Fletch's Film Review: Horton Hears a Who

Unlike most animated tales in which the story leads up to a big fuzzy moral at the end, Horton Hears a Who is all morals, with a story that kind of dances around it. The beauty in this one, though, is that what those life lessons are - what the kids and/or adults are meant to glean from it - is left somewhat open to interpretation.

When the titular elephant finds that he is the only one that can hear a community of Whos on "a speck," the reaction from those around him ranges from disbelief to dismay to dissatisfaction to destruction. But what is it, really, that Horton (and Dr. Seuss) is eager to protect, and what is it that the "evil" kangaroo is so eager to be rid of? Is it religion? Unborn babies? Little people? Well, that's up to you.

Either way, the film provides a fun ride, and expands to movie form just fine, with a back story given to the Mayor of Whoville and his family that teaches the kiddies some additional lessons (it's okay to be different, etc) along the way. The attempts at modernizing the story (an anime sequence, a MySpace knockoff titled "WhoSpace") fall flat and will somewhat keep the film from being as timeless as the book, but aren't as much of a downside as to negate the goods.

Fletch's Film Rating:

"Darn tootin!"

And then...

Fletch's Film Review: Atonement

This is the first of two reviews that I'm posting more of less just for posterity's sake. This first one I've been procrastinating for months now, and the second I feel I would procrastinate for months, so I'll just get that out of the way and put something up shortly for it. These will be very small, and it'd probably be best if we all pretend they just didn't happen (kinda like Verne Troyer).

Joe Wright's Atonement starts with a frenzy of sound; the tapping of a typewriter, mirroring the actions of one Briony Tallis, who has resorted to play writing in an effort to escape the doldrums of living in a giant manse with nothing to do but play with her bizarre cousins. She has the mind of a dreamer and is just smart enough to get herself and those she knows in trouble, particularly when she spies something and misinterprets what she's seeing. This imagination is one that will cause a ripple effect of damage to those nearest and dearest to her.

Director Joe Wright has a keen eye for visuals, but is stuck with a story that, eventually, goes nowhere, leaving the viewer frustrated and cheated. There's an air of grandiosity to it all, when really it's a simple story of love and redemption, and it's really not that big at all.

Fletch's Film Rating:

"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you."

And then...

TGITDNMAR (3/28/08)

It's that time again for TGITDNMAR, which (obviously) stands for Thank God It's The Day New Movies Are Released.

Okay, at this point, even I am sick of my own bitching about how bad this year has been at the movies. Will that stop me from complaining yet again? Of course not. Look, by this time last year, we'd already had Zodiac, Breach, Smokin' Aces, 300 and The Namesake, just to name a few. This year? Um...well, Cloverfield was a good time. Definitely, Maybe was pretty good. In Bruges would probably be my movie of the year thus far, and in any other year, it probably wouldn't crack the top 15. Blech. Let's see what pieces of garbage I'll be seeing at the theater this weekend (yes, I'm part of the problem).

Stop Loss
I haven't seen this (obviously), but I already think they made a mistake not casting Joseph Gordin-Levitt in the lead role. Ryan Phillippe has certainly progressed as an actor, but I still find Gordon-Levitt to be much more appealing, and I just know I'm going to be angry whenever it's Phillippe and/or this Channing Tatum character onscreen (who apparently is a big hit with the kids; sorry, I never saw Step Up).

Still, this is director Kim Peirce's first film since Boys Don't Cry, so it's bound to be better than the (youth-targeted) marketing makes it seem. If you need more incentive, know that Timothy Olyphant is in it as well (which I wasn't even aware of until just now).
Fletch's Chance of Viewing (in the theater): 58%

21
Despite the familiar feel to the story, this one looked appealing. Unfortunately, I have it on good word that it's not. From casting a bunch of white folks in roles that are based on Asian-Americans (surely offensive, but somewhat understandable considering the dearth of Asian-American stars) to butchering the geography of a town as familiar to many as Las Vegas to a cliche-ridden script to lazy directing to bad accents, all the signs point to "Stay Away."

Just for fun: if I were in the "blurbing" business and saw this, assuming my review was negative, the blurb would be "Don't hit on 21!" If the review was positive, I think I'd have to go with "Double down on 21!" Finally, if it were a middle-of-the-road grade, the obvious choice is "21 is a split hand." If you can think of worse blurbs, by all means, "hit" us with them.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 21% (it's really more like 7%, but how could I resist?)

Superhero Movie
I must be really dumb. As horrible as Epic Movie was, and as gawdawful as Meet the Spartans looked, I could potentially be talked into seeing this one (considering the current movie climate). The trailer doesn't make the movie look great by any means, but it definitely looks funnier than either of those two junk heaps. In the end, I won't see it (in the theater, at least) because I after sitting through Epic, I swore not to, but there's a good chance I'll sit through it when it hits cable.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 0%

Run, Fatboy, Run
Interesting story: in Britain, when this was first released, it was titled Fatboy Rennt (congratulations to the three people that got that).

Anyway, this is the leading contender for best movie of the week, in spite of the fact that David Schwimmer is the director. For starters, the lead is Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame, which automatically makes it worth seeing. Helping out the cause are co-stars Thandie Newton and Hank Azaria, and scriptwriter Michael Ian Blank (who co-wrote with Pegg), a comedy vet that had a hand in the creation of The State and Stella, and has been a mainstay on Comedy Central for the past 15 years, it seems.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 83%

Flawless
Here's another chapter in the continuing saga of Demi Moore's career. After appearing (oddly) in the mixed-reviewed Mr. Brooks (I was on the negative side of the fence), Moore stars with Michael Caine in a period heist flick (my ears just perked up) set in London in the 60s. I really don't know much else about this, except to tell you that the creepy French guy (Lambert Wilson) from The Matrix sequels co-stars. If only Monica Belucci were joining him again. Sigh.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 29%

And then...

Fletch's Favored Five: Movies Worth Listening To (Scores)

Previously, I took a look at some of my favorite singles-based soundtracks. Today, we examine mostly instrumental ones.

Scores
I'm no expert in movie scores, and they sometimes fly right by my radar, but other times I'm pulled in immediately, and have been known to purchase the soundtrack immediately after seeing a film (I've never listened to a score prior to seeing the accompanying film).

