CLIPPED: THE OTHER SIDE OF “GRAVITY”

IN TWEET: A NEW SHORT FILM SHOWS THE EARTH-BOUND SIDE OF ONE OF THE MOST EMOTIONALLY RESONANT SCENES IN “GRAVITY.”

GRAVITY has grown into a monster hit and, as I noted in my review, is easily one of the best movies of the year. One of the many memorable sequences in the film has been given new life thanks to a seven minute short that is currently making waves on the festival circuit.

Fans of GRAVITY will surely remember the profoundly tragic scene that sees Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) trapped in a Russian space capsule. She comes face to face with her own mortality while listening to a disembodied voice on the other end of a garbled radio signal. Think back to the barking dog and crying baby and you’ll know the exact moment I’m referring to.

Putting a unique spin on things is Jonas Cuarón. His short film ANINGAAQ offers an alternate take on the proceedings by showing us the Earth-bound side of the harrowing sequence. Cuarón is the son of GRAVITY director Alfonso Cuarón.

As The Hollywood Reporter recently noted, Warner Bros. has decided to submit ANINGAAQ for Oscar consideration in the live-action short category. See what all the buzz is about right here:

CLIPPED SE: THE MALALA INTERVIEW

IN TWEET: THE FULL, EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH MALALA YOUSAFZAI FROM “THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART.” DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND WATCH.

It’s rare that I watch an interview several times back to back and am moved to tears every time. That’s the effect the incandescent Malala Yousafzai has on people. Jon Stewart’s is rendered speechless several times during his conversation with her. His reaction is genuine and profound.

There’s really no need to blast the Taliban assassins who tried to murder Malala Yousafzai because, in all honesty, that single cowardly act has become one of the biggest epic fails in the history of failed terrorist crimes. Plus, we all know there’s a special place in hell for them.

Included here is the original in-episode interview with Yousafzai from THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART as well as the extended after-show discussion. Please note that these embeds are streaming directly from the Comedy Central site. Some mobile browsers may not support the required plugins necessary to view the videos on you phone or tablet.

THE IN-SHOW INTERVIEW SEGMENT

 

THE FIRST SEGMENT OF THE EXTENDED POST-SHOW INTERVIEW

 

THE CONCLUSION TO THE EXTENDED POST-SHOW INTERVIEW

CLICK HERE for more information on the Malala Fund.

CLICK on the image below to buy the book I AM MALALA from Amazon.

CLIPPED: PASTA PERSPECTIVE

IN TWEET: OUR SUGGESTION FOR THE NEXT BARILLA AD CAMPAIGN.

UPDATE: 11/4/2013: Looks like the bottom line at Barilla might be taking a hit. As Think Progress and others have reported, the pasta peddlers are in a bit of a damage control panic. Too bad, so sad. As millions of consumers already know, finding a hate-free pasta brand is remarkably easy. While Barilla scrambles to throw together a silly "diversity" thing, I'll keep enjoying more delicious Prince Pasta. Barilla, vaffanculo!

At the request of Guido Barilla, I happily returned two boxes of his pasta and two bottles of his sauce to my local super market for a full refund. Given that I don’t fit his stated definition of a family and would never want to sully him with my dirty gay money, I simply switched to Prince pasta (happy 100th).

The main competitors to Barilla in the US, Ronzoni (like Prince, owned by New World Pasta) and Bertolli, have both jumped on the “dump Barilla” bandwagon and I couldn’t agree with them more. Sure, it’s a marketing stunt but at least I know where they stand and can feel better about more of the products I spend my money on.

As you’ll see in the video below, at least one of these companies was on the right side of the issue long before Guido acted like such a…well…guido. Enjoy this clever, nicely produced ad by the Bertolli folks that was made way back in 2009. Barilla would hate it.

CLIPPED: RICK OWENS ROCKS RUNWAY

IN TWEET: THERE’S A REASON THE LATEST RICK OWENS RUNWAY SHOW CAUSED A SENSATION. IT’S GLORIOUSLY SENSATIONAL!

