A few years ago, I had the privilege of editing a feature film that was written and directed by and starring Ricky Schroder.  This coming Saturday night, March 9th, it will be airing on the Hallmark Movie Channel.

The film is called Our Wild Hearts.  You can see a trailer/behind the scenes video here.

I’m really proud of the work I was able to do on the film.  It had a low budget and was shot extremely fast but it turned out to be a nice little film that I think hits the Hallmark market in the bullseye.

Ricky and his entire family were involved in the production and I can’t say enough nice things about the Schroder family.  They were very kind to allow me to join them on this journey.

Be sure to set your DVR for Our Wild Hearts on Saturday, March 9th at 8 EST, 7 Central, and 5 PST.

It’s almost that time of year.  April 25-28, Turner Classic Movies will be taking over several movie theaters in the heart of Hollywood, California for the TCM Classic Film Festival.

We’ve been privileged to attend every year and are hoping to go again this year.  If you have the money and the time, I highly recommend going.  Seeing all of these great films on the big screen is incredible.  And every year, we discover new (to us) films that instantly become favorites.

Just a few of the films I’m excited to see on the big screen are Giant, On the Waterfront, The Great Escape, and Mildred Pierce.  So many great films to see in such a short time!  I can’t wait!

And this year, they’ve added a new venue: the El Capitan Theater!

Read our coverage from last year.

And here’s TCM’s official site.

Don’t miss it!

One of the greatest films ever made is airing on TCM next Saturday, March 9th.  If you haven’t seen this film, you must drop everything and set your DVR at once.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) was Steven Spielberg’s response to 2001: A Space Odyssey.  2001, though brilliant, was cold and sterile.  Spielberg gave science fiction a human access point in Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss.)  It isn’t any wonder.  That’s what Spielberg is good at.

I had the privilege a few years back to see a double feature of Close Encounters and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.  That was amazing and I highly recommend it.  You’ll see a change in Mr. Spielberg as it regards to family.  I won’t spoil it for those of you have haven’t see Close Encounters.

Also, check out what TCM has to say about the film on their website.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind airs Saturday, March 9th at 5:30 PM (EST) on Turner Classic Movies.

But that’s not all.  As a result of the competition, Josh and I finally have representation.  Mike Goldberg and Josh Adler at New Wave Entertainment are now officially our managers.

Read all about the contest here.

What this basically means is we have a couple of super smart guys helping to guide our careers and looking for ways to sell US.  We’re incredibly excited for what the New Year will bring!

We’ve gotten a ton of questions about how we made it. Here’s a little video where we attempt to answer most of them.

In July of this year, Josh and I set out to make a new short film.  We wanted to do something based on a pre-existing property — sort of make a low budget popcorn film with a built in audience.

As you may know by reading this site or seeing our posts on InsidetheMagic.net, we LOVE Disneyland.  One of our favorite attractions is The Haunted Mansion.  So we decided to do a short based on that ride.

Four months later, we’re finally done.  We proudly present to you Missing in the Mansion — the world’s FIRST found footage film set entirely in Disneyland.

We’ll be releasing behind the scenes video and pictures soon at www.MissingintheMansion.com

Ricky Brigante over at InsidetheMagic.net was a producer on the film and has also been doing a viral marketing campaign in anticipation of the film’s release. You can read all about that here.

Video: Real ghosts revealed(?) in The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland on newly found footage depicting an eerie encounter

We would appreciate your help getting the word out.  Tweet it, Facebook it, etc…

Our team was incredible and we are so grateful for all of our friends who gave of their time and talent to help us bring this crazy project to the world.

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A few weeks ago, I was able attend an event put on by D23: the Disney fan club called Destination D: 75 Years of Disney Animated Features.

The event featured many different panels with the artists, voice talent, and creative geniuses behind some of Disney’s best films.

It was an amazing weekend and I got to meet some very cool people:

Ron Clements & John Musker (writer/directors of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin)

Bill Farmer (the voice of Goofy – my personal favorite)

Roy Patrick Disney (Grandson of Roy O. Disney/Great nephew of Walt Disney)

Don Hahn (producer of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King)

And that’s just to name a few.  To be honest, I got a little star struck.

There were two highlights: one was a concert by Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastix.  The other was a concert by Alan Menken!

Head on over to InsideTheMagic.net to read all about the event.

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I posted a few days ago about the new additions to Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort.  Cars Land is definitely a big change with its three new rides but it shouldn’t over shadow the other big opening, Buena Vista Street.