The Last of the Mohicans - I'm ashamed to say I don't own this one by Randy Edelman and Trevor Jones, but I do have the two best tracks on my iPod, and would recommend them to anyone. Looking for that musical way to tell someone you'll love them forever? Play them "Top of the World." Looking for some inspirational music to play to a sports team or to gear yourself up for something? Play "Promentory," which was famously used a few months back in a Nike NFL commercial featuring Stephen Jackson, amongst others.
Favorite Track: "Promentory"

Ocean's Eleven - Much like Rushmore and The Royal Tenanbaums albums, this soundtrack is a mish-mosh of a score and singles. And though it indeed has some great singles, most notably "The Projects" by Handsome Boy Modeling School and "A Little Less Conversation" by the King himself (the quintessential Vegas song in my opinion), the score by David Holmes is what helped push the movie from pretty damn cool to phenomenally cool, though whoever put the soundtrack album together needs to be dragged out into the street and shot, as the (always welcome) dialogue snippets oh-so-unwisely eat into just about every song, where they should be played in between (for an example of how this should work, see the Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs albums).
Favorite Track: "69 Police"

Out of Sight - Yes, another Steven Soderberg film, and yes, another David Holmes score. In terms of execution, this is the twin brother to Ocean's, what with a few great tunes (the Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing" amongst them) thrown in, as well as that dialogue problem again, but the tone is a bit different - downbeat and chill where Ocean's is upbeat and snazzy. Still, it's great mood music, and it was even used in large part by EA Sports as the soundtrack for Tiger Woods '07.
Favorite Track: "Foley Part 2"

Get Shorty - If you're looking for more of that connectivity angle, I won't let you down. Though the artist is different, Shorty was based on an Elmore Leonard novel just like Out of Sight, so it's got that going for it. Here, it's the straight poppy jazz of John Lurie leading the way, with cameos from studs like Booker T & the MGs, US3, Morphine and Medeski, Martin & Wood. In fact, Lurie's music is so good, I even used one of the tracks for a short film I made in college (it worked perfectly, if you ask me). A rewarding listen all around.
Favorite Track: "Stink" (I'd put Booker T's "Green Onions" here, but it's not part of the score, so that wouldn't be right.)

Fight Club - This is where my bias for the film really overlaps with my love for the music, as the Fincher classic is in my top 5. The Dust Brothers stepped away from the producer's table and scored the entire film, and it was a big success. The only cheat in terms of the soundtrack is that the highly influential Pixies, whose (best track, in my opinion) "Where Is My Mind?," which closed the film, is excluded from the album. It's really the only non-Dust song that I can recall in the movie, but to leave off such a phenomenal song seems just criminal. Nonetheless, the score stands on its own.
Favorite Track: "Stealing Fat" (a portion of which plays during the opening credits)

Honorable Mentions: Run Lola Run, Amelie, 12 Monkeys

Some Random Singles
These aren't just songs that I love (though I do), but songs that I feel really enhanced their particular scenes. If I sat around for awhile, I could surely think of more, but here's a small sampling:

Oasis - "F*ckin' in the Bushes" - Snatch
Yes, I put The Stranglers' "Golden Brown" as my favorite track on the Snatch soundtrack, but the usage of this particular Oasis song (which by the way sounds unlike any other song of theirs I've ever heard) during the final boxing match is terrific. Watch the scene and tell me the song doesn't just make it.

The Pixies - "Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)" - Southland Tales
Hooray, more Pixies. True, no one saw Southland Tales except for me, Mrs. Fletch and about 7 other people (review is here), but if they had, they would have been turned on to a great song (found on their B-Sides album; the original, faster version is on Doolittle) that gives oodles of mood to one of the many bizarre stretches in the film.

Hans Zimmer - "You're So Cool" - True Romance
This song alone puts the soundtrack in the honorable mention category for me, but overall, there are too many weak songs ("Wounded Bird," "In Dreams") to outweigh the good ones (this one, Chris Isaak's "Two Hearts," Soundgarden's "Outshined"). Still, this Zimmer track (which I swear has been renamed and used in another film I can't quite recall) is worth the purchase price alone.

Rod Dougan - "Clubbed to Death" (Kurayamino Remix) - The Matrix
Just a gorgeous blend of classical piano and electronica, all instrumental and 7+ minutes long. To be honest, I can barely recall its usage in the movie, but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't used enough.

Fiona Apple - "Across the Universe" - Pleasantville
Though it's only played over the ending credits, this is probably my favorite Apple tune (and I'm a fan), and it might even be trump the Beatles own version.

Joe Esposito - "You're the Best" - The Karate Kid
Of course, I'm totally joking. No, I'm not. Well, maybe I am. Naw. Either way, it's an awesomely bad song in an awesomely bad movie, and if you don't like it, you're not human.

And then...

Fletch's Favored Five: Movies Worth Listening To (Soundtracks)

So I've had this post sitting as an unfinished draft for months now. I keep staring at it, waiting for some brilliant spin to come to me that never seems to happen. I guess you're stuck with a brilliantly unoriginal post about some of my favorite soundtracks. Not coincidentally, most of the movies listed below could also be found on a personal top 100 list, if I were ever to make one. I'm breaking out the list into a few categories (two posts): this one will focus on single-based soundtracks, with another later in the week about scores and just some favorite singles. Both posts are dedicated to the man with the musical mind (and blog), Soundtrack Geek.

Favorite singles-based soundtracks
Though credit should probably go to the artists, there's definitely a talent in putting together a grouping of either seemingly or totally unconnected songs into a cohesive album that warrants multiple entire-length listenings. Most of the soundtracks listed, in either this category or the next, are also wise enough to include dialogue snippets that enhance the listening experience. The first album mentioned is probably the best at that, and plays out (as soundtracks should) in order of their appearance in the film.

