thinglets: Silent Star Wars

I know I'm a couple months behind on this, but it is very cool. I figured there were enough faithful lovehatethings followers that had not seen this. If you're a Star Wars fan, it's probably the best three minutes you'll spend today. If not, you should probably pretend you're watching something by Fritz Lang and be all pretentious-like.

The only thing I'd change in the entire thing is replacing the final "dialogue" frame with "CURSES!" instead of the existing choice. Nonetheless fun a-plenty!

lovehate podcast 208: How The CMPDA Made My Day

photo courtesy Manu Mohan (via www.sxc.hu)

Bereft of a topic for tonight's podcast, I happened upon a US-funded, Canadian copyright mercenary group at www.cmpda.ca and was astounded by their suggested list for where Canadians could watch legal content online.

I laughed. I cried. I got fellow DyscultureD podcast mate Andrew Currie online to express shared vitriol over the presumption of such a group to claim they protect creativity and somehow enhance artistic risk-taking.

A long effort to be sure, but I hope you enjoy it.

Some Creative Commons songs courtesy Jamendo behind the discussion:

  • Trafic de Blues - Time to Funk
  • Dieter Werner - Axiom of Going By
  • Revolution Void - Invisible Walls
  • Fhernando - Sexed Up!
  • Diablo Swing Orchestra - Heroines

thinglets: The "I Can't Believe I Saw It In A Theater" Movie

The Fish That Saved PIttsburgh is one of the worst films I've ever seen in my life. To top the fact that I've "seen" the film, I saw it during its opening (and only) week in a theater in my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. Believe it or not, this is the plot summary and probably the pitch that was given to sell producers on the concept:

The Pittsburgh Pythons are the worst team in the NBA. Most of the players think the reason why they are in the cellar is because Moses Guthrie who they feel is monopolizing the spotlight. So when they walk out, the towel boy, Tyronne decides to consult with an astrologist, Mona. They in turn decide to hold open tryouts and they only select players who are born under the same zodiac sign as Guthrie, Pisces. And what they get are some weirdos but they play together, they are phenomenal. When they start winning the owner decides to rename the team the Pisces.

Dr. J (Julius Erving), Meadowlark Lemon, and Jonathan Winters couldn't save this brick, nor could Flip Wilson's final film performance. This film is almost [and I emphasize ALMOST] so bad it's worth watching. If you're very bored, very lonely, or very high, maybe you could get more enjoyment out of this than I did as an 11 year old.

lovehate: Ten 80s Films I'd Rather See Re-Imagined Than The Karate Kid

With the remake of The Karate Kid - or as I understand, The Kung Fu Kid - in theaters right now, I continue my nostalgic cringe at the Hollywood drive away from original screenplays.

Even though I have no interest whatsoever in seeing cheesy remakes of cheesy films. Here are ten films that would seem to make complete sense to me if everything is fair game.

From 1980, Caddyshack with Justin Beiber playing the lead role, Will Ferrell playing himself as Bill Murray's groundskeeper character. David Spade doing Chevy Chase, and the corpses of Ted Knight and Rodney Dangerfield reprising their roles, because you just can't mess with chemistry like that.

From 1981, Das Boot: The Next Generation with Shia LeBeouf, McLovin, and Jesse Eisenberg playing descendants of the original German submariners who, for a grad school project, try to find the rusted hulk of a German submarine in the St. Lawrence Seaway with a laser pointer and a metal detector.

From 1982, Vlad Ghandi with Robert Pattinson as the vampire pacifist who tries to peacefully protest the British Petroleum oil spill in Louisiana until his pet pelican dies in the oil and Vlad Ghandi goes on a terror spree of vengeance.

From 1983, Scarface: Senior Year with Freddie Prinze Jr playing a 30 year old who tries to corner the drug market in a Miami high school after having to return when it's discovered he doesn't have a diploma while working as a bio-chemist.

From 1984, Rock Me Amadeus with Jack Black as Amadeus Smith, a guitar virtuoso whose talent infuriates his main competitor, Tommy Salieri played by Benicio Del Toro.

From 1985, The Lunch Club with the full cast of The Breakfast Club reprising their roles as a group of B-list celebrities who get signed to a Big Brother-like show where they have to write the best letter each week to not get kicked out of the club. 

From 1986, Stand By Me Or Else - Christopher Walken, Gary Busey, Steve Buscemi and Corey Feldman get locked in a room with a dead body and spend 4 hours of film time trying to convince each other that they committed the murder.