Buena Vista Street is the new entrance area to Disney California Adventure.  It’s supposed to be a recreation of 1920’s Hollywood (more specifically Los Feliz) — it’s the Hollywood that Walt would have experienced when he stepped off the train that brought him west.

Take a trip up Buena Vista Street on a working Red Car.

Oswald’s Service Station is named after one of Walt’s first creations, Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit.  The car parked out front holds an easter egg — a reference to Dick Tracy on the front seat.  There are details EVERYWHERE.

All of the buildings are beautifully designed in the classic Art Deco style.

They even create newspapers that can be found just laying around in the coffee shops.  This one is going to be a collector’s item.

The Partners Statue captures the excitement that Walt had when he arrived in Hollywood.

Buena Vista Street is home to several characters who walk around and interact with the guests.  Here’s my friend Reza being given a ticket for something silly like over-excitement in a municipality.  The policeman has the trans-atlantic accent down perfect.

There are two new shows on Buena Vista Street.  A swingin’ jazz band just in from New Orleans called Five and Dime serenades guests every hour or so.

The Red Car News Boys sing and dance to several California related hits plus Sieze the Day from Newsies.  They motivate Mickey to go out and chase his dream.  And the Mickey is one of the talking/blinking Mickeys.  Pretty cool.  And the performers are great!  I’ve actually seen some of them in some local performances with actor friends of mine.

The center of Buena Vista Street is the Carthay Circle Theater.  It’s a recreation of the actual theater that Walt premiered Snow White in.  And it is beautiful, especially at night.  It’s a big improvement over the giant golden sun sculpture that used to be there.

There was an opening night party with full swing orchestra.  I actually went out and danced a few songs.  Here’s some video.

Disney California Adventure is now a spectacular park and one I’ll visit often.  I highly recommend you book your trip to SoCal immediately!  The Disneyland Resort is finally a vacation destination!

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Last week, Josh and I were invited to attend a preview of the $1 Billion expansion of Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

Since it opened in 2001, Disney California Adventure has always been considered by myself and most other theme park afficianodos as sub-par or half a park.  No more than a bonus to Disneyland but not a stand-alone attraction.

That is… until now.  That’s what spending a billion dollars will do.

There has been quite a bit of anticipation for the expansion.  It was announced several years ago and Disney has been especially forthcoming about their plans from the start.  Parks guests and internet theme park junkies have been able to watch as Walt Disney Imagineering shared its progress.

Disney has rolled out many of the improvements to the park over the past few years including Toy Story Midway Mania, The Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Silly Symphony Swings, Mickey’s Fun Wheel, Goofy’s Sky School coaster, and of course the incredible nighttime water show, World of Color.  You probably remember seeing our coverage of some of these events as they opened.

But the big deal, the reason everyone is so excited, is Cars Land.  Cars Land is an entire land based on the Disney-Pixar movie, Cars.  The imagineers recreated a life-size Radiator Springs complete with mountain range.  I’ve enjoyed watching the construction every week from my computer as well as in person on my monthly trip to the parks.

Finally, after many years, the wait was over.  Josh and I were able to preview the park BEFORE it was open to the general public.  Anticipation all around Anaheim and SoCal was high.  TV commercials and Billboards announced the opening date — June 15, 2012.

So on June 14th, we walked through the park gates, down Buena Vista Street (more on that soon), and up Route 66 to a small town called Radiator Springs.

And it is gorgeous.

Everything is there from the film.  You can grab a snack at the Cozy Cone motel or a full dinner at Flo’s V8 Diner.  And there are plenty of cool places to shop and explore.

There are three attractions in Cars Land.

The first is found in Mater’s Junkyard — called Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.  Basically, you ride around in a trailer being pulled by baby tractors and get flung around while Mater sings hoedown songs.

It may look simple but it is a ton of fun and has quite a bit of ingenuity involved in the ride design.  I compare it to the teacups over at Disneyland but maybe the next generation.

Larry the Cable Guy (Mater) recorded several different songs for the ride which helps to keep you from growing sick of the ride as you wait in line.

The second ride is found in Luigi’s Casa Della Tires — called Luigi’s Flying Tires.  The ride is inspired by the mythical Flying Saucer ride in the early days of Disneyland.

Guests float along on giant tires and use their center of gravity to control the speed and direction of the flying tire.  It’s a little tricky but once you get the hang of it, it’s a lot of fun.

