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Scenes (Songs) We Love: "This Woman's Work" from 'She's Having a Baby'

By Jessica Barnes (Subscribe to Jessica Barnes's posts), Posted Mar 22nd 2010 6:15PM
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Fandom, Trailers and Clips, Trailers and Clips, Scenes We Love, Cinematical


The other day I took a look back to one of my favorite musical moments from the films of John Hughes, but as time passed I realized there was another song from a Hughes film that doesn't always get the attention it deserves. So at the risk of repeating myself, I thought it was about time that Kate Bush's musical contribution to John Hughes' marital dramedy She's Having a Baby, "This Woman's Work", earned its very own Scenes (Songs) We Love. The 1988 film was written and directed by Hughes and sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of some of Hughes' other films, but the story of Kristy (Elizabeth McGovern) and Jake Briggs (Kevin Bacon), a young newlywed couple who are struggling with the transition from free-wheeling single life to suburban domesticity, is one of his best, and was also one of the last films he would direct before retiring to relative anonymity.

The song was written for the film and later appeared on Bush's album, The Sensual World, in 1989. The lyrics were tailored to fit the visuals that were already filmed for the montage of Jake (Bacon) looking back at his life with his wife as he waits for the news about his child in a hospital waiting room, and even though the song has popped up in various TV shows like Felicity, CSI, and my personal favorite, Extras, over the years, I'm afraid they will always be a pale imitation of Hughes' emotional moment. I have to hand it to Hughes, because long before Judd Apatow was showing us the boys side of childbirth in Knocked Up, Hughes was tackling the isolation and the fear that a man can feel during the birthing process -- and how, sometimes, it's not all about passing out cigars in the waiting room.

After the jump: "All The Things We Should've Said That I Never Said"...
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Free Flick of the Day: 'Kurt and Courtney'

By Jessica Barnes (Subscribe to Jessica Barnes's posts), Posted Mar 21st 2010 8:03PM
Filed under: Documentary, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Home Entertainment, Features, Cinematical
Sometimes I wonder what it must be like to go through the day being Courtney Love -- OK, a sober Courtney Love. Because even if you chose to overlook the serious behavior and substance abuse issues (and I'm not even sure that's possible at this point), it can't be very nice to know that at best, most people think you're a no-talent skank riding off the coattails of your dead husband's legend, and at worst: they think you're the one who killed him. In 1998, UK documentary filmmaker, Nick Broomfield tackled the legend that was Kurt and Courtney and the birth of of the conspiracy theories surrounding his death in 1994, in his feature documentary of the same name -- so if you haven't seen the rock and roll doc, break out your flannel, brew some espresso, and head over to SlashControl, where it's available as one of their free movies.

Broomfield has never been known for being an objective documentary filmmaker, and Kurt and Courtney was no exception. The film starts with an investigation into Cobain's death before turning to an investigation of Love, herself. Love blocked the use of her late husband's music in the film and even refused to speak on camera which only makes it worse, since Broomfield is free to draw his own conclusions. But then again, Broomfield spends most of the film raking her over the coals, so I'm not surprised the combative celebrity wasn't jumping in front of the camera.

But you don't need to be a fan of either Cobain or Love to watch Broomfield's flick, because regardless of whether or not you believe the gossip, the film is a fascinating glimpse into a specific time and place in rock and roll history. Cobain's suicide in that lonely Seattle mansion was the beginning of the end of 'Grunge', and it was as close as the flannel set was ever going to get to having something in common with their hippie parents: being a witness to the demise of a musical revolution.

Head over to SlashControl to watch Kurt and Courtney for free. Read

Has Blockbuster Finally Gone Bankrupt?

By Jessica Barnes (Subscribe to Jessica Barnes's posts), Posted Mar 19th 2010 6:03PM
Filed under: Exhibition, Newsstand, Home Entertainment, Features, Movie News, Cinematical
It was a good run while it lasted, but it looks like the video retail chain Blockbuster is finally on its way to the big strip mall in the sky. Yahoo reports that the video chain is close to filing for bankruptcy after a disastrous year, which saw them losing over $500 million in 2009. The Texas-based company has been meeting with lawyers to discuss their options, and even went as far as to consult Pierpont Communications about how to break the news to the press, and more importantly the stockholders, that the retailer had, "issued a regulatory filing claiming it may need to seek federal bankruptcy protection if it cannot restructure its debt."

