Daily Loaf

As Telly Savalas used to say: Membership has its privileges. The winner of this auction item gets an annual membership for two at Tampa Bay’s favorite old-time movie palace, the Tampa Theatre. The membership includes 12 free movie tickets; $2 off Tampa Theatre-sponsored screenings; free refills on popcorn, soda and coffee from the concession stand; subscriptions to both the theater’s in-house newsletter and e-newsletter; free admission to the annual members’ reception (including a VIP hour before the event); and reduced admission prices to theater fundraisers. Tampa Theatre values these memberships at $200 each, and if you’re like us you’ll save that on refilled popcorn alone.

Estimated value: $200.

Place you bid below:

Your little girl is growing up right before your eyes. It seems like only yesterday she was singing along with Hannah Montana, but now she’s dreaming of junior high school pep rallies and cramming for her PSATs. After exhaustive research, we have put together the perfect gift pack for the tweenage girl on your list. Included are DVDs of the cheerleading hit Bring It On: Fight To The Finish (starring High School Musical’s Christina Milian) and ABC’s college hit Greek: Chapter Three, and one The Twilight Saga: New Moon T-shirt. Plus, if you act now, we’ll throw in a New Moon poster and commemorative card set and — for your own movie-going pleasure — two adult admissions, including refreshments, to Channelside Cinemas 10.

Estimated value: $100. Suggested opening bid: $10

Bid on this item below:

The Creative Loafing team prides itself on producing more Daily Loaf content each week than any individual could ever possibly comprehend. As such, you’re bound to have missed at least one worthwhile story from the pages of this blog over the last few days. Here’s a “greatest hits” list from the week that was, broken down by section:

NEWS

MUSIC

Movies, food, sex and Punky Brewster after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve been hearing about the plethora of environmental films and docu-dramas out today that preach about changing our ways concerning our food, climate change, pesticide use, and so on (Food Inc., The Age of Stupid, Fresh, A Chemical Reaction, etc.). But did you ever look at Mad Max as an “eco film”? Its portrayal of a dystopian future where fuel is scarce and society collapses as a result, thus leaving humanity with a ravaged Earth and living in anarchy. (The scenario now sounds more and more like a possible future of our own.)
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Nothing bores me more than controlled environments like movies, plays, amusement parks, the zoo, or the circus. I just don’t enjoy artificial stimulation–at least that kind of stimulation. Unfortunately my husband is the complete opposite.  Recently, on a perfect afternoon with the sun shining through the clear, 59 degree Pinellas County sky, he wanted to go to a matinee. I agreed but I had no interest in the movie; I just wanted to try out my new toy: a penis leash. A penis leash is probably one of the best things a woman in a heterosexual relationship can invest in, other than a bed with high posts. Mine was similar to a dog leash, except the constricting portion encompassed the bottom portion of the cock’s shaft and the nuts. It’s similar to a cock ring or cock & ball divider, but it acts as a choke chain. If you pull the leash, it will tighten. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome back to Kevin’s Korner, that little spot on Daily Loaf dedicated to giving you all the movie news from the past week. So, lets look at a week dominated by Basterds, Angelina Jolie, Batman 3 and remakes.

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Okay, everyone, let’s start the meeting. Before you start talking about winning us Oscars, I’ve got the best idea for a movie ever. It’s about an alien race that lands on Earth, but they are actually “robots in disguise.” Catchy isn’t it? These large robot-alien things can have a civil war on Earth, because, well, we need a plot. And that will pretty much be the plot for the entire movie and all of the sequels — and there will be sequels.

Gratuitous Megan Fox picture after the jump … Read the rest of this entry »

Muckracking documentarian Michael Moore is back in Roger & Me territory with this fall’s Capitalism: A Love Story, the trailer for which was released today. Marvel as Mike takes on AIG and Congress to the tune of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes.” Capitalism hits the multiplex on Oct. 2.

Trailer after the jump …

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Be sure to check out Curt Holman’s review of QT’s updated Inglourious Basterds, and CL’s Movies & Television site for all the latest movie news and reviews.

