This week, you're going to have your choice of brand spanking new DVDs about the corporate world. In one corner, you have Up in The Air, an introspective story about a man evaluating his life and his work, and in the other corner, Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Moore's latest documentary about how corporate America is screwing you. Now while Jason Reitman centered his story on the personal side of downsizing and financial ruin, Moore, as a documentary filmmaker and social activist, is all about the facts (or as much about the facts as Moore can ever be) and his film is about grand scale financial collapse, bank bailouts and a general indictment of capitalism in the Western world. In fact, the two flicks could even make for a fun (and I use the term loosely) double bill for a cause and effect movie night.

Now, if that sounds a little heavy for a night on the couch, that's alright, because for today's Cinematical Seven, I thought we might want to take a step back from reality and into the world of fantasy. Besides, some of you might be reading this from a beige and gray locale as I speak, and it might do us all some good to engage in a little daydreaming. Now, in most movies, big corporations are usually pretty evil, and I'm not talking bad corporate citizen evil, I'm talking big time, capitalistic future run amok evil (see what happens when you don't listen to Michael Moore?). So today, let's play a game and see if you have what it takes to work for an evil movie corporation.

After the jump: 7 recruiting tips to help you land your dream job at an evil corporation from the movies...

Filed under: Action, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Michael Moore, George Clooney

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Filed under: Awards, Fandom, Oscar Watch, The Geek Beat

Continue reading The Geek Beat: Will Costumed Vigilantes Ever Get Oscar Gold?

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by Adam Hartzell

Before the Korean New Wave (represented by such international film festival faves as Lee Chang-dong, Hong Sang-soo and Kim Ki-duk) and long before homegrown productions like Shiri, Oldboy, and The Host began dominating the Seoul box office, there was a "Golden Age" of South Korean cinema, and the landmark that started that cine-luminous era was the late Kim Ki-young's The Housemaid (1960, a/k/a Hanyo). Bay Area audiences will finally have a chance to view this classic in the type of venue it was meant to be screened in, The Castro Theatre, on March 14, as part of the 28th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Thanks to the committed restoration efforts of the Korean Film Archives, with support from the World Cinema Foundation, we will get to see it in a print closer to the state of its initial premiere screening. 　

Kim Ki-young's directorial debut, The Box of Death (1955), was the first Korean film to both use a Mitchell camera and to be filmed in synchronous sound. Kim built the set and directed most of the lighting, an independent, low-budget focus that he carried with him throughout most of his career. An anti-Communist film made under the auspices of the United States Information Service, its title is a metaphor for a time bomb. The Box of Death was seen by some critics of the time as anti-Communist in name only, as if more interested in currying favor with what was deemed the less reputable sentiments to be entertained. Still, it had contemporary defenders, such as writer Oh Young-jin, who advocated that the film was a "new type of anti-Communist film," hinting at how Kim would later push genres beyond their borders. 　

Continued reading SFIAAFF '10: The Housemaid...

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BLOOMINGTON, IL -- The eight-screen Carmike Parkway Cinemas has been open for only twenty years, but according to this article, the theater is "at the end of useful life" and that the opening of newer megaplexes in the area have resulted in more screens than the marketing area can support.

Despite Hollywood's record 10 billion ticket sales in 2009, a market the size of Bloomington-Normal can't support the number of existing screens, Champion said. The current total, 55, is the most for any downstate Illinois market. With the Parkway's closure, the count will still remain high, at 47.

Read more in the Pantagraph. [ed. note- Has the public's desire for amenities made 20 years the standard lifetime of a theater these days? Or were the theaters of that era unremarkable? Was stadium seating the ultimate game changer?]

CINCINNATI, OH -- After being taken over by Rave Cinemas recently, the Showcase Cinemas in the Mills mall has closed.