So how bad could it be? Well, just take a look at Blockbuster's record over the past few years: they have closed hundreds of stores, sales have gone down by 20%, and profits are plummeting. The retailer made some attempts last year to get into the digital content game, but I think this is a case of too little too late, because revenue from their new kiosks, online rentals, and streaming video hasn't helped. Now compare that to a company like Netflix that has grown annually by 20 per cent and is posting profits of $679.7 million for 2009.

Blockbuster had revealed that it was in negotiations with Hollywood studios for better financial terms to provide their stores with DVDs when the bankruptcy story hit the wire. If Hollywood decides that Blockbuster is too much of a financial risk, it could force the already cash-strapped retailer to make up-front payments for their content, and with 'liquidity' being a real problem for the video retailer, it could be the last nail in the coffin. So far, the financial melt-down is focused in the US, and according to Blockbuster, Canadian and UK stores are just fine. But I can't be the only one who thinks it's just a matter of time before what started out as a joke has gotten one step closer to becoming reality.
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'Lars and the Real Girl' Director Signs for 'Fright Night' Remake

By Jessica Barnes (Subscribe to Jessica Barnes's posts), Posted Mar 17th 2010 6:36PM
Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Deals, Sony, Dreamworks, Remakes and Sequels, Movie News, Cinematical
So there I was, safe and secure in the knowledge that my beloved Fright Night had avoided the curse of the remake (while Sony focused their attention on another horror property). But I should have thought it through, because these days showing a little fang means money in the bank. Back in November, Monika had brought us the news that Buffy scribe, Marti Noxon, had signed on to write the remake of the horror comedy, and today, Variety confirmed that Craig Gillespie has officially signed with Dreamworks to direct the update of the 80's classic about a suburban boy who discovers his neighbor is a vampire and after his girlfriend.

Gillespie might seem like an odd choice to take the reigns, and he only has a few feature credits on his resume (including the critical hit Lars and the Real Girl and the less than critical hit, Mr. Woodcock). As for Noxon, her resume is chock-full of work penning scripts for television, including Buffy, Mad Men, and even Prison Break. But even though her film work is a little spottier, I have a feeling her Buffy experience with 'post-modern' vampire stories will probably come in handy.

The story of a young man in a battle with the vamp next door is probably one of the most beloved horror comedies in movie history, and suffice to say that the fan reaction to a remake wasn't entirely positive. So while it isn't going to be easy to please fans like myself, it isn't impossible, and whether we like it or not, we are getting our remake. Hopefully the addition of Noxon and Gillespie means that the film has a shot at being something a little more interesting than just a poor-man's copy of the real thing. Read

Who Wants To Smell Like a Transformer and Madagascar 2?

By Jessica Barnes (Subscribe to Jessica Barnes's posts), Posted Mar 17th 2010 5:30PM
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Family Films, Movie Marketing, Movie News, Cinematical
We've had a few brushes with strange movie tie-ins around here in the past, but this time, I think we might have hit a new low -- or at the very least, a new standard of strange. If you grew up in the 70s and 80s you probably grew up in the age of the movie tie-in: collecting action figures, hoarding glasses from fast food restaurants, and even buying those terrible novelizations. But a loyal reader by the name of Jeff Solomon has found something a little different than your usual movie tie-in, and has snagged photos of perfume for sale inspired by some of your favorite films. Unfortunately, we're not talking about limited edition scents for Coco avant Chanel, or even Perfume. No, apparently somebody thought it would be a good idea to make scents inspired by such films as Bee Movie, Madagascar 2, and Transformers.

So if you've ever wondered what scent notes could convey Madagascar 2 (of which probably none of you have), now is your chance to dive in, though I can't be the only one wondering if the Madagascar scent would leave you smelling like a zoo animal. This isn't the first time that the world of the big screen has wound up at the perfume counter, as you might remember how back in 2001, NYC-based Demeter Fragrances released a limited edition perfume for Hedwig and The Angry Itch that was a scent reminiscent of hairspray, cigarette smoke, and cheap hotel rooms (kind of gross, but at least it made sense).

