We don’t publish enough book reviews here on Trashwire–possibly because we don’t read enough books–but E L James’ Fifty Shades of Grey is such a ginormous success that it warrants a bit of commentary. Let me start off by saying that I’m no English Lit major and I’m not a big time reader, but I have read my fair share of book-to-screen adaptations and, since this book will soon become a movie, I feel qualified to make a judgement call. This review will contain some spoilers, so consider yourself warned!

As most of you probably already know, Fifty Shades of Grey tells the story of Anastasia Steele, an innocent, bookish virgin, who happens to fall in love with a masochistic, manipulative, handsome billionaire by the name of Christian Grey. Christian’s tastes are on the kinky side and Anastasia is simultaneously frightened and turned on by all the ways he intends to “punish” her as his sex slave in their dominant/submissive BDSM relationship.

At first, things are interesting and even a bit tantalizing. Christian’s mysterious and charming, but we know he’s got a dark side, we just don’t know how very, very dark that side is. He’s rather inexplicably taken with Anastasia, much as Edward Cullen is captivated by the blasé, underdeveloped Bella Swan in Twilight, which inspired the Fifty Shades trilogy. We’re drawn along with her in her journey to find out more about this extremely wealthy, extremely handsome and, it turns out, extremely twisted individual. There’s a little bit of a power play between the two, but it’s the kind of flirtatious intimidation one expects in a relationship. He’s so staggeringly perfect, at least to her, and she struggles to match him in wit and confidence.

The graphic sex scenes are also much-discussed, though they get a bit boring since Anastasia and Christian are banging every few pages. Anastasia’s “inner goddess”, the devil on her shoulder, keeps rearing her ugly head and her little insights get a bit tiresome. Really, none of this stuff is anything you couldn’t read on the internet or in one of those $.99 eBooks on the Barnes & Noble Nook store, so it’s only riling people up because these books are actually popular. Still, Anastasia seems to be having fun exploring the world of crazy, wild, impulsive sex with her super hot beau.

Things get a bit weird when Christian reveals that he’s into spanking, whipping, caning, and tying up women to get his kicks. For some reason, Anastasia is down with this, mostly in an effort to make him happy as opposed to a genuine interest or desire to be someone’s submissive. Even then, it’s kind of amusing to hear the couple negotiate rules and “safe words” and all sorts of parameters for their relationship. Anastasia’s email exchanges with Christian are particularly sharp and quite funny.

And then it gets darker.

Christian wants Anastasia to sign a contract (specifically noted as being legally unenforceable, likely in an effort to make him seem less of a monster) that gives him control over most aspects of her life including her wardrobe, diet and the amount of sleep she must get each night. To her credit, she proves to not be a completely idiotic character and offers up some negotiations, though all her limits seem rather hollow as it’s clear in the first few pages that this girl will do absolutely anything her wealthy sadist wants.

Let the “punishments” begin! Christian is a fan of spanking, but not in that tee-hee playful kind of way. He likes hurting her, leaving her sore and crying. And, incomprehensibly, this girl keeps going back for more because she decides she can put up with the floggings since the sex is so good. I’m calling bullshit right here. Now, I’m sure there are girls who would dig this kind of thing, but the way Anastasia’s character is set up leaves no real explanations as to why she’s so willing to accept this kind of abusive relationship. Sure the innocent girl and the dangerous guy are common literary and cinematic traditions, but it seems like most of these romances are about the bad boy’s transition into a good boy, a loving boy, a boy who no longer wants to do any type of damage to his leading lady. Fifty Shades seems to be about a girl’s transition from interesting, intelligent, compelling character into obedient, brainless, easily manipulated servant. What’s up with that?

What disturbs me the most about this series is its popularity among women, particularly bored housewives and soccer moms. Maybe it’s a need to indulge in a fantasy world that’s very different from their own, maybe it’s a curiosity for kink without actually having to go out an buy whips and chains, but I sincerely hope it’s not because of a desire to be physically and emotionally harmed in a relationship. Love isn’t about tearing the other person down and making them feel cheap, worthless, confused and sore and our literary and cinematic objects of desire shouldn’t be about it either. In the time of birth control debates and GOP-fueled threats to women’s rights, what does it say about our gender if we want to be in a relationship where a man controls us and abuses us?

I know people in the BDSM community have had issues with the book as well, claiming that it doesn’t accurately depict the nature of that lifestyle. I don’t think those people would call what they’re doing dangerous abuse, not even the submissives in the relationship, but that’s what it all boils down to in Fifty Shades. Christian is abusive. Christian is manipulative Christian physically injures Anastasia. Christian emotionally destroys her. But somehow that’s ok?

