocolate chunks, and some toffee-like substance called “butter brickle,” will donate all proceeds to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. As far as new partnerships for Ben & Jerry’s, here are some of the new flavors in the works:

- Milli Vanilli Swirl: Chocolate ice cream with vanilla swirls and little bits of chocolate in the shape of cassette tapes and dreadlocked heads. All proceeds would go to the “Ashley Simpson School of Lip Sync Design and Bad Dancing."

- Sweet Berry James: This new flavor is a unique blend of fresh strawberries, peaches, marshmallow, and James Taylor’s own tears. Any proceeds from this product will go to the first douchebag we find playing an acoustic guitar underneath a tree and telling girls about how much he’s grown as a person

- Zappa Zappa Ripple: We don’t really know what the hell’s in this ice cream. Frank Zappa just locked himself in our factory for a month and came out with a pint of something that was warm and smelled like Head & Shoulders. That was 17 years ago. We still haven’t sold any pints, but we’re too afraid to touch it.

• What’s in a name? In news of the entirely expected, Andy Dick was arrested yesterday. But, pray tell, what for? At about 1:00 in the morning, a very intoxicated Mr. Dick proceeded to urinate outside the bar of a Buffalo Wild Wings, following this performance by yanking the tank top and bra off of a 17-year old girl and fleeing to the parking lot of a Sam’s Club. Police found Dick, “extremely intoxicated” and with weed and Xanax in his pants. They then escorted him to the station where they took this picture, which is sure to go down in the Celebrity Mug Shot Hall of Fame beside photos of Nick Nolte, Rip Torn, and any picture ever taken of Gary Busey. Now, if that picture doesn’t scream sexual predator, then I just don’t know what does. At the very least these charges should keep Dick off of the streets, and more importantly off cable television, for some time.

• Extreme Makeover: Recession Edition: Today over 2,500 people showed up to the unveiling of a newly built home in West Chester for the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. People began showing up as early as 6:30 in the morning for the opportunity to yell the show's tagline, “Move that bus!” at the home's unveiling at 12:30 in the afternoon, thus proving unequivocally that there is nothing to do in West Chester. Sadly, the new owners of the house will have no neighbors as everybody else on their street took out sub-prime loans and had their houses foreclosed.

That’s all for This Week in What the Fuck. I leave you with an excerpt from a textbook used to teach 1st graders in Saudi Arabia:

“Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words—(Islam, hellfire)_'Every religion other than ____ is false. Whoever dies outside of Islam enters ____.'"

Nick Nolte, actor from 48 Hours and Bluechips totally looks like Cthulu

Llega a la interweb un nuevo trailer de Tropic Thunder, la nueva película dirigida por el actor Ben Stiller quien junto a Justin Theroux también desarrolló el guión. La película trata de un grupo de actores que bastante disparejos que tratan de filmar una cinta de guerra, pero que en definitiva terminan involucrandose de verdad en un conflicto bélico. La cinta cuenta también con la participación de Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. (como un actor negro), Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel y Nick Nolte. Para ver el trailer para adultos has click AQUÍ y para ver el trailer internacional y un video promocional pa-cagarse-de-la-risa, que mezcla a esta película de Stiller junto a las dos últimas cintas de sus co-estrellas Black (Kung Fu Panda) y Downey Jr. (Iron Man) a continuación.

TRAILER INTERNACIONAL: TROPIC THUNDER

VIDEO PROMO TROPIC THUNDER + KUNG FU PANDA + IRON MAN

A relentless Hollywood tearjerker, but one that reveals a great deal about George Miller the humanist. Being an M.D., Miller must have responded to the devastating material from more than just a filmmaking perspective. With Lorenzo's Oil, he compassionately charts the slow and painful decline of a sweet young boy suffering from a brain disease called ADL, most decisively through an emphasis on self education (by his parents played by Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte) in the face of a disintegrating way of life (definite thematic parallels to the Mad Max Trilogy and Witches of Eastwick). For Miller, expertise of a certain environment (or disease in this case) equates to the best chance for survival, and in this particular work there's a great respect for medical treatments, doctors, and the process of healing. Lorenzo's Oil begins with a telling quote that could sum up this methodology and Miller's filmography as a whole; "Life is in the struggle...triumph and defeat are in the hands of the Gods." Whether its seen through the eyes of Mad Max, Lorenzo, or the little pig Babe, for George Miller the battle between man and nature is a never-ending process of highs and lows, hopes and failures, and the small joys of experience shine through these tense altercations. The end result, while always crucial and essential, seems to be more elusive and disappointing than the wonders of the process at hand, a paradox which seems both endlessly fascinating and frustrating.

Fueron 90 días en los que los guionistas hollywoodenses pararon actividades. Esa huelga arrojó poco más de dos mil millones de dólares en pérdidas.

La recesión económica en Estados Unidos -mil y una veces negada por George W. Bush- también está presente en Hollywood. La revista Variety dice que la tasa de empleo ha bajado, que cayó el número de rodajes y que, en lo que va del año, aumentaron considerablemente las peticiones de actores afiliados al sindicato y que necesitan de una ayuda económica para sobrellevar la crisis.

Por ello, se habla de una posible huelga por parte de los actores. Según Variety, el sindicato no ha llegado a ningún acuerdo con la Alianza de Productores de Cine y Televisión (AMPTP).

