She's talented and beautiful
She just plays characters with a few issues...

Ok, let's talk film. I am very excited to see Jennifer Carpenter working and getting big roles out there. I was saddened to see her career stall for a while. Carpenter is the Emily Rose of the Exorcism of the same name film. I honestly thought she was brilliant in the film. I thought she was scary and believable. AND not to mentioned she was the hottest posessed girl I have ever seen. I would have dated her and Satan inside her. So, its really good to see her work. Her new film, Quarantine is up at yahoo. The film is using the documentary style to it. This style has always been used here and there in film and usually every time this style is used, it works. Even in Surf's Up, the Animated Film that I totally adore, it works very well.



The first film I can remember that had the documentary feel was This Is Spinal Tap, directed by Rob Reiner. That was described as a Rockumentary, if you will. Hehe. Mah I love that film. Progression of the now called Mockumentary proliferaed films as, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Cloverfield, the Blair Witch Project and Surf's Up. The point is of all the Genres I have seen this one is actually so far fool proof. Here is the reason why I think so. First thought is that we are a society that is reality TV based. That does not translate to film and Thank God that execs know that. But the mockumentary is a format that inspires real acting moments. And that is interesting.

See this if you haven't!

The original Rockumentary

It is very interesting to see real acting in what is made believed to be real time. So in such format, the acting has to be real and believable. If you have seen Surf's Up, which I highly recommend, it is better for its unscripted format because the improv of the actors working (Shia, Jeff Bridges, and Zooey Dashanel) work together very well. So, I think the main reason this format works is that the enslemble casts that Improv with these films preform beautifully together. So it is strange that Hollywood has not caught onto this fact that this format works well every time it's done. Every time! I really don't think we will see much of a surge in this format/genre because even though it does work, is is very risky for it relies on enselmble casts to work well together, no divas please. When it's done, it works well.

Chicken Joe! That's me!


Well in all, it's good to see Jennifer Carpenter work again, I hope she gets really high profile roles and becomes an A lister. I am sure she is equipped for better roles than horror, which as a horror film screamer, she is very believable.

Rachel Abramowitz of the LA Times, my favorite, wrote a very good article actually on the saftey of Hollywood sets. It seems a stunt man was killed during the filmings of Red Cliff (John Woo's new film)and The Dark Knight. No we're not talking about Ledger's death, that was outside a movie set. It seems that a Technitian was killed while testing the Batmobile. You can view the article here. She also talks about the curse of the Bond sets saying that there are many accidents that happen on the Bonds sets along with the current one that occoured recently on while filming the huge opening sequence of Quantum of Solace. Now, I have nothing to say about the article itself, it is well written, I recommend reading it. But you have to remember the most tragic accident that ever happend on a Hollywood set, In 1980, during the filming of the New Twilight Zone film Vic Morrow and a small child died by the blade of a Helicopter when it fell on them. From that tragedy, we got the child labor laws.

Until that accident happened, stunt were very lenient on sets. You have to remember that OSHA and all labor laws, as well as few others, regulate movie sets. That's why there are unions. It's really amazing to think in behind all the glamor, Hollywood works like a blue collar gig. Well it does! Accidents mostly happen when you directors do not rely on the expertise of the stunt workers who are far more experienced in safety. And this is important my Smart Hollywood Players, be very mindful of safety on a set. Let the ones who have done this for years make the decisions on that. And STILL if you feel that its not safe enough, say so. There will never be any fault with being over cautious. Once an accident happens, that's when the screws get tightened and people lose jobs. So its sounds corny, but safety first!

Ok COOPER ECHO here. Now if you read this blog of a thing here, the one person you are, you will know that when I talk about horror films one thing I have to say is that Horror movies have gotten less scary over the years because of the need for too much explanation. Now TODAY in Entertainment Weekly does no other than Stephen King himself write an article on the fact that there is too much explination in Horror films! I know! Thank you that someone with weight has said it. He didn't specifically mentioned Rob Zombie which he should have. He wins the huge award prize for taking one of the scariest films ever, Halloween, and make it totally NOT SCARY! That takes talent! I can't wait for this Friday the Thriteenth to come out. I am sure they will tell the epic story of Jason and his mother and how he was savagely and painfully driven to murder. Who cares. It's not scary. It will never be scary.
Scary John Carpenter Halloween...
Non Scary "rocker" Halloween...

No that's that. Here is Stephen King's article in EW and it strangely sounds like what I said. I am in the know my Film Fans and Hollywood players, you're in good company! Stick with me and we'll go places! Until tomorrow, let's talk film!