Battle of Shaker Heights

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I don't think it's screened where anyone from ILE would have seen it, but how do you think the Battle of Shaker Heights (Project Greenlight movie this season) is going to turn out?

Shia LeBouf looks like he's overacting, Amy Smart is difficult to take seriously as an actress, and you don't really see anything of the other performances. It looks to me like Miramax/the producers/the directors screwed up, trying to cast big names over acting ability.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 23:15 (twenty-two years ago)

it looks like it's gotta be better than Stolen Summer but my hopes aren't too high. I've enjoyed this season ALOT more than last season though. I hope it's good enough/does well enough to get another season, and I hope if they're another season they don't just pick ANOTHER coming of age story.

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I like reality tv basically when merely being on tv isn't the primary motivation of the people on it.

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 23:39 (twenty-two years ago)

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 23:40 (twenty-two years ago)

oh and the kyle - 'what happened to working up to the last minute? that's what independent cinema's about' efrem - 'yeah, I don't think we're independent anymore' exchange was the understatement of the series

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 23:42 (twenty-two years ago)

The moment of the season has been Efrem's pouting after the test screening. "Well, this isn't what I do this for" as he tosses the numbers sheet away.

It's cute how they keep trying to remind you that the screenwriter is still around. How many first-time screenwriters for a studio picture hang around for the editing?

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I know - that is soooooooo atypical

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:40 (twenty-two years ago)

and as much as I think 'what fuckheads' at least three (or thirty) times an episode with kyle and efrem I did kinda feel for him when he did his 'we're not in this for test screenings' pout

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I would have, too, if they hadn't joked about it scoring in the 90s and basically pretended that it's a masterpiece.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:44 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, that was pretty hilarious

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:45 (twenty-two years ago)

what was really funny was the miramax guys all reiterating 'unless it's just unwatchably bad it'll score above a 55' and then it scored in the forties.

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"Our first movie scored an 89..."
"but that was American Pie"

Cinematic brilliance! Thus proving that maybe the two dweebs are right, and you shouldn't care about the test numbers.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Those two shouldn't have been picked to direct that screenplay.

― Andy K (Andy K), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

that's true

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:57 (twenty-two years ago)

The writer actually owns the screenplay, so it's in her contract to be on set and offer opinions. She has to approve the film. That's an unusual set-up in Hollywood but it was part of the quasi-utopian idea of the producers.

Anyway, her instincts seem(ed) much better than those of the directors.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:58 (twenty-two years ago)

although considering how miramax is deciding to market 'crazy teen hijinx - with attitude' (when up to now all the talk was 'touching character study of youth doncha know') maybe miramax knew what it was doing

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 00:59 (twenty-two years ago)

There's something about the trailer that reminds me of the Buffalo Soldiers trailer, but I can't pinpoint it.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 02:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a sinking feeling that this film will be a disaster, but I think Shia LeBouf's performance (from what they've shown) is classic. The scene where he's throwing stuff at the Roswell girl was great. The scene with the family group hug was cringeworthy. I was surprised they picked these guys to direct after the other director stalked the screenwriter at the beginning. Their humor seems so broad in contrast with how the screenplay came across.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 15:48 (twenty-two years ago)

The two directors literally had nothing to offer, but at least they weren't offering tons of USELESS CRAP (i.e. "can you make that line more.... orange??").

I'm making no judgements about Shia, i think he could be great but when the directors give you nothing combined with line-readings ("line-reading": where the director actually SAYS the line the way he wants you to say it) it's not your fault that it looks like you're forcing it.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

It's interesting see variations in the temperaments of actors. Amy Smart seems really testy and she (rightfully, but tactlessly) gave her director the finger. William Sadler on the other hand was like the picture of professionalism and was probably biting his tongue something fierce when the directors set up the "group hug" shot.

You can see why so many H'wood movies stink, because the producer is a bright guy who knows what *not* to do but doesn't seem to know what *to* do. Well, I doubt much could be made of any project with this pair of directors.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Also the 10-year gap between the leads is a problem.... I wonder how it'll come off on film.

(I like in the second episode when the asst mentions Amy Smart and Shia says, "She's hot." The assistant replies, "And you'll get to meet her!")

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

The scene with Ray Wise and the russian dolls looked funny.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Sadler initiated the hug!! that was pure commando improv shit!!!

i think it is TOTALLY INTERESTING to see the junior producer morphing into an exact replica of chris moore

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah, that's right! I forgot about that. I guess that's a lesson that if the directors aren't strong the actors will step in and take over and the results can be disastrous.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:22 (twenty-two years ago)

WILL be disastrous

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

the mom's "on-the-verge-of-a-breakdown scene" to thread

to make the scene less "melodramatic" the directors give this brilliant direction to the mom: "tone it down a little" or something equally inane

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

it finally occured to me that what they were hoping would happen with choosing these directors was that they could get some kind of magical "About a Boy" effect, where the directors of (once again) American Pie did an about-face and produced an excellent, surprising, understated dramatic/comedic gem. But I don't think its going to turn out that way.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, they forgot that a) those guys made American Pie first and b) alot of people were surprised how well they pulled off About a Boy

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Tune in this week for:

-Efrem ruining any chance he and Kyle had of a post-Greenlight Hollywood career.

-Kyle and Efrem learning to work with their screenwriter and producer two days before the deadline. Way to go, fellas.

-the young producer continuing to morph into Chris Moore (GO ON A DIET BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE)

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 18 August 2003 02:29 (twenty-two years ago)

haha!