In the year since new owners bought the 1.6 million-square-foot Cincinnati Mills, renamed it Cincinnati Mall and announced plans to redevelop it, the center has lost a dozen tenants and fallen delinquent on its property taxes. The theater on the mall's second level showed its last films Sunday. Guess Factory Outlet, Lane Bryant Outlet and Treehouse Kids also closed their stores in recent months.

Read more at Cincinnati.com.

OSCEOLA, MO -- Think stage shows, old movies or dinner theatre in this great old building right on the historic Osceola square. 4680 sq. feet. Architecturally unique details inside and out, plus 360 original theatre seats and the original, working stage curtain. Also has a screen for showing movies. Step into a bygone era and survey the atrium and stage from the balcony. Two apartments started upstairs, original ticket window & snack bar and even the old popcorn machine. Needs work, but has a good roof and good exterior. Seats 360. Located on Third Street, Osceola, Missouri. Film buffs, actors, retail businesses, musicians and dreamers, here is a property for you. Offered by Stewart and Kiefer, REALTORS LLC, 530 Second Street, Osceola, Missouri - Donetta Garman, Sales Assoc., 417-646-2312 or 660-351-0390.

The first trailer for Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will come online on Thursday morning at around 6:00 AM PST/9:00 AM EST. The 90-second trailer's contents are being kept under tight wraps until its debut. Prior to this, on Wednesday, March 10 a 10-second teaser of that trailer will come online at about 6:00 AM PST/9:00 AM EST. The full trailer for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse can also be seen in theaters in front of Summit Entertainment's Remember Me , which also stars Robert Pattinson. In The Twilight Saga: Eclipse , Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Edward and Jacob —...

On Tuesday, Fox 411 reported that John Krasinski is the frontrunner for The First Avenger: Captain America , but that doesn't appear to be the case. Both Heat Vision and Deadline New York have received an update on who Marvel Studios is looking at now for the coveted role. According to them, Wilson Bethel (HBO's "Generation Kill," "The Young and the Restless"), Mike Vogel ( Cloverfield ), Chris Evans ("Fantastic Four" movies) and Garrett Hedlund (upcoming Tron Legacy ) are reading for the role, have tested or have received test offers. Actors previously reported as testing including Krasinski, Michael Cassidy, Chace Crawford, Scott Porter and Patrick Flueger are no longer under consideration, say the sites. The part calls for a...

WARRENVILLE, IL -- The Cantera 30's owner is putting the theater, built in 1998, on the market, asking $37 million. AMC's current lease does not expire until 2015 and the chain holds renewal options.

AMC Cantera 30, one of the region’s largest and top-grossing movie theaters, opened in 1998. The theater, at 28250 Diehl Road just off Interstate 88, is owned by Kansas City, Mo.-based Entertainment Properties Trust and an offshore investor and is leased to the operator, American Multi-Cinema Inc. (AMC) The asking price equates to a 12% capitalization rate on current rent, says Ken Szady, a Cushman executive director who is handling the marketing the property along with colleague Jim Carpenter. The biggest question mark for investors will be what happens in five years when AMC's lease is scheduled to expire.

There are additional details in Chicago Business.

LEESBURG, VA -- A twelve-screen multiplex will be Cobb Theatres first venture in the region around Washington DC; the chain is based in Alabama. It will feature the company's CineBistro as part of the theater's amenities, and the company hopes to open the multiplex by the summer of next year.

"A CineBistro consists of an intimate lounge and restaurant area in a boutique setting, surrounded by multiple theatres -- each seating between 80-100 customers. After dining, the tables are rolled back and patrons enjoy a movie in what Cobb Theatres describes as a true 'private Hollywood movie screening experience.'" The theater will also have stadium seating with custom-designed rocking seats for unobstructed viewing and wall-to-wall curved high grain screens that the company says produce brighter colors and sharper images than other screens.

There is more in Loudoni.com. In Pigeon Forge, TN, demolition has begun to provide space for a five-screen theater in the Walden's Landing Center. The cinema will be operated by Phoenix BIG Cinemas of Knoxville.

