#Charlie Sheen Interview

[serendipi777y]

Charlie sheen 2011 interview is an addict's oracle

[havithreatendub4]

#May 17, 1993 #may 1993 #audio #opening #Planet Hollywood #London #Charlie Sheen

[booberfaggle]

"It's not available because if you try it, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body."

i am bewildered and bemused

[chongoblog]

I don’t remember the full details and I’m sure he’s hashtag problematic or whatever but I like to think that just during that interview, Charlie Sheen was my babygirl

[thealogie]

The range of response to roommate conflict from Glenn Howerton/ Michael Sheen “I’m going to throw piss and feces in your face” to Charlie Day/David Tennant “Cool man!”

Literallyyyyy. On a related note, if I could pick just one actors on actors interview in the world it would be Michael Sheen and Glenn Howerton.

[foodfightnovelization]

Interview With A Cast Member, Action Figures and More!

Hey everyone! It's time for another update. As mentioned in my previous post, I was lucky enough to be able to interview an actual cast member from Foodfight! a while ago. Her name is Holly Cruikshank (or at least it was when the movie was in production, today she goes by Holly Ireland) and she did the motion capture for Lady X! So yeah, I didn't score an interview with Charlie Sheen or Christopher Lloyd or anything- but did you really expect that from a small blog like this? Besides, it was wonderful talking to Holly and she made it clear from the start she had only good things to say about working on the movie- a far cry from a lot of crewmembers who unfortunately had a thoroughly miserable time on the project.

For example, this animator (who appropriately titles themselves "tortured artist") talks about their experience on Foodfight! with nothing short of hatred. A large amount of said hate is directed towards the director, Lawrence Kasanoff, who apparently made them clean up his dog's diarrhea and switched up what they were supposed to be working on on a whim, as well as ordering constant do-overs on scenes that had already been done countless times over. This really sounds like a terrible work environment, and as much as I have a sincere apprecation for Foodfight! it's clear there was some incredibly poor direction going on behind the scenes, and that Kasanoff treated a lot of crewmembers really badly. But there are two sides to every story, and in my interview with Holly she speaks of working on Foodfight! with people who were genuinely excited to be there every day and thoroughly enjoyed their time on it. So without further ado, here's my full interview with her, taken directly from our emails with each other (the purple text is me, and the black text is her).

This was a really lovely interview, and I was delighted to talk to someone who was so happy to discuss the movie and share their experience on it in a positive way. Some interesting things to note here are that the show she was doing was a Broadway play called "Movin' Out", and if you look up footage of that show online...

...the character Holly is playing in that show looks INCREDIBLY similar to Lady X! The dark hair, the red dress, etc... is it possible Kasanoff cast her because of how closely she resembled the character he wanted her to play? I can't say for sure, but it's definitely interesting. It's also sweet that she talks fondly of Larry, remembering him being kind, fun and supportive, especially considering how negatively a lot of former crewmembers speak of him. Not that said crewmembers are in the wrong for this- considering Larry's apparent behavior during production I'd say all their comments are justified, it's just interesting to get a different perspective on the matter.

She also mentions filming all the motion capture, then having to come back around a year later to do some more scenes- presumably this was down to either not having correctly captured some scenes the first time (the motion capture technology seems like it was quite temperamental) or script revisions requiring some scenes to be redone. I think it's also a really fun anecdote to share that when she did the motion capture she was in the early stages of her pregnancy- and by the time the movie finally came out her daughters were old enough to actually watch the movie! It really puts into perspective just how long it took for Foodfight! to get released.

I also completely agree that the creative team behind the movie had "an amazing story and idea" and I think it's fantastic she was excited to be a part of "something inventive and unique"- I really do think there's a hidden gem at the heart of Foodfight!, it's just hard to see with the horrible animation casting such a large shadow over it- I don't blame her daughters for not wanting to watch the finished film). Overall though it was a pleasure talking to Holly, she was so enthusiastic about the movie, as well as being very gracious and open to answering all my questions- even telling me to let her know if there was anything else I wanted to ask. A lot of people who worked on Foodfight! had their lives go in very different directions after they finished working on it, and with there also not being many fans of the film to begin with, I imagine this was the first time anyone had really asked her about it. It was really fantastic to get to talk to someone who worked on the movie, but I have other things I'd like to share in this post as well!

That's right, Foodfight! action figures! No, not the plush toys that were actually released and sold off in arcades and carnivals as prizes, these were prototypes that never made it to shelves. These pictures were found in the trademark registration documents for Foodfight! and show off a wide variety of Foodfight! figures and plush toys, none of which have ever been seen before or since.

