Category: Films

  • U.S Copyright Group to Sue Users?

    The Hollywood Reporter has a piece on how Voltage Pictures is uniting with the US Copyright Group to sue individuals that have downloaded movies via BitTorrent, one of those films? The Hurt Locker…

    The war against movie piracy is getting downright explosive. The producers of the Oscar-winning “The Hurt Locker” are preparing a massive lawsuit against thousands of individuals who pirated the film online. The case could be filed as soon as Wednesday.

    Voltage Pictures, the banner behind the best picture winner, has signed up with the U.S. Copyright Group, the Washington D.C.-based venture that, as first reported in March, has begun a litigation campaign targeting tens of thousands of BitTorrent users.

    We have heard this before when the music industry try to do it, right?

    On this blog, we keep on bringing “distribution” up, because we keep on watching and listening to stuff we can’t get locally. How on earth would I be a Yu Aoi fan if I hadn’t download All About Lily Chou Chou illegally? Same goes for Shunji Iwai, and Salyu…

    How could I have ended up owning all the studio albums by the Dixie Chicks, if I hadn’t downloaded Without You from Napster more than a decade ago?

    And yes, I may not buy as much as I used to when I was a teenager, but that’s only because I buy pricier items and I’m more exigent with what I want. Dude, I just made a $50USD pre-order from Japan… for ONE ITEM. Without counting the 9 films I just bought from a second-hand store. Sucks to be you, but really…

    How do you want me to feel happy spending my dollars in a product sponsored by someone I don’t like? As good as the product can be, I’m not letting my money get into your pockets that easily. And that producer from The Hurt Locker is just making it easier to feel less guilty over not paying for his film.

    Hi Nicholas, please feel free to leave your house open every time you go out and please tell your family to do so, please invite people in the streets to come in and take things from you, not to make money out of it by reselling it but just to use it for themselves and help themselves. If you think it’s normal they take my work for free, I’m sure you will give away all your furniture and possessions and your family will do the same. I can also send you my bank account information since apparently you work for free and your family too so since you have so much money you should give it away… I actually like to pay my employees, my family, my bank for their work and like to get paid for my work. I’m glad you’re a moron who believes stealing is right. I hope your family and your kids end up in jail one day for stealing so maybe they can be taught the difference. Until then, keep being stupid, you’re doing that very well. And please do not download, rent, or pay for my movies, I actually like smart and more important HONEST people to watch my films.

    via Cinematical.

    Once again, I take the time to highlight the fact that you may not be losing your money to the people who download the most, because it is very likely they are the ones that buy the most DVDs, albums, or pay for a digital copy when it is finally available. However, you are losing money if the people are watching your film from the pirated copy that someone has sold them.

    As much as you’d like to fit your car-lending to a stranger metaphor , it isn’t quite like that. Toyota can’t tell whether me or not I can lend my car to my cousin, or that I can’t borrow his Nissan for a spin. Sadly, Social media has established that you do not need to be close to call someone a “friend”. Hence, all people borrowing and lending from each other online wouldn’t really be just “people in the street”, but just friends doing what friends have done since they have been able to copy stuff from one source to the other.

    As a person working with design and art, I do understand the concerns. I don’t mind if people save one of my photographs in their hard disks or print them, however, I would mind if someone took my photograph, uploaded it somewhere else and said that they’re selling photographs.

    Anyway, I leave you with the reasons Why Peter Serafinowicz Steals Movies… Even One He’s In.

  • AfterElton Top East-Asian Suggestions 2010

    Dear AfterElton,

    I love that Taye Diggs topped your list of Top10 Men of Color, and that you also included Ricky Martin. Though, I still wonder… really? Eddie Cibrian? Anyway…

    I like that you tried to include 1/5 of Asians… but there’s too much Asian hotness in the world to only count Daniel Dae Kim (from Lost), and John Cho… it just makes it seem like you know two Asians in the west.

    So here is a list of Asian male that I’m pimping so you could check out for future editions. I would be more than happy (and I’m sure my friend Julz would also be happy) to contribute weekly or monthly posts of Asian hotties on AfterElton.

    So… in no particular order…

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    Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

  • To Watch Until They’re 35 – Louis Garrel

    Well, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?

    Forgive the delay on the countdown, and I certainly hope that this sudden interruption didn’t cause any screw-ups on the next few inclusions (like it did with #6 on my actors list). Anyway, continuing with our 20 to Watch between the ages of 25-30, there’s no other than… another French actor! Louis Garrel~

    Born in Paris, France, on June 14th 1983, this 26-year-old actor shot to fame next to his the 20 to Watch fellow co-star Eva Green on Bertolucci’s The Dreamers, and with less than 10 years acting, he’s become one of France’s most promising new generation actors.