Maybe I’m just the kind of mouthy, headstrong, boss-lady type of woman who Christian Grey would love to break in his “Red Room of Pain”, but I just don’t think a relationship should be based on suffering. Simply put I don’t find anything particularly appealing about the relationship between the two characters. In fact, I find it troubling that a nation of women are digging this and are identifying with Anastasia. I’m on the fence about reading the remaining two books in the trilogy. Part of me is appalled, but part of me is intrigued at how bad this thing could actually get. While I may have a slight masochistic desire to finish the other books in this series, I’m not exactly going to let someone bend me over their knee and spank me with them.

Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard on the set of 'Cabin in the Woods'

I recently had the opportunity to sit in on a discussion with director Drew Goddard about his new film and feature length directorial debut Cabin in the Woods. Goddard, a pleasant, down-to-earth individual, started off as a writer that was stuck in a room alone for ridiculous amounts of time and now he’s working with 300 different people with a common goal of making a fun enjoyable film. Take a look at what I got out of the discussion, then make your way to your local cinema to have the most fun in a movie than you’ve probably had in a long time. I call Goddard the “Michael Bay Killer” and that’s not far off.

Goddard is the co-writer and director behind the horror film Cabin in the Woods. You may know him as one of the writers of Lost, Cloverfield, Alias, Angel, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He then took his experience working on television and applied it to writing and directing Cabin in the Woods. When Goddard set out to write Cabin in the woods with Joss Whedon (of Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse and Toy Story fame) they just wanted to make something that they would want to watch. They didn’t think about how the film would sell or how marketable it would be.  They just knew that, based on their background, they wanted to make a horror film that worked as one of the sub-genres that made you laugh as much as it scared you.

The process that Goddard used to create this film leads to one word: fun. “There’s nothing like a good rowdy horror movie,” he says. “I just want people to enjoy it, we really want to make the ultimate date movie.” He even went on to mention that Cabin in the Woods was extremely fun to make and that the studio didn’t hold them back from what they were trying to do, and he was thankful for that. There was a lot of energy in the cast and the crew during shooting and it shows on the film.  Part of the fun in making the film was using practical effects. His current favorite movie is The Thing and it was one of the inspirations that pushed him to use practical effects whenever possible. Which, in my opinion, always look best.

When asked if Goddard would be looking to direct more features after Cabin in the Woods, he mentioned that he would love to, but he doesn’t want to close himself off to other opportunities. He won’t push himself into only a certain type of film because he doesn’t know who he will be in a couple years down the road. But he will do what he’s been doing and choose things that he thinks will be enjoyable to work on.  Based on this film and his past work, I think we can look forward to more work from Goddard that is just as fun and entertaining as Cabin in the Woods.

After making Cabin in the Woods Goddard learned a few things about himself. He learned that he “loved blood more than he realized” which really comes through after seeing Cabin. Any fan of horror films can attest to this strange love. Even people who are not fans of horror films will love this film. “If you don’t like horror films you might still enjoy this because it’s different. If, I could be the gateway drug to [non-horror fans] then it’s a job well done.” Whatever you have to do make sure you go see this movie!

FX’s American Horror Story is by far one of the most creative, original and twisted new shows on TV. With fascinating characters and surprising twists and turns, it’s one of the few shows that dares to venture out from the standard TV formula. Season one kept me guessing every week and often left me with my jaw on the floor in shock. Here are a few of my favorite things about this brilliant show, in no particular order. WARNING: Major spoilers if you haven’t seen the show!

Ben Harmon’s tears

Whether it was crying about his daughter growing distant from him, his wife wanting to divorce him, or just a good post-masturbation sob, Dylan McDermott gave us the most emotionally damaged shrink on TV. His tears have been immortalized in internet meme history with a funny blog called Reasons to Cry Like Ben Harmon.

Larry killing Hayden

I think Kate Mara is a great actress, so great that I couldn’t stand Hayden. Watching Larry (Dennis O’Hare) smack that whiney bitch in the head with a shovel was a delight. Unfortunately, it meant she’d return as an even more annoying ghost fueled by vengeance and horniness.

“Violate”

Fangirls and shippers have been all about the Tate/Violet romance since day one. Dubbed Violate by the fans, this couple has kept teenage girls enthralled all over the internet. There are zillions of Tumblr blogs dedicated to the doomed lovers and probably even more blogs dedicated to Tate/Violet fan fiction. The most amazing (and totally horrifying) thing about Violate “shippers” is the way they love such a despicable character. Even AHS creator Ryan Murphy has said that Tate is the true monster of the show. I understand thinking Peters is hot, but wanting to date Tate Langdon? He killed a bunch of people and raped and knocked up his girlfriend’s mom, which eventually lead to her death when she gave birth to the anti-Christ, yet teenage fangirls everywhere are still swooning that they want a boyfriend just like him.