Peter Hooten’s current résumé lists a project titled Voices From Sandover at the very top of the section titled “Film.” A verse-video collaboration between Hooten and influential American poet James Merrill, the film — which Hooten both produced and costarred in — remains one of the 59-year-old retired actor’s proudest accomplishments.

“I felt really good and I worked a long time on it,” Hooten says, lingering over a double espresso and chocolate cake in the dining room at the Sarasota Ritz-Carlton. “And I got really good people together. And we shot it in Cambridge; it was the right atmosphere. … It’s not mainstream, but God, it was a labor of love. So who’s going to see that? But it will be in the libraries when Inglorious Bastards goes bye-bye. Nobody’s going to remember anybody for that.”

Quentin Tarantino, no doubt, disagrees.
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Get ready Twilight fans. Here’s your first look at the next film in the Twilight “Saga”, titled New Moon. Drop some Clear Eyes into your peepers before you watch, though. At 16 seconds, if you blink you’ll miss the whole thing.

Full video (all 16 seconds!) after the jump …

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Filmmaker Rachel Jones (pictured on a video shoot, center) has lunched with Ben Affleck and taken to the slopes at Sundance. She’s lived  everywhere from China to Hollywood, where, she says, life is exhausting because everybody is trying to be somebody. Indie film sets are her stomping ground; movie premieres her excuse to dress up.

She was the art department coordinator for her most recent project to hit the big screen, the Sundance hit Cold Souls, starring Paul Giamatti.  Still, Jones, 29, considers herself anything but Hollywood. In her heart, she’s still just a film-dork from Tampa; Lutz, to be exact. Working in film is her passion; coming home at Christmas, her favorite time of year. See what she had to say about how she got started, why working with celebrities is disappointing and why the world of film can change the world at large. Read the rest of this entry »

On this week’s very special Reel Projections podcast, Host Joe (that’s me) is joined by PoHo Wayne Garcia for a conversation about the career of director John Hughes, who died on Thursday at the age of 59. Joe and the PoHo play audio clips from Hughes most famous movies and dissect the director’s influence on the 1980s specifically, and on film-making in general. And go here for video clips of Hughes’ films.

Listen to the podcast here.

Podcast player after the jump …

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Virally marketed to hell ET flick District 9 will be invading multiplexes next Friday. I’ll have a full review of the film in the paper and online next week (first impression: good but incomplete and a bit nonsensical), but for now you can get primed with a look at Neill Blomkamp’s short film, Alive in Joburg. This short caught the eye of Peter Jackson, who hired Blomkamp to direct the now-defunct Halo movie. When Halo went belly-up, Jackson decided to give Blomkamp the cash to make a feature out of his cool little short. I can tell you that District 9 is a far more evolved take on the material in Joburg (it’s amazing what a few million dollars will buy you), but the short film retains a charm all it’s own. It’s also a good set-up for the feature.

Full video after the jump …

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It looks like the Coen Brothers, those mad geniuses behind Raising Arizona and Fargo, have finally embraced their Judaism. I may be biased (I love me some Joel and Ethan!), but why let that stop me from telling you that the following trailer for A Serious Man looks hysterical? It does. See you yourself …

Check out the full trailer after the jump …

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Chan Tatum stole my friend’s girlfriend. That’s right; the hunky spray-tanned star of summer’s G.I. Joe, is allegedly a heartbreaker. Of course, this rumored event happened in seventh grade, back when Tatum was just another kid trucking his backpack to and from Hillsborough County Schools.

These days, Tatum is a celebrity, living it up with the best of Shangri-La, and he isn’t the only one. Tampa has produced many Hollywood success stories, going as far back as actress Lauren Hutton. Brittany Snow of Hairspray and American Dreams fame went to Gaither High School, my alma mater. Rachel Specter of The House Bunny appeared in Maxim’s Hot TV Girls in 2007. In 1995, she spent the night at my house.

