Film School Rejects » Interaction

Your Turn: Insert Your Watchmen Review Here

Neil Miller — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:51:39 +0000

We’ve done enough talking about Watchmen for one lifetime, have we not? Perhaps it is time, especially now that this film is officially in theaters, for us to turn the floor over to you. Robert Fure called Zack Snyder’s film “the best Watchmen film anyone could have made.” Now it is time for you to lay down some hyperbole in the comment area below. Here are a few key questions that you can answer for us:

What did you think of the film overall?
How did you feel about its faithfulness to the source material?
Would Alan Moore still hate this movie?
Was Rorschach the f*cking man, or what?
Do you think that non-initiated (people who haven’t read the book) will like the film?

So there you have it. Be sure to drop your comment in the appropriate boxes below. Also, quick side note: We’ve just added functionality today for the uploading and embedding of videos from both YouTube and Seesmic via our Intense Debate system. So if you would like to leave us your video review, that would also be awesome. Just click the “post video comment” button and follow the on-screen instructions and you’ll be in good shape.

Also… take our poll:
[poll id="8"]

For more awesome Watchmen coverage, check out our Watching the Watchmen homepage.

Watch This Now: Watchmen’s Zack Snyder and Dave Gibbons Chatting Live

Neil Miller — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:33:05 +0000

A little birdy just sent over a link to this little chat going on via the Playstation 3 network and over at AICN. Currently there are 10 bloggers, fans and other miscellaneous reporters having a live chat with Watchmen director Zack Snyder and Dave Gibbons, co-writer and artist for the graphic novel. Our good friend Quint from AICN is in the room doing a little Q&A.

Check it out via the UStream player below:

Discuss: What is Your Favorite Christmas Movie of All-Time?

Neil Miller — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:08:11 +0000

There are many elements that go into our favorite Christmas movies. The least of which often being the quality of the actual film. In general, I’ve found that most people cling to Christmas movies to which they can relate, or that they’ve shared fondly in years past with friends and family. The latter of which is the reason why I spent almost my entire weekend scrambling to find my copy of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation — my own favorite Christmas movie since the days of my youth. And while I wouldn’t make any bold claims about the artistic quality or revolutionary story, there is no denying that Christmas Vacation is the one movie that I can’t go a Christmas season without. I need a little bit of Chevy Chase fantasizing out the window about Nicolette Scorsese in a bathing suit. I need some classic Randy Quaid as cousin Eddie, emptying the waste from his RV into the storm sewer with jubilant claims that “the shitter was full.” During the holiday season, it is this timeless 1989 classic from director Jeremiah Chechik that I cannot do without.

And if reason serves me right, I’d be willing to bet that you too have your own Christmas favorite. Not necessarily the best Christmas movie, but the one you love the most. If I’m right, then I expect more than a few answers to the question below in our comment section.

What is your favorite Christmas movie of all-time, and why?

Get Out Your Proton Packs, Ghostbusters Goodness is Here

Neil Miller — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:36:46 +0000

Anyone who follows me on Twitter can easily see that I am a mega-huge fan of Ghostbusters. As a child I was the proud owner of my own proton pack, my own Fire House play set from The Real Ghostbusters cartoon and the kid who pushed an old lady out of the way at the local 4th of July parade once just to get a look at the real Ecto 1. On top of that I went to school on Halloween as the Stay Puft marshmallow man three years in row. Three years, people. If that isn’t an insane commitment to a brand I don’t know what is. And to have such loyalty at such a young age (11th grade) is really saying something.

So you know that even though it won’t hit stores until June 2009, I will be hitting the pages of Amazon soon to place my order for a copy of Ghostbusters: The Video Game. In development for what seems like forever, the game has finally landed a publisher, Atari, and will make its debut next summer (June 16th) on XBox 360, Sony Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. Versions for the PC and the Nintendo DS are scheduled for release two weeks later on June 30th. A trailer for the game has been released online, which you can check out below.

I have two thoughts in response to this clip. One, this video game looks phenomenal. Note the detail in the character’s faces and all of the iconic Ghostbusters moments, as well as the completely original voice cast (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson). Two, aren’t YouTube videos in widescreen wonderful? They complete me.

