Movies I've Seen This Year

Top ten coming soon. Ending 2011 with 95 films, though expect to add many more to that with screeners in January. But the pool my top ten will come from is below!

After the jump, natch :)





No Strings Attached
Red Riding Hood
The Adjustment Bureau
Battle: Los Angeles
Hanna
Sucker Punch
Jane Eyre
Thor
Something Borrowed
Attack The Block
X-Men: First Class
Super 8
Bridesmaids
Green Lantern
Transformers 3
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two
Captain America
Melancholia
Cowboys & Aliens
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Crazy Stupid Love
Drive
Bellflower
Paul
Rango
Miss Representation
Fright Night
Finding Joe
The Roommate
The Sound of My Voice (2012)
50/50
Lion King 3D
Abduction (Because I had to. I promise.)
Moneyball
What's Your Number
The Dead
Like Crazy
Green
The Loneliest Planet
With Every Heartbeat
Beyond The Black Rainbow
The Adventures of Tintin
Extraterrestrial (2012)
Kill List
Light of Mine
Footnote
Haywire (2012)
Into the Abyss
Pina
Oslo, August 31
Target
Coriolanus
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Kid with a Bike
The Dish and the Spoon
Michael
Jeff Who Lives At Home(2012)
Carre Blanc
Spark of Being
Shame
Attenberg
Kinyarwanda
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Griff the Invisible
Immortals 3D
Breaking Dawn
The Muppets
Hugo 3D
Midnight in Paris
The Guard
The Descendants
Albert Nobbs
A Dangerous Method
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Beginners
The Help
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows
The Iron Lady
My Week With Marilyn
War Horse
Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol
The Ides Of March
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Young Adult
Margin Call
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
Take Shelter
Tree of Life
Horrible Bosses
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Artist
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Certified Copy
The Trip

Additional:
New Years Eve
Puss in Boots
Warrior

Win Win
Carnage

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The Definitive Differences Between Tintin and Rin Tin Tin

Cross-posted on and commissioned by Film.com

Image: alittlewhitenoise.com


With The Adventures of Tintin opening this week, I keep encountering lots of folks asking questions like, “What is it about? A dog? So what?! Who cares?!” “Yes, there’s a dog in it, but — stop — you’re thinking of Rin Tin Tin, aren’t you?” And I realized that way too many people actually don’t know the difference between Tintin and Rin Tin Tin. When I got to thinking about it, I didn’t really know the difference when the Tintin movie was first announced either. To add to the propensity for mixing the two up, a few months ago Susan Orlean’s Rin Tin Tin biography was released to stellar reviews and jumped to the top of the best-seller charts. So we figured it was time to break it down so no one will ever make this mistake again.

-Tintin is a fictional boy who owns a fictional dog.
-Rin Tin Tin is a real life German Shepherd dog who played fictional dogs, and was succeeded by Rin Tin Tin Jr., Rin Tin Tin III, Rin Tin Tin IV … you get the idea.

-There is a lot of debate over where the name Tintin came from. It was a popular name at the time, and there are quite a few theories as to why the boy scout meets detective meets reporter ended up with the name he did. Some say it is an homage to Benjamin Rabier’sTintin lutin, others think it’s simply short for Martin or Augustine, and some believe the name signifies “nothing,” referencing Tintin’s purposeful blank slate and cryptic nature. A popular theory is that the name is not even the character’s real name, but a pseudonym used to protect his identity. But, fun fact: Snowy the dog was supposedly named after one of Herge’s ex-girlfriends.
-Rin Tin Tin was named after Rintintin and Nénette, the woolen dolls that French children gave to soldiers in the war as good luck charms.

-Tintin is from Brussels, Belgium, and was created in 1929.
-Rin Tin Tin is from Lorraine, France, 193 miles away, born in 1918.

-Corrected: From the comments section, Tintin was a comic, then 2 plays, then a stop-motion film, then an animated TV show, then another animated TV show, then 2 live-action films, then 3 animated films, then 3 more plays, then a video game, then a third animated TV show, then 4 more video games, then a sixth play, then two musicals, and then a mo-cap movie and accompanying video game. Also 2 short films and 3 magazines.
-Rin Tin Tin appeared in a series of movies and was the subject of three radio series. After his death, other dogs took over and one of these starred in a ’50s TV series entitled The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. Rin Tin Tin and his ancestry also had many the endorsement deal.

-Tintin was its most popular in the ’50s.
-Rin Tin Tin reached true popularity in the silent movie era of the ’20s — other German shepherds would later take his name and continue the tradition, but the true one, from a litter of shell-shocked pups found in WWI, only lived from 1918 to 1932.

-Tintin was translated into 80 languages and has sold over 350 million books.
-Rin Tin Tin was a huge star of silent film (and four color features!) and is credited with saving Warner Brothers from bankruptcy.

-Tintin solved the Secret of the Unicorn, found Red Rackham’s Treasure, and went to the moon. In Herge’s comics.
-Rin Tin Tin has a star on the walk of fame, a key to the city of New York, and was supposedly the true winner of the first Oscar for Best Actor by write-in vote. In real life.

-Tintin’s sidekicks were a terrier named Snowy and a drunken captain named Haddock.
-Rin Tin Tin had a variety of sidekicks in his films, but in life was loyal to one Lee Duncan. On television, Rin Tin Tin IV’s human companion was named Rusty.

-When Tintin creator Herge died in 1983 at age 75, he made it clear that the comic would not go on without him, but gave Spielberg his blessing to make a movie long before then.
-Rin Tin Tin allegedly died in Jean Harlow’s arms at age 13.

-Tintin can now be found on the big screen in The Adventures of Tintin, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, and Daniel Craig.
-Rin Tin Tin was buried in the famous pet cemetery in Asnières-sur-Seine, Cimetière des Chiens, and the current Rin Tin Tin is 12th in the line, the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of the original. He still makes personal appearances.

It should also be noted that when pronounced with a proper French accent, Tintin *sounds* a lot more like any number of other words, but especially Tauntaun, a white furred biped native to the fictional planet Hoth, most famous for providing Luke Skywalker with a warm bed for the night after being attacked by a Wampa. While mixing up Tintin with Rin Tin Tin has become an acceptable reality, confusing Tintin with a Tauntaun is just plain silly, if not more aurally accurate. To diffuse further confusion, Tintin should also not to be confused with Tun Tun, who is known as the first woman of Hindi comedy; Tenten, a popular supporting character from the manga series Naruto; Tonton, a muppet in the Jordanian version of Sesame Street; or Tantans.com, your number one stop for indoor tanning lotion, dark tanning lotion, sunless lotion, and self-tanner!

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Geek Gingerbread Creations

I have the most awesomely geeky friends.

Battlestar Galactica Themed Creation by me and @thedanifesto

Game of Thrones Themed Creation by @scarletscribe

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December at the Movies

Cross-posted on and commissioned by Film.com

Well folks, this is it. The last month of 2011. In which we are bombarded with dozens of movies and told each one is the best of the year. So which of the vast variety of films being released in December should make it on to your radar and which should you leave behind? Take a look at our preview below.

