Disney just dropped a great little gift in my inbox, the full cast announcement, plus images of each character which you can check out here! To see who was cast for each character, check out our FB Page here – iRATEfilms.

They are bringing Iceman and Goose back to the skies, and there were some other surprises for the voices that I am glad to share with you. So, share this with your friends if you like; I just did!

Planes is, so far, very much, Rick Swift approved!

I recently had the pleasure and honor of being able to cover Wizard World Comic Con: Chicago now for the 3rd year in a row, and I can honestly say that it was the most organized and BIGGEST con yet.  Click here for all the images – iRATEfilms Facebook

I want to start off by saying that if you live in the Mid-West and have the opportunity to go, YOU BETTER GO! This year proved that the people at Wizard World know how to organize a con, and they really drove that point home this year. The organization, in the past, may have been questionable, but the lines flowed smoothly, and the staff and volunteers did their best to make sure everyone (press, talent, guests . . . everyone) had the best time.

They addressed venue issues and they expanded out more which gave room for more vendors, but it also gave room to breathe a little easier as well. This year they even had a smart phone/tablet app that people could download that had all the information a person would need in the palm of their hands.

The app was a helpful tool when wanting to know different booth locations, Q & A locations and time, and also to get a complete and up to date list of all the stars that would be available. The app was a greater help than the multiple maps and events sheets that were also available, definitely a must for the con geek.

This year was all about making sure that everyone had a great time, did I mention that yet?  There were some familiar faces and some new ones with guests including Stan Lee, The Boondock Saints (Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flannery, and David Della Rocco), Jon Bernthal (Shane of the Walking Dead), Sam Trammel (Sam on True Blood) C.M. Punk (WWE Champion), John Cena (WWE Superstar), George Perez (Comic Book Artist Extraordinaire), and too many more to list here.  Check out the official website for the whole roster, here:  Chicago 2012!

The celebs I got a chance to chat with were all VERY friendly and seemed to genuinely enjoy the opportunity to meet their fans. There were also a couple new additions this year with the Jedi Lightsaber Training Classes, and even Sci-Fi Speed Dating. Yea, they had something for everyone this year.

While I was walking around, I was lucky enough to get a few words and a handshake in with Jon Bernthal. He told me he has a few projects in the works and will miss working with his “Walking Dead Family.” 

When I spoke to Sean Patrick Flannery he was adamant about how much he loves the fans, and just loves the opportunity to interact with fans of all of his projects.

One of the more humorous people who I got to talk to at some length was David Della Rocco. David lives up to his moniker “The Funnyman” that was given to him in The Boondock Saints. He will take the time to chat about anything and everything and was very personable. The most memorable thing for me, being a HUGE fan of “The Boondock Saints” was asking him if he had to audition for a part that used his ACTUAL name. He said “Yeah, I went into the audition and they asked me to say Fuck in a variation of ways, so I did.

After I was done they told me that was all they needed and I got the part. I would’ve been pretty fucking embarrassed had I not gotten the part of Rocco that was written for me!”

I didn’t even attempt to talk to Norman this year, because his line was ALWAYS packed, and he was a machine taking pictures and signing autographs for EVERYONE who took the time to wait in his line. I also had the opportunity to meet and talk to Cindy Morgan. I remember her from the first time I saw Tron and Caddyshack. I was a bit intimidated to approach a person that is such a viable part of one of the FUNNIEST movies of all time. I can honestly say that she didn’t disappoint. She was very friendly, and such a class act as well. The fact she knew of the site (hear that Rick Swift?) and was a fan really put a HUGE smile on my face. When I asked for a picture of her, she said “ONLY if you’re in the picture with me!” That is a memory I will not soon forget! Thank you, Cindy.

