Cinema is Dope

A huge shout out first and foremost to the great actor Lionel Mark Smith who plays Sam in Stuck. I did not hear until tonight that he had passed away and was the reason the director Stuart Gordon (who was attending his funeral) couldn’t make it. A great one has passed. His brief scene in the park in the movie with Stephen Rea is pure succinct movie poetry.

So you may or may not remember my interview with Stuart Gordon, Mena Suvari and John Strysik on Stuck (read here) back from its showing at the 40th Sitges Film Festival. Well tonight at the 2008 AFI Dallas Film Festival I had the honor of getting to introduce it as its Dallas/Forth Worth regional premiere and moderate a Q&A with Stephen Rea (who can be seen this summer in New York in Sam Shepards play Kicking A Dead Horse) and John Strysik! Note Stuck opens in the US via THINKfilms on May 28th.

Tonight really was for me a complete full circle with this movie. I remember last year when my friend Colin Geddes selected Stuck for his Midnight Madness program at Toronto International Film Festival. To get into Colin’s list of ten films he selects is no easy feet and a huge honor to the film he picks. When he picks those ten then you know they have to be not only amazing but also very unique and captivating in their own right. So cut to the 40th Sitges Film Festival where I did the interview and at the end of it we were all talking about how it would be great to show the film back in the DFW area. There didn’t see to be any prospects of it at the time. So several months later to find myself with this 2008 AFI Dallas honor of introducing and doing the Q&A felt like a nice full circle.

I tried to put some energy into my introduction of the film tonight. I have perhaps way too many stories and notes on the film so it was tough condensing everything down into a very distinct and brief intro. I was really car lagged with little sleep and too many miles driving to get into Dallas today but from all accounts I brought some serious energy to my intro. I did spend some time last week going over what introduction I should do, I had one stunt where I get syrup poured all over myself, but I canceled that thinking I could electrocute myself. Another one was this mixture of a certain Funky Forest dance scene meets Michael Jacksons Billy Jean, but I was only going to do it if I was at 100%. And another one where I do this whole rewritten version of the Lionel Richie song Stuck on You, which I thought was too much for Dallas audiences. Another fun one was recreating roman candle wars with strategically placed audience members… though it seemed the fire code and all that would go berserk. One other idea was a whole James Brown thing where two people would walk me in covering me in a giant coat and then drop the coat once I was in the center. I would then be in a really tight purple jump suit with two female dancers on either side with flashlights bouncing around as I ran through the AFI Dallas introduction singing a James Brown song with dance moves to match. Ultimately tonight I just went with a more straight ahead introduction.

I think one of the funniest moments of the night that people missed was before the introduction a male audience member leaned into John Strysik (after his girlfriend had gotten out of ear range) and said he had a really important question to ask. Wait stop the presses here comes a really serious question of the movie… drum roll… boom boom boom 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1… and then he asks if there are any good sex scenes in the movie. I guess some people go into movies wanting one particular thing if nothing else.

I started out my intro wearing the famous Truck Turner Alamo Drafthouse BADASS CINEMA t-shirt by playing a certain Spaghetti Western theme. 200 points if you can guess which movie its from and by which composer. Then bobbed and weaved through various talking points and at one point when I looked at the audience I could tell they had not seen anyone at the festival this year introduce a movie like me. So I had a complete blast with it and got to interact with the audience some and throw some energy into the crowd before the lights dim.

Watching Stuck was a really good experience. The audience reacted very distinctly to all the moments the Sitges audiences had. Everyone seemed locked in for its wild ride. Nothing better than an audience responding to a movie I love.

The Q&A afterwards was hopefully good. I threw out some trivia including the fact Stephen Rea had been in one of my favorite all-time TV shows in the Professionals (a fact that was lost on 100% of the audience, lol). Now I know Mr. Rea has been in a lot of damn good Neil Jordan movies… but holy hell, I just met someone that did work on one of my all-time favorite TV shows in the Professionals. Chances of me running across anyone that worked on that show seems so incredibly rare and happenstance so it was amazing in that regard alone. Let alone Mr. Rea is just one of the best actors working today. He was an absolute trooper having just gotten in from an international flight from Dublin. It was amazing to see him out tonight fighting through the jet lag elements. I certainly don’t know if I could have done that after an international flight.

With John Strysik, I don’t think I can say it loud enough that I can’t wait to see what he does next. I hope his Jitter project takes off soon! His screenplay for Stuck was absolutely stellar and so full of so many amazing little and big moments. That he had such a great cast, crew and director to realize it in such dead on fashion certainly helped. With this movie he firmly places himself as one of the most exciting screenwriters out of Hollywood.

Thanks to everyone that came out to the movie tonight and for sticking around for the Q&A.

It really is amazing to see Dallas transformed into this movie loving town with this electric current running through everyone with AFI Dallas. Last year in its first year the buzz for it was through the roof. This year the buzz is so strong that tickets are scarce and everyone is talking about it. I’ve barely been in town a day and the fest is just everywhere like an electric current beaming people with an interest for cinema and Hollywood luster Dallas style. You can just feel it at a film festival when audiences are completely into what it has to offer and AFI Dallas is certainly is working perfectly in that regard.

