That headline, while technically true, perhaps undersells the wry, entrancing joy of Plastic Bag, a short film directed by Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart, Chop Shop) and indeed narrated by the legendary German auteur. It may not be without some precedent, but for sheer intelligence, wit and ambition, the 18-minute movie handily blows the "plastic bag" sequence from American Beauty out of the water (no pun intended; you'll see). Click through for the full video.
more »
We trust your weekend was filled with round-the-clock home-screenings of New Moon, during which you swooned 'til the wee morning hours to the gender-indeterminate dreaminess of above-the-title sparklepire Robert Pattinson. But if you never made it to Walmart, you can still enjoy some of the DVD bonus features -- not the revealing commentary by Taylor Lautner's abs, unfortunately, but rather a deleted scene, which has found its way onto YouTube.
more »
Time now for a Friday afternoon palate-cleanser: Hugh Jackman -- new global pitchman for Lipton Iced Tea -- steps, shimmies, spins and slides around a hotel filled with Japanese people. (But the announcer is British. So who's going to see this ad? It's global! Globalish people are.) Did Christopher Walken do it first, and better? Probably. Get over it, grumpypants! There are no new ideas. [Videogum]
more »
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the world would be a funnier place with more Zach Galifianakis. Until the comedian strikes an exclusive deal with NBC to appear on the network three-times-a-week as an ambidextrous flute player though, we'll just have to settle for the odd big screen comedy, Arby's sighting and new installments of his online celebrity talk show.
more »
Over here at Movieline, we definitely adore Johnny Weir, so I was concerned recently when the skater said he was snubbed from the Stars on Ice tour for not being "family friendly." Then I watched last night's episode of Be Good Johnny Weir, which climaxed with Weir finding unorthodox, orgasm-inducing uses for an electronic massager. I mean, yeah, maybe "family friendly" is just code to snub Weir based on his flaming gayitude, but it also, perhaps, is a mantra that does not encompass basic cable O-faces. I guess we won't know for sure unless Evan Lysacek submits to the same televised situation, which I am all in favor of. Video, after the jump:
more »
Though he's still technically an NBC employee thanks to the magical, snafu-inducing language of network contracts, Andy Richter co-hosted Live! With Regis and Kelly today and took full advantage of the platform. "Do you have any ill feelings toward NBC or Jay?" Kelly Ripa asked him. Short answer: Um, yes! Slightly longer answer: "It's very frustrating when someone says... 'I'm going to hand this over'...and then doesn't," he said. "Multimillionaires are always being forced to do things they don't want to do." Longest answer: the full clip, after the jump.
more »
In a shocking bit of interspecial backlash, an intransigent rabbit named Smokey begs to differ that Inglourious Basterds is "the thing that happened in cinema this year." In fact, the real thing that happened in cinema this year is that a rabbit has more of a clue than our psychic pals and much of the Hollywood establishment about what will win the Best Picture Oscar come Sunday. Maybe it's just Smokey's savant-like understanding of the preferential ballot, or maybe he took Nicolas Chartier's impassioned e-mails to heart -- it really could be anything. But this is as informed and credible an Oscar forecast as any we've yet seen at Movieline HQ, so consider yourself advised. That said, Smokey also chose David Carradine as a dark horse on my "In Memoriam" Montage Pool ballot, so grain of salt, etc. Click through for the most adorable Oscar prognostication ever.