I was able to live out a dream when I met George Perez. For those who don’t know, George Perez is a LEGEND in the world of Comic Book Art. I remember REALLY getting into comics when I was younger due to the art of a Marvel arc called “Thanos: The Infinity Gauntlet”. Those of you who don’t know who Thanos is, recall the first post credits part of The Avengers. He was the menacing purple dude at the end. George Perez has drawn for Marvel and DC, and his artwork is amazing.

I was fortunate enough to have him draw Thanos for me and while he did, he told me that an old friend of his was actually Thanos in The Avengers. He was excited to see one of his “babies” wasn’t given the CGI treatment, but there is/was an actual actor portraying Thanos. That was awesome news to me, and it made me appreciate the end that much more. George Perez also shared one of the most touching stories I have ever heard, but I’m not going to get into the sappy stuff here.

I had a great time just walking around all weekend as well. Visiting the different vendors (especially the Suicide Girls who were awesome and very cool to me; Hey Churtch!), and meeting people from all over the place; even AUSTRIA! There is such an eclectic group that arrives at Wizard World Chicago, and it becomes an adventure when you start seeing people over and again in this huge mass of people, but with my experience, it’s like I become a part of the event. I have found that when you keep seeing the same people over and again you start to develop friendships that you would most likely not have in any other environment.

It is truly a situation where you could walk in knowing nobody and walk out with a 100 new friends. And I learned the BEST way to make new friends is to just start high fiving people. Nothing puts a smile on a person’s face better than a high five. Even Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter Movies) had a smile on his face after I gave him a simple high five.

I must reiterate the point of how great a job everyone in the staff, volunteers, security, vendors, EVERYONE did this year. This year was the best of the past three years. Each year keeps getting better and better, and I’m excited to see what the future holds in store. Wizard World Chicago is the Mid-West equivalent to International Comic Con in San Diego. I really feel honored that I have watched it grow in a very short period of time. It is something that the whole family can enjoy too, and it really does have something for everyone. Check it out next year; I may just give you a high five!

Check out my past experiences here:

2010

2011

 

I have seen the future of Geek Cred  – - – Tate’s!

CLICK THE PIC FOR LOTS MORE IMAGES!!!

I’m not gonna lie, I was bummed we couldn’t get over to San Diego this year, so when I got the email from Tate’s that they were holding a “Not at Comic-Con” event this weekend, I was thrilled.  I have been frequenting Tate’s since I moved back to South Florida in 2004; it wasn’t around when I was still in high school, but I am pretty sure I would have spent all my money and time at Tate’s if it existed back then.  See, Tate’s is more than just a comic book store, it is a community, there are comic book stores all around me, but I drive well out of my way to shop at Tate’s and I have exposed so many of my friends to Tate’s that I have lost count.  I was bold enough to tell the cashier at check out that they should make a movie about Tate’s, akin to Empire Records, because as I told her, “it has to be the coolest place to work in Florida.”  You have to visit it to see what I mean.

The complex is tucked away in a small shopping strip in Lauderhill, Florida, on University Drive.  Since it is in the middle of nowhere Florida, it doesn’t have all the celebrity muscle of, say, the San Diego venue, but I challenge anyone to find more loyal customers, fans, or friends than can be had at Tate’s Comics + Toys + Videos + More.  I just wish more people could hear about the Tate’s family.

The actual event started at noon, but I showed up closer to two, so I missed any opening ceremonies.  But I didn’t miss the cosplayrade.  When we first got to the shop everything was just nuts, there were so many people in the shop and there were about five tables of comic book writers and artists somehow set right in the front of the store.  If you haven’t been to Tate’s, it is FULL of stuff, so you move like you are in a packed nightclub – and that is even on “slow” days for Tate’s.  Today was not slow, not by a long shot, the geeks were out in force . . . me being one of them.

There were costumed shoppers at every inch we managed to move.  While I consider myself versed in most things geek, I do not know EVERY character I saw today.  I would give my geek rating about a C+, maybe a B- on good months.  Still, I loved the “unbridled enthusiasm” present in the store.  While people could barely move, there weren’t any tempers nor complaints that I could hear.  Typically in South Florida, when someone bumps into you, well, decapitation can ensue if you can’t duck quickly enough.  And, let’s not forget, South Florida has face-eating zombies, so we aren’t afraid to throw down.

