redblog

2012

There’s a reason they call it “disaster porn.” You don’t want anyone to see you going into the theater, and you certainly don’t want them to know you had yourself some cheap fun while you were in there. Though if we’re going to be specific, Roland Emmerich’s 2012 is more than just disaster porn—it’s a disaster orgy. One held at the End of the Worlds of Fun amusement park.

Emmerich of course has made his career on destroying things, but where your Michael Bay likes to blow up cars and buildings and giant robots, Emmerich aims higher in films like Independence Day, Godzilla, and The Day After Tomorrow: he’s not happy unless he’s bringing the whole world down around your ears and then giving you a lecture about how we aren't going to let ourselves get pushed around by aliens, or giant lizards, or cold weather!

This time the Earth is getting some serious indigestion from solar flares and rogue neutrinos. Having just written that sentence and you having just read it, can we just agree to stop caring about the why’s and how’s of cinematic global destruction? Who cares? Emmerich and co-writer Harald Kloser could have said the world was going to end because someone dropped a giant Mentos into the Earth’s core and the film would still work. And if the measure of a disaster movie is how good it gets stuff blowed up, 2012 is a resounding success: like a fat man at a Vegas buffet, the flick grabs a little of this, a little of that. Earthquakes and volcanoes and tidal waves, oh my god yeah.

In the tradition of, oh let’s say every disaster movie ever made, the plot proceeds to introduce various and diverse characters, most of whom will spend the next few hours trying to outrun fiery things. On the government side there’s the earnest scientist (terrific actor Chiwetel Ejiofor), the noble U.S. President (Danny Glover), the President’s smart-and-sexy daughter (Thandie Newton), and then Oliver Platt doing what he does best: being sneaky and sly, but with such self-aware charming bluster that you almost forgive him when he takes your ice cream cone and kicks you off the bus. Oh and there’s Woody Harrelson, playing a conspiracy minded radio host as Art Bell by way of Gary Busey and a bag of weed.

Warned ahead of time that those rat-bastard neutrinos had turned on us, the world governments have been secretly building giant arks in the Chinese Himalayas. Because when you’re planning to save human civilization, you want your massive ships to be stamped “Made in China.” Just don’t lick the lead-painted walls, kids. My quibble with this whole Chinese Arks of Salvation thing is that the only world figure we see being saved is Queen Elizabeth, alongside her Corgis and Prince Philip. Really? Prince Philip? We have a chance to reboot human civilization and we make an effort to save Prince Philip? I’m surprised we didn’t also see Paris Hilton slinking aboard.

(Actually, there’s an even more cynical reason for this plot angle: Sony/Columbia wants 2012 to do big business in China, hence the Sino-centric plan and a nice, positive spin on the nation’s altruistic participation. Oh and yes, according to the film, Tibet is part of China. Shut up and go home, Richard Gere and The Beastie Boys.)

But since few viewers besides me want to see Oliver Platt presiding over the End Times, 2012 needs an Everyman central character. Enter John Cusack, acting out a flawless demonstration of Art for the Heart, Trash for Cash. (Before anyone starts bemoaning Cusack Selling Out, remember this is not the first time Lloyd Dobbler has slathered himself in box-office bait: Con Air? Serendipity? Must Love Dogs? America’s Sweethearts? Runaway Jury? Those are the paydays that keep the little films like Max, Grace is Gone, and War Inc. coming.) Cusack is a struggling novelist living in L.A. (where all struggling writers wind up, since it’s always nicer to struggle in the sun) who ends up going all Joie Chitwood thrill driver in order to get his estranged family (including ex-wife Amanda Peet and her new boyfriend, Tom McCarthy) out of town while there’s still a town to get out of.

As you can see, that’s a lot of talented actors standing around saying things like “You’ve got to see this!” and “We gotta leave right now!” Ejiofor gets to spend most of his time furrowing his brow over scientific computer read outs telling him how dirty the Mentos, er neutrinos are gonna do us, while Cusack gets to have all the fun. 2012’s best section revolves around Cusack and kin using cars, planes, RVs, and Russian cargo jets to outrun some of the most gleefully horrifying devastation CGI effects money can buy, while the narratively less fortunate masses go out with one long Wilhelm Scream.

Give It Up for our Friday the 13th Twitter Contest Winners!

Over the past few days, @redbox ran a contest on Twitter -- we asked our followers to tweet us their favorite lines from scary movies in honor of Friday the 13th. Tonight, we drew thirteen usernames out of a hat to determine the winners... and to prove that this supposedly unlucky day isn't always so bad. 

