Paranoid Park, Gus Van Sant’s first film since his aesthetically and thematically linked death trilogy (Gerry, Elephant, Last Days), represents yet another moment when Van Sant sheds his most recent style and takes inspiration in something new. Adapted from a book by Blake Nelson, Paranoid Park is a coming-of-age tale about Alex (Gabe Nevins) a teenage skater who responds to the world around him with a humble disinterest. He is unmoved by everything, be it the war in Iraq, his parents divorce, or the sexual advances of the cute girl who calls herself his girlfriend. Only when he makes his first visit to the title skate park - a place so intimidating that, at first, he’s not sure he can handle it - does the young man discover something that alters his perception of both himself and the world.
Film buffs curious to catch a long-lost part of cinema history can finally do so thanks to the arduous efforts of film preservationist Eric Spiegelman, whom after learning of a never-before-seen propaganda film executive produced by the late John Ford personally rescued the reels of the Rio Grande director’s “Vietnam! Vietnam!” from the National Archives. Spiegelman’s story regarding the efforts that he and his cousin made in restoring the film are pretty fascinating, and while the “Vietnam! Vietnam!” was apparently deemed “obsolete and embarrassing” the moment it was finished it’s still interesting to have this unique record of a crucial point in history.
Check out the embedded video for the full-length film, and hear the story of it’s restoration in Spiegelman’s own words here.
In a weekend crammed with four new wide releases, the film that sells the most tickets might very well be the genre spoof Superhero Movie. The comedy’s primary competition will be the gambling drama 21, based on Ben Mezrich’s outstanding non-fiction book. Although Kevin Spacey co-produced and co-stars in this movie, there are no bankable performers in the lead roles, making it difficult for 21 to find an audience large enough to overcome the same crowd that opened Meet the Spartans to 18 million just three months ago. The feature length adaptation of Horton Hears a Who should continue to do well seeing as there are no family films out there to compete with it. Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns will fall sharply as the majority of his fans probably turned out for last weekend’s opening, but the inspirational comedy drama should still manage a spot near the top of the box office list. Rounding out the top five should be Stop-Loss, the Iraq war drama from Kimberly Peirce. This is her first feature since Boys Don’t Cry, the film that won Hilary Swank her first Best Actress statuette in 1999, and the film that kept American Beauty from being only the fourth film to sweep the top five Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay).
How It Will Look On Monday: Superhero Movie: 18 Million 21: 15 Million Horton Hears a Who: 13.5 Million Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns: 10 Million Stop-Loss: 6 Million
Sure it’s more politics than movie-related, but in the realm of Hollywoodland that can be a very fine line so this LA Times article about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s firing of Clint Eastwood from the state parks board seems strangely relevant… that and the fact that I’d pay top dollar to see Conan the Barbarian and The Man With No Name engage in the ultimate sword-versus-six-shooter battle against the majestic backdrop of Yosemite National Park.
It’s rare that audiences get to experience a film on a whole new level the way that the new Two-Disc Collector’s Edition of Stephen King’sThe Mist allows. While viewers may claim further insight on certain films with repeat viewings – or perhaps regard classics in a different light when given the chance to catch them on the big screen for the first time, this is one instance where a modern movie has been given a whole new lease on life, ironically enough, thanks to the power of black and white. While the swapping of hues isn’t exactly a new technique - as anyone suckered into buying a colorized version of any old horror staple can attest to – what’s interesting about this release is that the filmmakers have gone the de-modernizing route by remastering the picture to present it as it was initially envisioned – in stunning black and blown-out whites.
The result is a different feel, a different look and an altogether different viewing experience that strengthens all of the film’s strong points while heightening the overall mix of pulp horror and pitch-black bleakness, making this version of The Mist one of the strongest genre outings in recent years – and among the best cinematic adaptations in Stephen King’s history.
A professional since the age of fourteen, British actor Paul Scofield was widely regarded as one of the 20th century’s finest interpreters of Shakespeare. His first role of note was as The Bastard in a Birmingham Repertory staging of Shakespeare’s King John; following that, he performed in more than 80 plays over the course of his long and distinguished career. Scofield’s Hamlet, in particular, has entered the realm of theatrical legend: in 1955, he portrayed the Danish prince in the Soviet Union, the first English actor to be invited to do so since the 1917 revolution. In addition, his interpretations of Henry V, Pericles and King Lear made theatrical history.
While his rough facial features prevented him from becoming a movie matinee idol along the lines of Laurence Olivier, Scofield was always welcome in his extremely infrequent film appearances. His first picture was That Lady (1955), for which he won a Most Promising Newcomer British Academy Award for his portrayal of King Philip II of Spain. In 1966, Scofield gained international film stardom — and won an Academy Award — for recreating his Tony-winning Broadway portrayal of Sir Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons. Further acclaim greeted the actor for his work in films such as Kenneth Branagh’sHenry V (1989) and Franco Zeffirelli’sHamlet (1990). In 1994, at the age of seventy-two, Scofield was once again nominated for an Oscar, this time for his performance as American poet Mark Van Doren in director Robert Redford’s Quiz Show. Two years later, audiences could see him in Nicholas Hytner’sThe Crucible, lending somber authority to the role of Judge Danforth. Scofield earned one of his last credits doing voiceover work on the Hallmark television production of Animal Farm in 1999.
Over the course of his career, Scofield served as the co-director for the Royal Shakespeare Company (1966-1968) and as the director of the National Theatre (1971). His years of service to his country culminated in a several offers of of knighthood from Queen Elizabeth, honors that the actor gracefully declined on each occasion. Scofield died of leukemia in March 2008 at the age of 86.
Paranoid Park, Gus Van Sant’s first film since his aesthetically and thematically linked death trilogy (Gerry, Elephant, Last Days), represents yet another moment when Van Sant sheds his most recent style and takes inspiration in something new. Adapted from a book by Blake Nelson, Paranoid Park is a coming-of-age tale about Alex (Gabe Nevins) a teenage skater who responds to the world around him with a humble disinterest. He is unmoved by everything, be it the war in Iraq, his parents divorce, or the sexual advances of the cute girl who calls herself his girlfriend. Only when he makes his first visit to the title skate park - a place so intimidating that, at first, he’s not sure he can handle it - does the young man discover something that alters his perception of both himself and the world.
In a weekend crammed with four new wide releases, the film that sells the most tickets might very well be the genre spoof 
A professional since the age of fourteen, British actor 