First off, we have a line of small collectible figurines, based on all your favorite characters from the film! There's Dex Dogtective, Daredevil Dan, Sunshine Goodness, Vlad Chocool, Cheazel the Weasel, Polar Penguin, Maximillus Moose, an Xobyte, Lord Flushington, a Brand X soldier, Hairy Hold, Lady X, Lieutenant X, General X, and a variant of Dex in his fancy tuxedo. That's a pretty wide range of figures, 15 in all! Towards the back, you can also see a set of 5 of these figures packaged up, and on the box we can see these were made by Playmates, as opposed to Nanco, who created the actual merchandise released for the movie. Honestly, the way these figures are designed, the way they have no articulation, and the way they're packaged, they remind me a lot of Homies. You guys remember Homies, right? The little figures you could win in capsule machines (or buy sets of) that depicted various caricatures of Mexican-American culture? No? Well those would've been popular around the time these figures were made, so I wonder if they were an inspiration? In any case, these figures look ADORABLE and I wish they were fully produced, because I'd LOVE to have had a full set of them. They're so teeny and tiny and cartoony, they're adorable. At the very top of the first image, we can also see the packaging for something called "Dex Dogtective's Utility Belt", but since we can't see the rest of it, there's no knowing what it would've consisted of.

Onto the second image, and this is where it gets interesting. These are plush toys of various movie characters, but they're very different to the ones that actually came out (a given, considering these were prototypes and made by a different company). They're incredibly detailed and have hats and coats made out of different textured materials (with Dex's hat being a hard plastic for instance), and are seemingly the kind of plush toy with a hard wire interior so that you can pose them in various different ways. A sign below also says "We're electronic! We say movie phrases!" Again, none of the official movie toys are electronic (but it's debatable if even these were given they're just prototypes). And of course it has to be said, these plush toys look FAR superior to the ones that were actually released. Just for fun, here's a comparison between the prototype Dex plush and the one that was actually released.

I have to admit, I started laughing out loud putting these two pictures side by side. I'm reminded of that popular internet joke (look it up if you're not aware of it) of a character saying "this edible ain't shit-" and then cutting to to them looking absolutely wrecked. With that being said though, it's not entirely fair to compare a prototype to a mass-produced plush toy, and I still find the released Foodfight! toys to be endearing enough that I'm currently in the process of collecting a full set of them. (I'm hoping to collect every piece of Foodfight! merchandise at some point, I'll make a fantastic post showing everything off eventually). Regardless, it's an interesting look into what might've been with the world of Foodfight! toys, and it's fascinating to see them all presented this way- it makes me think of that scene from Toy Story 2 where Woody sees Al's "Woody's Roundup" collection and realizes he was famous. Everything here is laid out in a way that makes Foodfight! look like it was a smash hit. Not in this world though...maybe in some other world.

Anyway, I have one more thing to talk about in this post. Remember a while ago, when I talked about the various Foodfight! websites over the years? It turns out I actually missed one! In around 2008, the Threshold Animation Studios website had a section on Foodfight! containing some very interesting information about the movie. You can view it here: https://web.archive.org/web/20081003194856/http://thresholdanimationstudios.com/foodfight.html

Unfortunately, only the website's text has been preserved, so none of the images have been archived. There's a main page explaining the plot of the movie and a subpage about the cast, but that's not what we're here to talk about. We're here to talk about the Foodfight! Foundation.

So yes, as bizarre as it sounds, Foodfight! was at one point planned to launch alongside a charity organization that helped cure world hunger and feed starving children. As admirable of a goal as this is, it's also insanely ambitious- cursory research will show the Foodfight! Foundation did exist at one point, but I highly doubt it was ever actually active or fed 10 million kids. It's fascinating to see how much of a hit Kasanoff thought this movie was going to be- sometimes it's good to have realistic expectations in mind.

There's one more thing on this website worth talking about- there's a section called Merchandising Program, and on there we see a list of tie-in merchandise they had planned for the movie. We see videogames, (which we saw a clip of at E3 2006- see a previous post for my discussion of that) amusements (Nanco is mentioned here, who were the company who made the actual Foodfight! plush toys released in stores) but...what's this under publishing?

That's right, it's a mention of the novelization of the feature film! The book that started this whole blog! This is the ONLY official mention of the book I've found anywhere on the internet, and it's fascinating to see it acknowledged in an official capacity by Threshold. This still doesn't answer my one lingering question about the book- WHY is there only one copy of it in the entire world? But if I had to guess, I'd say it was commissioned, written, published and printed just for the sake of showing off to potential investors in the project the merchandising potential the movie had. That's the only reason I can think of that there'd only be one copy, and it fits with the prototype action figures we saw above. But how did the novelization end up on eBay? How did the only existing copy end up in a Goodwill in Minnesota? (that's where it was shipped from) I have no idea...

