Film Lovers Guide to Comic-Con 2012

Cross-posted on and commissioned by Film.com

It's that time of year again! The week in July when 130,000 fans descend on to San Diego to celebrate all that is Geek. We've decided to take a look at the film related panels making at appearance at Comic-Con 2012 to aid you attendees in knowing when to line up, or you non attendees in knowing when to take to Twitter to search for real time reactions. Whether you like big budget - high anticipation studio panels, fun to discover indie panels, or lively discussions about film in general, here is the guide that directs you to them all.

Thursday

The Big Guns

If you have never experienced a Twilight panel, folks, now is your last chance. Start your morning off right with all the squealing and shrieking you could ever wish for (and fingers crossed a look at Warm Bodies too?), then follow it up with some healthy nostalgia courtesy of Disney, Tim Burton, L. Frank Baum and old school video games - and don't be surprised if the wonderful looking Wreck it Ralph steals Thursday completely - then finish up with the MOST testosterone as every famous man with muscles ever takes the stage to talk Expendables. The big question on lots of people's minds - will Lionsgate show a clip from Dredd (I think yes) or announce the casting of Finnick Odair (I think no) - show up or stay tuned to find out.

12:45-1:45 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2— Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek at the highly anticipated conclusion of The Twilight Saga films. This is a must-see for fans interested in the story's final chapter. You will be shown exclusive footage from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2 and be treated to a cast and filmmaker Q&A session providing details on the epic finale. Hall H 


2:05-3:05 Walt Disney Studios: Frankenweenie, Oz The Great and Powerful, and Wreck-it Ralph— Walt Disney Studios hosts a Q&A panel featuring the imaginative director of Frankenweenie, Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland); a special look at the world of Oz The Great and Powerful with director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy); and the illustrious voice cast of Walt Disney Animation Studios' Wreck-It Ralph, including John C. Reilly (Step Brothers) and Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program), and director Rich Moore (Futurama). Hall H

4:45-5:45 The Expendables 2-Real American Heroes— Sylvester Stallone and the legendary cast of the sequel to 2010's smash hit film preview the real-deal muscles, weapons, skills, and explosions that went into making a film even bigger and badder than the original. Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren, Jean Claude Van Damme, and Arnold Schwarzenegger will join the panel discussion.Hall H 

Discover Me!

A whole slew of movies you might not have heard of will be making their case to the fan community on Thursday. Although Jackie Chan's latest is in Hall H, it still remains a bit of a mystery, and those are always a delightful time (remember Twixt last year? Anyone?) and returning for its second year is the Virtual Drive In, which takes a look at smaller genre films and hosts a discussion with their filmmakers. Plus, the panel will kick off with trailers, clips and intros from indie films other than the three featured, so make a point to get there right at 6:15 to maximize your ability to discover and brag a year from now that you knew a movie would be awesome first (see: Tucker and Dale vs Evil.)

11:00-12:00 Twisted Twins: American Mary— Jen and Sylvia Soska (of Twisted Twins Productions and the makers of Dead Hooker in a Trunk) and Todd Masters (of MASTERSFX and make-up effects producer on True Blood) will discuss the use of prosthetics in horror. The Soskas will also address the challenges of working in a male-dominated genre. They will unveil a sizzle reel from their new film American Mary. Paula Lindberg (Ruby in American Mary) will also be on the panel, which is moderated by Beth Accomando (author of the KPBS blog Cinema Junkie). Room 5AB 





3:00-4:00 Hotel Transylvania—Animation superstar and 12-time Emmy nominee Genndy Tartakovsky, who previously created Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Sym-Bionic Titan and Star Wars: Clone Wars, makes his directorial debut this year with Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania. Join Genndy for an exclusive sneak peek at footage from Hotel Transylvania and an exciting look behind the scenes of this very unique project, which boasts a hilarious voice cast.

Welcome to Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of his best friends -- Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Werewolf family, and more -- to celebrate his beloved daughter Mavis's 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but everything could change for the overprotectiv e dad when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 


3:25-4:25 CZ12— Jackie Chan & JJ Productions Limited are happy to bring you Jackie Chan's upcoming classical full-action feature movie CZ12, which is produced and directed by Jackie Chan. The movie stars Jackie Chan, Kwone Sang Woo and with a special guest appearance by Oliver Platt. It is filmed in multi-territories including China, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vanuatu, Australia, and  Latvia. Trailers will be presented and a Q&A will be held for the film. Hall H 




6:15-8:15 The Virtual Drive-In— Come with us again to those thrilling days of yesteryear where one of the few places you could see offbeat genre films was at your local drive-in, huddled safely in your car as the summer sky darkened around you. At least that was the germ of an idea that gave birth to this panel last year, and the reception by those fans who attended was so positive they're doing it again. So, welcome to the second edition of the Virtual Drive-In, where you will preview three twisted tales by some talented filmmakers who will all be appearing on the panel to discuss their work and take your questions. Moderated by Robert Meyer Burnett. The featured films are:

Branded -- A dark and mind-bending journey into a surreal, dystopian society where mega-corporations have unleashed a monstrous global conspiracy to get inside our minds and keep the population deluded, dependent and passive. One man's quest to unlock the truth behind the conspiracy will lead to an epic battle with the hidden forces that really control our world. Appearing on stage is director Jamie Bradshaw.

Crave -- Aiden (Josh Lawson) fantasizes about a better life away from his gruesome job as a crime scene photographer working alongside his detective friend Pete (Ron Perlman)-a heroic life where he falls in love with the perfect woman and dispenses justice on the hard streets of Detroit. When he meets the alluring young Virginia (Emma Lung) and steals a gun from a crime scene, the line between his darkest fantasies and reality begins to blur, with deadly consequences. This visually arresting psychological noir begins its festival run with its world premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival and continues on to other festivals around the world. Appearing on stage: Josh Lawson (House of Lies) and director Charles de Lauzirika, with other guests to be announced.

Coldwater -- "Make sure the past isn't watching you." Andre agrees to help out his friend Robert by taking over a housesitting job at an unusual house nestled in the heart of Coldwater Canyon. As the day turns into night, Andre experiences strange things that lead him to believe he is not alone and that someone or something is watching him. Appearing in person are writer/director Dave Parker (The Hills Run Red) and star Ivan Djurovic (24).

Hall H 


8:00-9:00 The Image Revolution Documentary— Twenty years ago, the seven biggest artists in comics created a company that revolutionized comics. Now, director Patrick Meaney (Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods) and producer Jordan Rennert (Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts) are telling the company's story in a new documentary produced by Sequart and Respect Films. Get a first look at the film, and talk about the highs and lows of Image history with a couple of special guests. Moderated by F. J. De Santo (The Spirit). Room 32AB 

Let's Discuss

Thursdays opportunities for discussion range from fan gabbing about one property, to multiple artists with something in common discussing their work, to professionals remisicing about one golden year in science fiction, to advice on low budget filmmaking, to movie bloggers having a blast talking about what they love and hate and why, to the process of creating a blu-ray. If you can't make it into any of the giant panels, there is still plenty to whet the whistle of a major film fan.

10:15-11:15 TheOneRing.net: The Truth About The Hobbit— The Hobbit movie is imminent just at the book turns 75. With on-set visits, intrepid reporting, and the pulse of fans worldwide, the TORn staff shred rumors, answer questions, share New Zealand images-but not as part of the official publicity machine. Also featuring a special visual presentation from Weta Workshop and an account of Fandalf traveling the world and (all that is the tip of the iceberg!). Featuring Cliff Broadway (Ringers: Lord of the Fans) and Larry D. Curtis (Hobbit embedded reporter) and additional staff and guests. Room 6DE 


11:15-12:00 DreamWorks Animation— DreamWorks Animation's chief creative officer Bill Damaschke anchors a diverse group of filmmakers to demo and discuss the artistic ambition and technical innovation that goes into moviemaking at DreamWorks Animation. Moderated byAnthony Breznican from Entertainment Weekly.Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 



3:00-4:00 1982: It was 30 Years Ago Today-Greatest Geek Year Ever!— It's time to stand up and cheer the greatest geek year ever-three decades later-and the editors of Geek Magazine and guests are here to tell you all about it on this nostalgic trip down memory lane in which they go back to the future. Geek editors Jeff Bond andDavid E. Williams are joined by screenwriter Ashley E. Miller (Thor, X-Men: First Class), director Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise, The Hills Run Red), writerSteve Melching (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Transformers: The Series), Steve Kriozere(V.I.P., Elvis Van Helsing), Bill Hunt, Todd Doogan and Dr. Adam Jahnke (The Digital Bits, Geek), and Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise, Femme Fatales, Castle) to discuss the year that gave us Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Blade Runner, E.T., Tron, Poltergeist, Conan: The Barbarian, The Road Warrior, The Thing, Liquid Sky (Liquid Sky? Really?!?),The Sword and the Sorcerer, Diner, 48 Hours, Dexy's Midnight Runner's "Come On Eileen" and many more. What's your favorite? And can 2012 possibly compare? You be the judge. On second thought, they'll be the judge. Moderated by Geek Magazine(geekexchange.com). Room 5AB 



