TPN :: The Movie Show » General

GHOST TOWN review (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

Administrator — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:26:40 +0000

I had the opportunity tonight to attend a screening of GHOST TOWN, the Ricky Gervais vehicle that opened in the USA in September 2008 and was released on DVD in December and yet STILL hasn’t opened in Australia officially. WTF?? It’s 2009 and we still have to wait months for films to open here? And the film industry wonders why people are downloading shit. Jesus H Christ.

Anyway… I’ll be honest. I didn’t expect to like this. British comedians usually don’t fare well when they make the move to Hollywood. Billy Connolly. John Cleese. Hugh Laurie’s managed, but not with comedy (okay, he had a small part in those talking mouse films). Simon Pegg’s big US film, “How To Lose Friends” was enjoyable, if very predictable, but not up to the standard of his own films by a long shot.

So… surprisingly, I have to say that GHOST TOWN works. It was written and directed by David Koepp (who we normally see writing blockbusters like SPIDER-MAN, INDIANA JONES AND THE CRYSTAL SKULL, WAR OF THE WORLDS) with co-writing credit going to John Kamps (ZATHURA). However, you’d SWEAR this was written and directed by Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It plays just like THE OFFICE or EXTRAS. Gervais has got to be hard to write for. His comedic sensibility is fairly unique. Koepp has managed to highlight his strengths though – you want to strangle Gervais through most of the film. He’s the usual annoying, self-absorbed twat we’ve all come to love. I hope this film makes millions of Americans go out and hire THE (real) OFFICE and EXTRAS out from their local DVD store.

A few other points worth mentioning.

TEA LEONI is getting OLD. And it’s showing. Living with Duchovny has NOT been kind to her. And we all know why. That said, she is still HAWT and it’s really great to see a 43-year-old Hollywood actress who is looking her age still get romantic leads. Meg Ryan and Helen Hunt seem to have been forgotten when their face started getting lines (and, in Meg’s case, bad bad botox) and I hope the same doesn’t happen to Tea. I’ve had a thing for her since The Naked Truth.

GREG KINNEAR. I usually HATE HATE HATE Greg Kinnear. I don’t know why. It’s something deep down in my limbic system that reacts with an instinctive lizard hatred to him. He’s… smarmy. False. Even when he’s not supposed to be. Fortunately, in this film, he’s SUPPOSED to be a prick, so the casting works.

GROUNDHOG DAY. That’s what I kept thinking through the film. They’ve stolen the Groundhog Day plot device (not re-living the same day over and over, just a guy who’s a selfish prick who falls in love with his perfect woman and then needs to learn to be a nice guy in order to win her love). Not that I minded too much, but COME ON guys. Can’t we get an original fucking plot? Of course, Chrissy reminded me that Groundhog Day stole it’s plot from A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and I guess she’s right. Dickens should get a writing credit on all of these films. “Original idea stolen from Charles Dickens.”

GHOST CONTINUITY. Okay. I know it’s a film about ghosts and ghosts don’t exist (no, really, they don’t) and therefore I shouldn’t worry too much about logic. BUT I DO. Why is it that the ghosts can walk through doors and cars and people and can’t pick up a drink but they CAN sit on a chair? Lean on a wall? Walk on the floor? Stand in a lift? Shit like that just bothers me. And it takes away my enjoyment of the film. I sit in the cinema asking myself “why don’t the writers THINK about this stuff??? why is it just me???”

Final point. This film made me tear up at the end. I hate that. Not that I hate tearing up per se, I just hate it when Hollywood screenwriters are able to push my buttons successfully like that. I’M ABOVE YOUR FEEBLE MANIPULATIONS YOU BOTTOM FEEDING SCUM. Or at least, I’d like to think I am. But yeah, I teared up, then needed to spend a few minutes while the credits were rolling, pretending to be checking email on my iPhone so I could leave the cinema without being seen having wet red eyes. There. I said it.

Go see this film. It’s quite funny.

The TPN Movie Show Podcast is starting again!

Cameron Reilly — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 08:00:38 +0000

I’m going to start doing this podcast again! If you want to join me, you can view our recording schedule and shownotes by adding our Google Calender.

The shownotes are kept at The TPN Movie Show Notebook.

My review of Clerks ll and Kevin Smith’s Q&A

Cameron Reilly — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 04:37:36 +0000

Last night (Friday, 25 August 2006) I had the extreme pleasure of attending the Melbourne premiere of Kevin Smith’s new film "Clerks II" followed by a three hour Q & A with Smith himself. The Astor Theatre was packed full of devoted fans who laughed their asses off throughout the entire film and then laughed perhaps even more during Smith’s talkfest. Smith introduced the film, walking up a steep flight of stairs and saying something about if he had fallen down them it would have been "more embarrassing than "Jersey Girl". Hehe.

First let’s talk about the film.

For those of you who haven’t seen it yet and who might be thinking "Meh, the last few Smith films didn’t quite hit the mark, I might give this one a miss", I say unto thee – GET YOURSELF TO THE CINEMA (opens in broad release across Australia on August 31st).

This film is a cock knocker.

The audience at the session last night – admittedly, Smith fans – laughed themselves silly and cheered at the end. This is one HELL of a sequel. Now – I’m a fan of Smith’s. Huge fan. Tried to get in contact with the guy so I could get a podcast interview with him while he was here but "his people" didn’t get back to me. Anyway… I’m a huge fan but I thought all of the films since Chasing Amy fell a bit flat. Not that I don’t give the guy massive kudos for doing what he does – hell, I’m not making films. Good luck to the fat bastard. But I just didn’t think the last few films were as good as Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy which are all, IMHO, classics. Clerks II is up there with them. It is tighter that a fish’s asshole. The laughs are non-stop and the requisite Smith themes of finding a purpose, hetero-male-on-male love, and modern relationships are all covered off in perfect style.