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Monday, 18 August 2003 02:36 (twenty-two years ago)

that inspirational speech on the street corner was fantastic

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Monday, 18 August 2003 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Too many Titanic metaphors for one half-hour show.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 18 August 2003 02:39 (twenty-two years ago)

First reviews posted at rottentomatoes. Elvis Mitchell, surprise surprise, didn't like it.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 22 August 2003 01:08 (twenty-two years ago)

ooh ooh thanx!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 22 August 2003 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

the editing/brainstroming sessions b/t the writer and directors at the last minute really depressed me. yeah, i know, they came out with a "better movie." but it's like no one had any interest in defending a vision of the film aside from what rick thought would play best based on no-doubt rock solid marketing science (??). also it was like watching a group of prickly soldiers who know they are defeated congenially shaking hands and popping open the remaining bottles of wine before they are overrun by the hun.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

And yet this movie looks better than Richard Linklater's latest - http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/school_of_rock/large.html

Yikes.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 22 August 2003 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

i dislike jack black. he is no leading man. but i sort of trust linklater for some weird reason. a lot of his films looked rub in the previews and synoposes and turned out to be better than expected. "before sunrise" anyone?

plus the "i had a hangover. do you know what that means?" "that you're drunk?" "no, that i was drunk *yesterday*" exchange is pretty funny.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

no surprise, this movie got trashed in the NY Times today.

I'm going to see Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator instead.

― hstencil, Friday, 22 August 2003 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

which movie got trashed?

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:03 (twenty-two years ago)

the one this thread's about.

― hstencil, Friday, 22 August 2003 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

oh.

wait! is that linklater thing based on the langley schools project or something? are they trying to pre-empty tom cruise's shaggs movie?

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

do you mean pre-empt?

― hstencil, Friday, 22 August 2003 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Uh, he means pre-empty. If the theater's already been emptied no one can exactly SEE the Tom Cruise movie, can they? Jeez. Some people.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

exactly!

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

(tracer can i hire you to retroactively provide intellectual sheen to all my malapropisms?)

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a full-time job doing that for my own, amateurist

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

but what if someone held a fire drill like five minutes before the Tom Cruise movie started? That would be cheaper than making a whole 'nother movie, right?

― hstencil, Friday, 22 August 2003 20:15 (twenty-two years ago)

what's funny about "greenlight" (actually not funny, just crappy) is that the tensions b/t the participants gets all the play and the actual artistic decisions are relegated to the background if not eliminated altogether. all the poliltics surrounding postproduction were centered around what were presumably several scenes, but we were never let in on which scenes and how they were rearranged/removed/reinserted. i suppose they don't want to keep people out of the theaters by showing too much of the film but still the resulting emphasis really diminishes the interest for me.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

also i like the screenwriter, she seems quite mature compared to the directors. first of all by most accounts her script was quite good. second after fighting pretty valiantly for her version of the film, but without trying to step on the directors' toes on-set, she eventually becomes a good sport and helps the directors finish it up in the editing room. clearly she's sort of let go of this project, is doing what she can to help, and is thinking of the next project.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I think these movies will be best experienced with the DVD, assuming the Greenlight series and finished movie (and maybe even first cut, etc) are integrated in an illuminating way.

― nickn (nickn), Friday, 22 August 2003 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

yes but whose commentary will we get??

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 23 August 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Rick from marketing

― cinniblount (James Blount), Saturday, 23 August 2003 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"Goddamit, if they'd done what I said to start with we would have made MILLIONS." repeat endlessly

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Saturday, 23 August 2003 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

Woo, got it on DVD today. Will report later.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 5 December 2003 04:01 (twenty-two years ago)

YOU BOUGHT THE DVD?!!!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 5 December 2003 04:35 (twenty-two years ago)

is the series included on the dvd?

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 5 December 2003 04:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Hell yeah!

I order stuff through my brother's job, so I get it all for wholesale (or less, depending on what kind of mood he's in). I figure that for $4+tax at blockbuster plus the inevitable late fee, I might as well pay another $3 to own my own. (Also in today: Buffy Season Five, Firefly: The Complete Series and a set of Horatio Hornblower DVDs to give to my dad for Christmas. It was an expensive day.)

No series yet. I don't know if it would be worth the $30 to see episodes I've already seen of a movie.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 5 December 2003 04:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I tuned out about halfway through the series; the directors were proving to be such clueless jerkwaters that I wasn't even enjoying watching them make asses out of themselves. I felt bad for the actors; those guys seemed like they expected to throw all of the ingredients into a bowl and the cake would just make itself while they sat back in chairs with their names on them and watched.

― webcrack (music=crack), Friday, 5 December 2003 06:47 (twenty-two years ago)

That last sentence should be "episodes I've already seen about making a movie that will probably be bad."

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 5 December 2003 06:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Has the screenwriter woman gotten another gig yet? I figure the directors are toast, but she came off quite well.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 5 December 2003 07:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I found it hard to watch sometimes too, those directors kept vacillating between entertainingly insane and just batshit-annoying. Also, they have some of the most vacant, PUNCHABLE faces on the planet. I sometimes wondered if they were there to make Chris Moore everyone else look like saints in comparison.

i spotted the short, slightly gayer one in the audience of Inside the Actor's Studio w/Clint Eastwood! he was sporting that same creepy pod-person stare, I don't understand how Eastwood could resist wandering into the audience and mauling him.

― Adrian (Adrian Langston), Friday, 5 December 2003 10:10 (twenty-two years ago)

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Battle of Shaker Heights - C/D