So, what did I miss in San Diego?  Oh, I missed plenty, but thanks to Tate and his family, I was able to have a little taste of the Comic-Con in my backyard . . . so to speak.  And what DIDN’T I miss because I wasn’t in San Diego? ANYTHING TWILIGHT!  Yea, this year is Twilight this, Twilight that, Twilight Twilight Twilight!  While Taylor Lautner was my first ever in-person celeb interview, I am no fan of the films, so I didn’t miss too much.  It turns out I got to hang out with some of the best folks in South Florida who share my passion with all things geek!  I was asked why I didn’t cosplay this year, well, this was my first year so I wanted to be a spectator, and hopefully you will like what I was able to capture.  I even got the rare “Behind the Scenes” footage of the CosPlayrade.  True geeks always covet the Behind the Scenes stuff.  Check out the youtube stuff here: The Zapruder Footage of #NACC12

And, while the lines were insane when we first got there, toward the end of the event and after the parade, the lines were less insane and I got my four year old son an “Amazing Spider-Man” The Lizard figure, which is kinda cool considering his dad, yours truly got to interview Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Denis Leary in South Beach just last month!  Read all that here, if you please.  And, even though I consider myself on the periphery of the Tate’s network, I somehow always feel like I am one of the gang.  It’s something you have to experience for yourself.  Let’s let the publicists, agents, networks, studios and everyone know, Lauderhill Florida is the place where the true geekus americanus resides . . . or at least congregates.

Looking forward to next year . . . unless San Diego puts out something a damn sight better than sparkling vampires leading the way!  And, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the person that introduced ME to Tate’s – my best bud, Amadarwin!  One last thing, I often write copy edit where I have to put in a disclaimer that my copy is sponsored content etc.  I can proudly say this article isn’t sponsored on any level – - – I am a fan, a HUGE fan, a Tate’s loyal to my dying day!  So, I guess that means I got the real geek cred.  Do you?  Go to Tate’s to find out!

Starring Josh (Peeta) Hutcherson and Dane Cook – Click image above for official site.

Welcome!

David Limacher and Rick Swift got to briefly, well not really briefly, chat with Adam Rifkin and Ali Cobrin of the Showtime series, “Look”.   Listen to the whole interview here!

We broke the interview up into sections below, because we know how few people listen to a full hour interview – even if it is the best damned interview you ever heard!  So, click on the snippets (section titles) you feel are worthy of your time, but definitely listen to the section where Adam explains what Look is all about, below:

What is “Look”?

Adam Rifkin:  “Look” explores the things that people do when they don’t think they are being watched.

What the show does is explore the intersecting lives of about six different main story-lines all from the point of view of surveillance cameras, but not just big brother it also incorporates “little brother” – cell phone cameras, webcams, flip cams, and Facebook, Twitter, YouTube all the different ways we voluntarily put ourselves under surveillance through these new medias.

Chicago born?

David Limacher:  I read that you are both from the Chicago area.

AR:  It’s true; we are both graduates of the Chicago Academy of the Arts High School.

DL:  So, how did you make your moves from Chicago to Hollywood?

AR:  I had always wanted to be a film-maker, ever since I was knee high to a cricket, as they say.  For as long as I can remember, that is all I have ever wanted to do.  I made films with my friends while growing up in Chicago, so as soon as I was old enough I high-tailed it to Hollywood to make real movies.  It’s just that simple.

AC:  My story is exactly the same, except in front of the camera side.  I grew up in the valley world and the theater world in Chicago, and when I graduated high school I came right out to Hollywood.

How is “Look” shot, and why do the actors feel it is more theater than film?