Dante and Randall are back and as funny and annoying as they were when we first met them 12 years ago. The Quick Stop has burned down (because Randall left the coffee pot on overnight again) and they are now working at a Moobys for manager Rosario Dawson, along with young Christian nerdy colleague Elias. Dante is engaged to a gorgeous blonde (played by Smith’s real life wife) but he has also found love with Becky (Rosario Dawson). During the film he needs to decide between leaving New Jersey (the movie takes place during his last 24 hours in NJ) to head out to Florida with his soon-to-be-bride to work for her father in a car wash or stay in NJ with manager Becky. Add to this mix Jay and Silent Bob, very short cameos from Jason Lee and Ben Affleck and Ethan Suplee (and a milk lady), a dance sequence, and you have a very entertaining film. As i said earlier, it’s got a million laughs that all worked.

Then we got to the Q & A with writer/director/editor/actor Smith which was scheduled to run for 90 minutes but instead ran for over three hours, past midnight, and only finished because the cinema kicked everyone out.

I’ve made a quick list of subjects Smith touched on (mostly prompted by questions from the audience) to give you an idea of the breadth of the evening:

pluto is no longer a planet which leads him to believe that a death star really does exist
getting sued by darth vader
the joel siegel story
superman returns, how much it sucked
how life changed since 94
yes, jen (his wife) is a milf
storyboard that had silent Bob dead pulled down from "train wreck" after an hour deliberately to get people talking
clerks animated movie Harrvey Weinstein wanted a theatrical version. "Clerks Sell Out", will probably come out on dvd. Smith yet to write script. Storyline – Randall & Dante make a film about being clerks.
A favourite moment – when Homer Simpon said "prove me wrong silent bob"
Another fav. moment, 1997, Ben Affleck goes to Thanksgiving dinner at Spielberg’s house, Lucas is there, Ben asks if he’s ever heard of "Clerks", Lucas replies "Yes, Death Star contractors, very funny".
How his sister feels about being cast as the animal masterbator in the original film
how does he feel about Affleck / Damon / Lee success
Mewes’ rehab to get off of heroin & crack addiction
Taking jay to meth clinic
AfflecK in same rehab, Jay says "check out this morose muthafucka"
Jay driving around with a deployed airbag really happened
Smith likes to LOWER expectations of his films to people treat him like a retarded Kid
How hard it was to get Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson to make the new film
Anderson runs a successful tile import business, never wanted to be an actor, has a love/hate relationship with the first movie, was just a customer at quick stop when Kevin was writing script
Keeps pitching tv show to HBO, gets accepted, but never makes it
37 episodes set in view askew universe
If first film hadn’t worked he would have Kept working at quick stop
Mewes had been doing the tuck thing for years, before Silence Of The Lambs
Duchovny was nearly in J&SBSB, wanted to play Cock knocker
big fan of rim job but Kevin Is a no for ass to mouth
big fan of Internet porn
spend ages describing Brazilian fart porn
Kevin’s brother gay married 12 years to a man
5 fav films:
jaws
jfk
do the right thing
a man for all seasons
last temptation of Christ
Clerks II already made $24 million from budget of $5
maybe in his 40s or 50s will make a Clerks III
likes to make up his own curse words
degrassi next gen going back to the well inspiration for Clerks II
advice to young film makers: write it and make it
"if a chimp like me can direct…"
next movie is a horror film, wants to cast no regulars just unknowns
jon peters rise to power
commercial failure of Jersey Girl didnt hurt his career, Gigli copped the blame for it
put him off big budgets for a while
prefers writing editing & q&a to directing
myspace addicted
loves friend approval, has 96000 friends
jay was on myspace a year and a half before Kevin. Jay gets laid from it.
MySpace brought in more people than view askew.
Shannon Doherty’s german attack dog
On directing his wife make out with other people – he likes to watch
she was sposed to play becKy but Weinstein wanted a name
if she was making out with affleck he might be worried but not o’halloran, women trade up but not trade over
backlash from prince – Smith walked out with the nda from Prince World in his pocket. The film he shot is being turned into a jehovahs witness recruitment film by Prince
Would he open a secret stash in Australia
The success of Clerks had a lot to do with timing. People felt over educated, under employed.Â
His fascination with Koala’s taking a poo
Will there be a sequel to Dogma?
His thoughts on the "brown coats"
hasnt seen firefly but mewes is a big fan
loves his fans to death
which is why this 90 minute Q&A now running over 3 hoursÂ
The story of Walt Flanagan’s dog – "Kill the baby brodie"
thought about buying the quick stop which was his fav Job outside of this one
rst video is shuttered
passion of the clerks original title people hated it
On getting slagged on entourage (cool with it)
because you edit your own films does the film change much from the original vision uses avid
how Mewes feels about smith putting his story out there, the story about mewes fucking Nicole Richie in a bathroom
The pussy troll scene inspired by Mewes who has fucked 300 chicks
harvey wanted him to show the troll in the film

VOTE for your favourite TPN podcast NOW! at the 2006 Podcast Awards!

Cameron Reilly — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 05:54:44 +0000

Quick! There are only four days left to vote for your favourite TPN podcasts over at the 2006 Podcast Awards!

Click here to vote and here’s a quick "How To Vote" guide like you’d get at your local elections.

