Why the New Aladdin Has a Reason to Exist

While I agree that there should have been people of color behind the camera I still think on screen representation matters. The original 1992 movie features not some but ALL white actors. The villains also perform with an accent and have darker tones than the heroes. At no point in the long process of making that animated movie did they consider this casting being a problem. People seem to forget that it was a film made solely to make money and not some pure artistic endeavor. Hell they even tried to screw Robin Williams with a deceptive contract. I think nostalgia, especially in fandom (also see Star Wars), can be a blinding and toxic thing. I’m so disappointed in some of the reactions and comparisons to the original. I personally love the new cast. Most of these actors have played terrorists or criminals in shows including 24, Homeland and Jack Ryan. You can find interviews where they discuss how it’s been hard to find good non-stereotypical roles. I was so happy to see them get to play these parts and in a big fun studio movie. Kids all over can now watch a movie where they will see brown faces they will admire and which can help normalize someone you usually see playing a criminal. There is only one white actor in the film and he’s just a brief comedic aside. We don't have many other examples of American movies like this. There was also casting criticism despite Agrabah being a fictional place inspired by many different cultures, much like Marvel’s Wakanda. Like Black Panther I think the casting should reflect that and not decree only a specific group of brown people should be represented. If the origins of the story draw (or you could say exploit) from various cultures shouldn’t actors from various cultures be allowed to participate? It’s especially baffling when people criticize this casting while praising the original. Disney has a long history of lacking diversity in their storytelling and of flat out racism. The problems of these older films shouldn’t be ignored because of nostalgia. I love The Simpsons for example but The Problem with Apu documentary shed new light on an issue I didn’t give a second thought when I was younger. This new non-white Aladdin absolutely should exist and I hope a new generation of kids embrace it. The stage version already course corrected the diversity problems of the original Lion King and regardless of how you feel about the CG animation, that upcoming remake too has a reason to exist.

Reel Artsy

I have joined film blog Reelartsy.com as a contributor. All of my posts can now be found there.

Tarantino!

This is why I love LA.

Comic-Con 09 Wrap Up

THURSDAY
I missed the Alice in Wonderland panel with Tim Burton because of those damn twilighters but I made it into Avatar. Cameron showed about 25 minutes of footage in real 3D. It was incredible. The animation really captured the actor's nuances and the level of detail was astounding. Everything in it was alive and moving. Then came Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus panel. Gilliam was joined by Verne Troyer and introduced some amazing footage that showcased his trademark visual style. Ledger is fantastic as always and is joined by Johhny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell, Christopher Plummer as Parnassus, and Tom Waits as the devil! Up next was Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass, based on Mark Millar's comic. This was the first time any footage had been shown and it was spectacular. Nicolas Cage shoots a little girl. It completely surprised me and was hilarious, action-packed, and well...kick ass. It's a love letter to comics and comic book fans and I can't wait for this movie. I left hall H to go to the screening of Green Lantern: First Flight, but didn't make it in. Luckily it came out today anyways.