The Flying Saucers were plagued with trouble and closed early on.  I’m a little worried that the Flying Tires might have the same issue but until then, I’ll definitely make a point to ride it as long as the line is short.

The last ride and the one I was most excited to ride is called Radiator Springs Racers.

This ride is set on the far side of Cars Land among the Cadillac Mountain Range.  The vistas are breathtaking.  I thought The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was impressive.  This is even more incredible.

On top of seeing all of this, you actually get to RIDE THROUGH IT!  The track system is just like the one used for Test Track at Epcot in Florida.  This is definitely a thrilling ride and the dips take my stomach every time.  The ride pictures are quite embarrassing.

Not only is this an incredible thrill ride but it is also one of the best dark rides ever made.  Life-size Cars characters welcome you into Radiator Springs and prepare you for the final part of the ride, a RACE with another ride vehicle full of guests.

I can’t express how much I love this ride.  It could quite possibly be my favorite theme park ride ever.  So immersive.  Disney definitely stepped things up and we now have something that rivals Harry Potter in Orlando.

All signs on the web seem to indicate that Cars Land is a huge success.  I love it.  I can’t wait to go again.  The crowds have been insane so I would definitely wait a few months before planning your trip to SoCal.

Make sure you see the park at night.  The neon is BEAUTIFUL.  Night time is the best time to be in Cars Land.

(Here’s a picture of Josh and myself with Cars writer/director and Chief Creative Officer at Disney, John Lasseter.)

Check out Inside the Magic’s Cars Land coverage for even more details with video and pictures of all the festivities.

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This past week, Josh and I had the opportunity to ride the brand new Transformers Ride over at Universal Studios Hollywood.  The ride officially opened on May 25th of this year.

I went into this experience with two biases.  1) I generally prefer Disney parks and rides to most other theme parks.  2) I don’t like the Transformers movies.  I had little hope for the ride.

But I was pleasantly surprised.

Transformers: The Ride is the best Transformers film ever made.  It had a clear story and was told in a very stylized but perceptable way — two things the films lacked.  I absolutely LOVE this ride.

The technology is very similar to the Spiderman ride at Universal Studios Orlando but amped WAY up.  From what I can tell, it’s a moving vehicle combined with 3D video screens.  On top of that, I’m completely stumped as to how they pull it off.  Honestly, I don’t want to know.  There are moments when you really feel like you’re driving 70 miles per hour through an Autobot/Decepticon battle.

I’ve always said the best use of 3D is in theme parks and this is no exception.  It’s flawless and really serves to immerse you into the experience.

*Spoiler alert* (highlight to read)

The coolest effect is when time slows down.  This happens a few times in the ride.  The Transformer you ride in (Evac) takes a jump and everything slows down.  Wow. 

At one point Megatron fires a rocket at you and time slows again.  As it comes close, you can feel the fire burning in the rocket.  And the 3D makes it look like it’s right in front of your face.  

The queue was decent.  It’s basically the hallways of an underground facility called NEST, which houses the Autobots.  Along the way are panels and switches you can press.  Sadly, they don’t do anything but with a little imagination, you can amuse yourself for a little while.

Overall, Transformers: The Ride is really incredible.  Combined with the Studio Tour, Universal Studios Hollywood is now a must-do when visiting Southern California.

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There’s a significant revival of interest in the movies of the ’60s and ’70s. Films ranging from The Godfather to Easy Rider, from Nashville to Midnight Cowboy have become iconic in our pop culture.

Those of us who were lucky enough to work in the film industry of that period are often asked, “Could those films be made in today’s Hollywood?” My answer is a resounding ‘no’ and the reasons are simple.

The key aim guiding studio decision-making in that period was to surprise even shock the audience. Today’s film executives are eager to re-capture the familiar. The most important resource to tap into is “awareness,” not surprise. Studio tentpoles are predicated on giving filmgoers something they’ve seen before and hopefully will want to experience again.

The upshot, of course, is the abundance of sequels, prequels and remakes.  The success of “21 Jump Street” has underscored an appetite to re-cycle the ’80s by remaking films like “Robocop”, “Dirty Dancing,” and a new “Die Hard”. Geriatric action stars like Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and even Arnold Schwarzenegger are in demand again. Even Billy Crystal is coming back as a leading man.

Hence, while there is a desire to revisit the past, the intent is not to re-discover films that changed the landscape of pop culture. Instead, there’s a search for re-cycled superheroes.