    Son of Philippe Garrel (director) and Brigitte Sy (actress), grandson of Maurice Garrel (actor) and godchild of Jean-Pierre Leaud (actor)… it seems like Louis Garrel’s got acting running through his veins. No wonder he made his screen debut when he was only 6. However, it wasn’t until he was of legal age (around 18 years) when he made his 2nd film.

    After his big break with Bertolucci, Garrel starred on Ma Mère (My Mother) alongside Isabelle Huppert, and directed by Christophe Honoré, who would direct him in several other films. He followed that up with Les Amants Réguliers (Regular Lovers) directed by his father, featuring his grandfather in a supporting role, and sharing the screen with Clotilde Hesme, who would eventually play opposite him on Les Chansons d’Amour with fellow the 20 to Watch Ludivine Sagnier. Regular Lovers would eventually earn him the Most Promising Actor at César Awards, and the Best Male Newcomer at the Étoiles d’Or.

    He continued his collaborations with Honoré on the film Dans Paris (In Paris), and Les Chansons d’Amour (Love Songs), which is possibly Garrel’s 2nd most popular film after The Dreamers, La Belle Personne (The Beautiful Person), and Non ma Fille, Tu n’Iras pas Danser (Making Plans for Lena). He followed that up with work with François Ozon on Un Lever de Rideau (A Curtain Raiser), and Actrices (Actresses) directed by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi — whom he seems to currently date.

    What’s in store for the future for Garrel? To be honest, it’s a mystery to me. The only thing I got to find out is that he’s worked on  a short film titled Petit Tailleur, where he takes the role of screenwriter and director. As far as acting gigs? Nothing seems to be on the horizon at the moment, but that’s no excuse to keep an eye on him… Right?

  • Dubbing Gone Wrong: The Host

    Please, if you haven’t seen The Host (Gwoemul) — not the Twilight series writer one — and are thinking of watching, watching it subtitled and not dubbed. PLEASE.

    Don’t believe me? This is why~

    Sure, that scene is supposed to be funny… but that dubbing is HORRIBLE.

  • Raiou Gets a Teaser

    Woah~ seems like Yu is everywhere this May.
    I’m loving it.

    Like I’ve said before, Yu’s face on Raiou seems flawless. And she seems more grown up, I was a little taken by that. I feel so proud. LOL even though I’m younger… This is the Yu I like, the one that acts. I’m all over the voice she uses on that teaser. The screaming, it reminds me of Shiro.

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  • Vampire in Vancouver

    Okay… Vampire is more than a meh title… but you know, even if it’s a film in English, I’m all for keeping the name as “ヴァンパイア” [VANPAIA] — but hopefully this is just a working title — LOL Because you know I’m all for Shunji Iwai and Yu Aoi in anything they might do together… but that is so generic a title.

    Nippon Cinema [Bloody Disgusting, and Just Jared, without mentioning Yu…] are reporting new casting decisions for the film. Alongside Yu Aoi, Kevin Zegers and Amanda Plummer, whom I have already reported on, there will also be roles for Rachael Leigh Cook (She’s All That), Kristin Kreuk (Smallville, and is from Vancouver), Trevor Morgan (Mean Creek, Jurassic Park III), Adelaide Clemens (whom I don’t know), and Oscar-nominated Keisha Castle Hughes (Whale Rider, The Nativity Story).

    I had totally forgotten this will be shooting in May, so this explains why Yu Aoi was missing from the FLOWERS premiere that other day everyone got blasted for those dresses. And I seem to be the only one who noticed.

    I have always had a soft spot for Leigh Cook, even though I haven’t followed her career. I do know she was involved in a project [with Dove?] about self-esteem and body image across schools in the US. And I totally love Whale Rider, so I’m thrilled to see Hughes hasn’t stopped acting after she got pregnant.

    Kristin Kreuk… I have the notion, because everyone keeps telling, that Kreuk is hot. I know. I get it, but man… her acting? I mean, how much of a suck was Chun Li?

    And finally… Trevor Morgan, who has always played the bully. In my mind… I can only think of Empire Falls and Mean Creek, and he’s a bully in both, isn’t he? He’s an okay actor though.

  • TheAuteurs Turns into MUBI

    First reaction was a shriek. What the hell had happened to my TheAuteurs.com account? Well, it had just turned into a MUBI account instead.