La Federación Americana de Actores de Radio y Televisión (AFTRA) ya se separó del SAG (Screen Actors Guild) y pudo ponerse de acuerdo con los productores al menos en lo que atañe a la explotación de películas y a las regalías que les darán. Éste aún está sujeto a la votación de 70 mil miembros de sus sindicato de entre los que destaca Susan Sarandon: "44 mil (actores) son comunes a los dos sindicatos. Como actriz tengo que pertenecer a todos si quiero trabajar".

Figuras como Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey, George Clooney, Sally Field, Calista Flockhart y muchos más están urgiendo a los miembros del AFTRA para que acepten el acuerdo con los estudios, de esta manera el llamado a huelga por parte del SAG se debilitaría.

Por el otro bando, el del SAG, se sabe que Jack Nicholson, Ed Harris, Martin Sheen, Nick Nolte, Viggo Mortensen, Ben Stiller y Josh Brolin defienden a dicho sindicato a capa y espada, por lo que difieren de la propuesta del AFTRA.

La incertidumbre se ha apoderado de los círculos creativos y dramáticos de Hollywood. Algunas producciones ni siquieran han arrancado, mientras que otras aceleran sus pasos para que, en caso de estallar la huelga, la avancen lo más posible o, en el mejor de los casos, la terminen. En ese caso se encuentran Tom Hanks, quien está filmando Ángeles y Demonios, del polémico autor del Código DaVinci, y Sigourney Weaver que cuenta ya con la seguridad de que Crazy on the outside, título de su más reciente trabajo, se rodará haya o no huelga.

Regia: Terrence Malick

Interpreti: Jim Caviezel, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, John Cusack, Adrien Brody, John Savage, Woody Harrelson, George Clooney, John Travolta, Jared Leto

Produzione: USA 1998

Cosa separa questa linea? E’ una separazione tra mondi differenti nel concepire il proprio rapporto con la “natura”. Uomini sono gli aborigeni melanesiani con i loro ritmi lenti, così come uomini sono i soldati americani e la loro accelerazione del tempo. La calma dei primi viene indicata nel film attraverso il riferimento musicale a un canto dalle tonalità alte, quieto come la pace. L’impazienza dei secondi cambia il registro musicale e introduce suoni più cupi, come la guerra. Un contrasto è tra volontà di vita e volontà di dominio, un altro tra centralità dell’uomo e centralità della divinità storica. La calma della Melanesia consente la riflessione sui dati essenziali della nostra esistenza: la vita, la morte, il reale. In essa il soldato Witt (Jim Caviezel), disertore, trova la sua isola, lontano dalla guerra e dalla civiltà occidentale. La sua preistoria è libertà, assenza di gerarchia. La storia, al contrario, è catena del dominio che viene a prenderlo eseguendo degli ordini. Le catene di comando sono l’esatto contrario della riflessione.

La storia irrompe con una nave da guerra, una vedetta, non a caso, che cerca e trova il suo fuggitivo. Il sergente Welsh  (Sean Penn) esprime la pretesa totalitaria di questa polarità, che appunto non lascia scampo a chi vuole nascondersi. Quando interroga Witt, Welsh recita: “In questo mondo, un uomo da solo non è niente e non esiste un altro mondo”. Ma davvero questa integrazione è irreversibile? Sarà proprio la storia di Welsh a dimostrare l’esatto contrario, così come è già l’atteggiamento di Witt, preistorico perché basato su qualcosa che viene prima del film e a cui noi non assistiamo, a segnare una crepa dentro l’unicità di quel mondo.

Witt non può nascondersi, proprio per questo, tuttavia, resta ciò che ha appreso di essere nell’altro mondo. Conduce la sua linea di fuga senza mai dimenticare chi è, particolare che lo rende non solo carattere differente dal resto ma esemplare di un nuovo modo di essere. Attorno lo circonda un’aura che non impedisce il contatto con il mondo ma lo traduce secondo un nuovo linguaggio. Witt porta sulla pelle la placenta di un’altra epoca, contemporanea e distante, che lo pone su un livello linguistico differente (nonché superiore, per chi scrive). Il mondo che ora attraversa è al contrario ha un viso opposto: assenza di fiducia, stato hobbesiano dei rapporti umani, paura, scontro per il potere. Guerra, con ogni mezzo disponibile. E la guerra cos’è in Malick? Il male assoluto, perché elimina la dignità personale. Per questa ragione non vi è attenuazione dei contrasti nella descrizione della guerra e del suo effetto principale, la morte violenta. La gente trema in guerra e non muore da eroe. Il modo in cui si viene uccisi è indicativo di questo carattere. La morte, almeno nelle prime sequenze in cui appare, non tocca il viso bensì il resto del corpo: i primi cadaveri hanno gli arti mutilati. Questa morte colpisce allo stomaco, al culo, alle caviglie: bombarda i corpi. La realtà antieroica, Malick la rende con straordinaria efficacia.