TPN :: Gday WorldÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://gdayworld.thepodcastnetwork.comÂ Â Â Â

TPN :: The Best of TPNÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://bestoftpn.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Gadget ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://gadget.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Media CenterÂ Â Â Â Â http://mediacenter.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Mobile Technology ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://mobiles.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Mobile Media ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://mobilemedia.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Tablet PC ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://tabletpc.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Tech ConferenceÂ Â Â Â Â http://techconf.thepodcastnetwork.comÂ Â Â Â

TPN :: The Cranky Middle Manager ShowÂ Â Â Â Â http://cmm.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Personal Productivity ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://productivity.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Edinburgh Fringe ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://edinburghfringe.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Gaming ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://gaming.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Jazz ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://jazz.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Tha Hunga MixTape ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://mixtape.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Rock ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://rock.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Movie ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://movie.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Matt, Freak and The FatboyÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â http://mff.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The AFL ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://afl.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Golf ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://golf.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Grand Prix ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://grandprix.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The NBA ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â http://www.thepodcastnetwork.com/nba

TPN :: The Advaita ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://advaita.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Animal World ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://animalworld.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Dead SeriousÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://deadserious.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Father Bob ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://fatherbob.thepodcastnetwork.com/category/podcast

TPN :: The Gay Parenting ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://gayparenting.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Real Women ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://realwomen.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Surface Interval ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://surfaceinterval.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Cafe GeekÂ Â Â Â Â http://cafegeek.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Community Admin ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://communityadmin.thepodcastnetwork.comÂ Â Â Â

TPN :: A Late-Night Blues and Jazz Hangout Â Â Â Â Â Â http://bluesandjazz.thepodcastnetwork.com/

TPN :: The Smart Business ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://smartbusiness.thepodcastnetwork.com/

TPN :: The Geeks Of Hazzard Â Â Â Â Â Â http://geeksofhazzard.thepodcastnetwork.com/

TPN :: SOUSED Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://soused.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: ClaybourneÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://claybourne.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Health and Fitness ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://health.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Heretic – The Official PodcastÂ Â Â Â Â http://heretic.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Travel ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://travel.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Napoleon 1O1Â Â Â Â Â http://napoleon.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Social CapitalistÂ Â Â Â Â http://socialcapitalist.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Box Office WeeklyÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://boxoffice.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Applied Karate ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://karate.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The ValuesHacker ShowÂ Â Â Â Â http://valueshacker.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The All American ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://allamerican.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Melbourne Confidential Â Â Â Â Â Â http://melbourne.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Atomic ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://atomic.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Poly The Pollie Â Â Â Â Â Â http://polythepollie.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Alternate Health ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://althealth.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Digital Photography ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://digiphoto.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Internet Media ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://internetmedia.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Mellow Monday Â Â Â Â Â Â http://mellowmonday.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Bit Radio ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://thebit.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The PSP ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://psp.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The 2 Web CrewÂ Â Â Â Â http://2webcrew.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Alterntive Music ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://alternativemusic.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Extraordinary Everyday Lives ShowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://extraordinary.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Travel Stories Â Â Â Â Â Â http://travelstories.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Martial Arts Explorer Â Â Â Â Â Â http://martialarts.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Laugh Out LoudÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â http://lol.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Keoni And The WormÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â http://keoniandtheworm.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Podcasting APBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â http://podcastingapb.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Treading Lightlyhttp://treadinglightly.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: Hobo RadioÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â http://hoboradio.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The Ugly Girls ClubÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â http://uglygirlsclub.thepodcastnetwork.com

TPN :: The GlobalGeek PodcastÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â http://globalgeek.thepodcastnetwork.com

Casino Royale trailer ROCKS

Cameron Reilly — Mon, 15 May 2006 12:31:46 +0000

I love the combination of the old and the new in it, no high tech gadgets except the hand scanner, obviously going back to Bond’s first 00 assignment, but a contemporary setting… still got Dame Judi as M, but hes driving the DB5. Watch it here.

You Do The Reviews – We Sit Back And Relax

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:50:13 +0000

Okay, new concept time here. You guys see movies. You love movies. Okay, maybe you don’t have the time or inclination to do a whole podcast, but that’s doesn’t mean you can’t play on OUR podcast, does it?

Here’s what I’m thinking;

Step One – Click Here

Step Two – record a short movie review

Step Three – I’ll edit the best reviews into the show

Step Four – Ewan and I can finally retire to a villa in Umbria (separately of course) and enjoy the fruits of your labour

The Movie Show – Coming Back Soon!

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 12:20:22 +0000

Sorry folks, it’s been a little crazy here at TPN HQ. Ewan’s on a junket in the US attending 14 back-t0-back conferences and I’m flying all over Australia chasing my tail. The Movie Show will be back soon. Keep your aggregator burning…

SYRIANA – a must see

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 02:20:58 +0000

I finally saw SYRIANA today and I couldn’t wait for the next Movie Show podcast (Ewan’s getting ready to head to the US to cover the Razzies and I’m travelling as well) to tell you about it.

This film is the crowning achievement so far in Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney’s Section Eight production company. If the rumours are true, then it could also be one of the last films we see out of Section Eight, which in the last couple of years has produced such excellent titles as:

Okay, they were also behind the Ocean’s Eleven series (with Ocean’s Thirteen scheduled for 2007), but I can forgive them this big budget fluff if it funds everything else.

So, on to SYRIANA. This is the second film to be directed by Stephen Gaghan, his directorial debut being the little-seen ABANDON from 2002. He’s best known for having written the screenplay for Soderbergh’s film TRAFFIC, for which both guys won an Oscar.

Like TRAFFIC, SYRIANA is a very serious film. Instead of the drug business, this time Gaghan focuses his attention on the dirty aspects of the oil business and the geo-political machinations of the USA and the Middle East that keep the oil flowing – to the USA.

There are several complex plotlines interwoven in this story but, as Roger Ebert pointed out (hell, I’m agreeing with Ebert??? what has the world come to?!), you aren’t supposed to follow the plot – you’re supposed to be surrounded by it, overwhelmed by it.