Ah, Fashion Week! Crazy clothes, nutty hats and more tight faced, skinny bitches per square foot than any location in Los Angeles. Enter Rick Owens, an American designer who, in ten magical and ferocious minutes, may have changed the runway show forever.

In a story that has deservedly gotten more buzz than anything else out of Paris this week (even the model meltdown, post topless protest), Owens gave a grand and glorious middle finger to “typical” by hiring step teams to show off his latest collection. Most of the models were black and there’s not an emaciated body in sight. Cue horrified looks from the closet racists who lurk behind the catwalks.

Enjoy the full show below and CLICK HERE to check out the Rick Owens collection. If you’d like a particularly hilarious rundown of what Anna Wintour might have been thinking during the show, CLICK HERE. It’s very funny stuff from writer Kyle Fitzpatrick.

CLIPPED: THE CHIPOTLE SCARECROW

IN TWEET: CHIPOTLE RELEASES A BOLD AND HAUNTING DIGITALLY ANIMATED SHORT TO TOUT THEIR NEW GAME APP. IT’S A STUNNER.

It’s been a long time since any major chain had the balls to release a promo as gorgeous, haunting and emotionally riveting as the new “Scarecrow” short from CHIPOTLE. It is easily one of the best marketing stunts of the year.

Anchored by a lush and creepy Fiona Apple cover of “Pure Imagination” from WILLIE WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, the digitally animated short is designed to hype a new game app for the iPhone and iPad. In the process, CHIPOTLE also delivers a tour-de-force of a body blow to the world of factory farming and the inhumane treatment of livestock.

Check out the animated short here and then click on the resource links below the video player.

CLICK HERE to visit THE SCARECROW GAME site.

CLICK HERE for the iPhone and iPad app.

CLICK HERE for the Fiona Apple cover of “Pure Imagination” on iTunes. Proceeds are being donated to the non-profit Chipotle Cultivation Foundation.

 

CLIPPED/SE: NEW FALL SERIES [FOX]

IN TWEET: IT’S ANOTHER SPECIAL UPFRONTS EDITION OF “CLIPPED” FEATURING EXTENDED TRAILERS FOR NEW SERIES COMING THIS FALL. UP TODAY IS FOX.

This is one of the shakiest slates I’ve seen from FOX in awhile. There’s one buzzy re-imagining here that might generate some numbers (hint: it’s pictured above) and a surprisingly funny rip-off of…er…I mean, homage to STRIPES but the rest of the lot runs the gamut from utterly conventional to outright wretched.

Again, because networks will continue to tweak and refine their new offerings, I am not going to include much specific schedule information. Like the NBC post yesterday, this list includes only new Fall series. We’ll cover the FOX midseason newbies at a later date.

ALMOST HUMAN

ALMOST HUMAN looks like castoff bits of ROBOCOP, DOLLHOUSE and “insert name of mismatched partners cop show here” were thrown into a blender and then reconstituted by the JJ Abrams TV assembly line. It’s clear that Abrams’ attentions are more on the big screen of late and his television efforts have suffered because of it. FRINGE left me cold and REVOLUTION is lucky to be on NBC or it would have (and should have) been given a mercy killing.

I love Karl Urban and Lili Taylor but little else in this promo jumped out at me. Zero humor, zero chemistry between the leads and visuals that look almost SyFy cheap.

VERDICT: FOX has found its new TERRA NOVA. That’s not something to brag about.  NOTE: the trailer for ALMOST HUMAN was pulled from the official FOX YouTube channel on 5/15/13 because of a “copyright complaint” by the studio that produces the show for FOX. Yes, that’s bizarre but, trust me, you’re not missing much.

 

SLEEPY HOLLOW

SLEEPY HOLLOW picked up the clue phone that ALMOST HUMAN ignored. We’ve got another fantastical take on the mismatched buddy cop drama but this one is quite intriguing. Kudos, too, for a cop show with a non-white female in one of the two lead roles. Maybe FOX has a new Mulder and Scully (with a 2013 makeover)?