A Break From Oscar Madness

A Warrior's Heart (Dec 2nd)

I don't even want to tell you, I just want you watch the trailer. Is that mean? Okay, fine. This is a film about a kid acting out cause his dad died in war, so he gets sent to Lacrosse camp. It stars Kellan Lutz as the slightly normally named Conor, Ashley Greene as the slightly ridiculously named Brooklyn, and Chord Overstreet as the okay-who-wrote-this-named Dupree. The quote ON the official apple trailers page is "Twi-hards out there are going to love this!" from PEREZ HILTON. Oh and the movie is rated PG. Gold. It's all gold.

Am I seeing it? Under no circumstances.

New Year's Eve (Dec 9th)

It's like Valentine's Day, but on New Year's Eve! And somehow, even knowing what Valentine's Day was and being fully aware of its (lack of) quality, 137,000 major stars still signed on. Some folks even RETURNED, like Jessica Biel and Ashton Kutcher. This time around though we get some Seth Meyers and some strange Zac Efron/Michelle Pfeiffer May/December action, so all is not lost. Oh wait, I forgot Lea Michele is in this. Yeah. All is lost.

Am I seeing it? Let's be honest. I saw Valentines Day opening weekend. So. Yes.

The Sitter (Dec 9th)

Inspired by the 1987 classic Adventures in Babysitting, but with a hard R edge, this comedy follows Jonah Hill on a wild night of babysitting. It's also the last film Hill shot before beginning his journey towards massive weight lost, so enjoy it while you can, folks. I love Pineapple Express, but am still pretty burnt from Your Highness, so I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this latest offering from David Gordon Green.

Am I seeing it? I've been terrible about seeing raunchy comedies this year, so probably not in theaters, but I wouldn't be against a rental down the line.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (Dec 16th)

These just keep happening, don't they? I haven't seen one yet and I probably never will (although The Chipmunk Adventure from 1987 is awesome), but man do kids LOVE these. In this, the third in the new Chipmunks series, the Chipmunks and Chipettes get stranded on a desert island and inevitably, wackiness ensues.

Am I seeing it? Why no, I am not.

Thrilling Thrillers!

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Dec 9th)

British espionage thriller set during the Cold War, based on the novel by John le Carré, which was also the source material for the 1979 mini series starring Alec Guinness. It stars a collection of fantastic actors featuring Gary Oldman being awesome in the leading role, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, and more. Oh and the director is Tomas Alfredson aka the genius behind Let The Right One In.

Am I seeing it? Oh yes, loves me a good spy movie

More after the jump



Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Dec 16th)

A sequel to Sherlock Holmes! Yay? The first one was just fine, so….sure! But in all honesty, I think this is some of Jude Law's best work, getting to kind of dork out, Downey is always fun to watch, and Jared Harris RULES. He's a great pick for Moriarty. Should be a great deal of fun in any event.

Am I seeing it? Sure! Just not necessarily opening weekend.

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (Dec 21st)

The fourth mission impossible movie with a stellar cast including Tom Cruise refreshingly not being stupid, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg and Josh Holloway. In this installment, the IMF is shut down, so Ethan Hunt and his posse go rogue to restore honor to their organization. Mmm. I love the word rogue. The trailer is increda-balls, but watching it once was enough. I'm convinced I want to see it, but don't want the chance to watch it again and accidentally start figuring out plot twists.

Am I seeing it? Date night!

The Darkest Hour (Dec 25th)

In this action/horror/sci fi flick inexplicably coming out in December, a bunch of twenty somethings try to survive after an alien invasion hits Russia. The young cast includes Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Rachael Taylor and Max Minghella and not gonna lie, the film actually looks pretty scary and much better than Skyline, the film to which many critics are drawing comparisons based on the trailers.

Am I seeing it? I'm interested, but whether or not I bother to see it in theaters will depend on what I hear about the 3D.


Acting 101

Shame (Dec 2nd)

Steve McQueen's follow up to 2009's Hunger, starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan in this harrowing tale about the tolls sex addiction can take on a person's life. A difficult but beautiful film which such subtly magnificent performances, I fear they, along with McQueen's direction, will be all too ignored come Oscar time. A must see.

Am I seeing it? Already did and loved it

We Need To Talk About Kevin (Dec 2nd)

Tilda Swinton stars as a mother living her worst nightmare in this brilliantly acted and directed film. According to an interview conducted by Movies.com's David Ehrlich, director Lynne Ramsay has said if We Need to Talk About Kevin were named as Shame was named, it would be called Guilt or Pride. And that is all I think I want you to take with you when you see this movie for yourself. Because you simply MUST see this movie as soon as possible.

Am I seeing it? I've seen it, it's one of the best of the year, and I can't wait to see it again

Young Adult (Dec 9th)

Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody's latest about a writer who goes back to her small hometown after her divorce, and sets her eyes on her now married high school sweetheart, starring Charlize Theron in what seems to me, the role she was born to play. I'm normally very "meh" when it comes to Theron, but I love everything she's doing in the trailer and film itself seems like a hoot.

Am I seeing it? As soon as I can.

I Melt With You (Dec 9th)

Four friends meet up for their yearly debauchery, but an incident forces them to think about the lives they've led and who they've become, starring Rob Lowe, Thomas Jane, Jeremy Piven and Christian McKay. But hey, it's mostly four guys talking and doing drugs, so it's probably fascinating from an acting point of view.

Am I seeing it? Let's just say, something major was spoiled for me that turns me off 100% from the film so….no. I'm not really interested in a bunch of men going through a mid-life crisis anyway.

Carnage (Dec 16th)

Roman Polanski's adaptation of the Tony winning play God of Carnage, about two sets of parents who meet up to talk after their kids get into an altercation at school. featuring an all star cast of Oscar nominated actors, three of them previous winners - Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C Riley. I've heard mixed things about the film, as it's a story about rather unlikeable people and those kinds of movies aren't for everyone, but if you have an interest in watching great actors work their craft, this is the film for you.

Am I seeing it? Not rushing out to or anything, but yes

Albert Nobbs (Dec 21st)

Glenn Close dresses like a man in order to work and survive in 19th century Ireland in this film based on true events, also starring Aaron Johnson, Mia Wasikowska and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. It appears as though Wasikowska's character is involved in a love triangle with Close and Johnson which is all kinds of I've Gotta See This. Plus, Close is a shoe-in for an Oscar nod.

Am I seeing it? Between the great acting and Aaron Johnson playing a 19th century playboy? Of course!

The Iron Lady (Dec 30th)

The Margaret Thatcher biopic we've all been waiting for! Yes, that was sarcastic, but there's some truth hidden in all sarcasm, right? Frankly any opportunity to get to see Meryl Streep act her face off is one I will jump at, especially when she is portraying the only female Prime Minister in UK history. Plus, Tony Head is in it! Hashtag Buffy alums!

Am I seeing it? But of course! Love Meryl. Yeah. I call her Meryl.

Oscar Talk

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Dec 21st)

Based on the Swedish novel by the same name, starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, directed by David Fincher, this was my "the Oscars just ended and I hate everything" prediction to win the big prize this year. Yes, I was laughed at, and yes, I was probably wrong, but a part of me wants this movie to be so brilliant, that Fincher gets nominated two years in a row and stupid Tom Hooper can just sit around and feel stupid with his stupid Oscar and everyone can think about how stupid The King's Speech is. Erm. Point is. I love David Fincher and I can't wait for this movie.

