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Quint plays with some DEAD BIRDS and oogles Sarah Silverman in JESUS IS MAGIC at SXSW!!!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a few mini-reviews of the last two flicks I saw at South By Southwest this year: DEAD BIRDS (horror flick) and Sarah Silverman's JESUS IS MAGIC (comedy musical/stand-up flick). I've only got one more round of reviews that'll hit either later today or tomorrow, so I'll try to be as concise as possible.
DEAD BIRDS
I really fuckin' dug this film. I almost blew it off because I've heard the ending was really predictable and a friend of mine saw it and thought it was boring. Maybe I really love this film because I went in expecting it to be shitty or at the very least dull, but for whatever reason this movie really, really worked for me.
The set-up is simple. You have a group of bank robbers in the 1800s hiding out with some confederate gold in an out of the way plantation-like house. Creepy shit happens. Visions, creatures, possessions, ghosts, etc. It actually felt a lot like a video game set-up. You have the creepy dark house, the even creepier cornfield that surrounds the place, the fucked up barn, the door that won't open until the very end of the story, etc. I wish director Alex Turner had gotten ahold of RESIDENT EVIL before Paul WS Anderson turned it into a weak actioneer ALIENS rip-off. He understands the pacing and the level of reveals needed to pull off one of those horror video games as a feature film as is evident in this original film.
I've come to find that this film was just released straight to video by Lion's Gate and having looked up the DVD and seeing the cover I can safely say, "Ignore that crappy direct to video looking shitty ass cover." This movie has pitch perfect pacing, a great cast, great cinematography, genuine scares and an interesting story.
The pacing isn't slow or boring. To me it was very deliberately paced with a scare or real bit of tension happening regularly. There was never any moment of the movie where I was thinking, "All right... get on with it, already!" The film opens with a gunfight and we get a monster 10 minutes later. No shit. A creepy monster no less, with needle-like teeth and grotesque pink skin like an aborted rat except the size of an average sized dog.
The cast is full of familiar faces and names. Henry Thomas (ET) leads the gang, which features his brother, played by Patrick Fugit (ALMOST FAMOUS), his right-hand man Isaiah Washington (who is badass, by the way), his woman Nicki Lynn Aycox and a pair of untrustworthy sorts played by Michael Shannon (TIGERLAND, VANILLA SKY, 8 MILE) and Mark Boone Junior who seems to have been in everything ever shot, including MEMENTO and the upcoming BATMAN BEGINS.
The tension in this movie is truly what makes it succeed, though. The cast is very important, but the atmosphere, sound design, cinematography and structure is what makes it stick out to me. The last time I was this tense in a theater was when I saw JU-ON: THE GRUDGE at AFM a couple years ago, before it was known. I don't think DEAD BIRDS is as good a film as JU-ON, but that's not a knock against it.
The monsters are well designed. The only negative is that there are a few scenes that are overly CGIed out, but there's nothing in this film that is as ridiculous as the "Jack-Pot" eyes in THE GRUDGE.
Also, to be clear, the ending is not what you'd expect, it's not a cliche. I know I was surprised. All in all, I strongly suggest hitting your local video store and checking this one out. I just wish Lions Gate would quit releasing their shitty movies like ALONE IN THE DARK to 2000 screens and put out a genuinely scary horror film like DEAD BIRDS.
JESUS IS MAGIC
This movie is pissing me off. Sarah Silverman totally kicks all sorts of ass in this combo documentary/musical/stand-up special, but what is pissing me off is I have 2 or 3 of the songs in the film stuck in my head and there is absolutely no info about where I can purchase the soundtrack, order a DVD or even a CD version of the stand-up act. It's really pissing me off.
Sarah Silverman is hot-hot-hot. I've always thought so, going back into the Mr. Show days. Her appearances on DINNER FOR 5 with Jon Favreau are awesome and I have a huge mega-ungodly crush on her. This film is the last movie I saw at SXSW and it was everything I could have hoped it'd be: Funny, graphic, lewd, offensive to damn near every class of people and totally out of left field. There are 3 or 4 big musical numbers that break up the stand-up and each one is memorable.