Si è detto che la guerra è il male assoluto, per questa ragione è bene ciò che si pone oltre di essa anche quando essa è necessaria. Lo stesso Dio che la benedice è morto come la civiltà che la sostanzia. E’ un Dio immobile, crocifisso per sempre che ha perduto la capacità di parlare al vivente e attraverso il vivente partecipando della sua sostanza. Certo un Dio differente da quello degli aborigeni che non ha nome perché è mobile, come il mondo. “Chi sei tu per sopravvivere dentro tutte queste forme” si chiede Witt provando meraviglia per il mondo.

La meraviglia di Witt non presuppone paradisi oltre la Terra e parla del Dio dei disertori: se tutti disertassero, tutti senza badare alle bandiere e nello stesso istante, quel Dio avrebbe vinto e noi con lui. Ma nei rapporti di forza Hobbes vale più di Dostojevsky e il film non nega questa evidenza. Lo spazio del nuovo mondo è prevalentemente pensato, quello del mondo del “primo” Welsh è, al contrario, pubblicamente espresso. Solo Witt ha la maturità per camminare con un nuovo sguardo: dentro il martirio antieroico si muove portando la pace pur essendo parte progressivamente sempre più attiva della guerra. Il conflitto è un inferno che attraversa senza perdersi, anche quando le sue ragioni sembrerebbero consentire un utilizzo sproporzionato della forza. Cosa vuol dire farsi vincere dallo spirito bellico? Abituarsi all’orrore; vedere morire un uomo e non farci più caso, non lasciarsi sfiorare dall’idea che con lui sta morendo un mondo intero. Credere che esistano guerre giuste, questo vuol dire farsi vincere dallo spirito bellico.

Malick sceglie la seconda guerra mondiale, la guerra giusta per eccellenza e dà a questa scelta un senso doppio. Primo, perché fa capire, a scanso di equivoci, che le guerre non sono mai giuste ma al massimo necessarie. Secondo, che anche di fronte alle guerre necessarie non ci si deve lasciare contagiare dalla follia che le ha create se si vuole evitare la riproduzione della catastrofe. Ma, poiché nella catastrofe cadiamo spesso, ritorna adesso quel conflitto tra mondi, tra preistoria e storia, con una domanda impellente: cosa rende non preistorica l’esistenza di un uomo che non decide per sé ma viene deciso da altri? Cosa garantisce uno status di superiorità a questa carne di macello occidentale rispetto ala libertà del selvaggio? E’ una domanda che scava la nostra civiltà e che Malick utilizza per risalire la storia americana dal presente verso il passato (“La rabbia giovane”, “La sottile linea rossa”, “The New World”) fino al suo inganno originario: la volontà di potenza. Nel suo percorso il risultato è chiaro e non relativo: la volontà di dominio è il male, la ricerca di una comune essenza il bene.

Questa via passa attraverso l’inferno e non è un percorso facile. Pochi riescono ad acquisire la consapevolezza che fa vedere chiaramente quale inganno si celi dietro una storia intesa come divinità cieca e superiore agli uomini. E’ un’epica, quella di Malick, ma di carattere particolare. Un’epica della pace e dell’uomo espressa nella descrizione delle forme che negano sia la pace che l’uomo. Per questo, ritornando a quanto detto, non possono esserci eroi, ma solo esseri umani che si confrontano  tremando l’uno di fronte all’altro.

Dovrebbero farlo vedere nelle scuole,”La sottile linea rossa”, per invertire la diseducazione di massa che ha reso asettica la sofferenza attraverso la menzogna televisiva. Dovrebbero insegnare di che morte muore l’uomo nelle guerre che non ha scelto di combattere. Sarebbe un ottimo modo per insegnare l’amore verso la vita e il rifiuto del peggiore dei mali: uccidere un tuo simile, uccidere un tuo dissimile.

Paul Sweezy

Para quem gosta de comédias, "Tropic Thunder" promete ser o grande lançamento de 2008. O filme reúne o Dream Team da Hollywood cômica, formado pelo trio BEN STILLER (que também dirige e produz o longa), JACK BLACK e ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

O filme, previsto para ser lançado no próximo dia 29 de Agosto traz a história de cinco atores que filmam um filme sobre a Guerra, no entanto, só eles não percebem que se trata de uma Guerra de verdade. As situações extremas fazem com que eles entrem de cabeça em suas personagens, começando a se confundir com elas. Black é Jeff "Fats" Portnoy, um comediante acima do peso forçado e abandonar as drogas no meio da floresta; Downey Jr. é Kirk Lazarus, o maior ator de sua geração e quatro vezes indicado para o Oscar; Baruchel é Kevin Sandusky, um ator desconhecido; e Stiller é Speedman, que pretende se tornar uma estrela. O destaque fica por conta do personagem de Robert Downey Jr. que faz uma cirurgia para se tornar uma pessoa negra e assim poder representar melhor o personagem dentro do filme.

Algumas curiosidades é a participação de Tom Cruise em uma das suas participações mais bizarras da história do cinema (veja foto abaixo). Além dele, várias outras celebridades fazem uma ponta no filme como Tobey Maguire (Homem-Aranha), Nick Nolte (Hotel Ruanda) e Matthew McConaughey (Somos Marshall).

Os astros também fizeram um engraçadissimo "merchandising" dentro do ultimo MTV Movie Awards... O ponto alto é quando o garoto que interpreta o sobrinho de Stiller diz a Downey Jr curtir seus dias de herói (em alusão ao Homem de Ferro), pois quando o novo Batman estrear, a festa acaba!