The Dead Breakfast Club

A long time ago, golden boy Tate killed a whole bunch of people in a school shooting that predates Columbine. On Halloween, when the dead can walk freely, the bloodied spirits of a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal decide to confront their killer.

Chad’s raised eyebrow

Proving he could out sass even Constance herself, Zachary Quinto was serving snarky realness as Chad, one half of the gay couple who mysteriously died in the house before the Harmons moved in. Quinto’s eyebrows deserve an Emmy all on their own.

Young and old Moira

We first meet Moira as creepy old woman (Frances Conroy) who forces her way into a housekeeping job with the Harmons. Next thing we know, she’s a creepy young woman (Alexandra Breckenridge) who wants nothing more than to seduce Ben like something out of an old porno. What does she have up her sleeve and will Ben ever realize that those tits he’s been checking out actually belong to a wrinkly old lady?

Addie’s “Bad Girl Closet”

Adelaide (Jamie Brewer) was introduced in the first episode as a kid warning people that they’ll most likely be murdered in the house, but she was much more than the cliche spooky girl with a connection to the supernatural. Addie was weird and her sneaking into the Harmon’s house was creepy, but as we got to know her, we came to love her. That’s why it was so disturbing when Constance locked her in the bizarre closet full of mirrors so she could get back to banging her hot younger boyfriend.

The use of “bullshit”

This could spawn a drinking game that might land participants in the hospital. Go through each episode and count how many times the word “bullshit” is used, particularly by Violet. Thank god this show was on cable. Can you imagine this on a boring network where all the characters tell each other they’re full of bologna instead?

Constance’s racism

Jessica Lange won a Golden Globe for her portrayal Constance, the Harmon family’s bat shit crazy neighbor. When she’s not feeding her neighbor raw organs or locking her Down Syndrome daughter in the “bad girl closet”, she’s smoking a cigarette and sending her boyfriend down to the “Ko-rean” to go pick up more chocolate chips.

The Rubber Man is revealed

While some of us guessed the identity of the infamous Rubber Man prior to episode eight when we finally learned his true identity, it was still a shocking moment. Tate (Evan Peters) seemed like such a sweet, sensitive boy. He charmed both Violet (Taissa Farmiga) and the audience with Ted-Bundy-like ease and we were only hoping he wasn’t really the latex wearing homicidal rapist. Alas, he was and seeing him take off that mask in the bathroom mirror was one of the most “holy shit!” moments on TV.

There are so many things I love about this show that it was really hard to narrow them down into this short list. Honorable mentions to Squeaky Fromme and the gang from the Murder House episode, Billie the psychic’s acrylic nails and the way Nora Montgomery (Lily Rabe) says “Chaaarles!” when she criticized her husband.

Cinqué Lee, despite the unique name he has, is probably someone who has a body of work more recognizable to you than his name. Lee, brother of acclaimed director Spike Lee, has worked in the film industry since the late 80′s wearing a wide variety of hats. From director to producer to actor and even wardrobe, the man has done it all.

Lee’s most notable works include co-writing the screenplay for Crooklyn and acting roles in Mystery Train and Coffee & Cigarettes, both films from director Jim Jarmusch. Lee’s most recent film is a sci-fi fantasy piece entitled Window On Your  Present. The film was actually Lee’s first, being shot in the late 80′s and just released on DVD from BrinkDVD.

Recently I was fortunate enough to catch up with Cinqué to discuss his latest release as well as the film industry in general.

Chris Coffel: What was your inspiration for Window On Your Present?

Cinqué Lee: I was in a public art high school in the early ’80s, Art & Design, making B&W super 8 shorts and had been scribbling these silhouettes of characters in bombed out churches with shafts of light and a couple arguing in a graveyard. I had squatted a couple of times with my skate punk friends and did see stuff like that. The funny thing is I knew I had these clothes,my deceased mothers clothes, I was putting in these sketches. My Mom’s fur coat, 1940′s leather pilot hat and googles and stuff…. I was also, and still am, into decaying abandoned buildings and back then there were tons of them that were beautiful. I didn’t know at the time that my sketches were my conceptual design for Window On Your Present.