This blog is about all those familiar faces and more. My goal is to interview (and or write about) every former Tampanian working in film and television. Then, I’ll post the interviews. Of course, I have to get the interviews first.

If anyone knows anyone who knows anyone, shout. In the meantime,

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Photo by Samuel Bayer

Trailerpark released a teaser poster on Myspace featuring new Freddy Krueger, Jackie Earle Haley of Watchmen, for the reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street coming in 2010.

There isn’t much to look at since Freddy Krueger is lurking in the shadows, much like a resident boogyman is supposed to. Freddy is different than superhuman thugs Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees, and became the signature role of actor Robert Englund. Englund brought to Freddy the ability to not only break you physically, but psychologically too.

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For more news and reviews of the summer’s biggest movies, check out the CL Movies & Television site.

I’ve never been smacked in the face with a dick, but I imagine the experience is a lot like watching Brüno. The first 15 minutes of the movie is a penis shock-and-awe campaign, with a pink bunny-costume dick, a dick on the end of a stick and a talking dick that shouts “Brüno!” out of its peehole. That’s in addition to the many items — dicks, dildos, champagne bottles, etc. — going in and out of assholes obscured only by a little black dot. If there is one word to describe Brüno, it’s Cocktastic.

(Listen to Joe and Joran break down the movie in this week’s Reel Projections podcast after the jump)

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Going to the movies is a fun activity for kids during the summer. However, with high prices, many parents might be debating whether or not to catch a flick on the big screen. The good news is that there are a few theaters offering free and discounted movies for kids.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays Muvico is hosting a free Summer Film Festival and AMC is hosting a Summer Movie Camp with $1 admissions every Wednesday through Aug. 5. Both movie theater companies are raising money for charity by offering these free and discounted films.
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You know my mind got to thinking the other day when the heavens opened and Emmalee posted those lovely topless pictures of Megan Fox on the set of her new flick. We certainly are a society transfixed on celebrities, aren’t we? I can hear my boy, Hopp, now: “I’d let her do me.”  Hell wouldn’t we all?

After a few steamy minutes of uh, deep thinking something else came running into my frontal lobe: The Celebrity 5.  You know, that little list you have in your head (or printed and laminated) of the 5 celebrities you’d be free to have sex with should a miracle transpire that put you into a situation to do so?  It’s kind of silly, but we love movie stars and live for putting things into list form.
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[Ed. note: Each week I'll be breaking down the big summer blockbuster movie releases. If you're curious about what's coming out in future weeks, be sure to check out the Summer Movie Preview. For more info on this week's releases, please check out CL contributor Kevin Hopp's full-length review of Year One or visit our movie site for all things film-related.]

FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH
Box office gold: Year One
Worth seeing? Harold Ramis directed three of the funniest movies ever made (Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation and Groundhog Day), but since 2002 his output has been limited to the John Cusack sleeper The Ice Harvest and some episodes of The Office. Can he recapture the magic? Year One stars Jack Black and Michael Cera as primitive outcasts who go on a biblical-era road trip after a falling out with their tribe-mates has them cast out of their village and wandering the desert. Seems like a bunch of hooey to me, but there’s no denying the people involved are (or used to be) funny.
Counter-programming: Not into stupid comedies about modern man’s dopiest ancestors? Try a romantic comedy instead. The Proposal stars Sandra Bullock as a cast-iron-bitch businesswoman and Ryan Reynolds as her henpecked assistant. When Bullock’s immigration status comes into question, she decides to marry Reynolds to stay in the country. One minor inconvenience: The pair hate each other. The latest from director Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses), The Proposal should benefit from Bullock’s natural charm and extensive rom-com experience.

Trailers after the jump …

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[Editor’s Note: This is the first post by new CL film contributor Kevin Hopp. Kevin has been writing about film on his own site, Kevin's Movie Blog, and we’re excited to add his perspective to CL’s film and television coverage.]

