Tag: steve buscemi

Adam Sandler Checks In To HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA For Sony Pictures Animation

Steve Buscemi, Fran Drescher, Cee Lo Green, Kevin James, Andy Samberg, Molly Shannon,
and David Spade On the Guest List;

Genndy Tartakovsky to Direct

CULVER CITY, Calif., July 2011 – It was announced earlier this week that Adam Sandler will voice the lead role of Dracula in Sony Pictures Animation’s 3D family comedy HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, by Bob Osher, president, Sony Pictures Digital Productions, and Michelle Raimo-Kouyate, president of production, Sony Pictures Animation. The film will be released on September 21, 2012, by Columbia Pictures.

The film will be directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, a star in the animation community, well-known for his work on Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and “Dexter’s Laboratory”; he recently conceptualized and storyboarded the final action sequence for Iron Man 2 and provided the stylish and memorable prologue for the film Priest. The film is produced by Michelle Murdocca (Open Season, Stuart Little 1 & 2) and the animation is by Sony Pictures Imageworks.

Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s (Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here’s a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world’s most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Also confirmed to join the cast: Kevin James will play Frank – also known as Frankenstein – with Fran Drescher voicing Eunice, his in-your-face, over-the-top, and larger-than-life Bride. David Spade plays Quasimodo, once the hunchback of Notre Dame and now a crazy, passionate gourmet chef always looking for his next piece de resistance. Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon will play Wayne and Wanda, a pair of married, harried werewolves, parents to an ever-increasing litter of pups, who are looking forward to their family vacation at the hotel. Cee Lo Green is also joining the cast as Murray, a boisterous Mummy, once entertainer to the great Pharaohs, now the life of the party, and always feeling the urge to let loose and sing. Finally, Andy Samberg will voice the role of Jonathan, a 21-year-old regular guy, carefree and full of life, whose world travels land him at the Hotel.

Hotel Transylvania continues Sandler’s long association with Sony Pictures, where he has made or produced 23 films over the years. The studio recently released Just Go With It, which opened #1 and took in more than $214 million worldwide, and last summer, the studio released Grown Ups, the biggest worldwide hit of Sandler’s career, earning over $260 million worldwide. For more than a decade, Sandler has been one of the world’s biggest comedy stars, putting together a track record of comedies that have become must-see events around the world and showing a power at the box office that very few comedians can match. He will next star for Sony in both title roles of Jack and Jill, set for release November 11, 2011, and is currently shooting I Hate You, Dad, opposite Andy Samberg and Leighton Meester.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Adam to create a comedic Dracula for a new generation,” said Raimo-Kouyate in commenting on the announcement. “We have a unique story about that iconic character, starring a phenomenal cast directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, that re-imagines Transylvania and its legendary monsters in the way that only animation can.

About Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its 2009 worldwide hit, the mouth-watering 3D comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and the 2007 Academy Award®-nominated Surf’s Up with a full slate of feature films including the live-action/animation hybrid film The Smurfs (3D) and the family comedy, Hotel Transylvania (3D). The division is also in production with Aardman Animations on two feature films, the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas (3D) and the stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits (3D). Open Season 3, the third adventure in Sony Pictures Animation’s successful Open Season franchise, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray January 2011. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI Limited Edition Will Release On Blu-Ray


Own the Limited Edition Blu-ray™ Featuring All-New Bonus Features, a Digital Copy of the Film and Collectible Hardcover Book Packaging

Bowling, nihilists, a stolen rug and the occasional acid flashback have never been funnier when one of the most popular cult classics in history, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition, debuts on Blu-ray™ August 16, 2011 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. From the Oscar®-winning Coen Brothers
(True Grit, Fargo) and starring Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (True Grit, Crazy Heart), this acclaimed comedy has been newly remastered in high definition to provide longtime fans and first-time viewers alike with the ultimate Lebowski experience.

Available for a limited time with an all-new 28-page companion book featuring an exclusive interview with
Jeff Dowd – the real-life inspiration for The Dude – Jeff Bridges’ personal, on-set photography, a film timeline, trivia and much more, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™ is a must-own addition to any collection. In addition to all-new features exclusive to the Blu-ray™ release, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™ also offers a digital copy of the film that can be viewed anywhere at any time on the consumers’ choice of devices including laptops, tablets, smartphones as well as Internet-connected TVs and set-top boxes.