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416236/

This review contains minor spoilers.

I would not say this film was amazing but I was really surprised by it. They did a lot of things different from your average adolescent fantasy film and it was refreshing to say the least. There was some great acting, the story was interesting and inventive and I never really felt like it was rehashing old material which is often the case in films nowadays. I think if I was younger this would have been right up there as far as amazing movies go - and since I fall well above the target audience I think that's a pretty good result for them.

The story in this film was very interesting. The main thing I noticed which I liked was how they reused typical fantasy monsters but the resulting creations looked absolutely nothing like the norm. This may be more a product of innovative art direction but I like the think the writers were the first to come up with the ideas. I was also glad to see that the writers had no qualms about writing in the occasional swear or violence - some of which was slightly graphic - since it adds a bit more realism to it. What adolescent kid is not going to squeak out a mild swear in extreme situations nowadays.

On the topic of the kid, I went the entire film thinking that the brothers were actual real life twins instead of a single actor. I was surprised to find out I was wrong. The effect was completely seamless and so realistic that I was completely fooled. I am still amazed at how well they pulled it off. It is also a testament to the skill of Freddie Hignmore that he was able to create two similar yet so distinctly different characters. He was a pleasure to watch and obviously talented.

The CG in this film was spotty, with some scenes looking amazing and others just looking dumb. The goblins and Thimbletack were all amazing looking - especially Thimbletacks transformation into a bogart - but other scenes looked out of place and not at all polished. All of the Griffin scenes and about half of Mulgaraths scenes spring to mind as the worst offenders. But I would say overall that it was pretty awesome graphics.

I spent about 30 minutes of the movie wondering if Seth Rogen was doing voice acting. I didn't look it up in advance so I couldn't be sure and his voice was just changed enough to make me second guess myself. I think he does pretty good voice acting and I would like to see him continue this trend. So I guess I would say that I enjoyed the film, and I would recommend it to young fantasy lovers.

Runtime: 97 Minutes - Country: USA

This family film focuses on the Grace family and their fantastic experiences due to a house moving. The twin brothers Jared and Simon (Freddie Highmore) and their sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger) are moving into the Spiderwick Estate according to their mother Helen (Mary-Louise Parker) - who has been separated from her husband. One day Jared finds a mysterious book in a secret room that originally was the working room of Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn). There is a little note with a big warning on it... but Jared decides to open and read it.

It seems like this was a big mistake... since a horde of fantastical evil creatures are now brought to life again. They are leaded by the evil Mulgarath, who desperately wants to get hold of the book - to gain more and more power over all mystical but also human creatures. Meanwhile there is a serious family conflict going on... Jared is the only one who can see the upcoming danger; he is trying to convince his family members - but they are rather ascribing this to his general frustration and the resulting power of imagination... please note that this film is based on a book series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. To state it in advance; I have not came to read the books yet - so I will review this one totally unprejudiced...

Ok - this one is officially labled as a fair family film, totally suitable to a younger audience also - beware, it is rather gritty, and has some very brutal scenes also. Do not get me wrong, I am not too sensitive - but when I imagine that children around 5 or 6 years of age are watching this film - I am sceptical, most certainly. Especially the scenes in which the evil monster are killed by Jared and his family - are appealing rather brutal - since here we have stabbing, cauterization, chopped fingers... and so on. I guess that is nothing suitable for a younger children's audience, even though it are "only" monsters that come to harm. And these "monsters" are looking andd behaving very scary, too.

Of course, the main storyline can be ascribed to the overall fantasy genre - it is all about a mysterious book, that has a certain fantastical meaning. Since there are two sides which want to get a hold of it - the good ones that are trying to conceal it, and the bad ones that are trying to use it for their own purposes. Unfortunately, this isn't anything new ! Still, this film manages to deliver a totally unique mood. And this is mainly ascribable to the good actors: especially Freddie Highmore in his dual role can convince; such as the other family members which are portrayed by very talented actors also. I think the audience would get a good feeling for this familiar constellation, since it seems to be very authentic.

But, and to state it: I had my problems with this film. If we look at it, we can see see that it actually consists of two big parts: the whole mystery behind the mansion and the book; and the familiar problems and conflicts - I think that this mixture does not really work out. Since it is just like this: when the familiar problems are reaching their climax, there are the monsters appearing... conclusional, the whole differentiation between a normal world and a more fantastical one turns out out to be rather annoying and a little compelled in this case...

Click to get to Amazon.com...

Speaking of the general technical part - it is just outstanding. The creatures are well and lovely animated, single scenes like the ride on the gryphon or the final fight between Jared and Mulgarath are just terrific and amazingly realized - although I do not really like this exaggerated occurence of CGI-effects. The soundtrack has been composed by James Horner - a great choice, if you would ask me; especially towards the ending it releases its full power and variety.

Finally: I think that this film is way too short. Although I have not read the books, it is obvious that they could have made more out of this source material. Pressing all this topics into a 90 minutes format - I think that was the wrong choice here. Furthermore, and because of this: it is lacking of this certain magical feeling that not many similar productions are able to deliver. As soon as the overall storyline is introduced rashly, the film ends - this could not be better described by the death of the overall evil mastermind Mulgarath; who dies in a rather hilarious way - see this for yourself. And this is a feeling that I had troughout the whole film: all what has been pronounced loudly is relativized within a split second. Another rare occasion: the lovely made outro is even better than the whole film itself ! My final rating: 5.3/10 - a thrilling and entertaining choice for older kids.