more »
Oscar producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic are trying to banish winners' thank-you speeches to a backstage camera, leaving precious time at the podium for tearful blubbering, one-armed pushups, and cute-but-in-retrospect-creepy-and-unsolicited French kisses, but I'd wager that we're still going to hear more than a few winners thank God, and more importantly, their agents. At least it will provide more material for this helpful montage (after the jump), which collects just about ever salient Oscar thank-you ever committed to YouTube, I'm guessing. Marvel at the uniformity of gush, and remember what Anna Paquin once looked like with clothes on. [Buzzfeed via Vulture]
more »
How do you sell a wonky script about the Consumer Financial Protection Agency to the Funny or Die audience, which only loves foul-mouthed babies and celebrity cameos? Simple: You hire Ron Howard to direct it, then fill the five-minute clip with every famous presidential impression ever. Will Ferrell and Dana Carvey as the Bushes! Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford! Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph as the Obamas, and unkillable SNL veteran Darrell Hammond as Bill Clinton! Also, Jim Carrey as Ronald Reagan for some reason! (Admittedly, it is kind of the best one.) Watch, bask in the star wattage, and scratch your head a little bit:
more »
Are we sick of Avatar trailer parodies yet? No, we aren't. Not since the bonanza that followed Brokeback Mountain has one trailer provided so many rich opportunities for creative hacking and pop-culture gene-splicing. There was the (still the best) Team America: World Police version, the all-babies version, and now the inevitable, and yet wholly satisfying Disney's Pocahontas version. Watch now as Captain John Smith arrives to plunder a brave new world inhabited by a spiritual tribe of deadly hunters known as the Powhatan; then falls in love with Pocahontas, daughter of the tribe Chief; then joins up with them to fight off the sinister Governor Ratcliffe, whose intention is to lay waste to their homes in search of precious metals. Yes, it's exactly the same plot as Avatar -- but answer me this: Did Disney's animators commit thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars towards the development of the perfect Pocahontasian breast?! Now that you mention it, it is pretty amazing what you can do with a pencil. [via Vulture]
more »
With its steady employment of throaty-voiced actresses who look great in chunky highlights and stylish power blouses, the Law & Order franchise has attracted a devoted lesbian fanbase -- but does it always make good on that following? The mothership series once attempted to shoehorn a deliciously out-of-left-field, last-minute lesbian revelation when Elisabeth Röhm left the show. The results? Awkward. Now, NBC has released video of a same-sex smooch between Mariska Hargitay and guest star Kathy Griffin on an upcoming episode of Law & Order: SVU. The results? Even more awkward.
more »
Where did it all go wrong for Kirsten Dunst? The Film Experience theorizes that Dunst fell on hard times with the public by dating Jake Gyllenhaal, then daring not to date Jake Gyllenhaal; I'd argue that the corner was turned when an advance scene from Spider-Man 2 appeared to reveal chronic acting narcolepsy in all of Dunst's close-ups. Whether or not the cancellation of Spider-Man 4 means that Dunst is dunzo, a new McG-directed music video offers your first chance to watch Dunst act onscreen in quite some time.
more »
This week, L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti popped by All My Children to express to devious Chandler family patriarch Adam Sr. his approval of the "green improvements you've made in your factory," just 2,500 miles away from his home in small-town Pennsylvania. Then yesterday, none other than famed Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa popped up in the very same fictional municipality, demonstrating palpable chemistry with area vixen Erica Kane. What gives? Why are L.A.'s top politicians hanging out in Pine Valley, PA?
more »
With all the Superman and Spider-Man rebooting going on, Warners and Sony might take a cue from Latrell and Marquise, who mounted a dance-off for the ages dressed as the iconic heroes while testing their dad's new video camera. The footage was discovered by Videogum's Gabe Delahaye, which brought it to the attention of Jimmy Fallon, who invited the two boys on his show last night for a rematch. (And that made their dad real proud.) Congrats to everyone, including Videogum for the nationwide shout-out. Jimmy Fallon is no longer a talentless hack getting high paying dream jobs for some unexplainable reason! He is awesome! Yay, Jimmy Fallon!
more »
The trick to Oscar campaigning this season is to go on talk shows to underline the disparity between you and the character that you play. Best Actress nominee Gabourey Sidibe has taken great points to point out that the title character in Precious is nothing like the bubbly, Justin Timberlake-loving Sidibe in real life, while Best Supporting Actor contender Stanley Tucci has subtly reminded interviewers that he is not actually a molester, because do you see a molester mustache on him anymore? In that vein, I can only assume that Jeremy Renner went on The View today to prove that he is not really a sexy bomb tech but instead a piano-playing Ed Helms from The Hangover, or something.
more »