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

To say this is one of the most requested movies I get with movie wallpaper requests would be an understatement. At last fans of Ultraman (Urutoraman) can rejoice! You will rarely fine poster artwork this much fun.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji
::: Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Now here is something to get your Monday and week started out right and it’s coming at you hotter than a cup of Starbucks - poster artwork for Sogo Ishii’s Electric Dragon 80.000 V!

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji
::: Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Seems to be an incredibly mixed jury out on this one. The only thing that isn’t debated is the fantastic art of the film, which as seen in this movie wallpaper is a real treat.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Main Image (1024×768) ]

[ View in Motion Version (1024×768) ]

[ View Alternate Version (1024×768) ]

[ View Sepia Tone Version (1024×768) ]

[ Abstract Version (1024×768) ]

[ More Abstract Version (1024×768) ]
 

Some may remember my pictures I took during the Dallas Mavericks vs Miami Heat NBA Finals (view here), well last night I got one amazing picture of Kevin Garnett. The image of him pretty much symbolizes the Boston Celtics of 2008 kicking ass and taking names, see also blazing through the Eastern and Western conferences. What sets this Garnett team apart from the others is they are one of the best defensive teams the NBA as ever seen and absolutely flourish at finding easy buckets at any point of the game, including crunch time in the 4th. This coming from me… a huge Mavs fan.

I originally became a fan of NBA basketball the year before Michael Jordan was a rookie. The year Jordan came into the league I had friends that were huge fans that converted me and then I found myself tortured through several years of the Bulls struggling to make it to the Finals. At times it seems that everyone forgets all those years where either the Bad Boy Pistons, Celtics or Bucks sent the Bulls fishing. It took seven years before for them to get to the Finals and win it all. I remember those previous 6 years very well as they made all the winning even more sweet and rewarding.

Image Source:
Official still picture I took at the March 20th NBA Basketball game featuring the Boston Celtics vs the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Texas at the AAC.

Related Links:
::: Official Site
::: NBA Profile
::: Boston Celtics Official Site

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Inspired Japanese poster artwork for the latest Coen Brothers film, No Country for Old Men. The artwork itself features a distortion of brown that makes the overlying area around the cow skull seem more artifacted than normal, which is certainly an interesting added artistic choice.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Incredibly rare Japanese poster artwork for the mega-fantastic Richard Rush film, Freebie and the Bean. Within 70’s Japanese poster artwork, this particular design and footprint is recognizable across many different posters done for various films. I’m not 100% if there was just one prolific designer that was knocking all these out or not, but regardless certainly in the case here they do a rocking realization of the movie in capturing the overall fun and crazy euphoria of the film.

I dedicate this posting of this poster artwork to Weird Wednesday which is screening one of my personal favorite Umberto Lenzi’s with PARANOIA (more info) this upcoming Wednesday. Note that Mr. Lenzi will be making an appearance Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival this year.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

My love for this movie certainly loves deep and I don’t think I’m alone. Not only do I have a Japanese mini poster for this movie, but I also have an official full size Japanese poster for it. Everything I love about cinema is featured in this movie.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Rock star artwork for Takashi Miike’s Crows Zero (Kurôzu zero). Can’t wait to see this one! Along with Doomsday, ranks up there with one of my most anticipated films to see this year!

Related Coverage:
::: AFM: CROWS 0 Review (Todd @ Twitch)

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

I didn’t at all care for the latest Sammo Hung, Simon Yam and Wu Jing vehicle in Fatal Move, but I definitely dug the wildly fun and nihilistic SPL. This artwork deserves to reworked into a glowing backlit film poster framed in a loving Hong Kong film lovers home.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Poster artwork for the Prachya Pinkaew film Ong-bak which is certainly of all the posters done for the film, this is by far the most exciting! Prachya Pinkaew’s latest film Chocolate is a great balls to the wall follow up with one hell of a bone crunching third act.

Related Coverage:
Chocolate - Mini Review

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Poster artwork for the Nobuhiro Yamashita film The Matsugane Potshot Affair (Matsugane ransha jiken). This movie certainly bares the touch we have grown to expect from Nobuhiro Yamashita with a wonderfully offbeat construction of story and characters. It does however lack much of a third and closing act. It’s like a movie that builds and builds and then suddenly ends at a random intersection of its story. If your already a fan of Nobuhiro Yamashita then there is certainly much to enjoy here with a very bizarre unsatisfying ending.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Really gritty and in your face blood red artwork for the Shinya Tsukamoto film Haze.

Related Coverage:
::: Brief Interview with Shinya Tsukamoto on Nightmare Detective (one of my favorite interviews I did in 2007!)

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook

I posted my interview with ENZO G. CASTELLARI on Twitch earlier this week. It marks my second interview with him and this was more of a quick one. I have to say Mr. Castellari is one of the classiest people I’ve ever met in the film business and to know him is like having a new best friend. Haven’t seen him in awhile now and I miss his energy and always coming up and punching me in the shoulder to say hi.

::: A BRIEF INTERVIEW WITH A LEGEND OF CINEMA – ENZO G. CASTELLARI (Twitch)

Share on Facebook

[ View Image (1024×768) ]

Gen Sekiguchi’s Survive Style 5+! This poster features crazy artwork that works beautifully to translate and capture the spirit of the film.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Japanese Cinema:
::: Jason Gray
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen
::: Midnight Eye
::: Outcast Cinema
::: Ryuganji

(Read more…)

Share on Facebook