The DVD at Amazon.com - The Trailer

So, this is Marvel's second in-house production, and many are asking questions such as "can they keep the momentum going?" and "if this movie is so good, why are they promoting it on American Gladiators?" or "wait, this is an in-house production?" Well, while this may not be as great as Iron Man was, The Incredible Hulk is the next logical step toward an Avengers movie, and actually good at the same time. More after break.

Louis Leterrier, director of Incredible spent hours watching 2003 Hulk , trying to figure out what the movie did right and wrong. It ended up getting rid of a lot of the ridiculousness of that movie, such as the CGI Hulk - the CGI Hulk in this movie is actually, compared to the previous version, somewhat believable - this was a major strength.

Secondly, the film differed because of the editing. We all know about Norton and Leterrier's fight with Marvel to make this movie longer, but honestly, the film was able to provide character development for all of the major players in this movie whilst providing lots of action (those of you who were disappointed with the Iron Man/Iron Monger fight in Iron Man will be pleased with the ending of this movie). While this might not be what Leterrier was going for, it is actually a welcome departure from one of the problems I had with 2003 Hulk - those long, drawn out dialog scenes which don't seem to add much to the film, and anyone who has seen The Transporter films will see that the faster pace of the film works better with Leterrier's style of direction. What made this movie really good was the fact that we see Emil Blonsky naturally evolve into the Abomination while still keeping the movie interesting - we don't get a lot of back story about Banner's dad, failed experiments on Bruce at a young age, and the Absorbing Man.

Another plus was the fact that Thunderbolt Ross is effectively the bad guy again. Hulk fans will be happy to see a lot in the film that didn't make it in the original that came from the source material - like Mr. Blue, or Stanley's Diner. Although, they may not like what they do with Mr. Blue (you're going to have to see the movie to find out, folks. I wouldn't want to LEAD you to any false conclusions).

Essentially, this movie is able to cash in on the Hulk character's greatest strength - he makes things go boom, and that appeals to people; the Hulk/Abomination fight really impressed me.

The acting wasn't bad either. Despite Norton being a bit of a diva, he does good work, and william Hurt was Thunderbolt Ross. Liv Tyler was alright, but whatever. Tim Roth did a great job with Abomination - he was exactly what I assumed Blonsky would be when adapted to film.

The only major question I have is whether or not the Hulk should be as intelligent as he was in the film. Part of the difficulty in examining characters properly while keeping the film action packed is having scenes where the Hulk says things like "stay away from me!" I felt like the writer was almost making an attempt at times to justify the Hulk's aggression, when really, he's a big, angry person. Part of the Hulk is supposed to be the lack of control there.

This movie may not be winning an Oscar anytime soon, or even an MTV Movie Award, but it's an entertaining way to spend an afternoon, and it's one step closer to that Avenger's movie.

In an attempt to improve my as yet fledgling Old English, i'm going to grow a Beowulf moustache, like Nick Nolte's corrupt Irish cop in the legendary Q & A. It is possible that instead of helping me learn Old English it will instead turn me into a towering, racist psychopath, but if so at least i shall have increased the sum of human knowledge and thus served Science.

But once I found out Nick Nolte was in it....

It gets a big, "FUCK YEAH!"

Pardon the awkward cutting and subtitling on these clips, they're the best I could get on YouTube.

Lorenzo Odone, the subject of the 1992 film "Lorenzo's Oil" has died, more than two decades after his doctors said he would succumb to ALD, an "incurable nerve disease" which left Odone blind and in a vegetative state. Read the story of his life and death here, where it is better put than I could try to rewrite it.

But the most important fact of Lorenzo's life is that he lived well beyond the point that his doctors, the supposed experts, said he would. Which just goes to show, again, and I can't stress it enough, that you can only place so much importance on what the doctors say if you have a child with, or you yourself have a disability or a life-threatening disorder or disease. Doctors only know so much. They only know what they have seen, and what they have seen defines the odds they give their patients, and at some point or another, someone like Lorenzo is going to come along and defy the odds by leaps and bounds.
And as you will read in this story, Lorenzo had parents who did fantastic things to give him a life that was above and beyond what was expected.

The Oscar nominated film of Lorenzo's life starred Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte.

1.) Peaceful Warrior with Nick Nolte.  This was a really interesting film.  I'll give it 3.5 of 5 stars.  I would have liked a little more background into the characters.  It's based on a true story about a gymnast and an old man he meets, lessons learned along the way.  Some parts are completely weird and unexplained.  There are incredible scenes of gymnastic feats on the rings and pommel horse.

The movie surprisingly dovetailed ideas in the new Eckhart Tolle book, as mentioned frequently on Oprah.

I tried to read the book, A New Earth - Awakening To Your Life's Purpose, but couldn't even finish a single page.  Way too heavy for me to wade through. 

Then I borrowed the book CD's from the library to listen to in the car.  Wow!  A totally different experience.

I think the intriguing part for me deals with quieting the ego and emptying the mind to be in the present moment, the idea that your thoughts are not who you are.

