November 20th, 2008
Went to see Lucky Number Slevin this afternoon using a free pass I got from Silent Hill last week (film stopped for a few minutes) and was pleasantly surprised by it. The premise is pretty straight forward. Josh Hartnett had a series of things happen and he ends up at his buddy Nick Fischer’s place where he meets up with Lucy Liu. He is also mistaken for Nick who apparently is into the cities to biggest mob bosses for a whole lot of cash.
Rather oddly, Slevin doesn’t complain too much about the mistaken identity and signs on to kill The Rabbi’s son for The Boss to wipe out his debt. At the same time, The Rabbi brings him in to remind him how much Nick owes The Rabbi. From there it’s a twisted tale of cross, doublecross, shadows and intrigue.
I’d avoided seeing this movie because I heard bad reviews. Overall, I really enjoyed it, alot more than I expected to. Josh Hartnett’s good, Bruce Willis is good, Morgan Freeman is good, Sir Ben Kingsley is good, and I thought Lucy Liu was GREAT! She’s petty funny in this and very unlike her previous roles that I’ve seen.
Pay attention to the beginning, it’ll be important at the end, as everything comes full circle.
Plot Summary
A case of mistaken identity lands Slevin (Josh Hartnett) into the middle of a war being plotted by two of the city’s most rival crime bosses: The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley) and The Boss (Morgan Freeman). Slevin is under constant surveillance by relentless Detective Brikowski (Stanley Tucci) as well as the infamous assassin Goodkat (Bruce Willis) and finds himself having to hatch his own ingenious plot to get them before they get him.
Directed by
Paul McGuigan
Genres
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Cast
Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Michael Rubenfeld, Peter Outerbridge, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Chamberlin, Dorian Missick, Mykelti Williamson, Scott Gibson, Daniel Kash, Daniel Kash, Dmitry Chepovetsky
On the internet, you find lots of people with time on their hands. Somebody has created a teaser trailer for Spider-man 3, featuring footage from the first Spider-man movie, some stuff of their own, and god only knows what else. They’ve combined it all into a pretty impressive package overall. It’s pretty rough, and obviously fake, but pretty cool.
Directed by
Sam Raimi
Genres
Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast
Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Bryce Dallas Howard, James Cromwell, Mageina Tovah, Robert N. Anderson, Terrell Anthony, Dylan Baker, Elizabeth Banks, Christina Cindrich, Paul Terrell Clayton, Tim De Zarn, Daniel Gillies, Rosemary Harris, Alex Kalognomos, Claudia Katz, David Kilde, Adrian Lester, Natalie McNeil, Carolyn Neff, Bill Nunn, Edward Padilla, Brittany Paige, Ted Raimi, Rogelio T. Ramos, Cliff Robertson, Bill E. Rogers, Theresa Russell, J.K. Simmons, Toni Wynne
Book Description
Films about “the love that dare not speak its name” have been around for decades, but only recently have they formed an out-and-proud genre. In the first overview of its kind, The Queer Movie Poster Book traces the history of gay film through its posters and promotional art. Sometimes alluring, sometimes lurid, often coded, the posters speak volumes about the social mores of the times and the struggle for queer identity. Historian Jenni Olson includes over 150 posters — from Wallace Beery drag follies to the latest indy productions — which showcase the varied spectrum of queer cinema. Fascinating sidebars discuss dykesploitation films (typically made by straight men for straight men), gay porn (an overlooked means to social liberation in its own right), and films with transgender themes (studded with pulled-from-the-headlines movies). From the earnest to the campy, The Queer Movie Poster Book constitutes a vibrant feast of popular art and a valuable document of gay film culture.
About the Author
Jenni Olson is one of the world’s leading experts on queer film. A filmmaker currently developing her first feature, she lives in San Francisco. Bruce Vilanch is lead writer for the Academy Awards ceremonies, and one of the most sought-after jokesmiths in the entertainment industry. He lives in Los Angeles.
Let’s face it, sex sells. Posters that teem with muscle-rippling heroes in skimpy loincloths, frail beauties in diaphanous gowns, pointy-bearded tyrants, and evil queens with heavy makeup and beehive hairdos were all classic lures that used to tempt patrons into theaters to see the sword-and-sandal movies of forty years ago. The posters advertising the films were every bit as dramatic and alluring as the movies themselves, and theater patrons lined up to SEE these “surging spectacles of savagery and sex!” Studio marketing departments learned quickly how to keep the public interested in this distinctive genre. Retro Stud displays beautifully reproduced artwork from around the world—replete with the sly sexuality and lithographed excitement that was typical of these posters.
About the Author
David Chapman is an author and historian who has studied the history of strength and physique display for the last quarter century. He has written several books on the history of physique photography and is a regular contributor to such popular magazines as Muscle & Fitness and Ironman. Chapman has amassed a collection of bodybuilding photographs, books, magazines, and other memorabilia that numbers in the thousands. Chapman lives in Seattle, Washington, and teaches English and history.
