My Movie News

Earlier this summer I attended the Montreal premiere of Paper Heart, starring Charlyne Yi (who incidentally was on hand to present the film – more on that later) and if you’ve seen the trailer, then the movie is pretty much everything you expect it to be: cute, clever, quirky, funny and original.

The topic itself wasn’t anything novel (it’s about “true love”), but the approach used to broach the subject was pretty unique – the combination of real life interviews with real people and the fictitious storyline of her own blossoming romance with the uber-swoonworthy Michael Cera (armored with his usual awkward charm). “Is Michael like that in real life?” an audience member asked after the screening. According to Charlyne he’s not – he’s actually much more confident and likes to sing Barenaked Ladies songs – good to know!

Honestly, I can’t really trust online resources anymore, because I’ve read everywhere that they were actually dating in real life. See, in the movie she unwittingly ensnares Michael’s interest and they embark on a bond. Then, in the trails of true cinematic fashion they encounter a conflict, which is foreshadowed by Charlyne’s visit to a psychic. I won’t spoil the ending, but after the movie a curious audience member asked “Are you guys still dating?” to which Charlyne replied “No, because we were never dating (in real life).” Huh? But Wikipedia said…  Well, there goes my faith in the Almighty Wiki.

Anyways, onscreen there was some really fun chemistry between the two of them with Michael easily setting hearts aflutter everywhere. He doesn’t induce a Robert Pattinson-type mania, but his appeal seems rooted in something more real – he’s perfected that guy-next-door schtick to a tee and that familiarity does indeed breed liking, if not all-out obssessing.

Airy and uninundated by heavy concepts, this light docu-comedy looks at love through question-marked glasses, inviting both humourous and absurd answers.  Charlyne’s query leads her to several states, from Oklahoma, to Georgia where she talks to highschool seniors about to tie the knot, bikers, divorcees, young kids on a playground, and some of her own friends, like Seth Rogen who ends his sentence with that contagious trademark teddy-bear laugh, which scores points from the crowd.

What I appreciated most about the movie was the genuine humour that arose out of subtle incidents – facial expressions, reactions, Charlyne’s personal oddities – the comedic moments don’t rely on the Sasha Baron Cohen brand of overly-outrageous gags, instead, they are crisp, clever and a tad self-conscious – which is very fitting for someone like Charlyne. Her presence at the screening really illuminated the human side of film stars; she was nervous the whole time but funny all the same, she’s also a bit strange which makes her cool in her own way. This personality quirk smoothly permeates the entire film, creating a charmingly offbeat experience for everyone involved, viewers included.

Below are some pics of my film buddy Jeff with Charlene. She admitted to being nervous about the film’s reception, unsure if anyone would like it. Jeff assured her it was awesome. Good job Jeff!

Special thanks to my pal Walter for the following post on his meeting with the surprisingly hot, Eli Roth.

Is it wrong to liken a Jewish guy to the first pope?
by W.J. Lyng

The first time I saw Reservoir Dogs was a major moment in my life. The film not only introduced me to Quentin Tarantino, it also opened the door to the myriad of pop culture which had inspired the auteur, exposing me to a world of awesome I’m not quite sure would have been otherwise as easily accessible. Obviously, since then, I’ve been an insane QT devotee, taking as gospel not only his own directorial efforts, but the films of his well known entourage as well. If Quentin liked Robert Rodriguez so much, then I probably would too. This turned out to be absolutely true. Later, when his non-sexual man crush turned towards the young cocky horror director / geek Eli Roth, I followed along and have come to develop an admiration for him too. Of course, it helped that I’m kind of a big horror guy and that Roth had seemingly chosen to devote the entirety of his career to bringing us fantastically executed splatter fests.

Try then, just try for the briefest of moments, to imagine my excitement as I sat in Concordia university’s hall theatre at a quarter to ten on the closing night of the Fantasia film festival, awaiting not only a three week early preview screening of Quentin Tarantino’s latest oeuvre Inglorious Basterds, but also an appearance by none other than Eli Roth himself, one of the film’s stars.

At the risk of sounding sacrilegious, it was like getting an audience with the apostle Peter instead of seeing J.C. himself. This right here was THE MAN’S right hand man. My head was gonna pop.

I sat as close as possible to the screen without my eyes getting wet. As they went through the boring motions of naming the winners of the various categories from the festival, I could see Roth standing a few rows behind me against the wall, flanked by some studio heavies. Finally, Roth was called to the stage. I’m pretty sure I came close to restraining-order levels of cheering. At the very least, I’m relatively confident that I was the first to stand up and give the guy a standing O.