Looking for older Altec, Western Electric, Fairchild, Gates, Ampex, RCA, etc. sound equipment from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Please email me with details.

GreenCine's Oscar Live Blog

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Since I've still got one more review I'd like to get up before/during the Oscars (and grocery shopping to do so that I'll have something to eat before/during the Oscars), let's just do some fun with IMDB. Where this comes from will soon be evident.First, the poster for The Good Guy. I guess it's not bad as giant-head posters go, but it sure looks like this is about Alexis Bledel trying to

To mix things up a bit, my thoughts that don't quite fit in the eFilmCritic review. Not just because it's nice to do things a little differently every once in a while, or because it's rather apropos for this particular movie, but because a lot of what I want to say is a spoiler (more specifically, a spoiler-filled rant). If you haven't seen it, turn away after the "Also at eFilmCritic" part.(

by Amy Monaghan

[A reminder to Academy Awards watchers worldwide: please join GreenCine and a quick-witted panel of critics and bloggers for our Oscars Live Chat on Sunday night, beginning at 7:30pm EST.]

An astonishing number of cartoons are nominated for Academy Awards this year—Up, Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Avatar, Meryl Streep's mawkish turn as Julia Child—but only five are in contention for Best Animated Short Film.

Oscar's recognition of animated shorts dates all the way back to 1932, when Walt Disney's Flowers and Trees took home the statuette in what was known for nearly 40 years as the "Short Subjects, Cartoon" category. The Seventies heralded two name changes, first to "Short Films (Animated Films)" and then its current moniker. That era also saw Disney et al.'s dominance challenged by the likes of the Hubleys, Will Vinton, and various works created under the auspices of the National Film Board of Canada and its Francophone sibling, Société Radio-Canada.

Continued reading Shorts? Sweet!...

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(Libby on Mar 6, 2010 10:19 AM) La Dama y la Muerte was by far my favorite, but I thought it was, for sure, a solid choice of nominees. I still think my all-time favorite animated short is Sebastian's Voodoo.

ST. JOSEPH, MO -- Built in 1951, the Trail Theatre is currently for sale. Its former manager hopes it might come back to life as a movie house, but redevelopment for retail may well be its future.

If it were to open as a movie theater again, Mr. Heye suggested the Trail follow other older cinemas and become a place for high-buzz independent movies from directors such as Woody Allen. But after mentioning it, he questions if that would be a profitable venture. "I don't know if the theater going public in St. Joe is the kind that's going to sufficiently support an art theater," he said. Local collector and Trail Theater patron Greg Filardo said for it to function as money-making business again, it will take rethinking on both the owner and St. Joseph citizens' parts.

The full story is in the St. Joseph News.

If you are interested in original carbon rod 35mm projectors & sound equipment (~1940s) or a classic fountain drink dispenser (~1960s), please contact the Ituna Theatre @ (306) 550-4023. Serious inquiries only please.

And yes, it’s full of 3-D and Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton love for dark, scarred skeletal men and pale pretty brunettes with generous foreheads. 3TQ5SEMVBKDT But the surreal sensation of sweetness of the original books has been lost. What I always felt like an English garden party gone slightly off has [...] Related posts:

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LOS ANGELES, CA -- Twenty-five of Bow Tie Cinemas 150 current screens will be equipped with Technicolor's recently announced 3D projection system which uses conventional 35mm projectors fitted with special lenses. The installation cost is said to be significantly less than that for new digital systems. Seven studios have agreed to support the alternative 3D format.

Technicolor says its film 3-D solution costs a fraction of what it would take to install digital projectors, which has enabled modern 3-D movies to be shown at most theater chains. Technicolor's solution costs about $4,000 to $6,000 to outfit an auditorium with a silver screen, plus a maximum $12,000 in rental costs per year for a specialized lens. Digital projection systems cost about $75,000 per screen. "We've developed a high-quality solution that addresses the 3-D screen scarcity issue and allows exhibitors an affordable way to bridge the gap to digital," said Joe Berchtold, president of Technicolor's creative services business, in a release.