If you don’t walk away from this film bothered as hell about we are going to do to divorce ourselves from our addiction to black gold, then I disown you. I’ll talk about it more when we do the next show. In the meantime, go see it. Now.

A Poem For Suw, by Neil Gaimen

Ewan — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 05:31:58 +0000

Suw, we miss you.. the SuwBot isn’t ready yet, but if it was, we’re sure this poem would have it spinnning it’s cooling fan at 104%…

The Day the Saucers Came

That day, the saucers landed. Hundreds of them, golden,
Silent, coming down from the sky like great snowflakes,
And the people of Earth stood and stared as they descended,
Waiting, dry-mouthed to find what waited inside for us
And none of us knowing if we would be here tomorrow
But you didn’t notice it because

That day, the day the saucers came, by some coincidence,
Was the day that the graves gave up their dead
And the zombies pushed up through soft earth
or erupted, shambling and dull-eyed, unstoppable,
Came towards us, the living, and we screamed and ran,
But you did not notice this because

(…continues…)
Link: Spiderwords: The Day The Saucers Came

” The Movie Show” Will Be Covering The 26th Golden Raspberry Awards Direct From Hollywood

Ewan — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 09:14:03 +0000

The nominations for the 26th Golden Raspberry Awards were announced in Hollywood this morning. The full list is at The Razzies website, with the awards ceremony taking place the night before the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 4th.

Along with coverage from ABC, CBS, TPN, FOX and NBC are a number of international organisations-

- Hold on… TPN? Yes, that’s right folks! The Podcast Network will be at The Red Carpet, covering the event for an extra special one hour “Razzies” show on The Movie Show. Host Ewan Spence and his Kilt will be there with microphone in hand, grabbing interviews with all the nominees, award winners, members of the Razzie Acadamey, and anyone else who decides to turn up to the celebration of all that is bad in Hollywood from 2005.

Often called Tinsel Town’s tackiest Trophy, the Razzie Award itself is an intentionally cheapjack tchotchke featuring a golf-ball-sized, handcrafted RazzBerry atop a mangled Super 8 film reel that’s spray-painted gold and has an estimated street value of $4.97. Will The Rock get Worst Actor for his turn in Doom? Can Will Ferrrel walk away with Worst Remake for Bewitched? What about a Worst Supporting Actor for Alan Cummings? And will any of them follow Paul Verhoven and Halle Berry and turn up in the hope they can collect their awards?

We’ve no idea, but you’ll be able to get as close as you can to the berry best awards ceremony in Hollywood thanks to The Movie Show on The Podcast Network.

The Jacket – another Section Eight film

Cameron Reilly — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 19:59:43 +0000

On show #25 I mentioned that I was very impressed with the film CRIMINAL and that it was a production by Section Eight, the Steven Soderberg / George Clooney production company and that it was executive produced (read: financed) by Mark Cuban’s 2929 Productions (among others). Well, if I’d bothered to watch the credits of THE JACKET as well (which I had finished watching on moments before recording the show) I would have known that it, too, was a Section Eight / Cuban production! I watched the extras on the DVD last night and you should take the time to check out the interview with director Maybury. It’s great stuff, especially when he openly states that he didn’t want Keira Knightley in the lead female role but was forced into it by Mandalay (Peter Guber’s production company). He ended up being pleased with the decision (and, come on, who WOULDN’T want to work with Keira???).

Anyway the bottom line is… I’m going to be actively looking for more SECTION EIGHT films. I think they are onto a winning formula.

Guns don’t kill people… Chuck Norris Kills People

Ewan — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 03:14:42 +0000

One of those moments you have to stop reading a web page and catch your breath between laughter was induced by the Chuck Norris Facts website…

Chuck Norris has counted to infinity. Twice.

Chuck Norris is 1/8th Cherokee. This has nothing to do with ancestry, the man ate a fucking Indian.

There is no chin behind Chuck Norris’ beard. There is only another fist.

Chuck Norris is the only man to ever defeat a brick wall in a game of tennis.

The quickest way to a man’s heart is with Chuck Norris’ fist.

Chuck Norris died ten years ago, but the Grim Reaper can’t get up the courage to tell him.

And what does Mr Norris think of these facts?

I’m not quite sure what to make of it. It’s quite surprising. I do know that boys will be boys, and I neither take offense nor take these things too seriously.

Tell us your favourite J-Horror flick!

Cameron Reilly — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 04:06:39 +0000

I just came across the term “J-Horror” in the latest edition of WIRED mag.

J-Horror is a term used to refer to Japanese contributions to horror fiction in popular culture. Whereas American modern day horror films tend to rely heavily on special effects and a multitude of sub-genre (i.e. slashers, demons, extraterrestrials, etc.), J-horror tends to focus on the psychological fear factor and tension building (anticipation), particularly involving ghosts and poltergeist.
(From Wikipedia)

I’ve seen a couple, but I’m wondering – what are YOUR favourite J-Horror titles? What should we be reviewing on the show?

DEVOT (2003)

Cameron Reilly — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 13:48:42 +0000

Tonight on SBS I caught a brilliant German film from 2003 called DEVOT (english translation:
“Devotion”). It’s an absolutely riveting thriller by writer/director Igor Zaritzky. Annett Renneberg in particular is stunning in the lead female role of Anja.

Plot Summary for Devot (from IMDB):
In total despair, Anja is about to throw herself from a bridge. At that very moment, Henry drives past in his car. Thinking she’s a prostitute, he invites her home with him. Anja pretends to be what Henry initially thought. She refuses to explain the reasons for her apparent attempt at suicide. The two begin to play strange games, engage in unusual sex, leading Anja to try fleeing the apartment, but Henry catches her. Forced by Henry, Anja tells him about Lilly who was raped and then killed someone, leaving Henry with the impression that Lilly and Anja are one, the same person. They play more mind games, make love, and after Anja going back and forth trying to leave, Henry finally lets her go. She goes, but is back again soon after. And with a vengeance, she causes a series of strange events which will change the course of both of their lives.