In other Ghostbusters related news, there is still talk of another film. You all know about the fact that The Office writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupinsky were hired on in September to write a script. And in a recent interview with MTV, Sigourney Weaver said that she is “supposed to get in touch with Bill [Murray] next week.” And though she didn’t have any details, she did express interest in the project. And even if she’s not part of it, she does hope that little Oscar will be one of the new Ghostbusters.

I’m not so sure about little Oscar to be a new Ghostbuster — as I’ve heard that the ‘new’ Ghostbusters would be characters we’ve never seen before — but I’m open to something new. The world can never really have too much Ghostbusters.

Shouting Match: Who’s The Greatest Bond?

FSR Staff — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:55:13 +0000

At Film School Rejects, we like to have the final word, even when we’re arguing with ourselves. Although mostly, we just like to yell the loudest. We figured we should channel that energy into a new feature we like to call “Shouting Match.” This week’s contenders? Jorge Sosa and Josh Radde. This week’s point of contention: The Best James Bond.

Opening Statements

JORGE: I will shout ’til I’m blue in the face that George Lazenby was the consummate Bond.

Do the math. Each Bond has had his share of good movies and bad movies. 60% of Connery’s ouevre was good, 100% of Lazenby’s were good, 30% of Moore’s films were good, 50% of Dalton’s movies were good, and 20% of Brosnan’s output was good. It’s too early to judge Craig by this measure. QoS could suck ass, which would really hurt his batting average.

So, by that measure, here’s my personal Bond ranking:

1. Lazenby
2. Connery
3. Dalton
4. Moore
5. Brosnan

Sheer numbers don’t lie, but Lazenby is also the manliest Bond. Granted, he dresses like an idiot. But, in one movie, he shags Diana Rigg at least twice (a third shagging is probably implied during the Louis Armstrong love-theme montage) plus he bones two other babes in Blofeld’s lair. During his downtime, he reads Playboy. Furthermore, unlike Moore, Lazenby did all his own fights. Unlike Connery or Dalton, he has a decent head of hair. Plus he rocks that amazing chin cleft.

Manvantage: Lazenby.

JOSH: Just because a pinch-hitter goes 1-for-1 in a baseball game doesn’t automatically mean he’s in the starting lineup the next day. Yes, Lazenby’s film was good largely because it showed a darker version of Bond, one similar to the novels of Ian Fleming, and more in tune to what Daniel Craig would eventually do with the character. Also, OHMSS ends with a married Bond holding his lifeless wife, so I give the producers and director (Peter R. Hunt) credit for going with the dark ending.

That being said, we’re talking about the best BOND. Any guy that was replaced because the fans hated him could not be considered the best James Bond. He just can’t be. After one film, the studio deemed it necessary to replace Lamenby with the established Connery in Diamonds Are Forever.

Also, I don’t think it’s too early to judge Craig. Casino Royale is the most exciting Bond film ever made and it’s largely thanks to Craig’s dynamic and risk-taking performance. He’s intense, calculated, vulnerable, and a man dead-set on his mission, not some dude wearing frilly shirts and taking ample screen time to shag the Dame from “The Avengers”. What Lazenby has in hair, Craig has in eyes. Craig is a physical powerhouse who also does as many fights and stunts as he can. When it’s all said and done, Craig will be the best Bond on film.

However, I’m going to go with Connery. The man IS James Bond. They even used his likeness in a video game for From Russia with Love 40 years after the film came out. His Bond films, FRwL, Goldfinger, Thunderball, and the first screen incarnation, Dr. No, are all certified classics. So even if Craig or Lazenby, or even Brosnan for that matter, gave better PERFORMANCES, no one is as quintessentially Bond as Connery.

Your move, sir.

The Rebuttal

JORGE: I find two major flaws with your argument.

1. Lazenby wasn’t shit-canned because the fans didn’t like him. Lazenby turned down a contract for a seven-picture deal because he thought Bond would be out of fashion in the ’70s. Oops. Hey, we’re not debating which Bond actor had the best business sense.

2. Connery might have defined the role of Bond in many people’s minds, but only because he had the good fortune of being cast in the part first. To argue that he was the best Bond is akin to arguing that William Shatner was the best captain of the Enterprise. We all know that’s bullshit — the best Enterprise captain was a certain bald Brit.

