Five Blogs of Christmas: Johnny Depp The Italian Christmas Donkey

This is one of my all time favourite Christmas songs. It's really weird but also hugely catchy. One of the only problems is that because the song is such an old classic it doesn't have a music video to call its own. There are a couple of generic efforts up on the old You Tube but they're kind of boring. Instead I present to you a completely FUCKING BIZARRE effort setting the song to a montage of clips of Johnny Depp. I'm not sure who is responsible for this but I'm pretty sure they're treading that fine line between genius and insanity.

Peace,

Steve

Five Blogs of Christmas: Gremlins

I'm not sure why but I don't think Gremlins is widely thought of as an alternative Christmas classic. People recognise it as a bit of a classic but it isn't really categorised as a Christmas movie. This is wrong for a couple of reasons. Firstly it isn't just a bit of a classic it is an absolute classic. From the first moment Gizmo melts your heart to the assembled Gremlin army watching Snow White it's both hilarious, heartfelt and although it has a 15 certificate I'd say it's fun for the whole family (Just try not to use the word massacre at all). Secondly, the film has more to say about the modern concept of Christmas than almost any other recent Christmas film. It has a nice level of ambiguity both celebrating the modern Christmas and the American concept of Christmas whilst having the Gremlins represent rampant consumerism. Maybe like the Gremlins if you follow the rules / traditions things will be fine, it's when you compromise the problems start. 

Although, the story of the Santa in the chimney is very dark....

Peace,

Steve

  

A Buffer Buffy Buffet

Apologies for the lack of updates. I'm temping again (This time selling phones!). This of course means less free time and less free time means less blogging - I really need to get my priorities straight don't you think?

Weird nerd news of the week is that Buffy is being rebooted in a new film not starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and without any involvement from series and character creator Joss Whedon. There has of course been a Buffy movie before but in all honesty that doesn't bare much resemblance to the series that defined the pop culture icon. I think it's all a truly terrible idea.

I'm not against reboots and re-tellings (see my recent Spider-Man related post) especially when they involve a translation to another medium but in this case something smells wrong. Maybe those behind the film underestimate the fans. As a comic fan my loyalty is to the books and the films will always be in comparison to them. Here the comparison is to a very recent television series where the audience will be the hardcore fans of the original. What I'm trying to say is that there will be a whole lot more people pissed off with any misstep and they'll be a lot easier to spot.

Buffy was always going to get remade eventually but I definitely thought it would take longer than 7 years. Maybe Buffy will be hunting the vampires from the Twilight films. This would definitely be the weirdest attempt to cash in on the whole sexy vampire trend.

Here's Whedon's response to the whole thing. It's all very funny and tongue in cheek. I think he'll be too busy smashing the box office with The Avengers to care.

Peace,

Steve

Things I Like Week: Couscous

Things I Like Week: Couscous

I kind of hinted that I was going to drop you one of my legendary recipes this week but really I don't have that many of them so I'm going to give you half of one. To be honest it's not even really a recipe. I just want to say that I really kind of like couscous. You just put it in a bowl and then add boiling water and then put some clear foil over the top - it's that easy! Of course if you want a real kick then you can juice and then grate a Lemon over the top for a bit of a zing. What you don't want to do is just peel the lemon into very large strips and then dump them on top of the couscous. As much as I wanted this to be zesting it's not actually true. Also, if you are going to have couscous you probably want to have it accompany something as couscous alone might be considered kind of dull - unless you're Liam.

The first episode of Peep Show Series 7 is online on 4OD a week ahead of its air date. Head to the site to check it out now! Hopefully I'll have a peek tonight.

That is I'll watch it after I get back from Harry Potter. I'm one of the few who haven't read the books so I'm less sure of what to expect here. I'm basically hoping that even though it's part 1 of 2 the film will have a genuine ending. Not another Pirates of the Caribbean fiasco. The Potter films have been decent enough in general with this kind of thing so I live in hope. If anyone else is going to see it I'd like to suggest it might be quite funny to go up to anyone wearing glasses and say 'nice costume'. They really should have done special 3D Harry Potter glasses. Missed a trick.

