FS# 127 (WBEZ Edition): All The King's Men / Jackass Number Two / Last Kiss / '80s Movies

On this Chicago Public Radio edition of Filmspotting: Steven Zaillian's "All The King's Men" should be the type of film that gets released to unanimous praise from critics, makes a respectable haul at the box office, then gets nominated for a slew of year-end awards. Zaillian himself won an Oscar in 1993 for his "Schindler's List" script, and the cast includes such heavyweights as Sean Penn, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, James Gandolfini and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Even the source material has pedigree. Robert Penn Warren's novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1946, and a 1949 film adaptation won the Best Picture Oscar. So it came as a surprise when "King's Men" received nearly across the board negative reviews upon its release. Sam and Adam counted Zaillian's effort among their most anticipated films of 2006, so they had to take a look for themselves to try to diagnose the problem.

Scoring (miraculously) better notices than "All The King's Men" is "Jackass Number Two." Not so much a film as a series of increasingly dangerous -- and frequently scatological (note the title) -- stunts, "Jackass" is the second film inspired by Johnny Knoxville's infamous MTV series. Sam actually considers the first "Jackass" to be among the most overlooked and underrated movies in recent memory (seriously), so hopes were high for the second installment. Adam, a Jackass novice, approached the film with some reluctance.

And finally, as if watching "Jackass" wasn't enough to remind Adam and Sam exactly how childish men can be, a review of "The Last Kiss" with "Garden State's" Zach Braff as a man flummoxed by his seemingly perfect life. Written by Paul Haggis, the writer/director of last year's Best Picture winner "Crash," "The Last Kiss" got Adam reminiscing about his bad boy college days and Sam to fess up to his 20-year crush on Blythe Danner.

Plus, Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre and ... Adam and Sam save five movies from the 1980s, then watch helplessly as the rest get thrown into the incinerator.

New music by Bobby Bare, Jr. courtesy of Bloodshot Records.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Trade DVDs online at peerflix.com

And by Dexter, a killer new series from Showtime starting Oct. 1.



Filmspotting #127
:28-10:36 - Review: "All The King's Men"
10:37-18:36 - Review: "Jackass Number Two"
Music: Bobby Bare Jr, "The Heart Bionic"
19:56-32:12 - Review: "The Last Kiss"
Music: Bobby Bare Jr., "Where's My Mind"
33:35-37:48 - Massacre Theatre, Poll Question
37:49-44:22 - Listener Feedback (Dahlia, Most Anticipated of 2006)
Music: Bobby Bare Jr, "Can I Borrow Your Cape"
45:25-1:00:26 - Top 5: '80s Movies
1:00:27-1:02:40 - Next Show/Close/Outtake

Links
- Top 10 Worst Movies of the 1980s

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #126: Idiocracy / Hearts & Minds

The studio behind "Idiocracy," 20th Century Fox, did everything it could to guarantee that Mike Judge's new film failed at the box office –- no marketing campaign, no screening for critics, a release on 130 screens in only 6 North American cities. This kind of treatment is usually reserved for only the most obvious of bombs. But Judge is the man behind cult favorite "Office Space," in addition to TV's "Beavis & Butthead" and "King of the Hill," and there was some talk that the movie hadn't been given a fair chance. Adam and Sam see for themselves.

Also on the show: For week three of the Documentaries Marathon, Filmspotting takes a look at Peter Davis' Oscar winning 1974 doc "Hearts and Minds." If DA Pennebaker was a fly on Bob Dylan's wall, and Barbara Kopple stood shoulder to shoulder with striking miners, Davis continues the evolution of the documentary filmmaker from objective observer to subjective editorialist. Davis wants answers to some very big questions –- why did we go to Vietnam, what did we do when we got there, and what did going there do to us. Adam and Sam discuss just how successful Davis is in achieving his ambitious goal.

Plus, in an (unplanned) effort to "keep it real," there are no outtakes at the end of this show. Everything that might have been taken out ... was left in. For better or worse.

New music by Johnny Society from the album "Coming To Get You" courtesy of Messenger Records.

Thanks to everyone who donated to Filmspotting this week! We appreciate your support.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Trade DVDs online at peerflix.com/

And by Dexter, a killer new series from Showtime starting Oct. 1.



Filmspotting #126
:28-14:41 - Documentary #3: "Hearts & Minds"
Music: Johnny Society, "Don't Talk Me Down"
15:37-19:03 - Peerflix Giveaway Winner, New DVDs, Contest
19:04-24:41 - Random Chatter (Poll, Corrections, Notes)
24:42-38:11 - Review: "Idiocracy"
38:12-41:50 - Next Week/Close

Links/Notes
- Cinematographer Sven Nykvist dies at 83

- Manuk was the prophetic listener who suggested back on Aug. 18 that Oliver Stone would "go back to being Oliver Stone again a few years later and make his JFK version of 9/11."