Ghostbusters, Stripes, Caddyshack, Analyze This — all have Harold Ramis to thank for the classic comedy and the great memories. So when Creative Loafing asked me to review Year One, the latest movie written and directed by Egon himself, I jumped at the chance. I’m a huge fan of comedy, and the work of a director and writer like Ramis, one who has repeatedly produce comedy gold, has to be worth checking out.

Does Year One deserve to be in the same sentence as Ghostbusters and Analyze This? Read on …

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Note: This is our first Tournament of Summer Movie Blockbuster. In case you missed it, here’s the skinny on the tourney and a full list of competing films. And for news and reviews of this summer’s blockbusters, be sure and check CL’s Movies & TV site.

Sorry for the delay in continuing the Tourney of Blockbusters. I’m back and ready to roll through the rest of Round One. In case you missed last week’s battle, the residents of Jurassic Park devoured the dark lords of Revenge of the Sith to move into Round Two. Today, the polls are open for an epic battle between #2-seed The Empire Strikes Back and #7 Batman Returns.

Details on the films and your chance to vote are after the break.
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I’m going to let you in on a secret: I’ve never seen “To Kill A Mockingbird.”
I know; it’s a classic with a compelling message and memorable characters. I know it’s supposed to be great. I just never got around to seeing it. I could just go rent it and watch it, of course. But I have a much better idea: I’m going to see it today at Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., as part of their Summer Classic Movie Series. That way I’ll see it on the big screen with other people who already love the movie. The theater itself is a pretty special place (I’ve mentioned the tours they offer regularly) so why not see a classic movie in a classic setting? Read the rest of this entry »

[Ed. note: Each week I'll be breaking down the big summer blockbuster movie releases. If you're curious about what's coming out in future weeks, be sure to check out the Summer Movie Preview. For more info on this week's releases, please check out our full length reviews of Land of the Lost, The Hangover and Every Little Step. And for all things film, please visit our movie site.]

FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH
Box office Gold: Land of the Lost
Worth seeing? Only if you’re a big Will Ferrell fan, or if you fondly remember catching episodes of the early ’70s TV version of Land of the Lost produced by puppet-masters Sid and Marty Krofft. The show was ambitious in scope but low in budget, while the big-screen edition sports star power (Ferrell, up-and-comer Danny McBride), an experienced director (Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events’ Brad Silberling) and mountains of pricy CGI. Despite the glossy exterior, the most endearing elements of the TV show — rampaging dinosaurs, monkey people, the alien-looking Sleestaks, even the white-water rafting intro — have made it into the movie. With much of the draw of the 1970s TV show wrapped up in its no-budget production values, it’ll be interesting to see if this high-tech reboot manages to retain the charm of the original.
Counter-programming: If Land of the Lost is a little too goofy or kid-targeted for your sensibilities, there’s also Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss and Rachel Dratch in the set-in-Greece romantic comedy My Life in Ruins. If that’s not bangin’ your baklava, perhaps you’ll like The Hangover, the latest from Road Trip director Todd Philips about three guys retracing their steps after a Vegas bachelor party gone wrong ends with the groom M.I.A. And there’s always Every Little Step at the Tampa Theatre. Step is like crack for theater geeks, but it’s also a damn fine movie for anyone who’s ever dreamed of something better for themselves.

Previews after the break.

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Note: This is the first edition of our Tournament of Summer Blockbuster Movies. In case you missed it, here’s the skinny on the tourney and a full list of competing films. And for news and reviews of this summer’s blockbusters, be sure and check CL’s Movies & TV site.

And the tournament is underway! In our inaugural match-up, we find #1-ranked Jaws taking on #8 seed Beverly Hills Cop 2.

Voting and details on the films after the jump …

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Nicely-made fan video mashes Star Trek and Star Wars. Imperial propaganda? Lucas fans feeling a bit threatened for the first time in a while? Dorks on parade? You make the call. Watch the video below the jump:

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The story is just breaking, but TMZ is reporting that 1970s TV and Mel Brooks/Burt Reynolds film regular Dom DeLuise has died in a Los Angeles hospital. [UPDATE: A better obit is at Airlock Alpha.}

Captain Chaos, the voice of Pizza the Hutt, the mobster Don Giovanni from Robin Hood: Men in Tights and one of the funniest men ever to sit on a talk show couch is no more.