Ali Cobrin:  In a typical TV show or movie, you know the cameras are there, so you are acting for the camera, standing on marks, and worrying about sight-lines.  But in this show you are shooting while walking around and having dialog and engaging in natural conversations as students are walking around not knowing we are shooting.

AR:  One of the ways we shoot the show, unlike conventional means, like Ali was saying . . . we actually hide the cameras, and we never close the locations – the actors were wearing radio mics and would be off by themselves, saying their dialog, but it just looks like they were having a conversation.  Most of the time, people had no idea anything was being shot at all.

Why isn’t the show listed under “Series” on Showtime On Demand?

[Editor's note, right about here is where the NSA took a strong interest in our interview and tapped into the conversation (you'll hear hellacious feedback and echoes) - that is my story and I am sticking to it!]

AR:  It’s not in the Series section, because it isn’t a Showtime original series – how the series came about, the evolution is inside baseball stuff.  The series is based on the film I did in 2007 which was really popular in the college art house scene in 2008.  The series being on Late Night has more to do with how it got captured by Showtime and not an original series of theirs.

Ali, can you talk about the character you play on the series?  Molly

[Note, the NSA dropped us, but the TSA picked us up, probably wanted to hear more about Molly too, so I am transcribing word for word what Ali said, below.  –Swift]

AC:  Molly is a girl in high school and she starts off the year like this is going to be a totally new year for her.  She has new friends and is hanging out with like the popular girls, the jocks, and that type of thing.  And, she’s a little naive, and she’s kind of the pet project of the typical mean queen of the high school and she goes through a wild ride her, I guess, Junior year in high school.

About the acting, is the show completely scripted?

AR:  The show is completely scripted; I do give the actors freedom to make the lines their own.  You know with most shows, you write the episode and you shoot it, but I had the luxury of knowing I was going to be writing and shooting every episode.  So, I wrote the series like a five and a half hour movie and instead of going to the mini-mart 11 times, we went there once and shot it in two days, all 11 episodes worth.  We did that with the entire season, and it really lets us get a really big look, with lots of characters and lots of locations on a modest budget.

AC:  Well, Adam was really great about, I know, from watching the episodes I have heard from here or there that I had a feeling were not in the script.  There’s one line I know that I said that was not in the script, “My hair looks like a frizzball.”

AR:  That was between takes, and we used it.

How did iRATEfilms hear about “Look”?

DL:  I stumbled across “Look” on On Demand on the convenient mart concert.

AC:  That was fun, that was a fun day on set.

AR:  Can I say something about you saying that?  One of my closest friends is a film-maker also, Valerie Breiman, she wrote and directed the movie “Love and Sex” with Jon Favreau and Famke Janssen.  And I was showing her some of the rough-cuts of the series way back when we were still editing them, and she said with the episode with the concert in it and while watching the concert scene, “People are going to stumble on this when they are switching channels and go, ‘what the hell is this’ and keep watching.”  You just proved her right!

Concert scene, controlled chaos?

AR:  We had to run a pretty tight ship; we had very little time to shoot 11 episodes.  I mean, anytime you are doing any sort of production . . . it is chaotic.

DL:  See, that scene really interested me and made me want to get more into the show and watch it more and more.  That was one of the only times, that I can recall, where the main characters were all together, for the most part.

AR:  That’s the idea, the fact that all these character’s lives intersect whether they are aware of it or not.

AC:  It also happens a few more times throughout the series, which I think is really rewarding dramatically – if you watch the entire series through.

DL:  The way these people’s lives intersect, it shows that people are in other people’s lives more than they realize.

What’s the deal with the Security Guards?   Can I drink beer all day and ogle women too?

AR:  Those guys are based on real guys!  We were doing research at several locations, from government buildings to shopping centers, these guys were based on real security guards we found at a certain mall who were actually submitting images of their favorite security grabs to YouTube.

We now live in a society where we are constantly being monitored, it is just a matter of fact now.

