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"Reel" FReepers - Celebrating Cinema - March 2007
March 1, 2007
| DollyCali; wtc911
Posted on 03/01/2007 12:35:54 PM PST by DollyCali
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March 2007
Edition
Reel Test of the Month
Reel Celebrity of the Month
Alan Arkin was probably the biggest surprise on Oscar Night winning the Best Supporting Oscar for his portrayal of a cocaine using grandfather of the “Little Miss Sunshine” . He inconveniently dies as the very dysfunctional family is on the way to the big contest. The family is “running late” so just put him in the back … reminiscent of National Lampoons Vacation.. and they presses on to make the deadline in their clunker van.
He at 73 has had a long & varied career with movies that over the years have made us cry, chuckle & just roar out loud (well I did during the In-Laws(79). Here is some data on his life/career.
Professions:Actor, director, singer, composer, novelist, producer, vacuum cleaner repairman, clerical worker
Born: Brooklyn, New York on 3/26/1934
Sometimes Credited As:
Alan Wolf Arkin
Robert Short
FULL BIOGRAPHY
Cinematography
Bee Movie - ( / 2007 / In-Production / )
Magicians - ( / / In-Production / Kinowelt International )
Rendition - ( / / In-Production / )
Sunshine Cleaning - ( / / In-Production / )
Raising Flagg - ( Flagg Purdy / 2006 / Awaiting Release / Cinema Libre Distribution )
Firewall - ( Arlin Forester / 2006 / Released / Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group )
Little Miss Sunshine - ( Grandpa / 2006 / Released / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment )
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause - ( Bud Newman / 2006 / Released / Buena Vista Distribution Company )
Eros - ( Dr. Pearl ("Equilibrium") / 2005 / Released / Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group )
Noel Artie / 2004 / Released / Convex Group )
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing - ( Gene / 2002 / Released / Mongrel Media )
America's Sweethearts ( Wellness Guide / 2001 / Released / Sony Pictures Releasing )
Varian's War - ( Freier (Marseilles) / 2001 / Released / )
Jakob the Liar - ( Frankfurter / 1999 / Released / Sony Pictures Releasing )
Four Days in September - ( Charles Burke Elbrick / 1998 / Released / Miramax Home Video )
The Slums of Beverly Hills - ( Murray Abramowitz / 1998 / Released / Fox Searchlight Pictures )
Gattaca - ( Detective Hugo / 1997 / Released / Sony Pictures Releasing )
Grosse Pointe Blank - ( Dr Oatman / 1997 / Released / Hollywood Pictures Home Video )
Mother Night - ( George Kraft / 1996 / Released / New Line Home Entertainment )
Steal Big, Steal Little - ( Lou Perilli / 1995 / Released / Savoy Pictures )
The Jerky Boys - ( Lazarro / 1995 / Released / Touchstone Pictures Home Video )
North - ( Judge Buckle / 1994 / Released / Sony Pictures Releasing )
Samuel Beckett Is Coming Soon. .. - ( Director / 1994 / Released / )
Indian Summer - ( Uncle Lou / 1993 / Released / Touchstone Pictures Home Video )
So I Married An Axe Murderer - ( (cameo appearance) / 1993 / Released / TriStar Pictures )
Glengarry Glen Ross - ( George Aaronow / 1992 / Released / LIVE Home Video )
The Rocketeer - ( Peevy / 1991 / Released / Walt Disney Home Video )
Coupe de Ville - ( Fred Libner / 1990 / Released / Universal Pictures )
Edward Scissorhands - ( Bill / 1990 / Released / 20th Century Fox International )
Havana - ( Joe Volpi / 1990 / Released / Universal Pictures )
Bad Medicine - ( Dr Ramon Madera / 1985 / Released / 20th Century Fox Distribution )
Big Trouble - ( Leonard Hoffman / 1985 / Released / Sony Pictures Releasing )
Joshua Then and Now - ( Reuben Shapiro / 1985 / Released / 20th Century Fox )
The Return of Captain Invincible - ( Captain Invincible / 1983 / Released / Magnum Entertainment )
Deadhead Miles - ( Cooper / 1982 / Released / )
The Last Unicorn - ( Voice of of Schmendrick--Magician / 1982 / Released / Family Home Entertainment )
Chu Chu and the Philly Flash - ( Flash / 1981 / Released / 20th Century Fox Distribution )
Full Moon High - ( Dr Jacob Brand / 1981 / Released / HBO Home Video )
Simon - ( Simon / 1980 / Released / Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group )
Improper Channels - ( Jeffrey Martley / 1979 / Released / Crown International Pictures )
The In-Laws - ( Sheldon Kornpett / 1979 / Released / Warner Home Video )
The In-Laws - ( Executive Producer / 1979 / Released / Warner Home Video )
The Magician of Lublin - ( Yasha Mazur / 1979 / Released / Warner Home Video )
Fire Sale - ( Director / 1977 / Released / 20th Century Fox )
Fire Sale - ( Ezra Fikus / 1977 / Released / 20th Century Fox )