The Tribeca Film Festival caused some surprise by booking “The Avengers” as the centerpiece for its closing extravaganza, after a two-week menu of art pictures and documentaries. This tentpole offers audiences the chance not to revisit just one superhero of the past but a veritable who’s who of heroic retreads. They include Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Captain America and even the Incredible Hulk.

Hence fest-goers, too, can enjoy a return to the familiar — the Avengers comic book dates back to 1963.

The decision to showcase The Avengers is intriguing in that festivals are customarily irrelevant to the superhero genre of motion pictures, as are the major film critics. Tentpoles need tweets and viral buzz, not the approval of cineastes.

Most of all, tentpoles, with their enormous costs, need instant awareness. The auras of books like the Harry Potter series or Hunger Games can create a foundation for that awareness. So can some comic books and video games.

By and large, the game-changing films of the ’60s and 70s emanated from original film ideas or obscure books. Even the Godfather was an unpublished and incomplete manuscript when it was acquired by Paramount. The motivation behind such films as Bonnie & Clyde was to provide culture shock, not to capitalize on an existing franchise. Films of that era opened in a very few theaters and ultimately found an audience.

Culture shock actually was a rewarding experience. Hopefully audiences may again get to experience it in films some day.

© 2012 Peter Bart, author of Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (And Sex)

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As posted a few weeks ago, Josh and I had the amazing privilege to attend the third annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood.  This was by far our favorite of the three years.

Because we’d been the previous two years, we’d already had the opportunity to see some amazing classics on the big screen.  Two of our favorites from previous years were Casablanca and Singin’ in the Rain.  Both of these were screening again this year and because we’d already seen them, it freed us up to experience movies we hadn’t seen yet and in some cases, hadn’t even heard of.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

We kicked off the festival with a tweet-up in the Marilyn Suite at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  There we were given free food and drinks and a chance to mingle with TCM’s PR team as well as other tweeting attendees from the festival.  The hotel room was small but had a great view of the pool.  It is named the Marilyn Suite because Marilyn Monroe lived there for a few years.

After the party, we headed over and caught our first film of the festival Sullivan’s Travels (1941) at the Chinese Multiplex.  Written and directed by the great Preston Sturges (one of the first writer/directors), it’s an important film blasting important films.  I’d seen it before back in college but it’s one of those that always stuck with me and I’m glad I got to see it again on the big screen.

There were more films screened that evening but we decided to go home and get some rest.  We had a busy three days ahead of us.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Friday morning, we started the day with The Searchers (1956) at Grauman’s Chinese.  Both Josh and I agree that this is John Wayne’s finest performance and possibly John Ford’s best film.  One of our favorites to be sure.  We both got into filmmaking partly because of this movie: it is featured in the Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney World.

Next up was Elmer Gantry(1960) at The Egyptian.  Neither of us had seen this one before.  It’s a powerful film with great performances by Shirley Jones and Burt Lancaster.  A must see for classic film fans but not one of my favorites.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) at Grauman’s Chinese was next.  Kirk Douglas was there to introduce the film.  He’s 95 years old and has had some major strokes that have left him with a strong speech impediment but his mind is still sharp.  Seeing him was one of the highlights of the festival.  He even sang a verse and chorus of “Whale of a Tale.”  Revisiting the film revealed a very weak script but it’s so much fun and the world is so imaginative.  I wonder if 20,000 Leagues would have been the Transformers of its day.

You can hear the audio of Kirk Douglas introducing the film here:

Kirk Douglas at TCM Film Festival

The next film was our first big risk of the festival.  We went to see a Film Noir called Cry Danger (1951) at The Egyptian.  It was here that we were introduced to a man named Eddie Muller who has written several books on Film Noir.  He’s the unofficial expert on the genre and he programmed all of the Noir films at the festival.  He pegs this film as one of the best and we both agree.  It was so good.  We skipped seeing Vertigo at Grauman’s Chinese in order to see this but it was so worth it.

The final film of the day was Grand Illusion (1937) at the Chinese Multiplex.  The film started after 9pm and we were pretty wiped out so we didn’t see the film under optimum circumstances.  It’s all in French which made it doubly hard to stay focused.  I didn’t care for the film but I’ll definitely give it another chance in a couple years.  I’m a little bummed we passed up on Chinatown at Grauman’s Chinese but at least now I can say I’ve seen Grand Illusion.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

First up was an Abbott and Costello film called Who Done It? (1942) at the Chinese Multiplex.  This is the first feature length I’ve seen of their films and to be honest, I didn’t like it.  Bud and Lou are best in short form, in my humble opinion.