This character and also one of my teachers turned me on to Roman Polanski’s B&W short films and some other silent films. So I really started obsessing over B&W and my sister’s boyfriend turned me on to Andrei Tarkovsky and his films flipped me the fuck out.

CC: Was the style and look of the film something that was done based on the budget, or was that your initial vision?

CL: I was already strung out on B&W and maintaining my fix by shooting B&W super8 shorts with the same style and look before I had to up it a notch to 16mm.

CC: The movie was shot in the 80′s but was just recently released, was there a specific reason for this? And if it were shot today, would it have been done differently?

CL: The movie took forever to make because I would change what I wanted or didn’t know what I wanted so I would put it away and come back to it years later here and years there. Having all the time I had to finish, I got what I wanted and so know I wouldn’t change anything.

CC: You’ve worked on many different aspects of the filmmaking process from composer to producer to director to actor and so on, is there a different mindset you have to get in for each one or do you just prepare the same way? Do you have a preference?

CL: Acting is the most difficult for me and that’s the only thing that feels like I have to separate my brain from what ever I’m doing. It’s like something triggers in my head like ‘oh crap, I gotta get in front of the camera now? I don’t want to go there, please don’t make me.’ So yeah acting has it’s own mindset. I can’t just switch over to as easily. As a matter of fact, I don’t feel anything sort of switch at all when I have to wear different hats. It’s that damned acting.

CC: Are there any specific filmmakers that have been a big influence on not only Window On Your Present but your career in general?

CL: Andrei Tarkovsky is the guy who rules my world when it comes to any influence as far as filmmakers go. But I also get inspired by music too. The Cocteau Twins are my favorite band.

CC: As somone that’s worked in the industry for a while now, you’ve seen lots of changes in filmmaking. The biggest change over the years seems to be the shift from using traditional film to the use of digital. Have you worked with digital at all and if so do you prefer one versus the other?

CL: I have worked with digital and it’s a pain in my ass. I worked on my brother’s film recently and I operated two cameras. A Canon 5D and a super 8 camera. Any time I had to use the Canon I dreaded it but when the Super 8 was called on I was like ‘I got this!’ I don’t like cards but I do love shooting on mini dv tape. I feel safer with tape, too many buttons and options on the Canon 5D for me. Hell I still cut on the old old version of iMovie. I just wanna pick up a camera and shoot.

CC: Any current projects you’re working on that you’d like plugged?

CL: I’m not a pluggy kind of person but I will say that I’m all over the place as usual. Been chiseling away on a graphic novel for years and also trying to bust out a whacked out kids show.

CC: And lastly, who is the better director, Spike Lee or Jim Jarmusch?

CL: Ha! That’s a good one.

To purchase Lee’s newest film, Window On Your Present, click here.

Visit Cinqué Lee’s IMDB page.

Christmas is just days away and there’s not much time to get all the items on your list. Thankfully, the wonderful world of As Seen on TV lets you shop with almost no effort required. Everyone is familiar with the Shake Weight and Snuggie, but here are a few other items to ask Santa for this Holiday season.

Furniture Fix

Furniture Fix is a set of plastic strips you put under a worn out couch or chair to (supposedly) make it more comfortable. The commercial for this novel invention is rife with silly examples and claims. In addition to holding up cinderblocks and making old ladies sit up straight, Furniture Fix can also come in handy when you’re hosting meetings for your Sumo wrestling club.

Pajama Jeans

I’m not going to lie, I kind of want these. Pajama Jeans are a stylish alternative to a muumuu or housecoat. They’re made from the same material as sweat pants, but they’re painted to look like jeans, creating an optical illusion that will fool everyone into thinking you’re a part of society.

Swivel Store

I can’t tell you how many times I open my cabinet, only to be buried in an avalanche of spices. If only someone would create a product that organizes all my herbs and spices in some sort of space age device. What’s that you say? They’ve invented just such a product? That’s right. Swivel Store is the most crucial element of any kitchen.

Sobakawa Cloud Pillow

Americans can’t ever get a good night’s sleep. We toss and turn and simultaneously wake up complaining about neck aches. Sobakawa builds on “Asian traditions” of Styrofoam and synthetic fibers to give you the rest you deserve. Don’t believe me? Just ask the semi-racist caricature of an Asian woman who’s off in dreamland thanks to this miracle in sleep technology. This commercial is also great because it features one of the best “scientific” experiments in the As Seen on TV world: the 10lb weight egg drop. The most disturbing part of this product is that it’s billed as “The last pillow you’ll ever need.” You will have this pillow for the rest of your life and, when you die, they’ll bury you with it.

