We had quite a few fun adventures this weekend...here's a brief recap.

Friday was initially intended to be a "chill at home and go to bed early" night. We walked down to Feed the Beast to have some dinner and then planned on heading home. Right before we left for dinner, however, I got an urgent voicemail from Ryan M in NYC - long story short, he was heading to Vegas for lordjulius's bachelor party, but he was going to be stuck in an overnight layover in Chicago. I told him he could stay at our house, and that I'd pick him up from the airport.

I picked Ryan up at about 11 PM or so, and we heading back to the Square. We sat on the balcony drinking beers and chatting until about 2 am, when we hit the hay. He was off to ORD at 5:30 AM or so. It was pretty cool to see him, since it's been quite a time, and well worth the late night.

On Saturday, Carrie and I got up early and headed down to Kankakee to do a canoe trip. It's a little over an hour long drive down there, so we planned to just do a day trip. We made a reservation for the 10:30 trip, which was 12 miles long. The website said it took between 4-6 hours, so we thought okay, we'll be done around 4 or 5, and be home by six.

We got to the river around 11 (they have to drive you from the outfitter to the put-in point), so we were in the water and off by then. Since we were a group of one canoe, we were the first ones of the 10:30 trip to be on our way (all the other groups had to get their beer organized, etc). We also booked like hell when we started, so we could put some distance between us and the large groups behind.

We did a pretty good job of working together, given that we'd never canoed together before. We did discover that we were more efficient with me in the rear and Carrie in the front. Anyway, they had told us that when we passed the first bridge, we were halfway. When we went under that bridge, I asked Carrie what time it was.

"12:30," she replied.

So yeah, we were halfway through the 6 hour trip in an hour and a half.

By the time we finished (which included a couple instances of pulling over at sandbars to get in the water and cool off), it was about 2:30 PM or so. All said and done, we did the trip in about 3 1/2 hours. We were back at the outfitters by 3 PM, and got home a little before 5 (we stopped for Dairy Queen on the way home).

It was a pretty fun trip. We're hoping to see if we can do it again this summer and maybe get some other folks to join us.

Saturday night we spent hanging out in the yard with our neighbors and Brian, who came to hang out to have a baby-free night. It was a good, chill night.

On Sunday we went to church in the morning, and then drove out to Yorktown to see Hairspray, which was a really fun movie. After the flick we went to my mom's house for dinner, looked at wedding pictures, saw my sister before she heads back to school, and then headed home.

Good weekend. I liked it.

Tags: canoeing, family, movies

Just read this on Yelp Talk...

This Saturday July 14 from 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. There is a casting call for Extra's for a movie being filmed throughout Chicago until October...sounds like some sort of urban thriller maybe set sometime in the near future.

They are holding the call at Chicago Academy for the Arts- 1010 W. Chicago Ave, (Chicago & Halsted) 60622

They ask that you bring a recent color photograph and a pen. You will fill out a registration card. The casting is being done through Joan Philo casting - www.joanphilocasting.com.

Also, this is a paying gig!

Might be kind of cool to check out. Although our Saturday is pretty full...

Tags: batman, chicago, movies

Currently (well, as of a little earlier today) there is a film crew across the street from my office at the old Post Office shooting for "RFK", which we all know is the code-name for the new Batman movie.

Damn, I wish I'd brought my camera to work today.

Tags: movies, work

Saw it last night. Audience loved it. We all cheered. Huge applause at the end of each feature.

This movie DEFINES "gratuitous". But that's what makes it brilliant.

More later, as I've got a lot to say about it. But I will say this - the "missing reel" gag played brilliantly in Planet Terror. Did not play as well in Death Proof. But quite frankly, this film has the best car chase since The French Connection.

Plus, Machete.

Tags: movies

Joss Whedon no longer attached to Wonder Woman

You (hopefully) heard it here first: I'm no longer slated to make Wonder Woman. What? But how? My chest... so tight! Okay, stay calm and I'll explain as best I can. It's pretty complicated, so bear with me. I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked. Hey, not that complicated.

Let me stress first that everybody at the studio and Silver Pictures were cool and professional. We just saw different movies, and at the price range this kind of movie hangs in, that's never gonna work. Non-sympatico. It happens all the time. I don't think any of us expected it to this time, but it did. Everybody knows how long I was taking, what a struggle that script was, and though I felt good about what I was coming up with, it was never gonna be a simple slam-dunk. I like to think it rolled around the rim a little bit, but others may have differing views.

....

