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Euro-AICN: Phonebooth; Millions; Xmen 2; Potter 2's Euro-dvds; a bit on Cannes Film Festival entries
Father Geek here with Robert Bernocchi in Rome and a new rdition of our long running weekly Euro-AICN column...
Hi people. Before introducing the new column, I would like to set the record straight about my commentary on the Cannes Film Festival titles. I talked about a boycotting because many european newspapers have expressed their fear that american studios will stay away from La Croisette. Well, I waited to see the official announcement and make a comparison with the 2002 edition. Well, a year ago we had 3 american movies in competition (About Schmidt, Punch-Drunk Love and Bowling a Columbine) and three out of competition (Hollywood Ending, Attack of the Clones, Murder by Numbers). This year we have 3 american movies in competition (Vincent Gallo’s The Brown Bunny, Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River, Gus Van Sant’s Elephant) and one out of competition (The Matrix Reloaded). I think that there is an obvious worsening both for the amount of movies and for their impact (I’m not talking about quality, of course I didn’t see the movies of this year). I mean, after the importance this festival had last year for such movies as The Pianist and Bowling a Columbine, I expected american companies fighting to have their titles at Cannes this year. Instead, no Tarantino (ok, Kill Bill wasn’t ready), no Altman (he’s not a great fan of the president, but I suppose that Sony pictures has the last word on this subject), no Coen Brothers (who had almost every movie presented at Cannes), no T3. As I said, maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I can’t find any other reason for this situationo except boycotting. Or maybe I’m just paranoid... Or probably I was too disappointed by X2…
A few interesting tidbits from London by our regular Julez...
I talked about a boycotting because many european newspapers have expressed their fear that american studios will stay away from La Croisette. Well, I waited to see the official announcement and make a comparison with the 2002 edition. Well, a year ago we had 3 american movies in competition (About Schmidt, Punch-Drunk Love and Bowling a Columbine) and three out of competition (Hollywood Ending, Attack of the Clones, Murder by Numbers). This year we have 3 american movies in competition (Vincent Gallo’s The Brown Bunny, Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River, Gus Van Sant’s Elephant) and one out of competition (The Matrix Reloaded). I think that there is an obvious worsening both for the amount of movies and for their impact (I’m not talking about quality, of course I didn’t see the movies of this year). I mean, after the importance this festival had last year for such movies as The Pianist and Bowling a Columbine, I expected american companies fighting to have their titles at Cannes this year. Instead, no Tarantino (ok, Kill Bill wasn’t ready), no Altman (he’s not a great fan of the president, but I suppose that Sony pictures has the last word on this subject), no Coen Brothers (who had almost every movie presented at Cannes), no T3. As I said, maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I can’t find any other reason for this situationo except boycotting. Or maybe I’m just paranoid... Or probably I was too disappointed by X2…
A few interesting tidbits from London by our regular Julez...
Hi,
According to icLiverpool, Danny Boyle (director of Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Shallow Grave) is shooting his next project in Liverpool.
The project, 'Millions' is set in the near future during the transition period as the UK converts from pounds to euros.
The quirky comedy follows two young boys who stumble on the proceeds of a bank robbery, and then struggle with the decision of what to do with the cash with only a week before the conversion to euros makes their loot worthless.
'Millions' will be distributed by Pathe and will involve a 10-week shoot in the city.
Just found this cool picture gallery of the UK premiere of X-Men 2 over on icLiverpool's site. Really nice images, especially the one with the full cast and Bryan Singer.
Thought you may be interested.
Just click now, and you'll be at the premiere
Cool interview with Hugh Jackman up on icLiverpool's site talking about X-Men 2 and a little about Van Helsing.