AR:  In the old days, a mini-mart video would only be stored as long as it took to reset the tape, now every bit of footage is stored forever, somewhere, digitally.  You might not be doing anything that someone’s going to want to dig up ten years from now, but it is there if someone wants to find it.

Everything that is caught on camera is permanent!

AC:  When people look at their Facebook, they need to realize it is stuck there, permanently.

AR:  Right, every piece of our lives is retrievable now.  What we do with the show is to only use retrievable data, even the text subtitles are based on the fact that these digital texts are stored, permanently, somewhere  –  so we can use them in the show.

Why the time stamps on the footage?

AR:  You look at actual surveillance footage at a mall or a mini-mart and you are going to find the time stamps – all the different shots reflect all the way these surveillance camera films would look.  We perfected it after working on Look the film, in 2007.

As film-makers, are you for or against the extremely voyeuristic society we live in now?

AR:  The numbers of cameras are growing exponentially, and the amount of personal surveillance we put ourselves under is in no way slowing down.  With the series, and the movie, but specifically with the series I did not want to take a stand and say I am all pro-camera or I am all anti-camera.

I think there are compelling arguments for both – we’ve seen the London bombers get caught because of these cameras.  But, conversely we had that poor kid who just killed himself at Rutgers, because his roommate posted him having a gay tryst online – and he was completely humiliated.  The issue is so complex; it is impossible to say it is all bad or all good.

The TSA is only the beginning.

AR: I am sure you guys are aware of the current controversy of all the airport scanners that take pictures of you under your clothes.  Well, that is gonna play a big part in season two.

AC:  Adam, also, now you can be on the NET while flying, season two definitely needs characters skyping on the plane.

DL:  It is good to hear you talking about season two.

AR:  Well, I will tell you it continues to be the number one show for its time slot on Showtime, last week’s viewership spiked 84%, which is spectacular; I am so excited.

Has the knowledge of all these cameras made either of you change the way you live your lives?

AC:  Surveillance wise, no, because you are captured on countless cameras just walking to the bank or buying groceries.  But, what I am worried about and I am aware of is online stuff.  I remember growing up and hearing “The internet is a scary place; consult your parents, blah blah blah.”

AR:  Tell them about tweeting photos.

AC:  The new thing is to let everyone know where you are and geo-tag pics you send immediately, meaning there is a location and a google map and it like lets you know if you are on the same block and everything.

AR:  Even if you remove that geo-tagging setting, the URL itself is geo-tagged, so it will forever be tagged to the URL, so wait a little while before tweeting your location if you don’t want anyone to know where you are.

AC:  Oh, wow, I didn’t know that.

AR:  Even if you have just watched “Look” you can’t be constantly vigilant about all the different ways you are being monitored – so, eventually you just live your life.  I will say this; it is like the best time in the world to be a stalker . . . they have really come into their own now.

What the heck is Facebook Stalking?

AC: I have a lot of friends in college, and a favorite past-time they have they literally call it Facebook stalking – for sure, people are checking up on ex’s and friends seeing who they are with.  That’s Facebook stalking.

GET ME TO THE GODDAMNED LOOK!

DL:  Today’s age of technology, people can give you instant feedback.

AC:  Exactly.

AR:  That’s awesome.

DL:  For me personally, it’s like I have to wait for a new episode every Sunday night – Dexter, you are just re-hashing season’s one through three – just get me to the God-Damned Look!

AR:  You are our hero!

What do Adam Rifkin and Ali Cobrin think about imdb?

AR:  Love it; before we had to use these things called “books” and they were huge and still only contained a fraction of the information that imdb has.  Also, with imdb, your past is your past, you can’t hide from it.

AC:  As a culture, everyone should be more forgiving and understanding of everyone and themselves, because there are no secrets.

Rick Swift:  Yea, nobody can hide anymore.

Incidentally, here are links to their respective pages for Adam & Ali.

