Archive for October, 2008
17 items.
Not much to say about today’s comic other than I plan on taking this “heavy helmet” gag and driving it straight into the ground. I’m starting to enjoy the challenge of finding new ways to tell the same joke.
I don’t do it very often, but it was fun putting together a strip without dialogue. I’m more-or-less known for sometimes over-explaining a joke in the comic or cramming a wall of text down the audience’s collective throat. So it’s fun to try and communicate something visually for a change.
Not much else to say. Hey, did you read my review of the Iron Man DVD I posted yesterday? You should read it! I mostly talk about the extras in the 2-disc ultimate edition since I already gave the movie a pants-wetting review back in May. The extras are so good on this thing, it’s criminal.
Incidentally, I mentioned in the review that there were extra collectors editions floating around at different retailers. I mentioned Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target by name because those were the only retailers I knew of running a promotion. Turns out there are EIGHT of them!
Think about this for a minute. EIGHT!! There are EIGHT different collectors versions of Iron Man floating around on the market right now. Each with their own exclusive bonus content.
Let me run down the list for you:
Circuit City – Access to exclusive Marvel Digital Comics featuring the artwork of Adi Granov.
Best Buy – Custom Lithograph created by Marvel artist Gerald Parel.
Target – Target Deluxe Edition includes exclusive Mark III mask packaging. Available on both the Ultimate 2-Disc Edition and 2-Disc Blu-ray.
Costco – Giftset includes the Ultimate 2 Disc Edition DVD and 3 Iron Man Bobbleheads, with all 3 Iron Man suits from the film. Giftset includes the “Battle Damaged Mark II,” available exclusively in this giftset at Costco.
Walmart – Two exclusive SKUs. Ultimate 2 Disc Edition packed with an exclusive comic book chronicling the Nick Fury story. The single disc giftset is packed with the 1st episode of the new Iron Man animated series.
Kmart & Sears – Save $5 on the Ultimate 2 Disc edition with any $25 Craftsman purchase.
Trans World – FYE and Suncoast Exclusive Steelbook Package available on the Ultimate 2- disc Edition.
Borders – On pack collectible book featuring original sketches by Bob Layton and the top 24 comic cover of Iron Man.
Best Buy – Custom Lithograph created by Marvel artist Gerald Parel.
Target – Target Deluxe Edition includes exclusive Mark III mask packaging. Available on both the Ultimate 2-Disc Edition and 2-Disc Blu-ray.
Costco – Giftset includes the Ultimate 2 Disc Edition DVD and 3 Iron Man Bobbleheads, with all 3 Iron Man suits from the film. Giftset includes the “Battle Damaged Mark II,” available exclusively in this giftset at Costco.
Walmart – Two exclusive SKUs. Ultimate 2 Disc Edition packed with an exclusive comic book chronicling the Nick Fury story. The single disc giftset is packed with the 1st episode of the new Iron Man animated series.
Kmart & Sears – Save $5 on the Ultimate 2 Disc edition with any $25 Craftsman purchase.
Trans World – FYE and Suncoast Exclusive Steelbook Package available on the Ultimate 2- disc Edition.
Borders – On pack collectible book featuring original sketches by Bob Layton and the top 24 comic cover of Iron Man.
On the one hand, I think all of this additional material is great. On the other hand, I kind of hate Marvel for exploiting my completionist desires and my giving disposition.
I suppose if I were to obtain any of those extra bonus editions, I’d go for the one from Best Buy because the mini-bust feels a little more substantial to me than, say, $25 off my next Crafstman purchase. But that’s just me.
I’m a little twitchy for that Borders edition, though, with the original Bob Layton sketches. Layton, as you recall, is one of my most favorite Iron Man artists. I was lucky enough to meet him at Wizard World Chicago this year.
Anyway, that’s just a little poke for your bread basket. All of the additional promotions caught me off guard. I thought you’d get a kick out of them as well.