I hope you all enjoyed this post! I know the topics I discussed here weren't particularly connected to each other and don't segue into one another very well, but I had a whole bunch of Foodfight! stuff I wanted to share and I didn't want to just post my interview with Holly by itself, since it was pretty short. So that's it for this round of Foodfight! facts, knowledge, and wild speculation! Tune in next time for something rather exciting...

[scotianostra]

Alexander Robertson of Struan bnner at Perth Museum.

Alexander was 13th Chief of Clan Donnachaidh, and, according tothe info board, a "dangerous" Jacobite.

Robertson succeeded his father as 13th Chief of Clan Donnachaidh in 1687 and left his studies at the University of St Andrews to join the rising in support of King James VII two years later, fighting alongside John Graham of Claverhouse , Bonnie Dundee or Bluidy Clavers, depending on where your loyalties lay.

Robertson was taken prisoner a few weeks after Battle of Dunkeld in 1689. He was later released but followed his King to France, into exile and became established at the Jacobite Court in St. Germains, remaining there for thirteen years.

He served some time in the French army.before returning to Scotland in 1703. In 1715, he led a force of 500 of his clansmen in support of John Erskine, the 6th Earl of Mar at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. He was again taken prisoner, but later rescued and returned to France.

He wasn't just a soldier though, although not completing his studies at St Andrews Robertson was well educated and his periods of exile gave him time to write poetry in several languages, including English, Gaelic, French, Italian and Latin.

Unsurprisingly, Robertson was a supporter of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites in the '45. He was by then in his mid 70's, but despite his age, he led his clansmen at the Battle of Prestonpans.

After the Jacobite victory, Robertson took as prizes a gold chain, wolf-fur cloak, brandy and a carriage which had belonged to the defeated commander, Johnny Cope. His clansmen escorted him back home in the coach, savouring their success. When the wheel of the coach broke, they carried both Robertson and the coach for the last few miles of the journey.

Folloing the heartache with the defeat at Culloden, his home at Dunalastair was torched by government troops and his estates were forfeited. However, given that Robertson was an old man who was very popular with his clansmen, and had taken only a very limited part in the fighting, the government was in no hurry to oust him and only took over the running of the estate after his death.

Robertson never married, indeed he was a notorious misogynist who enjoyed the 'good life', reciting his own, often rude, poetry to friends and drinking heavily. His portrait as seen in the third pic, held by the National Gallery of Scotland shows Robertson raising a glass of wine and, it is reported that when Bonnie Prince Charlie summoned James Drummond, the Earl of Perth, to support the '45, he was staying with Robertson and could not reply for several weeks owing to his state of drunkenness, you can see his nose has a wee red sheen to it too!

So popular was Robertson as a leader that it is said that 2,000 of his clansmen marched the 14 miles behind his coffin from Carie House (on Loch Rannoch) to his grave in Struan kirkyard. Much of the Robertson land was returned to the clan in 1784.

Robertson was in direct line of descent from Robert Robertson who played an important part on the capture of the murderers of James 1st that I posted about this morning, and for this service was allowed to erect his lands at Rannoch and Fearnan into a free barony. More about that in the video below.

I did a dig around and found that Struan featured in a BBC series, Scotland’s Clans, Clan Robertson, Myth Busters. It’s not available on the iPlayer but I found it on Youtube, on the link below, it is only 20 minutes long and, in my opinion, a great watch. Oor Alex is described as “a Scottish headbanger” The episode tells the history of the Robertsons and has a fair chunk about Alexander presented by Paul Murton and also features Tony Pollard. Unfortunately it is cut short just as Tony is being interviewed, which is a damn shame!

[eviladjacent]

I’m currently obsessed with that one Charlie Sheen interview and how different it would have been received today

[louisupdates]

SEVENTEEN

What We Know About Louis Tomlinson's Upcoming All of Those Voices Documentary

We're going to see the artist through a whole new lens.

BY SAMANTHA OLSON PUBLISHED: FEB 9, 2023

In 2022, Louis Tomlinson released his sophomore album Faith in the Future which leaned into an alternative pop-rock sound as a departure from his boy band days. The former One Direction member opened up about solidifying his signature sound in an interview with Alternative Press, saying, "I knew who I was in One Direction, but I'd never thought of who I am on my own as [a] solo [artist]. I was so in love with being in the band that I never really had those thoughts."

The 31-year-old singer also revealed that he had filmed the process of creating Faith in the Future, which would ultimately become a documentary that also serves as a love letter to his fans. "I know every artist says this, but I've got a deep f--king connection with my fans. I think of it as one entity," Louis told Alternative Press. "I was 18 when I was first in the band, and we've grown up together." In moments of doubt, he turned to his fans for words of encouragement and support that inspired him to go after what he truly wanted while making his second solo album.

On February 8, 2023, Louis announced that the documentary, titled All of Those Voices, will be released in March. "This has been something I’ve been working on for years, I’m really excited to finally put it out into the world. I’ve said it a million times but I’m lucky enough to have the greatest fans an artist could wish for, and as you always go above and beyond for me, I wanted to share my story with you in my own words," the former 1D member wrote on Instagram.

