Linkie the Pooh

Antagony & Ecstacy as part of his Blockbuster History series, goes the way of British Children's Literature (thanks Harry Potter) to discuss that great adaptation of Peter Pan in 2003. He has a fair point about Jeremy Sumpter's career since and I am alarmed to note that I didn't even realize it was the same actor when he had that one season key role on Friday Night Lights.
Scanners considers the Netflix pricing dilemma and the problem of aspect ratios. This makes me crazy too. Most television screens are wider now. Why does pan & scan still exist?
The Daily What shares my favorite new photo of a movie theater. I'll share it again.

I bring this up because at last night's Captain America: The First Avengers screening there was no air conditioning in a huge warehouse size movie theater here in Manhattan and it was, shall we say, sticky and smelly. If the reviews are terrible, blame the broken AC.

In Contention Captain America may find itself with a Best Original Song nomination. I'd be pleased. It sure was a fun ditty from Alan Menken and added to the film's period detail well.
Twitch Ubiquitous Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black gets another high profile gig with yet another Oscar winning director for Under the Banner of Heaven. I think it's official: DLB has the best agent in Hollywood. How many screenwriters have kept their moment in the sun despite being behind the scenes going for this long?
Salon Matt Zoller Seitz talks to his 9th grader daughter about his generation's defining franchise (Star Wars) and hers (Harry Potter). It's an interesting discussion though the conclusion worries me (visual superiority should never be considered "small consolation" in A MOVIE) and yet again reveals what damage George Lucas did to his intergalactic baby by screwing it up so badly in the Aughts. 
Super Punch omg. This 80s movie tee. I want. I want it hard. Someone buy it for me.
BoingBoing speaking of buying me things... like donations (see righthand sidebar) well, actually this has nothing to do with anything but what a fun concept. When this online store sells something, their Wario doll freaks out, with eyes lighting up and steam coming out his ears. Now I'm picturing all the actress dolls I should have and what they should do if i ever make any money...

Finally, MaryAnn at the long-running Flick Filosopher reminds us of a deeply entrenched problem in our popular culture this this simple graphic...

... and it's accompanying article. It'd be an easier argument to ignore if we didn't see it so often. Think of Pixar only now getting a female lead after 25 years in the animation biz.

I haven't seen the new Winnie the Pooh yet but I loved the character and his whole world as a child. Will I still? Have any of you seen it?

Curio: Do you save your stubs?

Alexa here. I've been thinking about the movie theater experience a lot lately, about what it used to be, and how much it has changed. Certainly there are things to complain about. As the Alamo Drafthouse was helpful to point out, texting is seen as totally reasonable by many patrons.  And as Ebert discussed recently, the movies themselves are dimmer.  But one of the many things I still value about the experience is the ticket stub.  I've been collecting mine since 1989. I love opening my old tin; each stub serves as a marker of an experience.  ("Wow, I really did see Boxing Helena in the theater!")  Turns out I'm not alone; here are some images of stub collections, including my own.  Do you save your stubs?  Ever found one that surprised you?

A selection from my collection.

A self portrait by Joey Yee, featuring 6-7 years worth of stubs.

Radiostaticstar's stubs from the 80s and 90s, with writing over the faded ink.

Links. Episode #14,001,382

I apologize for my uncharacteristic absence today. The day is just not really working out for me. Enjoy these links while I try to shake the mood off.

Frankly My Dear... Captain Adama Edward James Olmos honored at the Florida Film Festival. He's still very proud of his contributions to Blade Runner and Stand and Deliver.
My New Plaid Pants signs on to the Saoirse Ronan bandwagon post Hanna. People keep asking me if I have seen this. I have not seen this. I need a reason as I'm so not enjoying this teen assassin pop culture craze. It makes me so queasy.
Slash Film Robert Richardson, one of our favorite DPs will shoot Brad Pitt's World War Z movie.
Sunset Gun on an unusual choice in heartbreaking Woody Allen pictures: Take the Money and Run.
The AV Club looks at the new Mike Leigh Topsy-Turvy DVD.
The Wrap the BFCA has a spin off group now BTCA which will host Emmy style awards. Hopefully they'll use their powers for good and not try to predict the Emmys. The Emmys, way more than the Oscars, need pushes towards quality tv when they are often so content to vote for whatever they voted for the year before, even when shows take quality downturns.
Celebrity Blend Kelly McGillis is working at a Rehab Center. Good for her.
Slate with Arthur in the pop culture air again -- albeit sobered up -- here's a piece that looks on artists before and after sobriety including Stephen King and Martin Scorsese.

