Posts Tagged ‘George Clooney’

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STOP BEING A RACIST A-HOLE

by Tom on September 7, 2010 at 12:00 am
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(32 votes, average: 9.03 out of 10)
Machete, Robert Rodriguez, anti-white, The American, George Clooney, patriotism, racism, protest, grindhouse, schlock

Something I noticed after I had produced this comic... I draw my characters throwing their hands up in the air an awful lot. Someone should start a meme.

Onto more serious news.

I was talking about Machete on the Theater Hopper Facebook page (more specifically, that star Danny Trejo was 66 years-old - What the WHAT?!) and someone shared with me a link to a group that was planning on protesting Machete for being "anti-white." This group's claim is the the film was released to "green light" violence against white Americans.

I won't share the link with you here. I'm not particularly interested in validating this specific group with your time or attention. But, needless to say, I found the whole thing pretty disgusting. Not just for the misguided protest effort they were trying to organize but for the truly horrible, racist comments posted along with it. The less said about it, the better.

I haven't see Machete and I'm not exactly running out the door to do so. I figure any feature-length movie sprung from a joke trailer released with Grindhouse three years ago is probably going to be a little light on plot and characterization. And, well, it's a Robert Rodriguez movie. So, same goes.

But reading about this hate campaign disguised as a protest makes me want to see Machete for no other reason than to turn their crank.

From everything I've read the movie is violent and cheesy and everything you'd come to expect from a Rodriguez movie. I'm aware that they tried to make the film somewhat topical by tying it to the immigration debate going on in Arizona at the moment and that perhaps their execution was sloppy. Considering Machete's somewhat incomplete origin, that sounds like a reasonable criticism to me. I don't think anyone is seeing this movie for political moralizing. They just wanna see Danny Trejo slap a Gatling gun onto a motorcycle and launch that bad boy 50 feet in the air.

But protesting Machete's for being anti-white? I just don't see it. In fact, I don't even see a point in pretending like it's a reasonable complaint and formulating an argument against it.

If these paranoid loons see a bunch of white guys getting carved up by a six foot tall Mexican and think it's anti-white, they need to put themselves in the shoes of every black person who has watched the token black actor be the first to die in EVERY SINGLE HORROR MOVIE of the last 30 years. I can't imagine that's been very encouraging to them.

I have to stop while I'm ahead. Having an argument about this is a losing proposition. You can never reason with people who see issues like this where there is none. It's like yelling at a wall.

So, for brevity's sake, can we all agree that the assertion that Machete is "anti-white" is a ridiculous notion and move on with our lives? Thanks.

Even if you want to debate it with me in the comments, I'll tell you right now that I'm going to make an executive decision to delete those comments. Because I don't care how well-reasoned you think you're being, protesting Machete for being "anti-white" is just a fancy way of dressing up your racism and marching it down the street.

I try to be accommodating to different points of view, but sometimes you just have to cut your losses and move on.

I have to apologize for the comic being a day late. Unfortunately the reason is because Cami and I spent the majority of the Labor Day weekend packing up our house in preparation for the move to our NEW house in less than 3 weeks. Henry and Pearl stayed with my in-laws and we worked all weekend. We got a lot done, but by Sunday night we were exhausted. We went to pick up the kids on Monday so we could at least have ONE day this week where we - y'know - get to SEE them. And, well, that's why the comic was late.

I have most of my office packed up, but I'm getting kind of freaked out about boxing up my merchandise to move to the new house. The shirts aren't that much of a hassle to move. But the books are very heavy and you can only box so many of them together before you risk throwing your back out trying to pick them up. That means a lot of boxes and a lot of trips up and down stairs.

That's where you guys come in.

As you may or may not know, I'm running a sale in my store on ALL my merchandise now through September 19. Right now all of my books are being sold for $11.00. All of my shirts are being sold for $7.00 or less. These are great deals. After the 19th, books go back to $15.00 and shirts go back to $10.00. If you were ever thinking about buying something from me, now is the time to do it.

Incidentally, if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you'll see references to discount codes up to 30% to help drive incentive a little more. With these codes, you can order from the store and essentially get shipping for FREE.