Here's everything we know about Louis Tomlinson's All of Those Voices documentary, from its release date, trailer, and more.

When does Louis Tomlinson's documentary come out?

According to his initial announcement, All of Those Voices is set to release on March 22, 2023 in theaters.

How to watch Louis Tomlinson's All of Those Voices documentary

For now, the documentary is releasing exclusively in theaters, which means you'll have to snag tickets to a screening. In his announcement, Louis shared that ticket sales will begin on February 22, a month before the film's release, on AllofThoseVoices.com.

Is there an All of Those Voices trailer?

There isn't an official trailer for the documentary just yet, but you already know we'll drop it here once it's been released.

What is All of Those Voices about?

The Charlie Lightening-directed documentary will show fans an "intimate and unvarnished view" of Louis' journey as he created his second solo album, Faith in the Future. The film's official website includes the following synopsis:

All Of Those Voices takes a refreshingly raw and real look at Louis Tomlinson's musical journey. Ditching the typical glossy sheen of celebrity documentaries, this film gives audiences an intimate and unvarnished view of Louis' life and career. Through never-before-seen home movie footage and behind the scenes access to Louis’ sell-out 2022 World Tour, All Of Those Voices offers a unique perspective on what it's like to be a musician in today's fast-paced world.

From the highs of superstardom to the lows of personal tragedy, Louis' story is one of resilience and determination. The film explores his journey from a member of One Direction to a solo artist, capturing the challenges and triumphs that defined his path. Since the acclaimed release of his debut album ‘Walls’ and documenting the creation of his chart topping 2022 album ‘Faith In The Future’, the film shows a side of Louis that fans have never seen before, as he grapples with the pressures of fame and the weight of his own voice.

Directed by Charlie Lightening, the filmmaker behind the award-winning As It Was, All Of Those Voices is a story about the power of self-discovery and the courage it takes to be true to oneself. With a focus on honesty and vulnerability, this film is a refreshingly down-to-earth take on the life of a musician, capturing the real-life struggles and triumphs of a man who refused to be silenced by anyone else's expectations.

[go-to-two]

I think I didn't express my self right in my earlier question, I didn't mean it felt like Jesse was on bad terms with the show, but rather "the show" was on bad terms with him. Like that Charlie Sheen situation. I never watched that show, but from what I've heard, the writer (showrunner?) was so pissed at him that they completely destroyed the chapter just out of spite with the actor. Not to be too dramatic over here, but that's what's felt like watching Jay in S10, like someone's really got a grudge, and it's taking it out on the character

Oh! I apologize for the misinterpretation.

I am also not familiar with this Charlie Sheen situation, but I feel like I can get the gist by context. I guess this is one of those things that only the people making the decisions know? I don't know, it's a possible explanation but also something that will only exist as speculation.

I would love for a journalist to ask Gwen straight up how she rationalizes this story and the direction they decided to take Jay and the couple. Preferably in a filmed interview.

[houseofbrat]

Remember when Joaquin Phoenix did that bizarre interview and then said he was acting? Also, Charlie Sheen and his tour? This is worse!

Both of those guys have or had serious drug problems.

[bloodybells1]

Fame is a Hologram

I remember feeling something funny when I realized that I’d become famous, something akin to a change in climate, like an afternoon breeze had come in. I could sense a shift in certain events which up until then had at times felt confusing or even frustrating and were now much more fluid. 

Depending on the time of day and the neighborhood I was walking around in, the heads of passerby, whereas before they seemed oblivious to my bodily existence, now would suddenly turn in my direction—or, if there were two, inwards to each other while giddily whispering. 

Depending on the restaurant, the maitre’d who greeted me, whereas before they arched their eyebrow slightly in suspicion, now curled the sides of their mouth and found me a conspicuously available table. 

Depending on the venue, the celebrity at the event, whereas before they attended to their careful script of aloofness, now “recognized” me, graciously drew the veil on their mask of indifference and greeted me by my first name. 

In many places it seemed like some particularly unhealthy weather pattern had suddenly shifted over to a tropical climate.

The word “recognition” comes from the Latin recognoscere which, transliterated, comes out to “know again” (re + cognoscere). In the Middle Ages, the verb form meant “resume possession of land” and was related to the Old French reconoistre, which looks a lot like “reconnoiter.” The verb was a back formation of “recognizance,” which meant “a bond acknowledging some obligation binding one over to do some particular act” and a little later, “acknowledgment of subjection or allegiance,” as to God or some other type of power or entity.

There seems to be an element of contractual obligation to the etymology. Perhaps our modern usage comes from this: recognition implies an aspect of objectivity. There’s a corroboration that establishes fact, like eyewitness testimony. 