Am I seeing it? Yesssssss

Pina (Dec 21st)

This 3D documentary from Win Wenders chronicling the art of Pina Bausch is a majesty to behold. It's stunning, innovative, stirring, sad, joyous and wonderful. It moved me, someone who has no interest in dance whatsoever, so I have every confidence that it will move others as well. It's on the Documentary short list for the Oscars, and I hate to think it wouldn't get a nomination. Please go see it when it opens in limited release - unless you own a 3D television, this is *not* one you want to wait and see on DVD.

Am I seeing it? I already did and I adored it.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (Dec 21st)

What happens when Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Joe Cornish and Edgar Wright team up? Nothing short of magic. This huge leap for both 3D and motion capture is the best kind of head trip, fun, if not a bit frenetic, from start to finish. Kids will eat it up, but there is plenty in there for adults as well. Could an animation Oscar be in Tintin's future?

Am I seeing? Already did, but absolutely want to see it again

We Bought a Zoo (Dec 23rd)

The return of Cameron Crowe! Huzzah! This drama is an adaptation of Benjamin Mee's memoir about a family who moves into an old zoo, starring Matt Damon, Thomas Haden Church, Scarlett Johansson, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning and more. There's lots of googley eyes and wild animals and Matt Damon looks fanTASTIC. The buzz has been pretty mixed, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless.

Am I seeing it? Yesss, I want to see it nowwww, tigers and lionssss!!!

War Horse (Dec 25th)

Based on the children's novel of the same name, which the Tony winning play was also based on, and Spielberg's second movie of 2011. Ultimately it's a war movie about the bond between a young man and his horse. And Tom Hiddleston is in it! And Emily Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch, but the horse is clearly the star. Looks like a classic Spielberg epic that is going to be gorgeous and awesome and make us cry. Oh and SCORE BY JOHN WILLIAMS duh.

Am I seeing it? YES. And in theaters. On a giant, pretty screen.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Dec 25th)

A story about dealing with grief from overrated director Stephen Daldry, who always gets nominated for an Oscar. Always. Like literally, he is 3 for 3. This is a 9-11 movie starring a little kid and based on an acclaimed novel, so expect major water works and lots of Oscar prognosticators having a grand ol time debating whether or not this will the first year Daldry doesn't get a directing nod. Remember when I said expect waterworks? The trailer just made me cry. Starring Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock playing an age appropriate role and newcomer Thomas Horn, who won Teen Jeopardy in 2009. Fact.

Am I seeing it? Yes. With tissues.

A Separation (Dec 30th)

The Foreign Language Oscar submission from Iran that I have heard nothing but wonderful things about. I missed the screening at AFI, but am eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to catch this film about a married couple who have to make a very difficult decision.

Am I seeing it? Definitely.

Other December Options:

The Lady (Dec 2nd)

W.E. (Dec 9th) (Oscar qualifying run)

Corman's World's: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (Dec 16th)

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Holiday Gift Guide: Music, Book & Theater Edition

It's the giving season again! And if you're a procrastinator like me, then you're still trying to get your holiday gift shopping list together. So let me help you expedite that process! Here are my top gift recommendations for the art lovers in your lives:

Music:

Florence + The Machine's Ceremonials

Florence Welch is a rock-pop machine and Ceremonials is one of my favorite albums of the year. While lacking the raw, punk-like energy of the bands first album, Lungs, the new album is a more polished and whole achievement. All the songs sound connected and they flow to form a broodingly beautiful album that still makes you want to dance and sing along with at the top of your lungs. It's my wonderfully odd dark, upbeat soundtrack to the upcoming winter season. I couldn't recommend it to you more--buy it as a gift for yourself and your moody loved ones!

Books:

The New York Times Magazine Photographs

Aperture and The New York Times Magazine present this awesome photo book that surveys the photography published by the magazine over the years. The New York Times Magazine Photographs is this holiday season's ultimate coffee table book.

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

From the Pulitzer Prize winning author who gave us Virgin Suicides and Middlesex comes a new novel about Madeleine--a 1980s college student deconstructing 19th Century English novels with marriages at the center of their plots. She finds herself examining not only fictional marriage plots but also modern love and relationships. As an English major, this is the book I bought as a holiday gift for myself to read over my winter break. But if it's anything like Eugenides' previous novels, I suspect that it'll be popular with a diverse range of readers.

Theater Tickets:

Tickets to live shows make for the best gifts; you're giving entertainment and helping to create singular memories. So this year, consider giving the gift of theater! Already seen Sleep No More (a few times)? Looking for another off-Broadway gem? Go see New York Theatre Workshop's production of Once, a musical based on the film of the same name. This insanely popular show has been recently extended to January 15th. Get your tickets before they sellout!

Once
Based on the Film Written & Directed by: John Carney
Directed by: John Tiffany
Book by: Enda Walsh
Lyrics by: Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Movement by: Steven Hoggett
Featuring: David Abeles, Claire Candela, Will Connolly, Elizabeth A. Davis, Steve Kazee, David Patrick Kelly, Cristin Milioti, Anne L. Nathan, Lucas Papaelias, Andy Taylor, Erikka Walsh, Paul Whitty, J. Michael Zygo

For tickets, performance schedule, and more info, go here.

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Exit Carolyn at The Drilling Company Theatre

Sans A Productions and the Drilling Company Theatre present Exit Carolyn, a new play about loss and grief.

Lorna and Julie, lifelong best friends and current roommates, are coping with the death of their mutual best friend Carolyn in extremely opposing ways. Lorna masks her sadness by overworking and obsessively multitasking, while Julie wallows in hers by wasting her time away getting high (and a little fat) on the couch. Lorna fools herself into believing she's ready to move on from Carolyn's death, as Julie feels she's too paralyzed to do anything because of it.

As the play's plot unfolds, we discover that Carolyn was the middle, conjoining member of their group, and that Lorna and Julie both individually loved and depended on her charisma and strength. Without her they must reexamine their lives and decide who they are outside of their broken threesome (and if they even want to stay friends with each other). They must decide if they want to merely fill her void or truly deal with their grief and learn to live with themselves in Carolyn's absence. In the midst of Lorna and Julie's grief and dilemma, we're introduced to Carolyn's brother Matthew who is dealing with the immensity of his sadness. Matthew brings up some insightful questions as to the authority of grief; he wonders if it's appropriate for a brother to be so sad at the loss of a sister or if only parents and female loved ones (like Lorna and Julie) have the right to be as upset as he is.

Exit Carolyn captures the strange and chaotic layers of grief, while still managing to be a comical and warm show. The one outsider character, Avery, played by the freshly expressive Lauren Blumenfeld, offers some quirky lightheartedness. Laura Ramadei wonderfully embodies Julie's simultaneously funny and tragic slobbish couch-ridden state. For a play dealing with such a heavy theme, Exit Carolyn does a solid job of striking a believable balance of drama and comedy.

Exit Carolyn
Written by: Jennie Berman Eng
Directed by: Adam Knight
Featuring: Lauren Blumenfeld, Jake Loewenthal, Anna O’Donoghue, and Laura Ramadei

The Drilling Company Theatre for New Plays
236 West 78th St. (between Broadway & Amsterdam)
New York, NY 10026

Performance Schedule:
December 8-11 at 8pm
December 15-17 at 8pm

For tickets, go here.
And for a limited time, catch Thursday performances for just $10 (enter discount code: Danish)!