Did you know Adam Rifkin was Writer/Director of 1994’s “The Chase”?

AR: That is correct.

DL:  That is like one of my favorite movies of the 90s.

RS:  Ditto, you know I wanted to ask you a question about that, because as I was preparing for this interview I was thinking about that movie before I even knew you were involved with the film.  Because “The Chase” ties in with where we are now with “Look”.

AR:  I remember calling the Fox rep after the OJ Simpson chase and asking them to re-release it, but they felt it would be in poor taste to exploit the case.  Which, is funny, because that was arguably the most exploited event of the decade.

RS:  I remember actually seeing “The Chase” after the OJ case was unfolding.

AR:  Yea, that movie caught on big once it went to cable.

Did you know he also wrote the script for Zoom?

DL:  Rick Swift and I both liked the plot of “Zoom”.

AR:  Thanks; working on big studio films like “Zoom”, “Underdog”, and “Mousehunt” gives me the opportunity to tackle other projects like “Night at the Golden Eagle”, “The Dark Backward” and “Look”. But, I love working on big projects as well as the more personal projects and feel they both are essential parts in shaping my career.

. . . and directed Detroit Rock City, to name a few others . . .

AR:  Giuseppe Andrews and Miles Dougal are both in that as well as “Look”.  I have known Miles since my days at the Chicago Academy of the Arts high school, and our production designer, Brett Snodgrass, is also from the academy.

In fact, I wrote the roles in Look the movie and the series for Giuseppe and Miles.

Show sounds great, so, where can I find “Look” if I don’t have Showtime?

AR:  It’s all coming.  We don’t have dates, but it is definitely going to be on DVD and Netflix soon, just keep a lookout.

Where can we find out more about the series?

Here’s a link to Ali’s page, just click on the pic!

@AliCobrin

Here is Adam’s page, click on the pic, I mean, by now if you can’t figure that out . . . sheesh.

@AdamRifkin

@Looktvseries

Friends with Benefits and The Hole 3D!

AC:  I have a role in the Joe Dante thriller called “The Hole 3D” and that is out and about for people to see.  And I am guest starring in an upcoming NBC show, “Friends with Benefits”.

DL:  You aren’t a guest star in our eyes, you are a star in our eyes and that is how we are going to promote it, so we got to speak to you before the show releases.  What is that about and does it compare to “Look”?

AC:  Thank you, it’s funny, because you can compare “Look” to everything, because “Look” is about real life.  “Friends with Benefits” is about a group of friends in their mid-twenties who are in Chicago and hooking up and finding the benefits of being friends with benefits.

AR:  It’s a big show coming on NBC.

Goodbye and thanks for sharing your time with us at iRATEfilms.com.

DL:  For everybody who is listening, we have been speaking to Ali Cobrin, who plays Molly on the show, “Look” and Adam Rifkin, who is the creator, producer, director of “Look” and multiple other things that are excellent – the guy has the Midas touch!

AR:  Thank you very much.

AC:  Thank you.

RS:  We are very interested in finding out what else you are going to be involved in, and I hope we can keep in touch.

AR:  Absolutely.  We will.  Thank you, and we will definitely take you up on that and we should all keep in touch; that is really cool.

Check out all the ways to reach us, and we are free for any and all interviews!

Check out “Look” on Showtime now, and follow them on Twitter (@Looktvseries) or at their direct site – (www.looktheseries.com) and, of course, tell your friends – Remember you are being watched . . . always!  Be sure and check back soon, because Rick Swift’s review of “Look” the film will be up shortly!

“It’s all uphill from here.”