Pulp Fiction - People give a ton of credit to Quentin Tarantino for kick-starting or re-starting careers, but they're usually talking about actors. However, the man has probably been a bigger force (dollar-wise) when it comes to rejuvenating the careers of soul, R & B, pop and surf musicians from the 60s and 70s. His breakout film featured songs from artists as diverse as Dick Dale, Al Green and Urge Overkill, no doubt selling millions of albums for them in addition to the sales of this film's soundtrack.
Favorite Track: "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon," by Urge Overkill

Rushmore - If any director has rivaled Tarantino in terms of quality and diverseness when it comes to his films' soundtracks, it's Wes Anderson. This one is all over the place, with great tracks from classic rock starts like John Lennon and The Who to folk star Cat Stevens to jazz to Mark Mothersbaugh's brilliant scored tracks (which really could qualify this album for inclusion in the next category). Brilliant all around.
Favorite Track: "A Quick One While He's Away," by The Who

The Royal Tenenbaums - one might argue that this one is too similar to Rushmore's, what with another great score by Mothersbaugh, and more punk/rock tracks mined from decades past, but then one would be wrong. Outside of great Clash and Ramones songs, Tenanbaums mostly shows a more somber side, including two Nico songs, some Elliot Smith, and a tremendous hidden gem from Bob Dylan ("Wigwam").
Favorite Track: "Christmas Time is Here," by the Vince Guaraldi Trio (aka the Peanuts' Christmas song)

Trainspotting - much like the 70s themed Dazed and Confused sountrack that spawned a sequel of its own (and barely missed this list), Trainspotting also produced a second album, and though it's good, it pales to the first, a stellar collection of Britpop and early electronica, spanning from Brian Eno to Pulp to Blur to Bowie and Iggy. Only one bad song to be found (New Order's "Tempation").
Favorite Track: the now overused "Lust for Life," by Iggy Pop

Snatch - It's a bit spottier overall than the previous soundtracks mentioned, but Guy Ritchie's biggest hit had three outstanding songs that I will have a hard time picking a favorite from. Let's just say that the runners up are Massive Attack's "Angel" and Oasis' "F**kin' in the Bushes," and I could listen to either one of those all day. Other standouts include the trippy "Sensual Woman" by Herbaliser and some old school funk by Bobby Byrd ("Hot Pants").
Favorite Track: "Golden Brown," by The Stranglers

Honorable Mentions: Dazed and Confused, Singles, Reservoir Dogs.

And then...

Fletch's Film Review: Drillbit Taylor

Now, the usual gig here would entail my coming up with some clever tie-in, followed by a straight review of the film at hand. However, I hardly think that's necessary, given the film. In case you're sleeping under a rock (in which case you're probably not sleeping too well), Drillbit Taylor has been (rightfully) compared, by just about everyone, to producer Judd Apatow's production from roughly six months ago, namely Superbad. The only differences are that, aside from having the titular "bodyguard" Taylor (played by known tough guy Owen Wilson), the three high schoolers this go around are a few years younger, and the movie is not as funny (to how much of a degree depends on who you talk to). At this rate, not only is overexposure a potential upcoming hazard, but apparently, with his casts getting younger and his movies not as good, he's also two years away from producing Look Who's Talking 4: Preschool Geeks in Love. I weep for the future.

That said, Drillbit probably isn't as bad as you've heard. It's not on the level of previous Apatow-tings (I just coined that phrase - a copyright is forthcoming), but it still probably beats most other comedies these days. Despite Owen Wilson's inability to play anything other than "easygoing rogue-ish scamp with a heart of gold" lately, the film has a few inspired bits of comedy, and the two lead kids, despite their (deserved) comparisons to Michael Cera and Jonah Hill, are appealing and pretty funny - both impressive given their ages. But in the end, the movie is just too lame, long and predictable for anyone to remember the funny parts.

Fletch's Film Rating:

"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you."

With that business out of the way, let's get down to what I really want to talk about: ass pennies.
Whoa, whoa, whoa...that's not right. Allow me to back up.

See, the best part of Drillbit Taylor for me wasn't Wilson or the kids or any particular line (though there were some good ones). Instead, it was the large ensemble cast that would be of great appeal to only someone like me. Granted, many of the parts were (very small) bit parts or cameos, but some were just your run-of-the-mill minor roles. Let me play the role of IMDb and recant some of the many actors that appeared and helped make the movie for me:

* Stephen Root - an eternal MVP in my book. If he did nothing else in his career, he would be in the Hall of Fame for playing Milton in Office Space and the boss in NewsRadio.

* David Koechner - SNL and Anchorman veteran who always cracks me up, though honestly, I can't even recall seeing him in Drillbit.

* Beth Littleford - though Comedy Central acts like The Daily Show didn't exist prior to Jon Stewart arriving, the show was still a big, hilarious hit back in the days when Craig Kilborn hosted, and Littleford and Brian Unger were amongst the correspondents. Though Kilborn's career has apparently gone the way of the dodo since his leaving CBS' Late Late Show, Littleford has been seen here and there. She should be seen more.

* Frank Whaley - I don't know if Whaley is popular enough to be considered cameo-ing here, but he's memorable as a whacked-out loon who "interviews" with the kids for their position.

* Adam Baldwin - Also amongst the interviewees is the former My Bodyguard star, in a true cameo that will most likely be lost on 99% of the audience, as that film about a large boy (Baldwin) that befriends and protects a geeky little guy, was released in 1980. Adding to the brilliance of the cameo, Baldwin even wears the same clothes he wore for much of the older film.

* Finally, another bit of casting "fun" that won't and/or shouldn't be picked up on by many is the inclusion of 3/4 of the cast of the defunct Upright Citizens Brigade, a bizarre, roller coaster ride of a sketch comedy show that ran on Comedy Central from 1998-2000. That's right, kids, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh and Ian Roberts all appear in Drillbit Taylor, with Roberts holding down the largest role as Wade's asshole stepdad (the fourth UCB lead, not featured here, is current SNL star Amy Poehler).

I've noticed the gentlemen of the UCB in any number of films over the past 10 years, in roles as small as the bit parts played by Walsh and Besser here (the former plays a driver that tells Wilson's Taylor not to spend the dollar he's giving him on pot, the latter plays a pawn shop owner), to myriad commercials to Besser's larger supporting role as one of Dewey Cox's band mates in last year's Walk Hard. Never have I felt that the show gots it due, so it's high time I pay some respect to them and say thanks.

Their show, as I mentioned previously, ran furiously hot and cold. The concept was bizarre from the git-go - Wikipedia, help me out: "The overall plot of the show was that these four were The Upright Citizens Brigade, an underground organization "with no government ties and unlimited resources" dedicated to creating and monitoring chaos from their secure underground base. The sketches depict chaotic or bizarre events in the world, events which are often directly engineered by the UCB."

It's been nearly a decade since the show left the air, but I managed to track down two of their more inspired sketches (though I can't find one that revolved around an office that was located in the forest, which perhaps was a precursor/inspiration for that recent job hunting advertisement where people battle each other for promotions). I hope you enjoy.





http://www.uprightcitizens.org/main.html

And then...

