June 30, 2003

Shorts, 6/30.

"A frothy comedy is an unexpected place to find a clarion call to movement building. But that's okay, because it's this very unexpectedness that gives the movie its impact." Arianna Huffington in AlterNet on Legally Blonde 2.

Legally Blonde 2

And the director, Charles Herman-Wurmfeld, is one of the characters John Horn follows around for a long, rambling piece in the Los Angeles Times. The premise is rather weak - sometimes, franchises change directors - but it hardly matters. It's as good excuse as any to visit Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Mostow, Herman-Wurmfeld and Jan De Bont.

Also in the LAT:

  • "Jack Valenti's long goodbye is starting," writes James Bates;
  • Luke Wilson profiled;
  • ditto Demi Moore;
  • "Here we go again," groans Charles Solomon. The next horse to be flogged until it can be flogged no more: computer-animated family fun.

    But back, briefly to pop movies and pop politics. Milk Plus suddenly flooded its pages over the weekend. Besides a batch of new reviews (and a wonderfully mixed batch it is, ranging from The Wicker Man to Sunrise to CA: FT), "Shroom" asks an excellent pair of Questions of the Week: "What film best represents the positive aspects of American politics, culture, history, and/or society? Why?" The second is the same, with "positive" replaced with "worst." And "allyn" asks, "Can I wait to answer this question until after I've seen Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde?" Tee.

    Another busy weekend: Roger Avary buys half a dozen DVDs, goes to a Hollywood party and rediscovers the brilliance of Dark Star.

    Since The Nation won't let us read Stuart Klawans online anymore, it's good to see him appearing at least occasionally elsewhere. In the New York Times, he previews a series at the Film Forum, "The Freed Unit and the Golden Age of the MGM Musical": "No movie executive today can tap the wealth of talent that [producer Arthur] Freed had under contract at MGM, backed up by all the costumers, carpenters, electricians and painters he might need [and] no modern studio executive has comparable artistic credentials." Also in the NYT: Frank Rich on why the kids are alright (but the adults really, really aren't).

    After taking in the compilation film 11'09"01 and Alain Resnais's Night and Fog and Hiroshima mon amour, Doug Cummings reflects on "how we view tragedies of unspeakable horror through cinematic means."

    The Guardian asks, "Would you survive a teen slasher movie?" Also: John Patterson profiles Steve Buscemi: "He's everywhere."

    And in the Observer:

  • TV billionaire Haim Saban: "You have people in Hollywood who are multi-millionaires and can make a difference in this community - and they don't. All these producers and superstars are amassing huge fortunes. They should give away more";
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger profiled;
  • and Kaleem Aftab on how, ever since How Stella Got Her Groove Back, "To the sound of tills ringing, Hollywood woke up to the fact that black films need not feature drugs, action sequences or Eddie Murphy."

    Two via Movie City News: First, Mel Gibson has previewed his controversial The Passion at the New Life Church and Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. The verdict: A solid thumbs-up from Ted Haggard, New Life's pastor and president of the National Evangelical Association. And second, Ethan Hawke is to star in the first movie ever financed by an IPO.

    New Yorkers and Californians bump into movies in production almost as often as the good citizens of Prague. No news there. But when a movie came to Matt Hinrichs's neighborhood in Arizona back in the 80s... that was news. A neat handful of recollections.

    Most know Anne Parillaud as Nikita, as in La femme.... Now, she's appearing in Catherine Breillat's Sex is Comedy as... well, basically, Catherine Breillat. Fiona Morrow chats her up for the Independent.

    Foo Fighters, 'Low' Kelly Brook is sure she's The Next Big Thing and she's got a long cover profile in the Sunday Times Magazine to prove it.

    Online viewing tip. A major archive of MTV's The State. Via Ian Whitney. And speaking of MTV, one more, evidently banned by the Viacom network, via Fimoculous: The Foo Fighters' "Low."

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    Posted by dwhudson at June 30, 2003 7:55 AM

    • Comments

    I do hope, now that it's been demonstrated that there's money in dusting off your television show backlog & putting out entire seasons on DVD-- finally, the Ben Stiller Show is to be available for purchase!-- that MTV will finally wake up and stop sitting on some of its properties, The State first and foremost.

    If the world wanted to be really nice to me, I would not say no to the opportunity to pick up Austin Stories in a box set either.

    Posted by: M. Signalstation at June 30, 2003 9:54 AM

    Well, there's some good news at least to be found in the comments at ianwhitney.com: a DVD compilation of The State series is evidently on the way!

    Posted by: David Hudson at June 30, 2003 10:44 AM

    I knew there was a reason I got up this morning, and it was to hear that news.

    Also, to go to work, but mostly to hear that news. Thanks!

    Posted by: M. Signalstation at June 30, 2003 12:51 PM

    Was the State the series that contributed some cast members to that hilarious camp movie send up Wet Hot American Summer? Or was it Upright Citizens Brigdae? I always got the two of them mixed up...

    C

    Posted by: Craig P at July 2, 2003 2:43 PM

    Craig, it was indeed The State.

    Posted by: David Hudson at July 3, 2003 12:15 AM

    i'm looking for episodes from the show "austin stories"...anytime that i mention the show...i just get confused looks...mtv needs to stop sitting on the only decent shows to be on that channel: the ben stiller show
    the state
    sifl and ollie
    austin stories

    so...if anyone can help me...please email me

    Posted by: jeremy at September 9, 2003 11:50 PM

    I would really love to buy the Austin Stories series that MTV aired in 1997. I loved the show but can't find it anywhere. If you know where I could buy it please let me know.
    Thanks

    Posted by: Amanda at June 17, 2004 12:50 PM

    I loved Austin Stories too!!!! I still have a couple of episodes that I taped off tv, but I would love to have the whole set on DVD. That was such a cool show.

    Posted by: rebecca at September 1, 2004 9:27 PM