FRIDAY
First up was the massive WB panel which started with Where The Wild Things Are. The kid who plays Max introduced a featurette which was followed by some full scenes from the movie. It looks absolutely gorgeous. This is everything I want this film to be. I loved the book as a kid and to see it come to life in such a creative way is heartwarming. Spike Jonze and the Jim Henson company have truly made something special. Then came The Hughes Brothers with The Book of Eli panel with surprise guests Gary Oldman and Denzel Washington! The trailer was cool with Denzel doing martial arts in a post-apocalyptic world. Then came the Nightmare on Elm Street remake with Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy. Looks very mediocre. I miss Robert. Then Richard Kelly's The Box panel where he was joined by Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. They showed an extended trailer that looked so awesome. Then Kelly gave away a replica of the box signed by him and the cast to a lucky fan who found a poster under their seat. Then the Jonah Hex panel with Josh Brolin and Megan Fox. All questions go to Fox. Footage features crazy western action. Malkovich is the bad guy. Somebody shouts Goonies and Brolin jokes that this is an older version of his Goonies character. He's really funny and super nice. Then Robert Downey Jr. came out of nowhere and introduced the Sherlock Holmes extended clip. Really funny and great action. Guy Ritchie does a buddy cop movie with excellent results. He was then joined by Rachel McAdams and Joel Silver. Then came Disney's Animation Panel with Lee Unkrich, Kirk Wise, Ron Clements, John Musker, and Hayao Miyazaki(!). John Lasseter hosted the panel, and Patton Oswalt moderated. Miyazaki got a standing ovation and charmed the crowd even as he spoke through his translator. Just being in the same room with him was so cool. They showed (deep breath) the whole Toy Story 2 opening in 3D, the trailer for the Toy Story double feature in 3D, a specially made clip from Toy Story 3 featuring the debut of Michael Keaton as Ken, a scene from Beauty and the Beast in 3D, a clip and an entire musical sequence from the Princess and the Frog, and a jaw-dropping clip from Ponyo. Then the 9 panel with director Shane Acker, producer Tim Burton, Elijah Wood, and Jennifer Connelly. Footage looked great. Surprisingly no Labyrinth questions. Later came the Entertainment Weekly Visionaries panel where filmmakers James Cameron and Peter Jackson discussed 3D, digital effects, and how they have managed their film careers. Really smart guys who love playing with new toys.

SATURDAY
Over sleep, run to the hall H line for Lost, but don't get in. Make it to the Oni booth for the Bryan Lee O'Malley signing. He's super cool, compliments my Scorsese shirt, and signs my vol. 1 of Scott Pilgrim. Head back to to the hall H line, don't make Zombieland or Iron Man 2 but get in for the legendary Kevin Smith panel. He is on his A game and brings down the room. After that we leave to get on the shuttle for the Robot Chicken Party. There's pizza, roller skating, exclusive merch, dancing stormtroopers, and other craziness.

SUNDAY
Hit the floor and pick up some cool Trek swag (including a tribble) then head to ballroom 20. The American Dad panel has showrunners Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman and stars Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schall, and Dee Bradley Baker. They announce an epic Christmas episode that involves the rapture and heavy metal music. Then proceed to do a live table read of the first act, show the animatic of the second act, and then show the fully animated third act! After that it was Mystery Team panel with the guys from comedy troupe Derrick Comedy, writers/stars Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson, producer Meggie McFadden, and director/editor Dan Eckman. They show a new short film featuring the Mystery Team characters that is crazy funny. Their Q&A is of course priceless. Then the Paper Heart panel with Charlyne Yi. Great clips and really funny Q&A. Looks like a sweet film that's also really funny. Go back to the floor for more swag and purchases. Meet all the guys from Derrick Comedy at their booth, they take a picture with me and all sign a poster of Mystery Team for me. They couldn't have been nicer and now I like them even more. It was a great con, had a lot of fun, and a big goofy smile on my face the whole time. My favorites were Avatar, Where The Wild Things Are, and Kick-Ass.

Fun with Photoshop

Click the shark for a big version.

Go See MOON

Currently in limited release. It's smart sci-fi that's also heartbreaking drama. Sam Rockwell gives an amazing Oscar-worthy performance and the score by Clint Mansell is emotionally devastating. The less you know about the plot the better. It will easily make my top ten list this year.

LOST Meets FULL HOUSE

LOST Season Finale Tonight!

The two hour fifth-season finale, entitled The Incident, airs tonight at 9/8c on ABC. Jack's decision to put a plan in action in order to set things right on the island is met with some strong resistance by those close to him, and Locke assigns Ben a difficult task. Fan favorites Rose and Bernard return and the guest star list also shows there will be appearances of young Kate, young Juliet, young Sawyer, and young Tom. I'm interested to see how Tom's backstory fits into the puzzle. I also hope they finish the time travel stuff before they get themselves into a paradox. It was written by showrunners Damon Lindelof/Carlton Cuse and directed by Jack Bender. There will also be a Lost recap episode at 8/7c.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG Trailer

Disney returns to classic animation with this New Orleans musical tale. It was written and directed by acclaimed animation duo John Musker & Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules) and scored by Oscar-winning composer Randy Newman. It stars the voices of Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos (a Brazilian!), Oprah Winfrey, Keith David, Jim Cummings, John Goodman, Jenifer Lewis, and Terrence Howard. I'm so glad John Lasseter (who produced) convinced Disney to return to their roots and hopefully the film will be a big success. Also, I believe this is the first time Disney is doing an indie film style release strategy. It will open in limited release on November 25th, then wide on December 11th.