3:15-4:15 Low Budget/Big Genre: Making it Fun— Script developers, producers, writers, and actors discuss lower-budget genre movies and some of the tools they use to make them so much fun that people keep coming back for more. Panelists include writer/director Eric Forsberg (Syfy, The Asylum, Active Entertainment), Micho Rutare(development executive, The Asylum), actress Gabriel Womack (Triassic Attack, Copperhead), Mark Beltzman (Re-Animator, the Musical), Karen Goodman Forsberg (producer and co-founder, Big Bear Horror Film Festival), and Bill Lundy (writer, Silent Warning, Alien Siege on SyFy; head of Scriptwriters Network).Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina 


4:30-5:30 Masters of the Web— The annual gathering of some of the most prominent and influential film pundits on the web discuss the film industry, writing for film online, film fandom, and a whole lot more. Moderated by star of the new Lionsgate film Dredd, Karl Urban (Star Trek, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King), with special surprise cast members from the film. Panelists include Mike Sampson(ScreenCrush.com), Jen Yamato (MovieLine.com), Mali Elfman (ScreenCrave.com),Erik Davis (Movies.com), Steve "Frosty" Weintraub (Collider.com), Grae Drake(Fandango.com), Jenna Busch (Cocktails with Stan Lee), and Edward Douglas(ComingSoon.net), and hosted by John Campea (AMC Theatres). AMC is generously providing free movies passes to all attendees of the panel this year! Room 24ABC 


5:00-6:00 Blu-ray Producers 2012— Bill Hunt, Todd Doogan, and Dr. Adam Jahnke ofThe Digital Bits.com and Geek Monthly discuss the process of making great Blu-ray special editions with producers Charles de Lauzirika (Prometheus, The Amazing Spider-Man), Cliff Stephenson (The Hunger Games, The Expendables 2), and Robert Meyer Burnett (Star Trek: The Next Generation-Seasons One and Two), as well as Warner Home Video's senior VP of theatrical catalog marketing George Feltenstein. Audience participation is encouraged. Room 5AB 



Your Daily Trailer Park

What's Comic-Con without a trailer park?

11:30-12:30 Trailer Park— A Comic-Con tradition comes home to Hall H! See the latest in trailers from your upcoming soon-to-be-favorite films, including some in that new-fangled 3D contraption (glasses provided, but please give them back as you exit the hall).Hall H 

The rest of the week after the jump!





Friday


The Big Guns

If you don't mind sitting through three hours of television shows (which to be fair, include Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, so if you watch those, you're all set,) check out the Hall H slate on Friday that opens with the sure-to-be-awesome stop-motion animated flick ParaNorman, and closes with an incredible Sony slate, most notably featuring the return of Looper after stealing Wondercon, and Matt Damon's first ever Comic-Con appearance with Neil Blomkamp's follow up to District 9, Elysium.

10:45-11:45 ParaNorman: Behind the Scenes— Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick,Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Travis Knight, Chris Butler, and Sam Fell discuss making their new stop-motion-animated comedy thriller, ParaNorman, made in 3D. Never-before-seen footage will be shown from the Laika movie that Focus Features is opening nationwide on August 17. Panel will be moderated by Dave Karger(Entertainment Weekly). Hall H 


4:05-4:35 Screen Gems: Resident Evil: Retribution— In Resident Evil: Retribution, we learn more about Alice's mysterious past as she continues to hunt those at The Umbrella Corporation responsible for the T-virus outbreak, a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, including the return of Michelle Rodriguez as Rain Ocampo, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. Appearing in person: Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Oded Fehr, Boris Kodjoe, Mika Nakashima and writer/director Paul W. S. Anderson. Please join them for a preview and discussion of this highly successful film franchise, based on the popular video game series, and watch never before seen footage from the latest installment, Resident Evil: Retribution, in state-of-the art 3D. Hall H 


4:35-6:35 Sony: Total Recall, Looper, and Elysium—

Total Recall-Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Doug Quaid (Colin Farrell), the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his ordinary existence. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate. Based on Philip K. Dick's classic story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale," this brand new take on some of his most visionary ideas is directed by Len Wiseman, who will join stars Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, and Bryan Cranston on stage.

Looper-In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented-but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a "looper"-a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)-is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good...until the day the mob decides to "close the loop," sending back Joe's future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination. Writer/director Rian Johnson will join Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt to discuss the film.

Elysium-Ever since writer-director Neill Blomkamp broke through with his first feature film, District 9, people have been wondering what he has in store for an encore. Be a part of the first audience anywhere to get a first look at his new movie, Elysium, as stars Matt Damon and Jodie Foster join Neill and producer Simon Kinberg on stage.

Hall H 

Discover Me!

A great day for coming upon on all sorts of films currently flying under the radar, mostly animated or documentaries, with one notable exception, the wonderful comedy with a genre slant, "It's A Disaster" that myself and critics alike fell in love with LA Film Festival last month. Be bold and ahead of the curve by checking out all of these lesser known gems yet to be released.

1:15-2:15 From Fanboy to Filmmaker: A Case Study on How to Make a Successful Animated Film— Learn how one filmmaker turned a poem he wrote to his kid sister into an international cinematic sensation by enlisting his childhood heroes -- Back to the Future's Christopher Lloyd, Academy Award winner Kathy Bates and musical legend Neil Young -- to tell a seven-minute, animated love story, now being developed as a major motion picture. Follow the journey of this hand-drawn animated film from the living room to the Cineplex, and learn how you can leverage your creative project to launch the life you want to lead. Featuring writer/director Jonah D. Ansell, composer Chris Thomas, art director Eric Vennemeyer, lead animator Abe Dieckman, and a screening of the animated film Cadaver, hailed by MTV as "darkly beautiful."Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina 


5:30-6:30 Berserk— At long last, the dark fantasy epic Berserk, by creator Kentaro Muira, comes to the silver screen! Join Dark Horse Comics and VIZ Media in a rare interview with Eiko Tanaka, founder and CEO of Studio 4°C (Tekkonkinkreet, Animatrix, Batman). Find out what it really takes to transform this stark manga into an animated feature. Room 32AB 


7:00-8:00 Stripped: The Comics Documentary— It's the documentary film that comic strip fans have been waiting for. Stripped sits down with the world's best cartoonists to talk about how comic strips work, why they're so loved, and how artists are navigating this dicey period between print and digital. Set to music by Stefan Lessard (Dave Matthews Band), and with notable interviews from Jim Davis (Garfield), Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics), Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins (Penny Arcade), Kate Beaton (Hark A Vagrant), Bill Amend (Foxtrot), Lynn Johnston (For Better or For Worse), Jeannie Schulz (Charles M. Schulz Museum), and over 70 others-this film will be an incredible experience for comics fans. Join the directors, twice Eisner-nominated Dave Kellett and twice Sundance-nominated Frederick Schroeder, and editor Ben Waters for exclusive sneak peeks of the film, a Q&A, and news of one secret participant that comics fans will go nuts for.  Room 25ABC 


8:00-9:00 The Vacationeers are a Disaster— It's a Disaster is a new end-of-the world comedy from the twisted minds of The Vacationeers comedy group. The film-which also stars Julia Stiles, David Cross, America Ferrera, and Erinn Hayes-is about four couples gathering for Sunday brunch unaware that the apocalypse is happening outside their door. It recently world premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival to rave reviews (The Hollywood Reporter calling it "the funniest film of recent vintage"). Writer/director Todd Berger along with actors Jeff Grace, Kevin M. Brennan, Blaise Miller, Rachel Boston (In Plain Sight, American Dreams) and Erinn Hayes (Children's Hospital) will be on hand to look back at some of the comedy group's favorite sketches and give an exclusive sneak preview of the film. Moderated by Kate Erbland of Film School Rejects. Room 6BCF 

8:30-9:30 Toy Masters and the 25th Anniversary of Masters of the Universe— To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the release of the live-action He-Man featureMasters of the Universe, the "Seacrest of Sci-Fi," Robert Meyer Burnett (Femme Fatales, Hills Run Red, Free Enterprise) brings you a powerful discussion of Toy Masters, the first ever feature-length documentary on the worldwide phenomenon that inspired an entire generation of children and became a billion-dollar franchise. The film features interviews with the key creative personnel behind every version of the bestselling toy line and all incarnations of Masters of the Universe on television, film, stage, and print, tracing the inception and ups and downs of the fantasy juggernaut. Everyone involved in the 30-year history of this historic franchise makes appearances in the film, including such genre figures as J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Thor), Richard Edlund (Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark), William Stout (Conan The Barbarian, Pan's Labyrinth), Lou Scheimer (Filmation), Michael Westmore (Star Trek franchise), Don Glut (The Empire Strikes Back, Transformers Animated), and even Dolph Lundgren, who played He-Man in the live-action film. Panel participants include Roger Lay, Jr. (director/producer), Cory Landis(producer), Gary Goddard (director), J. Michael Straczynski (writer), Mark Taylor(visual designer, Masters of the Universe toy line 1980s), Ted Mayer (visual designer/product engineer, Masters of the Universe toy line 1980s), Jack and Leslie Wadsworth (live-action He Man and She Ra, Masters of the Universe: Power Tour), and a special surprise guest! Room 26AB 

Let's Discuss

Friday boasts plenty of film related discussions, some for specific properties yet to come out or about to celebrate an anniversary, to round tables on animation, art direction and science fiction. Plus, check out Joss Whedon in his first Comic-Con panel since becoming the director of the biggest superhero movie of all time, and the too-oddball-to-miss interview with Peter Cullen by Larry King.