The Cinematography by Guntram Franke is also worth a mention. The main characters and props are very brightly lit against dark sets, in a fashion you often see in German films like DAS EXPERIMENT.

See it if you can!

ELLIE PARKER looks interesting

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 12:13:38 +0000

Back in 2001, after appearing in MULHOLLAND DRIVE with Naomi Watts, actor/writer/director Scott Coffey cast her in a short film called ELLIE PARKER. It was shot on DV and received a good reception at the Sundance 2001 film festival. He’s recently shot more footage and extended it out into a feature film.

Here’s the plot – Watts plays an Australian actress in Hollywood, running around from audition to audition, struggling to get her big break, her life a blur.

The irony? When they made the original short, that was Watts’ life. She had spent 8 years trying to get a break in Hollywood, with little to show for it. Not long after their short was made, David Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE turned her into a superstar. And now, in the same year she stars in the $200 million KING KONG, this little DV film, which basically reflects her life of a short 4 years ago, also hits the screens.

Nice.

The trailer for ELLIE PARKER is here.

speaking of X3

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 02:05:35 +0000

The guys over at Penny Arcade don’t appear to be big fans of the casting of Kelsey Grammar as Beast….

LOOK BOTH WAYS wins AFI Awards

Cameron Reilly — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 13:43:09 +0000

LOOK BOTH WAYS, the little Aussie film that Belinda and I attended the Premiere of back in July, last night won the Best Director and Best Screenplay award at the AFI Awards. Congratulations to Melbourne-based Writer/Director Sarah Watt!

How cool is Nick Cave though – he was also nominated for the screenplay he wrote for THE PROPOSITION (which I haven’t managed to see yet but the reviews are terrific….). He wrote it in a couple of weeks. Legend.

Two other Aussie legends, Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett, won the Best Actor and Best Actress awards for their brilliant performances in LITTLE FISH.

Supernova Pop Culture podcasts

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 02:34:50 +0000

Check out the podcasts our buddies from Cool Shite on the Tube are doing from the Supernova Pop Culture festival in Sydney. Congrats to Bruce and the rest of the Joffe Street Productions team for snagging this gig. They even recorded a panel with the brilliant John Rhys-Davies!

Goodfellas Ahead of Rosebud

Ewan — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 09:24:56 +0000

As far back as I can remember I always wanted to beat Citizen Kane in a movie poll.

Yes the Total Film Top 25 list is here, and I think these young upstart writers need to rember that you never ever ever move Citizen Kane off the top spot. You’re not allowed to place Goodfellas, Vertigo, Jaws, Fight Club or even Cam’s favourite, The Godfather: Part II, ahead of Rosebud.

Sort it out for next year or it’ll hang round your neck like a vulture.

Link: The Register.

Weâ€™re back baby…

Administrator — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 09:46:41 +0000

You donâ€™t have to wait any longerâ€¦our new system is all setupâ€¦all of our technology problems have been fixed (fingers crossed) and The Podcast Network is ready to re-enter the world of podcastingâ€¦biggerâ€¦betterâ€¦and stronger than ever.

Stay tuned for some really exciting news next week as we kick this thing back into gear, and I know that all of our excellent hosts along with Cam and myself hope that you have enjoyed the great podcasts that we have been providing for your listening pleasure since February 2005â€¦the ride has just started folks.

:)
Mick Stanic
Co-Founder, The Podcast Network

Don’t Panic

Administrator — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:50:14 +0000

Hi TPN listeners and fans,

Between the 29th of September and the 3rd of October, The Podcast Network web site will be undergoing some major server work that will increase (fingers crossed) both the speed and the reliability of the service you have come to love and cherish ;)

Access to the web site and the functionality of the RSS feed will at best experience a small blip of down time… and at worst…well..it could vanish into the bermuda triangle that is tech land for upto four days. I have also had to switch of the ability to post comments on all the sites till we are fully operational as well.

Stick with us through this little hick-up and I promise we will return to normal transmission as quick as possible.

Thanks guys and gals…

Mick Stanic
Co-Founder of The Podcast Network

THE ARISTOCRATS trailer and interviews

Cameron Reilly — Sat, 20 Aug 2005 14:10:08 +0000

Man I can’t wait to see THE ARISTOCRATS. Check out the trailer and shorts up on iFilm. I showed Belinda and my sister Anita the SOUTH PARK version of the joke a few months ago and they both nearly had a cardiac.

Al Pacino IS Napoleon Bonaparte

Cameron Reilly — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 05:56:06 +0000

News just in from ContactMusic and relayed to me by Garth Kidd!!!

Hollywood legend AL PACINO is gearing up for another career defining role after signing to play NAPOLEON BONAPARTE in a forthcoming biopic of the French emperor.

After striking up a successful working relationship with producer BARRY NAVIDI and director MICHAEL RADFORD on last year’s (04) THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, Pacino was keen to work with the team again for the Napoleon film.

Oscar-winner Pacino, 65, has been waiting seven years to play the diminutive Frenchman and only agreed to step into the 19th century role when he found the right film-makers.

Producer Navidi enthuses, “We’re going to concentrate on the last few years of Napoleon’s life in exile.

