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‘Swiss Army Man’ Review: Dano and Radcliffe Shine in Corpse Comedy | Sundance 2016
http://collider.com/swiss-army-man-review-daniel-radcliffe/

I have never in my life seen a movie like Swiss Army Man. And that’s saying something, considering that most films resemble other movies in one way or another. To be truly original requires not only an immense amount of talent, but an even greater amount of ambition, and boy do writers/directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert have both in spades. While the fable overshoots its reach a bit in its final moments, the effort nevertheless remains remarkable, with truly terrific performances by Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe making this insane, sweet, and profound meditation on life and death sing.

Swiss Army Man is a tough movie to describe because saying too much ruins the narrative and thematic surprises along the way, and explaining certain things out of context make it sound downright crazy (which, in some ways, it is). The film opens with Dano’s character Hank, who has been stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean for a very long time and has finally decided to commit suicide by hanging. But just as he’s about to do the deed, a well-dressed corpse, played by Daniel Radcliffe, washes up on the shore.

Hank at first is enthused to see Radcliffe’s character arrive, thinking he’s the living companion he needs to keep on going, but his spirits are soon dampened by the fact that the man is, in fact, dead and therefore can make no companion at all. Or can he? Through a series of hilarious and outlandish events, Hank forms a bond with said corpse (which he names Manny) and the two set out on a journey to return home.

I have no idea where this movie belongs. But I want to see it!
 
Casting minorities as white characters is not a double standard. Here's why.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/harpy/casting...double-standard-heres-why#phsmmQh1CJ9WAOMW.99

This article is representative of just how flawed the not a double standard argument is. It's like they are saying, you are white, and you have had dominion...so don't bitch when we reverse race cast one of the characters you identify with. That's not a valid argument. That's a numbers game. So, they are trying to 'even the scales'. How about this...you want diverse movies and tv, how about you draw from the wealth of mythologies and iconic characters from the cultures you want to represent. Oh, there isn't commercial upside in that you say. So instead you co opt another race's history simply to balance the numbers. Sorry, but that is pandering at the very least.
 
Casting minorities as white characters is not a double standard. Here's why.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/harpy/casting...double-standard-heres-why#phsmmQh1CJ9WAOMW.99

This article is representative of just how flawed the not a double standard argument is. It's like they are saying, you are white, and you have had dominion...so don't bitch when we reverse race cast one of the characters you identify with. That's not a valid argument. That's a numbers game. So, they are trying to 'even the scales'. How about this...you want diverse movies and tv, how about you draw from the wealth of mythologies and iconic characters from the cultures you want to represent. Oh, there isn't commercial upside in that you say. So instead you co opt another race's history simply to balance the numbers. Sorry, but that is pandering at the very least.

I don't think this article is representative of anything. It's a pretty stupid argument, IMO, because Raisinets are not fictional characters (The California Raisins possibly excepted), and, as you point out, this is more than just a numbers game.

Personally, however, I don't have a huge problem with changing the ethnicity or gender or even the species of characters whenever starting a new property, regardless of whether or not it's based on an existing property. I didn't always feel this way, for "artistic" reasons, but this is how I see it now, for the same "artistic" reasons. After all, for example, Sigourney Weaver's iconic Ripley was originally supposed to be a male character, right? If it's a well-established character or property, you may encounter a lot of backlash from the fans. Fine. Whatever. But you know that going in, so the final result better be worthwhile.

If somebody wants to remake Alien with Ripley as a male character now or a continuation where replicating Ripley's DNA resulted in her looking like The Rock, that would sound like a stupid waste of time to me, but, okay, go for it, why not? Because it's not going to change that Ridley Scott's Alien was and is still great; and, heck, there's some chance that a remake might also be good (though, again, I'd be skeptical).

Actually, I'd go see The Rock as Ripley, now that I think about it.
 
‘Risen’ Is The New High-Water Mark Of The Faith-Based Film
http://uproxx.com/filmdrunk/risen-review/

LOT of billboards for this...but not much else. It's interesting that a Bible flick, or Faith Based Film is getting treated as a niche movie. Fairly big name(for one of these) in Joseph Fiennes...would have thought they would have advertised a little more.
 


Weirdly, Massive Attack's new music video for their track "Voodoo in My Blood" (feat. Scottish hip-hop group Young Fathers) merges imagery from two cult horror films I've recently written about: Don Coscarelli's Phantasm (included on my Watchlist of 5 great telekinesis movies, viewable above) and the late Andrzej Zulawski's Possession, which features a legendary subway meltdown from French actress Isabelle Adjani. Coincidence?

The clip stars Gone Girl's Rosamund Pike, whose long-sleeved blue dress is an obvious tribute to the one Adjani wore in Possession, and it was directed by Ringan Ledwidge, who obviously has a thing for the spinning, deadly silver spheres Coscarelli dreamed up for his bizarro 1979 classic. It's a fascinating video, tailor-made for lovers of cult horror cinema. Watch it below.

Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/the-dartboard...ting-from-start-to-finish#gPHA0PJCTyhR3br1.99
 
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