Most importantly, Nick Nolte looked way better in this movie than he did in that awful mug shot that's gone round the world.

2.) The Great Debaters with Denzel Washington, produced by Oprah Winfrey's company, Harpo.  Is she everywhere?  I believe the answer is yes.

My rating of this film is 4.5 out of 5 stars.

It was also based on a true story, wherein a tiny black Texas school, Wiley College, has the first interracial debate against Harvard, in 1935.  I found it both fascinating and heart-wrenching.

Denzel, of course, has yet to make a single bad movie.  There are four young actors who play the parts of the debate team, each of whom is magnificent.  My favorite was a guy named Nate Parker.  Wow!  Forest Whitaker also plays a lead role and the scenes in which he acts opposite the character of his son are some of the best.

I wanted to stand up and cheer during the debates, but would have woken my husband.  (He slept through most of both movies.  His job really gets in the way of late night viewing.)

The detailed acts of racism were realistic and painful to watch.  Even more than a lynching, the scene of a beautiful young black girl standing near a bus bench that said "Whites Only" made me shake my head with incredulity.  It's unfathomable to think anyone could not love her like their own daughter, sick & tragic.

We're still not where we should be, not even close.

It made me think about how much I hate that I still can sometimes experience fear related to the color of someone's skin.  I force myself to speak and suddenly am face to face with fellow human beings, lovely individuals, helpful souls.  But I notice the fact that they are black first.

I was brought up to believe there is a difference, we are different, and it's just not true.  I have to fight that reaction in myself.  Ignorance is not bliss, it's just pitiful.

Movies like The Great Debaters are important, keeping this issue fresh, striking at the heart.

* * * * *

More movies this weekend!

Der Waschbär RJ ist auf der Suche nach Futter und findet eine ganze Menge davon in der Höle des Bären Vincent, einem Bären der gerade seinen Winterschlaf hält. RJ weckt diesen aus Gier und Tollpatschigkeit- und das eine Woche zu früh! Der Bär droht ihm damit, ihn zu fressen, weil RJ seine Verpflegung zum Teufel geschickt hat. Der kluge Waschbär schlägt Vincent jedoch einen Deal vor: während der Bär noch eine Woche lang weilerschläft, will RJ ihm alle Fressalien, den roten Bollerwagen und die blaue Kühltruhe wiederbeschaffen. Die Möglichkeit hierzu sieht er in einem nahegelegenen riesigen Vorort voller Einfamilienhäuser.

Dort, wo sich dieser Vorort befindet, stand bis vor dem Winterschlaf noch ein Wald, der innerhalb kürzester Zeit abgeholzt wurde und so Platz für die luxoriösen Häuser schaffte. Um das Wohngebiet herum, wurde eine riesengroße Hecke gezüchtet, hinter dem sich noch ein winziger Teil des alten Waldes befindet. In diesem kleinen Waldstück hat eine kleine Familie ihren Winterschlaf gehalten. Sie besteht aus der Schildkröte Verne, dem Eichhörnchen Hammy, dem Stinktier Stella, Opossum Ozzie mit Tochter Heather und den Stachelschweineltern Lou und Penny mit ihren drei Kindern. Sie erwachen aus dem Winterschlaf in ihrem Baumstamm und haben nun nur noch knappe 280 Tage zeit, um diesen Unterschlupf wieder mit Nahrung für den nächsten Winterschlaf zu befüllen. Zu ihrem Entsetzen müssen sie feststellen, dass fast der ganze Wald verschwunden ist und sich etwas strauchartiges um sie herum befindet, das sie zur Überwindung ihrer Angst "Hugo" taufen - Hugo ist die Hecke.

Als RJ die eifrigen Sammler sieht, schmiedet er einen Plan: sie sollen für ihn die Lebensmittel zusammentragen, die er Vincent schuldet. Wenn sie eine Hecke nicht erkennen und sie stattdessen Hugo nennen, dürften sie schließlich dumm genug sein, ihm zu helfen ohne ihn zu durchschauen. Außer Verne haben alle ein gutes Gefühl und so kann RJ mit der Umsetzung seines Plans in die Tat beginnen. Wenn sich die Tiere auf den Weg ab durch die Hecke machen, stehen ihnen einige fiese Zweibeiner, darunter ein skrupelloser Schädlingsvernichter aus Leidenschaft entgegen...
...

Die Synchronstimmen sind auf deutsch super und in der Originalfassung einfach absolut genial gewählt! Um einige Beispiele anzuführen: RJ wird hier von Bruce Willis gesprochen, Steve Carell (Bruce Allmächtig) redet als Hammy so unfassbar schnell, dass man befürchten muss er könne jeden Moment explodieren. Avril Lavigne gibt ihr Synchro-Debut als Teenager-Opossum und Nick Nolte (Nur 48 Stunden) hat als Vincent eine wahrlich bärenstarke Stimme :) .

Die Story ist schön und etwas für die ganze Familie. Mit ihren 89 Minuten Spielzeit fällt sie widererwartend nicht zu kurzweilig aus. Sie greift die Thematik der Mensch-Tier Beziehung in der (Vor)Stadt auf, was Jagdfieber vier Monate später im Wald tut. In Amerika wurde der Film mit einer PG-Altersbeschränkung versehen, in Deutschland hat er keine Altersbegrenzung.