I don’t mean to equate Connery’s acting ability with Shatner’s. Christ, no. Connery is undoubtedly one of the most talented film stars of the 20th century. But his track record as Bond is pretty damned spotty. After a strong start, it didn’t take long for his enthusiasm to flag. I would argue that by Thunderball, and definitely by You Only Live Twice, he was phoning it in. Diamonds Are Forever? Fugeddaboutit. That cinematic shit-sack is awful, and only useful as a reminder of how far Connery had sunk.

However, I will concede that Craig might someday turn out to be the best Bond ever. I also concede that you’re a pestilent canker and the son of a thousand fathers. Nothing personal, but this is a fuckin’ Shouting Match, not a tea party.

JOSH: Ok, Sally.

Don’t use the “being first” argument for Connery. No one gives Brian Cox credit for being the first Hannibal Lecter. People USED to think that Michael Keaton was the best Batman. If Roger Moore were the first James Bond, would we even really care about the character today? Honestly, I doubt it. This distinction comes from the quality of work, not the chronology of a character. Goldfinger is Bond at his absolute best, and Connery gives the role everything someone not familiar with the character would need to see to get a good idea of what he’s about. The revenge aspect, the womanizing, the cheesy line delivery, the awkward karate chop, the fear of having a laser blast your nuts off. It’s all there. I would say that Connery lost interest by Diamonds Are Forever (notably because he looked significantly fatter than You Only Live Twice) and tarnished his reputation further when he made Never Say Never Again using his power to get a non-MGM licensed James Bond film made.

Your conclusion that Lazenby is the best Bond confirms something that FSR readers and myself have considered true for a long time: You have a tiny member. Yes, I went there.

Closing Arguments

JORGE: You brought this upon yourself. I’m hauling out the big guns (and, no, I’m not referring to my legendary wang). The easiest way to settle the Lazenby vs. Connery dispute is to ask: Which Bond could kick the other’s ass?

Lazenby could easily cripple Connery for several reasons. First, Connery would be encumbered by your clinging to him, vigorously suckling on his teat. Laying the Radde-factor aside, Lazenby was a sergeant in the Australian Army Special Forces and an unarmed combat instructor. Unlike Connery, he shot his own fight scenes. You can tell the difference by comparing the fights in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service with any of Connery’s on-screen catfights. The fights in OHMSS are raw-knuckled, frantic and visceral. Lazenby is a fucking monster, and, in fact, my friend, he broke a stuntman’s nose during a screen test. Somebody forgot to tell my man he had to contain his macho fury. The exact opposite is the case with Connery’s on-screen pansy-fests. It’s obvious that once the action escalated beyond bitch slaps, they needed to cut away and have a stunt double do the real heavy lifting.

Incidentally, Connery also served in the military, namely the British Royal Navy. He was discharged due to medical problems — a duodenal ulcer. That’s right: Connery was soft in the belly.

Lazenby probably gets some flak for only appearing as Bond once. Well, once was enough to prove himself the kick-assingest Bond of all time.

JOSH: At least Connery got to use his own voice in the film. Lazerbeam Taintsweat was dubbed at times. Dude got Jazz Singer-ed in an English speaking movie! I won’t claim that Connery is a physical beast, but that somewhat defeats the purpose of the early generation Bond. He was a man who used his intellect and quick-thinking over his brute strength. Even Craig, whose pretty much a physical force to be reckoned with, is usually outmatched in a fight.

I dunno, maybe you have a point in here somewhere. Even though I still think Connery is “the man, dawg,” Lazenby did do the French softcore erotica series, “Emmanuelle.” Though, sadly, he was not featured in “Emmanuelle in Space,” the only thing Cinemax cares about.

Update: I just saw Quantum of Solace and Craig is the best Bond ever. Previous conversation: moot.

Final Verdict

We’ve kicked and screamed and clawed at each other with our fingernails, and, as in true stubborn FSR fashion, neither of us will back down. So, we’re leaving the final verdict up to you: Who’s the best Bond of all time? Lazenby? Connery? Someone we didn’t even care to mention? Don’t say Dalton because we all know that’s absurd.

Discuss: Who Would You Cast as Jerry Garcia?

Neil Miller — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:25:16 +0000

The Hollywood trades are reporting this morning that producers Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa and Eric Eisner have signed on to produce a biopic of Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. The film will be aimed at giving a revealing look at the music icon, with a focus on Garcia’s leading of a counterculture movement. And while I am too young to have ever been a “Dead Head,” we do have this information from The Hollywood Reporter:

The untitled project will focus primarily on Garcia’s early life in the Bay Area before he joined the band that would become the Grateful Dead — a period that includes a stint in the military, a life-changing car accident and his first creative encounters with members of the Northern California music scene including future Dead bassist Phil Lesh.