I’ve been hammering away at the DVD reviews lately and wanted to let you guys know that I have a review for The Love Guru DVD release that I will be posting tomorrow. With that review and Friday’s comic that follows, that will be two solid weeks of Theater Hopper updates. I bet you didn’t know I cared that much, did you? Well, I do. So keep checking the site.
Have a happy Wednesday!
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When trailers and commercials for Mike Myers first on screen comedy outing in 5 years, critical reaction in our household was one of puzzlement. My wife and I are two of the biggest Mike Myers fans you’ll find. But what’s up with all of the gags lifted out of the three previous Austin Powers movie? And your tacitly making fun of Hinduism? Really? Is that wise? Our stink meters went off.
Turns out we were right. After calls for boycott from leading Hindu groups and a dismal total domestic gross of $32 million, The Love Guru turned out to be the greatest misstep of Mike Myers’ career.
I didn’t see the movie in theaters, but I reserved judgment completely until the film came out on DVD. Deep down I was hoping that there was at least something redeemable about the film. There’s a few things to like about The Love Guru, but a lot more things to hate.
If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, Myers plays an American stranded in an Indian orphanage after his parents are killed during missionary work (whatever) and seeks knowledge from Guru Tugginmypudha (played by Ben Kingsley – who apparently has lost the ability to say “no” to anything). Myers takes his spiritual guidance and transforms it into a multi-million dollar self-help empire. But he is dissatisfied because he is still number two compared to Deepak Chopra.
As the Guru Pitka, Myers is difficult to like. He speaks in platitudes hidden inside verbal riddles (“Intimacy: Or ‘Into Me, I see.” “What is the Bible except ‘B.asic I.nstructions B.efore L.eaving E.arth?”) Anyone who gets suckered into this kind of spiritual guidance needs all the self-help they can get.
Compounding the problem. Guru Pitka does not demonstrate any of the behaviors of a supposed Holy Man. When opportunity knocks in the form of Jessica Alba (as the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs) seeking the Guru’s guidance to reunite their star player with his estranged wife, the Guru is not motivated by helping the player. He is motivated by the $2 million he’s being paid and the opportunity to appear on Oprah should he be successful.
Of course there is a third act revelation where the Guru learns the errors of his ways, amends the shortcuts he took toward bringing the couple back together and frees himself from feeling inferior to Deepak Chopra, but it all comes too late. Who wants to spend time with this selfish ass for two hours?
That’s another thing: SEVERAL times in this movie other characters refer to Pitka disparagingly – calling him an ass or a moron – and it’s hard not to disagree. In addition to his spiritual blather, Myers infuses the Guru with an arsenal of playground antics and taunts meant to “regress” uptight squares but are really only effective for bridging the gap with the audience who hazily remember “Oh, yeah. I remember ‘Milk, milk, lemonade – around the corner fudge is made’.”
What makes matters worse is that the only one laughing at any of Pitka’s jokes is Pitka himself. Hooting and sniggering like an exiled villain from the 1960’s Batman TV show, Pitka’s childlike glee isn’t endearing. It’s annoying.
For as grating as the character is, Myers at least plays him enthusiastically. I think Myers still has value as a comedic voice. His problem in this case was convincing himself that audiences would align themselves with his clear preoccupation for Eastern spirituality. But, hey… when you can make a movie about a slacker filming a local access cable show in his basement and a time-displaced Lothario super spy from the ’60s and have them be huge hits, why wouldn’t you think anything was possible?
As far as the rest of the cast goes, they perform amiably. That is, at least as well as they would have in any other comedy of this nature. Justin Timberlake shows up as a French Canadian goalie and the main antagonist. I’m guessing someone told him to approach the role like Pepe Le Pew, because that’s what he sounds like.
