In Contention

Tag: Zack and Miri Make a Porno

  • Kevin Smith on the “collapse” of ‘Zack and Miri’

    Kevin SmithThis Vulture interview with Kevin Smith is two weeks old now — so, ancient by Internet standards — but because I only recently caught “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” and found it surprisingly endearing, perhaps the director’s best film yet, I figured I’d link to the piece.  It features a typically candid Smith opening up about how the film’s fiscal failure affected him and, whether you think it’s whining or not, makes for the kind of straight-forwardness that a number of Hollywood types could certainly take note of.

    I really feel like I grew up in the last year, and it wouldn’t have been possible if Zack and Miri hadn’t done what it did. Which wasn’t, like, a colossal failure, but it underperformed severely. We were all expecting double of what it did — not even 100 million bucks, but everything was pointing to an easy 60. And after being told that by, like, everybody, and then seeing what it did, it was just so fucking disillusioning. And I know it sounds like, “Oh, rich man’s problems. Oh, poor baby, you got paid a shit-ton of money to make your dopey little dream of yours come true, and now you’re gonna complain that it didn’t make enough money.” But you know, I’m sorry, but it bugs you. It’s just about, especially when you write and direct, it’s about like, fuck, what you have to say isn’t important to me, amusing to me, or relevant to me.

    I just had a thought: Smith should do a remake of Fellini’s “8 1/2.”  I know that would make film snobs the world over pass out from the audacity, but as much as he talks about how reaction to his work affects him, he should put it into the work and see what comes out.  Just sayin’.

  • ‘Zack and Miri’: Smith’s best yet

    Zack and Miri Make a PornoI wouldn’t call myself a huge fan of Kevin Smith’s movies.  I love the man, love his take on this crazy industry, loved “An Evening with Kevin Smith,” etc.  But most of the time, when he gets behind a camera, it doesn’t work for me on some level.

    Of course, there are those who love to hate on Smith’s cinematic output because vitriol is sometimes easier to come by than measured consideration, but I try not to go there with him for some reason.  Maybe it’s the comic book thing.  (Speaking of which, “Batman Cacophony” is a pretty good three-issue arc if you didn’t catch it over the last few months).

    I found some things to admire in “Clerks,” which has some qualities perhaps more endearing in 1994 than in 2009, but I really hated “Mallrats.”  I thought “Chasing Amy” showed his promise and felt “Dogma” to be rather daring in some ways.

    “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” did exactly what it was supposed to do, while “Jersey Girl” and “Clerks II” were extensions of “Chasing Amy”‘s promise with various limitations.  But “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” which I missed last fall and finally caught on DVD over the weekend, might be Smith’s best work to date.

    Of course, I’d say The Weinstein Company mishandled the release on this thing and didn’t drum up the publicity necessary to land it the kind of box office it probably deserved, but beyond the business of it all, there’s a touching piece of work in there.  Smith was smart to associate himself with folks like Seth Rogen and Craig Robinson, quickly becoming figments of the new comedy breed in Hollywood.  He also got a pretty good performance out of Jason Mewes that didn’t have to depend on the usual toilet humor (though you could certainly find that elsewhere in the film).

    Anyway, kind of a rambling post, but I was impressed.  Even with a disgusting poop gag (I laughed), this is a film with heart that resonated more than I thought it would.  Nicely done.  No surprise the stuffy top-tier critical fraternity wasn’t on board, though.

    What did you guys think?

  • 9/22 Oscarweb Round-up

    Quantum of Solace• “Real” men of the screen are a dying breed, according to Peter Bart. [Peter Bart]

    • Journos keep beating a dead horse about the new “At the Movies” failure. [eFilmCritic]

    • And again. [The Hot Blog]

    • Anne Thompson salutes Telluride and New York for steering clear of high profile American cinema, but as she notes, was there really a choice this year? [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Erik Davis talks Bond with Daniel Craig and Marc Forster. [Cinematical]

    • Speaking of Bond, apparently the character won’t be uttering a few of his infamous lines in the latest installment. [The Independent]

    • John Horn sits down with Diablo Cody on the set of “Jennifer’s Body.” [Los Angeles Times]

    • Dennis Lim, meanwhile, chats it up with “Class” director Laurent Canet in the wake of his film landing the official French foreign film selection for this year’s Academy Awards. [New York Times]

    • Giles Hattersly gets some quality time with “I’ve Loved You So Long” star Kristin Scott Thomas. [The Times]

    • Kevin Kelly talks to “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” director Kevin Smith at Fantastic Fest. [Spout Blog]

  • Thompson on Smith action

    You know, I really like that Anne Thompson’s interview skills are enjoying the podcast/video treatment.  She always asks the right questions and can get a good quote with the best of them.  But this first person stuff is freaking me out.  Maybe this is what people want.  It gives the whole “Kevin Smith is talking to ME” vibe, which, there’s something to be said for that I guess.

    Anyway, I’m actually looking forward to “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” more than I was a few weeks ago.  But hearing Smith talk about his films can endear anyone, regardless of how terrible some of them have been.