Perfect Meatloaf

Not to be confused with the Perfect Brownie, the Perfect Meatloaf Pan saves you from a greasy lump of mushy meat with revolutionary convection technology. Blend up your ingredients and pop them in this baby and you’ll have a perfectly shaped (and already garnished) meat cake right out of the oven. I don’t usually eat beef, but if I could be as happy as the girl in the green shirt, maybe I’d start.

Fushigi

I’ve watched this commercial several times and I still can’t figure out what makes this any different from every other ball. Yet, this thing is “sweeping the nation” apparently. I can’t help but feel bad the grandkid somewhere who woke up to find a Fushigi instead of Call of Duty under the tree Christmas morning. Come on, this kind of thing is only cool when David Bowie does it in Labyrinth.

Slap Chop

Stop having a boring tuna! Stop having a boring life! You don’t even eat salad, fatty! All the other products in your kitchen are worthless! Vince, let’s curb the judgment, ok?

Forever Lazy

There can be no greater As Seen on TV product than this! Forever lazy is like a representation of America itself. In fact, I think we should put one on the Statue of Liberty. After watching the woman in this commercial fuss and struggle with one of those silly old fashioned blankets, we can thank our lucky stars that some genius thought to bring us this adult onesie with a Bugs Bunny style trap door in the back so you never have to take it off. Ever. Your move, Snuggie!

I am a huge fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and when I say huge fan, I mean it. I’ve watched every season, featured full episodes on the Trashwire blog and gone to see some of the girls live when they pass through Denver. As such an avid Drag Race watcher, I decided to compile this list of my favorite contestants of all time. These queens are artists and entertainers, serving true Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent.

10. Pandora Boxx
Pandora makes the list for her fun, creative style. Her sense of humor shined through in all of her looks and performances. Despite all that, the judges constantly gave her unwarranted negative critiques on the runway. Pandora had the last laugh, though. Her Absolut commercial is the most memorable of the bunch and she was the stand out Drag Professor on RuPaul’s Drag U. Her most memorable moment came from her hilarious impression of Carol Channing on the “Snatch Game” episode.

9. Ongina
Ongina may have been on of the smallest contestants, but she left on of the largest imprints on the show. She was high-energy and fun, like a little pixie, but it was her Viva Glam video that stood out as one of the most touching moments in all of Drag Race. After a joyful video about celebrating life, Ongina revealed that she was HIV positive, bringing pretty much everyone to tears. Ongina was a shining example of someone who always had a good attitude, even through tragedy.

8. Shannel
Who could possibly forget Shannel?! This season one stand-out was a true entertainer, a Las Vegas showgirl with a larger-than-life personality. Her outfits were creative, often showing off a lot of skin and bitch knew how to work a room. Shannel’s look, combined with her talent, commanded the attention of both the judges and the fans. Best moment: when her headpiece “accidentally” came off during her lip sync performance against Akashia, who is most definitely NOT on this list.

7. Jujubee
Juju was memorable for her incredible sense of humor. She was like a tiny, extra fierce Kimora Lee, whom she portrayed in the “Snatch Game” episode. She and Raven were the perfect duo and most of the funniest moments from season two came from their interactions. Juju’s best moment was the reading mini-challenge where she stole the show by throwing shade at the other girls.

6. Delta Work
Delta is on the list in the sixth position mostly because I wanted to avoid having all Heathers in the top four, even though they deserve it. Delta was one of the smartest and wittiest contestants on the show, often teaming up with Raja to throw shade about the other girls backstage during Untucked. Best moment: Delta was on fire during the QNN Untucked episode, but my favorite moment was when she and Raja were discussing Manila’s Asian reporter character and Delta referred to her as “dollar Chinese menu”, perfectly (and humorously) summarizing her performance.

5. Raven
Raven scores just a bit higher than Juju because she was the runner up on her season. Raven did dark and wicked beauty like no other, like the drag Angelina Jolie. Where most contestants froze up, her red carpet interview on the “Diva Awards” episode proved that she could work the media better than most Hollywood starlets. Still, Raven could out-shade the Heathers, at least when it came to fellow contestant Nicole Paige Brooks and her acrylic toenails.

4. Manila Luzon
I’m sure placing Manila at number four will be a little controversial, considering she was the runner up on the most popular season. Manila was an artist with the ability to create themed outfits. Manila’s pineapple dress was one of the most creative pieces I’ve ever seen on Drag Race and the way she made over her burly athlete in the “Jocks in Frocks” episode made her one to remember. As far as Manila’s best moment, two words: MacArthur Park.