From 1987, Dirty Fencing - Matt Damon and Ben Affleck start an erotic relationship while working as fencing instructors at a lodge in the Catskills that culminates with a fencing exhibition montage to some song by Bill Medley.

From 1988, Rain Man 2: Charlie's Revenge starring Tom Cruise who reprises his role as Charlie Babbitt. After suffering a brain injury, Charlie finds himself unable to remember anything but lines from Tom Cruise films. Ellen Page stars as his daughter who must coax her dad into remembering the VIN number of a 1978 Chevy Van that contains millions of dollars in hidden Blackjack winnings.

From 1989, Field of Screams has Kevin Costner reprising his role where once again there is rustling in the corn, but this time it's the zombie undead players of the 1889 Toledo Black Pirates lead by Johnny Depp as Center Fielder Joe Quest who can only be stopped by knocking his head off with the bat he hit his last home run with and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader.

thinglets: James Cameron's Avatar Rips Off Nick Jrs' Wonder Pets

Over the past week I've been subjected to a torrent of children's programming on television. We're not talking after school specials here. I'm talking good ol' repeat a word or phrase 8000 times until we've brainwashed the yard ape fare. And while I can't say the experience was thrilling, it did galvanize into one stirring nugget that I'd like to assert presently:

The Wonder Pets pre-school serial operetta is an obvious inspiration for James Cameron's final cut of Avatar. I'm not saying one has to love Wonder Pets to appreciate this conspiracy (although the premiere episode where they save a baby chimp in outer space is perhaps one of the most surreal television experiences I have ever had). 

And sure, there are always going to be subtle differences, but hear me out Cameronites.

  • Avatar has a core team of three scientists working as an offshoot group in a human military/industrial complex on the moon Pandora in order to study and save the Na'vi natives. Wonder Pets has three pets that live in a schoolhouse and, during off-hours, they assume alter-egos to save baby animals around the world and in outer space.
  • Avatar has the brainy leader (Sigourney Weaver), the bold over-confident warrior (Sam Worthington) who tries to save the Na'vi alone at first, and the caring, but overmatched (Joel Moore). Wonder Pets have the brainy guinea pig leader (Linny), the bold over-confident duckling (Ming Ming) who often tries to save the babies herself,  and the caring, observant turtle (Tuck).
  • The Avatar scientists have to adapt to harsh and unknown alien environments to help the Na'vi survive. Wonder Pets adapt to jungles, tundra, ice floes, oceans, and outer space to help the baby animals survive.
  • Avatar scientists sync into an Na'vi genetic "host" to get the job done; the name for these hosts are Avatars. The alter-ego inspires the title of the film. Wonder Pets transform from school animals to Wonder Pets by jumping into costumes which makes them Wonder Pets - inspiring the title of the show.
  • The Avatars fly around on dragon-like creatures. The Wonder Pets fly around on the Flyboat.
  • Avatar's animation was based on rendering of live actors combined with CG environments. Wonder Pets uses photo-puppetry, allowing animators to use photos of live animals combined with drawn objects.
  • Avatar used an orchestra for a complex musical score. Wonder Pets uses a 10 piece live orchestra for every episode.

Oh, I could go on, but I believe it's painfully obvious that Cameron reached into pre-school programming to construct the final cut of Avatar. Cameron was desperate after years of being unable to come up with a follow-up to Titanic. Sure, the PR spin says he's been working on it for ten years, but that's an obvious fallacy.

I know that many of you have become Avatar devotees of late, and I hate to burst your bubble, but the Wonder Pets achieve in 8 minute blocks, what it takes Cameron almost 3 hours to do in Avatar. If Cameron cannot find a way to tell the tale of the Na'vi in 8 minutes with musical numbers, how am I ever supposed to take him seriously (I mean "seewiusly") again? ...if you watch Wonder Pets, you'll get that joke.

And I know you'd think I was pulling your leg here: "It's that crazy lovehatethings guy on about his pop culture bullshit again!" And if you thought that, you'd be right. But who cares? Like 3 hours of Avatar or 8 minutes of Wonder Pets, sit back and enjoy the ride in 2010.

thinglets: Film-A-Month Faves for 2010 (Part One)

My second annual Film-A-Month Faves starts with this January to June 2010 list. The release dates may change over the course of the year. I'm taking this year's information from www.film-releases.com. While I'm not saying that I won't see other films that come out, the thoughts of the lovehatemind may surprise you as we look into the future.

And if you're keeping score, my fav film of 2009: UP

My tweet review of Sherlock Holmes: "Imagine Basil Rathbone in Snatch and there you go."

