Posts by blake goble
Zombies go Hollywood?
By blake goble, written on Dec. 7, 2008
Zombies are going mainstream. Max Brooks’s popular 2006 book “World War Z” is getting the prestige treatment as a big movie, with filming to commence this coming spring, and it’s almost as unsettling as eating brains.
Paramount recently acquired the rights to Brooks’s novel, and it’s being set up as a big-budget, epic movie. How so? Marc Forster of “Finding Neverland” and “Quantum of Solace” has been hired to direct, and veteran scribe J. Michael Straczynski (”Changeling”) was recently interviewed describing the new approach they’ll bring to the living impaired.
“Most zombie movies to this point have been small, focusing on a few people in a house. And this has got real scare. You’re in India with hundreds of boats trying to get out of there with a tidal wave of zombies. The scale of what we’re doing here is phenomenal.”
Straczynski also compared “Z” to the “Bourne” films, and speculation is stirring on how this film could transcend the already established genre, and come out as A-grade movie stars. Zombies are scary as hell and seem to have a place in low-rent horror. Their niche genre works have been pretty great since “Night of the Living Dead.”
A popular, large-scale zombie movie without George A. Romero? Could this work? Will Bub get that honorary Oscar he deserves from “Day of the Dead?” Will zombies ever get Oscars or huge grosses?
Coolest. Poster. Ever?
By blake goble, written on Nov. 30, 2008
The “Terminator” series hasn’t been cool since 1993. And with “Terminator: Salvation” coming out next May, the likelihood of capturing James Cameron’s original, escapist sci-fi bliss is slim. For starters, the new director is the dunderhead that brought us the “Charlie’s Angels” franchise. And, it will be PG-13. And, the Writers’ Strike forced this into production without a finished script …
But this is what “Salvation” has going for it:
1. Christian Bale is the lead actor. He’s fantastic in pretty much anything. Even “Reign of Fire.”
2. With an alleged budget of $200 million (imdb.com), shit will most certainly blow up and/or be terminated.
3. Most enticingly, the poster is friggin’ amazing. Recently released on Yahoo!, it’s a Flash-based motion poster (a first?) that almost looks like a Metallica album cover. But actually, it’s an inventive work of image making and advertising. Granted, it’s only a poster: It’s just that good.
Still skeptical?
Check out the poster right here. You might be curious to see this movie afterward.
Big directors on the small screen
By blake goble, written on Nov. 23, 2008
Not long ago, it was considered a total career low if a noted filmmaker took to the small screen in hopes of a small paycheck and free swag. Orson Welles was the patron saint of sad ads, as he muttered and moonshined his way through THIS infamous champagne ad gone wrong.
But today, big companies attract some of the most notable and talented directors, vaunting their honed skills perfectly into a 30-second to minute time frame. And their not all just good Nike ads.
Thanks to marquees like Spike Lee (Air Jordan), Guy Ritchie (Nike) and Ridley Scott (the classic Apple 1984 ad), ads are now capable of the same feelings we get from a great film or novel. Sure, we’ll always have the crappy late night ads like THIS GUY. But on the whole, the branding has wised up. It’s like ads are the work of filmmakers and not their employers.
Here now are several notable benchmarks in the developing art of the ad:
MICHAEL MANN: Nike
The Chicago director of such manly hits like “Collateral,” “Heat” and “Last of the Mohicans” delivered one of the coolest one-takes ever with his “Leave Nothing” ad. Watch as guys like Steven Jackson and Shawne Merriman slam their ways through the field to get that elusive touchdown. Gorgeous.
BRETT RATNER: Guitar Hero World Tour
Perhaps the most idiotic ad on this list, Ratner’s ad also happens to be one of the most easily enjoyable. Having directed crowd-pleasers like the “Rush Hour” series and “X-Men 3,” Ratner knows hows to entertain, amuse and keep things brief. Pun intended? Oh, and Kobe, Tony Hawk and Michael Phelps acting like jackasses never hurts.
SPIKE JONZE: Ikea
The “Godfather” of revisionist advertising, Jonze (”Adaptation”) crafted a brilliant, ironic and just plain hysterical spot with his Ikea “Lonely Lamp” spot. Mocking the conventions of serious image-making as a call for action in altering aesthetics, this ad is a perfect metaphor for the change of the last decade.
DAVID FINCHER: Nike
Yes, it’s another football ad. But it’s really awesome. Often dark and brooding, David Fincher created some super bleak films with “Fight Club” and “Se7en.” Yet, he surprises with a modern day fantasy in his Nike “Fate” ad about pro players LaDainian Tomlinson and Troy Polamalu colliding after a lifetime of preparation. The final crash? Beautiful. And manly of course.
Who else of note has made some great commercials? Wes Anderson’s American Express ads? The BMW “Hire” series? Who made you want to buy that new car/beer/shirt?
Please. Let. This. Be. Good.
By blake goble, written on Nov. 17, 2008
The official second trailer for “Watchmen” was released last week, and actually, it looks a hell of a lot better than the last one.
Sure, director Zack Snyder is going for that music video angle that marketed his “300″ movie into recent history, but the new trailer actually looks like it’ll preserve the brilliant source material. It has dialogue. And that could mean there will be a story. And that means this “Watchmen” movie might not be a total wash.
Then again, it is the trailer; not the movie. Watch below.
Read the rest of this entry »
This guy’s on the National Council of Arts?