- Untitled Mike Judge Comedy Released Into Undisclosed Theatres

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Top 5 Change, Request

The Situation
Every film made between 1980 and 1989 is going to be wiped from the Earth. Your mission: save one.

The Request
Give us a call and leave a voice mail. The one film you'd save from the 80s and why.

How to contact us:
By phone: 206-203-CINE (2463)
By e-mail: Send an mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net
On this site: Check out the new "voicemail" feature on the right hand side of the Filmspotting homepage. Use your computer's built-in mic to record a message.

TOP 5 CHANGE
As a tie-in with our review of "All The Kings Men," Adam and I had originally planned to do discuss our Top 5 Political Movies. But a couple of factors conspired to make us reconsider. First, we'd already done a similar Top 5 several months ago ("Movies with a Conscience," Cinecast #40). Second, listener Dave Srock sent us this article about the Worst Movies of the 80s. As a decade that is close to our nostalgic hearts, we thought it would be fun to put a list together of our favorites. The Top 5 Essential 80s Films ... according to Adam and Sam.

This change was also announced earlier this week in The Dope Sheet. To subscribe to the weekly Filmspotting e-mail blast, click here.

Filmspotting #125: The Black Dahlia / Harlan County, USA / Fall Movie Preview

Hey there, Brian De Palma:

Remember when you directed "Carrie," "Dresed To Kill," "Scarface" and "The Untouchables"? That was awesome. Major hits. Adored by many. Made you a Hollywood legend. Well, now you’ve directed an adaptation of James Ellroy's 1987 novel "The Black Dahlia." Ellroy's seamy story based on the brutal, real-life 1947 murder of wannabe starlet Elizabeth Short is the perfect subject for a dark and dirty noir thriller. And making a noir-inspired thriller would have been the obvious choice. But why do the obvious? You're Brian De Palma.

Well, we here at Filmspotting want to thank you for sticking to your unique vision and making a truly, ah, 'surprising' motion picture. Your film allowed us to have one of our favorite conversations in the history of the show.

Your friends in irony,
Adam and Sam

Also on the show: Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre, the second film in our Documentaries Marathon –- "Harlan County, USA" –- and our Top 5 Most Anticipated Fall Movies.

Music by Richard Buckner from the new album "Meadow" courtesy of Merge Records.

Thanks to everyone who donated to Filmspotting this past week! We appreciate your support.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Trade DVDs online at peerflix.com

And by "All The King's Men" ... Academy Award Winner Sean Penn leads a star studded cast which includes Oscar Nominee Jude Law, Oscar Nominee Kate Winslet, and Oscar Winner Sir Anthony Hopkins. "All The King's Men" is in theaters September 22.



Filmspotting #125
:18-20:18 - Review: "The Black Dahlia"
Music: Richard Buckner, "Town"
20:18-23:45 - Peerflix Winner (Dylan Diveley), New DVDs, Contest
23:46-28:31 - Donations, Poll Questions, Milwaukee GLBT Festival
28:32-37:55 - Listener Feedback (Movies About Hollywood)
Music: Richard Buckner, "Wonder"
38:57-41:53 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Colin Epstein)
41:54-56:15 - Documentary #2: "Harlan County, USA"
Music: Richard Buckner, "Kingdom"
57:18-1:01:15 - Programming Note, Hilary Swank, Feedback cont.
1:01:16-1:16:08 - Top 5: Most Anticipated Fall Movies
1:16:09-1:20:06 - Next Week/Close/Outtake + 2 Bonus Outtakes

Related Links
- "Shortbus" Unrated Trailer (Warning: Explicit)
- "Red Doors"
- Video: Watch Adam play Han Solo circa 1980
- 'Muppetspotting'

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #124: Hollywoodland / Don't Look Back / Top 5 Movies About Hollywood

Superman dies under mysterious circumstances. Is it his girlfriend's studio mogul husband? The flaky fiancée? Or is it suicide? Sounds like the perfect subject for a sophisticated meditation on Hollywood circa 1950. Which is just what Allen Coulter's "Hollywoodland" aims to be. It's hard to dismiss something so ambitious, especially coming at the end of Hollywood's Big Dumb Summer. The cast is good, too. Adrien Brody (the best actor working today?), Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins and a spectacular Robin Tunney all give good performances. As for the movie itself -- and Ben Affleck's portrayal of TV's first Superman, George Reeves? Well, talking about "Hollywoodland" got Adam and Sam thinking about "Chinatown" and "Sunset Boulevard," and all of a sudden Coulter's film was up against some pretty stiff competition.