The Seven Per-Cent Solution - ( Sigmund Freud / 1976 / Released / Universal Pictures )
Hearts of the West ( Kessler / 1975 / Released / United Artists Films )
Freebie and the Bean - ( Bean / 1974 / Released / Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution )
Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins - ( Rafferty / 1974 / Released / Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution )
Last of the Red Hot Lovers - ( Barney Cashman / 1972 / Released / Paramount Pictures )
Little Murders - ( Director / 1971 / Released / 20th Century Fox )
Little Murders - ( Detective / 1971 / Released / 20th Century Fox )
Catch-22 - ( Captain Yossarian / 1970 / Released / Paramount Pictures )
Popi - ( Popi / 1969 / Released / United Artists Films )
Inspector Clouseau - ( Inspector Jacques Clouseau / 1968 / Released / United Artists Films )
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter - ( John Singer / 1968 / Released / Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution )
Wait Until Dark - ( Roat / 1967 / Released / Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group )
Woman Times Seven - ( Fred ("The Suicides") / 1967 / Released / Embassy Pictures )
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming - ( Rozanov / 1966 / Released / MGM/UA Home Video )
Reel Box Office Reviews
Little Miss Sunshine
Reviewed by DollyCali
A three day road trip of a amusingly awkward & exceptionally dysfunctional family who nonetheless band together to support little Olive who has been chosen one of the finalists in the Little Miss Sunshine contest.. Olive is the youngest & the oldest is patriarch played by Alan Arkin who won an award for the role. The reason he is along on the trip is that he was just kicked out of his retirement home for snorting heroin..
This is a movie you will either love or hate. The rating should alert any who are sensitive that, even though a young girl is one of the stars and the Title sounds soooo innocent, an R rating is an R rating. !
The script is funny and it is well executed by the great cast. It was nominated for the Best Picture at this years Oscars and was a tremendous hit at the Sundance the year it was introduced.
Stars: Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano. Director: Johathan Dayton
Box Office (Feb28) -: $ 59,831,476
Video/DVD Rentals - $37,210,000
Rotten Tomatoes Review
Official Site
Trailers
Breach
Reviewed by DollyCali
Universal Pictures released a critically acclaimed drama February 16. A dark visual tone pervades this film with a dark subject matter. All is not as it appears/seems is the bottom line. Not giving anything away as this is TRUE HISTORY - revealed in cinema that takes a bit of artistic license in presentation but not in bottom line.
A revered top flight FBI agent with decades of loyal service is KNOWN to be a traitor & agent for Russia. The theme of the movie is setting him up with a bright/fresh would-be agent (now clerk/go-fer assistant) & inform the FEDS on activities, in the hopes of getting his “agent” status solidified..
The clueless & not overly dedicated to this mission assistant is confused. This man., Robert Hannsen has a family, grandkids, is a super religious Catholic, going to mass daily, But he is told he is a traitor and to boot a sexual pervert along the way!
If one enjoys following the saga of interpersonal struggles & the confusion of life, you will relate well to this movie. It is tense & engaging & makes your heart sad as you see it unfold. The turncoat found out, stalked, apprehended, sentenced… makes you cheer & cry at the same time. What could have been had he NOT done these dastardly deeds.
The young not yet agent leaves the FBI after this case, the biggest espionage “catch” ever. He goes into private law practice in DC. Wonder if he is a FReeper/lurker? Come out, come out wherever you are!
This is rated PG13 for language, sexual situations & violence that might be offensive to some. It is 1 hour an 50 minutes in length.
Stars: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe., Kathleen Quinlann; Laura Linney, Director and one of the three screenwriters: Billy Ray
Box Office (Feb28) -: $20,304,675
Rotten Tomatoes Review
Official Site
Trailers
Reel Classic Reviews
Catch 22 (1970)
Reviewed by DollyCali
For this month’s classic review, I chose another Arkin movie. A screen adaptation of a book of the same name by Joseph Heller takes us to the Mediterranean during WW2. This military satire is brought to the screne by Mike Nicholas. In the film we find Yossarian (Alan Arkin) who was a bombardier and now desperately wants to get out of the military & so fakes insanity..