Peace,

Steve

Things I Like Week: Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1

Things I Like Week: Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1

Non-comics fans please feel free to zone out. This is going to be a post about a comic I like but it will include some musings on the rebooted Spider-Man film so you may want to stick around for that.

So as you may or may not know the Spider-Man movie franchise is being rebooted with a new installment out in 2012 starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Whilst I'm not hugely keen on rebooting for rebooting sake there is ground for doing so in certain situations (See Batman Begins). With the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy I'm a massive fan of everything that was accomplished (I'll admit it - I even liked Spider-Man 3) but at the same time I feel they were burning through story and characters very quickly. What I like about what I'm hearing from this reboot is that it's taking the character back to high school. Not only did some of Peter Parker's greatest adventures took place when he was just a sixteen year old kid it was also a much better environment for creating drama between Peter and his supporting cast. In the Raimi films it seems Pete is destined to end up with Mary Jane and anyone in the way is just a roadblock that'll eventually be conquered.

Which in a roundabout way brings me to Brian Michael Bendis' comic book high school Spider-Man reboot. This annual (With Art by Brooks & Isanove) delivers not only one of the best representations of teenage super-hero romance but one of the best representations of any kind of romance ever seen in the medium. It's a simple concept but one that is very rarely explored in much detail. Instead of Spider-Man's secret identity putting the life of his girlfriend in peril as a kind of damsel in distress why not give him a girlfriend who is if anything more powerful than he is? That's what Kitty Pryde (Of the X-Men) is. It's one of those things that when someone pitches you the idea it leaves you scratching your head and asking why it hasn't been done before. Of course a good concept is just window dressing if the execution is poor but Bendis perfectly captures the awkwardness and nervousness about putting yourself on the line inherent within any teenage relationship. Credit must also be given to Mark Brooks who was stepping into the shoes of Mark Bagley who at that time had been the only Ultimate Spider-Man artist and to the whole team who played out the Kitty / Pete story further than this annual alone.

Ultimate Spider-Man is still going strong to this day and for my money is still one of the best books on sale. This story is available in the collection of all that year's Ultimate Annuals and can be picked up from Amazon or any other good online retail outlet. (Maybe my Amazon sidebar will start recommending it instead of Susan Boyle?) For more comicy goodness check out Liam or Celeste's blogs (Over there->) and join me tomorrow for a final day of things I like!

Peace,

Steve

The Shocking Not Quite Return of Metro Man

This morning I was writing about the new DreamWorks Animation super-villain comedy Megamind for my monthly film preview column for Gallery. I was getting the usual details - director, writers, stars (This thing has a hell of a cast) and plot synopsis. I was making my notes when I came across a character name that seemed oddly familiar. Megamind's hero nemesis is called Metro-Man. Now I knew I'd heard this somewhere before and despite my encyclopedic knowledge of Marvel and DC Comics I'm pretty sure it wasn't in any comic book. Then it dawned on me. Metro-Man was the super-hero created by male beauty Sam in the 'Create Your Own Super-Hero Character' challenge during Season 3 of the ultimate social experiment Beauty & The Geek. I'm not going to suggest Megamind ripped off the genius of club promoter Sam as their character's power isn't I presume breakdancing and George Hamilton's tanning spray but it's a weird coincidence.



It's nice to see that Sam is still acting. Amazingly enough he was in Little Giants and Boy Meets World.

Peace,

Steve

Making It Up As They Go Along

Good actors, never use the script unless it’s amazing writing. All the good actors I’ve worked with, they all say whatever they want to say.

Jessica Alba has been attributed with the above highly confusing quote. I hope she was misquoted or taken severely out of context because otherwise this is a seriously bizarre comment to make. John August (A successful screenwriter) takes her to task here. But as a wannabe screenwriter I think I also need to put this out there and maybe add a few points to John's take.

