Results tagged “vietnam”

Just in case there was any doubt left, yes, Robert Downey is in blackface for almost the entirety of Tropic Thunder. And no, I didn't feel guilty about laughing at him. That's because Downey, who plays the Russel Crowe-like Kirk Lazarus, is laughing at himself. It's a ridiculous premise: a multi-time Oscar winner, Lazarus undergoes controversial (you don't say!) skin pigmentation-altering surgery to play the African-American sergeant of the American platoon featured in the Vietnam War-era film-within-a-film, also dubbed Tropic Thunder, that he is filming alongside action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), comedian Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), hip-hop artist Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson), and up-and-comer Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel). So "Method" is his acting that Lazarus refuses to drop character, vacillating between truly stubborn and genuinely confused, often putting him at odds with the African-American Chino, who is upset that "they had one good part in there for a black man, and they gave it to "Crocodile Dundee!" (Lazarus's rebuttal is one of the best lines in the movie, thanks in no small part to Downey's delivery.)

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains - A documentary by director Jonathan Demme following Jimmy Carter on his recent book tour for his controversial book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. A great director and an interesting subject should make for a good film. Trailer Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten - Another documentary opening at the Ritz at the Bourse this weekend...

Werner Herzog's increasing popularity in this day and age is a little bit of a mystery to us. How can so many jaded urbanites—folks whose every word comes with air-quotes—venerate a passionate, nature-obsessed German madman who claims that "I simply do not understand irony, a defect I have had ever since I was able to think independently." This year's mini-hit Rescue Dawn, for instance, was arguably the least cynical Vietnam movie since the John Wayne-starring The Green Berets, even if Herzog's hero, Dieter Dengler, played by Christian Bale, is obviously completely insane. As with Timothy Treadwell, the protagonist of Herzog's incredible documentary Grizzly Man, it's impossible to tell whether the film's a critique of Dengler's peculiarly American brand of grinning, maniacal persistence or an homage to it.

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend.

We all know where the quote comes from, and with a show going up that's centered around music of the Vietnam era, it seemed appropriate enough. Now, on with the listings!

It's been nearly a week since I went to see the Arden's production of . And yet I haven't reviewed it until just now. This is for a couple of reasons: (1) I've been insanely busy; (2) I left the program at a friend's, and still don't have it back, so I can't cite actors by name, and would have liked to, so I was hoping that I'd get that program back before I wrote this (but I just found the cast list on the Arden's website, so we're all good); (3) I may have forgotten a little; (4) something happened during the second intermission that made me so angry that I wanted to calm down to prevent this from becoming a sequel to last week's Monday Manners. So let me just say, very quickly, that if you want to leave a play at intermission because you're not enjoying it, that's fine. But if you're going to stand in the aisle, loudly trying to persuade your friends that the play sucks and that they should skip the end and go drinking with you, it's not.

Headhouse Square Movie: Is it possible the city isn't sick of this movie yet? For those of you who still have a "Yo, Adrian" or two left in you, there's a free screening of the original Rocky tonight on Headhouse Square. Giveaways at 7PM - movie at 8PM.

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend.

follows a handful of Oberlin college students between 1964 and 1972, recounting their ancedotal reactions to the changing political and social atmosphere scenes, with cast members switching between a small variety of roles as: protestors, soldiers, radio DJs, concerned parents, and students less focused on the fate of the world and more focused on their GPA.

is a "documentary theatre piece" which depicts the point of view of 100 students of Oberlin College between 1969 and 1974.

Last night Phillyist attended the first of the three Evenings with the Curators of the 15th Philadelphia Film Festival that we told you about here, and we have to say, it was pretty exciting. Some of the stuff we learned: the festival is running from March 30th through April 11th, which is shorter and earlier than it's been in the past; this is in order to avoid all the religious holidays, and that most non-religious of non-holidays, tax day. The theaters involved will be a lot of the usual suspects (Ritz East, Ritz 5, the Prince Music Theater, the Bridge, the International House), plus one new surprise guest: the Cinema at Penn. What's the Cinema at Penn, you ask? You may remember it as the busted up, broken down, crappy old Cinemagic 3 theater, caddy corner from the Bridge at 40th and Walnut. The film festival folks are going to tear it up inside and rebuild it, leaving us with a beautiful new refurbished theater. Hooray!

This week's quote comes directly from Lord Byron himself, as we honor him with the first listing of the week. Although possessing of a clubfoot and a thing for his half-sister, Byron still managed to be England's most eligible bachelor of his day. Looking at the portrait on the left, we can kinda see it. Now, on with the listings!

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets.

People are already gathering at the Park Hyatt at Broad and Walnut to see President George W. Bush pimp his Strategy for Victory for Iraq. The sold out presentation to the World Affairs CouncilPresident's speech is due to start shortly before noon, will last approximately 40 minutes, and - at the insistence of the White House - will not have a 'question and answer' session following the speech.

Exhumed Films is invading the International House again, this time with a double feature on the subject of REVENGE. Yes, in all caps, just like that. In fact, the program is entitled REVENGE...Loud as Thunder, Cold as Steel! which we think sounds really cool.

Kali Morgan - the proprietrix of Philadelphia's own Passional and editrix of the similarly titled magazine - knows great sex.