Verne Troyer is on hand as a foul-mouthed coach and actually gets to spit lines this time. Beyond that, it’s a cavalcade of cameos from the likes of Jessica Simpson, The Daily Show’s John Oliver, Val Kimer, Mariska Hargitay, Stephen Colbert and Jim Gaffigan.
Personally, I think it’s a shame that Romany Malco as hockey superstar Darren Roanoke can’t find better material to plug into. I’ve enjoyed him in nearly every movie he’s been in and The Love Guru was poised to break him into a wider audience. This is, if the movie were able to draw an audience.
In terms of extra features, the DVD doesn’t skim. But most of them are forgettable. It wasn’t particularly interesting to sit through “One Hellava Elephant,” which spends too much time with the effects supervisor responsible for creating the one-quarter top reproduction of the elephant Mike Myers rides in the film. Nor was it particularly interesting to watch “Hockey Training For Actors,” which details the process in which Malco and Timberlake prepared for their scenes on the ice. The blooper reel is a fair diversion and the deleted scenes and outtakes (while uneven in quality) are sometimes funnier than what was left in!
The best featurette on the DVD is “Back In The Booth With Trent and Jay.” Trent and Jay being the color commentators for the hockey game sequences as played by Jim Gaffigan and Stephen Colbert. The featurette collects their improvisations. Colbert owns the booth with his performance as the drug addicted and relapsing Jay Kell, but Gaffigan gives it right back as the straight man delivering several sharp lines of his own. Would it be too much to ask for a movie starring these two?
Overall The Love Guru lives up to it’s unfortunate reputation. I take no joy in stating that, but it is what it is. Hardcore Mike Myers fans might find a few things to enjoy here. But the rest of us might be better off snuggling up with a copy of Wayne’s World until this all blows over.
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I don’t have much to say about this comic except I feel like I’ve sufficiently taken the joke of the exceptionally heavy Iron Man helmet and driven it straight into the ground, so to speak.
That said, I was specifically trying to infuse a Charlie Brown vibe into the third panel of today’s comic. I think that’s how people should do flips – with their knees tucked into their chests like an Olympic diver.
Not much else to get into before the weekend. I’m pretty much spent talking about all things Iron Man. I know some of you a breathing a sigh of relief. Be sure to come back to the site next week for a return to form.
But because I can’t resist and because reader William Briere was nice enough to send me the link, check out this ultra-sick Iron Man Mark I action figure from The Land of The Rising Sun. Seriously, Japan makes all of the coolest toys.
I’d love to get my hands on this, but I’m sure it’s crazy expensive. With that level of detail, it would have to be. See the little Mark II and Mark III suits in the inset? SO PRETTY!
That’s it for me tonight. Seeing the stage rendition of Frost/Nixon this evening which has also been adapted into a movie being released in December. There’s already some early Oscar buzz around it. I think it’ll be interesting to compare the two interpretations of the script.
Beyond that, I’m planting trees on Saturday! Jealous? I know you are! I’d like to reward myself with a showing of Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist even though I know I’m entirely too old to waste my time on it. What can I say? I have to nurture my Michael Cera crush.
Okay. I’m rambling. Gotta cut it short. Have a great weekend, everyone!
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Oct06
Cami was legitimately against seeing Nick and Norah’s Infinitie Playlist (and yes I realize I left the “H” out of “Norah” in the comic – typo) because she thought it skewed outside of our demographic. She’s not exactly wrong. It’s pretty much for the Hollister and hoodie set, but I don’t care. I gotsta have me my Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. These two should be in movies together for the next 10 years.
Despite the fact that it’s pretty much pointless, not especially witty or insightful, I really enjoyed Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. It’s almost a documentary in a sense as you watch these two characters bounce around Manhattan, slowly falling in love with each other over the course of a night. I’m not so old that I don’t remember how that feels.
Both Cera and Dennings do their low-key thing here and most of the time it works. Of course, there can be too much of a good thing. There comes a point near the end where there is an opportunity for catharsis, but they let it slip by. That’s frustrating. Bbut by the time they get to the last line, you don’t care. The movie has wrapped you up in it’s spell. I highly suggest checking it out. It’s a good time at the theater with some good music to boot.