But most importantly, I never have to answer THAT question again!!!! And you don't have to link to every rumor site! Finally and forever: I never had an actress picked out, or even a consistant front-runner. I didn't have time to waste on casting when I was so busy air-balling on the script. (No! Rim! There was rim!) That's the greatest relief of all. I can do interviews again!

Thanks for your time. You are the people who make the world go 'round. Or, no, science does that.

-j.

ps All right, it was Cobie Smulders. Sorry, Cobes.

What a bummer. Of course, it's just as well, because there's no way that Robin Sparkles could be Wonder Woman.

Tags: joss whedon, movies, wailing and gnashing of teeth

Carrie and I just finished watching Eight Below (a Disney movie about sled dogs that get left behind at a science base in the Antarctic.

If you like dogs, watch this movie. If you don't, then don't bother.

Tags: dogs, movies

This was a long day.

It started this morning with my Volunteer Orientation at the Anti-Cruelty Society. That was totally interesting. Now that I've done that step, I have to go and get trained on the area in which I will be volunteering (Dog Adopts), and then I can actually start doing the volunteer thing. It's pretty cool - I'm only "on the hook" for five hours a month, and you don't have to schedule your time - you just come in whenever you can. The shelter is not too far from my office, so I think I'll be going in after work, ideally. It was interesting to learn all the stuff that the ACS does, but I can see how working there is going to wreak havoc on my emotionally - just hearing stories today was making me tear up. Carrie already made me promise to not bring home any new dogs.

After my orientation, I met up with Carrie, brian81773, and tavist at Ribfest (the one in the city, not in Naperville, jeez), to see the Hoyle Brothers play. I haven't heard them in a while, and they sounded GREAT. Unfortunately, we got there a little late and only caught the last 20 minutes or so of their set. But they'll be playing Martyr's on the 23rd for a new record release party, so we're definitely going to that.

Tonight, Carrie and I had a "date". We had dinner at a Greek restaurant in Lincoln Square, and then hit the Davis to see The Breakup. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had read - I laughed a lot, and the ending wasn't contrived at all. Funny thing - Jon Favreau, in this movie, has a shaved head, and I kept seeing him as brian81773, but with the personality of Jeff Rak.

Tags: acs, dogs, festivals, movies, music
Current Location: At home
Current Mood: tired

Courtesy of djlarkin

Snakes on a Plane auditions

Tags: movies
Current Mood: amused

Saw Good Night and Good Luck last night.

David Strathairn deserves an Oscar nod for this. And George Clooney is really starting to show some serious directorial chops.

Everyone should see this movie.

Edward R. Murrow: We'll split the advertising, Fred and I. He just won't have any presents for his kids at Christmas.
Sig Mickelson: He's a Jew.
Edward R. Murrow: Well don't tell him that. He loves Christmas.

Tags: movies
Current Mood: impressed

The Pajiba review of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is pretty funny. The reviewer describes how excited he was at the prospect of reviewing the Disney-fied version of this tale, which (in him mind) would be ripe for critical lambasting:

It was perfect; of course, Disney would cast kewpie whack-a-mole Dakota Fanning as Lucy, who would provide words of wisdom to the professor, undoubtedly portrayed by a dimpled Dennis Quaid. And it goes without saying that Jessica Alba would be cast as Susan and wear skimpy, ass-hugging outfits into the Narnia winter while flirting relentlessly with her brother, Peter, who would be played by Chad Michael Murray or a shirtless no-matter-how-deep-the-snow is Jared Padalecki. Who would direct? Chris Columbus, of course! Mr. and Mrs. Beaver would be tossed aside in favor of the flavor-of-the-month animal: Penguins! Voiced by Gilbert Gottfried and Renée Zellweger with an unnecessary English accent! Mr. Tumnus — the mythical faun — would be played by Mike Meyers, who would probably make noises with his armpits and provide cheeky double entendres. Oh … heaven! And because Glenn Close is too old and has lost her box-office clout, the White Witch would have her gender reversed and be played by Jim Carrey as the White Count who turns the good folks of Narnia into stone with his flatulence. Oh! Oh! And Father Christmas, naturally, would be portrayed by Tim Allen, who would drink large cans of Diet Pepsi (diet, ‘cause he’s fat!) and give all the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve video iPods with stock U2 images. And Aslan would be voiced by either Morgan Freeman, if they were going respectable, or better yet: Will Smith! The Christ Figure that calls everyone “Dawg!” And when Aslan is sacrificed, the dialogue would shift into Latin with English subtitles to provide that Passion of Christ authenticity. And … and … finally, when the White Count is defeated by the forces of good, a CGI-animated Aerosmith would come out and sing some bad Diane Warren anthems with the Coca Cola Polar Bears while Dakota Fanning shed one single, shiny tear that said, “Are you watching, Oscar voters! Cause this is my year, bitches!”