Die Animateure haben in Ab durch die Hecke einfach sensationelle Arbeit geleistet. Viele verschiedene Tierarten mit verschiedenen Fell-, Haar-, Stachel- und Hauttypen wurden liebevoll kreiert und in Szene gesetzt. Hier stimmt alles vom allgemeinen Look der Tiere bis zur Beleuchtung ihres Fells. Man achtete hier im Besonderen darauf, dass alle Haare immer dynamisch und auf keinen Fall statisch sind, was hervorragend gelungen ist. Vor diesem Film wurde genau das nur in Monster AG (Sullys Fell) so perfekt animiert. Alle Tiere möchte man am liebsten in den Arm nehmen und knuddeln. Die Stachelschweinkinder sind sooo süüüß!!! Das gilt natürlich auch für die anderen Charaktere, aber es sind halt Tierkinder... ;)

Da es sich hier um eine kleine (außergewöhnliche) Familie handelt, umarmen sich deren Mitglieder auch gerne mal. Ein Akt, den Animateure sonst eher scheuen, weil das Fell bei Berührungen extra animiert, programmiert und beleuchtet werden muss. Dadurch, dass die DreamWorks-Crew dies nicht scheute (und das obwohl sie mit einem Waldstück,einer Hecke und viel Gras schon sehr viel Tüftelarbeit was die Animation angeht hatten), kommt die Atmosphäre zwischen den Tieren noch besser rüber und überzeugt um so mehr. Die Menschen sind realistischer als die In Jagdfieber oder Boo in der Monster AG, haben aber trotzdem noch etwas comichaftes an sich, was positiv für übertriebene Mimik ist, die dem Zuschauer einfach ein Lachen entlocken muss.

Die meisten lustigen Momente dürfte wohl Hammy, das hyperaktive Eichhörnchen, einstreichen; vor allen Dingen wenn es dann noch Koffein und Zucker intus hat... :D Die Macher des Films gaben diesem niedlichen, freundlichen, liebenswerten quirligen Zeitgenossen daher als Zugabe noch den Kurzfilm "Hammys Boomerang Abenteuer", das auf der DVD zu finden ist.

Wenn auch nur sehr oberflächlich angekratzt - und daher nur zum Lachen, nicht aber zum Nachdenken anregend - befindet sich in diesem Kinderfilm tatsächlich ein Stück Gesellschaftskritik am Lebensstil der Vorstädtischen Amerikaner. Und wenn man sich den Vorort mal so ansieht muss man zugeben, dass dies durchaus das Desperate Housewives-Set sein könnte ;)

Kindgerecht - und typisch - geht es auch in diesem Animationsfilm um Freundschaft, Familie, Hilfsbereitschaft und Vertrauen. Und kindgerecht gibt es eine Friede, Freude, Eierkuchen-Ende, was jedoch nicht stört. Wenn wir mal alle ehrlich sind, will doch niemand einen Animationsfilm ohne Happy End sehen, oder? :)

Ein Spaß nicht nur für die ganz kleinen, sondern für jeden (wie es auf Spielekartons immer heißt "für alle von 0-99 Jahren" ;) ), bei dem es viel zu lachen gibt. Die Tiere sind toll animiert und einfach zum knuddeln!
8,5/10 Punkten

Nach dem Abspann - oder besser während des Abspanns sollte man auf jeden Fall nicht gehen oder abschalten, denn hier wird von den Tieren nocheinmal über einen wichtigen Bestandteil unserer Gesellschaft philosophiert: den Fernseher und seine Verwendungszwecke werden erörtert.

"Of course Nebraska is a storehouse for literary material. Everywhere is a storehouse of literary material. If a true artist were born in a pigpen and raised in a sty, he would still find plenty of inspiration for work. The only need is the eye to see."
                                                                                                        Willa Cather
                                                                                                        My Antonia

In other posts we’ve looked at screenwriters from Iowa and some surrounding states- Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Minnesota, but today let’s head to the west and take a look at Nebraska. 

Before we get to the screenwriting part of that state let me say that Nebraska has produced four giants of cinema on the performing end of feature films; Henry Ford, Fred Astaire, Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando.

Toss in producer Darryle F. Zanuck, TV personalities Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett as well as other actors James Coburn, Nick Nolte, Janine Turner and most recently Hilary Swank and you have a nice roster of entertainment talent  from this Midwest state.

But no list of creatives from Nebraska is complete without mentioning Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Willa Cather whose novels O Pioneers! & My Antonia have had lasting success.

As we look at screenwriting from Nebraska there is one name that stands out in bold, Alexander Payne. The Academy-Award winning writer of Sideways grew up just over the Iowa border in Omaha, reportedly on the same street as Warren Buffett. His films Election, About Schmidt, and Citizen Ruth were all shot in Nebraska.

Payne earned his master’s degree at the UCLA where one of his teachers was Lew Hunter. Lew’s also from Nebraska and his resume is more of a creative journey. He earned two master’s degrees, worked as a radio DJ, an NBC page, story executive and wrote the Emmy-nominated script Fallen Angel, before going on to be the co-founder of the M.F.A. screenwriting program at UCLA. His book Screenwriting 434 flowed out of that class. 