- Sin City. A great movie and one of the most faithful graphic novel to screen adaptations of all time. Was it a coincidence that the dialogue she was making up (presuming she classes herself as a good actor) was in some cases exactly the same as that in the graphic novel?

- What's the point of being an actor who also writes (Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, David Cross). Wouldn't it be better to just work at becoming a good actor so that you can just make-up your dialogue on the spot instead of waste time with a script? Maybe they get two pay cheques.

I don't know. It's all highly confusing. I really hope Jalba was taken out of context. Mostly because my girlfriend loves her. If she's right and this really is how Hollywood works then SERIOUSLY Jessica - what the fuck were you up to in The Love Guru?

Peace,

Steve

Saw It

WARNING: Major Saw 3D Spoilers follow. Don't read if you're going to see it. Either that or read and then don't bother going to see it!

So I ended up going to see Saw 3D on Monday night. The 7th (Not 14th as Jose Franco thought) and hopefully last in the Saw franchise. I can't really recommend it. There's plenty of gore and a very inventive trap at the used car yard (featuring the lead singer of Linkin Park confusingly enough) but by way of story there's pretty much nothing. I didn't find the plotting as dense as the concurrent Saw 3 and 4 but it's still needlessly confusing. For me it all went wrong when they lost Jigsaw (Yes I know he was in the sequels in flashbacks but he isn't the guiding force). Hoffman just isn't as interesting a villain. The whole 'testing' aspect of it goes out the window and it all becomes just sadistic punishment and revenge. Plus when the bad guys are so infinitely superior to the good guys you know there's basically zero chance of them escaping the traps and in that pretty much any kind of tension is lost. The final third of the film just goes completely off the rails as Hoffman goes on a stabbing spree like some kind of cheap Michael Myers (Which after Halloween H20 is difficult to do). It all finishes with a twist that would have been welcome about six films ago.

There are a few good points. The character of Officer Gibson gives us someone we can genuinely root for (I enjoyed his manic repetition) though he is dispatched with quickly and in a fairly lame fashion. There also seem to be a few decent ideas in the story that just aren't developed enough. For once the opening trap takes place in view of the general public rather than in a dingy hospital / warehouse. I thought that by following this through there could have been an interesting through line on the public perception of gore these days. After 7 Saw films have we lost our disgust at the violence and become at best desensitized slack jawed gawkers and at worst willing participants? I also think more could have been made of the (genuine) Jigsaw survivor groups. Given this is the last chapter this would have provided more of a satisfying final judgement of Jigsaw's legacy.

I eagerly anticipate the forthcoming Scream 4 and hope it will consider the legacy of these films. Maybe sending us on a path to gore combined with characters and story rather than blood for blood's sake.

New issue of Gallery is out featuring Due Date, Movies 4 Men and the Jersey Amnesty International Film Festival. Check it out.

Peace,

Steve

Halloween Movie Week - The Mist

For the final day of the week I'm going to go for a real favourite and the first Stephen King adaptation of the week.

Day 5 - The Mist

Sorry Mr. Kubrick but Frank Darabont is the official master of Stephen King adaptations with The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Mist under his belt. It's because he gets what the Master of Horror is all about. Certain critics attack King for his style and over reliance on plot but when he gets it right King is all about character. The Shining, Shawshank and even Stand By Me aren't about external threats but about character interaction and how these people play off each other. In his best horror efforts the external conflicts represent the inner conflicts of the characters.

In The Mist all these strengths are played up. A group of people trapped in a supermarket by a mysterious threat soon turn on each other as the threat outside escalates. The great thing that Darabont really manages to convey is that the true evil and the real horror is the result of the actions of these people and not the bugs and octopuses and other Lovecraftesque nightmares rampaging outside.

It's a brilliant film crafted by a director at the top of his game. There are genuinely scary moments, real character drama and a thought provoking message. It also has an unrelentingly bleak ending. I think it fits with the piece but I've known others to disagree and become a little depressed because of it.