I'm very serious about selling as much of my merchandise as possible before the movie. I'm practically selling it to you at-cost. I can't go any lower. So help me out. Get something for yourself. Get something for a friend or a loved on that you can give them for their birthday or the holidays. Let's get this stuff out my office before I have to move it!

I'm trying not to be overbearing about it, but I'm getting a little more panicked as our move date approaches. Some of you have written me and expressed regret than you can't take part and I totally understand that. But even if aren't able to make a purchase, you can still help by telling others about the sale.

Share links to the store or to Theater Hopper on Facebook or Twitter. Mention us in the comments section of blogs you read or forums you visit. Submit the comic to social networking sites like Digg, StumbleUpon or the /r/comics section of reddit.

Tell them about our Spoiler shirt and ask people if they can guess all the movies being spoiled. Tell them about our books and how you get commentary with each strip plus tons of bonus features - over 200 pages of content in full color in every book for $11.00! It's a steal!

It sounds cheesy, but every little bit helps. If you're out there raising awareness, that's one more person who wasn't aware of Theater Hopper previously. That's a good deed and karma points in my book!

I'm sorry to do the full-court press on you with this blog post. But since I'm only updating once a week, I have to hit with as much impact as I can before I run up against the September 19 deadline!

So again, if you're thinking about buying anything from the Theater Hopper store, please do so today! And if you can't make a purchase for whatever reason (totally understandable), please help by spreading the word about the site and sale among your friends and the communities you visit.

One more time, here's the link to our store:

http://theaterhopper.storenvy.com/

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ORDERED SO FAR AND THANKS TO EVERYONE READING THIS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

If you saw Machete or The American this weekend and feel like chatting it up in the comments below, please feel free. I know I gave The American a free pass without much discussion in the blog and I've heard wildly different reactions to the film. Some people I know were really into it and others thought it was a depressing waste of time. Did you see it? Where do you stand? Let us know!

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GREAT PAIRINGS

by Tom on March 4, 2010 at 12:00 am
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(22 votes, average: 8.00 out of 10)
Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, reassurance, collaboration, Billy Wilder, Jack Lemon, Alfred Hitchcock, Jimmy Stewart, John Ford, John Wayne, Martin Scorsese, Robert DeNiro, Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, John Woo, Chow Yun-Fat

So here's the comic from Wednesday that I owe you. If you were keeping up with the blog, you'll know the reason the comic was delayed was due to a job interview I wanted to prepare for. I also wanted to make sure I got the proper amount of sleep.

I'm pretty sure most of you don't know what my schedule is like. Frankly, you don't need to know because it's boring and self-serving to share it. But in this case, I'll make an exception because I want you to understand.

Typically, I produce the comic the evening before it goes live on the site. Sometimes I'll be able to get ahead of it a little by doing the pencils and inks over my lunch hour at my day job. But when I get home, it usually isn't until after 8:00 that we manage to get Henry and Pearl settled down for the night. When you consider the everyday household chores that need to be done after that, there's actually a very small window that I can work on the comic.

On Tuesday nights, I have night classes, so that window is even smaller. Instead of beating myself up trying to get a comic done for Wednesday, I thought it made more sense to prepare for my interview and get a good night's sleep.

I didn't receive any complaints and you guys have been more than supportive, so thank you. I just wanted to explain because, well, I felt like I owed you at least that much.

As for the job interview... How did it go? Frankly, I thought it went great. It really couldn't have gone any better.

I don't want to get into details because I don't want to jinx it. Plus, as a rule, I don't like to talk about work-related things online. You can't be too careful.

Let's just say it went very well and I'll let you know how things turn out. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Now, let's talk about the comic!

I was really pounding my head against the wall on this one because I didn't know how to build on what I had established with Monday's comic. Complicating matters, I came up with a great idea for a comic that I could use on Friday. So I was kind of caught between and a hard place.

I have to admit I was surprised by the feedback I received on Monday's comic in the comments area. I expected some push back from Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fans. That's fine. What I didn't expect where the people who were saying "Thank you! I've felt this way about Burton and Depp for years, but couldn't find the words." That's kind of a weird feeling.