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What Should Be Considered A Spoiler? Musings From A Spoiler-Sensitive Blogger.

Cross-posted on and commissioned by Film.com


Spoilers.

What sensation just went through your body reading that word? For me 12 years ago, it was a sensation of excitement. Now, it's a sensation much closer to terror.

In my youth, I loved television and film just as much as I did now, but I wasn't concerned in the slightest with the element of surprise. Knowing what was coming never bothered me. I eagerly awaited the next installment of Watch with Wanda (now Watch with Kristin, on Eonline), would read plot summaries of episodes of Buffy and Felicity well ahead of when they aired, and would religiously check soap spoilers to see if this would finally be the week that Mike and Carrie on Days of our Lives would make love. (What? I was 13.) To me, spoilers were just an elongated version of "Next time on____" that prepped me for what was to come and filled me with anticipation.

Now, however? Completely different story.

Maybe it's because television has changed and Buffy was certainly a part of that (when I hit high school, I started skipping over the Buffy spoilers in Watch with Wanda), with mystery and development of story becoming a more integral part of television than simply being entertained. Maybe it has to do with the internet being so willing to reveal twist endings at the drop of a hat. But something has shifted. Over the span of 12 years, I've gone from a 13 year old who lives for spoilers to a 25 year old who lists "spoilers" as a legitimate fear when pressed. But maybe the difference is that spoiler means something different nowadays. With endless avenues of communication, constant advance screenings and screeners, and the weight that is now put on experiencing something fresh in order to have an honest opinion, the tiniest bit of information can now affect us as much as reading an entire, multi-page plot summary of a film we haven't seen.

Very often I get into arguments on Twitter about spoilers. Bloggers have gotten better about not straight up revealing plot points, but I, and bear with me here, happen to consider pre-release discussion of themes and lengthy, detailed opinions spoilers too.

Whaaaaat? I know. This is a little extreme. But listen.

The rest after the jump



It used to be a given that when you saw a movie, it was with relatively fresh eyes. Maybe you read a review in the paper. Maybe. Maybe you've seen the trailer, but trailers used to, you know, not reveal everything about the whole movie. But it was your choice. No one was bombarded with opinions, no one accidentally caught an entire online exchange on the themes and hidden meaning of a film weeks before its release, no one knew already going in the third act stumbles, but the twist ending sort of makes up for it.

In this increasingly technology based community of movie bloggers and movie fans,  so much information is thrown our way, often completely unsolicited, that it becomes a hazard to even USE the internet if you wish to experience something fresh. And because now, analysis and discussion of a film happens so regularly before its release, I believe they have become as detrimental to the viewing experience as spoilers in the form of opinion free plot points. Controversial maybe, but I'm not the only one in this boat, and perhaps this is a good standard to consider.

Recently, there has been a lot of hubbub over folks who got to see The Muppets early spoiling cameos. Some argue "How can naming an actor who is in the movie, whose name is on IMDB as in the movie, be a spoiler?", but this disregards where the Muppets come from (a world with no IMDB, a world where every cameo was a surprise and was *meant* to be a surprise) and disrespects anyone who wished to preserve the experience. Sure, you personally may think reading the last line of a book makes reading the whole thing more exciting, but does that give you the right to tell everyone else what the last line is?

Thanks to carefree spoiling like this, I now feel like it's pointless to watch Dexter because so many twists have been accidentally revealed to me over the years. What's the point if some of the things that make the show so great (the shocks) have already been ruined for me?

I've heard "Oh, she dies in the first five minutes of the movie" so many times in regard to one movie released this year, I haven't seen yet. My question is this - did the first people who saw this movie know this person died in the first five minutes? No. So why is it okay that I know?

In line for an AFI screening a couple weeks ago, a woman I didn't know said to me "I bet he commits suicide in the end" - Not a typical spoiler, no, but putting thoughts in your head about what you think is going to happen puts those thoughts in your head, and when it actually ends up coming true (it did), you feel like your experience was spoiled.

Long story short, I think nowadays in this climate, anything about a movie can be considered a spoiler - it's a personal thing, and better to be safe than sorry. At least check with the group you are chatting with before diving into talk about a movie someone present hasn't seen yet, and for the love of god, just adhere to the standard internet spoiler rules if nothing else. Quickly - a week for television shows, a day for competitive reality shows and until the DVD comes out for movies. Gawker's manifesto nails it for the most part, as at least a place to start, although be warned, there is a season one spoiler for Treme in there, one that the author thinks shouldn't be considered a spoiler anymore because it aired so long ago.

Of course, we all stumble from time to time, sure. Earlier this year in a coffee shop, a friend asked me to explain why Rise of the Planet of the Apes was so awesome. She was never gonna see it and wanted to know. So I explained the whole movie. Unfortunately, there were some people near us in the coffee shop who hadn't seen the movie yet and were visible upset that I had just divulged the entire plot, and I kicked myself for being so blind and inconsiderate. It may help to think that being a part of Twitter is like being in a coffee shop. With 10 million people. If someone has their feed open, it's like someone walking in to take an order in a coffee shop. If you're standing right there, wouldn't you stop for a second and lower your voice, making the conversation more private aka taking it to DM?

Am I a lot more sensitive than your average blogger when it comes to spoilers? Abso-freaking-lutely. But hey, I know some people that consider running time a spoiler. Do I think that's lunacy? Yes. But I've learned when seeing movies with this person to keep the running time to myself. One gal's basic facts are another gal's spoilers, and when you really think about it, isn't our responsibility to preserve the experience for movie goers as much as possible? In a review, all bets are off, throw in a spoiler alert if you're worried, someone can choose whether or not to read a review, but on Twitter, Global Filter only works so well, so like in life, try to be careful and conduct yourself with respect towards your followers.

How that ultimately manifests is up to you, and my sensitive standards may go too far, but you know, waiting until, say, the week of release at least before openly analyzing a film and generally refraining from openly spoiling plot points and surprises aren't going to hurt anybody.

How about you, readers? Where is the spoiler line drawn for you? Without revealing the spoiler itself, has any important movie, tv show or book ever been unwittingly ruined by someone else? Very interested in your thoughts on this one.

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Cameos, Music, Puns, Oh My: Dissecting The Tropes Of The Muppets

Crossposted on and commissioned by Film.com

Before the fantastic reviews for The Muppets came flooding in, the concerns among fans included questions like, "Will this be the Muppet movie we've been waiting for" and "Will this be a real Muppet movie?" Even if the movie is indeed great, there are still certain elements fans will be keeping an eye out for - the elements that actually make a Muppet movie a Muppet movie. So what are the tropes that define these films and what notes does the new one have to hit to fit in properly with the Muppet movies of yore? We took a look at each of the six theatrical Muppet releases and created a refresher for you. Take a look below for the results.

The Muppet Movie (1979)

The first, the original, the classic, featuring the stellar tunes of Paul Williams and all star cast featuring every single person who was famous in 1979, The Muppet Movie is widely considered the best of the bunch. Perhaps the darkest as well, the film features a villain whose goal ends up being to KILL Kermit. This first movie sets up the foundation of what makes a proper Muppet movie, including meta jokes, puns, the aforementioned celebrity cameos and an ultimately heartwarming message. This story of Kermit deciding to go into show business not for fame or fortune, but to make people happy, and refusing to sell out in the process, is still poignantly relevant, and combining motifs from westerns, 30s gangster flicks and 60s road movies helps add to the films timelessness. All the original muppets are in the house for this movie about a movie about a movie, including a couple brief appearances from Crazy Harry, the muppet who has an affinity for explosives, who was more or less put into forced retirement over the next several films. Self-referencial, violent, and sweet without being saccharin, The Muppet Movie is a rare gem.