Manila x Delta – MacArthur Park by MacArthurManila

3. Carmen Carrera
The Original Body Queen is one of the most unforgettable contestants in Drag Race HERstory, a RuPaul would say. Carmen’s outfits were so skimpy that it was amazing they stayed on and her tucking skills are mind-boggling. She said it herself, “Carmen is nudity.” She was one of the only queens that didn’t get into a huge fight with someone, often brushing off all the Booger nonsense like she was Jay-Z. The ultimate Carmen Carrera moment came in the “Jocks and Frocks” episode when she faced off with Raja in one of the steamiest lip syncs ever.

2. Nina Flowers
Nina is a legend! Her look is completely unique and she’s also one of the sweetest human beings to ever grace reality TV. Nina was the runner up in the first season, and no disrespect to Bebe, but I think she should have been the winner. Nina wasn’t your typical drag queen. Her style showcased more artistry than female “illusion” and she was instantly memorable. In the news challenge, Nina proved that, despite her ultra fierce exterior, she could be funny too. She kept making mistakes with the teleprompter, but she kept a good attitude and was able to laugh at herself. Werk Loca!

1. Raja
Some people love her, some people despise her, but there’s no denying that Raja is the fiercest of the fierce. No one can walk the runway like her, and that includes supermodels like Naomi Campbell. Her creativity was unparalleled and her looks were the most fashionable and memorable, occasionally outshining RuPaul herself. No one else could pull off the tribal warrior outfit, the blood-drenched Carrie dress or the high fashion Marie Antoinette look. This Diamond Crowned Queen was a winner from day one, and not for all the made up reasons the pro-Shangela conspiracy theorists throw around. She won because she was the best, plain and simple.

So there you have it, my RuPaul’s Drag Race top 10. Do you agree with my picks or is there someone I’ve unjustly left out?

Stay tuned for clips from RuPaul’s Drag Race season four in January on the Trashwire blog and view the trailer below!

Brighton Rock is not just another English gangster flick. Sure it seems like that at the go, but as we get deeper into the story the film reveals more about people and society.   In this feature we pick up on Pinkie Brown (Sam Riley) out to scare a rival mob member named Fred. After a brief chase and fight, Pinkie ends up murdering Fred. Pinkie would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for a young waitress named Rose (Andrea Riseborough) who had a ticket for a photo that showed Pinkie with his victim moments before the murder. If you don’t have the ticket you can’t get the photo. The plot of the film follows Pinkie as he courts Rose in an attempt to keep her from sharing his murderous secret.

Even though Pinkie is trying to keep his deed a secret, he just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. He’s in constant battle trying to murder his own boss to take over his gang as well as the entire town by wiping out another local mob. We later find out that Rose’s boss was a friend of Fred’s and is now suspicious of Pinkie. She starts seeing Pinkie coming around her restaurant and urges Rose to tell what she knows. However, whatever Pinkie did to get Rose on his side works; she professes her love for him.

Aside from English culture this film keeps your attention through Pinkie’s antics and his relationship with Rose. While Pinkie is getting into knife fights and scooter chases with other mobsters, Rose stays by his side. She loves Pinkie and will do anything for him. However, the intriguing part is, Pinkie did nothing to earn her love. He hung around her a bit and did very little talking. At one point he asks her why she’s there and she states simply that she just wants a life. Pinkie took his rouge to the highest level and married Rose. Once married, she moves in to Pinkie’s flat where she isn’t allowed to touch anything. Not listening to orders Rose defies him, goes through his things and steals some money. In fact there were many times during the film it seemed like Rose had a hidden agenda and that she was smarter than the audience was lead to believe. She must realize that Pinkie never really loved her right?

Brighton Rock is set in Brighton, a village in England. Through this film we also get to see glimpses of Brighton’s beautiful pier and countryside. This fact alone makes the film worth seeing. The audience is immersed in English culture of the time. The director (Rowan Joffe) doesn’t change any of the slang that may have been used during the time. It’s up to the audience to figure it out. The film takes place during the 1960s, a time when “Mods and Rockers” were at battle. One particular scene shows Pinkie trying to use a giant Mod-Rocker fight as a distraction of his attempt to murder his mob’s boss. Those historical details make Brighton Rock worth checking out.

Nice guys are often confused with idiots. They have all of the characteristics of an idiot: they are trust worthy, honest and easy going. That’s exactly the description of the idiot in question. In Our Idiot Brother, Ned (Paul Rudd) is a really nice guy, and a hippy on a run of bad luck. After a stint in prison for selling weed to a uniformed police officer, Ned’s girlfriend leaves him and he’s forced to look to his family for help. He moves in with his mother who wants him to wake up early to go button shopping. Unable to put up with this nonsense, Ned goes on to live with each of his three sisters successively. During this time, he manages to ruin each of their lives.  It is in this ruining that he teaches his sisters about themselves.  In essence, he gives them a chance to grow as people and become closer as a family. 