    From indieWIRE;

    It had to happen. The cinephile site The Auteurs has changed its name.

    …

    Cakarel wants to grow members into the millions. So he went on a quest for a new name. He called on ad agencies all over the world to find a simple, easily-typed name. “Find me my global brand, my Sony,” he told them. It took nine months, but finally an agency in Tokyo knew they had found the name. Mubi.

    The word “movie” is mispronounced in many cultures that have trouble with the letter V. It isn’t a word in any language. It is a city in Nigeria. And Cakarel plans to make that city the movie-lover capital of the world.

    Even if finding out about the change of names through indieWIRE and not TheAuteurs itself is just a little offensive, I could understand a change in branding. However, the change in brand seems to be a complete move towards the mainstream market to attract more members, who aren’t necessarily interested in auteur-driven films, and hence wouldn’t know how to type “auteur” in the first place… than a re-brand to actually make the product better for its core audience. It’s like Inca Kola trying to be hip and cool, when it doesn’t taste the same.

    With this “strategic” branding idea, they have stirred up their community by having many users complaining about the change of name, and those who aren’t complaining? Well, they are indifferent to the change. Overall feedback seems to be quite negative so it has prompted forum boards by now-MUBI Efe (Cakarel) titled “Why did we change our name to MUBI”

    The most interesting part of it all, is their deals with the Sao Paulo Film Fest to stream their films — and possible future deals with the likes of Tribeca — and deals with Cannes.

    Let’s just hope they continue to focus on Silents, Foreign Films, Classic Films and other hard to watch films, and/or other hard to find for people to share with, than mainstream Hollywood films.

  • Robin Hood is a Lot of Very Little

    First of all, “Hi, hello, Cate Blanchett as Lady Marion”

    You were my favorite part of the film. Even though I was all like “Lady Marion in an armor?” I still liked it. She was multi-purpose that Lady Marion. She changed horseshoes, and took charge of the crops, and talked to the priests and bishops like it was her business. Even though it totally didn’t fit the period, I was all over it.

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  • Ip Man: The Movies

    Dude! Bad-ass with a heart.

    Ip Man, for the people who don’t know, is Bruce Lee’s martial arts master.

    Though, from the little info I could read on the real Ip Man, they do make him look like a total hero here. I mean, you watch the first Ip Man film [semi-biographical], and he’s painted like a real nice man who likes to spar with other martial artists. He’s just a family man, and good to everyone, but he does sure love his martial arts.

    Ip Man is the hero. He is the man, and this is a total blockbuster, but with a lot more heart. I teared up a bit in parts, and I’m not even supposed to feel “patriotic” about it. But this is not about that, right? Wow, Ip Man… or I mean, Donnie Yen can totally kick ass.

    I suspect my grandfather would have enjoyed this movie very much. My dad sure did.

    And because Ip Man 2 [pretty much not biographical] has just opened in China and some other territories (including Australia, damn those lucky SOBs xD), Ip Man has been battling it out on the box office against Iron Man. However, despite Ip Man 2 not being as good as the original Ip Man… it totally beats Iron Man 2 to a pulp… in quality, not in box office power.

    Yeah, sure. Ip Man 2 is a little bit Rocky and a little No Retreat, No Surrender — and all the many fighting movies — but I can’t deny Ip Man has a lot of heart. I mean, can’t get more patriotic than fighting to “defend all Chinese culture.” How was the line? Something like you can put me down, but not all Chinese martial arts?

    And oh man, Bruce Lee was such a total cocky child actor.

    *sighs* if he only were alive.

  • Yu Aoi for Corner Pastry Shop

    It seems Yu died and went to heaven. LOL

    It’s her in a pastry shop! And a new movie announcement!!

    Yogashiten Coin de Rue (洋菓子店コアンドル) [KOAN DA RU] – seriously, why the Katakana? – was shot last year between October and December, and post-production will be completed this month for a possible release by the end of the year.

    Starring alongside Yosuke Eguchi, and directed by Yoshihiro Fukagawa, it tells the story… hmm, I’ll let Nippon Cinema explain much better than I can.

    Eguchi will play Tomura, a legendary pastry chef who was renowned for his sweets before suddenly dropping out of industry circles. Aoi will play a cake-maker’s daughter who traveled from Kagoshima to Tokyo to chase after a boyfriend. She gets a job at a popular Tokyo shop called “Pastry Coin de Rue” where Tomura is a regular customer. Through their interactions she experiences personal growth, eventually learning the importance of enjoying life and not abandoning your dreams.

    Wow, how many projects it is now?