Week Of November 6, 2006 - Mon / Wed / Fri

November 10, 2006

I have to admit, I am finding it harder and harder tom come up with Friday columns.

It doesn't make it any easier when I spend my days seeing movie after movie on which I am embargoed. Five this week that just aren't open for business yet… three more at AFI that already made it to the blog and Wednesday's THB. And feature this… three of the five will get a lot of praise when I finally let loose.

You wanna hear about the last minute set visit this week on which I got to watch two teens try to have sex while extremely drunk? It was very funny. But, sorry…. not ready for public consumption. (The rumor was going around the set that Sid Caesar was dead… he turned 84 in September… but no, not at all dead.)

The funny thing is, I'm not complaining. I am fine with the structure. But when it sucks up so many hours a week and there is so little going on outside of these movies in the business this week, it doesn't leave a lot of room for a column.

And there will be three more movies on the schedule today, at least one of which I will be allowed to write about right away... unless I don't like it… because it's a little indie and I won't feel any need to beat up on it if I don't like it.

Complicated.

Aside from that, I'm sure you're tired of the ongoing discussion of where the media is headed. Earlier this week, Cathy Seipp went after a P Goldy piece on a right wing film fest for being snarky. I do think there is an interesting discussion there. I agree with those who say Patrick is a columnist and has an absolute right to his opinion. But what gets more complicated is when people have historically reported columns and then mix reporting with opinion. Separating the two is an issue, and particularly so at Traditional Media outlets where they are used to having much stricter boundaries.

Like I said… a little played out.

I have been enjoying the unusual ads for Stranger Than Fiction this week, featuring the real Will Ferrell with cue cards with pull quotes, the last few of which are "written by Will himself."

An interesting idea. Fiction is a tough sell. It's basically a women's movie, but with a star who skews very male, and a female lead who is less well known than the two supporting actors. Low end romantic comedies don't sell well, but as an oddball concept movie, you're in even worse trouble.

The idea of pulling the real performer out of the fiction of the film to sell it is really, really interesting to me. I guess we'll see if it works. My guess is that even if it doesn't, others will notice and try it when they face marketing challenges on a film with a popular star sometime.

I haven't seen A Good Year, but if you think you might like Harsh Times or Stranger Than Fiction, you probably will. And of course, there are triple the Borat screens if you didn't get there last weekend. Good luck. I'll be at the movies… waiting for the moment I can say something.

E Me.

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