“Since its creation by Ethan and Joel Coen in 1998, The Big Lebowski has transformed from a fan favorite into one of Hollywood’s most celebrated cultural phenomenons,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “This spectacular new Limited Edition Blu-ray™ combines the most extensive behind-the-scenes materials to date with the latest Blu-ray™ technology, giving devoted fans and newcomers alike a chance to experience the brilliant all-star cast, outrageous storyline and unforgettable quotes like never before.”

Its now iconic characters and instantly recognizable dialogue have made The Big Lebowski “the number-one cult film of all time,” according to The Boston Globe. Since its release, the Coen Brothers’ affectionately addled riff on film noir has snowballed in popularity, becoming “an undeniable pop-cult force” and even, for many, “a way of life,” in the words of the Los Angeles Times. “A masterpiece of anti-storytelling” according to Entertainment Weekly, The Big Lebowski has become a cultural touchstone for fans around the world.

Starring Bridges as the film’s delightfully unlikely hero, “The Dude,” the hilariously twisted comedy thriller also features unforgettable performances by an all-star cast including Golden Globe® winner John Goodman (“Roseanne”), four-time Oscar® nominee Julianne Moore (The Kids are Alright), Golden Globe® winner Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”), Oscar® winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) and Golden Globe® nominee John Turturro (O Brother, Where Art Thou?).

BLU-RAYTM EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES:
· U-CONTROL: Universal’s exclusive feature that lets the viewer access bonus materials without leaving the movie!
o Scene Companion: Watch cast and crew interviews, behind the scenes footage and more during key scenes with this picture-in-picture companion.
o Mark it Dude: This onscreen counter really ties the film together. Keep track of all the “F-Bombs,” “Dudes,” and “Dude-isms” in the film with this ultimate fan guide.
o The Music of The Big Lebowski: Instantly identify the songs heard while watching the film, create a custom playlist of your favorites and even purchase them from iTunes®!
· WORTHY ADVERSARIES: WHAT’S MY LINE TRIVIA: Test your Lebowski knowledge by finishing lines of dialogue during the film. Play as Walter or The Dude or in two-player mode against friends.
· BD-LIVETM: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to watch the latest trailers and more.
· pocket BLU™: The groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPhone®, iPod® touch, Android™, PC and Macintosh to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™ player. Also available on the iPad™, owners can enjoy a new, enhanced edition of pocket BLU™ made especially to take advantage of the tablet’s larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on-the-go in a way that’s bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as:
o Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
o Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.
o Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
o Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
o Keyboard: Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.
· uHEAR™: Never miss another line of dialogue with this innovative feature that instantly skips back a few seconds on your Blu-ray™ disc and turns on the subtitles to highlight what you missed.

ADDITIONAL BONUS FEATURES:
· JEFF BRIDGES PHOTO BOOK: For more than 30 years, Jeff Bridges has been snapping pictures on movie sets. The accomplished photographer presents exclusive shots taken on the set of The Big Lebowski providing personal commentary on each photo.
· THE DUDE’S LIFE: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and John Turturro take a look back at their performances and their delivery of the Coen Brothers’ dialogue that became classic movie lines.
· THE DUDE ABIDES: THE BIG LEBOWSKI TEN YEARS LATER: A freewheeling conversation with the cast about the film’s decade-long reign as a cult classic, including a discussion about what ever happened to the “little Lebowski” that the Dude and Maude made that fateful night!
· THE LEBOWSKI FEST: AN ACHIEVER’S STORY: An in-depth look at the popular Lebowski Festival, formed by the legion of fans in honor of the film.
· FLYING CARPETS & BOWLING PIN DREAMS: THE DREAM SEQUENCES OF

THE DUDE: From aerial flights over Los Angeles with his bowling ball chasing Maude on a flying carpet, to the large scale “Busby Berkley” dance sequences as The Dude goes flying through the legs of all the bowling pin headed dancers, this piece examines how these “ahead of their time” scenes were constructed.
· THE MAKING OF THE BIG LEBOWSKI: A behind the scenes look featuring interviews with the Coen Brothers.
· PHOTO GALLERY: Slideshow of Jeff Bridges’ on-set photography.
· INTERACTIVE MAP: Take a tour of the locations of The Big Lebowski, then and now.
· AN INTRODUCTION: Featuring Mortimer Young, a practitioner of “non-uptight” film preservation. His restoration of the famous “toe scene” will blow your mind.