Also on the show: Massacre Theatre, Listener Feedback, our 'Griffin Mill Memorial' Top 5 Movies About Hollywood, and the first film in our six-week Documentary Marathon -- D.A. Pennebaker's 1967 Bob Dylan tour chronicle "Don't Look Back."

Music by Dan Bern from the new album "Breathe" courtesy of Messenger Records.

Thanks to everyone who donated to Filmspotting this past week! We appreciate your support.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Trade DVDs online at peerflix.com

And by Smallville, the complete Fifth Season available now on DVD.



Filmspotting #124
:14-21:33 - Review: "Hollywoodland"
21:34-22:22 - Audio Feedback
Music: Dan Bern, "Breathe"
23:41-27:11 - Peerflix Winner (Nina Brown, Newburgh, NY), New DVDs
27:12-33:41 - Poll Questions, Viva Pedro
33:42-40:36 - Listener Feedback (Illusionist, Memories)
Music: Dan Bern, "Feel Like a Man"
41:19-44:22 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Keith Van Norman)
44:23-59:14 - Documentary #1: "Don't Look Back"
Music: Dan Bern, "Suicide Room"
1:00:41-1:02:11 - Audio Feedback
1:02:10-1:11:40 - Listener Feedback (High School Movies)
1:11:41-1:24:32 - Top 5: Movies About Hollywood
1:24:33-1:26:59 - Next Show/Close/Outtake

Links
-Viva Pedro
-Video: "Woke Up New," The Mountain Goats (Rian Johnson)
-Video: Watch Adam play Han Solo circa 1980
-Entertainment Weekly's Top 50 High School Movies

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #123: The Illusionist / Top 5 High School Movies / Screwball Comedy Awards

Inspired directorial vision or dull magic show? That's the crux of this week's review of Neil Burger's "The Illusionist." The first of two prominent magic-themed period dramas to be released this fall (Christopher Nolan's "The Prestige" is the other), The Illusionist is a revenge thriller, romance and mystery all rolled into one. Your hosts compare it to everything from "The Princess Bride" to one of the first images ever projected onto a movie screen ... amd not always favorably. Star Edward Norton's performance is debated as well -- restrained and deliberate, or boring and lacking charisma? Just about the only thing that Adam and Sam did agree on is that Paul Giamatti, as Inspector Uhl, gives his second great performance of the summer. (Anyone remember "Lady In The Water"? Or did we agree to forget that movie ever existed?)

Also on the show, Massacre Theatre, Listener Feedback, our Ferris Bueller Memorial Top 5 High School Movies and The Astas -- our Screwball Comedy Marathon Awards.

Plus, some quick thoughts on Woody Allen's "Scoop," Michael Winterbottom's "Road To Guantanamo," Jean-Pierre Melville's "Army of Shadows," "Idlewild" and Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada."

Music by Spoon from the album "Kill The Moonlight" courtesy of Merge Records.

Thanks to everyone who donated to Filmspotting this past week! We appreciate your support.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Trade DVDs online at peerflix.com/filmspotting.

And by All The King's Men... Academy Award Winner Sean Penn leads a star studded cast which includes Oscar Nominee Jude Law, Oscar Nominee Kate Winslet, and Oscar Winner Sir Anthony Hopkins. All the King’s Men is in theaters September 22nd.



Filmspotting #123
:18-18:34 - Review: "The Illusionist"
18:35-19:07 - Audio Feedback
Music: Spoon, "Something To Look Forward To"
19:54-22:37 - Flashback, Peerflix Winner, New DVDs
22:38-26:33 - Poll Questions, Random Chatter
26:34-40:18 - Listener Feedback (Truly Moving Pictures)
Music: Spoon, "Stay Don't Go"
41:03-44:08 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Eric Quigley)
44:09-50:07 - Bringing Up Baby Anonymous
50:08-1:03:12 - "The Astas" - Screwball Marathon Awards
Music: Spoon, "Back To The Life"
1:04:01-1:08:44 - Quick Reviews: Scoop, Road To Guantanamo, Army of Shadows, Idlewild, The Devil Wears Prada
1:08:45-1:21:40 - Ferris Bueller Memorial Top 5: High School Movies
1:21:41-1:24:00 - Next Show/Close/Outtake

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

#123 Coming Soon

Filmspotting #123 will be posted by 1 pm CT. Thanks for your patience!

Filmspotting Interview: Rian Johnson

Hear our complete interview with Brick writer/director Rian Johnson. Thanks to Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ) and KPCC in Pasadena for production assistance. Running time: 30:38.

Visit the Brick official site.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Trade DVDs online at peerflix.com

And by Smallville, the complete Fifth Season coming to DVD on September 12th.