BUT, the catch 22 is that if he can understand his own mortality, then he is automatically considered sane. This does not sound funny but in the movie the characterization & playing out of the situation is enjoyable. Arkin is surrounded by a first class group of actors. In today’s economics, I don’t think such a production could come off unless the did an Ocean 11/12/13 arrangement.
Other Notes on the movie
The film is rated R and is just over 2 hours in length.
Theatrical release: June 24, 1970
DVD release: May 22, 2001
CATCH-22 was filmed on location in Italy and Mexico.
Martin Balsam replaced Stacy Keach in the role of Col. Cathcart over age concerns that Nichols had.
Second Unit Director John Jordan plummeted to his death during the film's production.
Stars: Alan Arkin; Orson Welles, Jon Voight, Martin Sheen, Bob Newhart, Richard Benjamil; Art Garfunkel; and Anthony Perkins
Box Office: Total US Gross $24,911,670 Rentals $12,250,000
Rotten Tomatoes Review
IMDb
Good Analysis Link
Reel Insider/Techie Stuff
Producers: what do they do anyway?
Provided by Insider/Techie Editor Wtc911 -From the producers guild site.....
JOB FUNCTIONS FOR "PRODUCED BY" (Theatrical Motion Pictures) Subject to the control of the Owner, the "Produced by" in Theatrical Motion Pictures is expected to exercise decision-making authority over a majority of the following specific job functions:
DEVELOPMENT
* Conceived of the underlying concept upon which the production is based or involved at its inception. * Selected the material upon which the production is based and secured necessary rights for development and production of the material. * Selected the writer(s). * Supervised and oversaw the development process. * Secured the initial financing. * Served as the primary point of contact for the studio and/or financing entity.
PRE-PRODUCTION
* Selected the director, co-producer and unit production manager. * Selected the principal cast in consultation with the director. * In consultation with the director, selected the production designer, cinematographer, editor and visual effects co. * Participated in location scouting in consultation with the director. * Supervised the preparation of the preliminary budget and approved and signed the final budget in consultation with the Co-Producer and UPM. * Creatively involved in the final shooting script in consultation with the director and the writer(s) and approved and signed the final shooting script. * Approved the final shooting schedule in consultation with the director.
PRODUCTION
* Exercised final approval of the deals for the principal components of the production. * Provided continuous in-person consultation with the director and principal cast * In collaboration with the director, provided in-person consultation with the production designer, art department, wardrobe, make-up and hair. * In collaboration with the director, provided in-person consultation with the stunt coordinator and on mechanical effects (if applicable). * Supervised "on-set" and on a continuous basis the day-to-day operation of the producing team and the entire shooting company. * Approved the weekly cost report. * Viewed the "dailies" and provided in-person consultation with the director, the editor, the studio and/or financial entity.
POST-PRODUCTION/MARKETING
* Provided in-person participation on visual effects in consultation with the director, the studio or financial entity. * Selected the composer in consultation with the director, and participated in-person with the composer and the director in the scoring process * Provided in-person consultation with the editor along with the director, the studio or financial entity, and participated on the final cut of the motion picture. * Consulted with the director and the editor during the preparation of the first cut that is shown to the studio/financial entity. * Selected the music supervisor in consultation with the director, and participated in-person during the music recording sessions. * Provided in-person consultation with the director on the re-recording stage. * Provided in-person consultation with the director on the titles and opticals. * Provided in-person consultation with the cinematographer, the director, the studio and/or financing entity on the answer print or edited master. * Consulted on the media plan and materials, and the marketing and distribution plans for the motion picture. * Consulted on the plans for exploitation of the motion picture in ancillary and foreign markets.
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TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: academyawards; alanarkin; catch22; cinema; hollywood; littlemisssunshine; movies; oscars
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To: Armedanddangerous
two outstanding movies.. I saw both twice at theater.
We will be having a BOND month at the Cinema thread.. Will hi-light this one for the "new" movie & many of the oldies for Classics.
201
posted on
03/08/2007 9:36:57 AM PST
by
DollyCali
(Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your God is!)
To: Armedanddangerous
I am a Bond fan from the beginning and liked Casino Royale. I think he has the potential to be a great Bond, even if I will always count Connery number one. Still, I thought they stripped down the script a bit too much. I understand they were doing a "Bond begins" so I hope we get more standard Bond fare in the next one.