The twelve players below will receive a Horror Film Prize Package, consisting of some creeptastic DVDs and 2 free redbox rentals.  Those lucky peeps (and their favorite scary lines) are:

1) @capii with “Hello, Clarice” from Silence of the Lambs

2) @ekatz14 with ”They're hee-eeree!” from Poltergeist

3) @Zuneaholic with “I’m every nightmare you’ve ever had. I’m your worst dream come true. I’m everything you ever were afraid of" from It

4) @davebillsfan with "I'll be right back..." from Scream
 
5) @757princess with “The power of Christ compels you” from The Exorcist

6) @Droolman7 with “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I’m all out of bubblegum” from They Live

7) @vitali002 with "Here’s johnny!" from The Shining

8) @anothertomorrow with "I want to play a game" from Saw

9) @debbietarr with “1,2 Freddys comin 4 U 3,4, better lock ur door 5,6 grab ur crucifix 7,8 better stay up late 9,10 never sleep again”  from A Nightmare on Elm Street (We appreciate how hard that was to do in under 140 characters!)

10) @AZcomm with "Playtime’s over!" from Child's Play

11) @Kurometarikku with “The call is coming from inside the house!” from When a Stranger Calls

12) @Grantkimm with "They’re coming to get you, Barbara!" from Night of the Living Dead

AND NOW... DRUMROLL, PLEASE

The Grand Prize Winner, who will be sent not only a Horror Film Prize Package, but also a month's worth of free DVD rentals from redbox, is...

@dkillackey with “We all go a little mad sometimes" from Psycho

Congratulations to all of our winners!  And thanks for entertaining us with your favorite quotes... though we're guaranteed to have some nightmares tonight. 

If you want to keep up on latest redbox news and be a part of future contests, make sure you Twitter users out there are following us at @redbox.  (Is that redundant?  At @?  We digress.)

To everyone who played but who wasn't one of our lucky 13: you might want to throw a pinch of salt over your back, and steer clear of ladders, mirrors and black cats.  You know, just in case.

Got 7 Minutes? Hear E's Take on 2012, Pirate Radio, The Ugly Truth and Up

This morning I chatted with the team at KPAM's 'Bob Miller in the Morning' show about two films that hit theaters today -- 2012 and Pirate Radio -- as well as two new DVDs now available at redboxes everywhere -- The Ugly Truth and Up. 

Take a listen!

Where? 

Why, right here.

It's Freeze Frame Time Again...

... Do you have your thinkin' cap on?

You might not even need it, because I've chosen some really memorable films this time around.  If you're new to this game, what you have to do is identify the three movies shown below -- just enter in your guesses via the handy-dandy comments link directly below this post.  The first to get them correct will have their name displayed in bold on Monday on this site and will also be allowed to create an aluminum foil Freeze Frame Champion trophy for themselves.  We'll list the second and third-place winners, too... AND give the honor of making a Common Thread Button o' Pride to anyone who tells us what the link is amongst these movies.  If you know what the films are, then the link is probably going to be super easy.

On your mark, get set, go!

Movie #1

Movie #2

Movie #3

We'll hold all submissions until we announce the winners on Monday.  In the meantime, have a wonderful Friday the 13th.  Watch out for black cats and ladders and all that.  See how I look out for you guys?

Thursday Threes: The Answer

Welcome back to the Threes inner circle, Joe Allen! Joe used to snag the homemade construction-paper medals on a regular basis but we haven't seen his shining, smiling name lately. Second and third places went to Steve Lurie and Ron Wesson. Congrats to all!

So what actor was in Flirting, The Chronicles of Riddick, and W.? Embrace the warmth of the Inviso-Text and find out:

It was indeed the lovely Thandie Newton, appearing this weekend in the end-of-the-world comedy 2012. The British-born Newton has never quite had the A-List career many of us think she deserves, but she usually does impressive work when she does pop up in films.Her first movie, and where I first saw--and was dazzled by--her was John Duigan's 1991 semi-autobiographical Flirting. Newton played the exchange student that Noah Taylor's protagonist falls for. Flirting (which also features a young Nicole Kidman) is such a lovely film, but Duigan has never been able to make the third part of his Noah Taylor/Danny Embling trilogy. (The first was 1987's The Year My Voice Broke.)

Based on her wonderful performance in Flirting, it seemed Newton would take the world of cinema by storm. But while she continued to get good roles, they always ended up being in films that never quite caught the public's full attention. She played Sally Hemmings to Nick Nolte's Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson in Paris, and had the title role in the much-hyped-but-little-seen Oprah production of Jonathan's Demme's Beloved. Newton was also Tom Cruise's love interest in John Woo's Mission: Impossible II (usually considered the weak film in the franchise), and co-starred in Demme's The Truth About Charlie remake. It seemed that with her featured role in the Oscar-winning Crash that Newton might once again be making her way back to the center spotlight, but alas the past few years have brought more "love interest" parts in movie misfires such as Norbit, The Pursuit of Happyness, Run Fatboy Run, and Rocknrolla.