“We’ve based it on the diaries of British teenager BETSY BALCOMBE, who struck up a relationship with Napoleon when he was living on St. Helena, and with whom he subsequently became infatuated. We were overjoyed when Al finally signed this week – we start filming next summer and hope to take it to Cannes Film Festival in 2007.”
16/08/2005 17:35

If I’m not mistaken, this film is based on the novel written by Staton Rabin. Mick and I did an interview with her waaaay back in February where we discussed the upcoming film.

review: LOOK BOTH WAYS

Cameron Reilly — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 13:29:17 +0000

I was fortunate enough to be at the Melbourne premier of this film last night as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival. LOOK BOTH WAYS is a wonderful film which explores our fears of our own mortality and how we deal with the death of people close to us. It is a very touching film that manages to confront death and dying without ever becoming morbid. The use of animation during the film to portray the anxieties of the main characters adds touches of humour to what is essentially a serious and comtemplative film.

In her first feature film, Melbourne-based Writer/Director Sarah Watt has successfully tapped into that sense of death anxiety which surrounds us these days. Over the last 6 months, a number of people close to me have been diagnosed with cancer and ever since I’ve had this constant sense of “what if I’ve got it” brewing inside of me. It’s very easy to become paranoid and obsessive about it and this is what Watt explores in her wonderful film. The actors all do a great job portraying the conflicts, fears and doubts of their characters.

She crafts a story about seven people whose lives intersect while they are each, in their own way, trying to deal with life’s challenges, especially as they relate to death – their own or the death of someone close to them.

I really hope you get to see this film. This isn’t usually the kind of film I’d go out of my way to see (and it wasn’t out first choice last night either, it was the only thing we could get into), but it’s one of the best Australian films I’ve seen in recent years and I’m glad I saw it. Even though this is a film about death and dying, it’s also a film about hope and enjoying the eternal moment, because it’s all you’ve got.

review: VERSUS (2000)

Cameron Reilly — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 11:09:37 +0000

Ryuhei Kitamura’s VERSUS is, without a doubt, the best Japanese martial arts-cum-zombie film I’ve seen this year. How come I haven’t heard of this before??? I stumbled across it today in my local DVD store and I’m giving it four and a half stars.

Kitamura says he grew up watching “millions” of films and that’s where he learned his craft. He came to Australia to study film-making but quit after a week, when he realized he already knew everything he needed to know from watching ALIENS 90 times and MAD MAX 2 80 times.

He found Tak Sakaguchi, his lead actor, fighting on the street and approached him, saying “You aren’t putting your fists to good use. Why not be in my movie?” The rest, as they say, is history.

Gotta love that.

He also says that the actors he liked working with on set got bigger parts. The ones he didn’t liked got killed off early in the script (which he changed as he felt like it).

The plot? A couple of guys break out of prison. The escape through a forest. Some other gangsters meet them on the edge of the forest. They have kidnapped a female. Escaped prisoners and gangsters argue. Shoot out ensues. People die. People come back to life as zombies and attacked humans. More shoot outs. More zombies. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Sword fight. Limbs and heads are removed in the coolest manner you can think of. People die. People come back as zombies. Repeat. Get the picture?? Turns out the forest in question is one of the gates of hell, The Forest Of Resurrection, not that it really matters. Apparently the main characters have been repeating this battle for hundreds of years, not that it really matters. Who cares about the plot?? This is all about cool fight scenes WITHOUT the CGI.

Director Kitamura is a big fan of early 80’s film-making, before CGI ruined action films. He credits Sam Raimi, John “The Fucking Man” Carpenter, George Romero and Kurosawa as his inspirations, and it shows. According to IMDB, this was shot for $400,000, but it’s a hell of a lot more entertaining that the MATRIX sequels.

Kitamura’s recent film GODZILLA: FINAL WARS is getting great reviews and is showing this week at the Melbourne International Film Festival, so I’m going to try to get along to it. He’s also in production for a bigger budget sequel to VERSUS.

Blogging the Melbourne International Film Festival

Cameron Reilly — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 22:40:47 +0000

I knew there was a reason I started this Movie Show! I’ve never had a good excuse to attend the Melbourne International Film Festival before, but now I do! This week I intend on seeing NIGHT WATCH, KUNG FU HUSTLE and WOLF CREEK! Stay tuned for reviews!

Now that Suw is back from SF, we are trying to synchronize our watches so we can record another podcast… stay tuned!

JU-ON: THE GRUDGE

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 15 Jul 2005 11:38:14 +0000

Holy freaky white-faced boy batman! This is one scary-ass movie. I’m just catching up with this whole JU-ON thing and, I have to say, this is the SCARIEST goddam film I’ve seen in memory.

Takashi Shimizu has apparently made this same movie THREE TIMES. First it was a straight-to-video really, really low budget version in 2000 (and a sequel which followed), then this version I watched today which is a little-bit-higher-budget version from 2003, then last year he directed an American re-make starring Sarah Michelle Gellar with a significantly higher budget of $10 million, produced by Sam Raimi.

Shimizu summarizes the story in this interview as:

Itâ€™s a story about ghosts who kill. Once they are killed, their victims become ghosts as well and repeat the cycle.

I liken this movie to some of the work of David Lynch. The plot itself is less important than the pure emotive response the movie creates in the audience. There are pretty much ZERO special effects. The horror is hidden from the eyes of the audience for much of the film, all you see is the expression on the faces of those who DO see it. What makes this film scary as hell is the use of sound effects. You hear stuff you don’t see. You see stuff you don’t hear. You see stuff you ain’t SUPPOSED to see in real life. It’s all peripheral vision horror. You get a glimpe of something, and that’s a thousand times scarier than seeing something face on. The film builds up a tension until, in the climactic scenes, you see the source of the horror, and even though it’s just a woman with white face paint on, cralwing down some stairs, I had goosebumps break out all over my body (and I was pretty much in that state right through the film).