By blake goble, written on Nov. 9, 2008
In a possible ideological blow to the incumbent Obama administration, President Bush has appointed Lee Greenwood (the dude above…) to be a chair on the 14-member National Council of the Arts for the next six years. The NCA advises the National Endowment of the Arts, which creates grants, guidelines and initiatives for the American art scene. Members of the NCA include Frank Price, former head of Columbia Pictures, Miguel Campaneria, a dance company director, and Stephen Porter, a former lawyer and Washington arts director.
Greenwood is the famed and notorious singer/songwriter behind “God Bless the U.S.A.” and will likely bring a conservative approach to how funding is spent.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with a little neo-con dissent in how we should approach the arts. But how many artists and performers of Republican standing have contributed to popular and accessible art in the last quarter century? Should a guy whose claim to fame is one popular, simplistic song enable him to decide how money is spent in the arts?
Before you answer, WATCH THIS.
“Take it easy, but take it”
By blake goble, written on Nov. 3, 2008
Studs Terkel died at the age of 96 this past weekend at his home in Chicago. And he’ll be missed, whether you realize it or not.
Acknowledging his lack of popularity in the college scene, you’re probably asking yourself: “Who the hell was Studs Terkel?”
Simply put, he is the original, literate Statesman of the people.
Studs Terkel was one of the most important people you’ve never heard of. Considered the forefather of oral history, Terkel enabled outlets such as PBS and NPR to be taken as seriously as they are today. He was involved with public radio reading news and conducting interviews to craft visible stories. He also would have been one of the earliest sitcom stars had he not been blacklisted by Joe McCarthy for his leftist views. Later in life, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his writings, continuing his documentarian approach of real people. And this is merely a fraction of the good he did.
To Haskall Wexler, the infamous cinematographer, Studs was “the man in Chicago.”
To Barack Obama, Terkel was a “national treasure.”
And to Roger Ebert, he was “unconditionally open to the world.”
But above all, he was cool.
For more, go to his website and listen to some of his stories. Read his stuff. Just check him out.
T.G.I. Friday the 13th … Again
By blake goble, written on Oct. 27, 2008
Jason lives. Again.
With “Friday the 13th” receiving “Batman Begins” treatment next February, and Halloween vibes making him relevant again, it’s only appropriate that we get a little excited for Jason Voorhees. This past week, New Line and Paramount released the teaser trailer, and quite frankly… it doesn’t look awful.
Even if you’re not a Jason fan, you’ve got to appreciate his infamy and tenacity. He’s the hockey mask dude for pete’s sakes!
Still not sure? The check this out.
Roger Ebert: Political Pundit
By blake goble, written on Oct. 12, 2008
Roger Ebert is easily the most popular and accessible film critic out there. He may be a TV show host, a Pulitzer Prize winner and a pop cultural icon, but first and foremost he’s an opinionated writer. So it’s no surprise he’s writing some the most entertaining election commentary out there.
On Roger Ebert’s website, political punditry takes original and often hilarious new turns as Ebert chimes in with insightful notes. Barring years of popcorn gouging and pontification, Ebert’s quite the fireball, and his opinion essays and blog entries prove it.
With Ebert, Presidential candidates’ favorite movies can be litmus tests for measuring character.
A critique of the first McCain/Obama debate lets Ebert put up his dukes against McCain’s poor manners.
And best of all, Sarah Palin is compared to characters in “Fargo” as Ebert elaborates on the type of person that she might really be.
And there’s more. Palin is accused of treason. Ebert slams Lehman Brothers. And conservatism is mocked via his personal criticisms. Check it out, because Roger Ebert’s just that good.
EMPIRE’s All Time Top 500 Films
By blake goble, written on Oct. 5, 2008
This week, Empire magazine unveiled their “500 Greatest Films of All Time” issue, and it might be the only time we’ll ever see “Superbad” and “Citizen Kane” on the same list.
The list, in the vein of Rolling Stone’s popular 500 lists, is the collaboration of 10,000 Empire readers, 150 filmmakers and 50 noted film critics.
It’s the first platform in which such wildly different films such as “Harry Potter” and “Point Break” can co-exist with “Bicycle Thieves” and “Big.” “Interview with the Vampire” is ranked higher than “The Red Balloon.” “Network” sits next to “Toy Story.” And “Fight Club” gets placed way too high.
If you have some time to kill, check this list out. It’s pretty comprehensive and cool. Complaints? Queries? Criticism? Leave comments below.
Kevin Smith makes a ‘Porno’
By blake goble, written on Sep. 14, 2008
This Halloween, satiate your inner-pervert with the latest Kevin Smith (“Clerks”) grotesquery that is “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.” The title alone might just leave audiences titillated, as much as it clearly did the MPAA. They tried very hard to make this an NC-17, but hurray for artistic expression. Anyway, Zack (Seth Rogen, “Pineapple Express”) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) are post Gen-X slackers, so desperate for dough that they resort to producing low-rent, high-concept stag films, just to keep their water on. Heart-breaking I’m sure, but what appeals here is the filthy-as-fuck R-rated preview. And it sure is filthy.
This might seem an opportune moment to repeat some of the classier lines uttered in this preview, but what fun would that be? Besides, I’m already blushing. Try not to watch aghast at the notion of a dirty movie called “Star Whores,” the need for “titty auditions” or Justin Long dropping the Apple act in favor of gay porn jokes at the expense of “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Yikes. If this ain’t your kind of movie, and there’s certainly something savory to be desired here, then skip it. But for now, let’s all go to this porno.