Incidentally, regarding the age issue, my self-consciousness about being a 30 year-old guy sitting in a theater by himself waiting for the movie about the young 20-something’s in love was erased when I saw a whole bunch of older couples – people in their 40’s and 50’s come in and watch this thing. Maybe Michael Cera reminds them of their son who is at college and doesn’t call them anymore? That’s my best guess.
At any rate, I’m sure we’ll be talking about the film along with Bevery Hills Chihuahu’s soul-draining first place, $30 million box office take this weekend during The Triple Feature tonight at 9:00 PM CST. Be sure to listen live and call in with your questions!
If I could change gears for a minute, I wanted to talk to you guys about the donation drive that helped recover the data I lost when my external hard drive failed a couple of months back. But before I get into it, I want to share with you a piece of art I created for one of the people generous enough to donate. Check this out:
This is a fully-rendered original comic created for donator Oscar Velez. Oscar was married this weekend and wanted to do something special for his fiancee. So he took the opportunity offered by the donation drive to commission me to create a wedding gift for her. He was going to give this to her the day before their wedding.
Now, my first reaction to this request was “Wow! What an awesome compliment that you would ask me to do this!” My second reaction was “Wow! I hope I don’t screw this up!”
Oscar didn’t make this easy for me. Buildings, crowd scenes and animals aren’t my strong suit. I poured HOURS of my time into this because I was so afraid I was going to mess it up, I kept going back to tweak it. I worked up to the very last minute on this thing. I sent it overnight to Oscar a day before the wedding.
I sent Oscar the original art – the blue line with inks – and then a full-color print on glossy card stock. He received it in time (thank God) and ended up giving it to his fiancee at their rehersal dinner. According to Oscar, his fiancee was keeping it together during the rehersal, the rehersal dinner, the toasts from friends and family. But when he gave her the artwork, she completely lost it and started crying – which then made OTHER people cry!
So I guess it went over pretty well! And, with all seriousness, that’s the best compliment I could have ever received.
I asked Oscar if I could share the artwork on the site partially because I put a lot of time into it, was proud with the results and wanted to demonstrate to everyone who donated how seriously I take this and how I am committing myself to delivering something worthy of the support you’ve shown me. But I also wanted to share it because I thought it was a really cool story. I offered to post it without the text because, y’know… the message is kind of personal. But Oscar was totally up front and cool about it. “Post it with the text,” he said. “I want the world to know I love her!”
So, there you go buddy. The world knows.
Oscar and his wife are taking their honeymoon at Universal Studios (good man) and he said he’d have his laptop with him and would be checking the site. I hope you two are having fun and I wanted to send you my best wishes! Thanks for making me a part of your wedding. The honor was all mine.
So, to that end, let’s talk about the donation drive in the macro sense.
Similar to how I worked up until the last minute on Oscar’s commissioned piece, I’ve been putting off writting a summary on the donation drive. This has literally been one of the largest undertakings I’ve pursued since I’ve started the site and I was afraid that I would be unable to capture the enormity of the effort or express the etreme amount of gratitude I feel toward everyone that donated.
I think, in the life of a webcomic, you get one or MAYBE two “Get Out Of Jail Free” cards and I think I just used mine with this drive. I didn’t expect it to be as successful as it way. I never expected to meet goal. I figured a few kind people would donate and that would help me get a leg up on recovery costs.
The outpouring of support was amazing. Frankly, it’s been difficult for me to keep up. Not only in terms of responding to everyone who donated and thanking them personally. But also keeping up with the artwork and sending out a high-quality product in a reasonable amount of time.
I try to set expectations. I try to tell people that it might take a little while but that I WILL get to them. Everyone has been more than kind about it. “Don’t worry. I understand. Take your time.” Some people are even telling me that they don’t want anything in return. The just want to donate in appreciation of the comic they’ve come to enjoy.