2:00-3:00 ASIFA: Hollywood's State of the Industry— What do the pros think of the animation scene today? Is 2D ever coming back? Is there a Stop-Motion Renaissance? How do I get a job? Panelists include Tom Sito (Beauty and the Beast, Shrek), Jamie Kezlarian Bolio (Lion King, The Illusionist), James Parris (Spider Man, Benjamin Button), Ramin Zahed (editor Animation Magazine), Josh Scherr (Uncharted III: Drakes Deception, Jax & Daxter), and a stop-motion animator from Laika's upcoming ParaNorman. Join the discussion! Room 32AB 


3:00-4:00 Walt Disney Animation Studios:Wreck-it Ralph: The Art of Story— Join Walt Disney Animation Studios story artistsNancy Kruse (Wreck-It Ralph, The Simpsons),Leo Matsuda (Wreck-It Ralph, Princess and the Frog), Raymond Persi (Wreck-It Ralph, The Simpsons), Lissa Treiman (Wreck-It Ralph, Tangled) and Josie Trinidad (Wreck-It Ralph, Tangled), and writers Phil Johnston (Wreck-It Ralph, Cedar Rapids) and Jennifer Lee(Wreck-It Ralph) as they discuss the art of story for the upcoming feature Wreck-It Ralph, in theaters November 2nd. Room 6DE 


4:00-5:00 Motion Picture and Television Illustrators of the Art Directors Guild—Film starts with an idea that must be brought to life by a team of creative men and women. The illustrators and storyboard artists use their skills and imaginations to develop the transcendent visuals of the big screen, be it adventure son distant worlds or earthly hovels. Meet the artists as they discuss their craft and answer questions: moderator Tim Burgard (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Benton Jew (G.I. Joe: Retaliation), Dave Lowery (Oz the Great and Powerful), Derek Gogol (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise), Trevor Goring (Real Steel), and Chris Baker (War of the Worlds).Room 24ABC 


5:00-6:00 Sci-fi That Will Change Your Life— Sometimes science fiction does more than mangle your eyeballs with awesome explosions -- it can also make you think. Come discuss the year's most brain-expanding sci-fi with io9 staffers Annalee Newitz, Cyriaque Lamar, and Charlie Jane Anders, plus amazing guests Phil Plait(writer/scientist, Bad Astronomy), Deric A. Hughes (producer/writer, Warehouse 13), and Sarah Kuhn (writer, One Con Glory). Room 7AB 


5:30-6:30 Dark Horse: Joss Whedon— Long before directing the biggest superhero film in history, Joss Whedon rewarded fans the world over with some of the most compelling characters and plotlines in the history of comics, television, and movies. Here's your chance to find out what he has in store for us next, and hear exclusive insight into Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the ever-expanding number of titles in Dark Horse's line of Season 9 comics. Ballroom 20 


6:00-7:00 Optimus Prime: Up Close and Personal— The incomparable Larry King, one of the most recognized broadcast interviewers in the world, goes one-on-one with voice actor Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime), a talent who is practically synonymous with Comic-Con itself. In this panel, "The King of Interviews" salutes the beloved Cullen and takes attendees through the actor's early days on the original 1984 animated TV series Transformers Generation One, the three box office smash Transformers movies, and his current work on The Hub TV network's Daytime Emmy Award-winning animated series Transformers Prime from Hasbro Studios. Audience Q&A to follow. Room 23ABC 


7:00-8:00 Blade Runner 30th Anniversary Celebration— In 1982, Blade Runner, director Ridley Scott's classic adaptation of SF master Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was released to theaters and forever changed the face of cinematic science fiction. Filmmaker, BR expert, and acclaimed author Paul M. Sammon (Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner) hosts a 30th anniversary celebration of this influential masterpiece. Sammon (who was present throughoutBR's filming and met Philip K. Dick) will interview numerous BR cast and crewmembers, including BR art director David Snyder and BR: The Final Cut producerCharles de Lauzirika. Be there to meet these and other very special BR guests.Room 6BCF 

Saturday

The Big Guns

Perhaps the most major day for major film at Comic-Con this year, Saturday boasts the new Tarantino, who must be seen on a panel to be believed, a trifecta (and perhaps more? there are rumblings of many a surprise) of hugely anticipated films from Warner Brothers including what we can only assume will be the first footage shown anywhere of Henry Cavill as Superman, and Marvel giving us a taste of Iron Man 3 and no doubt making a few announcements. If there is one day to camp out in Hall H, this is it.

11:30-12:30 Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained— The Weinstein Company presents a sneak peek at the highly anticipated new film from acclaimed directorQuentin Tarantino. Fans will get to see exclusive footage from Django Unchained and take part in a special discussion with Tarantino and the cast. You won't want to miss this! Hall H 


2:30-5:00 Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Preview Their Upcoming Lineups—

Legendary Pictures: Pacific Rim-From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' epic sci-fi action adventure Pacific Rim. When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes -- a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) -- who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse. Pacific Rim also stars Idris Elba, Ron Perlman, and Charlie Day.

Warner Bros. Pictures: Man Of Steel

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey-From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Jackson returns to Middle-earth in an adventure that begins 60 years before the events depicted in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The first of two films adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's enduringly popular masterpiece, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows titular Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who-along with the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a band of 13 Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage)-is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. The film's ensemble cast includes Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, and Andy Serkis as Gollum.

Hall H 


6:00-7:00 Marvel Studios: Iron Man 3— Producer Kevin Feige and special guests provide an inside look at the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hall H 

Discover Me!

A nice selection to discover presents itself on Saturday, from a sneak peak look at an upcoming Sci-Fi film based on a comic (involving Peter David yet!), an indie film from Sundance (I've seen it, the film isn't great, but the cast rocks and they are *all* appearing on the panel, so I'd say check it out if you can), some big budget fare that doesn't have a lot of buzz yet, and a pair of films brought to us by EPIX that both sound odd and wonderful.

10:00-11:00 After Earth— Enter the world of After Earth with an in-depth panel that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the universe of the upcoming film and comic book. With the film now in post-production and set to hit theaters next June, screenwriter Gary Whitta (Book of Eli) and director of photography Peter Suschitzky(The Empire Strikes Back) will discuss the making of the film. They will be joined by comic book artist Beni Lobel (Spanish horror comic anthology Cthulu; G.I. Joe comic books; Torchwood: Web of Lies motion comic), and writers Robert Greenberger (Iron Man, Batman, and Hellboy novels) and Michael Friedman (Star Trek and X-Men novels) -- the creators of the comic book After Earth: Innocence, which will introduce Kitai and Cypher Raige (played by Jaden and Will Smith in the After Earth film). Also joining the panel is Eisner Award winner Peter David (Star Trek novels and comic books; The Incredible Hulk), who is writing the After Earth prequel novel and also created the After Earth bible with Greenberger and Friedman.

In After Earth, one thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity's escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankind's new home. Legendary General Cypher Raige (played by Will Smith) returns from an extended tour of duty to his estranged family, ready to be a father to his 13-year-old son, Kitai (played by Jaden Smith). When an asteroid storm damages Cypher and Kitai's craft, they crash-land on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. As his father lies dying in the cockpit, Kitai must trek across the hostile terrain to recover their rescue beacon. His whole life, Kitai has wanted nothing more than to be a soldier like his father. Today, he gets his chance.

Room 6A 


11:30-12:30 Save the Date: Your New Favorite Film— This may be the first comic book film that isn't based on an actual comic book; instead, Save the Date uses the style and sensibility of indie comics by renowned graphic novelist Jeffrey Brown as a jumping off point to tell a contemporary story of the trials, pain, and happiness of modern love. Explore the challenges and advantages of working in film versus comics with cartoonist/screenplay co-writer Jeffrey Brown (Clumsy, Darth Vader and Son), director Michael Mohan (One Too Many Mornings), and producers Jordan Horowitz (The Kids Are All Right) and Michael Roiff (Waitress), and discover how the cast has been influenced and inspired by comics and geek culture, with Lizzy Caplan(Party Down), Alison Brie (Community, Mad Men), Martin Starr (Freaks & Geeks, Party Down), Geoffrey Arend (500 Days of Summer), and Mark Webber (Scott Pilgrim). Join them for a lively session moderated by Noel Murray (The A.V. Club). Room 5AB


12:45-1:45 Open Road Films: End of Watch and Silent Hill: Revelations 3D—Global exclusive! Catch an early look at the highly anticipated action film End of Watch, with special guests Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña who play police officers patrolling the meanest streets of south central Los Angeles, and writer/director David Ayer (Training Day). Also, based on the groundbreaking video game franchise from Konami, Silent Hill: Revelation 3D is the sequel to the hit film Silent Hill. Experience the world premiere of 3D footage from an unparalleled horror experience with special guests Adelaide Clemens (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Kit Harington (HBO's Game of Thrones), director Michael J. Bassett, and producer Samuel Hadida. Hall H 


4:15-5:15 EPIX Originals: William Shatner and Roger Corman— Two legends of the entertainment world take to the Comic-Con stage to preview their latest projects. Get a gander at the EPIX Original movie, Roger Corman's first-ever made in 3D,Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader, in which a meek college co-ed is transformed into a gigantic cheerleader. Then take a sneak peek at William Shatner's Get a Life!, an EPIX original documentary based on Shatner's hugely popular book, in which he examines the cultural phenomena of Star Trek, its fan-following, and his own role within it. To top it all off the panel will be moderated by "Mr. Comic Book Men" himself,Kevin Smith. Room 6A 

Let's Discuss

Saturday sees guild heavy discussions, with explorations into art direction, costume design and prop building, ideal for anyone aspiring to work in genre film design. The day ends with what is always hands down one of the best panels at Comic-Con, no matter how you feel about the man, with a raucus two hours with Kevin Smith, spent mostly with him telling stories and lovingly insulting the fans who ask him questions. If you've never attended one of these, remedy that immediately.

