September is often used as a dumping ground for movies, but this year it also appears to be a dumping ground for once-great or once-promising talents who’ve lost their way. I’ve taken note of at least 10 individuals (actors, actresses and a couple filmmakers) who have new films out this month (I’m counting the Labor Day weekend, too) who are due for a visit from the Ghost of Movies Past.
More specifically, these people need to backtrack to the ‘90s, which is when most of them did their last truly great work. Perhaps they need to take a look at that earlier work and remember what it was they used to do. Or perhaps they just need to get advice from the Coen brothers, who similarly hit a slump in the new millennium, but who are now back on track with a few more Oscars in hand and a new comedy, Burn After Reading, which looks to be more in line with their ‘90s classic The Big Lebowski than their 2000s missteps Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers.
It could be argued that Cage made just as many worthless movies in the ‘90s as he has in the ‘00s. Also, considering his box office success with Ghost Rider and the National Treasure movies, plus his excellent Oscar-nominated dual role in Adaptation, it’s debatable that he’s “lost his way.” But it’s clear to me, at least, that he currently lacks any concern for the quality of his work, as evidenced by this month’s Bangkok Dangerous, which makes even Con Air look well crafted by comparison. In the ‘90s, Cage was doing much greater work for Scorsese, Lynch and even Michael Bay, and he won an Oscar for Best Actor, too. Unless he starts caring about the roles he chooses, he’s more likely to one day receive lifetime recognition by the Razzies than a lifetime achievement award from the Academy. Who he needs to work with again to get it back: the Coens; Uncle Francis (Ford Coppola); Scorsese; even Michael Bay would be good.
I admit it. I loved Steve Guttenberg when I was a kid. And I’ve been anticipating a respectable comeback from the Police Academystar for almost two decades now. But after watching this video from Funny or Die, I’m finally ready to close the door on any hope I might have had for the guy. The faux commercial for “Guttenberg’s Steak House” is lame and unoriginal, and not only did I not laugh, I don’t even understand what’s supposed to be funny about it.
Until now, I kind of believed there was an almost win-win benefit to the viral marketing of oneself. A site like FOD is a perfect venue to showcase whatever talent we’ve been missing from a fallen star who otherwise has been trapped within the confines of the Hollywood system. Someone like Guttenberg, who has been stuck bottom feeding in the lowest of low-rent roles, could use this opportunity to be as brilliant as he can be. Unfortunately, maybe this is as good as he gets these days.
Apple is on track to triple sales and rentals of movies on iTunes this year. Their business got a shot in the arm when they began selling new releases early last month, enabling untold numbers of McConaughey addicts to get their Fool’s Gold fix on the go.
AMPAS will limit Oscar nominations in the Best Original Song category to two per film. This should help head off a disaster like this year, in which the three nominated songs from Enchanted split the vote, leaving the door open for the independent artists behind the movie Once to steal an Oscar that rightfully belonged to the Hollywood blockbuster.
Wayne McClammy, the I’m Fucking Matt Damon guy, is attached to direct Le Car, a comedy about the CIA and the Winter Olympics, based on script by himself and Will Burke.
Spain’s ICAA Film Institute gave Javier Bardem 30,000 Euros for his “defense of the acting profession and continued commitment to Spanish film at home and abroad.”
We’ve had a bit of trouble getting this episode to go through the iTunes feed, so we hope this re-post will fix the problem. The original post, with episode description and embedded player, is here.
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Apple is on track to 