SYNOPSIS:

From the Academy Award®-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a hilariously quirky comedy about bowling, a severed toe, White Russians and a guy named…The Dude. Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski doesn’t want any drama in his life…heck, he can’t even be bothered with a job. But, he must embark on a quest with his bowling buddies after his rug is destroyed in a twisted case of mistaken identity. Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Turturro, experience the cultural phenomenon of The Dude in the “#1 cult film of all time!” (The Boston Globe)

CAST AND FILMMAKERS:

Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro
Directed By: Joel Coen
Written By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Executive Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Producer: Ethan Coen
Co-Producer: John Cameron
Director of Photography: Roger Deakins
Production Designer: Rick Heinrichs
Edited By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Tricia Cooke
Casting By: John S. Lyons
Costume Designer: Mary Zophres
Original Music By: Carter Burwell

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Street Date: August 16, 2011
Copyright: 2011 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Selection Number: 61115274
Running Time: 1 hour, 59 minutes
Layers: BD-50
Picture Format: Widescreen
Aspect Ratio: 1:85:1
Rating: R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence
Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French (EU) DTS Surround 5.1, English Dolby Digital 2.0/2.0 DTS Express

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com ). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal , one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

BLANK CITY Final Poster

Featuring

Jim Jarmusch, Debbie Harry, Steve Buscemi, John Lurie, Fab 5 Freddy, Thurston Moore,
Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch, Amos Poe, Eric Mitchell, James Nares, Maripol, Ann Magnuson,
James Chance, Beth B, Scott B and John Waters

A Film By

Opening at the IFC Center in New York on Friday, April 6

Before there was HD there was Super 8. Before Independent film there was Underground Cinema. And before New York there was…well, New York. Once upon a pre-Facebook time, before creative communities became virtual and viral, cultural movements were firmly grounded in geography. And the undisputed center of American – some would say international – art and film was New York City. In particular, downtown Manhattan in the late 1970’s and 80’s was the anchor of vanguard filmmaking.

BLANK CITY tells the long-overdue tale of the motley crew of renegade filmmakers that emerged from an economically bankrupt and dangerous period of New York History. It’s a fascinating look at the way this misfit cinema used the deserted, bombed-out Lower East Side landscapes to craft daring works that would go on to profoundly influence Independent Film today. Unlike the much-celebrated punk music scene, this era’s thrilling and confrontational underground film movement has never before been chronicled.

Directed by French newcomer Céline Danhier, BLANK CITY captures the idiosyncratic, explosive energy of the “No Wave Cinema” and “Cinema of Transgression” movements. Stark and provocative, the films drew name and inspiration from the French New Wave; as well as Film Noir, and the works of Andy Warhol and John Waters. Filmmakers such as Jim Jarmusch, Eric Mitchell, Beth B, Charlie Ahear, Lizzie Borden and Amos Poe showcased the city’s vibrant grit and bore witness to the rising East Village art and rock scenes and the birth of hip hop. Short, long, color or black-and-white, their stripped-down films portrayed themes of alienation and dissonance with a raw and genuine spirit, at times with deadpan humor blurring the lines between fiction and reality.

Running time: 96 minutes

Release date: April 6 at the IFC Center, New York


Tarantino Week: Revisiting ‘Reservoir Dogs’

qtweek_resdogs

Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?

A long, long time ago, (1992 to be exact), a magical man names Quentin Tarantino made his debut as a director with the classically smooth and violent masterpiece Reservoir Dogs.