You have no idea what a validation that is for me.
I feel like no matter what I do, I’m going to fail in articulating the sheer awe I’ve experienced spearheading this drive. That’s why It’s so important for me to get it right and not take your kindness for granted. The data that we sought to restore has been brought back to us with 99.8% completion. I’ve already burned copies of the original art by month and year onto CD-ROMs and have also backed things up onto new external drives. I want to make sure this doesn’t happen again and you guys have afforded me that second chance.
So what else can I say but “Thank you?” It’s such a simple expression, but it captures what I want to say so succinctly. Thank you. You guys are amazing. Thank you.
For those of you that donated, I’m still working on your art and you’ll be hearing from me over the course of the next few weeks. That’s it for me today. Thanks again and be sure to come back to the site tomorrow for a review of Allah Made Me Funny, a movie currently in limited release.
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It’s not often I’m asked to review independent movies. And I’m not talking about “Brad Pitt takes a pay cut to appear in a Coen Brothers” kind of indie movie. I mean an honest-to-goodness grass roots indie film.
So when I was asked to take a look at a screener for Allah Made Me Funny, I thought it was a cool opportunity.
Allah Made Me Funny is a concert movie starring three Muslim comedians – Mohammed Amer, Azhar Usman and Preacher Moss. Certainly after The Kings of Comedy, The Queens of Comedy, The Blue Collar Comedy Tour and even The Comedians of Comedy, gathering a group of comedians who share commonalities is not a new concept. But it’s a welcome one that is poised to take advantage of the heightened awareness of Muslims in our culture.
As these comedians are quick to point out, it became difficult to look a certain way or practice certain believes after 9/11. Which is exactly why a movie like this needs to exist. It takes the representation of Muslims out of the hands of a quick-to-stereotype Hollywood and uses humor as a device that gets people to drop their guard and learn a little something about the Muslim experience.
“Hollywood depicts every Muslim man as what? ‘A terrorist.’ And every Muslim woman? ‘Oppressed,” says Usman. “Clearly these people have not spent any time in a Muslim household because they would recognize immediately that they have these roles reversed! Muslim women are terrorists! Muslim men are oppressed!”
So, wait a minute… You’re telling me that Muslim men have difficulty with overbearing spouses? Hey, they’re just like me!
Mission Accomplished.
Now, before I get too far ahead of myself, certainly the responsibility of educating people unfamiliar with the Muslim faith does not fall on the shoulders of three stand-up comedians. In many instances, there were references made that went completely over my head. But what the movie can do is get a conversation started.
For example, in another bit from Usman, he talks about the Muslim holiday Eid. “The most holy of holy days! It’s kind of hard to ask for a day off from work when you don’t know what that day is!”
As a white kid from the midwest, I have absolutely no idea why that’s funny. I had to Google Eid just to put it into context. (Incidentally, Eid marks the end of Ramadan and I will give myself points for at least knowing what Ramadan is!)
To that end, how funny can a movie be if you have to Google the references to understand them? That’s the tightrope these comedians have to walk, I suppose. But, ultimately, these comedians know that their job is to entertain and the fact that they are Muslim is almost more like wallpaper in the house of their overall persona.
Cut between segments, we get to see these performers at home and with their families. They talk about when they decided to become comedians and the obstacles they overcame. They show them during the writting process, fine-tuning their acts. The movie does a good job of representing these three men as more than avatars for the Muslim faith, but as conscientious professionals and people first.
Allah Made Me Funny is currently showing in select cities now through October 9. If you live in Atlanta, Berkely, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York or San Diego, I encourage you to check it out. If you’d like to learn more about the movie or the comedians, please visit http://www.allahmademefunny.com
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Oct08
This isn’t the first time I’ve used to comic to explored the metaphysical. I never really understand my own motivations with these strips or what I hope to accomplish. But it’s a cartoon, y’know? It’s fun to play around in the sandbox sometimes. Frankly, I could see myself doing another strip set beyond the event horizon of irony – if for no other reason than to have an opportunity to use that phrase again.