+++Head shots, here+++

Swift shot: Planes?  Check.  Trains?  Sorta (one shot), so Check.  Automobiles?  Plenty of ‘em.  But while this may seem like a typical road-trip flick, it pits two of the most sought after actors in Hollyweird today.  They both play off of each other very well, and the dramatic scenes are genuine.  Oh, sure, you could dissect this film shot by shot and over analyze it with a minutia of detailed, nuanced clap-trap psycho-babble bullshit, but you should just sit your ass down and laugh!  Because “The Hangover” was incredible, (read ck’s review here) it set the bar for Iron-Man and the Ri-tard’s first film higher than John Belushi’s epic blowout final curtain-call.  If this one doesn’t make you near piss yourself, let me know here: swift@iratefilms.com, cuz I am adding you to my list of arrogant, pompous a-holes.

In homage to ck being no more, allow me to use his format for this review.

The Storyline

Peter Highman (yes, they went there) played by Robert Downey Jr. is heading home to L.A. from a business meeting in Atlanta.  About to be a father, he is leaving nothing to chance to get home.  Peter is one of those execs who plans for everything, but no plan can survive Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) and his walking Pig Pen chaos cloud, with his coiffed perm, acid washed, over-tight jeans (complete with a brush in the back pocket) and special friend, Sonny.

Immediately, Highman detests and attempts to avoid the walking freak show, but within minutes of crossing his path, Highman is kicked off a plane and is on the no-fly list.  Now, desperate to get home, and with no money (because the airline sent his luggage without him) he turns to the only person that seems able to help.  Offering to share a ride to Hollywood, Tremblay swoops in with a Subaru Impreza.

The story takes the characters on an Odessy to get to L.A. in time for the due date, as Highman’s wife, Sarah (Michelle Monaghan) is scheduled to have a c-section.  I won’t go into great detail here about all the crazy shit that happens to them, but suffice it to say, poor choices by Tremblay, and his little dog too, keep the journey entertaining from beginning to end.

The Cast

The casting is everything in this film, if the leads push too hard, it is painful, but the give and take of these superb thespians is fascinating to watch.  Plus, they take inside jabs at their profession throughout – which I loved.  No one needs a special introduction to Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis, they are both masters of their craft with decades of experience between them.  Their two characters, Peter and Ethan are complete opposites, Peter is a by-the-book architect who deals in fact and has little time for make-believe.  While Ethan Chase . . . I mean Tremblay, literally takes life one hit at a time – a pot induced decision maker at every stop, he has two simple goals, get to Hollywood, become famous and lay his father’s ashes to rest.

Sanity enters the picture when Peter reaches out to his old college buddy, Darryl (Jamie Foxx) to save him from Ethan and help him get to L.A. in time.  Foxx does an admirable job in his (Just Passing Through) JPT role in the film, and Monaghan is really an after-thought.  This is a dick flick though, so her character’s absence should serve as no surprise.  The real female surprise is Juliette Lewis, who is back to form with Downey Jr. as a pot dealing, trashy mom of two stuffed in a two bedroom shack in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Good, Bad, and Indifferent

What makes this film so fantastic is the chemistry of Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis and the comedic timing and push and shove throughout.  As roles change from the serious to the buffoon and the vice-versa, we really get a treat watching their a-games on the screen.  There are brilliantly delivered lines which will, no doubt, be quoted ad nauseum by college students and movie geeks like me, probably for decades.  There are shocking things that happen throughout, and the previews don’t give away all the laughs – thank God.

Why six stars?  Because I want to watch this film six times, haven’t felt like that since I saw Kick Ass – which got six stars – plus, because it was so damned funny and enjoyable, it is worth every Penny!

The Bottom Line

Simple plots often make for the best films when the actors are perfect together, Due Date embodies this truth – go see it!!!

David Limacher was at the 2010 Wizard World Comic Convention in Chicago this past weekend, and screened the EXCLUSIVE five minute clip of the upcoming suspense-thriller “Devil” in theaters September 17. The clip also included a brief Q & A with Director Drew Dowdle and his brother and Producer of the film, Drew Dowdle. The teaser clip was careful not to divulge anything important, and David had the chance to personally interview the Dowdle Brothers and got answers to some questions about their backgrounds and answers to questions that will make you want to see their new film even more.