While I don’t claim to be an expert on Garcia, I am sure that there are some of you out there who do know a lot about the man. As well, I am sure that there are some of you out there who have read Robert Greenfield’s book “Dark Star,” the book upon which this biopic will be based. And with that in mind, I am curious to see who you might cast in as a young Jerry Garcia.

In a different time I would suggest Jeff Bridges, but his time has really passed on a role like this — especially considering the fact that this will be a story about Garcia’s younger years. A few other suggestions would be Entourage star Adrian Grenier, but I would say that he lacks that rugged quality that Garcia had. If this project were at Dreamworks, which it is not, golden boy Shia LaBeouf might be an easy choice — but its hard to say whether he would be able to pull it off. Another actor who really has the look is 90210 star and former Disney channel regular Michael Steger, who is pictured to the right. Just imagine that kid with a full Garcia beard — it could work. Those are just a few of my suggestions; time for you to weigh in.

Who would you cast as Jerry Garcia in a biopic of the singer’s younger years?

The Twilight Addiction Gets Out of Hand – Riot Style

Dr. Cole Abaius — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:01:23 +0000

It’s unclear to me as to whether Twilight fans are having difficulty proving that their not completely insane or whether they are doing an incredible job of proving that 14-year old girls can kick ass with the rest of them.

With the desperation of right-wingers at the hands of a liberal President-elect and the devastation of Prop 8 passing in California to re-take-away the marriage right for same-sex couples, it makes sense that the first riot we’ve seen was…for a Twilight publicity signing.

According to Slashfilm, a bit of violence broke out in San Francisco after 3,000 fans lined up starting in the morning at the mall where Rob Pattinson was supposed to have a signing. Since the police and PR wizards expected 500 people there – seriously – the signing was canceled, and the ensuing out of control tweens and moms trampled a few of their brethren and even broke a girl’s nose.

It’s easy to assume that the cancellation caused much of the rage-riot, but I assume there was a massive argument between Team Edward and Team Jacob that got out of hand when a seventh grader broke a bottle of Yoohoo across the forehead of a Twi-mom and threatened to cut anyone who thought Jacob was an overly aggressive, near-date-rapist. Which he is.

Was there looting? Tear Gas? Slashfilm has a link to the TMZ video of the riot so you can see for yourself.

Discuss: Will Fans Still Be Hot for Boondock Saints 2?

Neil Miller — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:56:47 +0000

This morning I was glancing through stories over on Variety’s website, and I noticed that they’ve finally picked up on the fact that Troy Duffy has begun production on his Boondock Saints sequel, All Saints Day. First off, good job joining the party so late Variety — the rest of us were reporting on this months ago. But even more importantly, I was hit with the realization that I am personally no longer interested in a Boondock Saints sequel. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the first film, but after so many years of waiting for a sequel, I have lost my taste for it. As well, I was struck by the documentary Overnight, which chronicled Troy Duffy’s big fall in Hollywood. Having seen that, I no longer felt any sort of sympathy for Duffy, who pretty much dug his own hole in the film business.

Having said that, I will say that there are a few things that could help get fans back in the game:

The core of the original cast is returning for the sequel, including Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flannery, Billy Connolly, David Della Rocco and Bob Marley.
Dexter and Rambo star Julie Benz has been added to the cast, giving it some much-need sexiness.
Clifton Collins Jr. has also been added to the cast, which is solid.

But all of that brings me to my discussion topic of the day. I am curious as to whether or not all of you are still interested in Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. Curious to see if like me, you have lost enthusiasm for the franchise. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment area below.

Are you still excited about Boondock Saints II?

Discuss: Do We Need Another ‘Planet of the Apes’ Reboot?