TGITDNMAR (3/21/08)

It's that time again for TGITDNMAR, which (obviously) stands for Thank God It's The Day New Movies Are Released.

Unless Drillbit Taylor turns out to be a great movie, this has to be one of the worst weekends I've seen in some time. I have almost no interest in any of the movies listed below. How little? Let's see...

Drillbit Taylor
With this, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Pineapple Express, and god knows what else in the pipeline, combined with three productions in 2007 (I think), the Apatow brand is bordering on dilution and overuse. In the end, quality trumps all, and if 8 out of 10 movies are good-very good, then people won't care, but generally overexposure is a bad thing, as the public loves nothing more than building someone up, only to bust them up once they reach the top (see my satiric Ellen Page post from a few weeks ago as an example). As for this particular film, the quality doesn't look all that high, and people might still be a little queasy watching Wilson considering his recent past, but looking at what else is out this week...
Fletch's Chance of Viewing (in the theater): 61%

The Hammer
I'm not really one for boxing movies (and Mrs. Fletch is really not one for any sports movies), but I'm a big Adam Carolla fan (and his buddy Oswaldo), and I'm thrilled to see IMDb report that this is getting pretty good reviews (it's current rating there is 6.8/10 based on just over 200 votes). The plot is highly implausible (40-year old boxing wannabe gets a chance for some glory), but it's almost besides the point, as the appeal is mostly squarely on Carolla's shoulders - either you like him or you don't. I do.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 28%

Shutter
The Ring with pictures substituted for video. Really - does anyone want to see this? I just feel a little (but not much) bad for Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek), who I think has the potential to be an appealing actor. This is not a good sign for his career.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 0%


Meet the Browns
That Tyler Perry - such a cad. I don't begrudge the guy his success, but I just have no desire at all to see his movies. Wish I had more to say here, but I just don't.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 1%

And then...

You go now - you been here four hours!

That is, to paraphrase the comic Jon Pinette, you go vote now, then come back here.

In case you're unaware (and you shouldn't be), the LAMB is hosting its second blogathon right now (with Nick from Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob giving me a breather as the host of the event). It's titled "The Sirens of the LAMBs" and it's more or less a battle royale of "femme fatales" in cinema, all presented in the form of head-to-head narratives written by various LAMBs. One of mine (I did two) is currently the latest post there (not for long, though) and you should definitely think about the possibility of reading the post(s), and voting for me. In case the picture below isn't enough of a hint, my character in this particular battle is "Sil" from Species. Of course, in doing so, you'd be putting me into the next round, creating more "work" for me, so it's really a curse in disguise (I keed). Check it out here.

Secondly, Nayana from The Center Seat went and nominated the LAMB for a Blogger's Choice Award. The category is Best Entertainment Blog. Sounds like a difficult category to win, but every vote counts! I believe registration is required, but I could be wrong...the voting page is here.

And then...

Survivor: Micronesia (Fans vs. Favorites) Episode 7 recap

Yes, friends, it's time for March Madness. You know, that time of year when CBS pushes their schedule all around so as to accomodate the full slate of NCAA basketball games on Thursday and Friday. A time when sports fans like me rejoice, and everyone else (say, Mother Fletch, for example) moans because The Young and the Restless has been pushed aside for four days out of the year. Also regularly moved every year is Survivor, but that will get no complaints from me - it's not like I have regularly scheduled programming to watch on a Wednesday. In case you forgot it was bumped...allow me to recap.

We start with a dispute over Chicken. Ozzy thinks he's a valuable asset that should be kept in the game, but Tracy thinks they should vote him off. Damn (!) - I'm mixing up seasons again. Actually, Tracy and Ozzy were just fighting over what to do with the three real live chickens that their tribe is in posession of. Tracy, seeing the writing on the wall, wants to kill those cluckers and have her some BBQ wings before her fire is extinguished. Ozzy, knowing that he's probably not going anywhere, wants to keep them around for later. Bickering ensues. While Tracy has a good point here and there, Ozzy should have pulled a James-like quote out of his brain and told her that when she's voted off at the next tribal, she can go to Survivor Loser HQ and eat all the chicken she wants.

Meanwhile, the Haagen Dazs Dork continues to fawn over Ozzy. At this point, it's not just obvious to us at home (thanks to the help of the confessionals), but to the other tribemates like Cirie (now dubbed "Ci-reef" after a boating adventure where she whined the whole time about her fear of the ocean) and Amanda. Ozzy teaches young Mowgli how to climb a coconut tree...Ozzy cheers on young Mowgli...Mowgli loves his Ozzy. I'll save you any more description and just provide a picture from last night's show.


The Reward Challenge brought us yet another opportunity for injured contestants, what with more than half of them blindfolded while pushing giant stones around while another sighted player guided them around a course. Alas, it appeared as though everyone came out unscathed, though we were fortunate enough to hear James tell a fellow blinded teammate to "Shut up and listen!" We did learn, however, that Ci-reef doesn't know her left from right very well - a scary thought considering her profession (nurse).

Upon winning the reward trip to a waterfall/spa (brought to you by Herbal Essences), Tracy foolishly says yes to Ozzy when he asks her to "take one for the team" and head to Exile Island. Obviously, she must have been thinking that she might have a chance to find a hidden idol, but it's not as though we'd ever know, as the audience never caught a glimpse of the exiled castaways (Tracy and Jason), further proving the uselessness of the Exile Island concept.

Meanwhile, back at the losers' camp, Kooky Kathy is getting kookier. We can't totally blame her, as their "shelter" (a cave) looks like a horror film set, complete with bats, rats, and bugs of all sizes, and it's raining non-stop when they're not in the Cave of Doom, but she's on the verge of losing it. As I'm watching her, I think to myself "she's gonna quit," and within moments, she's bawling to the other ladies on her tribe (Eliza, Monkey-Faced New Girl, and Cuter New Girl) about her issues. Eliza's eyes can't conceal her feelings - she thinks Kooky Kathy is going krazy, and for once, I agree with her - Kathy is acting like a 5-year old.

Not long after, a boat arrives onshore. Jeff is there to talk to Kathy about her desire to quit the game (though not talk her out of it). He is surprisingly gentle, given how we know he feels about quitters in this game of Survivor; I have to question why, as this is the third person to more or less quit this season, including Johnny Fairplay and Chet. Granted, neither of them forced a special boat trip, but they each asked to be voted out by their teams. At the same time, the thousand people who really wanted to be on the show sat and watched this trio of losers limp through the game, then limp out of it. Would it be too much to ask for the producers to do a better job of screening the applicants? How about a 24-hour simulation of life on the island? How about a financial penalty for quitting? Anyone? Bueller??