Reservoir Dogs follows Joe Cabot’s gang (Lawrence Tierney) and their bank heist mission. The only problem is this mission goes wrong… terribly, terribly wrong. With one member dead, and another missing, the surviving members Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), and Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) are hiding in a warehouse until they figure out what to do.   Tarantino plays Mr. Brown, one of two men that don’t make it back to the warehouse. Tension builds and emotions begin to escalate as Mr. White shows up with a little something in his trunk. Add Mr. White and Mr. Pink discussing that a traitor might be among them, (because of how fast the police showed up at the robbery scene) and you have one hell of a movie!

Talk about hitting the casting jackpot with his directorial debut! Tarantino could not have done a better job with the casting job on this one! Keitel, Buscemi, Roth, Madsen… they all fit their parts to a tee. Tarantino digs deep into the character development, not only giving them each a well rounded, unique personality, but also giving them all a kind of humanity to show that they are not just criminals, but multi dimensional. He also does a great job of keeping the plot interesting. With all of the twists and turns involved, it’s hard to predict how any of it is going to end. Tarantino has said that he was really inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing to make this film, and you can kind of tell with the crazy, twisty plot!

The film is testosterone driven, with violence, vulgar language, and bad guys doing bad guy stuff, yet is written in such a witty way that it easily appeals to   more than just the rock eating meat head. Heck, this chick loves it! Even the violence! Some argue that the violence in this movie was completely pointless. I disagree. I feel that it really helped with the character development. The language in this film is great! Every character, no matter how gangster or ignorant, speak in an eloquent fashion filled with pop culture. People generally don’t talk that way, which makes it even more entertaining to watch.

The movie has become a cult classic. It’s hard to believe that Tarantino was working as a video store clerk when him and his friends were going to take on this movie with a mere $30,000 budget. Just like magic, Harvey Keitel became involved, agreeing to act in it and co-produce, and they were able to get $1.5 million to make this film. The film opened in 19 theaters across the United States, taking in $147, 839 in the first week and $2,832,029 total during its box office run in the states.

Needless to say, the success of Reservoir Dogs skyrocketed Tarantino’s career. If it weren’t for the success of this film, we would have missed out on a slew of great films. So let’s kick off Quentin Tarantino week right and give this man, and this movie some praise for entertaining us and blowing out movie loving minds!

Cheers Mr. Tarantino!

Throwback Thursday: ‘Miller’s Crossing’ (1990)

tbt_millerscrossing

Just listening to Carter Burwell’s score for this film alone is enough to make my day. I just recently watched MILLER’S CROSSING again for the umptee-nth time and I swear to you the DVD menu played in it’s loop for a good 15-20 minutes before I even hit play, listening to the Opening Titles track. Burwell’s score is haunting and enchanting at the same time, drawing from traditional Irish music and notched up with a bit of cinematic flair. The film however, proved somewhat challenging for the Coen Brothers, who suffered writer’s block during the scripting of the film. As a remedy, Joel and Ethan took a few weeks off and in that time wrote a film about writer’s block called BARTON FINK.

The opening scene is very reminiscent of Coppola’s THE GODFATHER, but does so with dignity and yet still has Coen Brothers written all over it. Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito) is asking Leo to have Bernie “taken out” to reconcile an offense, but his request is denied since Bernie pays Leo protection money. The scene sets the tone of the film and makes clear that while this is a genre film, there’s no mistaking that it’s a Coen Brothers film, first and foremost.

MILLER’S CROSSING is easily one of the top ten gangster films of all time, but likely won’t make the majority of the lists. This is due in part to it’s relative lack of notoriety amidst the general public, but is also due in part to an under-appreciation of this fine film. Aside from the music, MILLER’S CROSSING is also an incredibly well shot film, masterfully photographed as if they had an endless supply of golden hours in which to shoot. The film was shot by cinematographer turned director Barry Sonnenfeld, accompanied by Michael R. Miller’s very capable editing.