I try to address certain truths with my humor. After all, what generally makes something funny is when several people recognize the same truth that they don't typically address. The ol' "He's saying what we're all thinking!" formula. I aim for that, but it manifests itself in the relationship humor I explore with Tom and Cami. Usually it doesn't crop up in this kind of commentary about actors or directors. So it caught me a little off guard.

It sparked a debate, though - which I like. But I felt like if Tom was going to take the "anti" Burton/Depp stance, Jared needed to be the counter balance.

And, so, I did some research.

Check out this Wiki of director/actor collaborations. It's mind-boggling. Some of them get tossed out because the pairings worked together on a string of sequels. Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford, for example. But some of these partnerships appear very genuine.

Of course, my complaint with Burton and Depp isn't that they've collaborated so many times. Just that there is a sameness to what they've produced. But, being fair, can I really argue that John Ford and John Wayne didn't do the same thing? Or Scorsese and DeNiro, for that matter. It's food for thought.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed today's comic. If you have anything you'd like to add, feel free to leave your comments below.

Until then, be sure to come back tomorrow for a brand new comic!

Thanks again!

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THE SUBTLE SLIDE

by Tom on September 15, 2008 at 12:00 am
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(4 votes, average: 3.50 out of 10)
Burn After Reading, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Coen Brothers, wacky, No Country For Old Men

I'm aware that indie movies were already once skewered in My Big, Fat Independent Movie. I just like the idea of The Coen's scraping the bottom of the barrel with a "wacky" parody movie.

I think they actually are going through with an Indie Movie... from the "Movie" Movie people. Scary Movie, Epic Movie, Date Movie and so on. I don't follow what those guys do very closely. I find it depresses me to know too much.

For the record, I don't find it surprising that The Coen Brothers would follow up No Country For Old Men with Burn After Reading. I mean, when you've already done something as serious, violent and poetic as No Country For Old Men, what other direction could you go in? You might as well blow off a little steam.

Although I think The Coen's have an excellent perverse sense of humor, I really haven't been a fan of their recent comedies. The Ladykillers seemed like an excuse for Tom Hanks to try on a Foghorn Leghorn accent for size and Intolerable Cruelty pretty much cooled me to the idea of watching Catherine Zeta-Jones in anything ever again. I guess I like my Coen's dark and foreboding. Miller's Crossing? Fargo? Hell, yes!

I didn't get a chance to see Righteous Kill like I had hoped and I'm kind of bummed because I don't think we'll get another opportunity to see DeNiro and Pacino work together like this on screen again anytime soon. Certainly if the film's 3rd place take at the box office has anything to say about it.

Tune in to The Triple Feature podcast tonight at 9:00 PM CST for discussion on that topic and many more. Be sure to listen live through TalkShoe.com so you can participate in the lively chat filed discussion that goes on while we record. If you want to chime in on the discussion, let us know and we'll get you involved.

Do you guys remember the new URL to access the show?

http://www.thetriplefeature.com

Easy as pie! See you there tonight!

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NOT FAMILIAR WITH SPORTS TERMS

by Tom on April 2, 2008 at 1:19 pm
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(4 votes, average: 7.25 out of 10)
Leatherheads, George Clooney, insult, rage, dashing, vital, supple, football, slang, Botox

I realize that describing George Clooney's Leatherheads as a movie about 1920's football players who wear leather helmets simplifies things a little bit. But beyond the romantic rivalry aspect, I can't figure out what this film is supposed to be about? Is it about guys playing football before there were rules? I'm not sure I understand the incentive behind seeing this?

I suppose star power is supposed to be the draw. I like Clooney. I like him a lot. He has a relaxed charm and he's fun to watch on screen even in bad movies. I also like John Krasinski and I think he's an excellent comedic sparring partner. Renée Zellweger is in the film and I'm kind of meh about that. There really hasn't been a picture I've enjoyed her in. Too much squinting.

Joe and I talked about this during Monday's Triple Feature podcast, but I also kind of resent how she's become the go-to gal pal of 1920's and 1930's period pieces. Between Chicago and Cinderella Man, she's starting to corner the market. Quit encouraging her, people! Before you know it, she'll start to think she has moxy or... or PIZAZZ - and we'll never get rid of her!