We watched one short during A Fine Mess: Laurel and Hardy Shorts at the Chinese Multiplex.  We had to leave early to get in line for the next film —

Snow White (1937) at Grauman’s Chinese!  This was spectacular.  Ginnifer Goodwin and Leonard Maltin introduced the film.  What’s not to love about classic Walt on the big screen?

The next film was the hardest choice we had to make at the festival.  We passed on Casablanca to see a Harold Lloyd film called Girl Shy (1924) at The Egyptian.  I’m so glad we did.  I’d never seen a Harold Lloyd film in its entirety.  Only clips in film school and on TV.  With a live orchestra, there is no other way to see these classic silent films.  Last year I was introduced to Buster Keaton’s films and I became an instant fan.  The same with Lloyd.  He’s a genius.

The second hardest choice was to pass up Singin’ in the Rain for Gun Crazy (1950) at The Egyptian.  It was another Film Noir introduced by Eddie Muller.  Again, it paid off.  Such a good movie.  We were exposed to several Noirs that were made outside the studios.  Josh and I know a lot about the studio features during the 30s, 40s, and 50s but our knowledge of indie films is very little.  It’s been so much fun learning about these great classics!

As much as we wanted to see A Night to Remember on the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we were told by several people that we absolutely cannot pass up Seconds (1966) at the Chinese Multiplex.  It’s a crazy sci-fi thriller made in the 60s by John Frankenheimer and starring Rock Hudson.  It’s a small club of people who have actually seen it, much less know what it is.  But once you’re in the club, you instantly want to start adding members.  It’s very bizarre but gripping.  Find a copy somehow.  It’s not easy but you won’t regret it.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

The last day.  We started it with a special screening of How the West was Won (1962) at the Cinerama Dome.

Cinerama is a gimic process created in the 60s where three cameras were used to extend the size of the screen.  It had to be projected with three projectors.  We were privileged to see the film projected on a screen where it was shown in the 60s in the way it was shown.

And what a movie!  It was always one of my favorites as a kid and it holds up.  So much fun.  And it was very meaningful to both Josh and myself.  The film captures the spirit of the American pioneer going west to seek his fortune.  We can identify plenty!

They had an actual working Cinerama Camera in the lobby.

Next we saw Raw Deal (1948) at the Chinese Multiplex.  It’s a lesser known Film Noir like the others in the festival but very good.  I didn’t like it as much as Gun Crazy or Cry Danger but it had some interesting elements that sets it apart from other Noirs.  Worth a look for sure.

Our last film in the Grauman’s Chinese was Rio Bravo (1959), a western starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Angie Dickenson.  It was directed by the great Howard Hawks.  I loved it as a kid and I loved it on the big screen.  I haven’t seen it in probably 20 years.  And this time, I had a great appreciation for Angie Dickenson in the role of Feathers.  She was on hand to introduce the film and shared some fun stories.

And this brings us to the last film we saw at the TCM Classic Film Festival.  The Thief of Bagdad (1924) at The Egyptian.  We chose this over seeing Annie Hall.  I’d never seen Douglas Fairbanks in a film even though he was one of the first BIG STARS of Hollywood.  I enjoyed the film.  The sets and stunts were fantastic and the special effects at the time would have been like watching Jurassic Park.  But it was long (two and a half hours) and after seeing 14 movies over the last few days, I was struggling to get through it.  We actually left halfway through once we realized the film was streaming instantly on Netflix. Haha. (This is unfortunate because the last hour is definitely the most impressive.)

So that’s it.  We had a wonderful time and we appreciate TCM inviting us to cover the festival.

Check out all of our FilmGeekTweet reviews from the TCM Classic Film Festival here.

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For the last two years, Josh and I have been privileged to attend the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood.  We are stoked as ever to attend once again.  The 2012 festival begins in just a few short days.

In anticipation, we thought we’d post a link to all of our previous coverage:

2010 TCM Classic Film Festival

2011 TCM Classic Film Festival

Adventures in Filmmaking contributor Carrie Specht has written a wonderful run down of which films she recommends and which she doesn’t.  Even if you aren’t attending the TCM Classic Film Festival, this proves a valuable resource as you determine what movie to rent/stream on a Friday night.

Be sure to follow our posts on Twitter.  We’ll be live tweeting the events at our personal accounts — @joshdaws and @jeremiahdaws — as well as tweeting movie reviews for FilmGeekTweets.com from our FilmGeek accounts — @filmgeekjosh and @filmgeekjer.