Perhaps the most powerful in the entire film is the static shot over which the film’s title appears. As the Opening Titles music eases to a close, a bowler (hat) is dropped right-side up on the ground which is covered with the crunchy brown fallen leaves of autumn. A gust of wind kicks up and blows the hat gracefully off into the distance in subtle slow-motion. This scene can be compared to the wind-blown plastic grocery bag scene in AMERICAN BEAUTY (only less effective that the scene in MILLER’S CROSSING) whereas Ricky Fitts finds beauty and meaning in an otherwise insignificant occurrence.

The hat’s little ballet, which later takes on a more significant role in Tom’s story, moves us into the meat of the film. Tom Regan (Gabriel Byrne) struggles to broker peace between two rival crime bosses, but finds himself torn between loyalties as he pursues an affair with crime boss Leo’s (Albert Finney) girl Verna (Marcia Gay Harden). MILLER’S CROSSING takes place during the prohibition era. Leo is the boss of the Irish mob and Johnny Caspar, his rival, is boss of the Italian mob. Tom Regan is the guy in the middle attempting to avoid an all out war between the two families.

John Turturro plays Verna’s slimy, arrogant brother Bernie. He’s hiding out, not staying in one place too long and trying to get Tom Regan to help him out, but no one really likes Bernie except for his sister Verna. Everyone is trying to work the angle of Tom’s debt to Lazarre, knowing he’s in deep, but Tom is a man of principle, which comes in handy as a go-between for mob family talks. Tom has his head on straight, but he’s also too stubborn for his own good at times. Steve Buscemi plays Mink, a neurotic wormy little weasel who’s constantly wound like a spider-monkey with Red Bull flowing intravenously into his veins. Mink is an informant, known for knowing things. J.E. Freeman is great as Eddie Dane, Caspar’s “shadow” and no excuses, get-the-job-done hitman nicknamed The Dane for his intimidating height.

The film also has some great, gritty scenes of mob violence, including one of my favorites being Johnny Caspar’s first attempt to take Leo out, sending two men armed with Tommy Guns to Leo’s house. Caspar’s goons take out Leo’s guard with ease, but find the aging Leo hasn’t lost his wits nor his ability to kick some mobster ass, if necessary. In brilliant Coen Brothers fashion, the entire tense lead-flinging scene is cut to an operatic rendition of “Danny Boy” creating beauty in madness.

MILLER’S CROSSING is certainly a gangster film, but it really draws from many eras and influences in a long history of gangster films. Stylistically, the film is a cross-pollination of the gangster film and film noir. Tom’s dialogue is often written with the sharp and direct dialogue of the anti-hero from classic noir greats. Tom serves as a sort of hard-nosed noir private detective for Leo, working the angles to his own benefit while also mediating the squeeze on Leo for control of the city from Caspar.

When things start to go awry with Leo, Tom finds himself jockeying for a position of security as the tensions between Leo and Caspar thicken. Choosing sides based on what’s best for his own survival, Tom becomes a lone wolf in sheep’s clothing. The forlorn Tom Regan, thrown out to fend for himself, must make one important decision of life and death, in turn weighing his own life in the scales of moral justice. Tom quickly learns that he made the wrong decision and must work twice as hard to survive as a result. In the end, Tom learns to pull the strings, setting the rival pawns in play to take each other out while Tom gets a second chance to make the “right” decision.

Bernie: “Look in your heart.”
Tom: “What heart”?

This film is especially enjoyable for the more extreme movie geeks, as I am certain one could classify the Coen Brothers themselves. MILLER’S CROSSING has hidden homages to cinematic masterpieces. The long walk up the steps by Leo’s would-be assassins can imply influence from De Palma’s THE UNTOUCHABLES and the staircase scene, or from Coppola’s incredible montage of rival mafia Don’s being strategically taken out in THE GODFATHER. Watch for the boxing poster that appears in the film. The name Lars Thorwald is printed on the poster, which also happens to be the name of Raymond Burr’s character in Hitchcock’s REAR WINDOW. Or, even the endlessly ringing phone in Tom’s apartment, which is a throwback to Sergio Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA.