A couple years ago I was reading a screenwriting book by Skip Press and saw that Lew Hunter now lived part of the year in Superior, Nebraska. Since I was heading from Cedar Falls, Iowa in a few days for a shoot in Colorado Springs I found Superior on a map and decided I could make a slight detour and pass through there. (Superior, by the way,  is called the "Victorian Capital of the Midwest.")

I tracked down Lew’s email and sent him a note. He was in town and welcomed me to not only stop by but to stay the night in his writer's house that he uses for workshops. So I was able to not only spend some time talking with him about his various experiences in the industry but stayed up at night watching old tapes from his UCLA classes of various people like Billy Wilder talking to his class. 

I later interviewed him for this article that appeared in Create Magazine.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up on a farm outside the small, 392-person village of Guide Rock, Nebraska.

How did growing up on a farm prepare you for a career in Hollywood?
I was given a sense of a work ethic when I was five years old. I did all the things kids do on a farm.

Was there any expression of the arts or creativity in your home?
My mother was quite a different farmwomen. She was a graduate of the University of Nebraska, in music generally and violin specifically.And she went to the New England Conservatory of Music. My mother had me doing piano lessons when I was 3 years old. And she read Shakespere, “Beowulf” and Greek legends with me on her knee. My father was sort of a Will Rogers character in terms of humor and style.

What lead to your Hollywood writing career?
I went over to the story department at Disney Studios. After two years of reading scripts and books trying to get the material into the studio, I was having lunch with Ray Bradbury about doing the “Martin Chronicles,” and we were talking and I said, Ray I’m really thinking about being a writer, and I’ve read about 2,000 scripts and about 90 % are feces. And I think I can be in that top 10 percent of feces. And he gave me two books to read, One was “The Wisdom of Insecurity” by Alan Watts and the other was Dorothea Brande, “Becoming a Writer.”

So how did you actually make that transition to becoming a writer?
I had saved up enough money to focus on writing for a year and wrote six feature-length scripts. The more ponies you pick in the race, the greater your chances of winning. After the year was up my money had run out and I needed a job. My agent called and said that ABC and Aaron Spelling wanted my script, “If Tomorrow Comes” (about Japanese/Americans held captive in California during WWll) and that started my writing career.

The American Screenwriters Association awarded you with a Lifetime Achievment Award a few years ago. But you paid your dues. That’s a valuable lesson for young writers.
Everyone pays their dues to become successful. I’ll give you a perfect example. Screenwriter Brian Price is sitting in my UCLA graduate 434 class and I hold up a Variety (magazine). And on the front page it says first-time writer sells script to Universal. And I said to Brian, “How many scripts did you write before you became a first-time screenwriter?” and he says, “Ten.” I joined WGA (Writers Guild of America) in 1969 and came to Hollywood in 1956.

It seems like more people than ever are writing screenplays. What is your advice anyone wanting to be a screenwriter?
The most important thing I would tell anyone in terms of writing of any kind is when I was at Northwestern, John Steinbeck came and gave a talk and afterwards I went up to him and asked, “What must I do to become a wonderful writer?” Mr. Steinbeck twitched his beard a little with his thumb and forefinger and he said, “Write.” And turned and walked away.

Graduates in the UCLA M.F.A. program are required to write between six and eight screenplays before they graduate. That’s a lot of writing.
It astonishes me when someone telling me they’re a writer and I ask how many screenplays they’ve written and they say, “One.” You’ve got to do the process. Somewhere between four and six scripts is the equivalent of getting up on water skies.

Is it simply talent that separates UCLA Alumni writers David Ward, Francis Ford Coppola, Eric Roth, Alan Ball, David Capthem and former student of yours Alexander Payne from other writers?
It’s three things. Tenacity, focus, and there is an element of luck involved. Of course, there is the street phrase, “The harder I work the luckier I get.” I don’t think they’re smarter than anyone reading this transcript. I believe everyone has the opportunity to be a wonderful screenwriter.

Do you think with the digital technology there is going to be a new style of writing emerging or a revolution in storytelling outside of New York and LA?
I don’t think there will be a new style of writing, but I think it will be easier opportunities for people to knock people off their socks if they have a good story. It will always come doen to story and character and character and story. With a computer editing bay, a DV camera, very little money, and some talented friends and a good script, you’re going to be able to come up with something that’s going to knock people’s socks off. It’s very exciting to think of some boy or girl in some ghetto around the world will get ahold of a computer and tell a story like “Salaam Bombay.” 

Twice a year (June & September) Lew hosts 14-day workshops patterned after the UCLA M.F.A. screenwriting program.  Learn more about Lew and his workshop at lewhunter.com. Lew and his wife Pamela are gracious hosts and I think any screenwriter would benefit from spending a couple weeks in Nebraska learning from Lew.  

Copyright 2008 Scott W. Smith

La película dirigida por el propio Ben Stiller reúne a un buen número de actores conocidos en una comedia que por lo visto hasta ahora deja un buen sabor de boca. Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, Brandon T Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte, Danny R McBride, Justin Theroux y Reggie Lee son los protagonistas de esta cinta que se basa en las experiencias de un grupo de actores que acuden a rodar una película de acción y combate y se ven forzados a luchar como soldados auténticos en una guerra real. El estreno de la película se espera para agosto del presente año.

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