Neil Miller — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:46:59 +0000

This week’s Monday discussion might be a loaded question, as the reboot in question isn’t exactly what you might think it is. In fact, as Devin Faraci at CHUD reports, the Planet of the Apes reboot that is currently being kicked around isn’t (a) tied to the Tim Burton reboot or (b) a remake of the original Planet of the Apes film. It is, in fact, a remake of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, the 1972 J. Lee Thompson directed film that served as a prequel to the 1968 original. It tells the story of Caesar, the first ape with speech who started the events that led to the world of monkey-dominance. But as Devin points out, the new script that was written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, which is titled Genesis: Apes, is a bit different from Conquest:

It’s like Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, which brilliantly modeled its ape riot scenes on the Watts Riots that had happened just a few years before. But Conquest was set in a future where America was ruled by a fascist society. Genesis: Apes is set today, in this world. The regime that Caesar overthew in Conquest was made up of bad guys. The Caesar of Genesis: Apes is coming after you.

As well, Devin makes a very compelling argument as to why this direction would be the way to bring the Planet of the Apes franchise back to life:

It’s the perfect way to get the franchise back up and running. Everybody knows that the Planet of the Apes used to be Earth. Everybody knows that the mute humans are our distant descendants. Everybody knows the Statue of Liberty is buried in the sand. So just skip all that – get to something new. That was one of the major problems with the Burton version, that it tried to recapture the shock of the original, the most spoiled movie of all time. But Genesis: Apes lets us get back into this world of apes and do what the four sequels to the original did – craft great science fiction parables that had gut puncher endings.

Having read these thoughts, I would tend to agree. Nothing would be worse than another attempt to reboot the original Planet of the Apes. Tim Burton already tried that and for the most part, it was mediocre at best. The idea of re-imagining Conquest of the Planet of the Apes however, sounds like it could be a lot of fun. What is interesting — and I think this is a point that Devin too was trying to make — is that so many people get caught up in the first film, forgetting that there were four others that were all equally as good. Should Fox choose to go in this direction, I think I would be able to get behind that, at least on the basis of concept.

What do you think? Would you be in for another Planet of the Apes movie based on the story described above?

Discuss: Who’s The Baddest Monster Hunter of All-Time?

Mister Hand — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:56:12 +0000

Over on the AMC Television blogs site, Scott Sigler compares monster hunters to spiders. Without spiders, “the world would be overrun by insects,” he says. And without monster hunters, the world would soon be infested with “vampires, zombies, werewolves, mummies, ghosts, witches, serial killers and mansquitoes.”

You can find the article over at Horror Hacker , and place your nominations in the comments section (you will need to register). Joss Whedon has requested that you nominate Buffy for the top prize. She’s my top pick as well.

So far, some of the names put forth by commenters on the AMC site have included Riddick, Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, Ripley from the Alien movies, Bruce Campbell as Ash from the Evil Dead films, and, of course, the mighty Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Who is your pick for the baddest monster hunter of all-time?

Discuss: Does The Hulk Need Another Film of His Own?

Neil Miller — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:32:36 +0000

With The Incredible Hulk making its way onto DVD today, it has got all the various deciders at Marvel making the press rounds. And with that, of course, comes plenty of questions about the plans that Marvel has for its green behemoth. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige caught up with MTV News this week, talking about how proud he was of the film, one that was a major gamble for the fledgling studio. It was a gamble in the sense that it was an attempt to reboot a character whose last on screen appearance, in 2003’s Hulk from director Ang Lee, had left so many fans very disenchanted. As well, it was only the second self-financed Marvel venture — and how could they possibly top the $300-plus million dollar earner Iron Man?

And while Hulk vs. Iron Man is a debate left for movie website forums and watercoolers, one thing is clear — The Incredible Hulk was a financial and critical success compared to Ang Lee’s film. So why not make a second one? If Iron Man 2 and 3 are already on the calendar and characters like Thor and Captain America are gearing up for their films, why not go ahead with another Hulk movie? That is the question that MTV posed to Feige, who had this to say in response:

The truth is that Hulk has had two films in the past five years, and it’s time to give some of the other guys a turn. But certainly what we are doing is suggesting and cross-pollinating the characters between films, and like reading a comic, I’d like to set that expectation that anything can happen — and anyone can pop up — in anybody else’s story. I would expect that people may see the Hulk again soon before he is again carrying his own film.

So there you have it — the Hulk will make another appearance on the big screen, he will just have to do it in someone else’s movie. Of course, from there we could speculate in all sorts of directions. This could be to imply that he would be held off for the Avengers movie, but also that he might show up in Iron Man 2. Either way, it is clear that Hulk is to become a supporting character in Marvel’s upcoming slate. The question is whether or not there is anything wrong with that. Personally, I don’t think so. In fact, I would be interested to see the Hulk become Iron Man’s adversary in his next film — that might not be a bad idea, though logistically (as in, getting Ed Norton to sign on), that does present some issues.

