Full storyAs film backstories go, this one is fairly serpentine. This month, New Line Cinema's "Snakes on a Plane," which wrapped principal photography in September in Vancouver, went back before the cameras for five days of additional shooting at the Lot in Los Angeles.
In this case, it wasn't the usual reshoot, hastily assembled to fix a nagging story problem. Instead, the studio decided to create new scenes that would take the movie from PG-13 into R-rated territory.
The second round of filming also came about because of intense and growing fan interest in the movie, which was directed by David R. Ellis and is not scheduled to be released until Aug. 18.
"Snakes" stars Samuel L. Jackson as an FBI agent who has to fight a planeload of snakes unleashed by an assassin bent on killing a witness in protective custody. Sight unseen, the movie has grown from something of a joke into a phenomenon slithering untamed throughout the Internet.
. . .
Chris Rohan of Bethesda, Md., created an elaborate, R-rated audio trailer that lovingly mocks the title and movie. "It's a genius title," Rohan said. "It's so stupid it's great. It invites satire, but it's something you just love. It's something I can't explain. You either get it or you don't."
The audio bit uses a Jackson sound-alike shouting, "I want these motherfucking snakes off the motherfucking plane!" Soon, the growing legion of fans added their voices as they demanded that that phrase also appear in the movie.
Apparently, the studio got the hint. When Ellis assembled Jackson and others for the recent shoot, the filmmakers added more gore, more death, more nudity, more snakes and more death scenes. And they shot a scene where Jackson does utter the line that fans have demanded.
Those involved with the film said the reshoots weren't prompted by fans but rather by the existing footage that already was a hairline into R territory. Within the studio, the thinking was, "We're already going to get an R, why not go all the way?" But the filmmakers do concede that the Jackson line will be in the movie for the sake of the fans.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Giving the people what they want
Apparently the people want snakes on a plane.
Monday, March 20, 2006
I'm way ahead of you
In the future, the humanoid robot sitting next to you at the bar may be drinking alcohol in order to work the next day," said Ray Baughman, the research team leader and director of the NanoTech Institute.Full story
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Moose killed in tragic accident
Careless human driver walks away
A human road,
near the woods --
A 500-lb moose was seriously injured the other night when it mistakenly wandered into the path of a human death-carriage.
The human driver was quoted as saying she saw the moose standing in the road, and then he was sitting in the front seat of her car. The driver did not explain why she chose not to slow down or take evasive action.
The human was treated for minor scrapes and bruises, then released back into the wild. The moose was seriously injured in the crash and was put down. Tragically the moose did not have health insurance.
A human road, near the woods --
A 500-lb moose was seriously injured the other night when it mistakenly wandered into the path of a human death-carriage.
The human driver was quoted as saying she saw the moose standing in the road, and then he was sitting in the front seat of her car. The driver did not explain why she chose not to slow down or take evasive action.
The human was treated for minor scrapes and bruises, then released back into the wild. The moose was seriously injured in the crash and was put down. Tragically the moose did not have health insurance.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Cue Admiral Ackbar
In case you missed what was inarguably the most important sports story of last week (labor, schmabor; we've had work stoppages before) the wife of Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko told ESPN The Magazine that she has given her husband an allowance of one woman per year.Once-a-year allowance
Monday, March 06, 2006
Oscars post mortem
I've seen all the movies in each category unless otherwise noted.
Supporting Actor:
GEORGE CLOONEY in "Syriana," Matt Dillon in "Crash," Paul Giamatti in "Cinderella Man," Jake Gyllenhaal in "Brokeback Mountain," William Hurt in "A History of Violence"
I would have given this award to Jake Gyllenhaal, if only because I feel bad for him after Jimmy Kimmel noted, "Neither Heath Ledger nor Jake Gyllenhaal won their awards, so apparently they made out for no reason at all."
In all seriousness I thought he did a good job and deserved the win over Clooney. Looking over the other nominees I think this may have been the strongest field.
Supporting Actress:
RACHEL WEISZ in "The Constant Gardener," Amy Adams in "Junebug," Catherine Keener in "Capote," Frances McDormand in "North Country," Michelle Williams in "Brokeback Mountain"
I didn't see Gardener or Junebug. In fact I'm fairly certain I've never even heard of Junebug. I like Rachel Weisz so if I ever see Gardener I might vote for her retroactively. For now, I'll vote for Michelle Williams. Call it a most improved award.
Actor:
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN in "Capote," Terrence Howard in "Hustle & Flow," Heath Ledger in "Brokeback Mountain," Joaquin Phoenix in "Walk the Line," David Strathairn in "Good Night, and Good Luck"
I didn't see Hustle and Flow, but Hoffman is great and I'm glad he won.