Check him out as Caesar in this clip from History of the World Part I, after the jump:

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Ooh, yeah that sounds so good.

I just realized that last week when I wrote about Katy Perry curing Tampa of the Swine Flu, I failed to properly introduce myself. I’m your party host, “Rabid” Nick Refer (the more you read, the more you’ll understand the reason for the name). I’m one of the new Sex & Love Contributors and I look forward to sharing a laugh and maybe more with you. If you like my stuff, remember TnT because that’s when you’ll find my new posts, every Tuesday and Thursdays.  So mark your calendar, get it tattooed on your girl’s ass, or write a song about it and put it on repeat: TnT.

Since you’re reading this post, I know you like sex. And assuming you’re human, you like music. But do you like music with your sex? Those might be my two favorite subjects so the idea of merging them in an amalgam of hot, rockin’ sexiness is right up my alley.

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I’m on an Earth Day guilt trip. Why does all the celebrating have to be outside? Oh, right, we’re celebrating nature, so it’s either itchy eyes and a pounding head or the questioning from my friends, “Say Lisa, little Ms. Green, we didn’t see you over the weekend at that Earth fest.” Hold on! Earth day isn’t until Wednesday, there’s still time for redemption! Teensygreen, a great website for green moms and dads- is where I learned of my plan for salvation,  Mr. Mouse and your nature film buddies, I owe you.

Disneynature’s Earth is being released on you guessed it, Earth Day, April 22nd. You know that mouse, he’s a PR hot shot. The best part (I’m looking at this as a double win) is relieving Earth Day guilt and doing my part to stimulate the economy, and Disney will plant a tree for every ticket sold opening week- bonus points!  Read the rest of this entry »

Anybody else slightly perturbed by the accent?

Jerad Ford: Talking about Movies

Jerad Ford

For me, Sundance has been a once in a lifetime experience. Being in Park City surrounded by thousands of people who are all here to watch films and to support independent cinema is very exciting, because everyone is here for the same cause, to support art. Everyone is willing to talk about movies and trade stories about their experiences here. it’s easy to find out which films are good and and bad just by catching the bus and striking up a conversation or even just listening to other people talk about films. I certainly didn’t expect to make friends with two middle aged men, Jim and Rene, who told me they had been coming to the festival for the past twelve years. But that’s just the kind of thing that happens, you’ll be standing in a line for something and soon you’re discussing all of the films you’ve seen and haven’t seen. I ended up talking to both Jim and Rene a handful of times during the festival, as I always seemed to find them at my screenings. Both of them wished me good luck in making films, and they promised they would keep an eye out for a film by me at Sundance after five years or so.

Rajeev: Get out of the Condo!

Rajeev Rupani

The festival in itself was a great event for me to meet individuals who were really enthusiastic and emphatic about independent cinema. While having conversations with these people, in theater ticket lines, I learnt about some famous independent filmmakers and some movies that are a must-see. Meeting some of the staff members and volunteers, at the festival, gave me a chance to get information on how the festival worked and the manner in which it was set-up. I felt that talking to and interacting with as many people possible provided me with insight and good educational information on the world of independent cinema. The only downside of the festival was that the transit system took a while getting used to because the shuttles would not follow the simple pattern provided in the guidebook. As an official Sundancer – at this point – my advice would be to enjoy the festival as much as possible and interact with people as much as you can. If you are sitting at the condo and have a bunch of free time, just go down to Main Street, or take a chance on a film that you can waitlist for. Some of the best movies that I have seen here so far were either on impulse or because a friend convinced me to go along with them. Don’t spend your time sitting in the condo or watching television, you can do that in Florida, be outgoing and make some new friends in the group that you are with: I did and had the best time of my life. The festival is the opportune time to learn and experience the most that you can about this very unique branch of cinema, and this can be an experience that will last a lifetime.” Read the rest of this entry »

… or at least you ought to try and see when you have some free time and the inclination to stretch your cinematic imagination. On the eve of a new year of discovery and hype (Sundance starts tomorrow, January 15th), it’s as good a time as any to see for yourself why indie filmmakers and distributors still pin their hopes on the festival that got its improbable start in the snowy mountains above Salt Lake City, Utah. Between Netflix and Blockbuster and your local library, you should be able to find most of these.