The Immunity Challenge was fantastic. A bridge/obstacle course was set up from the shore to about 100 yeards into the sea with 5 cushions/puzzle pieces on a pier at the end. One-by-one, a contestant had to drag a rope with them as they ran out to the pier, hook the rope up to a cushion bundle, then call for the remaining players to drag them back in. With no restrictions on who had to run out in the water each time, Posiedon ran the course four out of five times for his team, amazingly never tiring and earning his team a big lead for the puzzle portion. It was all for naught, though, as the puzzlers proved incapable of solving it before the other team.

Back at camp, all of the hullaballo over who might go home proved to be much ado about nothing, as there was much scattering about by the desperate Tracy, including a plan hatched by Amy (again), who was looking to oust Ozzy. In the end, Tracy was ousted, surprising no one. The only things we learned? First, that Amy is all over the place, seemingly dispatched by the Favorites to fool the Fans into a false sense of security before each Council (I can't figure out why she keeps hatching plans only to abandon them). Second, it looks like Amanda got a promotion! Last season, her "job title" was listed as "Beauty Pageant Winner." This year - "Aspiring Designer." Congrats, Amanda!

When I'm on Surivor, my job title will be listed as "Aspiring Survivor winner."

Survivor: Micronesia homepage at CBS.com

And then...

Recycling Rocks: Seven People to Avoid at the Movie Theater

Editor's note: For a number of reasons (dead movie season, pretty caught up on reviews, other post ideas are currently dead ends, spent the last two days writing "Sirens" posts for the LAMB, my work with the poor and needy takes up all my time, etc.), it's time to grace you all with another greatest hit (or something like that) from long ago before you were a reader here. Don't you wish you'd been here from the start - to see me go from a blogging toddler to the punky (Brewster) blogging teenager I am today? No? Well tough.

Aside from giving movie reviews and opining on the random topic of the day, I'm here to provide a service to you the reader. As a rampant moviegoer, I must (obviously) enjoy the experience of going to the movies. That said, there are people (or groups of people) that serve as potential minefields to your experience. They are there to irritate you, frustrate you, pester you - whatever it takes to show you that they are passively-aggressively more important than you. So watch out for them...

* Hearing-aid Couple
Blog Cabins would never prejudge all senior citizens who attend the theater (at a discount, mind you). After all, many seniors have great hearing and are typically amongst the quietest in the building. Unfortunately, it only takes one half of a hearing-impaired couple for them both to drive you nuts. This is because the spouse with the better hearing of the two ends up serving as a closed-captioning service to the hearing impaired. "What'd they say?," says one, with the other recapping the action onscreen. Folks, they have headphones available at the counters of many theaters. They also have open captioning at many theaters. Look into it.

* 300-Pound Man
In and of itself, being heavy is not a crime at the movies. But with the advent of rocking chair style seating, having a heavy-set fellow in the row in front of you will give you flashbacks to your latest airplane trip. It should be noted also that it need not necessarily be all that heavy of a person in front of you to make you miserable; it could just be someone who enjoys rocking a bit too much or who purposefully sits way back in their seat. Buddy - I like my knees. Do you mind?

* The MST3K Fan
Hey, I love to kick back and make fun of the action as much as the next fellow - cracking wise at this or that, getting the folks around you going. But while this practice is encouraged when watching the tube with some buddies, it makes me want to shoot you at the theater. It's not your living room - shut your trap and keep your comments to yourself. Or at least whisper to those around you. No one else cares. (Note: this position is often held by persons under the age of 16, who most likely did not pay for their own ticket. Now I hate you and your parents.) Oh, and for those unaware - read up on MST3K here.

* The New Hire
At the local chain Mrs. Fletch and I attend 99% of the time, we are lucky. While almost all of the employees wear the same "tux without a jacket" uniform, the "team leaders" wear a black vest and the managers wear normal business attire. What's the point, you might ask? Well, when you're faced with concession roulette and the lines look even, it's much easier to pick a winner, as the leaders/managers (when they're running a register) are always much faster and better than their less experienced counterparts. New hires? I might as well make the popcorn myself.

* The Cell Phone Rule Pusher
"What do you want from me? It's not ringing?" Those are the words I can hear the Cell Phone Rule Pusher saying already. Tough. I don't care if your phone isn't ringing - turn it off the entire time you are in the theater! And no texting, either! While not necessarily as annoying as hearing someone's oh-so-charming ringtone with the movie running, seeing the bright backlight of their handset as it lights up the darkened theater is really close. It calls to my eyes like a beacon, and I know I'm not alone on this. Please - unless it's life or death, leave your phone in the car.

* The Sheep
The most baffling person/people at the movies. Yes, I understand the entire experience of moviegoing is not necessarily a private outing. I am voluntarily entering a dark room filled with upwards of 500 or so people. However, should the theater not be sold out, why are there people that will sit within two seats of me when the place is empty? I don't know you and I don't want to sit next to you if I have the choice. Before you ask - no, I don't sit in the middle (horizontally or vertically); I like to sit more towards the back of the theater and like an aisle seat on the left or right section. So I'm not exactly sitting in the most popular area - why do you choose to leech onto me? I may be good looking and interesting, but gimme a break!

* Me
Because I'm obviously an ornery sunavabitch. Proceed with caution.


Got someone (or some type of person) to add to the list? Email me at blogcabins@yahoo.com or post a comment below.

And then...

Fletch's Film Review: Penelope; Chaos Theory

A couple of capsulized reviews to get me caught up...

Penelope

Penelope is the Tim Burton movie that he never made. Not only is the plot vintage Burton (cursed family gives birth to girl with the snout and ears of a pig), but it co-stars Beetlejuice vet Catherine O'Hara and Sleepy Hollow vet Christina Ricci (rounding out the cast are James McAvoy, Richard Grant, Peter Dinklage, and a bit-parted Reese Witherspoon).