Ichabod Crane is no longer a gangly nebbish. Instead, he’s a hotsy Colonial who has the misfortune of being revived in present day Sleepy Hollow. Not only does he hold the key to saving humanity (as hotsy Colonials, recently revived from a 250 year slumber, so often do), some doofus also woke up the Headless Horseman. Not only does this make for a potentially raucous good versus evil battle across time, it’s the perfect excuse to jazz up an already great promo with a really good beheading.

VERDICT: A promising cast of relatively new faces, an A-list production pedigree and what looks like a beautifully produced hour that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this could emerge as a sleeper hit (my bad pun not withstanding) against unscripted fare on NBC and ABC . It should at least score some decent sampling.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE has a lot going for it. It’s got folks from 30 ROCK and the criminally under-watched PARKS & RECREATION behind it. The talented ensemble cast features Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews and Joe Lo Truglio, among others. It should be a slam dunk but the promo is dishwater dull and distressingly short on laughs (other than a few uncomfortable  pity chuckles). That doesn’t bode well for a comedy. My worry button is pressed pretty hard by the apparent lack of any on-screen sparks between Samberg and Braugher. 

VERDICT: Samberg has a following (me included) but I’m not sure they’ll stick with him if the humor he has aced in countless digital shorts doesn’t translate to a half=hour weekly. This promo runs under four minutes but it felt much longer. I kept fidgeting and waiting for that “oh yeah, this will be funny” payoff. It never came. Looks iffy, especially in a tough time slot with a weak lead-in (see next entry). I hope I’m wrong.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

DADS

Oh dear! Where to begin with this stinkeroo? DADS looks so bad, it makes the cancelled TV Land crap fest RETIRED AT 35 seem positively brilliant by comparison. It looks so bad, I’d rather sit through a SMALL WONDER marathon than an episode of DADS. It looks so bad, if DADS didn’t come from the Seth MacFarlane tree house, it would never have gone to pilot.

Seth Green, Martin Mull and Giovanni Ribisi (my favorite Scientologist who isn’t Kirstie Allie) all deserve better than this. I don’t dislike MacFarlane (he was the only good thing about the Oscars this year) but I’m not in his “OMG! He’s, like, wicked f-in funny all the time” fan club. Even if you are a fan, I defy you to watch this promo and tell me you are jazzed about adding DADS to your DVR playlist.  I’m not easily offended, but the scene with the Asian employee made me embarrassed for all parties concerned.

VERDICT: Barring any schedule shuffling, it’s a crappy show in a crappy timeslot. Reality fans have THE BIGGEST LOSER on NBC, oldies and the undemanding flock to NCIS on CBS and ABC is launching what could be the hottest show of the Fall season: MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. That leaves scraps for DADS. Only a miracle (and/or the need to kiss the ring of Seth MacFarlane) will save this.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

ENLISTED

Wait! A comedy that looks funny? How did that slip in here?

ENLISTED certainly owes a thing or two to STRIPES but that’s not a ding. This was the FOX pilot I was the least excited about but, the trailer took me totally by surprise. It has humor to spare and quite a bit of charm, to boot. ENLISTED looks just arch enough for the network but it is clearly swinging for a mass audience. Sure, the three brothers look NOTHING alike and there is the distinct possibility that all of the good gags are shown here. Still, I’d rather bet money on a comedy promo that makes you laugh than the two previous ones that don’t.

VERDICT: It’s marooned on Friday nights and has the aging RAISING HOPE as a lead in but, it’s the only comedy in the timeslot. Even if it does marginal numbers, ENLISTED could find its way to a full season pick-up and renewal by FOX. Big potential.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

CLIPPED/SE: NEW FALL SERIES [NBC]

IN TWEET: A SPECIAL EDITION OF “CLIPPED” FEATURING EXTENDED TRAILERS FOR SIX OF THE NEW SERIES COMING TO NBC THIS FALL.

It’s Upfronts Week! The annual dog and pony show where West Coast network execs fly to New York City, series stars in tow, in order to convince East Coast media buyers that the new shows they just picked up don’t suck out loud. The mission: book as many ad dollars as you can in advance of the upcoming Fall season.