    And hearing Anne say “dildos” and “erect penises” made me spit out my Dr. Pepper:

  • 9/8 Oscarweb Round-up

    Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in Zack and Miri Make a Porno• Jen Yamato wonders what the hell happened to Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. [Rotten Tomatoes]

    • Jeffrey Wells puts up a positive review of Kevin Smith’s “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” philosophizes on the photographical approach to actually shooting a porno. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Logan Hill profiles “The Brothers Bloom” star Rachel Weisz back East. [New York Magazine]

    • Scott Macaulay goes party-hopping in Toronto. [Filmmaker Magazine]

    • Dave Karger and Missy Schwartz put together a video mid-term report for Toronto. [Entertainment Weekly]

    • Focus Features honcho James Schamus is honored with the Trailblazer Award at the Woodstock Film Festival.  WELL deserved. [MovieMaker Magazine]

    • Lou Lumenick considers Dakota Fanning a “formidable actress” in “The Secret Life of Bees,” but doesn’t see Oscar on the horizon. [Lumenick on Film]

    • A preview of Clint Mansell’s “Wrestler” score pops up online…I’m loving it. [MySpace]

    • Tommy Lee Jones sues Paramount over “No Country for Old Men” profits.  Show me the money. [Associated Press]

    • Anne Thompson’s heart goes out to Charlie Kaufman. [Thompson on Hollywood]

  • Brilliant

    New York Magazine

    (Courtesy: New York Magazine)

  • ‘Che’ and ‘Porno’ among 20 new films announced for Toronto

    Benicio Del Toro in CheJohn hasn’t addressed this yet, so I’ll put it out there…

    Variety’s Anne Thompson is reporting on 20 new films added to the line-up of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Following suit with yesterday’s New York fest news, Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Che” (listed as “Part One” and “Part Two” for Toronto) will make the trip up north.

    Other special presentations of note include Rian Johnson’s “The Brothers Bloom,” Richard Linklater’s “Me and Orson Welles,” Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire,” Kevin Smith’s controversial “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” Guillermo Arriaga’s “The Burning Plain” (could be Oscar bait for actress Charlize Theron), Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York” and Marc Abraham’s “Flash of Genius” (which could be an awards vehicle for Greg Kinnear).

    The big news, however, seems to be that Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling” will not be heading to the fest. Here’s Thompson on that front:

    Clint Eastwood’s Cannes Fest entry “Changeling,” which will be the centerpiece of the New York Film Festival, will not be at Toronto because there was uncertainty about new mother Angelina Jolie’s availability to participate in a gala premiere. “We would have loved to have had Clint Eastwood,” said Bailey, “but the only way to present the movie in a big way was as a gala with Eastwood and Jolie.”

    Basically, the Toronto crew can’t star-fuck, so they’d rather not show it. Gotcha.

    Anyway, read all about the new additions here. The full line-up will be unveiled next Tuesday.

  • In praise of Craig Robinson

    Craig RobinsonOne of our readers reminded me in the comments section of yesterday’s review of “Pineapple Express” that I failed to spotlight one of my favorite performances in the entire film, and a character actor who has quickly become one of the best go-to guys for comedic value.

    Craig Robinson is probably most often associated with his Darryl Philbin stockroom character in television’s “The Office.”  His matter-of-fact attitude and cadence go a long way whenever his character is utilized and never fails to make me smile.  But he’s also begun making quite a mark on the big screen as of late.

    It reall started with Judd Apatow’s “Knocked Up,” in which Robinson stars as a steadfast but introspective nightclub security guard.  You’ll recall the laugh-out-loud dialogue that Robinson handled so perfectly:

    I know… you’re right. I’m so sorry, I fuckin’ hate this job. I don’t want to be the one to pass judgement, decide who gets in. Shit makes me sick to my stomach, I get the runs from the stress. It’s not cause you’re not hot, I would love to tap that ass. I would tear that ass up. I can’t let you in cause you’re old as fuck. For this club, you know, not for the earth.  You old, she pregnant. Can’t have a bunch of old pregnant bitches running around. That’s crazy, I’m only allowed to let in five percent black people. He said that, that means if there’s 25 people here I get to let in one and a quarter black people. So I gotta hope there’s a midget in the crowd.

    Absolutely brilliant.

    Robinson also starred in the Apatow-produced “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” but I can’t comment on the performance because I ejected that piece of shit ten minutes into it.  HOWEVER, I’m sure he was a diamond in the rough.

    Well in “Pineapple Express,” Robinson hits consistent high marks as Matheson, one of Gary Cole’s two henchman hunting down Seth Rogen and James Franco’s bumbling stoners.  As usual, he holds court on the screen with specific and hilarious line readings.  His exit from the film is one of the funniest scenes of the piece and he plays it up for all it’s worth.

    I’m frankly ashamed that I didn’t mention this cat in the review.  So I felt compelled to dedicate a post to what I hope is a prolific new comedic talent.

    Robinson has a number of films on the horizon, including Kevin Smith’s controversial “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” and as one might expect, the roles all seem to be supporting ones.  But I’d like to say it now and say it proud: give this guy his own stage!  Robinson needs his own show, his own starring role, SOMETHING!

    Heck, I’m tempted to write something for him right now, dust off the screenwriting software and be inspired because he’s going places.  He can’t just wither away just outside the spotklight, he has to shine, and someone, somewhere, better be of the same mind or it’ll be our loss.