Cameos: Everyone was in this. From Steve Martin to Richard Pryor to Johnny Carson to Mel Brooks to Mr Television himself Milton Bearle, the list goes on and on and on until we get to the final cameo of the film from Orson Welles. Can't handle it.

Meta Humor/Breaking the Fourth Wall: Tons of it. It does feature movie within a movie within a movie after all, framed around the Muppets watching The Muppet Movie at a cast & crew screening. Perhaps the best use of breaking the fourth wall in the movie within a movie is Electric Mayhem following the script to know where they are supposed to pop up next. A narrative paradox!

Puns: Tons, perhaps my favorite being when Fozzie declares "drinks on the house!" and all the shady bar patrons run up to the roof, this classic from Kermit - "That's pretty dangerous building a road in the middle of the street. I mean, if frogs couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn." or of course, the visual pun of an actual fork in the road.

Heartwarming Message: Making people happy, not selling out, staying true to you and your dreams will come true. This film perfectly meshes subversive humor with a genuine message.

Running Gag: Several here, all fantastic. The best appears three times, the first at the very beginning, Bernie: "You, you with the banjo, can you help me? I seem to have lost my sense of direction!" Kermit: "Have you tried Hare Krishna?" The second time it's mentioned, Kermit even *refers* to it as a running gag. It finally appears on a sign in front of a church, reading "Lost? Have you tried Rev. Harry Krishna?". Another great running gag is the classic Carol Kane "Myth" "Yeth?"And of course Sweetums chasing after the group of Muppets to go with them to Hollywood.

Sesame Street Cameos: The original and the best - Kermit and Fozzie run into Big Bird on the road, and offer him a ride, but he tells "No thanks! I'm on my way to New York City to try and break into public television!" Brilliant.

Musical Numbers: ALL great. Music by Paul Williams and the world's introduction to karaoke staple The Rainbow Connection, though my personal favorite is Moving Right Along

Dark Moments: Pretty dark in general, with Charles Durning wanting to kill Kermit, Mel Brooks trying to lobotomize him and so on. But rather than just one or two moments, the whole film has an edgy vibe.

Piggy fight scene: Piggy takes Kermit by utter surprise and beats up all of the bad guys. Amazing.

Slapstick Humor: In the bar, Kermit and Fozzie getting violently thrown around, Gonzo gets lifted by balloons and drops onto Fozzie's Studebaker, etc.


The rest after the jump!

Great Muppet Caper (1981)

The second in the series, this film follows the Muppets to London where identical twin reporters Kermit and Fozzie and their photographer Gonzo try to solve the mystery of who took Lady Holiday's jewels, ultimately joining together with the band of misfits working and living at the Happiness Hotel to take the culprits down.  The Great Muppet Caper still has a lot of the same charm as the one, while being slightly bigger budget. I found it a little too focused on one character (Piggy) with not enough of the side characters. Even Fozzie sort of gets the shaft, seeming more grumpster than waka wakaster. But some fantastic Gonzo humor, amazing throwaway lines, and a delightfully oddball performance from Charles Grodin keep it one of the best. Plus, Sgt. Floyd Pepper gets some screen time and that's *never* a bad thing. Oh, and it features GROUP bike riding!

Cameos: John Cleese and Peter Falk do the best work here as a bored old man and a homeless guy trying his watch sales pitch on Kermit to less than stellar results. Mostly, I simply didn't recognize anyone else.

Meta Humor/Breaking the Fourth Wall: The most meta film of the group, perhaps. The whole opening number over the credits is a comment on itself from start to finish, and hilariously so.  From this exhange: Fozzie: "Nobody really reads those. Do they?" Kermit: "Sure they do. They all have families." to this when "BSC" is listed after a crew members name, Fozzie: "What does "BSC" stand for?" Kermit: "I don't know". and more. Later, when Lady Holiday explains a lot of information about her life to Piggy, Piggy asks "Why are you telling me this?" Holliday responds "It's plot exposition, it has to go somewhere" But my favorite moment of breaking the fourth wall is during an argument between Kermit and Piggy where she is begging for his forgiveness which turns into an epic aside between the REAL Kermit and Piggy about her overacting, wherein she threatens to walk off set. Genius.

Puns: Not as many in this one as in the previous, but still some. The one I remember best is when Kermit tells Piggy she is "hamming it up" during the aforementioned meta-fight.

Heartwarming Message: Honestly not so sure about this one. Perhaps they went full subversion with this film? If anything, it's the usual, stick with your friends, be honest and true, etc. etc.

Running Gag: A running gag about getting caught "red-handed." While in prison for being framed, Piggy jokes "What color are their hands now?", knowing it's a silly joke. Later, cab driver and Happiness Hotel resident Beauregard asks the question and means it, therein acting as the perfect follow up to Piggy's "in on the joke" set up earlier. At the end of the movie, a "Caught Red Handed!" headline is featured in the paper.

Sesame Street Cameos. Oscar the Grouch hanging in the trash outside (Truck Driver: What are you doing here? Oscar the Grouch: A very brief cameo. Truck Driver: Me too)

Music numbers: Many lavish musical numbers, emphasis on LAVISH, including the opening, Piggy swimming, Piggy in the ballroom and more.

Dark moments: Gonzo. In general. Plummeting joke, (Gonzo: I'd like to try this without a balloon. Kermit: Try what? Plummeting? Gonzo: Yeah. Kermit: I suppose you could try it once. and Gonzo: I wonder how far you could plummet before you blacked out. Kermit: Uh, don't try it, Gonzo. We need you for this movie. Gonzo: Sure is tempting.) jumping in front of a cab, getting his nose stuck in elevator and liking it, his obsession with poultry...he's WEIRD. And I love it. One of the strongest elements of the film.

Piggy Fight Scene: She saves the day by taking down the bad guys in the end!

Slapstick Humor: Gonzo, Kermit and Fozzie keep getting thrown from high distances i.e. off a plane, on a pretty regular basis

Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)

The first slightly Hollywood one of the bunch, despite taking place in New York City, everything is just a tad more glossy. More sentimental, less subversive. It also is the first to appear to be a story that actually takes place currently, about The Muppets themselves, instead of being a movie within a movie or having a bookended meta-structure. The comedy is a bit more deliberate and the cameos a little more scene-chewy. This is also the first time we see humans as benevolent co-stars. Here, we have a diner owner and his daughter helping them along the way, and later, Broadway star Lonny Price. This also the first time Rizzo begins to have his own wise cracking personally on screen. This was a chance for characters to stretch, as Jim Henson himself touches on in his interviews packaged in the special features on the DVD. Still, despite the sentimentality, it has some truly stand out moments, including introducing the Muppet Babies to the world in one of the best sequences in film history. ... What?

Cameos: 19 year old Brooke Shields is a great one here, rendering Masterson Rat speechless with her beauty and sass. Other cameos include Gregory Hines, Dabney Coleman, Joan Rivers and Art Carney.