As for the news that Warner Bros. is fast-tracking Lethal Weapon 5? I’m not sure what to think about it. I never really enjoyed the franchise even though it pretty much invented the modern buddy cop movie and, shamefully, I’ve seen all for of them. Certainly Mel Gibson could use a hit. And why not play into the dangerous, screw-loose persona of Martin Riggs one more time? It dovetails perfectly into Gibson’s off-screen antics in recent years. I mean, need I remind you of this?
But what about Danny Glover? The dude is, like, 62 years old. It was always a running gag in the movies that Glover was heading toward retirement and was getting "Too old for this…" Well, you know the line. It was funny up to a certain point. But 10 years after Lethal Weapon 4, it just looks sad.
The only interesting detail about this news is that Shane Black is supposedly writing the screenplay. If you don’t know Shane Black, he’s the guy who wrote and directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – a Robert Downey Jr. vehicle that was cool before RDJ won back audience love with Iron Man.
At any rate, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a really sharp and funny movie that I highly suggest you check out. Personally, I thought it was a great post-modern twist on the buddy cop template that Lethal Weapon was responsible for. Really, what Shane himself was responsible for. Because he wrote the original Lethal Weapon as well. Actually… he pretty much worked on all of them.
OKAY! So you can take that one of two ways. Either Shane Black is a one-trick pony or you can be really excited that they are maintaining the integrity of the franchise. For me… I kind of felt like he said everything he needed to say with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. That would have been the way to go out.
But what do I know? The movie isn’t written, yet. It’s not filming. It’s just another franchise Hollywood is looking to reboot because they have literally choked the life out of original film making and want a proven hit. Can you honestly say you wouldn’t see Lethal Weapon 5 when it comes out in theaters? Well, okay. Some of you could probably say that. But, at some point you’ll see it. On DVD or cable. You’ll see it.
AND THEN THEY’VE GOT YOU!
That’s it for me. We’re half-way through the week, folks! Make it a good one!
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Oct10
I know this comic has nothing at all to do with movies and for that I apologize. Well, not really. Because I’m really happy with the way this one turned out.
I feel like I kind of keyed into something with the idea of Tom and Jared breaching reality – or at least what passes for reality in a cartoon universe – and ideas just seemed to spring up from that.
I mean, if you’re familiar with the concept of the Event Horizon (or at least saw that crappy movie starring Sam Neill that shares the same name), then you’re pretty much familiar with the idea that anything could happen if you ever manage to make it to the other side. Once I started playing around with that, I had this flash where maybe Tom and Jared met their alternate-reality female doppelgangers. Because, in my mind, it made sense that if Tom and Jared from this reality were able to breach the event horizon of irony, their female counterparts from another dimension – mirroring their actions in every way (minus the Y chromosome) would have breached it as well.
It’s science.
At any rate, once you get the notion to draw your characters as women there’s no way you can turn away from it. And this is where we ended up!
So I hope you enjoyed the comic because, truthfully, I’ve got nothing else for you right now. I don’t really have my eye to the movies this weekend because there’s nothing new I want to see. Body of Lies – the title makes it sound like a movie Maddona made in the early 90’s – looks to be the big draw this weekend (although I’ve heard it’s not good and probably won’t make back it $90 million + budget).
I don’t know what’s going on with Russell Crowe lately, but there have been very few movies I’ve wanted to see him in recently despite how much I enjoy his performances. I thought he was good in 3:10 to Yuma. I saw him in American Gangster (although that really wasn’t his film and the story cheated us the big showdown between his character and Densel Washington’s character.) I feel like I have to face facts that the guy who was 100% intensity from L.A. Confidential is gone, replaced with something… doughier.