Sound fun? It’s not. The only people who like it are the newbies who enjoy a free lunch and presentations devoid of any spontaneity. Alas, like going to a wake for that strange uncle you never really felt comfortable with, it’s just something you gotta do. Why? Ah, sweet mystery of media life!

As the broadcast networks release promos and footage of their new series for this Fall, I will be posting them in special editions of CLIPPED. I’m not going to get too hung up on schedule information at this point because networks juggle and tweak quite a bit during and after Upfronts. Up first: NBC.

THE BLACKLIST

THE BLACKLIST is an international thriller starring James Spader. The plot borrows liberally from ALIAS, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and ARROW (seriously, watch the trailer and see if you can pick out all of the lifts from other sources). It’s slick, moody and looks wholly unremarkable in every way. The main attraction here is, of course, Spader who can be really great or a scenery-chewing bore (a-la BOSTON LEGAL).

VERDICT: Looks dicey. Has THE VOICE as a lead-in but I’m not sure that’s going to make for a smooth audience hand-off. Barring any schedule changes, THE BLACKLIST will also compete with established hits CASTLE on ABC and HAWAII FIVE-O on CBS. Tough slot for another crime-themed series.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW

THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW stars, guess who, Michael J. Fox. It’s one of the funniest promos I’ve seen since MODERN FAMILY. Fox plays Mike Henry, a beloved New York news anchor juggling family, a return to his profession and serious health issues. Hilarity ensues…really. The trailer has more than its share of laugh-out-loud moments and pulls no punches when it comes to Fox’s own real-life struggles. Parkinson’s is not only part of the plot, it’s also the punchline for many jokes. My dad has Parkinson’s so this hits close to home…in a very good way.

VERDICT: Should be a hit for NBC. America loves Michael J. Fox and the show looks very strong.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

IRONSIDE

IRONSIDE is a remake of the classic TV series of the same name. This time it’s Blair Underwood in the wheelchair instead of the late, great Raymond Burr. The promo isn’t great but Underwood usually is so, that makes this at least a show worth checking out when it debuts. Plus, when you first hear the snippet of the iconic IRONSIDE theme song, it does trigger a visceral wave of nostalgia.

VERDICT: I don’t think this will be NBC’s HAWAII FIVE-O but could be a sleeper hit for the network even if it does only marginal numbers.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

SEAN SAVES THE WORLD

SEAN SAVES THE WORLD features the return of sit-com vets Sean Hayes and Linda Lavin. That’s pretty much where the good news ends. Based on the trailer, it looks like a tired mash-up of dinner theater humor and a Neil Simon play. Even the promo art looks “been there, done that.” Hayes is playing a less-flamey version of his WILL & GRACE character, here a single dad trying to “parent” with unwelcome help from his mother (Lavin).

VERDICT: Have you seen THE NEW NORMAL?

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

DRACULA

DRACULA is NBCs attempt to cash in on the vampire craze…two years after the craze has passed. While it does star Jonathan Rhys Meyers, has an impressive production pedigree and looks quite lovely, it is DRACULA in name only. It’s one of those “cherry pick a mythos” tales that will probably piss off more fans than it attracts. Still, I was wrong about ELEMENTARY and ended up loving that show.

VERDICT: It’s on NBC and scheduled for Fridays after GRIMM. Clearly enough people watch that show to get it renewed. This could make a good companion series. 60/40 chance in favor of DRACULA.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.

 

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY brings NBC back to the diversity well after the miserable failure that was THE NEW NORMAL. Here it’s out with the gay and in with Viva Latino! OK, that’s a slight exaggeration and, from the looks of the trailer, there is the potential for a solid performer here. The cast is uniformly strong, with Mike O’Malley, Ricardo Chavira, Mary McCormack and Justina Machado in the lead roles. This could be the show that finally gives the criminally underrated O’Malley, Machado and Chavira a chance to shine.

VERDICT: Big potential here. Where THE NEW NORMAL beat us over the head with gross stereotyping, this looks like a more gentle, warm and loving take on what really is the NOW normal across this country.

NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.