I started watching this film today at lunchtime while working out on my crosstrainer. At one point, a series of quick footsteps are heard running behind the main character. Because of where my crosstrainer is positioned in my surround-sound, it sounded like the footsteps were behind ME. I jumped off the crosstrainer with fright. I swear to god.

Don’t watch it alone in the dark.

My WAR OF THE WORLDS review

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 08 Jul 2005 06:02:32 +0000

IT’S CRAP! I’ll be talking about it on the next show, so don’t waste your time going to see it. Spielberg’s fallen into the same trap he did with AI and MINORITY REPORT – first two-thirds of the film is great, the last third SUCKS ASS.

BATMAN: DEAD END

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 30 Jun 2005 13:10:19 +0000

I finally just watched this famous Batman fan film on IFILM and it’s pretty bloody terrific. It’s from 2003 and the photography, acting and SFX are all well done. Here’s some info about it on IMDB. Writer/Director Sandy Collora started work at 17 at Stan Winston studios as a SFX assistant. He’s also made a Superman/Batman film WORLD’S FINEST (2004) which I have to see!

NIGHT WATCH 2!!!

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 15:01:23 +0000

Man, I only just heard about NIGHT WATCH this week from Bruce Moyle, and now I just watched the trailer for NIGHT WATCH 2 courtesy of Film Rotation. Check it out. It’s in Russian but who cares.

Film Rotation gives us a plug

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 14:47:31 +0000

Thanks to Gazz & the crew from the excellent Film Rotation blog for giving us a plug today:

â€¢ The Movie Show. An excellent new movie themed podcast has hit the scene. This weeks topic = Batman Begins and True Romance. Warning: thick Australian accents ahead.

I can understand the warning about MY aussie accent, but how in hell do you confuse Ewan’s deep Scottish brogue for an Aussie? Haven’t you guys ever seen a Connery film? :-)

Great BATMAN BEGINS interview with the cast

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 10:13:50 +0000

Check it out here.

BATMAN BEGINS *****

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 04:06:17 +0000

WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW>>>>>>

BATMAN BEGINS is the superhero movie I’ve waited my entire life to see. Despite his other excellent films (MEMENTO, INSOMNIA), this is the film that Christopher Nolan will be remembered for. Against all odds, he has managed to pick up a movie franchise that was destroyed worse than Anakin in the lava pits, and re-built is, brick by brick, into a character driven, genre masterpiece. Better than SPIDEY 2. Better than X2. This is the film every superhero franchise will be stacked against in the future.

I’ve been a huge fan of Christian Bale’s since AMERICAN PSYCHO. But his casting as Bruce Wayne was the only casting that didn’t have me terrified with this film. Although I’m also a big fan of Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman and, yes, even Katie Holmes, I had horrorful vision of another superhero film destroyed by needless stars. And Gary Oldman, an much-missed actor who, in films such as LEON, TRUE ROMANCE, and THE FIFTH ELEMENT has delivered some of the most memorable bad guys in the last 20 years, playing James Gordon, the only decent cop in Gotham? Get the fuck outta here. But damn, Nolan knew what he was doing. It’s the casting AGAINST type that makes the role work so well. I don’t know that Oldman could have played this character as successfully 20 years ago, but his recent spell in Hollywood wilderness, being reduced to HARYY POTTER films, has aged him perfectly into the pathos he conveys as Gordon, a good man surrounded by filth.

By big gripe with all superhero films in the past has been inconsistencies and huge gaps. Where do they get those wonderful toys? Who makes their costumes? And Batman most of all. How does the son of a billionaire end up such a badass fighter?

And you’ve NEVER seen such a hardass Batman as you will in this film. Let’s be clear – BATMAN BEGINS is one part superhero film, one part horror movie. Whereas George Clooney’s Batman fought off bad guys with Elvis-style karate chops, Bale’s Batman attacks his enemies in the same way the aliens do in ALIENS. He appears out of the darkness and shadows, swoops up his victims screaming and then disappears with their bodies. When he confronts a bad guy, he doesn’t talk to him – he growls at him, in a voice that conjurs up every demon from your worst nightmares. His cool gadgets, toys, car and costume are all explained. His ninja-like skills of stealth and fighting are also explained – he studied with ninjas for years in the mountains on China.

And the super villians are the most realistic super villians we’ve ever seen on screen. They don’t get around in silly costumes. The Scarecrow is a psychiatrist with access to weaponized hallucinagenic drugs which he has vaporized and sprays at his victims while wearing a simple hooded mask made out of canvas. Ra’s Al Ghul is a warrior of ancient tradition, bent on destroying Gotham just as “The League Of Shadows” has previously destroyed Rome, Constantinople and London when they became too corrupt.

Sure, there were a couple of moments that made me slightly cringe. Batman giving away his secret identity to his childhood girlfriend. The way his cape allows him to fly so far (I’m no expert on aerodynamics, but c’mon). The fact that the car chases in Gotham always seem to happen in extremely light traffic for a city of that size.

Oh and that’s another thing – Gotham. We’ve totally excaped from Joel Schumacher’s overblown architecture. No 100-storey statues. This Gotham is gloomy, over-crowded, filthy, desperate. A city that is collapsing under it’s own weight.

Another element of the film which is thankfully missing is the campy humour. Sure – there are a couple of momements where you will laugh. When Jim Gordon firsts sees the Batmobile and says “I gotta get me one of those”. When Bruce Wayne arrives at a party in a Lamborghini and , when the guy parking his car says “nice wheels”, Bruce says “you should see my other car”. Stuff like that. No stupid one-liners in the middle of an action scene.

My only regret with this film is that I won’t be able to share it with my 4 year old sons for many years. It is WAYYY to scary for kids.