But lets put all the logistical issues aside for a moment and ask the real question: Where do you think Hulk should show up next? Should he get his own sequel, or are you okay with him cross-pollinating with other Marvel characters?

Discuss: Should Hulk be the Villain in the Avengers Movie?

Conrad Rothbaum — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:00:18 +0000

Ever since Marvel decided to branch out, it appears that cross pollination has been #1 on their agenda. With Iron Man containing a Nick Fury cameo (Samuel L. Jackson, no less) after the credits, and The Incredible Hulk containing a Tony Stark cameo before the credits, we can see the bricks being laid in the foundation of an Avengers movie. Soon after, Iron Man 2, Captain America, Thor and of course, The Avengers were all given release dates. It would not be out of line to assume that they will all tie into each other.

That said, it was very interesting to hear from MTV’s Splash Page that Iron Man writers Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby would like to see the Hulk take the role of a misunderstood villain in the Avengers movie. In Fergus’ words:

“You don’t want like 10 super-badass good guys fighting together. Where’s the fun in that? Let’s break it off a little. Friends or colleagues who become enemies is always an interesting thing because you know it’s based on love and friendship and that’s always the worst thing to have turn bad — is someone you actually care about and someone you actually believe in.”

Fergus’ words take on more meaning knowing that he and Ostby are penning another as-yet-unannounced Marvel movie. Louis Letterier, director of The Incredible Hulk, is not opposed to The Hulk as a bad guy either. Do you recall the last shot of Edward Norton in Hulk, with his ambiguous grin underneath glowing green eyes?

Letterier:

“I left the door open for whoever’s going to direct ‘The Avengers’ with our last shot. Edward [Norton] and I, we consciously decided to make the last shot of the movie when he opens his eyes and he smirks at the camera,” Leterrier told us. “Is he enjoying it? Is he malicious?”

It is also interesting to note that in the first volume of The Ultimates (the recent Millar/Hitch comic book reboot of the Avengers), the Hulk plays the role of the villain in the team’s first big battle in Times Square.

This vast network of Marvel tie-in movies gets me excited—I hope the stories they tell weave into each other not just plot-wise, but with characterization. Is that too much to ask for? I hope not.

Are you interested to see Hulk square off against Captain America, Thor and Iron Man? If not, who do you think would be a good foil for the team?

Empire Magazine Names the 500 Greatest Movies of All-Time

Neil Miller — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:55:02 +0000

As if someone hasn’t done it before (or for that matter, won’t do it again), Empire Magazine has published their list of the 500 Greatest Films of All-Time, as voted on by their fans in what they are calling ‘the biggest movie poll of all-time.’ Along with fan votes, they also used insights from the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Mike Leigh and Guillermo Del Toro, among others.

Of course, it has all yielded an interesting, albeit predictable list. As you can see from the Top 50 listed below, there are a few surprises in the bunch, including Evil Dead 2 at #49. I’m not saying it doesn’t belong, but it does surprise me that it made it into the Top 50 — and rightfully so, it’s a stellar flick. Also, I am not surprised to see Pulp Fiction and Fight Club rounding out the top ten — proof that this list was, in fact, impacted by the same folk who frequent the pages of this very site.

Check out the top 50 movies below:

1. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981)
3. Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner,1980)
4. Shawsank Redemption (Frank Darabont, 1994)
5. Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
6. GoodFellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)
7. Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)
8. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, 1952)
9. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
10. Fight Club (David Fincher, 1999)
11. Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
12. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)
13. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)
14. Once Upon A Time In The West (Sergio Leone, 1968)
15. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2007)
16. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
17. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
18. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz)
19. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
20. Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)
21. The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949)
22. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (George Lucas, 1977)
23. Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985)
24. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Peter Jackson, 2001)
25. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1967)
26. Dr. Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
27. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)
28. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
29. Die Hard (John McTiernan 1988)
30. Aliens (James Cameron, 1986)
31. Gone with The Wind (Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood, 1939)
32. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid (George Roy Hill, 1969)
33. Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979)
34. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003)
35. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (James Cameron, 1991)
36. Andrei Rublev (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1969)
37. A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)
38. Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)
39. The Matrix (The Wachowski Brothers, 1999)
40. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
41. The 400 Blows (Truffaut, 1959)
42. Kind Hearts And Coronets (Robert Hamer, 1949)
43. The Big Lebowski (The Coen Brothers, 1998)
44. Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
45. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
46. On The Waterfront (Elia Kazan 1954)
47. E.T. (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
48. This Is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)
49. Evil Dead 2 (Sam Raimi, 1987)
50. Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)

For the full listing, head over to EmpireOnline.com/500

What would be on your list of the ten greatest films of all-time?