Dan Hopper over at BestWeekEver.TV has a fairly thorough breakdown behind the reason why he thinks Leatherheads might not be very good and I found myself agreeing with his position. Like him, I was excited about the film when I first heard about it, but the more I see of it, the less I like. It has the look of a one-trick pony and I still haven't gotten over the hurt of watching Clooney fall into a similar guise in Intolerable Cruelty. Look, I know the whole sun-dappled sepia tone romp vibe worked out great in O Brother, Where Art Thou - but this one doesn't look up to snuff.

Cami has expressed interest in seeing Leatherheads this weekend, which kind of surprises me considering its sports theme. I don't know if we're going to go to the effort of arranging a babysitter when Smart People comes out next week. That movie feels more our speed. We'll see.

That's about it for me today. I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

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REVIEW – OCEAN’S THIRTEEN

by Tom on June 11, 2007 at 12:00 am
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(4 votes, average: 7.25 out of 10)
Ocean's 13, review, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino, Eddie Izzard, Don Cheadle, Andy Garcia, Ellen Barkin, Bernie Mac, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould

"You're analog players in a digital world."

The line, delivered by Eddie Izzard's character in reference to the suave criminal masterminds played by George Clooney and Brad Pitt. It is a declaration made by screenwriters Brian Koppleman and David Levien that is meant to crystallize the air of mythic cool surrounding Danny Ocean and his gang as a preface the third installment of what like to call "The Franchise That Should Not Be" - Ocean's Thirteen.

I refer to the "Ocean's" films as the franchise that should not be due to the fact that the original Ocean's Eleven was a remake of a Rat Pack film from 1960 that wasn't particularly well received. That is, not until decades later by people in denial over the Disney-fication of Las Vegas and who mourned the loss of brass balls cool in the era of free love. Yet, somehow, director Steven Soderberg brought something fresh to the screen and found cunning cipher's to deliver his message of relaxed new millennium machismo in Clooney and Pitt. His take was an effervescent affair, mostly glossy, but entertainingly written with enough switchbacks to keep audiences engaged.

The cast's affinity for one another showed up on screen - which I think is a large part of what pushed the first film over the fence. Inevitably, a sequel would be made. And while cast and crew took a few hits on the chin for having more fun making the movie than the audience watching it, I still found it a welcome addition.

But it's almost beyond reason that a third film should be made. Each of the actors involved is too popular. Soderberg's credibility as an indie-house darling stretched too thin. Could spending 4 months together on a set really be this much fun? Apparently so.

This time the crew is back to their own stomping grounds in Vegas. They've arrived to turn the screws on a land developer played with slithering tanorexic glee by Al Pacino. He's muscled out his development partner, played by Elliott Gould, sending him into shock. The crew, gathered to his bed side, vow revenge. Instead of stealing huge sums of money or priceless pieces of art, it's the crew's goal to put enough of a sizable dent in Pacino's grand opening that he'll be forced off the board of his own corporation. I know - You haven't heard about a plot this exciting since it turned out Episode I: The Phantom Menace was about the taxation of trade routes.

There are scams being run on this side where the crew is also trying to prevent Pacino from earning another Five Diamond hotel rating while also stealing a set of real diamonds Pacino buys for his wife each time one of his hotels reaches that milestone worth in excess of $250 million.

Like many of the "threequels" this summer, this is where Ocean's Thirteen begins to fall apart. Too many plot points, too many scams, too many characters running around in what appears to be too short of a time frame and too many lingering questions that take you out of the action. Don't even stop to think for a minute how much money it would take to cover all the travel, bribes and equipment Danny and his crew would need to run these scams and CERTAINLY don't question where the crew could have gotten their hands on not one, but TWO of the drilling rigs that carved out The Chunnel. C'mon - it wouldn't be cool...

It's understandable why the filmmakers went this route. To combat the law of diminishing returns, you have to heap on the glamor, heap on the spectacle and heap on the courageousness. Ocean's Thirteen does this spectacularly well. In fact, hats off to the art department on this film who created a fully-functional three story casino within a sound stage on the Warner Bros. lot. It looked perfectly in-step with modern Vegas with it's aggressive use of red twinkling promise. Sets representing the different villas and suites within the hotel looked plush and decadent. The film looks amazing - bar none.