Actress:
REESE WITHERSPOON in "Walk the Line," Judi Dench in "Mrs. Henderson Presents," Felicity Huffman in "Transamerica," Keira Knightley in "Pride & Prejudice," Charlize Theron in "North Country"
I only saw Walk the Line and North Country. If and when I see Transamerica I may cast a retroactive vote for Huffman, but for now I'll agree with the Academy's choice on this one.
Director:
ANG LEE for "Brokeback Mountain," George Clooney for "Good Night, and Good Luck," Paul Haggis for "Crash," Bennett Miller for "Capote," Steven Spielberg for "Munich"
If anything I would say Ang Lee held back the potential greatness of Brokeback, so he should be punished not rewarded. I guess I'd give this award to Spielberg just because we know he's good. It was just a weak year for movies.
Picture:
"CRASH," "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Munich"
I would have voted for Brokeback Mountain. My primary requirement for best picture is that it should be memorable. Everyone is talking about Brokeback, and most people aren't saying it was bad, just that the romance could have been more convincing.
The problem with Crash is it's forgettable. I remember enjoying it, but I don't remember everything that happens, and I don't remember thinking it was that great at the time.
I think my runner-up would be Munich. Capote was good too but once you give the best actor award to Hoffman that's really all the recognition it deserves. Good Night was good but ultimately forgettable.
All around a forgettable year. Hopefully next year will be better!
Supporting Actor:
GEORGE CLOONEY in "Syriana," Matt Dillon in "Crash," Paul Giamatti in "Cinderella Man," Jake Gyllenhaal in "Brokeback Mountain," William Hurt in "A History of Violence"
I would have given this award to Jake Gyllenhaal, if only because I feel bad for him after Jimmy Kimmel noted, "Neither Heath Ledger nor Jake Gyllenhaal won their awards, so apparently they made out for no reason at all."
In all seriousness I thought he did a good job and deserved the win over Clooney. Looking over the other nominees I think this may have been the strongest field.
Supporting Actress:
RACHEL WEISZ in "The Constant Gardener," Amy Adams in "Junebug," Catherine Keener in "Capote," Frances McDormand in "North Country," Michelle Williams in "Brokeback Mountain"
I didn't see Gardener or Junebug. In fact I'm fairly certain I've never even heard of Junebug. I like Rachel Weisz so if I ever see Gardener I might vote for her retroactively. For now, I'll vote for Michelle Williams. Call it a most improved award.
Actor:
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN in "Capote," Terrence Howard in "Hustle & Flow," Heath Ledger in "Brokeback Mountain," Joaquin Phoenix in "Walk the Line," David Strathairn in "Good Night, and Good Luck"
I didn't see Hustle and Flow, but Hoffman is great and I'm glad he won.
Actress:
REESE WITHERSPOON in "Walk the Line," Judi Dench in "Mrs. Henderson Presents," Felicity Huffman in "Transamerica," Keira Knightley in "Pride & Prejudice," Charlize Theron in "North Country"
I only saw Walk the Line and North Country. If and when I see Transamerica I may cast a retroactive vote for Huffman, but for now I'll agree with the Academy's choice on this one.
Director:
ANG LEE for "Brokeback Mountain," George Clooney for "Good Night, and Good Luck," Paul Haggis for "Crash," Bennett Miller for "Capote," Steven Spielberg for "Munich"
If anything I would say Ang Lee held back the potential greatness of Brokeback, so he should be punished not rewarded. I guess I'd give this award to Spielberg just because we know he's good. It was just a weak year for movies.
Picture:
"CRASH," "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Munich"
I would have voted for Brokeback Mountain. My primary requirement for best picture is that it should be memorable. Everyone is talking about Brokeback, and most people aren't saying it was bad, just that the romance could have been more convincing.
The problem with Crash is it's forgettable. I remember enjoying it, but I don't remember everything that happens, and I don't remember thinking it was that great at the time.
I think my runner-up would be Munich. Capote was good too but once you give the best actor award to Hoffman that's really all the recognition it deserves. Good Night was good but ultimately forgettable.
All around a forgettable year. Hopefully next year will be better!
Friday, March 03, 2006
The truth hurts
Why Jon Stewart isn't funny
The tragedy [is] that the students who abandon politics out of a naive self-consciousness often represent our country's most idealistic minds. Stewart's daily dose of political parody characterized by asinine alliteration leads to a ''holier than art thou" attitude toward our national leaders. People who possess the wit, intelligence, and self-awareness of viewers of ''The Daily Show" would never choose to enter the political fray full of ''buffoons and idiots." Content to remain perched atop their Olympian ivory towers, these bright leaders head straight for the private sector.The author make an interesting point and this article is worth reading. Although I would argue that if we in our ivory towers are drawn to "The Daily Show", it is because we are already disillusioned by politics, not the other way around.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Movie Quotes
Round 1 Results
Congratulations! Patterson wins Round 1 handily.Stay tuned for Round 2 where the scores can really change!*
* Not really
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