Meta Humor/Breaking the Fourth Wall: When the group isn't being successful, someone remarks "Kermit, should we change the script?" and during the wedding, Kermit inquires, "Piggy? I thought Gonzo was going to play the minister." But overall, there is VERY limited meta humor in this one, "I'm a frog" after meeting Jenny could possibly count, but for the most part, it's played as an actual story. Our biggest clue that this is muppets playing themselves in a movie is the fact that the film opens with them in college, and we all know they mostly met during a road trip thanks to The Muppet Movie.

Puns: Oddly not many, though there is this: Pete: "Is grits! Grits! Hominy grits!" Rizzo: "How should I know how many? Count 'em yourself. "

Heartwarming Message: Treasure your friendships, support each other, stick together to follow and achieve your dreams

Running Gag: GREAT gag of Pete the diner owner giving incoherent advice a couple of times. (Hey, I tell you what is. Big city, hmm? Live, work, huh? But not city only. Only peoples. Peoples is peoples. No is buildings. Is tomatoes, huh? Is peoples, is dancing, is music, is potatoes. So, peoples is peoples. Okay?) Also, continuing a joke established in The Great Muppet Caper, the group is chatting and everyone gets silent just as Janice reveals something personal about herself. Even better the second time around. "So I told him 'Look, buddy, I don't take my clothes off for anybody, even if it is artistic,' and... Oh"

Sesame Street Cameo: A lot in this one! Puppets of some Sesame Street characters on a Manhattan street corner, Big Bird toy in the Muppet Babies sequence, and the whole cast attending Kermit and Piggy's wedding.

Music numbers: Many, as usual, but Together Again, the opening/closing number is the one you'd remember most, especially after Kermit plays the main notes on his cups at the diner during his reunion of sorts with the gang. Obviously the Muppet Babies number is my favorite because it's the MUPPET BABIES and is 50s themed, since that's the decade when they would have been born.

Dark moments: The darkest moments in this one involve Dabney Coleman getting into an all too physical altercation with Gonzo and Camilla, construction guys whistling at Piggy, and Animal chasing after women yelling "WOOOMMAAANNN!!". Overall, a lot less subversive than the first two, but still has a pretty grim plot line with Kermit losing his memory and the gang trying to find him.

Piggy Fight Scene: She bends metal, chases down the man who steals her bag and later hits Kermit's memory back, but no actual fight scene. But still enough strength that she feels like the real Miss Piggy.

Slapstick Humor: The Dabney Coleman fight and most of Miss Piggy's antics fill the category here

Muppet Christmas Carol

The first Muppet film of the 90s, the first produced without Jim Hensen, and the first co produced and released by Disney, Muppet Christmas Carol displayed a marked difference from the previous three installments. Genuinely frightening and sweet, this film is probably one of the best Christmas Carol movies, if not a "true" Muppet movie. It does away with many of the classic Muppet tropes and instead opts for a relatively faithful retelling of a classic story, peppered with light Muppet humor. This film also features the return of Paul Williams, is the first with a human as a main character, has a cast of principles and extras seeming to be a mix of muppets and humans, instead of mostly humans, and is the most cinematic yet, even opening with a long tracking shot (how did they do it?!) Rizzo makes the official jump to Gonzo's bff, as the two narrate the story we're watching. Overall, the characters are a little more subdued, and a little less in Muppet character. Oddly enough, the ones most true to their characters are folks who normally don't get major roles like  Statler and Waldorf and Sam the Eagle, all of whom have full fledged roles here.

Cameos: One of the Muppet staples that is completely done away with in this film, as the goal is to do a faithful retelling of this story, with some muppet humor and muppet brand thrown in, (making it not a traditional muppet movie)

Meta Humor/Breaking the Fourth Wall: Credits have muppets as characters right off the bat, including Gonzo as Charles Dickens, framing the story, who Rizzo calls out for not actually being Charles Dickens. Something is noted at one point as being"for dramatic emphasis" and Rizzo comments on Gonzo's omniscient storytelling by calling him a "Hoity Toity Mr God-like smarty pants"  One of my favorite moments is when Sam as Scrooge's old headmaster, lets his patriotism seep through a bit, so Gonzo has to correct him.  ( Sam: It's the American way! Gonzo: Sam... Sam: It's the British way!) I also love how it ends with Gonzo noting "If you like this, you should read the book!"

Puns: The only one I noticed was the rats who work for Scrooge saying, "Our assets are frozen"

Heartwarming Message: It's A Christmas Carol. The heartwarming message is built in. The true meaning of Christmas and what not! We must always be loving and giving and caring.

Running Gag: Another trope somewhat done away with unless you consider Rizzo being kind of an idiot to be a running gag

Sesame St Cameo: Zip zero none.

Musical Numbers: Paul Williams is back, so naturally this film has the best music since The Muppet Movie. Much more the structure of a musical, with the intro song introducing the main character, sung by the whole ensemble, and songs spread throughout at proper intervals to advance the story.

Dark Moments: Dark is built in with a retelling of Christmas Carol. Scrooge says the homeless should die if they don't want to go to a shelter.  His family compares Scrooge to a cockroach, rat and leech. The only time we revisit Gonzo's weirdo leanings is with his line when Rizzo falls and lands on a hot flaming goose, "Aw, you have all the fun"

Piggy Fight Scene: Not even any crazy strength for Piggy in this one, she just plays the part of loving wife to Kermit's Bob Crachett, but she does start to get violent at the very end when Scrooge shows up at their house unannounced on Christmas, in a nice nod to Piggy's true character.

Slapstick Humor: Mostly centered around Gonzo and Rizzo falling and breaking things. Everyone else is too concerned with telling the story at hand.

Muppet Treasure Island

The second directed by Brian Henson, and second that features the Muppets retelling a classic story. This one is less concerned with following the letter of the story however and takes more care into trying to be a classic Muppet movie, acting as more of a send-up of Treasure Island, reintroducing some previously absent tropes, and showcasing more of the Muppets themselves. And it's actually better than I remember it being! Once again we get Gonzo and Rizzo as themselves, with their relationship and humor even more defined and Rizzo finally becomes who we know him to be now and gets some of the best lines of the whole movie. Interestingly enough, Muppets seem to make up most of the universe, in a complete 180 from The Muppet Movie, with humans only appearing in the beginning, as the main lead and main villain, and popping up as pirates here and there.

Cameos: Listed as actual roles, but Jennifer Saunders and Billy Connolly are in the first fifteen minutes

Meta Humor/Breaking the Fourth Wall: Significantly more than in Manhattan or Christmas Carol, mostly in the form one one liners, including  Rizzo - "He died? And this is supposed to be a kids movie!" Statler and Waldorf - "It could be worse, we could be stuck in the audience" , Zoot: Hey man, I can't figure out what side we're on. Are we with the pirates or the frog captain? Floyd: Oh, hey, man. Just play the gig. Never get involved in politics. Animal: Politics! Politics!", Long John Silver:  Upstage Lads, This is my only number" and when Swedish Chef randomly shows up on a Pig island, a veggie he is about to chop notes "How else did you think we'd get him into this movie?" Oh and how can we forget the rat tour to the set of Muppet Treasure Island?