New LOST Tonight

A new episode, entitled Follow The Leader, airs tonight at 9/8c on ABC. Jack and Kate find themselves at odds over the direction to take to save their fellow island survivors, Locke further solidifies his stance as leader of The Others, and Sawyer and Juliet come under scrutiny from the Dharma Initiative. It was written by Paul Zbyszewski/Elizabeth Sarnoff and directed by Stephen Williams.

Coppola's TETRO Trailer

Francis Ford Coppola returned to directing after a ten year break with the overlooked 2007 indie Youth Without Youth and now he's back with another indie, also his first original screenplay since The Conversation. I love Coppola's return to his roots and hopefully Lucas will follow his lead. If Coppola wasn't enough, the casting of eccentric actor Vincent Gallo and the amazing black and white cinematography make this a must see. It will be released June 11th.

New LOST Tonight

A new episode (the 100th!), entitled The Variable, airs tonight at 9/8c on ABC. The time of reckoning has begun when Daniel Faraday comes clean regarding what he knows about the island. It was written by Edward Kitsis/Adam Horowitz and directed by Paul Edwards. I'm so glad to see more Faraday! This could be my favorite episode since The Constant.

CHUCK & HEROES Season Finales Tonight

The season finale of Chuck, entitled Chuck vs. The Ring, airs tonight at 8/7c on NBC. I thought the first season of Chuck was alright but I really enjoyed the second season. The show does have its problems, the humor is hit or miss and it doesn't get geek culture as well as other shows (like The Big Bang Theory or The IT Crowd), but the drama is always solid and it's a fun show. Plus you can always count on 'Browncoat' favorite Adam Baldwin and a pack of geek-friendly guest stars (including Tony Hale, Chevy Chase, and Scott Bakula) to entertain. It hasn't been picked up for a third season so this could be the final episode if NBC is dumb enough to cancel it, even though they've kept the vastly inferior Heroes around. In the season two finale, Ellie and Awesome's wedding day arrives but Chuck must save his sister from evil Fulcrum forces and Ted Roark (Chevy Chase). Plus the return of Jeffster!


The season finale of Heroes, entitled An Invisible Thread, airs tonight at 9/8c on NBC. Except for a few bright spots like Bryan Fuller's episode and guest star Zeljko Ivanek, the show has gotten pretty bad and I keep watching in the hope that it will return to its former glory. This episode has been getting terrible reviews and NBC should really let Bryan Fuller run the show next season if they want to salvage it. In the season three finale, Nathan faces off against Sylar to keep him from meeting the President (guest star Michael Dorn). Sylar has his own plans for his new partner. Meanwhile, Hiro learns that there are repercussions to regaining his ability. Elsewhere, Matt is forced to go to extraordinary lengths to protect his future with his family.

Soderbergh Casts Demetri Martin in MONEYBALL

Lately there has been a growing trend of casting comedians in dramatic films whether it's Todd Barry and Judah Friedlander in Aronofsky's The Wrestler, Patton Oswalt and a whole crew of comedians in Soderbergh's The Informant, or Demetri Martin in Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock. Now Martin has lined up another big role alongside Brad Pitt in Steven Soderbergh's "Moneyball," the adaptation of the Michael Lewis book about ballplayer-turned-Oakland Athletics manager Billy Beane (Pitt) and his attempt to field a competitive team on a slim payroll. Martin will play Paul De Podesta, a Harvard grad who turned down Wall Street jobs to use his statistical skills to change baseball scouting tactics. His system, known as "Earned Run Value," allowed Beane to evaluate valuable players he could hire at low cost. Also joining the cast is a group of actual baseball players: former Oakland A's team members David Justice and Scott Hatteberg have signed on to play themselves in the picture, while Daryl Strawberry and Lenny Dykstra are among those who will be seen on camera being interviewed about their experiences with Beane when he was drafted by the New York Mets before becoming a baseball scout. Oscar-winning screenwriter Steve Zaillian is doing a rewrite on a script originated by Stan Chervin. I think Martin is one of funniest comedians working today (watch his show on Comedy Central for proof) and I'm excited to see him transition to movies. Taking Woodstock will be released on Aug. 14th and Moneyball begins shooting in June.