10:00-11:00 Film and TV Production Designers of the Art Directors Guild— In collaboration with a highly skilled art department, the production designer lays out the design plan that will guide a small army of illustrators, set designers, decorators, carpenters, sculptors, painters, and artisans of every sort in creating small worlds to warm the heart and entire civilizations to fire the imagination. Designers includeSuzuki Ingerslev (True Blood), Bill Creber (original Planet of the Apes), Rick Heinrichs(Dark Shadows), Thomas Walsh (Vampires), Dominic Watkins (Snow White and the Huntsman), and moderator John Muto (Terminator 2:3D). Room 25ABC


5:00-6:00 Costume Designers and Illustrators: From Concept to Reality— Join a discussion with the creative minds that help bring your favorite sci-fi, fantasy and comic book characters to life on the big screen through the art of costume design and illustration. Learn how Costume Designers Guild members Shawna Trpcic (The Cabin In The Woods), Monique Prudhomme (Underworld Awakening), and Varya Avdyushko (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter) and costume illustrators Christian Cordella (Snow White, Hunger Games, Thor), Constantine Sekeris (Green Lantern, Thor, Star Trek), Phillip Boute Jr. (Man of Steel, Star Trek, Hansel & Gretel, Twilight), Brian Velenzuela (Star Trek, The Sorcerer's Apprentice), and Rosi Gabl (xXx, Mission To Mars) take costumes from concept to reality. Room 24ABC 


7:00-8:00 Building Props for Sci-Fi in the 21st Century— Sci-fi props already have the advantage of a sharp aesthetic, but in this day and age, how do you take sci-fi prop making and the replica making that tends to follow to the next level? Andy Gore(QMx), Jack Kenney (Warehouse 13), Andy Siegel (Avatar, The Amazing Spiderman, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), John Eblan (Star Wars Episodes II and III), and Nick Robatto (Doctor Who, Torchwood) discuss how your favorite props are made, from concept to execution. The panel will discuss the impact of accelerated production schedules and technology on how TV and movie props are conceived and created. You will also learn the various types of prop making, from working props and digital modeling to 3D printers and the use of advanced materials. Room 24ABC 


7:15-9:15 Comi-Kev: Q&A with Kevin Smith— For like the millionth year in a row, Saturday at Comic-Con's not over 'til the fat lady sings...and that fat lady is@ThatKevinSmith! Taking the the Hall H stage like he takes the desserts off your lunch tray, the guy in the hockey jersey will A all of your Qs! Query about Comic Book Men, Spoilers, SModcast.com, his book Tough Sh*t, Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie, his Fat Man on Batman podcast, or just ask him about stuff he's got nothing to do with! But get ready to listen because this fatty is chatty! Warning:Kevin Smith throws around adult language like it's clever. It's not, but he loves it. A lot. Hall H 

Your Daily Trailer Park

Okay, so remember how there wasn't a trailer park on Friday? Ha HA! There are TWO on Saturday! So if you only let yourself watch trailers on the big screen with other people (like me. No really, I do that. It's a bad habit to have when you make your living talking about movies. Whatevs.), then you're in luck!

2:00-2:30 Trailer Park I— See the latest in trailers from your upcoming soon-to-be-favorite films, including some in 3D (glasses provided, but please give them back as you exit the hall). Hall H 


5:15-5:45 Trailer Park II— Once more with feeling! See the latest in trailers from your upcoming soon-to-be-favorite films, including some in 3D (glasses provided, but please give them back as you exit the hall). Hall H 


Sunday 


Let's Discuss

The most relaxing day of the Convention sees no "big guns" but lots of fun discussions, including one that may not outwardly seen like it's about movies, but, come on, you *know* that every young adult book on that panel is gonna be a huge movie at some point. The Smackdown always rewards fans of space set film, and a panel with Drew Struzan, creator of multiple iconic poster images, is a treat for any film geek. Oh and the first Harry Potter book came out 15 years ago, which definitely requires some sort of conversation cause WHAT?! How old am I?! What year is this?!

12:00-1:00 What's Hot in Young Adult Fiction— Strong protagonists, engrossing romance, humor, action, and angst! Panelists offer a Q&A session and chat about the hottest new titles and trends in YA fiction. Moderated by Nathan Bransford (Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe) and featuring Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone), James Dashner (The Maze Runner series), Kami Garcia (co-author of the Beautiful Creatures novels), Tahereh Mafi (Unravel Me), Melina Marchetta (Froi of the Exiles), Lish McBride (Hold Me Closer, Necromancer), Myra McEntire (Hourglass trilogy), and Scott Westerfeld (Uglies). Room 25ABC 

3:30-5:00 Starship Smackdown All*Stars: InterGalactic 3D Edition— The must-see panel of Comic-Con, brought to you by the new Geek Magazine, as featured on National Public Radio, returns for another action-packed year as the greatest spaceships in the history of the universe converge in the ultimate cosmic conflagration for the highly-coveted Smackdown title in Comic-Con's most scholarly and erudite panel. Will the Enterprise once again defeat an Imperial Star Destroyer? Can the Serenity make mincemeat out of the Battlestar Galactica? In space, can anyone hear you scream on the Prometheus and can you actually get cell reception in the TARDIS? And what exactly is the "Captain's Courageous" lightning round anyway? Join our panel of expert spaceshipologists as they outwit, outplay and outphaser, starring Chris Gossett (The Red Star), Ashley E. Miller (X-Men: First Class, Thor), Steve Melching (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Transformers), Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise, The Hills Run Red), Kay Reindl (Millennium, Twilight Zone), and the Gene Rayburn of the stars, moderator Mark A. Altman (Femme Fatales, DOA: Dead Or Alive), along with some surprise guests. End your weekend with the geekiest and most beloved panel of all time in this or any other dimension, known or unknown. All new ships, all new quips as the Smackdown beams down to San Diego for its final mission. Courtesy of the all-new Geek Magazine. Room 6A 


3:45-4:45 Drew: The Man Behind the Poster— Screening a premiere clip from the feature-length documentary about movie poster artist Drew Struzan, which includes exclusive interviews with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Frank Darabont, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many others. Followed by a Q&A panel that will include artist Drew Struzan, actor Thomas Jane, director Erik P. Sharkey, producer Charles Ricciardi, composer Ryan Shore, co-cinematographer and supervising editor Greg Boas, editor Jeff Yorkes, Stephen Saffel of Titan Books, andZach Martin of Skywalker Sound Studios. Room 5AB 


4:00-5:00 15 Years Since Philosopher's Stone: Harry Potter Fandom in 2012—Seven books from J. K. Rowling -- or ten, depending on how you count -- plus hundreds of thousands of fanfics. Eight studio movies -- plus dozens of popular fanfilms, musicals, and songs. One theme park -- but soon there'll be three or more! An international museum exhibition -- and piles of fan-made shirts, crafts, fanart, CDs and DVDs. An encyclopedic website -- and fancons, fan-made wikis, and history courses on the impact of the Harry Potter fandom. We'll look back at 15 years of Harry Potter fandom and try to predict -- better than Trelawney! -- where we go from here. Room 6DE

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July at the Movies

Cross-posted on and commissioned by Film.com


Now smack dab in the middle of the Summer movie season, July gives us the last two giant superhero flicks of the year, along with raunchy comedies, adult dramas, and two giant handfuls of festival darlings. Plus the biggest box office war of all time begins when 'The Dark Knight Rises' steps in to challenge Avengers for the all time throne. So what do we have to look forward to?

Marvel vs DC

"The Amazing Spiderman" - Tuesday, July 3rd

Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.

Marc Webb's sadly mostly unnecessary reboot of the Spider-Man franchise finally hits theaters on Tuesday. While Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone make a stellar Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, and the film's fight and flight sequences are fantastic, the story falls a little flat, as it feels way too well tread already, not rebooting the series truly from the ground up the way Batman did or to a certain extent, X-Men did with 'First Class'. Still, the ingredients are there and I feel positive that an origin-less sequel, will bring out the best in the new series.

"The Dark Knight Rises" - Friday July 20th

Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face's crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.

If any movie this summer has the potential to break the 'Avengers' 600 million worldwide record, it's the final installment in Chris Nolan's Batman franchise. I've tried my damnedest to know nothing about this film as I want to see everything for the first time when I plop down in my cushy IMAX chair, but I can tell you this - early world is that the film is a masterpiece and even better than 'The Dark Knight'. If it meets these expectations, maybe Oscar will finally give this series the Oscar nod it so richly deserved the last time around.

More after the jump!