Puns: The film goes more for topical/cultural humor (Mickey Mouse, NBA, Evita, Marlon Brando etc.) than nailing a good pun, and where they exist, they are more visual than verbal. Still, there's this:

Benjamina Gunn: You left me standing at the altar. Captain Abraham Smollett: I was on a ship headed for Zanzibar. I got cold feet. Benjamina Gunn: You're a frog. You're supposed to have cold feet.

Heartwarming Message: You should always be honest and true, that's what it is to be a real friend and a hero? That's what I decided anyway.

Running Gag: The closest I could find was the vacationing rats and how everyone goes to or wants to go to Zanzibar. Other than Kermit mentioning it to Piggy, we get this sort of exchange a couple of times:

Jim: "Wherever the wind may take us!" Gonzo: "Off to Zanzibar to meet the Zanzi-barbarians!" Rizzo: "Oh brother, here they go again...

Sesame St Cameo: Again, none. A trope left in the 80s.

Musical Numbers: Yup! The best is Tim Curry's number about being a pirate. The worst is the bizarre Cabin Fever.

Dark Moments: The return of weird Gonzo! Gonzo "He's got demons?! Cool!" "He said he'd throw a line out the back and let me drag along the bottom!" While being tortured, "Look at this I'm taller, this is so cool!" And of course this exchange, Gonzo: "It feels weird...My pants are filled with starfish" Rizzo: "You and your hobbies" Plus, the film has all of the dark elements of the adventure story, including mutiny, kidnapping, torture, and off screen massacres.

Piggy Fight Scene: She HI-YAs Kermit when they first see each other on camera, then she and Kermit fight the pirates together with the rest of the group in a massive fight scene.

Slapstick humor: Once again, Gonzo and Rizzo mostly hold down this fort. But the blind muppet pulls some weight too at the beginning and there is plenty in the ending fight scene.

Muppets From Space

Perhaps the only film that actually takes place in the Muppet's real life (maybe denoted by the fact that it's the first that isn't a musical), this film, which reveals what Gonzo actually is, is known as the worst of the bunch. Here, all of the Muppets live in a big house together and Gonzo and Rizzo are roommates, carrying on their friendship from the previous two nineties films. New characters from Muppets Tonight pop up here, including Clifford, Pepe and my favorite, Bobo the Bear. As much as it may nuke the fridge in its final act, points must be given to the film for returning to a more classic type of Muppet Movie with an original plot, starring the muppets, filled with celebrity cameos and featuring a human in a main role only as a villain. Still, it misses a lot of the charm and subversion of the original Muppet films and seems way too commercial. When there's only one SHOT of Electric Mayhem, you know there's a problem.

Cameos: They're baaaack. Featuring F Murray Abraham as Noah (yeah, the kids will definitely get THAT one), Jeffrey Tambor, Kathy Griffin, Ray Liotta, David Arquette and Rob Schneider, Hulk Hogan and Josh Charles, the best is Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes appearing IN CHARACTER as Pacey and Joey from Dawson's Creek.

Meta Humor/Breaking the Fourth Wall: Breaking the fourth wall: Piggy says to the camera "Aw please, you think Ted Kopel never gets excited?" Then nothing until Pepe points out to Joey and Pacey that they are in a Muppet Movie. For the most part, this would lead me to believe this takes place in the actual Muppet universe.

Puns: Actually not many, but a great one is Jeffrey Tambor asking Gonzo, "No nostrils. How do you smell? and Rizzo responding, "Awful. I'm his roommate" Much more of a focus on cultural humor. Spice Girls, Oscar Meyer, HMOs, and film references to Independence Day, Star Trek, Field of Dreams and The Shawshank Redemption replace puns and wordplay.

Heartwarming Message: Power of friendship and accepting yourself, Kermit: "He's one of us and no matter what, we never forget one of our own"

Running Gag: Really not much, actually, the closest being Pepe and Rizzo tricking Gonzo into building a jacuzzi by pretending the aliens asked him to, and Gonzo never figuring out why the aliens wanted him to build it.

Sesame Street Cameo: Will they ever return?

Musical Numbers: First muppets movie that isn't a musical, opts for soundtrack filled with classic songs instead. The closest musical number is to "Celebration" by the aliens at the end. Ugh. Oh. God. it's awful.

Dark Moments: Since this IS a movie about Gonzo, there are still quite a bit of weird Gonzo moments. Someone mentions to him, "You never miss an opportunity to shoot yourself out of a canon", Gonzo reads "insanity faire" he tells Rizzo he had "that weird dream again", and Rizzo asks if it's "the one with the goat and the dwarf and the jar of peanut butter", and so on. Plus Sam the Eagle ogles a woman in a bikini and Pepe hits on Katie Holmes. Odd.

Piggy Fight Scene: Fights a sexy Josh Charles, her platinum belt vs his black belt. Pretty awesome.

Slapstick Humor: Exploding oven, Piggy falling down while strutting, Jeffrey Tambor during the whole ending. The aliens end up finding him "amusing" because of his series of accidental physical gags and ask him back to their planet with them.

So will The Muppets, opening this week, nail everything that makes a Muppet movie true? Will it be more in line with the edgier Muppets of the 70s/80s or the more kids-friendly Muppets of the 90s? Will Rowlf and Floyd get lines? Will Crazy Harry make an appearance? Will Miss Piggy kick some ass? Will Gonzo demonstrate strange and unhealthy behavior? If I've forgotten any tropes or examples of them appearing in any of the films that are your particular favorites, feel free to mention them below!

(And head here for my dissection of tropes in Werewolf movies. Like the Muppets, but not!)

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Super 8 Blu Ray Review

Crossposted on and commissioned by Film.com

Movie

Oh Super 8, when I think what you might have been … although I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this movie and appreciated the sentiment behind it, ultimately I don’t believe the film accomplished what director JJ Abrams and executive producer Steven Spielberg set out to do. Consequently, it’s a bit of a failure. As much as I love the cast of kids and their moments together, none of the emotional payoffs with the adult characters are earned, and in the third act, when all begins to reveal itself, logic goes straight out the window. Super 8 is a pale imitation of the movies it was inspired by, filled with unmet potential. The idea initially came from Spielberg and Abrams talking about making a movie about kids making movies — *that* part of Super 8 works. Combining it with Abrams other idea of a train crashing while transporting something from Area 51 is where the film falls flat on its face. Super 8 feels like two movies thrown together because it is. Yes, E.T. was developed this way as well, but the difference is, in E.T. it worked. In Super 8, the marriage is clunky and undermines an otherwise lovely story. I’d definitely say the film is worth seeing, in case it speaks more to you than it did to me, and especially because of this impressive group of preteens, all of whom I hope go on to long and fulfilled careers; I just personally found it to be a mild disappointment.

Extras
Audio Commentary with JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, and Larry Fong
Analysis of certain moments, instances of where Spielberg was more or less of a tangible influence, anecdotes, memories, the usual. This is where you can actually hear about cinematographer Larry Fong shooting in anamorphic, the sound effects, which sequences were shot on a sound stage versus on location, motivations behind the actors (as far as Abrams knew them to be), how they worked around puberty, and more. Plus, Fong does one of his famous magic tricks during the commentary, and the gang collectively composes emails to Steven Spielberg. Even though we can’t see either, it’s still fun to know they’re going on. One of my favorite fun facts is that because they got the actors for such little time, anytime you see a reverse shot of one of the kids, it’s a stand-in. Overall, the commentary is thorough and engaging and well worth the listen if you have the urge to learn more about the film.