If someone “recognizes” you, most often that’s due to having made a previous acquaintance or maybe simply having seen someone repeatedly in the neighborhood. When they recognize you, they are affirming a correspondence (“know again”) between the present and the past, between the you that is right here in front of them and the you that was there before. 

Lindsay Lohan knows she is being recognized, being associated with some part of her past, when someone approaches her with a pen and paper. When Charlie Sheen turns a corner on LaBrea and is briefly recognized by an onlooker who happened to catch his passing visage he may not know for sure if he was recognized in that moment, though he would likely place a bet on it if given the opportunity. And when Kanye West offers to consumers of apparel the knowledge of his enthusiasm for contretemps, he may very well be doing so specifically as a reaction to his understanding of his own recognition. 

I recall the personal delectation I took in scandalizing interviewers. After a bit of practice it got to the point that I knew somewhere within me I was generating “good copy.” My words would be reproduced in print afterwards and I began to expect that I could hear those words echoed back to me in real life. It felt like I was being heard.

Orson Welles once revealed the secrets of the psychics on a talk show by demonstrating how unconscious is the process by which someone learns to say the right things. Psychics, apparently, are not entirely aware that they are learning a sophisticated skillset, but the rewards are sufficient to reinforce the behavior and they learn to continue it.

The word “recognition” has an interesting sense. Not all artists seek fame outright, but it’s not a stretch to say the overwhelming majority seek recognition. Certainly, the accruing of social capital that comes with celebrity—and which is reinforced by the kind of mass bodily recognition that happens in informal settings like supermarkets—is one of the least displeasurable facets of the experience of fame. But ask any artist, struggling or otherwise, what kind of recognition they hope for and you will likely hear more about the virtues of communication, of relation, of the feeling of placement, of the endowment of honors. In our putatively democratic era these concerns have been deemed empty and frivolous, even déclassé, though during more hierarchical times anxieties such as these around provenance and status had a much more concrete valence. They were seen as perfectly noble goals.

The tension between recognition and fame is what lends cases like Lohan and Sheen and West a degree of tragedy. The pursuits of recognition and fame both comprise essential aspects of the human experience. But recognition, not fame, seems to aspire beyond the confines of the isolated self, seems to persist by dint of a more ennobling cause. Questions of legacy, like questions of family, relate to what happens after we’re gone. These seem like completely legitimate concerns. On the other hand, fame is much more ephemeral and can have a tantalizing, even destructive, effect. Those who fall from grace sometimes seem to choose it, for they know, especially now with the immortal internet, they at least can never fall from fame. Even the ones forgotten by mortals may expect Wikipedia to remember.

At some point in time in my tenure in the spotlight I realized I was about to enter a space I wouldn’t ever be able to leave, a type of Rubicon crossing. I came to have a premonition of some sealed door slamming shut behind me, after which I would be forced to contend for the rest of my life with the hologram of fame that had run before my eyes for several years at that point. I had come to see that whatever apparition the public had been recognizing in me as my body made its way through the world had almost nothing to do with the very real person in whose likeness that media-transmitted apparition had been created. My hologram preceded me everywhere.

I’m always impressed by the Meryl Streeps of the world, who seem to gracefully tango with their apparitions. For the innumerable multitude of photographic facsimiles of Meryl that exist in the universe, she appears as someone who has kept knowledge of the corporeal self, the body and the mind, and cordoned it off from public influence. I heard once that she to this day insists on doing her own laundry. This insistence in doing something seemingly inessential is likely what keeps the integrity of the boundary between herself and the world. 

She’d likely made a different decision than I’d made. When she saw that she was about to cross that Rubicon, she did so with the full knowledge that this was her lot for the rest of her life and had knowledge of a certain discipline which would enable her to police what would assuredly be a lifetime of tension between the public and the private selves.

I knew that I had no such discipline. 

Yet I also knew, as I think a great so many others don’t have the opportunity to know, that, if I didn’t turn around, if I didn’t take my last chance to take the boat back to the mainland of the more average person, that I would likely grow insane from overexposure to my famous hologram, that I would seek to play with it, toy with it and manipulate it, like my very own “precious,” take enjoyment in seeing how the tiniest alterations to my hologram causes so many conversations, so much speculation, grants me ever more attention. I knew with what paltry self-control I would undertake these little experiments and I became mortally terrified about how addicted to it I would become.

Russell Brand is a bit of a lay addiction expert and has likened the experience of fame to the experience of addiction and he is not incorrect. The sense in which one must treat the experience of recognition as a potential threat to one’s health is what makes fame such a poorly understood phenomenon: it is the most rewarding of addictions and no less for its ability to economically sustain all who surround it. Yet it’s that sustenance, along with society’s cratering into image, into Debord’s “spectacle,” that complicates a better understanding and appreciation of fame’s destructive capacities.