Roth proceeded to gush about his overwhelmingly positive relationship with Fantasia over the years, talking about the terrific sensation he felt when a then unknown Cabin Fever screened at the festival back in the day to an amazing crowd reaction. He explained, that Quentin himself had forced the studio’s hand to arrange this special screening, ensuring that Montreal’s fantasia crowd would be the first audience in Canada to see Inglorious Basterds. (Suck it Toronto).
It was almost like my whole life had been leading up this one moment …

The movie came and went in a Nazi-riddled frenzy of blood, guts and snappy dialogue. Just to talk a little about the film itself ( a novel concept), Basterds simultaneously delivers everything you expected out of the film based on the trailers, plus a whole hell of a lot more. It’s ‘guys on a mission’ combined with revenge combined with revisionist history. It’s also a movie about movies and not in the referential way that all of Tarantino’s movies are but in more of a tangible way that film, war and history buffs will likely appreciate. It’s over the top at moments and subdued by QT standards at other moments. It’s pretty freakin’s awesome, all in all.

Then the movie was over and it was Eli time again. He came back on, almost just as psyched as the audience. They opened it up to Q&A and you can bet your ass that I got a question in. Admittedly not a very original question, I got to ask if Eli was the only one considered for his role as the bat wielding “Bear Jew.” Although uninspired, the question drew good anecdotes from Roth about working with Tarantino and the revelation that both Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen had been considered for the role. I was in geek heaven … and then it got better.

The Q&A finished and Eli was quickly ushered out of the theatre. Damn, I thought. So much goes my chance for an autograph … of course I just happened to have copies of Hostel 1 and 2 on me … I exited the theatre and THERE HE WAS! Just standing around!!! I got the autographs first and then quickly went to retrieve my camera and cell phone from security, with whom we’d had to check the items for concerns of piracy.

I went back into the swarm of fans (ok, not THAT big a swarm) and asked Eli, whom I now considered to be a close personal friend, if a picture would be too much to ask for. Of course he obliged. And now I have Facebook profile picture that shall never be changed.

It was just the pinnacle of awesome.

1. Robert Pattinson

When I created the original 25 actors list, I hadn’t yet seen Twilight. If I did, I wouldn’t have ignorantly excluded Robert Pattinson from the list, because his Edward Cullen character could induce me to watch any movie, no matter how bad it was. I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I have indeed boarded the Pattinson bandwagon but it’s because he plays such a studly vampire – yes, even hotter than Brad Pitt’s take on the nightly creature. Ok, here’s the truth, I kind of created this list, JUST so I could put Robert Pattinson on it. That’s how crazy this whole thing has gotten.

2. Milo Ventimiglia

I first saw him in Gilmore Girls where he didn’t really do anything for me. Then suddenly, his hotness-meter peaked the minute he appeared on Heroes – maybe it was the hair, maybe it was his conflicted personality, maybe it was because he possessed the best power on the show. Whatever it was it sure sparked my attraction for short guys with crooked smiles. For all the dudes, Milo’s living proof that you don’t need to be 6′1 or have the body of a wrestler to win hearts – all you need to do is work those mutant super powers!

3. Michael Rosenbaum

Michael is on the list because after he left Smallville I haven’t seen him since. And that’s a shame because his talent is remarkable, at least when it comes to portraying the legendary villain Lex Luthor, which is more or the less the only role I’ve seen him in. He dressed up as a woman in Sorority Boys, but that was so long ago it no longer counts. He was also in Sweet November, but that movie was so bad I choose to discount it. I’d rather look forward to his future work, where hopefully he won’t have any hair, because he makes the best-looking bald guy ever.

4. Bill Hader

Comics are quite popular on my lists because funny guys are the best guys (though nice guys finish first). Bill Hader is hilarious! I’ve sat through the most inane movies just because he was in them, (ie: Hot Rod) for he never fails to do or say anything un-funny. I just love his zany facial expressions and that absurd high-pitched voice he makes. He’s one of those guys with that unique sense of humour, who’s instantly recognizable but isn’t yet a household name. He’s currently an SNL alum which is pretty much home to the new generation’s crop of cool comedians.

5. Taylor Kitsch

I know there’s a disproportionate amount of hot men on my lists, but I swear it’s just a coincidence – I’m not that superficial! But… but I will readily admit that Taylor Kitsch is on the list precisely for his good looks. He plays Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was the first time I’ve seen him and frankly, I look forward to seeing a whole lot more!

I’m not a hater, really I’m not.

But the implicit message is clear: Young Hollywood annoys me! Maybe it’s overexposure (in the tabloids, blogs, and bad movies). Maybe there’s little variation in levels of talent, or (although unlikely) maybe I’m just jealous.

But there are still some famous female faces who don’t trigger the ‘hater!’ alert, who don’t grind my gears and most importantly, who have no effect on my flimsy ego.

Here they are:

1. Kristin Kreuk

I will always love Kristin! Even if she keeps limiting her potential by picking the worst projects, such as Street Fighter which I hated, or Partition, which was so low-key I’m not sure if anyone’s seen it. She’s still the classic A-girl for her work in Edgemont and Smallville – in fact she was my main reason for watching them (this had nothing to do with her being one of the most surreally beautiful people on the planet). Not sure how much longer she’ll stay in the acting game though, as she’s currently devoted to Girls By Design, a project for young female empowerment, as well other humanitarian causes as seen through her youtube vids. That might be good for me, as it would bring her down to the level of “normal” people, and maybe increase my chances of actually meeting her!