One of the things that makes The Shining one of the best books ever written about alcoholism is that it doesn't know what it is about. It was an act of urgent self-diagnosis, conducted in the pitch dark.

Finally...
Tribeca Film asks if movie theaters should think more like Netflix. I L-O-V-E this idea. I really think subscription models are the way to go in many business.

Would you buy admission to your favorite movie theater on a subscription basis?

Reader of the Day: Cory

Today's Reader of the Day is the first in the series that I've actually met. We sat down for coffee last year while Cory from Canada was in town having a meeting about something so secret I couldn't even begin to tell you what it was. Perhaps he works for the CIA? But he was chatty about movies and that's what we love best!

Nathaniel: Hey Cory. Good to "see" you again. Do you remember the first movie or first movie obsession?
CORY: I feel like I’m on ‘Inside The Actor’s Studio’ right now.  This is awesome! The Great Mouse Detective.  I think I was about 3 years old, and it was for sure my first movie theatre experience.  We got ¾ of the way through it when my little sister regurgitated a bag full of Nibs all over my father.  So I guess I just remember the first movie that I got ¾ through.

My first movie obsession, which birthed the entire concept of out-of-control obsessions for me, was The Shaggy Dog.  It was in no way a healthy one.  I think I watched it every single day for about 6 years.  In second grade I actually managed to convince myself that the recess bell was my own personal trigger to transform into a sheep dog.  I spent every single recess for a full year absolutely convinced that I was indeed a dog.  Needless to say I had a very lonely year.

When did you start reading The Film Experience?
I can separate my teen to adult years by what my favourite film website was in each section of my life.  Mrshowbiz.com was most of my teens.  I was devastated when that stopped existing. Thankfully I managed to find Sasha Stone after that which led me to you. TFE is easily my most visited site on the interweb and I hope I never have to go hunting for a new favourite again. 

What's your filmgoing diet like these days?
These days, i.e. the last few weeks, my film diet is an anorexic one.  Not one movie has been watched and it feels great.  I LOVE not watching movies.  It’s the best!  Every February, like yourself I imagine, I end up waking up and watching movies until it’s time to go back to sleep.  On repeat.  For 28 days.  By the end I hate the entire concept of filmmaking and wish that I was sane enough to JUST MAKE MYSELF STOP!!!  I’m not.  It will happen again next year.  But I guess I should probably rewatch Mildred Pierce (1947) pretty soon.  

Three favorite actresses. Go!
The most difficult question on Earth.  Ok.  Just do it Cory.  First to enter your mind: Liv Tyler, Grace Kelly, and Michelle Williams.  Damn!  Is that even close to right???  I think so.  But what about Rachel Weisz...  I ask myself?  And Penélope Cruz...  reads my next thought bubble?   You can’t leave out Diane Keaton...   says a very logical part of my brain.  Yes!  I fit in six.  Get me away from this awful question.

 

Biopic of your life. Who plays you? Etcetera.
I’d have to cast by era here and my movie might as well be called, ‘Eras’.  (No that’s dumb.)  My teen years need to be portrayed by Ewan McGregor...  and it will be easy for him to do so as he can just play Christian from ‘Moulin Rouge!’.  I was an overboard romantic, a naive and passionate romantic.  I still am.  I’ve just learned to internalize it.  I even wrapped myself in a box for a girl once and got someone to drop me off in front of her locker.  I hid in it for 40 minutes with chocolates and flowers.  There was a crowd surrounding her when she opened it and I popped out.  She dumped me three days later.  Lesson learned.  Movies don’t necessarily reflect real life.  I believe this was considered to be ‘creepy’. 

My early 20s could be played by Ethan Hawke.  The way he conveyed his curiosity and excitement about life in, ‘Before Sunrise’ has always moved me and felt very much like a reflection of my precise existence.  I felt the very same way about his performance in ‘Great Expectations’.  Passionate.  Sensitive.  Passionate.  Passionate.  Passionate.  I adore his aura.  The last 5 years of my life...  maybe John Krasinski??  I don’t know.  He’d have to up the intense factor.  But he performs very matter-of-factly and gives off a very logical aura.  I speak a lot about auras.  Maybe the film should be called ‘Auras’.  Anyhow...  Krasinski seems to be able to convey ‘keeping it cool’ while in very intense situations.  I think that’s what I’ve mostly been doing for the last five crazy years.  Finally, I feel like I am slipping into a Hanksian era of my life.  I’ve always felt an attachment to Tom Hanks.  Passionate and funny.  I think that’s what I am right now.  I’ve turned into Tom Hanks. I’ll take it!