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'll get around to it. The reviews make it sound pretty good (as did the 9-minute "super trailer" or whatever), despite the fact that they kept Julius's name off of the credits. :)

Tags: movies

From Pajiba:

Must Love Dogs features dialogue seemingly written by many of the less-inspired online daters, who believe they can sum up their entire life with a series of bland adjectives (“Hi! I’m ______. I'm mature, caring, intuitive, sensible, compassionate, faithful, and honest. And I laugh a lot! Date me! For the love of God! Please. Pick me! Pick me ! I need some stanky on my hang-low, now!”).

Tags: movies

One of my favorite things about Chicago in the summer is the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival

This year they have a great selection. Here's the schedule. Who wants to go see these movies? (the ones I really want to see are highlighted in underline)

Citizen Kane
July 12
8:59 p.m.
Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Everett Sloane
Orson Welles’ masterpiece often tops lists of great movies. Welles, just 25 years old, co-wrote an Oscar winning script, directed, produced and starred in the tale of Charles Foster Kane, wealthy media mogul who amassed fame, fortune and material goods, only to discover it failed to bring him happiness.
(119 minutes)

Annie Hall
July 19
8:54 p.m.
Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Christopher Walken
This is the quintessential movie about the trials and tribulations of dating and relationships. Diane Keaton won an Oscar for her performance as the quirky and insecure Annie, as did Allen for directing and writing. The film is both uproariously funny and uniquely poignant, and one of the few comedies to win Best Picture. Plus it features a great cast that includes Carol Kane, Paul Simon, Shelley Duvall and Tony Roberts.
(94 minutes)

My Darling Clementine
July 26
8:48 p.m.
Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, Walter Brennan
Henry Fonda is Marshal Wyatt Earp who along with Doc Holiday seeks to tame the town of Tombstone, ultimately leading to the showdown at the OK Corral. Directed by John Ford, it’s one of his most striking black and white films.
1946 (97 minutes)

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
August 2
8:39 p.m.
Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Stone
Steven Spielberg directs this well-known story of alien who is left behind in suburban California and the 10 year-old boy who befriends him and helps him to “phone home.”
(115 minutes)

The Night of the Hunter
August 9
8:30 p.m.
Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish
In the only film directed by actor Charles Laughton, Mitchum chillingly plays a psychotic preacher with L-O-V-E and H-A-T-E tattooed on his knuckles. He terrorizes his stepchildren in pursuit of a fortune hidden in a little girl’s doll.
(93 minutes)

The Hustler
August 16
8:20 p.m.
Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie
Small-time pool hustler “Fast" Eddie Felson has a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude causes him to challenge the legendary "Minnesota Fats" to a high-stakes match. In a heartbreaking marathon match, he loses everything, so Fast Eddie joins up with a ruthless and cutthroat manager who agrees to take him on the road to learn the ropes. But Felson soon realizes that making it to the top could cost him his soul.
(135 minutes)

Star Wars
August 23
8:09 p.m.
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Alec Guiness
George Lucas created a cultural phenomenon and iconoclastic characters in what we now know as Chapter #4 of this classic sci-fi serial. It’s where we first meet Princess Leia, captured by an evil tyrant, and the heroes, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, who help to rescue her and destroy his empire.
1977 (121 minutes)

Tags: chicago, movies

Was talking to Chris tonight, and got to thinking about script ideas (because I am woefully dry in that area, and I need to get some shit written). Here are a couple:

1) A crime film about identity theft (since it's a hot button right now). Most movies about computer crime are inaccurate, because computer crime is REALLY boring to watch. But I like the idea of an identity theft who actually ends up having no real identity of his own, because he is always these other people. Kind of a con man film; think The Talented Mr. Ripley meets Swordfish.

2) Another idea came from a conversation I'd had with my friend Jamie. A movie about the guy that everyone loves, but not in the way he wants to be loved. It would also allow me to play in the whole concept of wanting to find someone who doesn't annoy you (those of you who really know me will know what I am talking about).

Along these lines...Chris was telling me about a "game" he's been playing. It's the "pitch" game - you know how they say when you pitch a film, it's always described in terms of existing films (Pretty Woman meets Dawn of the Dead). So you take two movies that don't go together, and write a treatment based upon that. So I challenge you, the reader, to comment on this entry with a combo like that, and maybe I'll try to write something based upon the suggestion.