Read more from the Associated Press.

CLAPTON, LONDON, ENGLAND -- The former Kenning Hall Cinema in the East End of London (formerly the Clapton Cinematograph Theatre) is currently up for sale. This is one of London's earliest purpose built picture palaces, dating from 1910, and containing original features from the Edwardian era. It is also said to be the cinema which influenced the youthful Harold Pinter to become a dramatist and screenwriter. Anyone interested in acquiring this historic cinema and equipping it for the twenty first century as a tribute to the great playwright should contact Julia Lafferty at info@saveourcinema.org

I am operating a two screen first run movie theater in the Midwest. I am looking for wholesale candy suppliers. Currently I am purchasing candy at retail and reselling. There must be suppliers out there. Anyone have any names of companies? Thank you in advance for your help. Best Regards, Katie

The story of Marco Polo has been brought towards the screen before and will most likely be adapted many times in the future. The following film about the explorer could be directed by Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend) as Warner Bros. has attached the director to a task depending on a pitch by Adam Cooper [...] Related posts:

1. Andy Lau and Jackie Chan to star in new Shaolin movie
2. Damon becomes the applicant’s business in black comedy
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"Stingray Sam is not a hero..." but musician-filmmaker Cory McAbee's drolly inventive sci-fi/western/musical has made a heroic self-distributed leap to DVD. [Official site here.] From my original review last year:

Rocketing through another monochrome corner of the gently surreal, weird-humored universe shared by his lovely, Lynchian 2001 intergalactic musical The American Astronaut (any film with characters named "The Blueberry Pirate" and "The Boy Who Actually Saw a Female Breast" makes my cut in this decade's cult canon), musician-filmmaker-actor Cory McAbee again follows his heart and whimsical mind to the outer limits with Stingray Sam. Modeled after old Buck Rogers serials and the like, McAbee's musical space-western yarn spans six serialized episodes, each "presented" by fictional every-corp Liberty Chew Chewing Tobacco, a satirical stand-in for the annoying overlap between entertainment and consumer culture (commercials, ubiquitous product placements, having to whore oneself to make a living).

GreenCine Daily has a Stingray Sam DVD and soundtrack CD to give away to one lucky reader in the U.S. To enter to win, check out the three screenshots below the jump and determine each film. (Hint: In honor of McAbee's film, one's a musical, another's a western, and the other is sci-fi). One random winner who correctly identifies all three films will be chosen on Friday to win both discs. UPDATE: Congrats to Chris Clark! The answers were Dead Man, The Thing From Another World, and Forbidden Zone.

Continued reading CONTEST: Win a STINGRAY SAM DVD and Soundtrack...

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NEW CASTLE, IN -- The City of New Castle along with Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana announced today that Dave and Wanda Battas, cinema operators from Indianapolis, have leased, will restore and plan to reopen the Castle Theatre in New Castle, Ind. The Battas family owns a concession supply company and are veteran operators and managers of several cinemas in Central Indiana. Area residents were shocked and saddened last month when the theatre was closed with short notice. This left the county seat of Henry County without a cinema for the first time since movies came to the prairie in the early 1900s. "I believe that every town should have a theatre," said Dave Battas, who brings decades of theater operation experience to the Castle. "It is a part of our identity. We need to be entertained together in the same way that we see sports and other attractions. Getting together for wholesome entertainment is good stress relief for all ages in these challenging times. There's nothing like hearing hundreds of people laugh at the same joke."

Looking for a summer home in the Adirondack Mountains? For a mere $487,000 you could be the proud owner of Thomas Lamb's former summer home - designed, of course, by Mr. Lamb himself. Check out all the photos! Adirondack Realty Link

ROCK SPRINGS, WY -- Opened in 1949 as the West Theatre, and later known as the Rock and Star Theatre Two, this theater will be renovated and have its original name restored. This article in Main Street Rock Springs has more detail, and includes links to descriptions and sketches of the upgraded facility.