An Intelligently Designed Movie?

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 2:04 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

That Pennsylvania school board court decision against the teaching of Intelligent Design is going to be a movie. Cinematical reports: According to Variety, [Paramount] just hired Ronald Harwood to write a screenplay based on last year’s court decision ruling that a Pennsylvania school board didn’t have the right to force teachers to teach intelligent design. (Interestingly, the film’s producer was thinking “movie” from the very start, so much so that she actually sent someone to watch and take notes on... Read more

Alan Moore on “V for Vendetta”

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 2:05 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

Thanks to Opus for sharing this link. In this interview with Alan Moore, who wrote the original graphic novel of V for Vendetta, is absolutely right. The Wachowskis’ film misunderstands the story, and distorts it to be about American liberalism versus American conservatism, instead of about anarchists versus fascists. Sure, it’s takes place in a futuristic, fascistic London and the characters are British. And yes, you could say this is a cartoonish tale about Nazism. But come on… the figureheads... Read more

V for Very Disappointing

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 2:07 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

I won’t publish my review of V for Vendetta until opening day. But I will say that I managed to make it until the closing credits without walking way in boredom and disgust… but just barely. I will, however, link to one of those pages where the reviewer (David Denby of The New Yorker) is apparently somehow exempt from the industry standards. And I find myself agreeing with him. …even if one enjoys the craft of “Vendetta,” and, viewing it... Read more

Intriguing letters of the week!

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 2:12 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

I’m as anxious as anybody to leave the political and critical debates about Brokeback Mountain behind. But email feedback at Looking Closer has more than doubled since my Brokeback Mountain review was published, and just this week, I’ve received several interesting messages, and a few are from people who go out of their way to say that they aren’t Christians, but that they agree with the review. This kind of thing always surprises and delights me. I’m happy to find... Read more

Innocence Mission / Over the Rhine updates

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 3:25 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

[CORRECTION: Seems I was duped by a rumor about Sufjan Stevens remastering the Innocence Mission album. Truth is, he just really really loves it, and there’s a quote on the packaging of him raving about it.] Two of the most beautiful voices in music. Two married couples. Two of my favorite bands. Over the Rhine and The Innocence Mission. And in 2006, we’ll be hearing new albums from both. Over the Rhine’s new live record is about to ship to... Read more

Specials: “Inside Man” – Spike Lee’s best film? Betty Page. Kieslowski.

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 3:27 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

Sunday specials: THE BEST SPIKE LEE FILM EVER? (via GreenCine Daily) Emmanuel Levy nearly hyperventilates raving about Spike Lee’s Inside Man: … nothing short of brilliant. As of March, it’s the best film of 2006. It’s also the best film Lee has made in his twenty-year career. I’ll review the film at length next week, but for now, the best compliment I can pay Lee and Inside Man is to say that both the master of suspense Hitchcock and prince... Read more

Specials: "The Dark Crystal." Proulx-poo. Carell and WHO?

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 12:18 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

Sunday specials: CRYSTAL METHOD Peter Chattaway finally watched The Dark Crystal. And he’s not so sure it’s the “New Age” trip it has been sometimes described to be. PROULX-POO E. Anne Proulx’s account of the Oscars would never be described as “a romp.” “IT’S THREE COLORS: BLUE MEETS THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRIGIN…” What great actress would you least expect to see paired with Steve Carell in a romantic comedy? How about my favorite actress, Juliette Binoche? Read more

The New World, and those who admire it religiously

Last updated on: November 17, 2012 at 4:25 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

The Village Voice’s J. Hoberman says that The New World is the most beloved film of the last year… not because the most people loved it, but because those who do love it are devoted with the most passionate intensity. (more…) Read more

MirrorMask

Last updated on: November 17, 2012 at 4:26 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

Wow. I… Wow. I am punishing myself today for not seeing MirrorMask in the theater. I sat down to watch this last night because I was tired and wanted something that wouldn’t demand too much attention… something that would, basically, take my mind off of the busy day and help me shift gears toward sleeping. I wasn’t prepared to see something that would send me running back to revise my Best of 2005 list. I should have trusted the Jim... Read more

Specials: Ebert on “Crash”-lash. Gaiman gets DeNiro and Pfeiffer. Lois Lowry’s “The Giver.”

Last updated on: November 21, 2012 at 12:20 pm By Jeffrey Overstreet

IF YOU VOTED FOR CRASH, DOES THAT MEAN YOU HATE GAY PEOPLE? Roger Ebert asks the question that needs to be asked: Just ’cause I didn’t vote for Brokeback, does that make me a homophobe? Good question. And by the way, if Hollywood is so homophobic, why did they spend the evening congratulating themselves for being so progressive? And why did they give Ang Lee Best Director? Why did they give Capote Best Actor? DE NIRO AND PFEIFFER GET STARDUST-ED... Read more