For The Kiddies

"Ice Age: Continental Drift" Friday July 13th

Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.

I could have sworn this movie came out already, then I realized I was thinking of 'Madagascar 3' *and* 'Ice Age 3D' and just gave up trying anymore with these. I've never seen an 'Ice Age' film, though I know they are major hits. It's just -- can I break this streak when I've come so far already?! This fourth installment once again features the voiced of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary, along with a host of other names, and actually marks the ten year anniversary of the first Ice Age film, which is kind of nuts to think about. For you fellow film nears out there, it's the first of the franchise to be shot in the 2:35:1 aspect ratio, and the second to be screened in digital 3D. I saw some footage at CinemaCon and it looked exactly the same as every other preview for every other Ice Age movie where something silly happens to a small woodland creature. Hooray!

"Step Up Revolution" - Friday July 27th

Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations to become a professional dancer. She sparks with Sean, the leader of a dance crew whose neighborhood is threatened by Emily's father's development plans.

The 87th and thankfully last sequel on this list, 'Step Up Revolution' is the fourth of the wildly popular series that jumpstarted Man of the Year Channing Tatum's career back in 2006. Step Up Revolution has fans extra excited because in a genius move of knowing your audience, stars Kathryn McCormick of 'So You Think You Can Dance'. It's 3D, it's probably filled with sexy times, and no doubt the dance is incredible. I can sense the middle schoolers getting ready to buy their opening night tickets already.

NOT FOR THE KIDDIES EVEN A LITTLE BIT

Savages - Friday, July 6th

Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.

After watching footage from this latest from Oliver Stone at CinemaCon, I found myself dying to see it, but also very confused as to whether or not it will actually be….good. Taylor Kitsch has racked up a terrible track record, and frankly Aaron Johnson and Blake Lively's aren't much better. Could this be the film to bring all three critical and mainstream praise? More importantly for lots of fans out there - could this be the film that makes people start caring about John Travolta again? There's a lot on the line with this gritty crime thriller, the first film from Stone since 2010's 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps'. Early reviews suggest it's fun and stylish enough to warrant a theater viewing.

Killer Joe - Friday, July 27

When a debt puts a young man's life in danger, he turns to putting a hit out on his evil mother in order to collect the insurance.

When I asked friends who caught this movie during LAFF what they thought, I heard a succinct chorus of "wow that was screwed up and weird and screwed up and wow….but in a good way! I think." So take that for what it's worth. One of five Matthew McConaughey movies being released this year for some strange reason, 'Killer Joe' is the latest from legend Willian Friedkin and is definitely rated NC-17. No surprise considering its written by 'Bug' mastermind Tracy Letts, the man responsible for oh so may nightmares of mine in college after seeing that show off-broadway Sophomore year.

Klvwn - Friday, July 27

In order to prove his fatherhood potential to his pregnant girlfriend, Frank 'kidnaps' her 12-year-old nephew and tags along on his best friend Casper's debauched weekend canoe trip.

All of I've heard about this Danish sex comedy to come after six seasons of the 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'-ish tv show of the same name, is that it is one of the most hilarious in a long time. After killing at Fantasia, Fantastic Fest and more outside of the box film fests, its finally getting its US release. Nothing can stop me from checking it opening weekend.

The Watch - Friday, July 27

Suburban dads who form a neighborhood watch group as a way to get out of their day-to-day family routines find themselves defending the Earth from an alien invasion.

Following in the trend of real life - meets - genre that has been dominating a lot of 2012 (see: 'Extrateresstrial', 'Sound of my Voice', 'It's a Disaster', 'Safety Not Guaranteed', 'Robot & Frank'), 'The Watch' pits neighborhood watch dads played by Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and EXCITED ALERT Richard Ayoade against alien invaders. It's written by Seth Rogen who has had ups ('Superbad', 'Pineapple Express') and downs ('Drillbit Taylor', 'Green Hornet'), so it really could go either way, but its directed by Lonely Island mastermind Akiva Schaffer and the trailer is funny enough to convince it might actually be a great time at the movies. Am I naive for thinking so? Whatever, RICHARD AYOADE YOU GUYS!

Coming to an Independent Movie Theater Near You

Alps - Friday, July 13

A group of people start a business where they impersonate the recently deceased in order to help their clients through the grieving process.

Giorgos Lanthimos' follow up to 2009's Oscar nominee 'Dogtooth' has made appearances at every festival from Toronto to Hong Kong to San Francisco and on and on and on, picking up honors for Best Screenplay at Venice. I was disappointed to miss the movie at AFI Fest, but am thrilled to see it getting a US theatrical distribution as the log-line alone gives me chills.

Easy Money - Friday, July 13

A three-tiered story centered around drugs and organized crime, and focused on a young man who becomes a runner for a coke dealer.

This Swedish crime thriller starring Joel Kinnaman (who everyone keeps swearing to me is a real person, but I still doubt, as I've yet to see anything he is in, but keep seeing his name ALL OF THE PLACES, NO I DON'T WANT TO WATCH THE KILLING) is finally coming to theaters after an 18 month long festival run. Reactions out of LA Film Fest were pretty positive, praising its strong performances, though apparently it's a bit of a slow burn.

Trishna - Friday, July 13

The story of the tragic relationship between the son of a property developer and the daughter of an auto rickshaw owner.

'Tess of the D'Ubervilles' by way of Bollywood, this film directed by Michael Winterbottom ('The Trip') stars Freida Pinto in a chance to prove she can actually act. Although it understandably lost to my favorite movie of last year 'We Need to Talk about Kevin' at the London Film Festival, it was still nominated alongside big guns 'Kid with a Bike', 'Shame', and the 'Artist', and positive word on the street has me excited to see it when it finally hits theaters.

Ruby Sparks - Friday, July 25

A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.

This film directed by 'Little Miss Sunshine' helmerrs Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris stars real life couple Zoe Kazan (doubling as screenwriter) and Paul Dano, and received wonderful response after its secret screening at LA Film Fest last week. With airs of the underrated 'Stranger than Fiction', aimed at the indie set, I have a sneaking suspicion I will love this movie. Plus, it features bit performances from seminal team players Elliott Gould, Steve Coogan and Chris Messina and 'True Blood' favorite Deborah Ann Woll. It has summer sleeper hit written all over it.

A Look Inside A Life

Katy Perry: Part of Me - Friday, July 5th

A documentary that chronicles Katy Perry's life on and off-stage.

This film almost went into the For The Kiddies section until I watched the trailer. 'Part Of Me' seems like it may actually provide a very candid look at the pop star whose life became non stop tabloid fodder when her romantic life took center stage upon meeting actor Russell Brand a couple years ago. Covering her very Christian upbringing and her recent depression amidst the 3D concert footage could make for an interesting film. Maybe? Seems to me a very bold direction to take when making a doc about a pop star that gets tweens a dancing and hey, I can appreciate that.

Searching for sugar Man - Friday, July 25

Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock 'n' roller, Rodriguez.

One of my favorite films of LA Film Fest, 'Searching for Sugar Man' has been setting the indie scene on fire since walking away with the documentary audience award at Sundance, along with the special jury prize for its celebration of the artistic spirit. It also won second place doc audience award at Tribeca and won audience international award at LA Film Fest. In case you haven't put it together by now, this film is a massive crowd pleaser and beautiful filmmaking on top of that. Check out a more in depth review here.

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Hell Walk 2012 : Josh Tate Takes Doing Good To the Extreme Once More

For the second year in a row, Bad Robot employee and all around great guy Josh Tate is pushing the limits by walking 100 miles straight in 24 hours for a good cause. This year, instead of completing the 100 miles by walking around in a circle, he is taking to the streets and turning Los Angeles itself into his course, starting at USC Saturday and ending at the Dirt Cheap Sound Stage where the whole event took place last year, on Sunday, where it will be followed by a giant party. Oh, and he's walking for 32 hours - not 24. Whats his course look like? It must be seen to be believed. Follow the red. And then follow the jump.

We sat down with Josh last week to discuss this year's Hell Walk and in the process, got even more of an in depth look at the entire process, including its humble beginnings. 

The seed of Hell Walk, as the seed of many a great life change is, was a break up. When told he wasn't a serious enough person by an old girlfriend, Josh took a look at his life and reevaluated. Determined to start giving back, he began volunteering, but he felt like it wasn't enough,

"I was like, “Fuck this. This is not giving me any sort of spiritual fulfillment at all.” And I realize that was not very good--that doesn’t really speak well to my soul. So I was literally at Sonny McLeans, at the bar, with Melanie. I was literally just at the bar and I was telling her this exact story. And I don’t know how we got to this subject, but we started talking about the idea of having your own charity, because what I started realizing was that--I’m not a guy who’s good at taking direction, I’d rather just take the lead. And so, we started talking about what kind of charity we would do. And I remember just kind of saying, “Wouldn’t it be funny if I just walked around this bar for 24 hours as a walk-a-thon?” And we all kind of laughed it off. But then I was like, “Wait a minute, that’s actually a really good idea.”...Melanie actually has a picture of me at the bar buying the domain name. ...The next night I woke up and I was like, “What the fuck was I thinking? That was a terrible idea.” But I was like, “You know what, it’s a good thing to do.” And so if I kind of like--have you ever, well-- it’s called pot-committing in poker, where you have so much money in the game that you kind of have to keep playing. And so I kind of decided to sort of “pot-commit” myself to this charity. I decided to start buying T-shirts, making them, and then selling them. And I started to announce that I’m going to do this."