Interestingly enough, I feel the same way about Kevin Spacey. I much prefer the Kevin Spacey of L.A. Confidential, than, say the Kevin Spacey of The Life of David Gale. Kind of random, but there you have it.
Anyway, Cami and I won’t be around this weekend for movies anyway. We’re seeing Jim Gaffigan in Omaha on Saturday. I guess tickets were in such high demand, he added a second show that night. Meanwhile NOBODY EVER COMES TO IOWA! Ugh. Frustrating.
We’re really looking forward to the show, though. We’ve had these tickets since April, if you can believe it.
Alright! Closing up shop for the week! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! See you here again on Monday!
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You have to admit that there is something strange brewing in the culture when a movie like Beverly Hills Chihuahua lands the number one spot at the box office two weeks in a row. It’s made over $50 million to date. Does that not concern you?
Perhaps I have underestimated the Disney marketing machine. Perhaps they have permiated the airwaves with messages of chihuahua dominance. Perhaps kids at school are taunting other youngsters who have not yet seen the film. It’s hard to say.
I related this story last week during our recording of The Triple Feature podcast, but while I was standing in line to purchase a ticket for Nick and Norah’s Infinate Playlist, a mother and daughter were in line ahead of me. “What do you want to see?” asked the mother of her child. “I dunno!” she said cheerfully. “Do you want to see that chihuahua movie?” she asked. “Yeah! Yeah! The doggie movie!”
And that was that. Granted, these are children we’re talking about, but the decision-making process was almost absent minded. I am likely being too harsh.
I think it’s permissible for a movie like Beverly Hills Chihuahua to find success for at least ONE weekend. After all, as they say, “Every dog has his day.”
Ah-heh.
But what’s the draw during the second week? Did this movie suddenly because the playground scuttlebutt? Or, in the face of an action-downer like Body of Lies, did people willingly turn off their brains and say “My 401k is ruining, the Presidential election is bumming me out. Oh! A talking dog movie? SOLD.”
It’s fascinating to see what people are attracted to.
Not much else to talk about right now. But I’m sure there will be lots to talk about tonight when The Triple Feature records LIVE at 9:00 PM CST. If you’d like a reminder shortly before we go on the air, please consider becoming a member of The Triple Feature Facebook group. I also like to let people know we’re about to record using my Twitter account. So, more than one way to stay informed if (for some reason) you’ve become absorbed by the last 20 minutes of Heroes.
That’s all for me. Have a great Monday!
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Oct14
In the red-band trailer for The Foot Fist Way (caution: NSFW), we are told that the film was slipped to comedian Will Ferrell and writer/director Adam McKay and that they loved it so much, they wanted to share it with the rest of us. It’s easy to see why. Danny McBride as the sloe-eyed, drawling Tae Kwon Do instructor Fred Simmons falls perfectly in line with the string of over-confident, vulgar and ultimately clueless jocks Ferrell has played over the years in movies like Talladega Nights, Blades of Glory and Semi-Pro. Clearly they have found a kindred spirit in McBride.
I took Ferrell and McKay’s recommendation of this film at face value. I assumed if they are quoting it constantly (as the trailer says) that I would enjoy it immensely, considering the amount of time I waste quoting their movies.
That said, there isn’t much to The Foot Fist Way that I thought was overwhelmingly hilarious. A funny turn of the phrase here or there, but nothing so wickedly funny that I could see myself repeating over and over again. Frankly, I found McBride funnier and more effective in the movies he’s had small roles in this year – both Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder.
Nathan Lee of The New York Times called The Foot Fist Way “The best thing of its kind since Napoleon Dynamite.” That’s not an accurate assessment. I’m thinking that Mr. Lee remembered the “Rex Kwan Do” scenes with Diedrich Bader and went for an easy comparison.