The best part of this film is its cast. Rudd is a great lead and he is supplemented well by Zooey Deschanel who plays his bisexual sister.   Seeing her make out with the always-amazing Rashida Jones only added to the fun of that role. Jones and Deschanel worked great together as a lesbian couple. While they went through some trials because of Ned’s big mouth, it was Ned who helped to heal their relationship.

Elizabeth Banks is Ned’s sister Miranda. Banks plays opposite Adam Scott who always shines on screen regardless of the size of his roll. Banks and Scott play close friends who have never thought of dating each other. Again, Rudd’s loose tongue causes the two to fight. However, they see the light and realize they have loved one another the whole time.

Finally, Ned’s third sister, Liz, (Emily Mortimer) is married to Dylan (Steve Coogan–yet another great casting decision!) Here Coogan portrays an asshole filmmaker who reluctantly puts Ned to work on his documentary. This ends up being a mistake for him because Ned catches him in the nude with the subject of the documentary and then ruins his sister’s marriage by talking about what he witnessed. If you’re not a fan of two girls kissing, you get a Coogan testicle shot to make up for it!

Seeing Rudd’s interactions with this great cast made the film enjoyable. It was also refreshing to see him play a character a bit different from the norm. Regardless of the excellent casting, it seemed as though the director (Jesse Peretz) couldn’t quite decide between making an all-out comedy or a coming-of-age story. The film was very character driven and we see quite a change in Ned’s sisters while Ned’s main goal is to get his dog, Willie Nelson, back from the previously mentioned ex-girlfriend. While I enjoyed the film, I expected it to be funnier. I still think it’s worth catching to see Rudd in a solid lead role with a slew of other great actors.

Attack The Block thrilled crowds at Comic Con, and it’s not hard to see why. A film produced by Edgar Wright, who directed Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, about aliens attacking a council estate in the hood in South London is an instant draw for geeks looking for a witty turn to alien invasion movies. But it’s not just for geeks. ATB also boasts an impressive cast of young actors on the level of Super 8 and a fast-paced script filled with comedy, suspense and heart.

Trashwire had the chance to sit down with writer/director Joe Cornish and star John Boyega at Comic Con to talk about the film.

The performances from the kids are so impressive and they have such natural chemistry. Can you tell us about the casting process? 

Cornish: We saw about 1,500 kids and there was a huge amount of talent to choose from. We have 11 kids in this film from the ages of 10 to 17 and almost none of them had ever had any on-camera acting experience before. I was really excited to put new faces on the screen. The wonderful thing about pop culture is there’s a new generation coming all the time and they want their own generation of stars. I wanted to give an opportunity to young actors who hadn’t had much experience and also, because the film was set where it was, it seemed like a great opportunity to give kids a break who maybe wouldn’t necessarily find themselves with the support and background to do this. I was the least experienced guy on the set, so to have this group of kids who were as naive, passionate and enthusiastic as I was was really comforting. Whenever I felt insecure or doubted it, I could just feed off their passion for the idea.

Boyega: It was amazing and it was great hanging out with the boys. We had amazing energy, I don’t know where that energy came from. I’m a guy that likes his sleep, but at 5am, you’d be rapping and singing songs and having a Pokemon competition. It was fun-filled, kidish energy and we just had fun. We drove the crew crazy.

John Boyega (center) stars as Moses in Attack the Block

Having a first-time feature film director and so many first-time actors, were Wright and the studio heavily involved in every aspect?

Cornish: There was a lot of faith required for this movie. We had monsters, we had explosions, we had stunts, we had effects, there were night shoots, we even had a dog in it! Edgar said to me, “Joe, you’re doing everything you’re not supposed to do. You’re making this hard for yourself.” But I thought I would only have one shot at making a movie, so why not aim high. Edgar was busy working on Scott Pilgrim, so had had no choice but to have faith in me. He couldn’t get involved too deeply, and that was quite useful because he could step into the process with complete objectivity. He’s been a friend for 12 years or something crazy like that and I’m amazingly loyal to him. It’s a testament to sticking with your friends.

How was it for you transitioning from being a theatre actor to being in your first movie?