Lil’ Faux Tweet: The 8 Most Entertaining Fake Twitter Users

Neil Miller — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:13:30 +0000

As you may already know, I spend quite a bit of time on Twitter, the micro-blogging service that has been sweeping the internet. And despite some technical challenges, Twitter has emerged as the most used form of communication since the creation of, well, I’m not really sure — but it’s something significant. And while I use Twitter to communicate with readers, friends around the web and other movie enthusiasts, it is also a forum for fake celebrities and fictional characters.

While there are real celebrities who have used Twitter, everyone from singer Sarah Bareilles to former Star Trek star Wil Wheaton, there are even more celebrity accounts that don’t really connect to real famous folks. And in honor of the faux stars of Twitter, I would like to present a list of the 8 Most Entertaining Fake Twitter Users. Of course, this list comes with a few ground rules: Each of the users listed below are (a) related to the TV or Movie world and (b) must be relatively active Twitter users. And as you can see, they can also be fictional characters. In addition, I have included a definitive quote, or a quote that is my favorite from their Twitter feed. Also, you can click any of the names to see their actual Twitter accounts.

8. Dr. Tobias Funke

There hasn’t been much out there for Arrested Development fans, short of the swirling rumors of a cinematic adaptation, but it appears that one of the show’s most interesting characters continues to live on via Twitter. Yes, the Blue Man himself, Dr. Tobias Funke, has become the Twitterverse’s resident Analrapist. His random musings include everything from trips to Burger King to planning to ‘take a bite of the rump’ of his estranged wife Lindsay. His definitive quote:

trying to sell the film rights to book, “The Man Inside Me.” An indie shop named Vivid may make an offer without even seeing a script!

7. Borat

His movie may have come and gone, but the lore of Sacha Baron Cohen’s most popular character will always live on via Twitter. And even the fake Borat seems to have the persona on lock down, spewing mostly random pop culture observations, complete with bad grammar and clever catch phrases. Also, I find it interesting that Borat, like Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, can see Russia from his house. His definitive quote:

oh this is travesty! hannah montana and miley cyrus are same person?!? how will my threesome dream every come true!!! wowahweewah!

6. Abe Vigoda

Are you wondering whether or not Abe Vigoda is alive? You are certainly not alone. Since he was erroneously reported as dead by People magazine in 1982, the real Abe Vigoda has been part of a long running joke about the state of his health. And recently, a Twitter account has risen up in his honor, one that keeps us updated as to Abe’s status. It is somewhat assinine, but it never fails to give me a chuckle. His defining quote:

Dick Clark and I have trouble determining if we’re alive!!!

5. William Shatner

In recent weeks, the fake William Shatner has been replaced by the real William Shatner (or one of his agents), but the faux Shat is significantly more entertaining. This just goes to prove the long-running theory that the persona that is Shatner is much more entertaining than the actual Shatner. This version of Shatner has done everything from calling our Lord Vader to demanding his own Chuck Norris-like meme. The latter of which leads me to his definitive quote:

I demand my own Chuck Norris meme, e.g. “You don’t impersonate Shatner, you just expose the Shatner inside of us all.”

4. Roger Sterling, Mad Men

One of the few shows that has inadvertantly gotten a big marketing push from Twitter has been AMC’s Mad Men. In fact, AMC was taken by surprise as fans created accounts for many of the show’s characters, including Don Draper, Peggy Olsen and even Roger Sterling himself, the man in charge at Sterling Cooper. And as much as I would like to say that hottie Joan Holloway is my favorite Mad Men twitter user, it is clear that Roger Sterling is a man’s man — he knows what he wants, and he knows how to get it. His definitive quote:

How could I resist a dose of @TheDailyBlonde? All I need to do is find Daily Brunette and a Daily Redhead and I’m set.