At the end of the screening I went to, the audience clapped and cheered. I guess that about sums up my response as well. I can’t wait to see it again.

Harry loves BATMAN BEGINS

Cameron Reilly — Mon, 13 Jun 2005 22:38:49 +0000

Can’t wait to see this later in the week… a relief to know Harry digs it!

Wellâ€¦ I just got out of the BATMAN BEGINS screening and Holy Shit! This is the BATMAN movie weâ€™ve been dreaming of for a long time.

Film To Watch: Equilibrium

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 14:05:20 +0000

Holy Mother of Zeus – “Equilibrium” is one cool SOB of a film! The Cool Shite podcast put me onto it this morning. It sounded so cool that I went out and hired it straight away and watched the first half during my workout at lunchtime and the rest tonight. Maaaaaan! Christian Bale is one bad-ass in this film. Writer-Director Kurt Wimmer made one cool flick but it was buried at the box office (only took $1.2 million in the US) and apparently it had good international sales so Miramax pulled it from the cinemas and sent it to DVD.

Stunning cinematography by Queenslander Dion Beebe.

Imagine a world in the future, after WW3, where the architecture is all done by Albert Speer, the clothing all designed by people obsessed with “The Matrix” and Bruce Lee’s costumes in “Fist Of Fury”, and the artifacts are all designed by Apple. A world where all forms of feeling have been outlawed (to prevent anger, jealousy and, therefore, another world war) and a drug called “Prozium” is mandated by a Fascist government and is taken by the entire population four times a day. A world where an elite fighting force, trained in “gun katas”, annhilate anyone who doesn’t take Prozium and is a “sense offender”.
A world where… well just a world that is freakin’ cool. That world is envisioned in “Equilibrium”.

WATCH IT.

Postscript: I just watched the film again with Kurt Wimmer’s commentary on. Maaaan. One of the great commentaries. I love a director who not only explains casting and directing choices, but also is self-critical enough to reveal flaws in the film and scenes that he doesn’t think worked. Thanks, Kurt, for a very enjoyable commentary! I was interested to learn that the film was actually shot in Berlin and the Speer-like architecture IS actually Speer’s architecture!
Despite the flaws (mostly due to budget retraints) in the film, it shows a fresh vision and contains new ideas (eg. the “gun kata”) that reveals a writer-director willing to invent new cinematic ideas. That’s rare these days.

The Movie Show #6 – The Nick Frost interview!

Cameron Reilly — Fri, 29 Apr 2005 22:35:04 +0000

The Movie Show #6 – 29th April 2005 (1 hr 02min 56sec)
MP3 – 22.1MB

We apologise for the tinny “AM Radio” quality of the show but we had a really bad Skype day. But the content is so terrific, and Nick’s such a huge movie star, we felt we should give it to you anyway. Enjoy. Cameron.

Nick Frost on IMBD

1:00 Meet Suw Charman – our new host.
2:18 Nick Frost – that Captain Janeway is filth.
3:42 Nick’s biggest role to date… Willie Rushton
4:33 Bye bye Cameron.
5:00 The rapid fire interview questions.
7:16 Nick’s big break into acting… Spaced
9:19 His first day on set – how pant wettingly terrifying was that?
11:07 On Simon Pegg, landing the Mike Watt role, and faking acting.
14:00 The first pay cheque, “Terms and conditions apply.”
16:10 World Record holders
16:40 Nick’s own TV show… Danger 50,000 Volts
19:06 Wrestling alligators and being bitten by big alsatians.
21:00 Danger 50,000 Zombies and the special edition DVD
23:55 Nick on the big screen… Shaun of the Dead
24:35 Do you know what El Diablo is, Suw?
25:10 TV vs Film, and a sense of history.
27:05 Does it all come down to the budget?
28:35 Black Sunday and preparing for a role.
29:00 Ed’s backstory.
29:50 Method acting, growing a moustache and personal grooming.
31:45 Playing a zombie.
32:50 Hot Fuzz is in pre-production.
The cop/action/thriller set in Somerset.
35:30: La Triviata hopefully starting production later in the year. Nick on his local pub that became “The Winchester”
37:10 Simon Pegg interrupts us – Suw’s secret crush is revealed.
42:00 Working with Joel Edgerton on… The Kinky Boot Factory.
44:15 If you could be any character in any film?
46:00 Everyone loves Shaun of the Dead, including Romero, Tarantino and Rodriguez.
47:10 Nick (and Suw’s) memories of trying to do stand-up comedy, and what it’s like to die on stage.
50:15 Could Nick headline a film?
52:10 The death of Sir John Mills, and Nick ‘pre-Pegg’ and ‘post-Pegg.’
55:00 Nick talks about the last few years in his life.
56:00 Nick the writer and director… The Sofa of Time on Radio 4.
58:54 Suw in kinky boots on a bomb.
60:01 Coming up to the hour. Thanks Nick!
60:45 Nick chooses next week’s film… Napoleon Dynamite

The new Doctor Who quits

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 06:19:58 +0000

well… that didn’t take long…

Actor Christopher Eccleston has quit as Doctor Who after just one episode of the new series has been screened, the BBC has confirmed.

Well Ewan, what says you NOW sir?

My problem wasn’t with Eccleston as such. An actor can only work with the material he is given. Let’s hope the BBC producers see this as a sign to smarten up the show and make it a 21st century sci-fi show and not a sitcom.

Weinstein & Disney Divorced!

Cameron Reilly — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 02:05:36 +0000

This is big news for the film business. Coincidentally, I am half-way through reading â€œDown and Dirty Picturesâ€ by Peter Biskind which covers the rise of Miramax and their alliance with Disney. Interesting to note that the Weinsteinâ€™s are taking new films from Tarantino and Kevin Smith with them.