Tags: movies
Current Mood: contemplative

Mugsy: no movie has ever made me feel "betrayed"
Mugsy: the closest was Highlander 2
Mugsy: but that was just because I felt that I had been anally raped by it
*** You have been disconnected. Thu May 19 14:41:12 2005.
Diane: make a comment like that and then sign off.... sheesh

Tags: movies, real world

For some reason, I haven't felt much like blogging lately. Dunno why.

Had a good time in NYC. Did a spot of shopping in the East Village with Ryan. Had drinks in Brooklyn for swingfeline 's birthday. Went to that dancer auction thing and bought some manflesh. Went to the Mets game. Got myself around pretty well on the subway.

Saw The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy last night with Tom. I enjoyed it immensely. I haven't read the books in quite a while, but I always liked them. And I found this to be a movie that brought some good funnay. I would have liked to have seen it with a larger audience, for pure feedback laughs, but still, good stuff. Mos Def was great. Alan Rickman was perfection. And I think Parker and Liz have to move over and make room for Zooey.

Tomorrow night going to see Star Wars with swingdoc and Tom. And a player to be named later (I have an extra ticket). Good times.

I'm tired.

Tags: movies, new york, personal, travel

Thanks to belcanto88, I will be attending a screening of Gong fu (Kung Fu Hustle) tomorrow night.



That's so rad.

I know that scrapplequeen is so jealous. You can admit it.

Tags: movies
Current Mood: excited

Went to see Be Cool tonight with swingdoc and Tom.

Hilarious movie. I really liked Get Shorty, and was not disappointed with this flick. Lots of laughs, and a little bit deeper than its predecessor. The denouement  was a bit lacking, but hey, there's a LOT for this film to wrap up. Cedric the Entertainer was at his best, especially with his monologue about America's appropriation of black culture, which was very Jules Winnfield-esque in style, if not in content.

Some revisited laughs from Shorty, but they don't feel stale; they feel like old friends. Well worth a viewing.

Tags: movies
Current Music: Black Eyed Peas - Labor Day (It's A Holiday)

Yesterday I met up with a bunch of folks for brunch for Amy W's birthday. It was kind of funny; with the exception of Amy's friend Stephen (who we all met for the first time there), I was the only boy. To add amusement to injury, while we were waiting for a table, a group of guys including Josh, Matt P, and Chiv all walked by on their way for a day of shopping.

But the funniest part was...Tommy was with them. To give you the backstory, Tommy and I have never met. The joke is that the universe would explode if we did...or that we are the same person - since we always "keep missing each other" like Clark Kent and Superman. But anyway, it was a real pleasure to finally meet the man.

Brunch was fun - however, I still haven't had a good piece of bacon in this city. But the girls promised to help me find proper bacon one day.

After brunch, swingfeline and Nicole and I went to see Sideways. I really enjoyed it, although I think I understand why Chris didn't. I do think it's getting a little over-hyped; it was a great film, but to some people, it seems like it's the Second Coming of Cinema. It's not. It is a little heavy handed with some metaphors, and sometimes the cinematography is a little too manipulative for my tastes. But the performances are GREAT, and most of the photography is fantastic.

After the movie, swingfeline and I hustled home, and then headed up to WaNoHoMoFloJo for sveltebunny and glassnickels's 80's Prom Party.

It was great. I was all Ducky-ed up (ala Pretty In Pink), and everyone else looked fantastic too. Great music, fun drinks...and some drunk shenanagins. Although not by me. I was shenanagan free.

Tags: movies, new york, travel
Current Mood: Amanda's cat talking to me

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle

I saw this last night courtesy of Netflix. I was expecting the a by-the-numbers dick and fart joke romp (what else to expect from a movie that advertised its stars as "that Asian guy from American Pie and the Indian guy from Van Wilder"?)

I was pleasantly surprised. Like Danny Leiner's previous film, Dude, Where's My Car?, the movie was laced with sophmoric humor. But, underneath it all. lay a fairly biting social commentary on racial stereotyping and self-actualization.

As stoner comedies go, this is the pinnacle.

Plus, it's worth a rental just to hear Neil Patrick Harris say "tripping balls".

Tags: movies

 The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Wes Anderson fans will enjoy this movie. If you don't like the Wes, this is *not* the movie to change your mind. Anderson doesn't fit into common narrative molds, and if you go into this expecting the Bill Murray of Groundhog Day or the Owen Wilson of Zoolander, you're going to be sorely disappointed.

The movie is beautifully shot, with some just...strange CGI. But strange in a good way (in my opinion), Pacing is a little bit off, and the third act is longer than I personally would like, but our man Steve is just so ... interesting, that I didn't mind.

Tags: movies