In other Frank Darabont news he is behind the TV adaptation of The Walking Dead. Premiering on FX on November 5th in the UK. If it's anything like the comic it'll be insanely brilliant.

Have a great weekend. If you're wondering how I'm celebrating Halloween I'll be watching Paranormal Activity 2 tonight, dressing as a zombie mime tomorrow and then watching An American Wereworlf in London on Sunday.

Peace,

Steve

Halloween Movie Week - Final Destination 2

It's day 4 of Halloween movie week and a mere 3 days until the big day itself. Hope you've got your costumes sorted. If you see any zombie mimes rampaging around on Saturday night come and say hi. I won't say hi back but I will wave.

Day 4 - Final Destination 2

Apart from the Saw films there aren't a massive number of recent horror films that have spawned a true legacy of cinematic sequels. A decent few have had a bit of life in the straight to DVD arena but these are easy to ignore. Final Destination is one of the few horror films in recent memory that can seriously lay claim to starting a real franchise and I'm going to be controversial here because I don't even think it was the best one.

I'm not going to disrespect Final Destination here. I think if anything you want to double bill these two. It's a genius concept - death relentlessly pursuing those who've managed to escape its clutches leading to a series of inventive and gruesome deaths. The plane crash of the original is genuinely quite disturbing although I'd say the sheer scale of the car crash in FD2 outdoes it. It also has one of my favourite deaths of the entire series when the girl is hit by the bus - classic sucker punch. The plot of the original is also a great deal clearer with 2 throwing in a few confusing twists to do with defying death (Though there is a decent attempt to link the films together seemingly abandoned in the following sequels). Yet, I'd say the second is by far the most entertaining of the two films on the strength of its death sequences alone. You can see the filmmakers are far more comfortable with the concept and each gory end is its own mini masterpiece. From the ladder through the eye to the fence dismembering to the flattening with the plane of glass this film has a pitch black sense of humour.

With the sheer glee in which the characters are picked off you have to decide who you're rooting for. It might be a little morbid but I think it's more fun to side with The Reaper.

FILM NERD FACT - The original film was written as a spec for the X-Files. Mulder & Scully vs Death - pretty awesome high concept!

The above pic is from the novelization of the film. Seriously. Who the fuck is going to buy that?

I had to hand back my keys today. I finished my contract as a Temporary Facilities Assistant and I am no longer a white van man or a deliverer of milk. Anyone who wants to give me a non sexual job please get in touch. Jobs involving use of a white van preferred.

Peace,

Steve

Halloween Movie Week - The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Just a short one today. A little short on time before The Apprentice.

Day 3 - The Exorcism of Emily Rose

This was a big box office hit in 2005 but I haven't actually encountered many people who've seen it. It falls  into the ghost story, possession, creepy child sub genre which isn't always my favourite. I think when it's done well then it can represent the absolute best of the horror genre (See: The Exorcist, The Omen, The Shining, The Ring) but much of the time films can be too in thrall to these classics. Whenever there's a hit there are far too many dreadful attempts to cash in by doing the same thing. For example, The Ring was fantastic but then I ended up sitting through Hide & Seek and White Noise. The Exorcism of Emily Rose deserves praise for its originality in telling an old story but in a fascinating new way.

It's your typical possession story but framed by a court case dealing with a priest accused of negligent homicide after performing an exorcism where the possessed girl dies. It's especially interesting in two ways. First of all it completely invites the audience into making their own decision. Through the use of different narrators it never completely falls down on who is absolutely right. Also via the use of these different narrators it provides a fascinating view not only of the religious context of the exorcism but also the American legal system and religion's place inside it. There are a few decent frights but it's more a character drama and an intellectual debate presented against the backdrop of classic horror tropes. Worth a look even if you're not into the horror genre.

Has anyone seen the trailer for Series 2 of Misfits? I missed the first series because I was away travelling but the trailer is so ingenious that it makes me want to watch. Very clever.