Despite the do-gooder fairy tale moralizing (love yourself and others for who they are, kids), the film has its charms and laughs, and McAvoy and Ricci even show some solid chemistry together. The sets, costuming and art direction are vibrant and eye-catching, from Penelope's out-there wardrobe to the imagined metropolis they live in, a mashup of New York, old London and an amusement park. Making my day even more was another solid role for Dinklage, who has established himself as a great character actor, and a hip soundtrack, featuring a tune from one of my favorite bands (DeVotchka, who you'll recognize if you've seen Little Miss Sunshine), and a closing track from Sigur Rós, an Icelandic band that also makes hypnotically beautiful music.

Fletch's Film Rating:

"Darn tootin!"


Chaos Theory
Can someone please find Emily Mortimer a starring role? The cross-gender appealing 36-year old British actress has found a steady stream of co-starring work in the past few years, in everything from Paris, Je t'aime to Match Point to Lars and the Real Girl, but I haven't seen her in a lead role yet (though she may have some smaller productions across the pond that I'm missing out on).

Here, she's ably handling the wife role, to Ryan Reynolds, dipping into the romantic comedy well once again, just weeks after the similarly constructed Definitely, Maybe was released. My feeling walking out of the theater was that this was very similar to The Bank Job. No, I'm not crazy; I'm referring to the quality - both are totally adequate, mildly entertaining movies that you're bound to forget within weeks of seeing. Reynolds continues to show that his range goes beyond what his looks might try to box him into, here playing a husband and father, ranging in age from about 25 to 40 (he's 32).

What's lacking here is any semblance of interesting direction. The story isn't one that we haven't heard before (anal-retentive begins to lose it, goes through nervous breakdown of sorts), but it has enough twists and turns to keep you entertained. It's just so lazily put together, with folksy, guitar-strapped whiny boys wincing their tunes when its time to feel sad and classic rock staples playing when it's time to show the characters' freedom. In other words, all the songs you hear are exactly what you might expect to hear given the situation, and the songs telegraph the moods of the characters for the audience.

Rounding out the small cast is Scrubs alum Sarah Chalke, using her considerable assets to play a minx attempting to lure Reynolds' high-strung husband into some naughty behavior, and Stuart Townsend, failing at procuring a passable American accent, as the immature best friend/free spirit struggling to become a responsible human being.

Fletch's Film Rating:

"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you."

And then...

TGITDNMAR (3/14/08)

It's that time again for TGITDNMAR, which (obviously) stands for Thank God It's The Day New Movies Are Released.

Yes, I realize I've been pretty flaky when it comes to this feature. By nature, it should be a weekly post, but this is what happens when Survivor starts and I still have the same amount of hours in the day to pop out two posts on a Friday morning/afternoon. Lucky for you, I live-blogged the Survivor episode last night, freeing up some time this mornin' for this here post. Aren't you relieved?

Horton Hears a Who
Does Horton hear me not caring? Mrs. Fletch wants to see this for some reason, but I can't say that it looks any good to me, despite the all-star cast of vocal talent (Carrey, Carrell, Burnett, Arnett, Rogen and on and on). Maybe it's because I never read this Suess book. Can't they make a movie out of Are You My Mother? I'd be all over that one. The crane rocked.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing (in the theater): 40%

Doomsday
From the looks of this, I'm surprised it's not a Rob Zombie directorial effort. No, this 28 ___ Later... clone was brought to us by Neil Marshall, helmer of the much-lauded (and tremendously overrated, if you ask me) The Descent. On the bright side, it's starring Bob Hoskins and Rhona Mitra, who's otherwise known to me as the best thing about Hollow Man.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 3%

Never Back Down
Poor Djimon Hounsou. He's clearly shown talent in his >10 year career (In America, Gladiator, Amistad), but something must be wrong when he's relegated to the mentor role in a crappy-looking mashup of Fight Club and Bloodsport. Then again, I love both those films, so maybe this one will surprise me on cable. TNT, please don't forsake me.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 1%

Funny Games
It's no secret that the intent of this film is to make the audience uncomfortable/squirm/angry. I guess I just don't get it; I'd put it in a category with some of John Waters' films (that granted, I haven't seen but heard about) whose intent is to gross you out. Sorry, folks, I might go to the movies to learn or to be entertained or to be challenged or even for an adrenaline-filled scare, but being grossed out or revolted isn't on my menu. Save that for the Faces of Death crowd, k?
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 5%

Sleepwalking
Listen, I know he's kind of weird, and perhaps turns people off with the whole hemp thing, but can someone please tell me why Woody Harrelson isn't a bigger star? I hadn't even heard of this film until a few days ago (odd considering it stars Charlize Theron), and I didn't know until five minutes ago that Woody co-starred. The man is clearly lacking in respect about town - he's not only wildly talented, but about as versatile as they come, capable of everything from character-actor type roles (No Country) to comedy (Kingpin) to drama (The People vs. Larry Flynt) to whacked-out and drugged-up (Natural Born Killers). You can keep your Robert Downey, Jr.; I choose Woody.
Fletch's Chance of Viewing: 33%

And then...

Survivor: Micronesia (Fans vs. Favorites) Episode 6 recap

That's right, it's time for another Survivor live blog. Can you feel the excitement? Let's get down to it:

7:00: Hmmm...what happened last week? That's right - Joel got voted off! I'm heartbroken.

7:01: Häagen Dazs Dork reminisces the ousting of Joel, utterly shocked (shocked!) that the Favorites would lie and strategize in getting a "strong" player like Joel out of the game. Um, "Outwit" is the first word listed on the logo, son - I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough.

7:05: Sweet - Tracy is at it already, telling the Baskin Robbins Boy that they're coming after him next. From the looks of it, he falls for it. Next on Tracy's list? Prance around in her bikini (with some apparently nippy weather) in front of Ami - wise choice.

7:07: Our first Jonathan update. James fears Jonathan's leaving would strand him with a "bunch of girls. I'd be losing my mind."

7:09: Eliza's eyes literally pop out of her skull. Oh wait, sorry - they're normally that way. My bad.

7:10: Challenge time. The reward? People! Hooray for slave trading! (Okay, that was harsh.)

7:11: The challenge consists of swimming a bunch (whaddaya know, Ozzy makes it to the destination first?) of people out to get some planks, bringing them back to shore, creating some structure, then destroying the other team's structure. Lots of knots and wedging to prevent the other team from accomplishing the tear down. Interesting, I suppose.

7:13: Unfortunately, I have no idea who's on what team, so I don't really know who is winning. I'm going to wager a guess and say that James' team wins.

7:15: I rock. Apparently, that tribe is Airai.