Click here to hear the jack man's thoughts
Regards,
JD
Rubbyboy is complaining about the german Harry Potter dvd...
hi there
heres something different, its about the dvd of harry potter II
warner is releasing two versions of the dvd in europe
an extra version that is cut only for germany, and the uncut version in the rest of europe.
now germans were able to order the uncut dvd in switzerland through an online dealer there, but that dealer has now been prohibited by warner due to "legal rights problems" to sell dvds and ship em to germany. so now theres a big riot of course of the dvd fans in germany who see their rights "censored", meaning in detail that warner is putting pressure on a swiss dealer to stop shipping so they can sell the own cut version in germany... but of course we don't want cut versions on dvd, do we? regardless whyt kind of film... cuttign movies is censorship! and the german law clearyl states there is no censorship
potter II was already cut for german cinema release to obtain a 6 certificate, rather than a 12, there was PG rating in germany at that time,
the cuts were made mostly at the "tree bashes car" scene and during the endfight.. too scary for kids here in germany under the age of 12...
so warner now releases this cut version to the german market, but the rest of the world gets the uncut verison...
if anything wild happens i keep you updated
if you wanna use it call me rubbi
greets,
rubbi
Last but not least, a review by the excellent James Bartlett...
Phone Booth
Director: Joel Schumacher;
with Colin Farrell, Keifer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell, Katie
Holmes;
81 mins
Certificate 15
General Release
Director: Joel Schumacher;
with Colin Farrell, Keifer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell, Katie
Holmes;
81 mins
Certificate 15
General Release
Following a - justifiable - delayed release due to the real-life motiveless
killings of the two "Washington Snipers," man-of-the-moment Colin Farrell
virtually takes centre stage as Stu Shepherd, a fast-talking, bullshitting
NYC PR man.
Every Tuesday he foregoes his - traceable - mobile phone and steps into a
phone booth and calls Pamela (Katie Holmes), who he has been trying to
seduce for a while. After being interrupted by a pizza deliveryman who
bizarrely, has an order for him, he hangs up. Immediately the phone rings
again - and an altogether different scenario unfolds.
The Caller on the other end of the phone (Keifer Sutherland) says he has a
rifle trained on Stu and proceeds to hold him hostage in the booth,
threatening Stu and those around him whilst the Police (led by Capt. Ramsy -
Forest Whitaker) and Stu's wife (Radha Mitchell) and Pamela arrive to see
what's going on.
Stu's life now hangs on the line as the Caller/sniper makes him confess his
"sins" to his wife, insult the police and basically be a very public
hostage. Can Stu overcome his own vanity and ego in order to save the life
of others? (it's no coincidence that a shop window behind Stu has the slogan
"Who do you think you are?").
A very short running time and virtually one location really cranks up the
tension in this pretty gripping thriller. It has its problems; Sutherland's
villain is a sort of John Doe from "Seven" - but an unconvincing one and a
bit too pantomime for my liking.
The split-screening is very effective but clearly owes something to
Sutherland and his success in 24, but overall it's slicky directed by
Schumacher and Farrell, who has been hailed from on high as TNBT (the next
big thing) but seems to be faltering already, is actually very impressive in
his role, though that means the support actors have little to do - a shame,
especially as Whitaker is always worth watching.
James Bartlett
That's all for today
See you next time
Robert Bernocchi
My Other WEB Job
My Other WEB Job
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I don't think it's a problem with boycotting. The studios realize the exposure Cannes can give their films, and would most likely not let world conflicts get in the way. I think it's just a lack of good movies. Had "Kill Bill" been ready, there would be one more film to be shown, yes. But there seems to be a big weakness in the studio output this year. That's the problem.
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Each year, for as long as I can remember, people have been saying americans are not sending their movies to Cannes. Fear of France terrorism, american terrorism, fear that your movie won't get an award or good press and now: boycott... In truth, north america is present every year with a small number of films like other countries. The movies presented are being pre-judged by a commitee and sometimes a country is not even represented. That doesn't mean anything political.
That boycott won't last. I lived in california for 10 years and I remember that every product like shampoo, moisturizing cream, perfum were french or had a fake french name for appeal reasons... It's gonna stink if you stop loving us... -
Wow, are you on the right web site? X2 kicks ass!!