Local film 'Ghosts of Rome' are looking for people to film short vox pops to make-up part of their project. Check out their website here. I have to commend them for their choice of example film on the vox pop page. That guy is handsome and funny and me. Check it out.

Peace,

Steve

Halloween Movie Week - Jennifer's Body

It's day 2 of Halloween Horror Week. Today - Jennifer's Body

It's difficult to say why Jennifer's Body didn't catch on. It had big stars (Megan Fox & Amanda Seyfried), a fun premise (cheerleader possessed by a demon eats classmates) and a script by the Oscar winning writer of Juno. I guess the reason that I enjoy it is the same reason more people haven't seen it - it's a bizarre film. Treading the fine line between parody and tribute the film is like a throwback to eighties teen horror with buckets of gore and a wicked sense of humour - it's genius. I watched it in a large group of people who seemed to think it wasn't so great but to be honest I just don't think many of them got it. There's none of the jumpy scares of a slasher or a ghost flick it's just plain fun in the vein of The Evil Dead. There are a few great supporting turns but absolutely stand out is Adam Brody (Seth from the OC) as the lead singer of the band who sacrifice Fox's central character to Satan.

'Do you want to be awesome like that guy from Maroon 5?'

Also, there's plenty of Megan Fox and though I doubt she appeals to the ladies I think the dudes will enjoy how much skin they get to see.

Overall, it's a really great film and it deserves a bigger audience. Just make sure you go in looking for laughs rather than terrifying scares.

In other news it hasn't been a good day for animals. Paul The Octopus is on his way to the big sushi bar in the sky and our beloved pet the 'Titan of Toilet Drinking' Doobie the Cat passed away at what we guess was the age of 17. I'll do a little tribute to him next week. We're obviously sad but he hadn't been well and it was definitely for the best. I like to think he is annoying Jesus by constantly rubbing himself against his leg and demanding to be fed even though we just fed him.

Peace,

Steve

Halloween Movie Week - The Faculty

It's the week leading up to one of my favourite days of the year - Halloween! It does happen to fall on a Sunday this year but I think every Halloween should be a national holiday. Trick or Treating would be mandatory as well as dressing up, we could all eat Pumpkin Pie and drink Pumpkin soup and most importantly of all families could gather together and watch horror films. If you fat cats at city hall are reading this then take note. It has the potential to be as big as Christmas!

In the spirit of things I'm going to recommend a film each day that you might want to think about watching. I'm going to try and go kind of left field with this. I shouldn't need to tell you The Shining or Halloween are absolute classics. Instead I'll go with lesser known, forgotten, sequels or the criminally underrated.

Today - The Faculty.

I'll admit that I haven't seen this film for a while. It actually came out in 1998 - Christ that seems like a long time ago. I do hold a special fondness for it in my heart though because it was one of the first films I saw when I really started getting into the horror genre. I guess you could even question if it really is a horror or if it's more science fiction. I think one of its great strengths is in fusing the two genres so effortlessly harking back to an earlier era and fifties sci-fi like Invasion of the Bodysnatchers. It also does a pretty darn good at nailing the teen coming of age narrative with some great and genuinely funny dialogue. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise given Kevin Williamson's (Dawson's Creek, Scream) involvement in scripting.

The film is smart, funny, self referential and at times genuinely inventive (the subversive snorting of the made-up drug as a way of ending paranoia rather than causing it!). There's also some very decent set pieces, the confrontation at the pool springing to mind. Again this shouldn't surprise too much as Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, From Dusk Till Dawn) directed the film.

If nothing else this film features Usher playing one of the smaller roles. If that isn't enough to convince you then I don't know what to say.

Peace,

Steve

A Few Thoughts On A Wednesday

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've suddenly found myself between Gallery deadlines writing about Zach Galifianakis, Female Genital Mutilation and Galactic Gigolo (It's a real thing). It'll all become clear when the issue is out.