The performances, too, were well done. I still find myself wishing I could roll with the punches as well as Clooney does or wear a suit as sharply as Pitt. However, the boy's club atmosphere is pervasive and the film could have benefited from the balance of a woman's touch. Neither Julia Roberts's or Catherine Zeta Jones's characters make an appearance in the film and their lack of inclusion is treated almost dismissively. Ellen Barkin cuts a dramatic silhouette as Pacino's right hand woman, but her role is quickly reduced to sexpot comic relief when Matt Damon, in character as the translator of a high roller, seduces her in the third act using powerful pheromones.

An alternate point of intrigue could have been explored when Vincent Cassel, the smarmy French cat burglar from the second film is introduced. But he's wasted here, given almost no opportunity for dialogue and acting completely out of character for the sake of tying the two films together.

While Ocean's Thirteen does a better job of tying up some of it's more eliptical plot points than some of the other summer offerings, the final heist comes off feeling somewhat unfulfilling. There never really appears to be any threat of failure either from Pacino catching on, Cassel as the wild card, the authorities or even Andy Garcia's character from the first movie who the crew turns to him for financing when they've run out of cash. More than anything, the biggest threat to the con are small management details. While the unintentional labor dispute Casey Affleck's character instigates after infiltrating a dice manufacturer in Mexico is funny, is the any level of tension in whether or not the crew can reprogram a blackjack card shuffler?

Watching Ocean's Thirteen, I was entertained. But afterwords, it felt strangely hollow - like I had been conned myself. The fact of the matter is without a sufficient villain for Ocean and his team to match wits against, there's not much to admire in their adherence to the old "analog" ways of thievery. Like the actors and producers of the film, Danny's crew has been in the game too long. They know all the angles and there aren't any challenges left.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT COMPROMISE

by Tom on November 27, 2002 at 12:00 am
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(15 votes, average: 8.60 out of 10)
Solaris, George Clooney, naked, ass, Swordfish, Halle Berry, topless

The big crossover between Theater Hopper and Movie Punks is still going strong. If you haven't checked out Part 2 at Carrington's site, well, you won't have to because I've already saved it to our bonus materials page.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be standing in line first thing Thursday morning at Movie Punks to check out Part 4.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. For Part 4 to make any sense, you'll have to read Part 3, my strip, which has also posted today in the bonus section. Don't forget to check it out!

Today's strip calls to the fore a basic subtext of movie-going motivation in our household. Sure, Solaris will probably be a fun movie to see. George Clooney and director Steven Soderberg have done so many movies together, by this point they're sharing the same brain. I have no question to its quality.

But at the same time, Cami has a major crush on Clooney and won't object in the least to the reported ass shots he has committed to celluloid.

I like George Clooney. I like him a lot better now than I did in his old ER days. I think Clooney has used a lot of the power behind his celebrity to do some good within the industry. And I really respect him for not taking flack from that right-wing pinhead Bill O'Riely after then whole 9/11 benefit thing.

Clooney is also keenly aware of his appeal versus studio interests. In a recent interview, he commented on the leak about his derriere making a cameo appearance in Solaris. He cited the film's distributor Fox as the source of the leak. He basically made comments along the lines of how Fox doesn't know how to properly market and film for adults, so to generate interests, they let it slip that there was going to be some Clooney tush-action going on.

From a purely marketing perspective, you can't blame Fox for the move. Look how people are talking about it. The news HAS generated buzz. But kudos to Clooney for calling them on their "marketing of least resistance". It would have been more refreshing to watch a good film pitched at more refined levels.

I don't know if Cami and I will get a chance to see Solaris this week, what with all the holiday shenanigans (we still haven't caught Die Another Day), but I plan on making time. Even when Soderberg is off his game, he's still 90% better than anyone else out there right now.

Last thing I'll mention: Rick Brose of The 2econd Opinion was kind enough to review our site. It's fair and balanced and well worth your time to read. If not for his take on our work, but for the very thorough collection of reviews he has assembled on other topics far-flung as video games, movies, music and DVD's. It's a real treat. Check it out!

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