In The Chronicles of Riddick, Newton had the Lady MacBeth role as Dame Vaako, the wife of Karl Urban's usurper. And in last fall's George Bush biopic W. she played Condoleezza Rice.

Let's hope that a somewhat central role in a super-mega blockbuster like 2012 helps put Thandie Newton back at the top of casting lists.

Can Anybody Find the Funny in this Trailer?

Back in February, I predicted that the comedy Adam Sandler was writing for himself, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, Kevin James and David Spade (which has since been titled Grown Ups) was going to be -- hmm, what's the word for it?  Oh, yeah: DUMB.

After seeing its teaser trailer this morning, my opinion has not changed one bit. In fact, I now am positive that it will actually be Dumber Than Dumb (that sounds like it could be the title of another Dumb and Dumber movie, doesn't it? I need to trademark it right quick, because you know one day someone WILL make a third Dumb and Dumber movie). Grown Ups seems like it will be just one tick less horrid than Old Dogs.  Note to Sandler: when your films are being compared to Disney comedies starring John Travolta, you need to take a step back and reevaluate the turn your career has taken.

As I said in my other post, I've been a fan of Chris Rock's for a long time and used to really love Adam Sandler, but I could do without everyone else in this movie.  While Sandler did remind us of how good he can be his half-comedic, half-dramatic turn in this summer's Funny People (which I loved), he's unfortunately settled comfortably back into his old routine with a bunch of played-out tricks in Grown Ups.  Specifically, lame physical comedy (Kevin James crashes into a tree!), body-parts jokes (a four-year-old breastfeeds!) and dudes hangin' out and insulting each other (Spade calls Sandler fat? Um, has he looked in a mirror lately?). 

And while I was very intrigued by Locke's cold-med-fueled piece about why Rob Schneider might have an ac-TOR hiding deep inside that scrawny bod of his, after watching a few seconds of his make-out with his mom -- er, wife in this film, I've returned to my senses.  He's never going to rise above Deuce Bigalow-level humor.

Watch the teaser and then let me know if you see any reason to be excited about Grown Ups.

Did anyone laugh at anything in these clips? 

Bueller? Bueller?

Yeah, I didn't think so. 

Move along, folks, there is nothing to see here.

Pirate Radio

In Pirate Radio, writer-director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Bridget Jones's Diary) is clearly telling a story that he's passionate about, based on the real-life fact that in 1966, at the height of the British rock revolution, the officially-licensed radio stations of England only played an hour of rock a day -- leaving a void that offshore pirate broadcasters on their own boats were more than willing to fill. It's clear that Curtis is passionate about all of this -- the radical rule-breaking, the rebellion of rock, the struggle to remake Britain in the '60s from a steady nation of uptight upright citizens into 'Cool Brittania.' Watching Pirate Radio, though -- as it meanders through its plotlines and jumps from montage to montage and leeches the energy of rock and roll in order to occasionally give its lifeless form a jolt-of much-needed energy -- you realize that Curtis might not have too much more than passion in his arsenal.

And at first that sugar rush is enough to lull you into thinking that Pirate Radio is going to be, at the very least, fun: It has an amazing cast, from Bill Nighy (Love, Actually) to Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz), Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Almost Famous) to Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords), Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) to Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie). But Curtis confuses having a great cast with having something for a great cast to do, and Pirate Radio soon turns into a collection of bits and bites and soundbites strung together along the flimsiest pretext of a plot, as the band of radio DJs under Nighy's loose command have a new friend in his godson Tom Sturridge and a new enemy in Kenneth Branagh's slicked-back tight-wound bureaucrat, who's taking on his new task of destroying pirate radio stations as a personal crusade.

A redblog Q&A with Pirate Radio and Love Actually Writer-Director Richard Curtis

Earlier this week, I and others sat down for a short round-table conversion with Richard Curtis, the writer-director of Pirate Radio, opening this weekend. Curtis is the writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and the writer-director of my number-one rom-com of all time, 2003's Love Actually. (In the '80s, he also helped create one of my favorite British comedies, the twisted historical Blackadder series starring Rowan Atkinson.)

Originally known as The Boat That Rocked when it was released last spring in Britain, Pirate Radio tells a fictional story based on the real-life outlaw disc jockeys who quasi-legally broadcast rock and roll radio to England in the late 1960s from ships anchored in the North Sea. The rag-tag DJ crew is led by Curtis regular Bill Nighy as the owner and ship’s captain; Phillip Seymour Hoffman as The Count, the station’s sole American voice and most passionate believer in the power of rock; and Rhys Ifans as the preening Jagger-esque hedonist Gavin.

Other familiar comic faces in Pirate Radio include Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) as a “chunky” (and gloriously hairy) ladies man, and Rhys Darby, best known as the Flight of the Conchord’s manager Murray. Kenneth Branagh plays a British government official trying to shut the pirate radio stations down, and Mad Men's January Jones shows up as a dazzling love interest. Introduced into all this floating summer of love madness is Young Carl, played by Tom Sturridge. (A Q&A with Sturridge will be published tomorrow.)