First Photo of ROBIN HOOD

The first image from Ridley Scott's upcoming Robin Hood film has been released. They have decided to go with a more modern style which producer Brian Grazer says "looks, if anything, more like he did in Gladiator than anything we're used to seeing with Robin Hood." Nobody does period epics like Scott and while I haven't seen the BBC series I am glad to see the character back in a big way. Joining Crowe is Cate Blanchett as Maid Marion, Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Eleanor, Mark Strong as Sir Godfrey, Oscar Issac as King John, Léa Seydoux as French Princess Isabella, William Hurt as Earl of Pembroke, Scott Grimes as Will Scarlet, Kevin Durand as Little John, and Alan Doyle as Allan Adayle. The Sheriff of Nottingham has not been announced but how awesome would it be if they got Alan Rickman to reprise his role?

New LOST Tonight

A new episode, entitled Some Like It Hoth, airs tonight at 9/8c on ABC. Ben is abducted from the infirmary, arousing concern that hostiles have gotten into the Dharma village again. Meanwhile, Hurley and a reluctant Miles team up to deliver a package to a Dharma bigwig. It was written by Melinda Hsu Taylor/Greggory Nations and directed by Jack Bender. Looks like we will finally learn some more about the elusive Miles and is that not the best episode title ever?

New INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS Footage

So apparently Quentin Tarantino did a guest spot on American Idol last night (to help publicity I assume) but the good news is a new behind the scenes clip from his latest flick was released. It also shows some new clips from the film including the first look at Mike Myer's character General Fenech. It looks like it could be his most violent film and continues in the same 70s approach as Death Proof. It seems that Brad Pitt is having the most fun he's had since Burn After Reading and the war genre could certainly use a fresh take. The Nazi-killin starts on August 21st.

DEPARTURES Gets A Limited Release

One of the biggest surprises at this year's Oscars was best foreign film going to Japan's Departures instead of the favored Waltz with Bashir. Now Regent Releasing is giving the film a limited release on May 29th. The film follows Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and who is suddenly left without a job. He answers a classified ad entitled “Departures” thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial. It looks like a charming Jim Jarmusch-style movie with dry humor, charming characters, and emotional moments. Once you've seen Up, seek it out along with The Brothers Bloom this May. Check out the trailer below.

TV-to-Film Adaptations

With State of Play (based on the BBC series) coming out this week and Hannah Montana currently #1 at the box office, I've been thinking about TV transitions. Studios have long mined the tube for ideas hoping to recapture some of that magic on the big screen but for every Mission Impossible there is a Wild Wild West lurking around the corner. Movies that use the same crew tend to be successful (Serenity, Borat) while movies that are made years after are hit or miss. So how do you stay true to the show without just making a 2 hour episode? (I'm looking at you Simpsons Movie) The best ones expand the universe of the show and do things they couldn't do in the series, using the medium to its full advantage. A bigger budget and the freedom of new settings offer countless opportunities to explore the characters we love. A great adaptation can even surpass its predecessor, I know I can't think of The Addams Family without conjuring up images of Raul Julia and a bald Christopher Loyd. Having said that, TV has come a long way especially in the last decade. With shows like The Sopranos, The Wire, and Battlestar Galactica, TV has proved it can do things that film simply cannot. Clearly some stories belong on the small screen. So what should be adapted and what should be left alone? I think if there is something to add to the narrative and talented people behind it, I'm willing to give it a chance.

New LOST Tonight

A new episode, entitled Dead Is Dead, airs tonight at 9/8c on ABC. To atone for sins of the past, Ben must attempt to summon the smoke monster in order to be judged. It was written by Brian K. Vaughan(!)/Elizabeth Sarnoff and directed by Stephen Williams. Also the new quirky cop show THE UNUSUALS, which stars LOST's Michael, premieres right after.