Boyega: With stage, the audience is right in front of you, so it was hard to imagine how people were going to react when you’re on the set with just the camera in front of you. I have so much respect for actors that do film because sometimes you may be shooting a scene and they call cut, but you still have to stay in it. I have huge respect for the crew. The amount of work that goes into films is amazing and that’s what took me back. I have no right to be a diva in the future. Not only would my mom knock me off the block, but the amount of work these guys do is amazing. I just love cinema and the way it works.

When you go to screenings, are you pleased by the audience reaction?

Boyega: I’ve watched various screenings back in the UK and it’s been very lovely, but in the USA, you guys are very proactive when you’re watching a film, you’re very much involved. The audience makes you feel like you’re watching something, like it’s real. I remember watching a screening at the ArcLight and [my character] Moses is talking about how he’s going to go out and face the aliens and how it’s his fault and the audience was like, “You tell ‘em, Moses! You tell ‘em!” There was cheering when I walked into the Q&A. I get tweets about it. I love that! I love being in a verbal audience and that surprised me entirely.

What was the most exciting new experience for you?

Boyega: It went down to little things like having a sausage on the set and everything being technically marked. I’ve always been a movie buff, the guy that buys the two-disc special edition and watches the second disc more than the first. I’ve always wanted to be that guy–like Shia LaBeouf sitting there with a scratched up hoodie and blood on his face talking about the film in an interview–and when I got that opportunity, it felt like “Yes! This is going to be great!”

The tough kids of Attack the Block find out just how tough they really are when aliens invade their South London estate.

The dialogue is really authentic, did the kids help shape that part of the script?

Boyega: There were certain parts where I was like, “no, kids don’t say that,” but I have to say, being a British actor, I’ve read a lot of urban scripts in my time and this is the closest to reality, the closest point blank. I liked it because I’ve been in those situations where you see kids being scared–it’s not an alien, maybe it’s a dog or something–and the fear just makes them say something like “it’s too much madness to explain in one text” or “I feel like going home and playing FIFA.” That felt really, really natural to me.

The creature design was different from most alien invasion movies. How did you come up with the concept of how you wanted these aliens to look?

Cornish: When I first came up with the concept for the film, the response was, “well, it’s a good idea, but you can’t do it for less than $30 million because you have to have CGI creatures and you can’t afford CGI creatures.” But I had an idea of how to do it without that. Basically, the core idea is using a rotoscope technique to actually removed detail and flatten the creature because I had this crazy theory that rotoscope is almost like primitive motion capture, because it’s based on human movement. I figured it would blend better with action than CGI does because, however brilliantly CGI is done, it’s animation and animation never really sits realistically. It works in Mary Poppins or Roger Rabbit where it’s heightened and stylized, but the physics aren’t there. Ralph Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings was very big to me as a kid an I thought, “hmmm, there could be something here.” We had no idea how audiences would respond. We knew we were trying to appeal to audiences who were used to CGI stuff who had learned to be satisfied with that aesthetic.

Was it easier to perform with the rotoscope method instead of a CGI monster that isn’t really there?

Boyega: It was fantastic because Attack the Block is an homage to 80s movies where it would be a practical effect and the alien would be on set. Joe is a big John Carpenter fan and Steven Spielberg fan, so we had the aliens on set.

What were some of the biggest inspirations for the movie?

Cornish: All these 80s monster movies: Gremlins, Critters, Tremors, Predator. In Predator, you think it’s a war movie and then it reverses itself. And then the other big influences were gang movies. I’m a huge fan of The Warriors, Rumble Fish and The Outsiders. That links to the whole Carpenter thing with Assault on Precinct 13 and Halloween. I’ve wanted to make a movie since I was 13, I’m 42 now, so there’s a lot of stuff inside me waiting to come out.

Attack the Block is out now in limited release, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed it comes to more cities soon. Everybody deserves a chance to see this awesome film! Boyega and Cornish may have been first-timers, but we’re looking forward to seeing a lot of great films from both of them in the future.

We’re doing Comic Con recaps here, but the Comic Con coverage runneth over on our blog. Today, for example, we’ve got LL Cool J, Vivica Fox, True Blood’s Ryan Kanten, the cast of Lost, Lou Ferrigno, oh yeah, and two guys you might have heard us mention before, Gerard and Mikey Way. Check out the pics on the blog and stay tuned for more Comic Con updates including our interview with Attack the Block director Joe Cornish and star John Boyega.

Continue to the Comic Con section on the Trashwire blog here and check out the galleries of pics from Friday and Saturday below:

Fright Night press conference

Friday on the floor with Rob Corddry

Sautrday pics with Ryan Kwanten, LL Cool J, Vivica Fox and Lou Ferrigno

Gerard and Mikey Way shopping on the floor