I know it's corny, but I love John Cleese's Q.
To: colorado tanker
Me too
I hope they bring him back in the next film as Q.
What I want to know is, who is Mr. White, and who does he work for? Is it SMERSH? SPECTRE?
Is it Ersnt Stavro Blofeld? They will have two movies to answer these questions, as the current story is supposedly a three film arc.
The thing about Daniel Craig is this. With Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan, the violence was kind of comic in nature. With this new Bond, you can tell he LIKES killing people...maybe a bit more than he should.
They were looking for a character I bet that out did Jack Bauer, and this guy left a body count that outdid Bauer.
Also, when DC was hurt in the movie, he limped, had nasty cuts on his head, and showed he was a human being who could be hurt.
To: colorado tanker
Also, even though it is disdained by many, I count On Her Majesty's Secret Service as one of the five best Bond films.
To: Armedanddangerous
Well, they wanted an edgier, more cold-blooded Bond, which is truer to the Fleming character, and they got one. For me, Connery cut the right balance with his "and you've had your six" attitude, and the cartoon stuff went a bit over the top with Moore.
I'd love to see a Blofeld comeback. Even though different people played him, he was a terrific villain. And who knows, with Vlad trying to bring back the KGB and the Soviet Empire, we may have the Russians back as bad guys!
To: colorado tanker
Late is his life, Orson was a spokesperson for a wine company. He also produced the commercials, and worked at the editing house where I was employed. We always knew he was there because his heavy-duty wheelchair was left outside the door. One day, as I passed, I noticed some wag had stuck a sign on it.
It read:
Rosebud
To: colorado tanker
They could very easily bring SMERSH back as villians, because that was an old name for the Russian KGB.
With Blofeld, there are a lot of different guys who could play him well, but I dunno if they will ever do it, due to the legal problems they have with Kevin McClory regarding who really owns the Blofeld character.
To: Armedanddangerous
I never cared for Lazenby as Bond, but it's hard to go wrong with Diana Rigg as the Bond Girl! Whatta babe and whattan actress! And Telly Savalas was good as the villain.
To: colorado tanker
George wasnt bad...not really, and the rest of the actors as well as the dialogue as top knotch.
Also, remember, most people characterized it as a flop, but it was the second highest grossing film of 1968 I believe, after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
To: Armedanddangerous
Well, now that McClory's dead, perhaps that will change.
To: ArmstedFragg
To: colorado tanker
Oh boy, what would be my five faves? Goldfinger, Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever, The Spy Who Loved Me and Doctor No, I suppose. Moonraker is a guilty pleasure of mine, I suppose because they had the audacity to name a character "Goodhead" and the fantasy of joining the two hundred mile high club.
To: colorado tanker
He's dead?
I didnt know dat. When?
To: colorado tanker
Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, Casino Royale, Thunderball, OHMSS
To: Armedanddangerous
To: 38special; aft_lizard; abishai; A knight without armor; Alberta's Child; Allegra; Amityschild; ...
SINGLES PING
Our Singles participant, Phil, PCottraux, has written an absolutely wonderful review of the classic movie Jaws in post 186. Make sure you hit the
Full Review Here link in the thread. It is loaded with information I never knew & loved his style of writing.
come visit a friendly thread & see his work.
GOOD JOB PHIL!
216
posted on
03/08/2007 10:49:52 AM PST
by
DollyCali
(Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your God is!)
To: Armedanddangerous; colorado tanker
Think you two might be interested in doing 2 reviews each for the James Bond thread (I think it will be June)? I would like to have 4 reviewers do 2 films each. First come /first serve on the titles etc.
It will be a movie review intense thread. MIGHT just have 4 in the opening & then 2 each week for the next 3 weeks /pings.. Haven't decided yet.
But let me know if you have any interest. You will have time to see again & write up. 500 words max for thread & I can save longer on my server & hot link to it.
I do all the "data" & other hot link & pix.. so your job is just to be a critic/reviewer. I am your peon/assistant!
217
posted on
03/08/2007 10:54:28 AM PST
by
DollyCali
(Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your God is!)
To: DollyCali
To: colorado tanker
Pick your movies...Like I said, first picks/first come/first serve... post em here so there will be NO dispute that I had "favorites"...
LOL
219
posted on
03/08/2007 11:03:55 AM PST
by
DollyCali
(Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your God is!)
To: DollyCali
I have my copy of casino royale ...it came in the mail today...let me know where to send the review
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