I aver that the cultural obsession with the Wests of the world is missing this critical feature of fame when it undertakes its various expository summations. This would also count for the Lohans of the world and the Sheens of the world, those who at one time or another appear consumed with manipulating their own holograms. It’s impossible to ignore the important aspects of the fetid pool they at one time in their lives stepped into. In West’s example this has to do with issues such as racism and antisemitism, not to mention the obvious fact of his mental illness. 

Yet I’m struck how little I hear about the effect of his fame. If Brand is right and fame is indeed an addiction, then a conversation about West’s illness would require an understanding of his fame. 

Ten years after the fact, I still obsess over it, playing images in my mind, recalling salad days and glory years, kicking myself for not having the resources of Streep, cursing my lot for being saddled with the deficits of West, reminiscing over the time I had in front of my hologram, marveling over this gift, this “precious,” God had given me which had such sway in the world. I could generate a week’s worth of controversy with the push of a button! What power! 

It’s no surprise it would have such a lasting imprint. Bowie dramatized his own crossing of the Rubicon in “Fame,” the vinegar-infused paean that served to purge him of the stresses of the new life he’d gained with his Ziggy success. I am no lyricist and could not piece it together this way. Instead, I write about it, as now.

[v1l3m0f0]

If there’s ever gonna be a live action Rick&Morty they have to get Charlie Sheen to play Rick.

Just watch his interviews n you’ll see why I’m right.

[seositetool]

This Week in Ye Olde Us: Denise Richards' Charlie Sheen Confessions and More

Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen Gregg DeGuire/WireImage Us Weekly scored possibly the most extreme interview in its history when Denise Richards was featured on the cover of an August 2011 issue. Richards, 53, delved into plastic surgery, drugs, sex workers and more in the no-holds-barred sit-down — and this was all before she wore her pink jacket upside down on The Real Housewives of Beverly…

[crowdvscritic]

round up // FEBRUARY 24

In some ways, February is a manifestation of Crowd vs. Critic.

Each year Vulture updates an article called "Which January at the Movies Was the Most January?" When I stumbled upon it this month, I couldn’t believe how closely it captured a phenomenon I was already thinking about: “January at the movies is a tale of two seasons. It’s the month where Oscar contenders traditionally open nationwide, allowing moviegoers across the country to experience the best that Hollywood has to offer. But for that reason, it’s also the month where the rest of the industry tries to stay out of the way, offering a mixture of counterprogramming and low-risk fare — we’re talking horror films, inexplicable sequels, and lots of movies about grim middle-aged men firing guns.”

From there, Vulture attempts to rank every January in recent memory by their bad movie slates, but my follow up question is, why stop at January? “Dumpuary” does not end January 31st—I’m not even sure it ends on February 29th. Pardon my French, but I’ve watched a lot of doggerel this month so mediocre it’s not worth recommending here. However, February is also Oscar prep season. I’ve spent the month reading more deeply about the nominated films and planning my annual Oscar watch party. And because I’m caught up on nominated films and there are so few new releases worth checking out, I’m creating a watchlist of classics I’ve missed. This year I’ve decided to dig into films recommended in TCM’s The Essential Directors by Sloan De Forest, which I recommended during Dumpuary 2022. I just finished the book’s top picks from Steven Spielberg's filmography, and before the year’s end, my goal is to complete their recommendations from Mel Brooks, Frank Capra, George Cukor, Michael Curtiz, John Ford, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, George Lucas, Ida Lupino, Oscar Micheaux, Sidney Lumet, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Elaine May, Leo McCarey, Vincente Minnelli, Martin Scorsese, Douglas Sirk, Preston Sturges, W.S. Van Dyke, Billy Wilder, and Robert Wise. (Full disclosure: for most of them, I only have one or two titles to go.) 

So please enjoy a Round Up of recommendations featuring several of those directors and Britney Spears, as well as a book of interviews with Oscar winners and a Bennifer marathon. Plus, a Leap Day bonus with a Finnish flair!

February Crowd-Pleasers

1. Scary Movie 3 (2003)

Because sometimes you don’t want to laugh with something sophisticated—sometimes you want to laugh at something stupid. After years of my brother recommending something I wouldn’t peg as my taste, I finally checked out this spoof of 8 Mile, American Idol, The Ring, Signs, and more things that were extremely popular in 2003. I doubt future generations will find much to appreciate here, but this Millennial got a kick from the nostalgia and the stupid humor courtesy of Anna Faris Regina Hall, Leslie Nielsen, Simon Rex, and Charlie Sheen. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6/10

2. Catwoman (2004)

This movie is not good, but is it objectively way better and way more fun than The Flash? I’d rather have this silly, superficially-girl-power trash than that self-serious Flash trash any day. The Razzies did not deserve this movie! Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 5.5/10

3. Bennifer Marathon!

It's a real If You Give a Mouse a Cookie situation. After you go to a screening of This Is Me…Now: A Love Story (2024), you're going to need to watch the behind-the-scenes documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told and listen to Jennifer Lopez’s new album This Is Me…Now on repeat. You're also going to decide you need to watch Jersey Girl (2004) and Halftime (2022) because you can never have too much of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez! (I also watched Gigli and What to Expect When You’re Expecting, but these Round Ups only focus on pop culture I recommend.) What can I say? I’m rooting for love!