My tweet review of Avatar: "Just went to see Avatar IMAX 3D: Good film that would've been great had it not tried to be amazing."

And so, on with 2010...

January

While Legion and Daybreakers kind of look cool for the popcorn munching side of my brain and Youth in Revolt promises more Michael Cera playing Michael Cera, (which, don't get me wrong, I dig most times) I'm going off book and choosing Saint John of Las Vegas. It's got Steve Buscemi, Sarah Silverman, Peter Dinklage, and Emmanuelle Chirqui in it. It's got Las Vegas in the title. Now don't get me wrong; I'm not the kind of guy who's gonna go for the obscure indie film just to score cred, but I really think this one has promise, and the thought of some of these actors getting the chance to play off of one another intrigues the hell out of me.

I'll also admit that this is a bit of a cop out as the film only releases in NY and LA in January and wider in February... I'm hoping they just forgot to put Toronto in the January limited release, so I can see it there.

February

Okay, The Wolfman looks is the popcorn muncher, and Cop Out (formerly A Couple of Dicks) is probably a film I'll make it to eventually out of respect for Kevin Smith and Bruce Willis, (because Tracy Morgan annoys the hell out of me) this month's pick will be Shutter Island. I'm not a DiCaprio devotee, but I'll admit to forming increasing respect for his abilities over the years. While this film also has an awesome supporting cast, including Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow, the biggest piece of the puzzle is Scorsese.

On seeing the trailer of this film it looks like your average horror/thriller, but why do I know there's got to be something more? Answering this question is what's going to take me to the multiplex to see this one.

March

Anyone else tired of the Burton/Depp matchup? I know I am. I like Depp in almost anything, but lately Burton's stagnation in his own style has made me disaffected. I mean, more power to him if he can make the films he wants, the way he wants to, but I can't take it anymore. Needless to say Alice in Wonderland won't be my March pick. Neither will Clash of the Titans, because while the camp value of the original picture was enjoyable, to scoop branding for a big budget epic they could have easily rebranded is disgusting. (The original Bubo was Da Bomb Yo!) 

Instead, I'm going with Green Zone. It's got three things: espionage, Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass directing (remind you of a trilogy). While it's not going to have a crazy made-up Depp or freaky CG dragons, [TROGDOR!!!] I do know that I'll probably be walking into the stylistic equivalent of the Bourne films. And while Burton's style has grown tiresome to me, Greengrass' hasn't... yet.

April

While Kickass and The Losers both look fun for pretty much the same reasons. Repo Men is going to win April for me. Jude Law is not always great, but is usually good. It simply comes down to the fact that in addition to Law, Forest Whitaker AND Liev Schreiber are also both in this film. That, combined with the quirky premise means it's something I've got to see. I know that friends will come screaming to me about how I may be missing out on McLovin' in a cape.

SPOILER ALERT: As far as I know, Repo Men, thankfully, does NOT include Emilio Estevez, though a Harry Dean Stanton cameo would've been off the hook.

And by the way, I will never, ever, EVER, EVVVVER! see MacGruber the movie.

May

Iron Man 2. Really. No shit Sherlock. I know it seems like a populist pick. While the cast of Robin Hood looks interesting, and CG of Prince of Persia will remind me of The Mummy Trilogy and probably be swallowed up by Sex in the City 2 on opening weekend, Tony Stark is the man... the Iron Man... wow, wasn't that clever? 

I suppose if I have to go beyond the limits of my suspended disbelief for a weekend I'd rather NOT go to Nottingham, be PERSUADED by Persia, or be CARRIED away.

Apologies for the wordplay. I'll refrain from doing that again and wrap up with...

June

June is going to be a HUGE box office month. First off, the films I will NEVER see: Killers, Marmaduke, The Karate Kid, Grown Ups. Films I will see at some point: The A-Team (though I dread its failure), Get Him to the Greek (could be hilarious), Jonah Hex (cast and curiosity).

My June pick, however, is Toy Story 3. It's been a long time coming, but no one tells a story like Pixar. I don't even need to know what the plot will be about because the characters and reputation are enough. There are not many films that you come out of feeling like you've been on a ride, but Pixar makes such films. I'm an unabashed fanboy... although why do I fear that Mickey might make an appearance?

And a sad final note to Part One of this two night epic post: The third Twilight is slated for June 30th, and I SOOOO wish I could say I'll never watch it, but I saw the first while typing a particularly angry blog post, and I was happy with the result. I may just need the Sparklevamps for inspiration.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part Two...