2. Kat Dennings

The entries on her blog seem to be self-written, her candor is unexpected, there’s no snobbery of any sort, no entourage or drunken party pics, just the musings of a quirky, imaginative and personable girl who makes Youtube videos and rambles on Twitter – it’s like you kind of know her! (Yeah, riiight…) She’s had some prominent roles (Charlie Bartlett, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) but none that have thrusted her too starkly into superstardom. But with her talent and appeal, I predict some mightier scripts coming her way – so appreciate her now while she’s still approachable, and low on the ego.

3. Kristen Bell

My boyfriend loves her, but so do I. Because although she is beautiful, she’s not perfect and thus, non-threatening. Apart from that useless tidbit of info, she was first-rate in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, for her comical cuteness which really made her endearing despite playing the antagonist. Guest appearances on Heroes also found her extremely likable for being a bad-ass who was really just vulnerable underneath it all. Plus, she teamed up with Sylar which made her extra cool by association (at least until he… you know).

4. Rosario Dawson

Seeing her in Seven Pounds put her firmly on my radar and I’ve since declared her under-rated. Sure I’ve never really seen any of her other movies, but that doesn’t mean I won’t watch her future films. Wait, actually I have seen Sin City, so there you go, I do have a basis upon which to judge her talent. Interviews and photos demonstrate her down-to-earthness and a natural affinity for being herself – which is always a welcome change in a world of superficial clones.

5. Hayden Panettiere

She plays a beautiful blond cheerleader and she’s dating Heroes superstar Milo Ventimiglia. Logic dictates I should be oozing envy – but I’m not (I’m not like that!) Truth is, she’s  a great actress – when Claire Bennet cries, so do I. Plus, I do give her props for snagging Peter Petrelli – he is the hottest cast member after all! She’s making the big-screen leap later this year in I Love You, Beth Cooper, but this isn’t her first major film role. Go back and watch Remember the Titans and you’ll see why she’s a big timer. (Update: I just found out her and Milo split up 3 months ago. As you can see, I don’t follow celebrity gossip!)

I have a confession that could potentially undermine my credibility as a non-professional film critic and alienate me at future dinner conversations with friends and respected acquaintances – an admission that will surely leave me open to all sorts of ridicule and maybe even social condemnation, but here it is:

I am a Twilight fan.

There I did it. It’s admitted. But I could feel my rationality receding in embarrassment, along with my band of former supporters. Hmm… my approval ratings have dropped. The applause has stopped. I almost feel like I’m standing alone on an empty stage, under the bright spotlight of scrutiny.

An explanation is required.

Two words: Edward Cullen.

Four words: Edward Cullen – so hot.

I used to see Robert Pattinson in pictures and I just couldn’t get why girls went so ga-ga over him. He was just not that attractive! And what was the deal with Twilight? Why was it invoking such dramatic heights of hysteria? “I would never be one of those girls” I assured myself, “Those are some weird-ass beeches!” I saw it as just another Highschool Musical/Hannah Montana/Jonas Bros craze that afflicted only the young or drug-induced. Those tweens and teeny-boppers of the new-aged Disney generation whose collective obsessions obscured evidence of logic or cognitive maturation, who fled in droves to the objects of their affection  like it was crack cocaine for kids. And it is. I’ve been afflicted.

I’ve finally seen the “light” in Twilight and I’m even kind of ashamed for being so adamantly against it in the first place. And now, it’s an addiction. And by “it” I mean Edward. There’s  just something so magnetically appealing, something that elicits compulsive urges in me to Google his pictures and watch clips of him on Youtube and even to rewind certain parts of the movie. My favorite scene is when he ricochet’s the apple off his foot and it lands squarely in his palms. And then he smiles. Or when he first introduces himself to Bella, apologizes for their initial mishap, and then smiles. Or that part where he peers into the microscope in biology class, says a few nonsensical sentences and then, smiles. Or the iconic cafeteria scene where he walks in, slow-mo, and what do ya know? He flashes that euphoric smile and it’s like suddenly all the doves in the universe have been released into the vast, majestic sky to flutter about in search of their own cosmic bliss. Sigh…

Just hearing myself say these things makes me squirm with disbelief – this is not me? This can’t be. I sound just like those teeny-boppers I so often berate, and that makes my soul shrivel up in shame.  I thought I was done with these youthful infatuations, thought I left them behind in the 8th grade with all my Taylor Hanson posters. Apparently this is not the case.

Apparently I’m just one of them – underneath the stoic façade I’m just a deranged fanatic who swoons over vampires and inaccessible lads. Is there a cure for this Cullen/Pattinson obsession? For the sake of my life’s goals, I hope the answer is yes. I can’t stay this girl forever. Sooner or later, I’ll have to forsake these inclinations and grow up for good.

I’ll have to admonish that part of me who finds fun in such useless time-wasters as Youtube-ing the  “Edward Cullen Smile Tribute” (favorited!)

Sooner or later, yes.

Preferably later, as in after New Moon!