I reviewed J. Lo’s new music film for ZekeFilm, which explores her public history in a personal, musical romantic comedy. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 7/10

4. Crossroads (2002)

Zoe Saldana camping in curlers: To me, that is cinema! Like Catwoman, this Lifetime-movie-meets-Britney-Spears-star-vehicle is not good, but it is a perfect sleepover movie. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 5/10

5. The Beekeeper (2024)

I look forward to 30 years from now when I am a Turner Classic Movies host and introduce this movie 12 times in a single calendar year: 

January: Star of the Month Jason Statham

February: Star of the Month Josh Hutcherson

March: 31 Days of Oscar - Movies that would be Oscar-nominated if the Academy had a Best Stunts category

April: Special Theme - Vigilante Justice (Lee Marvin makes an appearance, too)

May: Mother's Day marathon (between The Manchurian Candidate and Psycho)

June: Birthday Tribute - Phylicia Rashad (leading into a Creed marathon)

July: Guest Programmer Pick - Bona fide action star is promoting his new artistic action blockbuster and calls Statham one of his inspirations

August: Summer Under the Stars - Day 23 devoted to Minnie Driver (airing before Good Will Hunting)

September: Birthday Tribute - Jeremy Irons (airing after The Mission)

October: Spotlight - Secret organizations (showing right before The Parallax View)

November: Diane Warren Tribute - she finally won her Oscar for her theme for The Beekeeper 2

December: Primetime Theme - Bees (in marathon with Akeelah and the Bee, The Bee Movie, The Secret Life of Bees, The Wicker Man, and for some reason Beetlejuice)

Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 6.5/10

More February Crowd-Pleasers: Cold Pursuit (2019) is the platonic ideal of a Liam Neeson’s formulaic thrillers // I would’ve been obsessed with the martial arts mayhem of Bulletproof Monk (2003) if I had seen it when I was 12 // Not everything in the corporate satire Head Office (1985) works, but what does is savage // When Book of the Month announced The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak (2023) as a selection just a few weeks after my first trip to Finland, I immediately knew my November pick. This Jason Bourne/Jack Ryan-esque spy thriller didn’t disappoint. (More on my trip to Finland below!) // Though the politics of The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) have aged poorly, it’s the most thrilling movie about killing lions I’ve seen since The Lion King

February Critic Picks

1. The Teachers’ Lounge (2023)

If you’ve ever survived an anxiety-fueled environment driven by politics, prejudice, or, frankly, middle schoolers, Germany’s nominee for Best International Feature at the Oscars will ring true. Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9.5/10

2. 50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers on Their Career-Defining Wins by Dave Karger (2024)

Let me repeat what I said last month: The Turner Classic Movies Library has yet to miss! In TCM host Dave Karger’s new book, he interviews 50 different winners from Oscar ceremonies as far back as 1962 about what the award means to them and how it has impacted their careers. This breezy read digs into the inspirations, outfits, and relationships of Nicole Kidman, John Legend, Rita Moreno, Meryl Streep, Sofia Coppola, and more, and you can find all of the films featured on my Letterboxd list. 

3. Double Feature - Legal Dramas: The Verdict (1982) + Class Action (1991)

In The Verdict (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9.5/10), Paul Newman is a jaded ambulance chaser who happens on a medical malpractice suit that might be his best case in years. In Class Action (8.5/10 // 8/10), Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are a father and daughter facing off in a courtroom centered on a car manufacturer’s potential negligence. Both are excellent legal genre examples and excellent opportunities to let their actors cook.  