I was on site for the end of last years event, the complete recap of which you can find here, but it wasn't until now I realized just how far Josh had pushed his body leading up to the 24 hour walking extravaganza,

"…next thing you know, it’s April 30th, the day I’m starting it, and we were going to start it at 8am, but all my friends were like, “No, no, have it at night because we wanna be there at the end.” So at the last minute, I’m like, “Fine we’ll have it at night.” So I wake up in the morning at six o’clock on Saturday, April 30th, and all day long I’m getting ready at the sound stage. I’m getting set up: getting a bouncy castle put in there, getting all the beer chilled, getting the course put together. I’d never even been on the course. I’d never even walked 100 feet until that day because I was afraid if I did it would freak me out! [After building the course,] I went home to nap. I didn’t nap at all. So, I started walking at 8 o’clock that night, and I was already pretty sleepy--because I’d already been awake for 14 hours! I was ready for bed!" 

The day itself definitely lived up to it's name. This isn't called Hell Walk for shits and giggles.

"And so I started at 8 o’clock that night, and there was a big party. The other part of the Hell Walk was that everyone else would be having a lot of fun and I’d be by myself walking. So, literally, they were having a party on the other side of the stage. My friend John brewed some beer. People were all hanging out. There was loud music playing... And I was just by myself in a circle. Eventually, people left. The worst part was around five in the morning, when I had been walking for about nine hours. I had never walked through the night. I was ready to quit, and then the valet that we have here at work showed up, and my boss here at work showed up. And then the guys took the lights on the top of the sound stage and blocked them out. And I asked them, “Can you guys just get those in here so we have some light in here.” And when light came in, I felt fine--even though I had fifteen hours left to go."

By the time I arrived, the atmosphere was amazing, everyone pumped to see Josh cross the finish line as he got his second…or third…or fourth…or 16th wind,

"We watched movies when we were there, so we had something to do. We watched The Fellowship of the Ring, The Freshman, Amadeus. That night, at 7:55, I knew I was gonna make it. I only had 5 minutes to go. My friend’s band, who is playing at Hell Walk [on Sunday], started playing “500 Miles”, by The Proclaimers. That’s what I asked my friend and his band to play when there was five minutes left. So he did and I started running. I had so much energy! And then I heard this big count-down. And then it was 8 o’clock! I was dying. I walked for 24 hours without any resting. I took one-minute bathroom breaks, but that was it."

 It was a truly joyous occasion, food and drinks were plentiful, the music was great, and Josh was surrounded by friends and co-workers including his very supportive boss, JJ Abrams,

"Three days before Hell Walk, J.J. Abrams and his wife told me that whatever I was short for this fundraiser, they would pay the difference, because they knew I wanted to raise $25,000 for this charity called Children’s Hope Chest. So we ended up raising the whole amount. A month later, I decided I’d do it again."

In planning Hell Walk 2, Josh knew he wanted to get even crazier. He started by entertaining the idea of walking on a treadmill blindfolded, but quickly realized that was a bad idea, when after 30 minutes, he was completely disoriented. Then it hit him,

"I thought, “I need something with a good story.” … I’ll walk for 100 miles without stopping, through LA."

He switched up the charity too, beginning a trend that will continue every year, lending aid to different charities Josh feels passionate about,

"We are going to donate the money to a group called The Special Operations Warrior Foundation.  What they do is-- special operations or green bourets, delta force, army rangers, all those people-- they have the highest casualty rates of any unit in the military because they are in the most perilous combat situations.  So, when I was a kid, I remember my father came home really upset one day.  A plane full of his friends crashed and they all died.  At the time, I didn’t really understand what the big deal was.  I mean, I understood death, but it was a very abstract concept.  But when I look back on it, I’m like, “Holy shit, every single one of those guys had kids.” So every one of those kids lost a parent. And so, we decided a long time ago that this would be for military kids that lost a parent. It took a long time for us to find a charity that really focused on that specifically in the way we wanted it to.  I wanted it to be a college scholarship thing.  What Children’s Defense--a charity we work with here--did was help me see how giving scholarships for college changes lives.  So we finally found this group, Special Operations Warrior Foundation. That’s exactly what they do.  Kids of special operations soldiers who are killed in Afghanistan get scholarships.  The military does help with casualty pay, but that’s only helpful if you wanna go to San Jacinto Community College. They can maybe cover that.  But what if you’re an amazing kid with a bright future, and one day your dad dies and your whole life gets turned upside down?  For that kid who wanted to go to Harvard, Yale, or MIT, this organization can provide scholarships for that."

Last year's charity, Children's Hope Chest, was so grateful, they even donated back to Hell Walk 2 this year. Awe.

This year also had tons of events leading up to Hell Walk 2, adding more of a year round feel. Before American Reunion was released several months ago, Josh held a special screening for 200 vets, their family and friends, featuring an introduction by director Chris Moore. A couple months later, a Hell Walk 2 Bar Crawl spent the day at Sonny McLeans, JPs and Big Deans, raising money through selling t-shirts and taking donations as supporters simply had a great time all day and got to know Josh and his cause. Finally, last week, Sonny McLean's hosted a Raffle Party, where amazing prizes ranging from signed posters and scripts to DVD box sets to $100 gift certificates to fancy restaurants were raffled off. My group won three seasons of Fringe and a $50 bar certificate, so we were feeling pretty good. That night alone raised over $5000 towards Josh's $50,000 goal. 

So what's the best way for you to get involved? If you like walking you can track Josh's route live, form a team, and come down and join him, anywhere along the way. 

So next Saturday, at 8 o’clock in the morning, I’m gonna start at USC, which is where I trained last year. I’m gonna start working through LA and I’m just gonna keep going for 100 miles. This year we have about a hundred people walking different parts of the course with me. These people who are joining me are navy seals, some models from Abercrombie and fitch, some Playboy gals, some people from Bad Robot…To join, go on the website and click “Join a Team”, right in the middle of the page.  Because we want people to either lead their own team, or join another team. All you do is click on that button and enter your email address, and someone from Hell Walk will contact you and ask you when you’re available and when you want to do it. The course starts at USC, and it winds through downtown LA, and it goes into China Town, and it goes into Silver Lake, then to Los Filez, then Koreatown, then Hollywood, then West Hollywood, then Beverly Hills, then Century City, then Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Mar Vista, and then it starts bending back at that point, through Santa Monica.  But it’s literally all over.  To find 100 miles is not easy in LA."

If you're more inclined to come for the party portion of the event and cheer Josh on as he concludes his 100 miles, that too is an option,

"The actual party, like the Hell Walk party we had last year, is gonna be at 11 o’clock on July 1 and go till 4 o’clock. The party planner from Bad Robot actually planned the event. The cook downstairs is gonna make some food for us. He is having a taco truck. My friend John is brewing beer. Bands are coming out….there’s a jumping castle."

Bad Robot chef Mike Doutt prepares pork shoulder for Sunday's gourmet tacos. Holy Hell Walk.

After last years' success and the excitement building up to this year, Josh is feeling more positive than ever about the do-it-yourself charity model and wants to help others follow in his footsteps by starting a brand new instructional website,

"It's a great interactive thing... I think more people would start charities if they knew how to.  It would be good to have more of *this* instead of having these massive charities where 40% goes to overhead, and 60% goes to their actual core mission. You know, for this, there’s just me. I don’t take any money, except for the charge the credit card companies take for making a donation.  We send all of it, we send about 95% of everything directly to the charity.  So, my idea for “diycharity.com” is to create it for every state where if you’re like “I live in Alabama and I want to create a charity for hurricanes,” this website helps you do it.  You fill in your information and it prints and shows you all the instructions, shows you all the forms, shows you how much things are going to cost, and it gives you partners you might want to work with that already exist. And then, you can kinda fix it yourself.  But sometimes its easier to, instead of trying to raise $100,000 to fix one thing, it can be easier for 10 people to raise $10,000 to do that, I think.  Or if you just wanna, I dunno, build a bench for your senior citizens home that’s down the street.  “Here’s five grand. Now go think of a crazy idea to go raise five grand, and here’s how to do it”.  

Are you as inspired as I am? If so, join me, Josh Tate, Bad Robot, Identity Studios, the Producers Guild, SAG-AFTRA, and tons more for some of the walk Saturday (Join a team!) and the big celebration on Sunday. Be sure to donate at hellwalk.com and follow @hellwalk2012 on Twitter for updates on the route.

About Hell Walk 2 
Hell Walk is a transparent organization with no bureaucracy. None of the funds raised will go to supporting any infrastructure or pay any salaries or expenses. All funds raised for Hell Walk 2 will go to fund five college scholarships (at $10,000 each) for military children who have lost their parents due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Josh explains, "as the son of an Air Force veteran, I have always understood the immense sacrifices that our servicemen, servicewomen, and their families make every day. Too often, the sacrifice is the ultimate one. I know in my heart, [that raising $50k to go towards scholarships] will be the best thing I have EVER done in my life." Follow Hell Walk 2 on Twitter at @HellWalk2012 and "Like" Hell Walk 2 on Facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hell-Walk-2/269714799753130.