A few thoughts on the day's big (not big) news.

- Exciting news today as the Piranha sequel was announced under the title Piranha 3DD (Like Boobs!). It's set for August next year which is a pretty fast turn around and has a couple of the Saw writers attached. Surely you can't over complicate Piranha can you?

- Anyone still watching Hollyoaks? I think it's enjoying a renaissance - secret families, unconvincing cross-dressing and confused predatory gang boss homosexuals. Plus *SPOILER ALERT* Warren is coming back from the dead to raise some hell. It might be confusing at first but I think it's time to get back on board.

- I watched Real Madrid v AC Milan. Nice to watch a match without that depressing sense of dread or some over hyped backstory about ungrateful overpaid overgrown children. Jose Mourinho has assembled a team and got them playing his style in very quick fashion and as much as I hate to admit it Cristiano Ronaldo was awesome.  

- Back to Lancaster at the weekend for some hot fresh Korfball action. I hope no one is intimidated by the fact I have now played in an international Korfball match. I also hope my foot stops hurting before then.

- Finally, today's picture is a Marvel meets Tron variant cover. Ultimate Nerdgasm!

Peace,

Steve

March of the Robots

Here it is. The fruit of our labours. Please watch, enjoy and share. Any comments appreciated and please join the group here!

Peace,

Steve

Soundtrack Preview!

Not long to go now. Today here's a cheeky peek at the soundtrack provided by Jersey's finest rap collective Hiphoperation. When we were putting the film together I e-mailed Dan aka Turner Prize and asked him if he could write a song fitting the themes of the piece. Then it turned out he'd already done it. 

Technology by Hip Hoperation

Click on the link and go and have a listen. It's totally moist. Also please join the group here. Happy Friday!

Peace,

Steve

Coming Attractions: March of the Robots

The time is finally here. The big reveal - what the fuck is happening this Sunday at 6pm? Well I'll tell you. 

Robots, Zombies, Hiphoperation and Josh Franco in his finest acting role to date! This is what's happening. 

March of the Robots

March of the Robots: Tensions run high as three scientists hide in a bunker awaiting death from a robot menace one of them created. However, one of them may have a way to save them and the human race. All it will take is a sacrifice.

So basically the project was born at the beginning of the summer when I was looking for ways to actually make one of my scripts. I spoke to Matt and we decided to make a short film together. I wrote the script, we got our super talented cast together (Basically I tricked Josh into it), we shot the film in my garage and at Petit Port and then Matt did all the hard work editing it together. And on Sunday you're going to be able to view the fruits of our labour on You Tube. 

We learnt many a lesson from this project (I go over them in detail in this month's issue of Gallery). I think the main one is that for your first project you probably shouldn't make a high concept Hollywood blockbuster on a budget of about £50. Still, I stand by my claim that it makes a shit load more sense than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. 

'So what can I do?'

I'm glad you asked. Matt and I have set-up a Facebook group for our Production company (oh yes) - 

Whathaveewedone Productions

Click on the link to head there and join the party. This won't just give you first details on everything Robots but it'll also give you the inside skinny on all future productions (of which there will be many). It'll also be the first place to get the link on Sunday night literally three or four minutes before I post it on this here blog. 

So what are you waiting for? Join the Facebook group and begin the countdown. The world is ending in three days. What are you going to do about it? 

Peace,

Steve

Minor Characters From American Pie Week - Coach Marshall

It's the end of the week and we say goodbye to this celebration of minor characters from American Pie not with a whimper but with a loud bang. Following in the proud foot steps of Glee Club Teacher, Jim's Mom, Kevin's Brother and Blink-182 - it's the man, the myth, the Coach Marshall. 


Minor Character 5 - Coach Marshall (Lawrence Pressmann)


I've been looking forward to this one all week. All the characters I have selected have contributed to the franchise in their own way but in terms of my own personal enjoyment of the film no one quite matches up to the Coach. He is iconic without falling into cliche. He is quotable without stealing the scene. In one quote he summarizes everything these films are about,

'I don't want any of you boys thinking, that you're gonna score. You don't score, until you *score*!'