MILLER’S CROSSING also features a couple of noteworthy cameos for the most discerning movie geeks out there. Frances McDormand, a frequent player in Coen Brothers films and wife to Joel Coen, appears in a cameo as the mayor’s secretary. Sam Raimi, director of the EVIL DEAD and SPIDER-MAN films and long time friend and colleague of the Coen Brothers, appears in a cameo as the cocky two-pistol wielding tan overcoat-wearing gunman during the massive police gunfight at the Sons of Erin Club.

Having opened in October 1990 in the US, MILLER’S CROSSING is yet another fantastic film that is considered a failure by the studio, which was 20th Century Fox. The film cost an estimated $14 million to make, grossing just over $5 million in the domestic box office. MILLER’S CROSSING was nominated for four obscure awards, winning two of them, but regrettably received no love from Oscar in 1990. The DVD didn’t see the light of day until May 2003, featuring a featurette with Barry Sonnenfeld and cast interviews with Gabriel Byrne, Marcia gay Harden and John Turturro.

Movie Geeks at CineVegas, Video Blog: Day 1

We’ve been in Vegas for a few days now, but here is the video blog from day one at CineVegas 2009. The video features red-carpet interviews with the cast and director of ‘Saint John of Las Vegas’. Check it out.

CineVegas Review: ‘Saint John of Las Vegas’

stjohnlasvegas

Lady luck is a fickle woman. She can be the most splendid, incredibly beautiful apparition you may ever behold. Then again, she can also be a cold, cold heartless wench without mercy. For John, played by Steve Buscemi, she’s mostly the later, relentlessly teasing John with plenty of luck, just not the right kind. John used to be a big shot, a high roller in Las Vegas. Everyone knew his name and they knew his game, but that’s before his luck changed.

First-time director Hue Rhodes scores a winner right out of the gate with this comedy about John, an average middle-aged Joe who had his time of glory on the strip but now settles for the simple life of a quaint little house in a gated community of Albuquerque, New Mexico. John works in a cubicle, filing insurance claims for his arrogant boss Mr. Townsend, played by character actor Peter Dinklage.

The only really positive thing John has in his day is being cubicle neighbor to Jill, played by Sarah Silverman, an obsessively, perhaps even psychotically nice woman who is literally fixated on those annoying yellow smiley faces. Her cubicle is covered with them, she wears them and even paints them on her fingernails. Silverman somehow manages to be both cute and a little scary at the same time. Sort of in that, she’s such a nice girl she may actually be able to rip your head off if you get out of line, sort of way.

John is about to get a raise, or so he thinks, as he meets with his boss and finds himself thrown into learning the ropes of becoming a fraudulent claims investigator. Mr. Townsend send him out on a job with his seasoned investigator Virgil, played by Romany Malco (Weeds, 40-Year Old Virgin),   and the two never quite hit it off. Virgil doesn’t like John and John doesn’t trust Virgil. The awkward relationship at play here is the focus for most of the movie, but the underlying story involves John’s gambling addiction which permeates every aspect of his life and career.

‘Saint John of Las Vegas’ is filled with bizarre characters and uncanny situations, including a love triangle involving John, Jill and Mr. Townsend that plays out brilliantly. Danny Trejo and Tim Blake Nelson appear in cameo roles that, despite their short time on screen, add some great color to the story. As always, Dinklage is a hit with the audience and injects his welcome sense of sarcastic humor into the mix that plays well against Buscemi’s portrayal of the neurotic man who once lived in Vegas.

Amidst the most bizarre scenarios in the film include the stripper named Tasty Delight who has filed the claim Virgil and John are investigating, whereas she is confined to a wheelchair while still working as a waitress. One of my favorite scenes involves Virgil and John visiting Smitty the Fire Lord (John Cho) at a circus side show attraction. Smitty the Fire Lord, who doubles as a tow truck operator to supplement his income, is questioned in connection to the fraud investigation, but the scene plays out comically as his fire suit is malfunctioning, producing one perfectly constructed scene between Cho and Buscemi.

Watching Steve Buscemi perform is a joy, as always, and Sarah Silverman delivers with her trademark style of humor (in reverse) to great effect. Generally speaking, ‘Saint John of Las Vegas’ has few flaws. The only thing about the movie I found difficult to embrace was John’s dream sequences, which were fine in and of themselves, but their relative place within the film was lost on me.