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Brave Thoughts

SPOILERS. ALL OVER THE PLACE. EVERYTHING. SPOILED. 

I just saw the 9:45 showing of Brave in 2D at 86th and 3rd. I didn't want the animation to be muddied or dark, and I'm very glad I saved the three bucks and forewent seeing it in 3D.

The movie is utterly charming. It's funny, it's madcap, it's sweet, it is absolutely stunningly beautiful. I was actually jarred a few times by the photorealism. The score is lovely- the second song less memorable and moving than the first- but in general it's a movie that fits together beautiful. After all, look at the people who made it.

Because it is a Pixar film, it is extremely easy to find the faults, because they stick up from the surrounding landscape like great stone monoliths. There's a lull in the middle. Some of the mad cap is too mad cappy, some of the gags were obvious and not particularly clever. The humor aimed at small children was the weakest, but the younger members of my audience laughed boisterously through them, so clearly those jokes hit their mark, just like the impeccably rendered arrows Merida lets fly with such abandon and skill. BAM. LIKE A WRITER,YO.

The core of the film is the relationship between Merida, a sixteen year old tomboy who has only ever treated her future title as a distantly looming annoyance, and her mother Queen Eleanor, who is so steeped in tradition she believes in magic. They are both awesome. Their story is fantastic- they love each other deeply, amuse and vex and exasperate each other endlessly, and for all the world cannot get the other to hear what they mean to say, because they're both so busy trying to do that that neither one of them is listening to the other. They war, come to an understanding, and forgive each other. Both grow in the process. I cried like a baby at the end. Like ya do, it's Pixar (full disclosure: I have seen neither of the Cars movies, nor do I... particularly intend to. If you cried during either of them, please tell me so in the comments below).

The parts of the film that confused me were the MacGuffins. Or didn't confuse me, exactly, I just felt they weren't entirely necessary.

Find them after the jump



1: Why was the old witch obsessed with bears? Were the too many unhappy customers a reference to EVERYONE, after war broke out? Did the Fourth brother go to her before or after the war began? It would make sense to go before to get all tricked out with witchery to go beat some heads and conquer a kingdom, but if it turned him into a bear the next day, then he couldn't have been too successful. Was the witch obsessed with bears before she started a war by turning some dude into one? Or is the bear carving obsession a manifestation of guilt? Either way, why the hell would she think it was even kind of vaguely a good idea to use that spell a second time? The whole timeline of that story and the motivation of the witch made me crinkle my nose and go "wait, but". Maybe this just indicated the necessity of a second viewing.

2: The tapestry and the mother's belief in magic. Because there are no throw-away lines in Disney movies, as soon as Queen Eleanor said she believed in magic, I lent that significance, beyond the fact that Merida, too, believed. Merida believed because she had seen it. I assumed that meant Eleanor had, also. When we are shown Eleanor sewing at the tapestry and muttering to herself, I assumed the item was in some way magical, an assumption that seemed well served when Merida sliced the tapestry, separating her mother from her family, Eleanor's subsequent reaction, and again when the witch delivered her not really at all cryptic out- that to reverse the spell, Merida would have to mend what had been torn by pride.

When Merida delivered her speech to the clans, and her mother pantomimed her through the last part of it, that was Eleanor mending the rift her pride had caused. Not caving to her daughter's whims but understanding Merida's feelings and acknowledging them to be right. Merida mended the rift caused by her pride when she begged her mother to come back because she loved her and needed her. The tapestry was purely a signifier that I believe served no purpose whatsoever other than as a plot device to get them to castle/start the chase/prevent Queen Eleanor from being all kinds of naked in the final scene. The tapestry was a foil for the characters, distracting them from what needed to be done, offering Merida a (false) tangible answer to an intangible problem. So clearly the tapestry didn't have anything to do with the witch's warning or the spell at all. I'm still not sure how much of what I saw on screen was meant to purposefully mislead us to believe it did, though.

So, yeah. There was a lull in the middle, they caught fish for too long, and the wacky brothers were far more entertaining in their 15 seconds as bears than they were in the rest of the film. The clan leaders and sons were used just enough to be funny and not dwelt upon too long, which I appreciated. Ultimately, the story was moving and fun, if not as neat or clever as I have come to expect from Pixar. Damn good, but not great. So I'm kind of surprised by the critical backlash online.

I do feel that it was missing something, the same way The Princess and the Frog was missing something (cough the score cough Randy you've done better see also: Faust), that ethereal something that pulled it together to make it not just exceptional but actually great. I think Brave is going up against some problematic mindsets though. Firstly, because Merida is technically a Disney princess, she is being held up against Ariel and Belle, and to a lesser degree Pocahontas, Mulan, Rapunzel, and then the pretty blondes with the soft 40s voices who I adore but who are not toted as the best of role models these days. If you compare and contrast the behavior, decisions, and character of these young women, Merida's doing just fine. She has as many and more foibles and equal or greater strength than most of them. Belle and Ariel are from movies that are considered classics if not masterpieces, however, and though both led their own films, the primary force behind their stories was romantic love. Secondly, because Brave is a Pixar movie, it is being held up against a long series of films that were, one after the other, in some way considered revolutionary or exceptional for their genre. Toy Story was the first of its kind, certainly not buddy-comedy dynamic wise, but in pretty much every other respect. Finding Nemo is goddamn genius. Pixar takes stories that are not really all that ground breaking- disenfranchised nobody overcomes all odds to become celebrated artist (Ratatouille, anyone?)- but tells them in such a fantastically original, creative way that they are utterly transformed and become new again for the audience. Brave didn't have that same level of reinvention and ingenuity behind its story.

Thirdly, so much was made of Brave being Pixar's first movie with a female protagonist that it's difficult to imagine a way in which they could have satisfied the immense but immensely vague expectation that fact seemed to generate. I'm sure there are people out there with ideas of how they could have done this better- I still think there are things about Brave that should have been changed- but it's not like this movie fails to deliver. It is unparalleled in its animation, it is endearing and harrowing and fun. Good work, everyone.

There are a few things out there that have bothered me but in particular, this comment from Richard Lawson (that comes in the middle of an otherwise okay review) doesn't just rub me the wrong way, it pisses me right the hell off:

But still, why is the Pixar movie with the female lead a movie solely about female relationships?

This question... Ugh. Firstly, it is incorrect. We see Merida's relationship with her father very clearly, from extremely early on the film. It remains strong throughout. We see her relationship with her brothers, we see her relationship or lack thereof with her suitors. The movie is not solely about female relationships. There is, in fact, only one female relationship on display, and it happens to be the relationship the story's about. Secondly, I'm sorry, have you found there to be a lack of Pixar movies about male relationships? Because I haven't. Why wasn't there a female character in the original Toy Story who participated in the action? Or did Richard feel that since Dory helped Al Brooks the clown fish find his son in that Father-Son story, Merida should have had a platonic male companion that facilitated her search for her mother?  We have seen male characters as rivals, as buddies, male characters as heroes, male characters as villains, male characters as victims. We have seen female characters as support, as romantic love interests, as platonic friends. Some have even been vital to the action (Jessie! Dory! Eve!). Legitimately strong female characters! Love you, Pixar! None have led the way, however, and none have had significant relationships with other female characters.


Maybe the first Pixar movie with a female lead is about female relationships because they are important and extremely underrepresented in both the Disney and Pixar catalogs?  Maybe because there's a lack of Mother-Daughter stories outside the genre of 'chick flicks' that those stories are normally relegated to? Are magic and adventure not allowed in girl stories unless there's a prince involved? What the hell is the point of this question? I really don't know, but I can tell you what the implication of it is.


The implication of this question is, why wasn't there a male character to help Merida along the way? The answer is, because she didn't fucking need one.


And on a final note, dat hair. Fabulous.

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The Top Documentaries of LA Film Fest 2012

Cross-posted on Film.com


This past Sunday marked the end of the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival, which boasted the world premieres of big ticket films like “To Rome With Love”, “Magic Mike,” “Brave” and “Seeking a Friend For the End of the World.” But the heart of the fest is in its lesser-known titles, the indie flicks without distributors or making festival rounds and the docs that may be destined for Oscar nominations.

Here we take a look at the latter of these categories with my top five documentary features of L.A. Film Fest 2012.

The Person — “Beauty is Embarrassing”

“Beauty is Embarrassing,” a profile on artist Wayne White, was perhaps the most personal doc of L.A. Film Fest. While others follow stories, movements or profile many people at once, “Beauty” follows the story of one man and his success and struggle as an artist. White himself is our narrator of sorts, providing the thrust of the narrative; doubly so as the film is framed by snippets of his one-man show. Any artist can relate to the circumstances that got White started and guided his life, and the film secretly acts as inspiration for anyone out there aspiring to make a living from their artistry.

Director Neil Berkeley’s adventurous directing — which includes a couple of animated sequences-as-flashbacks that I adored — reflects White’s style in many ways and links the story and filmmaking in a way documentaries rarely do. When especially considering the current state of pop art, which has birthed the wildly lucrative pop culture art of Mondo, Gallery 1988 and more, this doc pays proper due to the man who was in many ways the founder of the movement, the man who made comedy, irreverence and entertainment acceptable in the art world. It it also worth noting that White looks and sounds like both Zach Galifianakis and LAFF entry “Red Flag” actor Onur Tukel, and the three of them should start a band/ comedy troupe/ experimental theatre company as soon as possible.

