WHEN WE WERE WOLVES

NEW IN THEATRES...

* The Wolfman, needs to disappear gently into that dark night. What a tragic bore! It should have been called Emo Wolf (like Teen Wolf, but emo). Look at Emily Blunt up there and just try to forget...

And does anyone know what is up with steampunk cosplayers showing up to the screening of this? There were multiple middle-aged fetishists at the movie. One of the women was cackling like a banshee during the more violent scenes. I'm a little scared of what her fanfic would be like. Almost on par with the bloodthirsty cheering at Edge of Darkness a couple of weeks ago.

I also find it weird that I've seen a couple of reviews where people wonder how Benicio Del Toro could be Anthony Hopkins's son. It's fairly obvious in the movie that his mother is Spanish. The actress playing her is Cristina Contes, and her character is named Solana. The math isn't that hard.

UPDATED TO CRITERION CONFESSIONS...

* Fists in the Pocket, the twisted debut of director Marco Bellocchio. (Watch for my review of his new movie, Vincere, next week...)

* Paris, Texas, another emotional masterpiece from Win Wenders, written by Sam Shepard.

THIS WEEK IN DVD REVIEWS...

* A Man Called Adam, the 1966 jazz movie starring Sammy Davis Jr. as a troubled trumpet player. Features performances from Louis Armstrong and Mel Torme.

* Orson Welles in King Lear, a somewhat stiff 1950s television broadcast.

* Rod Serling - Studio One Dramas, two live teleplays from the master writer.

* The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season, in which papers are filed to end this union after two decades of ups and downs.

* Split Second, a B-movie that drops a nuclear bomb on the crime genre. Directed by Dick Powell, who was Philip Marlowe once upon a time.

* Wild Oranges, a lusty King Vidor silent picture.

* Wolverine & the X-Men: Fate of the Future, the fourth volume in the fun cartoon series.

It's been a while since I posted mail here, but this post from the DVD Talk forum cracked my shit up:

"I read Jamie S. Rich's DVD review of Across the Hall and...

I think Jamie's review is ridiculous. He's clearly jaded and bitter - probably a want-to-be filmmaker that never was. I almost skipped this movie, but just watched it and it was much stronger than he made it sound to be. Beautifully shot, well acted...felt very classic. There were some truly beautiful moments in it. I was shocked to find it was made in ONLY 17 DAYS!! Pretty remarkable in that regard. Jamie's review sounds more like he's letting out the anger of his failed career than giving a very good film a competent criticism. WAY too angry. Not so surprising that I've never heard of HIS work..."

The best part is the guy was so mad, he registerd on the site specifically to write this. No one has come to his defense yet. Do you want to?

The mail's not all bad these days. In reference to the Wild Oranges review, one reader writes:

"It was a genuine pleasure to read your review...It was better than articulate, it was witty, eloquent, and (I suspect) accurately evocative of the film. Thanks!"

And in regards to An Education:

"[Your review] is SO GOOD. Thank you. I appreciate fine writing and analysis, and look forward to the Blu-ray video for my collection. I've always felt that Nick Hornby, rather than 'preaching,' leads one to a point where some new perspective is gained - you said as much in your review, so your credibility is established with me. After all, don't we all seek approval and agreement? ;-)

I know that you got paid for writing this review, but it seems to be honest work by a capable craftsman. Again, thanks."

Actually, the movie is the payment. I don't receive any other coin for my work.

Finally, RodSerling.com is going to be spotlighting my review of the Studio One Dramas staring some time this weekend, which I am super psyched about!

Current Soundtrack: Spoon, Transference