3. Megan Fox

It’s probably some 35-year old dude who imagines that Megan Fox is as sexy in real life as she is in his wildest fantasies, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t somewhat fun to read. The heat was turned up even more after the real Megan Fox admitted to being so turned on by a Russian stripper that she wanted to ’strangle a mountain ox.’ Her definitive quote:

Sometimes I just spend the night grabbing and regrabbing my ass. You would too, if your ass was nice as mine. Admit it.

2. Stephen Colbert

There have actually been a few fake Stephen Colberts on Twitter, but none more committed than the one without the middle initial. Just like the real life host of The Colbert Report, this Twit is always topical, sometimes a little over the top and generally amusing. In fact, according to the Comedy Central Insider, it is fakers like this that has “the gang at Digg from iCreaming their open-source e-jeans.” His definitive quote:

Got a new goldfish –his name is “WMD”. Justice (my cat) doesn’t like ‘em, but I think he’s cute.

1. Fake Micheal Bay

Nothing says awesome like posting your awesome thoughts on the awesome social media forum that is Twitter. So why wouldn’t Michael Bay spread his awesomeness to the rest of the world, 140-characters at a time? Everything from wanting to hump the tattoo off of Megan Fox’s shoulder to Shia LaBeouf’s constant teary outbreaks, this Fake Twitterer has it all. His definitive quote:

No, I don’t know who “Fellini” is and quite frankly I don’t give a shit.

In addition to the fake characters above, I also wanted to give you a little list of Twitter users who are of interest to movie lovers — as in, the voices of the movie webosphere, including yours truly:

And those are just a few that you should check out, should you join up with the Twitter phenomenon. Personally, I have found it to be a great forum for sharing initial reactions to films, coordinating meetups at events such as Sundance, SXSW and Comic-Con, and just having some fun back and forth discussion about movies or whatever pops into my head.

Are you on Twitter? If so, who are your favorite people to follow?

Discuss: How Do You Feel About Blade Runner 2?

Neil Miller — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:44:20 +0000

Alright folks, it is time for another therapy session — time to talk about your feelings. It is time for those of you in the crowd who claim to be fans, geeks and what have you to open up and tell us what you think — or don’t. We’re going to be here either way.

Yesterday, our good friends over at Slashfilm reported some information about the possibility of a Blade Runner sequel. In fact, according to the quote below, Eagle Eye writer Travis Wright said at a Q&A that he and some other folks were working on a script. This from Slashfilm’s reader scoop:

“I recently attended a Q&A session with one of the writers of ‘Eagle Eye’ after a free screening organized by the magazine Creative Screenwriting. During the Q&A, the writer said that he and whomever it was that helped him co-write the ‘Eagle Eye’ screenplay were in the process of writing a sequel to Blade Runner, and had already contacted the producers of the original, etc., etc. This is probably a load of empty words/wishful thinking on his part, but I for one am appalled by just the notion of a Blade Runner sequel, and thought you’d be as well, so I thought perhaps you’d like to look into this yourself and perhaps use your soapbox to get some fanboys a little pissed, as well. If not, then at least you have a scoop.”

Of course, the mere possibility of a Blade Runner sequel has sent shockwaves through the sci-fi community (read: the 2 or 3 sci-fi sites I read in hopes of seeing scantily clad pictures of Grace Park). io9’s Charlie Jane Anders called the potential project a “prodigious waste of money,” saying that “some stories that just don’t need to be continued.” Even Slashfilm’s own head man Pete Sciretta was skeptical, saying “we certainly don’t need a sequel written by the second tier team of Eagle Eye.”

Even Alex Billington at First Showing, who has long been a bastion of optimism, isn’t feeling love for a Blade Runner sequel, saying “I have a lot of respect for it and can’t even fathom a sequel or anything even set in the same universe.”

So what gives, people? Why can’t we have faith that the guys who gratuitously ripped off every great modern sci-fi thriller to make Eagle Eye couldn’t use the same creativity-lacking skills to schlep together more tales of a dystopian world that is subtly being taken over by replicants? Who says that Harrison Ford can’t come back to revitalize one of his most iconic characters, bringing him into the 21st century and handily passing the torch off to a young, hotshot actor — possibly even Shia LaBeouf?

The mind wanders… But I digress. Your thoughts below…

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