Ultimately, the movie is about whether John will ever reacquire his gambling mojo, regain his good luck or just plain find some sort of happiness in his life. ‘Saint John of Las Vegas’ has een touted as being inspired by Dante’s Inferno, and I suppose some of that can be seen in the movie, but for me it’s all about one man’s struggle to figure out what what went wrong in life, attempting to recover some of his dignity and in the process, ends up finding something much more simple and fulfilling to live for.

CineVegas 2009 Preview: ‘Saint John of Las Vegas’

saint-john-las-vegas

CineVegas 2009 is right around the corner (next week to be precise), and We Are Movie Geeks are going to be there in full force.   Throughout the festival, which runs from June 10th through the 15th, we are going to be bringing you all the coverage you need including reviews, interviews, party breakdowns, and red carpet premiere coverage.

This week, we are going to break down some of the more anticipated films of the fest.   We start you off with the festival’s opening night film, ‘Saint John of Las Vegas.’   It’s a strange, surrealist look at an ex-gambler who is just trying to make it in life.

Here is the film’s official synopsis:

Divinely inspired by Dante’s Inferno, SAINT JOHN OF LAS VEGAS, features a gambler, a wheelchair-bound stripper, a human torch, an armed nudist colony and a pitch-perfect performance by one of our finest actors: Steve Buscemi….what a perfect way to open the 2009 CineVegas Film Festival. John (Buscemi) has finally gotten his life back on track. The ex-gambler whose only luck is bad ran away from Las Vegas, ending up in Albuquerque with a dull but stable job in insurance. He even has a budding romance with a sexy co-worker. But fate leads him back towards temptation: When John gets a promotion to fraud investigating, he must return to Las Vegas for his first case. Paired with a savvy veteran who prides himself on preventing scams, his journey leads him down a precarious path checkered with a bizarre cast of characters. Will his luck change or is fate in his own hands after all?

Hue Rhodes’ feature directorial debut is a modern, picaresque journey through the literal and figurative desert and into the mind of a gambler. As John searches for answers he fluctuates intoxicatingly between reality and surreality. Rhodes’ creative talent is invigorating and engaging as he crafts a tale that is at times comedic, at others poignant. Along with the extraordinary performance by Buscemi, the film is blessed with an outstanding supporting cast, including Sarah Silverman, Peter Dinklage, Romany Malco, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tim Blake Nelson and John Cho. Expertly crafted in every way, from the rich cinematography to the astute editing, SAINT JOHN OF LAS VEGAS bursts with creativity and is laced with a deliciously dark sense of humor that is sure to bring a smile to your face as you head out of the theater and back into the casino.

Sounds very cool, and the mere fact that this film includes Mr. Pink, the new Sulu, and the Dink himself make it all the more anticipated.

‘Saint John of Las Vegas’ premieres on Wednesday, June 10th at 7:30 PM.

Cinetic/Babelgum find ‘Rage’ in this Ensemble Cast

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Cinetic and Babelgum are partnering to distribute ‘Rage’ which screened at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. The film was directed by Sally Potter (The Man Who Cried) and the ensemble cast features Judi Dench, Steve Buscemi, Jude law and Eddie Izzard. This is enough to see the movie already, without even knowing what the story is about.

‘Rage’ is setup as a series with New York fashion figures conducted by cell phone. Thrown in with the interviews are the chaos that ensues after a murder and a fashion crisis, amongst other mishaps.

The film will be released in theaters and on mobile devices, as well as being released in online episodes by Babelgum, although the dates have not yet been announced.

[source: Hollywood Reporter]

Trailer for Dimension’s animated ‘Igor’

Dimension Film’s newest animated feature Igor is on its way, due out in theaters on September 19, 2008. Here’s the first trailer of the family oriented monster/horror flick, featuring John Cusack as the central character. Igor is about one “Igor” who no longer wants to just settle for being another assistant to an evil scientist, so he pursues his dream of entering his own creation into the 51st annual evil science fair. The cast also includes Steve Buscemi, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, Jennifer Coolidge, Molly Shannon, John Cleese and Sean Hayes.