Daily Loaf

If Sacha Baron Cohen’s films intentionally court controversy, he’s getting what he asked for with Brüno. Some critics, like CL’s Joe Bardi, admire Cohen’s risk-taking comic performance as a flamboyantly gay Austrian. But the head of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) says the satire is likely to miss the mark: “Some people in the gay community will be as troubled as GLAAD is that the movie doesn’t decrease homophobia, but decreases the public’s comfort with gay people.” Read Bardi’s review and the GLAAD story and check out other critics’ reactions at Rotten Tomatoes. And after the break check out a clip from Current TV’s That’s So Gay (pictured above) that mocks the movie and the controversy, declaring “Bruno is the gay version of Malcolm X!” 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 my full length review of Brüno or visit our movie site for all things film-related.]

FRIDAY, JULY 10TH
Box office gold: Brüno
Worth seeing? For his last big-screen outing, 2006’s Borat, British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen laid waste to George W. Bush’s America — hilariously ruining rodeos, business conferences and a Pam Anderson book signing in the process. Cohen has gone back to the Ali G Show wellspring from which Borat emerged to find his next character, flaming gay Austrian fashionista Brüno. Early buzz has Cohen replicating his Borat schtick, sending Brüno to interact with unsuspecting bystanders who aren’t in on the joke. This time around, that means talking Sex and the City and tent-snuggling with homophobic rednecks, crashing the catwalk at actual runway shows and even dropping trou in front of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul. If it’s all half as funny as Borat, the producers will laugh all the way to the bank.
Counter-programming: Mountains of man-ass and potty jokes a turn off? Instead, see I Love You, Beth Cooper. The latest from director Chris Columbus (The first few Harry Potter flicks), Cooper stars Paul Rust as a nerdy kid who declares his love for the hottest girl in school (Hayden Panettiere) during his valedictory speech.  The speech works, and hottie Beth soon decides to show her dorky suitor the night of his life. Ah, fantasy.

Previews for both films after the jump …

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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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Universal has dropped the red-band trailer for Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s follow-up to 2006’s hilarious Borat. Word is the MPAA slapped Bruno with the dreaded NC-17 rating, and from the looks of this preview that may have been generous. This being a big summer release from a major studio, I’m sure the producers will work this down to an R before the July 10th release date.

First things first: I have an interview scheduled with Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons this Wednesday at 11 a.m. He’s promoting his book Watching the Watchmen, which recounts the making of the outstanding graphic novel he created with writer Alan Moore. Wish me luck, and let me know if there are any questions you’d like to have answered. (You can be sure we’ll be talking about the upcoming movie adaptation.)

The sweet Hereafter? Maybe, since two movie titans are teaming up for this thriller, which has been penned by British screenwriter Peter Morgan. It will be directed by Clint Eastwood and produced by Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks studio.

Bond is gold: Quantum of Solace posts the best opening ever for 007 in the U.S.

This film goes to 11: Rockers Jimmy Page and Jack White to be featured in a documentary about the electric guitar. No word on whether Nigel Tufnel has been asked to participate.

No-strings-attached deal: Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) teaming up with the Jim Henson Co. to produce a stop-motion Pinocchio.

You’ll have a gay old time: Sacha Baron Cohen, better known to most as Borat, has hired gay porn stars for his new movie, Bruno.

Here’s the first official trailer to JJ Abrams’ Star Trek. I’m not terribly impressed by it, as it reminds me of a host of other action-movie trailers, but judge for yourself.