7:16: Chet and the hippie-looking guy (Jason?) are off to Exile Island. Meanwhile, Jeff informs Jonathan that the medical team is going to take a look at his knee. This is not good.

7:17: And just like that - he's gone. Lame. Here's hoping he ends up alright. The game is losing a good player and a great personality. On the other hand, everyone is crying, including Kooky Kathy, who barely knows him. The man hasn't died yet - this might be a bit strong of a reaction. I know Penner has a right to be pissed and frustrated, but the rest of the people are posers.

7:21: James' worst dream has come true - it's him and a bunch of women. On the bright side, Joe and Edwin (I'm sure their real names), the native Micronesians (I'm assuming) have arrived to help teach the lazy, stupid Americans how to fish. It's always fun to watch how awkward the castaways act around the natives, speaking some bastardized version of English to make them feel better or something (though I think I do the same thing around ESLers).

7:25: Ami begins her first storyline of the game, apparently siding with Tracy and the other noobies. She doesn't trust Cirie (smart) and she might, just might, like Tracy.

7:27: Haha - Ozzy just said that Jason might "be naive enough" (read: stupid) to fall for Ozzy's fake idol. This will only get better from here.

7:28: Chet just made up some story around coral in his foot as an excuse to lay around the beach doing nothing. This guy's great.

7:30: Jason has found the "idol" and says that finding it is "pretty incredible." I couldn't agree more.

7:34: I know Penner had to go home, but there better be an Immunity Challenge and Tribal Council tonight. It's not like the producer's didn't see that nasty infection coming from a mile away. It looks like we're in luck. Maybe...

7:36: Hippie-boy calls out Ozzy on finding the hidden idol. Ozzy, visibly pissed, plays dumb. Not a smart move by the granola one. In other news, (yay!) we have a challenge after all. Even better news - it involves swimming yet again. It also involves balancing a member on a tiny pole and carrying them across the water.

7:40: Airai wins yet again, leaning on James' strength yet again. Will Tracy work her magic yet again, or will Chet finally go home?

7:45: What a lame episode. Now Chet is asking to be voted out. Ozzy pretends to be sad about it, while Ami, Tracy and Erik are now only upset, but plotting to blindside Ozzy. The only thing they are relying upon is for Chet to vote with them and keep himself in pain for a few more days. It's not like he'd be exerting energy by staying there for a few more days. Adding to the complication is the fact (if I recall correctly) that you can't vote for yourself. If Chet were to vote for, say, Cirie, with Amanda, Ozzy and Cirie voting for Chet and Ami, Tracy and Erik voting for Ozzy, we'd have a tie, in which, obviously, Ozzy would beat Chet anyway.

7:50: Ozzy just jinxed himself, saying he'd "get naked and jump off the pier" if he were to be blindsided. This could get ugly, though Mrs. Fletch wouldn't exactly mind seeing Poseidon naked (I can't argue too much - it'd beat Chet or Cirie, right?).

7:53: Chet. Chet. Chet. Sixth person voted out - Chet. Methinks Ami didn't flip, based on her comment to the camera while placing her vote in the box ("Sorry to see you go"). Perhaps she just played the Fans, feeling Tracy was getting too big for her britches (and bra)? I'll know in two minutes.

7:58: Tracy voted for...Erik? Huh? Chet explained why he didn't vote for Ozzy, but, to be honest, I was too blindsided (naked pier jumping for me!) to pay attention to what he said. Weird. Next week? More Kooky Kathy krying. Can she please be the next one off?

Survivor: Micronesia homepage at CBS.com

And then...

Just a random thought...

I was just flipping channels the other night when the first Austin Powers popped up. I hadn't seen it in some time, so I put down the remote and started watching. However, the interesting thing to note is that the station I had stopped the remote on was the Independent Film Channel.

Huh?

If anyone can tell me what about Austin Powers is independent, I'm all ears. The film was released by the now-defunct New Line Cinema, which was previously just a Warner Bros. subsidiary anyhow. TimeWarner = "independent?"

Now, I understand when films made by Miramax (started independent, was purchased by Disney) or Paramount Vantage or Warner Independent are shown on channels such as IFC or The Sundance Channel; at the least, even if they are parent-owned by a conglomerate, the films either have that "indie feel" to them or were produced independently and later purchased by the big boys. But airing Austin Powers is essentially no different than airing Titanic; there's nothing remotely independent about the film.

Months back, I ran a post about TV channels sacrificing their identity for ratings (Ice Road Truckers on The History Channel?), and to some extent, though I wholeheartedly disagree with that they're doing, I can at least understand it. This instance, however, bothers me more, because it fundamentally goes against everything the channel has built for itself. It would be akin to Comedy Central airing Schindler's List or Lifetime airing The Man Show.

Why betray your audience - and more importantly, why betray yourself?

Of course, I watched the movie, so I suppose I'm guilty of contributing to the cause. Told you this was just a random thought.

And then...

Worst sequel casting replacements

A few weeks ago, I inexplicably referenced The Flinstones in Viva Rock Vegas in one of my posts. Sure, that may be grounds for movie blog renouncement right there, but somehow my inpending trip to Las Vegas made me think of it. Besides, it gave me the idea for the post that you're currently reading. See, the first Flintstones movie starred John Goodman in the title role. Who doesn't love Goodman, after all? He was in Roseanne, he'll be forever remembered as Walter Sobchak - heck, he even played The Babe (not that anyone cares to remember that one).

So, imagine Jack's Total Lack of Surprise that the second, Goodman-less (and every other star-less) Flintstones movie bombed. But as bad as either film might sound, the truly egregious act here was the replacement of Goodman with the terribly unfunny, wildly annoying and somewhat cherubic Mark Addy in the role of Fred Flintstone. Surely, Alan Reed (the original voice of Fred) and Jackie Gleason (whose Ralph Kramden character on The Honeymooners was the inspiration for Fred) were both spinning in their graves.

That is but one case of terrible casting jobs in Hollywood sequels. The list is long and indistinguished, I'm afraid. Lucky for you, I'm here to recount and rehash some of the worst of them for you. For these purposes, a new actor or actress playing the lead in the sequel in a different role will count as a replacement (think Jason Patric taking the reins for Keanu Reeves in Speed 2: Cruise Control), though you might think I've stretched that definition before we're done here. As a bonus, I'll even throw in some good-great replacements (and maybe some that are too tough to call) at the end.