The Foot Fist Way is shot more in the mock-umentary style and does a fair job of depicting the fabricated rigors of Tae Kwon Do from the perspective of those that take the sport seriously. As a student of the practice for three years (brown belt, second degree, bitches!), a lot of it rang true. Bowing to the flag, bowing to the senior student, the flailing arms of uncoordinated children and the woefully mis-matched sparring exercises. But the movie is never weird for the sake of it like Napoleon Dynamite is.
Instead, the movie plays more like a calling card for McBride because it showcases him almost entirely. The supporting cast is 100% amatuer hour, leaving very little for McBride to work with beyond someone staring at him in disbelief over the “outrageous” things he says. The problem is, McBride as Simmons isn’t so much outrageous as he is deluded.
Sporting an unfortunate crew cut, mustache and a pair of jean shorts, McBride infuses Simmons with the kind of misplaced confidence normally reserved for cops who used to be jocks and who now flex their authority over others. Simmons berates children, constantly exposes the weakness or lack of self-confidence in others and is generally creepy and unpleasant to be around. You don’t feel particularly bad for him when his wife cheats on him or when his action-star hero Chuck “The Truck” Wallace turns out to be a jerk.
Of course Simmons finds redemption in the third act, but he doesn’t exactly become a better person. All he manages to do is reclaim the power and control that has been slowly stripped away from him during the course of the movie. For a character whose self-confidence is paramount, that’s the most he can ask for.
Extras are plentiful on this DVD. It features a DVD commentary track from the actors and writers, more than two dozen deleted scenes, a couple of blown takes and an alternate ending that will shock you. A behind-the-scenes featurette plays more like an extended music video shot in grainy Super-8. But otherwise, the extras do not disappoint.
The Foot Fist Way was an accomplishment in the sense that it brought a new comedic voice to the fore with Danny McBride. So far, I think we’ve only seen a fraction of what he can do. But don’t look to this movie as the be-all, end-all of quotable sports doofus comedies like it was advertised. Approach it with reasonable expectations and you’ll find it a harmless diversion.
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On paper, the plot for Sex Drive sounds like a mix between Superbad and Road Trip. Really not unlike any teenage sex-romp written in the last 50 years. It’s all about losing your virginity, man. It’s crazy the amount of emphasis our culture puts on it.
That said, if your plot was as rote as “high school senior steals his brother’s car to hook up with a girl he met on the internet,” you’d probably do everything in your power to differentiate yourself from your thematic predecessors. Certainly the poster for Sex Drive does the trick. Beyond the title – which is a dead give away – everything about it obscures what the movie is about. It works. It’s eye-catching. Josh Zuckerman in that bizarre donut / bandito costume in front of a white background… the image sticks with you.
Incidentally, Zuckerman played the young Dr. Evil in Austin Powers: Goldmember a few years back. He got great notices for that impersonation and has had plenty of television and movie work since then. I just think it’s funny how that stuff comes around.
I don’t know why, but I think Zuckerman has the chops. That moment in the trailer when he’s in the costume, having a conversation with Clarke Duke and he’s operating the mouth…
“Why ya’ gotta work the mouth when you talk to me?”
“Sorry. It’s a… it’s a habit.”
The shame in his voice. That line delivery gets me every time.
I guess there was a sneak preview for Sex Drive on Saturday night. I didn’t get to see it, but my pal Joe Dunn did. He said maybe they don’t push the envelope with the humor as far as they should, but the characters are spot on – and that’s pretty much the reason I wanted to see it anyway. So it’s a win-win. I don’t think Cami is all that interested in this one, though. She’s of a very persistent political mindset right now and wants to see W. this weekend. So we’ll probably see that together and then I’ll sneak out of the house later to watch Sex Drive on my own. Hey! Another win-win!
That’s all I’ve got for today. But in case you missed it, I reviewed the recent DVD release of The Foot Fist Way and posted it on the site yesterday – so be sure to check that out.
Have a great Wednesday, everyone!
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