My favorite being the song she sings to a room full of elderly... not older people, but fuckin' old people... while dressed in a school girl outfit, complete with plaid skirt and pig tails, and strumming an acoustic guitar that has the chorus of "You're going to die." Now, they don't cut it so she says all the offensive things about the fact that the audience is on death's door in close up and then have the more non-offensive things during the wide-shots with the elderly in it. In other words, she was really singing this cute, melodious song with fuckin' awful mean things in it to these poor old people. It's great!
This flick was directed by Liam Lynch who directed Tenacious D's TRIBUTE music video and is directing the TENACIOUS D movie. After seeing the flair he has for directing catching musical scenes in this flick I am 100% psyched to see his work on the TENACIOUS D movie!
The stand-up work is superb and like some of the best comedians who have ever graced the stage (Lenny Bruce, Bill Hicks and George Carlin come to mind) Sarah Silverman's material is downright offensive. She doesn't pull any punches while highlighting the subtle racism that exists today. For example, she does a bit about how now that she's nearing 30, she's getting near the time when having children is dangerous for her and the baby. She says the best time to have a baby, really, is when you're a black teenager.
She's just so damn cute and innocent when she says that stuff you can't really take it to heart. If you get a chance to see JESUS IS MAGIC, go for it. This year has been great at SXSW for films that showcase the best comedians of the past, present and future. THE ARISTOCRATS was brilliant and features every comedian you can think of, Patton Oswalt/Brian Posehn/Zach Galfianakis/Maria Bamford doco THE COMEDIANS OF COMEDY was damn good and Sarah Silverman's JESUS IS MAGIC had me in tears. She's about as fresh as any comedian working and I hope to hear more of her stuff in the future... That's if I don't go crazy looking for this goddamn soundtrack from JESUS IS MAGIC!!!!
CLICK IT HERE TO SEE A SHORT COMPILATION OF CLIPS, JOKES AND SOME MUSIC FROM Jesus Is Magic! GODDAMN YOU, JIMMY KIMMEL!!!
Anyway, I've got one more article to post reviewing two SXSW movies, then I got a bunch of really cool shit for you folks. I should be a busy bee this week, so expect to see a lot of good stuff on the site! 'Til then, this is Quint bidding you all a fond farewell and adieu.
-Quint
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stop people from calling f....
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first.
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it's late.
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Why has offensive replaced genuine wit and intelligent comedy? Being shocking is not humorous, it is lazy comedy.
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Offensive humor has always been in. I don't give a shit whether she's funny or not, but crying about how telling old people are going to die or how it's not intelligent, blah, blah, blah... its just looking for something to bitch about. At least she's not flinging her shit at school children or eating used maxi pads. There are bigger things to bitch about, go out and find them.
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Apple, just a pinch less drama on your posts, okay? Who cares what is "in," I'm talking about going back to comedy that relies on skill rather than cheap shock value-the humorous equivalent of junk food-funny for a moment, but ultimately leaves you empty.
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...is the stuff that isn't funny. Quint isn't some sexist/racist Neanderthal -- he know Sarah's making fun of bigotry, not practicing it. But hey, go watch the Blue Collar Comedy Tour again. I hear it's a hoot. And oh, yes -- I would *love* to nail Sarah Silverman. Twice.
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But according to the IMDB, she's 35. Which is cool but not approaching 30. As for her being 'shocking', there's no rule that says blue comedy is lazy or dumbed down. If it's funny and you have the skill to deliver it well, I'll take an old people dying joke over a G rated "You Might Be A Redneck" joke any day.....She was on Politcially Correct once and some feminist was bleating on about 'strong women' Silverman comes in with, "You want to talk about strong women, I was watching this porno and this woman was taking on 3 guys at once!" Was it Dennis Miller making an osbscure philisophical reference? No. Was it and the look on the feminist's face fucking funny? Hell yeah. Lighten up people, it's just comedy.