Kill the Casting Director

John Goodman --> Mark Addy (The Flintstones)
Well documented above and in the previous post.

Bruno Kirby --> Jon Lovitz (City Slickers)
Taken in small doses, and in the right roles (like the short-lived animated series The Critic), Jon Lovitz can be great. This was not one of those times. Besides, Kirby is probably most famous for his Slickers role; he might have been the smart one by skipping the sequel, but that doesn't make it any easier on us.

Harrison Ford --> Ben Affleck (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series)
THE box office star of the 80s versus...the guy from Daredevil and Gigli? Sure, the public has a love-hate relationship with Ben (currently re-entering love after his Jimmy Kimmel skit), but this one is really no contest. It'd be like casting Shia LaBeouf as Indiana Jones son or something.

Jim Carrey --> Jamie Kennedy (The Mask)
Love or hate Carrey, their stars have never been close to being on the same level, and Kennedy has shown that he can be funny for 5-minute segments, but not necessarily for a whole movie. Not even close.

Brandon Lee --> Vincent Perez (The Crow)
I'm probably being harsh on Perez here; after all, Lee never actually had the chance to become a big star, and this was the only film of his that came close to being a hit (Rapid Fire doesn't count, and I have no idea why I can remember the name of that film - the only other thing I can recall is that it takes place in a laundromat or dry cleaner for a portion of it). But it's not like anything ever became of Perez, either, and he has the benefit of still being alive.

Arnold Schwarzenegger --> Danny Glover (Predator)
Sure, Glover's great and all, but replacing Ahnuld in what started out as a straight-up action franchise?! Gimme a break.

Macaulay Culkin --> Alex Linz (Home Alone)
Oh wait - I'm not actually an informed critic of this choice, as that would involve me actually watching Home Alone 3. Am I safe in assuming?

Tom Cruise --> Stuart Townshend (Interview with the Vampire)
Townshend has never seemed to me to be anything more than a Johnny Depp clone that makes bad choices (though, to be fair, it's probably because Depp gets first crack at all the scripts that might come Stuart's way). But Cruise was still near the top of his game when he was cast (miscast?) as Lestat in Vampire; Stuart's other high-profile role was in The League of Extraordinary Gentleman. I rest my case.

Christian Bale --> Mila Kunis (American Psycho)
Ahahahaha. You're joking, right?

Six of one, half dozen of the other

Vin Diesel --> Tyrese Gibson (The Fast and the Furious)
You might say that this is a big drop-off, and you might say that I'm terribly uninformed, having not fully seen any of the Fast and the Furious flicks. But this is my report, and I say this is more or less a wash.

Vin Diesel --> Ice Cube (XXX)
Same here. In fact, Diesel is a much more talented actor, and brings more to the table, than either Gibson or Cube, but it hasn't shown in his choices over the last few years. So he's getting a demotion to being on par with them. Deal with it, Vin.

Rachel Weisz --> Maria Bello (The Mummy)
Though it's hard to believe that these two are playing the same role (Bello will reprise the role of Evelyn O'Connell in the third Mummy flick, due out later this year), Weisz and Bello are generally a wash. Both are fine, attractive actresses that have starred in their share of crap and their share of quality, with the Mummy films snuggling right in between both of those classifications.

Michael Keaton --> Val Kilmer --> George Clooney (Batman)
To be sure, the quality of the Batman films took a nosedive after Tim Burton left the series (and some would say from the first to the second), but surely the new shoes filling the role of Bruce Wayne didn't have anything to do with that - or at least, not much. Val Kilmer made a fine Dark Knight, and had Joel "Hack" Schumacher not turned the series into a lame cartoon with bad jokes, some might have thought the dark, reserved Kilmer to be the best of the bunch. Instead, he was left with "chicks dig the car" lines - oy. Meanwhile, the abominable fourth installment is an abortion of a movie, and granted, Clooney was not yet the fine actor he is today, but he was still a marquee name.

Cillian Murphy --> Robert Carlyle (28 Days Later)
There are probably a lot of people that think they don't know who Robert Carlyle is. But then they see him and remember his unforgettable role as Begbie in Trainspotting. In terms of types of characters from one film to the next, these two probably don't even warrant comparison, but it's fresh and topical, so on the list it goes.

Wesley Snipes --> Omar Epps (Major League)
To be sure, Snipes was (at a certain point in time) a much bigger star than Epps has ever been. But if you watch Epps' inspired turn in the second Major League, you have to give the guy credit for doing such a wonderful impersonation of Snipes' "Willie Mays Hayes." While many of the choices on this list play different characters, and other play the same but bring a whole new set of tools to the role, Epps went the role of personification, and pulled it off.

Drew Barymore --> Alyssa Milano --> Jaime Pressly (Poison Ivy)
For the record, I've only seen the first in this series (starring Barrymore). But if you have as well, you know that I don't need to be a rocket scientist to judge the replacement casting. These are glorified skin flicks starring the hot young ingenue of the day (that's willing to bare all), and there can be no complaints about the skip from one of these actresses to the next.

Thought bad at first, not looking so bad now,

Michael J. Fox --> Jason Bateman (Teen Wolf)
As with the Batman scenario, the second Wolf was a vastly inferior one to the Fox-starring original (or maybe it was just that it was the exact same movie all over again, only with less overall talent involved). And though we might have once thought that the drop-off from Fox to Bateman was a drop in quality akin to the difference between Family Ties and The Hogan Family, surely Bateman's career over the last eight years or so has proven that conclusion wrong and given him some sweet redemption. Besides, the egregiously bad casting replacement from one Teen Wolf to the next was the vast drop from Jerry Levine (pictured) to Stuart Fratkin (Who? Exactly.).

Studio Head Takes all the Credit

Jodie Foster --> Julianne Moore (The Silence of the Lambs)
You might wonder why this has been placed in the "improvement" category - after all, how can you improve on Jodie Foster? While I agree with that assessment, just the fact that they got someone that could challenge Foster in terms of acting (when a dramatic fall was all but guaranteed) is a feat in and of itself, and warrants a spot here.

Alec Baldwin --> Harrison Ford (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series)
Baldwin certainly has his strengths, and (believe it or not kids) was a veritable movie star at one time, but this was hands-down, without question, an improvement in quality and potential box office. This was like going from Timothy Dalton to Pierce Brosnan (don't think I forgot the Bond series altoghether).



For another take on this subject, check out this article.

And then...