The Movement — “Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives”

You know you’re in for something special when right before a movie starts the director asks, “Who here hasn’t seen a birth before?” As my arm shot up, I began to realize I was about to witness something intense. “Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives” does more to solidify the relationship between mother and daughter than any part of this weekend’s top release, “Brave,” did. The film tracks the history of Ina May Gaskin and the group of midwives that live on The Farm in Tennessee, a community originally born by a giant group of San Francisco-based hippies in the ’70s. After directors Sara Lamm and Mary Wigmore got through their births naturally with the help of Gaskin’s “Spiritual Midwifery,” a book read by any birth specialist who knows what’s what, they knew they had to tell her story and show off the beauty of the natural birthing she fights for in the process. Luckily for them, a chockful of archival photos and videos were uncovered, including footage of some of the more complicated births like Breach or Shoulder dystocia. In a hospital, situations like this would have led to an immediate knife, but these midwives argue steadfastly that women’s bodies were meant to bear children and the caesarean rate is out of control, a fact exemplified by the statistic that the U.S.’s childbirth mortality rate for mothers has drastically increased as the caesarean rate has.

“Birth Story” is unique because it both acts as an educational tool, teaching us about the history of the Farm and midwifery as a profession and skill, and as an emotional journey into assisting and experiencing motherhood. I found myself moved to tears by every birth in the film and when the Breach birth is a success, the whole audience burst into applause, overcome with an empathetic wave of relief and joy. Do you know how crazy it is to watch a tiny human come out of a big human?

But far from crazy, the act is a beautiful experience, and this film details the importance of understanding that, of not being afraid, of laughing, smiling, trusting and knowing that *you* are in control, not a surgery-happy doctor. Especially after seeing the HBO doc about aging models, “About Face,” I found myself filled with emotion hearing these older women note that though midwifery is sadly a dying profession (even illegal in Alabama), it is also one of the only ones where grey hair in a woman is respected, a sign that she is better at her job than most anyone else. “Birth Story” is a must-see for any woman — and, frankly, any human — and will make you appreciate that the female body is capable of so much more. Beautiful, entertaining, and inspiring, it’s no surprise “Birth Story” won L.A. Film Fest’s Documentary Audience Award.

The rest after the jump!

The Mystery — “Searching For Sugar Man”

Every so often you hear a story that is just too outrageous, too unfathomable to actually be real: A Detroit-based musician who hardly anyone has ever heard of in the U.S. turns out to be held at the level of Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix across the world in a country he had never even been to, and no one here had any idea until 20 years later?

In the age before the Internet, folk singer/songwriter of the early ’70s, Rodriguez, created some of the best music of his era that no one ever heard of. The head of his record label at the time chuckles in the film that he sold “six albums.” But meanwhile, in South Africa, his music was the soundtrack of a revolution. There, they had no reason to believe he wasn’t as big as Dylan, and here, we had no reason to know he was a legend thousands of miles away. “Seeking For Sugar Man” documents the unbelievable story of how a couple of South African fans, including journalist Craig Bartholemew, set out to uncover the mystery of Rodriguez, including how he died as everyone had heard a different story (He shot himself on stage! He set himself on fire! He ODed! He’s actually in a mental institution!), taking us through every step of the way until an unexpected discovery brings the legend back to life.

“Searching for Sugar Man” is the most cinematic documentary I saw at the fest, as its crisp high definition, rocking soundtrack, animated sequences and clever sound design are paired with a pacing and structure most akin to a mystery — witnessing pre-Internet age detective work is fascinating, making you long for days when stories like this were even possible. Ultimately, this surprisingly touching film is about the artistic spirit and how it moves you and moves other people, no matter what else gets in the way, and I suspect it will go far this awards season.

The Issue — “Call Me Kuchu”

The first and still the most powerful doc I caught at the fest was “Call Me Kuchu,” a film that chronicles two years of the gay rights movement in Uganda. The atmosphere for homosexuals is extremely volatile in the missionary-frequented religious country as local papers label them terrorists and out those who are closeted for their own safety without so much as batting an eye. The despicable editor of one such paper, The Rolling Stone, goes so far as to say that  homosexuality isn’t a civil rights issue — and we don’t fight for the rights of murderers, so why do we fight for the rights of sodomites? It’s a terrifying situation over there for people who just want to be themselves, but for many of them, the issue is too important to fight for to leave — although in the wake of the anti-gay bill (death penalty for “serial offenders” and prison time for anyone who knows someone is gay and doesn’t out them) about to come back into Parliament, one of the main subjects of the film has since sought asylum in Europe.

While directors Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malike Zouhali-Worral were in Uganda covering the movement, an incident occurs that changes everything. In the Q&A, they noted how difficult it was to continue the movie afterwards as not only did they have to find a new narrative, but they were in deep despair and mourning along with the rest of their subjects, confused about how to keep fighting when your limbs have just been chopped off. The film is very relevant and very present as you feel like you are with this group of people every step of the way — because you are, to a frightening degree. While many of the docs that screened at the fest recall events that have already taken place, “Call Me Kuchu” is in the action, to the point where we as an audience become so involved that when Act Three hits, I could hardly feel my face any more, I was crying so hard.

Wright and Zouali-Worral noted during the Q&A after one of their screenings this week that access wasn’t as difficult as we might suspect because everyone on all sides believes so much in their stance that they *want* to spread the word, not caring for a moment that those on the far right of the issue might look like heartless pricks to all of Western civilization. The result is an unparalleled look at an issue like this, in a time when we need to be as educated as possible in order to help.

The Story — “The Queen of Versailles”

“The Queen of Versailles,” like “Call Me Kuchu,” started off about one thing, but when life took an unexpected turn halfway through, a very different film emerged. In this case, we get a microcosm of what happened to families across the country when the financial crisis of 2008 hit through the tribulations of the Seigel Family. I couldn’t help but think the film would make a great double feature with “Margin Call,” seeing the dramatized account of what happened and then watch how the events of that day affected this real personification of the American dream.

Director Lauren Greenfield crafts a wonderfully paced and executed tale about these people from humble beginnings who become the epitome of crazy rich people, and then in the wake of financial meltdown have to deal with things like cutting their staff from 19 to four. Though that might seem incredibly silly to us, it changes the entire dynamic in their household. My audience even applauded when a little girl carries plates to the table in one scene later in the film. Pets die, dog poop becomes encased in the floor and kids have to learn about things like public school and commercial airlines.

But what will really make you feel the impact is seeing the difference between company Westgate before the crash — and then after, when 7,000 people were laid off. You start to see these conservative capitalist schmucks in an extremely sympathetic light. Sure, in the beginning of the film, we laugh and chortle and roll our eyes at how ridiculous this family is, but when we start to realize how many people they employed, how important working hard was to Richard Siegel, who built this empire, how supportive his ostensible trophy wife is to her very bones, you start to appreciate the fact that, in theory, anyone can reach those levels of success, and it sucks just as much for them to lose $560 million as it does for us to spend ten bucks on parking. It’s all relative, something I never thought I would think when it comes to filthy rich people building the largest home in the world.

This documentary is very now, very immediate and both difficult and entertaining to watch on multiple levels. While it’s certainly not Greenfield’s directorial eye that caused the financial crisis, it was her eye that recognized the value in Jackie Siegel as being both a little batty and totally sweet and accessible, like a real-life Cher Horowitz. You end up totally on Jackie’s side, through and through, and feel her pain as her husband seems to age ten years over the span of one as his life goes from enjoying the fruits of his labor to planting seeds on his hands and feet, an old man who thought those days were behind him.

During the film, your emotions run the gamut — from hating these people to loving these people, to crying when a kindness of Jackie’s is revealed to guffawing out of awkwardness during a major family fight. This access, pretended to be achieved on oh so many reality shows, is in fact almost unprecedented. These are very real people who live under very outrageous circumstances who still manage to show us a story that can be related to by anyone.

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Shakespeare Forum's Hamlet

The Shakespeare Forum presents their inaugural production Hamlet at the Theater for the New City.

Lead by co-founders and directors Sybille Bruun and Tyler Moss, The Shakespeare Forum offers a weekly open workshop that allows New York artists to share pieces they're working on or just watch their peers. It is an ever-growing community of artists offering each other support and constructive criticism. Private classes are also available and the Forum is also developing an outreach program to public schools in need of theater arts education.

Hamlet marks The Forum's first ever production and having personally attended several of their Tuesday meetings, I am extremely excited to watch this fine ensemble (many Forum regulars) take on one of Shakespeare's finest plays. For whom better to perform Shakespeare than those regularly engaging with his work?


Hamlet
Directed by: Sybille Bruun
Starring: Dan De Jesus, Pat Dwyer, Adam Goodman, Dylan Kammerer, Erin Keskeny, Tyler Moss, James Patrick Nelson, Andrus Nichols, Tom O'Keefe, Chris Seiler, Brian Smolin, Claire Warden

Theater for the New City
155 First Avenue (between 9th & 10th St)

June 21-24, 26-30 at 7:30pm
June 23, 24, 30 & July 1 at 2pm

For more information and tickets, go here.

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