John Lurie and Richard Edson go to Florida in Stranger than Paradise

Sundance really hit its stride in 1985. Before that it was called the Utah/US Film Festival and hadn’t yet been sponsored by Robert Redford and the Sundance Institute. In 1985 it got a new name and gave the world an introduction to two of the most prolific and exciting filmmaking teams. Jim Jarmusch brought his second feature (following the largely unheralded debut film Permanent Vacation), and introduced the world to his own peculiar take on America in Stranger than Paradise. The Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan) stunned audiences with their visceral take on pulp film noir in Blood Simple. Their ability to create intensity through memorable images – a shovel dragging on the pavement, shafts of light that stab through the darkness as bullets penetrate the walls that shelter a terrified Frances McDormand – signaled the emergence of a powerful new team of storytellers. Read the rest of this entry »

Editor’s Note: Nate Andersen’s Eckerd College film class is preparing for their trip to Sundance, during which they’ll be blogging for Creative Loafing. Former student Ryan Conrath, who’s now in film school, sent them this open letter:

Sundance is for many just an idea. It’s something that looms over countless student productions. It’s a running joke in film school: “When we get into Sundance…” In another sense, it’s also taken very seriously. It was a big deal when a colleague’s film got into Slamdance. The same guy’s movies have even been shown at Harvard and Cannes. But to my knowledge, Sundance still remains for him the elusive beast that it is for thousands upon thousands of expectant students and professionals.

Again, as an idea, Sundance is probably the most powerful force in American film today. It is almost more of a bragging point to say that your movie got into Sundance than it is to say it was optioned by Hollywood. Read the rest of this entry »

Behind its Art Deco façade, the Beach Theatre projects a lot of quality onto its lone screen. Much of the credit for that has to go to Hollywood screenwriter and owner Michael France, (right), who stocks the movie house he’s owned since 2007 with a little something for everyone: first-run mainstream films (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button arrives Dec. 25), cult flicks (The Big Lebowski), indie releases, kids’ Saturday matinees (Miracle on 34th Street and A Christmas Story are on the December schedule) and blasts from the past (Superman and Jaws). Gift this: Visit the website or theater to order a personalized gift certificate. Specifies the admission price the giftee would need ($5 for seniors, students, military and children or $7 for adults) and then the amount of admissions they would like. 315 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach, 727-360-6697, beach-theater.com.
See other stops on CL’s Indie Holiday Shopping Spree here.

There’s an old story about James Stewart, the late, great American actor. A fellow walked up to him once on a movie set and said, “You were in a picture once. You were in a room. You said a poem about fireflies.” The man paused. “That was good.”

And that little incident gave Stewart the opportunity to tell us why people love the movies: “What you’re doing is … you’re giving people little, tiny pieces of time that they never forget.”

We all have those pieces of time in our heads. And though we can keep everything preserved at home now on DVD and BluRay, it’s never really enough, is it? It’s nice to have something tangible – a book perhaps – to help us hold onto and appreciate those fleeting images on the screen.

There’s a new biography of Marlon Brando and a compendium of commentaries on a thousand films – with Brando as Don Vito Corleone on the cover – and both these fine books are feasts for film fans.

Somebody (Knopf, $26.95) is a splendid and highly readable biography by Stefan Kanfer. Thorough without the curse of being academic, Somebody (as in “I couldda been . . . “),gives us insight and anecdotes that will enrich your next trip through On the Waterfront, Last Tango in Paris or Apocalypse Now. Brando was a hugely talented actor whose style is still controversial, nearly 60 years after his film debut. We might start a fist-fight arguing if he was the best screen actor ever.

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