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is rdition evn a word?
i didnt think so -
Thank God there are still people and countries that will stand up to our baby killing army and our election stealing president. Until the American people have sense enough to put someone in office that doesnt use tracing paper to write war orders we dont deserve spots at the festival. If I were france, I'd be worried. Our baby killing army might be coming for your children next. We'll have some great "harboring terrorist" story to cover our asses, but I forgot, we're supposed to support our "SOLDIERS". A murderer is a murderer is a murderer.
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...If the Weasly's flying car had been a Volkwagen, then you could reason why our David Hasselhoff-loving neighbours would be upset.
Still, if it WAS a Volkwagen, then there is little chance it would have driven away after getting the shit smashed out of it by a Whomping Willow... -
Im curious to know why you refer to our military as "baby killing army". Being a member of the US Army reserves I take personal offense to that. Keep in my mind, while the US does indeed sometimes kill innocent civilians, much of the carnage shown on TV by the nation we are fighting is propaganda, like we use propaganda. Im not saying we are all saints, there have been many soldiers who have broken the laws of land warfare and I believe they may not be punished due to the wave of patriotism running rampant throught the US. And I'm sorry, if Im in Iraq and I feel my life is in danger Im opening fire. If Im wrong oh well, Ill feel bad about it but at least Im still alive. I would definitely feel sorry for their family but If I were to die then my family will suffer a loss. Its easy for people to criticize soldiers who have killed innocent people but when your life can end within seconds you may have to make decisions you will LIVE to regret, Live being the operative word. I look out for myself and my buddies and thats it. Thats my opinion and Im entitled to it as much as yours. Now, lets forget about that and look forward to how awesome X2 will be.
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I certainly wouldn't want to generalize comments about the army but let me just comment on this: __"And I'm sorry, if Im in Iraq and I feel my life is in danger Im opening fire. If Im wrong oh well, Ill feel bad about it but at least Im still alive."__ These soldiers were not in a combat situation, they are there to PROTECT Iraqi citizens, even the ones protesting them. WITH THEIR LIVES if necesary. And what a bang up job they're doing. Those morons SHOOT INTO A CROWD because they "feel threatened", killing 15 people. No soldier was killed or even seriously harmed. So in conclusion these soldiers are either murderers who belong behind bars (just because you happen to have guns doesn't make it any better to kill civilians) or they're morons who are following seriously fucked up orders by people who don't give a shit about arab lives. And, yeah - If I killed 15 people, I'd "feel bad" too.
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I was referring more to the soldiers who fired at the checkpoint. And soldiers cannot protect Iraqi citizens if they are dead. And I thought soldiers were there for oil, uh, I mean the safety of the American people.
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I was obviously not referring to the checkpoint incident. The checkpoint was a tragic error of judgement on the soldiers' part but in war shit like that happens. What I meant were the idiot soldiers who fired into a crowd of demonstrators, killing 15 people. And I certainly didn't say anything about oil (though now you mention it - it does seem kind of odd that the only Baghdad building US soldiers were protecting from looting and destruction was not a school, hospital, office building or museum, but the "oil ministry").
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See and all this time I thought it was the CRADLE of civilization. How racist of me. Wow, in that case I'm just glad somebody had the balls to go in and rescue their oil.
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I wasnt saying that you were mentioning the oil situation. I like many people, including those in the military, am leery of the Bush Administration rush to invade Iraq.
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I completely agree. I'm also just leery of the administration's motives AND I just returned from the theater where I saw X2 -which was indeed awesome :)
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Everything I've heard indicates that the Coens' movie wasn't ready on time. Theo Angelopoulos, Emir Kusturica, and Abbas Kiarostami are all festival favorites and their new films aren't at the festival either. COULD CANNES BE BIASED AGAINST EASTERN EUROPEANS AND IRANIANS???? OMG!!!!!!!!!!
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