There is something profound in the truth of this statement. Some principle deep beneath the surface that mere mortals like us are unable to quite fathom and express but in our hearts know is in everything we do. Take the journey our central protagonists go on. They think that they're going to score with the literal act of sex but they only truly score when they realise that having sex isn't the important thing here, it's the growing up, the emotional and mental journey toward adulthood. 


Also, Lawrence Pressmann has a brilliant name and was in Shaft so I think maybe some kind of lifetime achievement award wouldn't be out of place. 


And so it ends - thanks for joining me on this spiritual journey into what I truly believe is a genre defining film. I'd like to thank all the characters mentioned and everyone who helped bring this film to life. So until Minor Character from American Pie Week 2 or Minor Character from American Pie 2 Week I guess all that's left to say is:


'To the next step!'


Peace,


Steve

Minor Characters From American Pie Week - Garage Band (Blink-182)

I've tried to mix it up a bit with these choices and today is no different. What the previous characters have in common is that they helped to ground the film's crazy antics in a more realistic context. Today is the complete opposite. Not really one character but three who give the film a weird meta-textual edge...

Minor Character(s) 4 - Garage Band (Blink-182)

This is a bit of a personal choice. I love Blink-182 and the fact that they appear in American Pie is kind of just delicious icing on the already iced cake (or pie). However, there is something quite bizarre about their appearance and not just the fact they have a pet monkey. For those not paying attention (or who were drunk at the time) they're included amongst the viewers of Jim's Nadia embarrassment on the video link-up. They don't do anything special it's just that whilst Jim is sprinting between his friends and his bedroom it's Blink's classic 'Mutt' playing over the top. This isn't a music video - why have the band on screen whilst the song plays? 'Random casting!' you shout. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the self reference matched with the webcam sequence is the filmmakers suggesting that the internet is connecting people in such a way that we're now influencing each other subconsciously without even the need for communication. This has terrifying implications for you dear readers.

Fine, I could be stretching a bit here but you have to admit it's a little strange. I think it would have been cool if Blink had featured in the sequels. Their development as a band paralleling the boys development into adults. Oz does eventually become a bit of a dick kind of like Tom DeLonge circa Angels & Airwaves.

Peace,

Steve

Minor Characters From American Pie Week - Kevin's Brother

Here we are ladies and gentlemen. Three days in to this exciting journey into the recesses of my obsessive mind. So far we've reacquainted ourselves with The Glee Club Teacher and Jim's Mom. Today - a slightly more familiar face.

Minor Character 3 - Kevin's Brother (Casey Affleck)

That's right. Years before creating severe doubt in the public's mind about the mental stability of Joaquin Phoenix the man known worldwide as one of the top 2 Affleck Brothers was here in the background of American Pie uncredited as Kevin's brother. This was actually a tough one for me. With Casey's fame and the fairly serious role he plays in the film I wasn't sure whether he should be classified as an unsung hero. In the end I decided that because of the fact he plays such a large role but doesn't get much credit for it that he deserves to be here.

One of my major problems with American Pie: The Wedding is the fact that Kevin has such a tiny role (I have more but I won't go into them here). He is undoubtedly the leader of the group. It is his drive and determination that sparks their quest in the first place and ultimately results in Jim's marriage to Michelle. However, this motivation doesn't just form out the ether. It is Kevin's brother with his introduction of the fabled Sex Bible that gets things going for them. The presence of a mystical older generation gives American Pie a further edge over other teen movies (See also the Cops in Superbad). Some teen films seem to give the impression that this is the first time anyone has had sex ever. The concept is mystifying to the main characters, adult characters don't understand it. The presence Jim's Dad and Kevin's Brother underline that people have always had and struggled with sex and that what these characters go through is a universal experience. It's a nice message really.

Peace,

Steve