The following are some of the highlights from our chat with Curtis:

On Youth and Music, and the Freedom to Live with People You Hate

Curtis: England was hilarious in the ‘60s. I went to a boarding school and it really was like 1949. All the hair was unbelievably short, you couldn’t run in the corridors, you couldn’t talk after lights out, you sung endless hymns with the word “pilgrim” in them. And that’s why it was so fantastic to listen to rock ‘n’ roll—it was undisciplined.

I had a tiny little radio, and you were like a safe cracker, turning the dial—they were hard to get, these stations because they only had very small frequencies. And it was the thing about volume level as you listened. It was too quiet you couldn’t hear it, but if it was too loud the matron who would stalk along the corridors could hear it, so you had to get that perfect level.

I’ve got very passionate memories of “Reach Out I’ll Be There” by the Four Tops. It was the first single I bought, and you know the way you can remember weird moments from your youth? I remember chapel was compulsory and a guy and I were hiding in the music rehearsal room and remember the DJ saying that "I’ll be There" had gone from 16 to number two, and how unbelievably excited I was. I was locked in a boarding school and sort of sensed this amazing world of freedom.

Also I think Pirate Radio is actually a film partly about being 24. At that age, most people end up in a flat with too many people, one of whom has had sex with everybody, one of whom has never had sex…with dreadful food, bad hygiene, and listening to music all the time. For me that was Camden Town, 1979: The Specials, Madness, Blondie, The Pretenders. And in a way it’s a movie about that nostalgic thing, about the freedom of our 20s when money doesn’t matter, you do the job you want to do, you don’t have any children. The weird thing is you often end up living with people you don’t like, ‘cause it’s a bit random. It’s the one person who can afford to live there, or the guy who owns the place, it’s some girl who’s a friend of his mother’s who has to move in. I hated the four people I lived with, but we were happy.

redblog Readers Who Rock: Matthew S

It's time once again to learn more about one of our most loyal redblog readers and frequent commenters -- this week Matthew S is at bat.  Matthew's love of film has led him to some pretty cool opportunities... read on for the details!

Name:  Matthew Sinclair

Posts as (username): Matthew S.

Age: 25

Location: San Antonio, TX

Occupation: Marketing consultant

When did you start using redbox, how did you find out about us, and how close is the redbox you usually go to?

I was in McDonald’s and I saw this red beacon of movies.  I had a free coupon for a rental from my large drink -- this was when redboxes were first popping up.  Since then, I’ve been pretty much hooked.  I have a series of redboxes near me, and always look online for the best location.  In the last 6 months where I only had one or two at a McDonald’s, I now have one at Walgreens and then at two different gas stations nearby.

 

All of our Readers Who Rock enjoy movies, but we could tell from the insightful comments you’ve left on the blog that you really have a passion for all things cinematic.  How did you come to love the world of film so much?

Since I was a young child (I say young because I’m still a child at heart) I’ve always loved movies.  As I went through school I found theatre and fell in love with it, too, starting with my 7th grade drama teacher, Ms. Guise.  I studied it for the next ten years and went to college at Texas State University-San Marcos for directing, doing both theatre and film, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with additional Honors for writing a screenplay as my undergrad thesis.  As the years have come and gone, I’ve always enjoyed getting wrapped up in movies.  And I tell people to go see a movie to enjoy it, because it is entertainment, and if we set up unrealistic expectations, well, we’re always going to be disappointed.

 
When redbox contacted you to be interviewed, we found out that in addition to just loving movies, you have experience not only reviewing them, but also appearing in some short films. Do give us the details!

In the reviewing side, I’m know as Matthew the Movie Geek on 99.5 KISS in San Antonio. It started as just a personal review on Zombieland, which was read on the air, and the DJ asked me to fill in for her during her two-week vacation. After she came back, they asked me to continue, and so Fridays at 7:50am CST I am on the air doing movie reviews. You can download the podcast at kissrocks.com and click on the Lisle & Hahn Morning Show link. And as for acting, I just got finished doing a short film for a friend of mine, and am working on a web series for my work, which I can’t give any details unfortunately because it hasn’t gone live yet and we’re keeping it under wraps until it launches, sorry!

Your Thursday Threes

Howdy Thursday, hello Threes!

I give you three films, you tell me what single actor was in all three of them.

Enter your guess in the comments section directly below this post, and if you are the first with the correct answer you'll find yourself with the homemade construction-paper medal! (You do all the making. And provide all the materials. But it's really an honor. Trust us.)

I won't publish any guesses until tomorrow when I put the correct answer up.

What actor was in:

Flirting

The Chronicles of Riddick

W.