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I went to the stand-up concert in Los Angeles from which they made this film. It was hilarious. I'm glad you're offended.
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Mar 21, 2005 11:42:25 AM CST
I thought Silverman's character got off too easy in School of Ro
by bob parr
She was such a bitch. She should have died horribly or been mutilated or trampled to death at the concert.
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Mar 21, 2005 11:46:39 AM CST
I read an interview recently with some guy who works with the Gr
by bob parr
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Mar 21, 2005 11:59:46 AM CST
I agree with Voicebox 5: there is a really thin line between fu
by bob parr
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Mar 21, 2005 12:26:06 PM CST
Quint says Silverman in hot, but would he think she was hotter i
by bob parr
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I'm guessing you didn't click the link to see the trailer, as the "concert for old people" was obviously staged for the movie. The senior citizens in question are actors. Honestly, just move on -- you're not going to get this, you mever will get this. Judging from your Terri Schiavo comment, the stick is jammed way too far up your ass.
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Even though I've never seen her stand-up comedy, I love Sarah Silverman. She was great as the bitchy girlfriend in "School of Rock," and I just think she's hot. Call me a shallow, unenlightened male.
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But deep down I think she probably loves Black guys. It's almost like she's this little Jewess Dave Chapelle. It's weird but she is funny. She's like this creepy little racist that's funny enough to still be endearing. You watch her stand up, you laugh along but deep down you want to see someone punch her in the face like Ryan Phillipi did in the beginning of The Way of the Gun. She's not THAT hot though. But I'll check this too because Liam Lynch directed it.
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Mar 21, 2005 3:01:19 PM CST
If the old people Dying song was real, I would be offended. But
by george newman
The camera angles alone suggest that. If it was some Jackass Prank, then yeah, I would be offended, but these elderly people are in on the joke, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of them was a sweet old neighbor of hers.
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...Only a punchably officious PC watchdog or an utter moron could possibly miss the point of Silverman's alleged racist humor. Like Eddie Murphy, Jackie Mason, Richard Pryor and a number of other comedians before her, Silverman makes fun of the prejudices and racists themselves. The fact that a large portion of the jokes are at the expense of her own ethnic background (like Murphy, Mason & Pryor) should be a hint and a half for you numbskulls. I saw a documentary once dealing with the everyday life of a white supremacist family in Alabama. At one point they go to a rally/picnic type of get-together and part of the entertainment was a "comedian" on stage also telling ethnic jokes. The difference was that the punchlines there consisted of Jews, blacks, hispanics and anyone else they hated either burning in Hell or being gassed -- which, naturally, brought the house down. If you idiots can't perceive any differences between Silverman and a guy like that in terms of intent, content, context or audience sophistication, then you seriously need help.
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Mar 21, 2005 5:25:43 PM CST
Since when can a campy Jewish female standup comic EVER be consi
by charles grady
Female comics are never funny, and never hot.
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Damn, I love intelligent, funny, snarky women. I am infatuated with her.
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True -- but making fun of it always is.
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DocPazuzu is BANG ON. The difference between being racist and making fun of racism is huge. It's ALL about the context. Sarah Silverman's not a racist, she makes fun of the fear of being racist, and the racisim that EVERYONE feels from time to time.
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Fair enough, I agree with you that Sara Silverman is going for the irony and the typical taboo shattering bit that Lenny Bruce and Howard Stern owe their careers to. That's fine. She's cute and she's funny. I've seen her make enough Jew jokes to get that she doesn't have anything particular direct hate of Black people. Still, I've seen her make jokes about how Black girls are ugly and other assorted bits that, if she weren't a cute little Jewish Girl, she'd probably get her ass kicked for saying so. And if she weren't a cute little Jewish girl none of you would give a crap. But like I said, I think she's funny. She walks a line. But when you've got some dirtbag like Nick DePaulo who's entire act is nothing but Black jokes than that's a different story. The best thing you can do for a racist is laugh along because then you're telling them it's okay what they're saying. There's a huge difference btwn something somewhat clever like what Sara Silverman is doing here, something truly brilliant like Eddie Murphy's "White Like Me" bit from SNL 20 years ago or Dave Chappelle's "Clayton Bigsby" and some jerk making black jokes all the time.