4. Good Reads

Lately, I’ve been reading about…

…2023 in Review: 

“Biggest Hollywood Winners and Losers 2023: From Margot Robbie to Marvel,” HollywoodReport.com (2023)

“Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year,” time.com (2023)

“Goodbye DC Extended Universe: We Hardly Knew You (Yet We Knew You Too Well),” HollywoodReporter.com (2023)

…our current Awards Season: 

“Critic’s Notebook: A Flailing, Fun-Free 2024 Golden Globes Telecast,” HollywoodReporter.com (2024)

“The Golden Globes Should Just Forget About Hosts,” VanityFair.com (2024)

“Barbie Is Adapted? Maestro Original? Let’s Fix the Screenplay Categories,” NYTimes.com (2024)

“Anatomy of a Fail: Inside France’s Dysfunctional Oscar Committee,” variety.com (2024)

…big cultural shifts: 

“A Shift in American Family Values Is Fueling Estrangement,” TheAtlantic.com (2021)

“The Great Freight-Train Heists of the 21st Century,” NYTimes.com (2024)

"A ‘Failure to Launch’: Why Young People are Having Less Sex,” LATimes.com (2023)

“From Swiping to Sexting: The Enduring Gender Divide in American Dating and Relationships,” AmericanSurveyCenter.org (2023)

…and a hodge podge of other things: 

“An Oral History of ‘Washington’s Dream,’ the Best SNL Sketch in Years,” IndieWire.com (2023)

“Panera’s 'Lemonade That Kills You' Is Really a Story About Our Broken Country," slate.com (2023)

“Annie Meyers-Shyer’s Holiday-Decorating Handbook,” NYMag.com (2023)

“Madeleine Albright Has Sent Some Very Spicy Messages Through Her Accessories,” InStyle.com (2021)

“The Crown and What the U.K. Royal Family Would Like Us to Forget,” NYTimes.com (2023)

“What Did Dakota Johnson Actually Say?” HollywoodReporter.com (2024)

“Why Deleting and Destroying Finished Movies Like Coyote vs Acme Should Be a Crime,” RogerEbert.com (2024)

More February Critic Picks: Even if Love Affair (1939) hadn’t inspired An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle, it would still be an all-time romance // In Lured (1947), Lucille Ball gets dramatic as she looks for love and her best friend’s killer // No Way Out (1950) is a stellar character drama and thriller thanks to Sidney Poitier and Richard Widmark // You can’t be sore at the heightened emotion in Manhattan Melodrama (1934)—it’s right in the name! // The Trouble With Angels (1966) is The Holdovers but for the girlies // Gosford Park (2001) isn’t an Agatha Christie adaptation but it’s a worthy imitator // The Bigamist (1953) proves thrillers can be short and sweet // I love a juicy behind-the-scenes melodrama like The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) // Are you surprised that The Color Purple (1985) moved me to tears? // Though it took me a few scenes to acclimate to the rhythms of the Company National Tour, are you surprised the music of Stephen Sondheim won me over?

Leap Day Bonus

In 2020, my Leap Day Bonus was a Jonas Brothers music video I’d forgotten to mention in my January Round Up. This year, I’m using it make up for forgetting to mention…my entire trip to Finland? (I'm blaming it on the fog of the holidays and Awards Season kicking into high gear when I was writing my October Round Up.) These are the top cultural spots my sister and I found in Helsinki and Rovaniemi…

Temppeliaukion Kirkko - In their Ultimate Travel book, Lonely Planet calls this one of the top 500 places to see in the world. I’m not sure I’d rank it that high (even if I’ve yet to see a lot of the world), but it was worth a stop. Built in 1969 into a rock that split during the Ice Age, it is an architectural feat with amazing acoustics.

Anteneum Art Museum - This national gallery houses Finnish art classics

Finnkino Movie Theater - The real highlight of checking out Finland’s cinema was not watching Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny with Finnish and Swedish subtitles but it’s insane candy bar!

Santa Claus Village - If you can embrace a tourist trap, this one is worth the trip to the Arctic Circle. Meet Santa, feed his reindeer, and get lost in the kitschy gift shops in this acres-wide complex

Dog sledding - We hopped on a buggy pulled by eight of the goodest dogs courtesy of Bearhill Husky—a dream come true!

Arktikum - This science museum in Rovaniemi dives into the history and culture of Lapland (northern Finland)

Marimekko - This Finnish designer is chock full of mod florals, and we budget travelers found great deals at the outlet in Helsinki

Porvoo - This little town just a bus ride from Helsinki is filled with picturesque wooden houses, cutesy shops, and historical home museums

We visited Finland in the autumn, which is tourist off-season, but we’re not sure why—it’s beautiful! Whenever you choose to go, be sure to indulge in a korvapuusti ja kahvi (cinnamon roll and coffee) in one of their many kahvilat (coffee shops)!

Also in February…

On KMOV, I did my best to sum up why Casablanca is a perfect Valentine’s movie, and then I squeezed in a short review of Argylle, which is not so much a perfect Valentine’s movie. 

I also reviewed Argylle in more depth for ZekeFilm, and the piece turned into a lament for for its failure to follow through on a great premise.

I added two more entries to my Best Picture Project this month! I continued on with 1944's Going My Way, which is a feel-good story about the power of music starring Bing Crosby, and last year’s winner Everything Everywhere All at Once, which is a weird story about the power of googly eyes. 

Photo credits: 50 Oscar Nights, Good Reads. Finland my own. All others IMDb.com.

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