David Limacher: I just wanted to thank you both for taking the time to sit down and answer some questions for the readers of iRATEfilms.com today.

John Dowdle: You’re welcome.

Drew Dowdle: Pleasure is all ours to talk to you.

DL: So we’re going to talk about the movie you recently completed “Devil” here, but first I wanted some background information on you both. I heard in the session that you’re from the same home town as the Coen Brothers, are they mentors of yours to become filmmakers?

JD: Actually, the Coen Brothers are from Minneapolis and we’re from St. Paul, but it’s the Twin Cities and we just kept the answer short.

DD: I like that you asked this question, because I feel that we’re going to get a lot of this coming our way. The truth is we do enjoy the work of the Coen Brothers, but when we were growing up we had different interests. It just so happens that after college and such we both found we could help each other more working together, rather than separately. We didn’t exactly plan on our lives taking this direction, but I believe I can say for both of us, we are glad it did!

(more…)

(more…)

Passion without pretense.

***Some sexy, choice images await you here***

“Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky” portrays an affair between two of the most recognizable, egocentric geniuses of the 20th century. They both revolutionized their industries: Chanel in fashion and Stravinsky in music. They were also both under the harsh lens of public scrutiny, who didn’t always understand what these two artists offered.

The film commences with a recreation of the 1913 Parisian opening of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.” In it, the bourgeoisie are introduced to his jarring and uncomfortable tune that appears to spit in the face of everything they’re used to (“Swan Lake” and similar engagements). They boo, hiss, and start fights. The cops are called in. Suddenly, an elegant night at the ballet feels more like a soccer riot. All of it gives viewers some insight into how Stravinsky’s music first influenced the world and the type of people it attracted (the contemplative and modern Coco Chanel, for one).

Seven years pass, and Europe is licking its wounds after World War I. Coco Chanel is mourning the loss of her lover and financier, Boy Capel, and Igor Stravinsky, his wife Katherine, and their children have been exiled from Russia. Chanel invites them to stay at her Chateau in France, to which the composer agrees. And, so, we have the perfect arrangement for a tense and sexual ménage.

Anna Mouglalis and Mads Mikkelsen portray Chanel and Stravinsky, respectfully, in a way that isn’t commonly seen on screen. They flaunt the aspects of their characters’ personalities that audiences generally would like to ignore – Egoism, arrogance, and something of a god complex – in favor of creative brilliance. In one scene, Katherine asks Chanel if she ever feels guilty, to which the designer simply responds, “No.”

The relationship between these two characters is an interesting one because it is so simple. These two people are attracted to the creative power they both wield, and this becomes cause for a physical relationship that suggests passion, though never reaches a peak amounting to more than lust. Essentially, it’s all just fucking, pure and simple.

It would almost be too much to handle if it weren’t for Katherine, who is a passive force in a household of strong wills. The affair is pretty much out in the open, and Katherine knows about it from the beginning. She also knows that there is no love at work, and that her husband has been more creatively active than ever before. She allows it to happen, to a point, and is able to ground the two titular characters before they float away on their high horses.

While the affair in question falls short of its emotional mark, though it successfully says what the director wants, the film flourishes as a feast for the eyes. Chanel’s home is decorated in a way that will make design nuts go gooey, and it couldn’t have been any other way. Her favorite room, composed mainly in black and white, is an homage to her sense of style and a representation of the cold and composed aura she walks around with. The costuming, too, is perfect. Mouglalis, also a model for the current Chanel line, wears old gowns from the company that you simply can’t look away from. She’s gorgeous and when she speaks, her deep, sultry voice demands attention.

This film is one that should be watched with some prior knowledge of the characters, because director Jan Kounen leaves their pasts mysterious. All that is really on display here is their affair and the creative endeavors they were both able to pursue because of it. When boiled down to its roots, it’s a very simple film; one that has more power than you might expect, but less than its potential offered.