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People always want to name Alabama or Mississipi when the words racist or racism are mentioned,but the hard truth with documented back up is that the south is more intergrated and has less racial problems TODAY than any northern or Blue state.Michigan is the most segregated state in the U.S.One more good thing about the south,Dead Birds was filmed about ten minutes away from my front door here in beautiful racial intergrated Mobile, Ala. Sara Silverman sucks ass,she'll never get a big movie role or tv series that will amount to shit.She's all shock value and no talent.
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You're right, I DID mean because she was hot. Sara Silverman's Jewishness isn't something I have a problem with. It's just seemed more accessable for me to pick up on because it's part of her charm. Especially since she makes so many Jew jokes. I wasn't pointing out her Jewishness as a negative. What makes me want to see someone punch her in the face sometimes is that I'm genuinely offended by snide jokes about how Black girls are ugly and Black people are dumb since, you guessed it, I'm Black. If she has a right to be offensive then I would sure a shit have a right to take offense. It's a two way street. Still, that's the opinion I had of her a few year ago. It's mellowed significantly since then.
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THE COMEDY. I've actually watched this trailer 6 time today. Anybody else notice the shot of the stage manager guy beating off to her. Find it, it's hilarious.
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She's a cutie. I don't see enough of her in film or TV.
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Who would know that someone with a precious metal in her last name would be Jewish. Hmm.
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"What makes me want to see someone punch her in the face sometimes is that I'm genuinely offended by snide jokes about how Black girls are ugly and Black people are dumb." Obviously, she should've made a joke about how black people endorse violence! If you think a woman should be punched in the face because you can't tell the difference between racist jokes and joking ABOUT racism, then you might want to consider that you *are* dumb. Not all black people -- just you.
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Oh, I see. So my openly stating that I would love to see a woman punched in the face OFFENDS you. Well then how about we line up a truck load of 35 year old JAPs from the Upper West Side and pay Mike Tyson 25 grand to sodomize and beat the crap out of all of them. WOULDN'T THAT BE HILARIOUS!!!...Oh wait, I'm not some trendy geek crush flavor of the month your wanking off to so I guess it wouldn't. Have fun with that.
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Seek help. Your scenario is imaginatively racist (congrats), it's not joking about racism. I'm with DocPazuzu -- I cannot believe the number of tools this thread has brought out of the woodwork.
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Just kidding.
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I've been a fan of Silverman's for a while, but I completely loathe Jimmy Kimmel all the way back to The Man Show days. Doesn't she get some serious integrity points deducted for dating this frat boy loser? Anyone? The guy isn't funny in the slightest.
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This isn't the first time that this pathetic loser has made headlines. Just look at the name of her show "Jesus is Magic." It's MEANT to be offensive to Christians, because she's Jewish and her sister is a feminist rabbi. She thrives on controversy, racist jokes, and slamming religions that are not her own. She tries to disguise her hate speech as jokes and satire. Just because people laugh after she says something, doesn't make it funny...or right.
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It happens. Grow up.
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Jeditemple, you're conveniently ignoring the fact that Silverman makes fun of her own religion more than anything else.
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Mar 23, 2005 4:41:32 PM CST
"Silverman makes fun of her own religion more than anything else
by jeditemple
No, I'm not ignoring anything. I'm VERY familiar with her work and I think her brand of religious jokes are way out of bounds. In her show title, she is specifically targeting Christians.
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I suggest you work on being slightly less touchy regarding the fun being poked at your religion and the fun being poked at the PERCEPTION of your religion. God has a sense of humor - why don't you?
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Come on, are you kidding? Maybe compared to Rosanne or Margaret Cho she's "hot". She's a 6 or 7 at best. And that's on a good day. And hooking up with Jimmy Kimmel knocks off 'hot' points. There's amateur porn tape I hope to God never see's the light of day.
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