So even though I understand that these babies probably aren't official studio marketing tools, on the off chance these scents are the real thing, I think someone might want to sit down with the executive who thought the world needed a Transformers' cologne (for the low, low, price of $19.99) for a nice long talk about appropriate marketing. Read

Scenes (Songs) We Love: "Little B**ch" from 'Sixteen Candles'

By Jessica Barnes (Subscribe to Jessica Barnes's posts), Posted Mar 17th 2010 2:15PM
Filed under: Comedy, Music & Musicals, Fandom, Scenes We Love, Cinematical


It was during the somewhat underwhelming tribute to filmmaker John Hughes, during this year's Oscar telecast, that my eyes misted up ever so slightly. I realized what a big part of growing up his movies had been for me (and I know untold others). In fact, I still get a twinge of nostalgia when I catch one of his films on a Sunday afternoon. But as much as I may love his films, if I had to pick my favorite Hughes' comedy, I would have to go with Sixteen Candles. Unlike so many other '80s films, it's a movie that isn't bound by age, what decade it is, or even what passed for fashion sense, it just remains a very funny movie, and one of Hughes' best. So for today's Scenes (Songs) We Love, I went with a song that maybe isn't the most well known from the film, but it was a big hit around my house thanks to an older sister with a taste for all things 'Mod' -- and she was a redhead, how cool was that? So, if are you unfamiliar with the awesomeness that is The Specials, may I introduce you to "Little Bitch."

The Specials had formed in 1977, but by 1981, most of the original lineup was long gone. The song would have been relatively old by the time Hughes got his hands on it for Candles, since it was on their 79' debut self-titled album. You have to be pretty familiar with the film to place the track, because if you blink you'll miss the classic ska song. But for the curious (and the obsessive) out there, it is the soundtrack to one of my favorite comedy dances of all time, Joan Cusack getting down in a neck brace; like I said, it's easy to miss. However, it is a perfect example of Hughes' spectacular taste when it came to music in his films, and how he would find songs that maybe weren't pop hits, but exposed teens, and pre-teens like myself, to what good music was -- and Cusack doing the new-wave twist was the icing on the cake.

After the jump; I know you know you're just a little bitch!
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Sofia Coppola or Gus Van Sant to Direct 'Breaking Dawn'?

By Jessica Barnes (Subscribe to Jessica Barnes's posts), Posted Mar 16th 2010 2:02PM
Filed under: Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, RumorMonger, Remakes and Sequels, Cinematical
In the world of film journalism, there has been talk of 'critic-proof' films (ie: those movies that no matter how many bad reviews they rack up, the fans just don't care and will see them anyway). But when it comes to the Twilight franchise, it's almost gone beyond 'critic-proof' and straight into 'mockery-proof', because it seems like no matter how many jokes the critics make or how much snark we direct at fans, nothing can stop the love story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Which is good for Summit Entertainment's bottom line, but to their credit they do seem determined to up the 'dignity' factor in each installment of the fantasy romance, and prestige seems to be the word of the day. The latest news of Summit's search for respectability is courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, who are reporting that the studio reached out to Sofia Coppola, Bill Condon (Dreamgirls), and -- wait for it -- Gus Van Sant to take helm of the last installment in the franchise, Breaking Dawn.

Now I have an obsessive need to find out how a story ends sometimes, and while I wasn't willing to work my way through Meyer's opus, I did cheat a little and treat myself to some spoilers here and there. There's no doubt about it, it's going to be a tricky proposition adapting this book for the big screen (as we've discussed at length before), and if you've read it, I'm sure you will agree (I mean -- spoiler alert -- what was up with that C-section thing?). So far, only Van Sant has confirmed that he has spoken to Summit about the job, but was obviously not providing any more information than that. It's a strange short-list to be sure, and I can't even imagine the near toxic levels of ennui the story could reach if Coppola were to take the job.

After the jump: Breaking Dawn could break the bank.... Read
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