The Dream Behind Super 8 (1080p, 16:28)
Shot stylistically, almost as if this were a short documentary rather than a standard featurette, this piece takes a look at where the idea for Super 8 came from, and features extensive footage of Abrams on set interacting with his cast and crew. We learn the history of JJ Abrams and frequent collaborators Burk, Fong, and Matt Reeves, and see clips of their childhood Super 8 films. Also elaborated on is the relationship between Abrams and Spielberg over the past 20 years and how they came up with the idea for Super 8 together. My favorite bits are a shot of Abrams’ face while Elle Fanning nails the emotional scene wherein Alice talks about her dad, and his speech to the crew upon wrapping, where he offers “Let me know when I can do anything for you because you’ve done so much for me.” I know secondhand at least what a good guy Abrams is, and it’s neat to see him living up to that reputation on set.

FAVORITE FEATURE ALERT
The Search for New Faces (1080p, 17:46)
A look at the six leads of Super 8, from the audition process to wrap, featuring audition tapes of and interviews with the collection of young actors, thoughts from the casting directors, and footage of the kids engaged in behind-the-scenes antics, Abrams directing them, and best of all, the final day of shooting where an emotional Elle Fanning says goodbye and thanks to the crew for all their hard work. Watching the actors hug Abrams, knowing their journey together had come to an end, actually brought tears to my eyes. Favorite moments include learning that Abrams called each kid personally to offer them the part, a funny on-set moment where lead Joel Courtney doesn’t know how to use a rotary phone and Abrams teaches him, and when the cast reminisces about Riley Griffith’s contagious laugh. Since the kids are easily the best part of the movie, this featurette is my favorite, no question.

More after the jump

Meet Joel Courtney (1080p, 14:35)
A profile of Joel Courtney and his life before and during the shoot. This featurette is framed around a long interview with Courtney about his journey, from auditioning to getting the role, to his on-set experience, to how he suspects he will feel when they wrap. We also follow a typical day for Courtney, as he shows off his trailer, gets into makeup, goes to the on-set classroom, makes a visit to craft services (and teaches us how to make the perfect hot chocolate), and more.

Rediscovering Steel Town (1080p, 18:24)
A look at the town of Weirton — how they found it, why they chose it, how it was dressed to go back in time, and the benefits of shooting there. Featuring interviews with production designer Martin Whist, executive producer Guy Riedel, and — coolest of all — production assistant Josh Foglio, who is from Weirton. We are also treated to a history of the town from citizens who live there, complete with old photos and statistics.

The Visitor Lives (1080p, 12:22)
The sole featurette on the alien, which is partly why I enjoy these extras so much. My least favorite part of the film isn’t all they talk about, in fact it’s barely what they talk about! Yaaay! Featuring interviews with visual effects supervisor extraordinaire Dennis Muren (did you know he is the only VFX artist with a star on the walk of fame?), other VFX supervisors Russell Earl and Kim Lebreri, creature designer Neville Page, and animation supervisor Paul Kavanagh. This takes a look at the creature itself, from concept to actualization. Motion tests, rejected art, pre-vis, early animation, CG movement tests, and footage of Bruce Greenwood doing the motion capture as the creature make up the bulk of the piece. Since I couldn’t stand the alien or anything about the alien, this was naturally my least favorite supplement.

Scoring Super 8 (1080p, 5:29)
A look at Michael Giacchino and the scoring process, featuring footage of the orchestra recording the score, clips of Giacchino’s childhood Super 8 films, Giachhino on John Williams’ influence, and more. Would have been nice to go a little bit more in-depth, but I know your average Blu-ray buyer may not be as obsessed with Michael Giacchino as I am.

Do You Believe in Magic? (1080p, 4:29)
A look at Larry Fong’s close-up magic. Yup. The DP is a magician. Literally. “The best magic trick person in the world” according to Griffiths. These tricks are insanely impressive. Even having them on camera, I could see no way to figure them out. In one instance, Fong even does a trick for Tom Cruise, who was visiting the set, and blows his mind. Best DP for a movie starring six kids ever.

The 8mm Revolution (1080p, 8:15)
Spielberg, Abrams, Fong, Muren, Giacchino, and more talking about their history of making 8mm and Super 8 films and what it taught them. Also features interviews with experts on the camera and film stock itself; Norwood Cheek, who created Flicker, a place for people to show their 8mm films; and Paul Korver, EP/Principal of Cinelicious; plus a history of Super 8/8mm and technical specifics and footage of the kids’ reactions to handling the Super 8 camera.

Deconstructing the Train Crash (1080p): 
An interactive grid map of the train crash scene with three main sections, pre production, production, and post-production. The origin is the script, the destination is the clip itself, and the tracks connecting the two explain the entire process through visual aids.

Pre-pro has four “trains” — “Pre-vis,” “Visual Effects Tools,” “Location,” and “Storyboard” — with images, behind-the-scenes clips, storyboards, and interviews making up the “cars” in each.

Production has “Train Set Construction, Filming – Moments Before the Crash” and “Filming – Train Depot is Destroyed,” with script excerpts, production stills, footage, and images of the train models, behind-the-scenes clips, and  production dailies making up the cars.

Post-production has a sole “Visual Effects” train with cars featuring interviews and clips of the visual effects progression.

Kind of a strange setup, and a little overly complicated just to get to one pre-vis image at a time. Plus, considering how long it takes to get to each clip, I can’t help but wonder if there could have been a better way to compile this information. Ultimately, it seemed like too much to do to yield not enough of a satisfying result. But if you care a lot about the train crash for any reason, this is where you’ll find extremely in-depth information.

Deleted Scenes (1080p, 12:47)
“Inside the 7-Eleven,” “Joe Writes New Pages,” “Joe Gives Charles New Pages,” “Jack Searches the Gas Station,” “Inside the Car Dealership,” “Joe Gets in Trouble,” “Lucy Goes Missing,” “Dry Brush Technique,” “Army Navy Store,” “Joe Watches Home Movies,” “Saying Goodnight,” “Cubes Shake the Red Trucks,” “Jack Finds Joe’s Backpack,” and “Joe and Cary Discover the Coffins.”

Every scene is pretty short and the information provided in each is more or less inconsequential, but that doesn’t make watching them any less fun for fans of the movie. Or, if you’re like me, a fan of just the kids, it’s a chance to see them work more. “Dry Brush Technique” and “Army Navy Store,” which feature further interactions between Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney, are my particular favorites.

I have some minor complaints about the special features, including why the Super 8 films Fong, Burk, and Abrams made in their youth aren’t on here in their entirely, and why watching The Case on its own isn’t an option. I wish the featurettes would have gone a little bit more in-depth, covering every other aspect of production, but not every movie can haveLord of the Rings-esque extras, and the commentary more than makes up for what’s lacking otherwise. As strange a choice as the Train Crash special feature is, it still provides valuable information for anyone who cares. Overall, not gonna lie: the special features are better than the movie. I definitely had more fun watching them make the film than I did watching the film itself. Which is why, even if you weren’t a huge fan of the film but enjoyed multiple aspects within it, these special features are a fine way to spend a couple hours.

Movie: B-
Extras: A-
Buy, Rent, or Skip? Rent

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