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It has been way too long since Josh and I stepped out of our writing cave and actually directed a short.  In February we decided to get back in the saddle.  We wrote a tight little script and in March, we shot for a day with some friends/actors/crew.  Today we give you the fruit of that effort.

We are very proud to present the latest Daws Brothers film, Like a Child.

This film is proof that no filmmaker is limited.  This short had an entire budget of $36 — and that all went to Subway.  We borrowed all the equipment.  And one of our actors is a member of SAG.  Their New Media classification is a god-send to us digital filmmakers who love working with good actors but are still trying to create on a dime.

The point is:  all you need is a good idea.  Heck, shoot your film on an iPhone for all I care.  But make sure the story’s good.

Our friend Justin Copeland did the storyboards.  I’ve uploaded a few boards for you to see his amazing work.

You can view more of Justin’s work here.

We’re grateful to all who worked on the short including Hayden and Morgan Livesay and Stephen Van Dorn for their work acting in the film.

The Livesay Brothers (Nolan and Jason) composed the music.  You can check out their work at Livesaymusic.com.

We shot on the Canon 60D with all natural light.   Jared Isham was our DP.  Check out his stuff here.

If you liked the film, we’d appreciate it if you would Tweet and Facebook about the film (and any other form of social media.)

And here are some behind-the-scenes photos:

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There’s no doubt about the amazing talents of famed director Billy Wilder. His very prestigious resume ranges from the Academy Award winning drama The Lost Weekend to what many consider to be the funniest film ever made, Some Like It Hot. And there are so many more great films, including this weeks TCM Pick of The Week: The Seven Year Itch.

Many people know about this film without knowing they know, and having never seen it. You see this is THE film where Marilyn Monroe poses standing above the subway vent as her skirt flies up. It’s one of the most iconic images in all of cinema. So iconic that the dress Marilyn wore in that shot just sold at auction not too long ago for over a million dollars. But this film has a lot more going for it than just one memorable moment. As a comedy it’s as good as anything else Wilder ever did, and is far better than anything you could possibly see today in the theaters.

It’s a simple enough tale about a 1950’s married man living in New York City who falls for the blonde bombshell upstairs while his wife is on vacation. An incredibly likeable and funny Tom Ewell plays the man and Monroe is the bombshell. Comedy ensues when Ewell’s overactive, over-vivid imagination goes into overdrive imagining what could be with his new neighbor, and then actually attempts to make the moves on the innocent minded young hottie. It may sound like the pitch line for a modern film but the big difference is in the deft writing of the script and the sublime directing of Wilder. No one has ever handled sexual innuendo as comically as Wilder, and no one ever will.

I promise you won’t be disappointed, and more than likely you’ll be searching for more Wilder films to add to your must see list. You can watch The Seven Year Itch this Friday, March 30 at 5:00PM (PST) on TCM. You can thank me later.

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Anyone familiar with animation knows that its success as a medium of entertainment originated primarily in Hollywood.  Amazingly, Los Angeles has been absent of any annual animated film festivals.  A couple of years ago John Andrews and Miles Flanagan sought to fill this void.  Since 2010, the Los Angeles Animation Festival has been a celebration of this art form, be it domestically or internationally, inside or outside of the studio system.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending this year’s festival, and it was a showcase of collaboration and diversity.  Cat in Paris, Akira, and Fantastic Planet were among several unique pieces shown over the course of the festival, some of which had never been screened in the U.S.  In addition, a Sunday afternoon showing of Shrek was held to mark the 10th anniversary of the first Oscar win in the Best Animated Film category.

The festival also honored the great Bill Plympton, an independent animator with a career spanning over 3 decades.

Attendees included fans, artists, and a few celebrities.  Tom Kenny, Mr. Spongebob Squarepants himself, was the Master of Ceremonies.  It was indeed fitting to delegate someone so animated (in both real life and pencil) for the task.

Brad Bird showed up at the Friday night charity screening of Iron Giant, along with Eli Merienthal (Hogarth Hughes) and Christopher McDonald (Kent Mansley).  After the film he held a Q and A with the crew.

This year’s event presented a wide spectrum of talent and art.  It was also a wonderful opportunity to interact with fellow animation enthusiasts and collaborators.  I look forward to next year.  If you work in the industry or just happen to be a fan, I highly recommend checking it out.  You are bound to be exposed to something you have never seen before.

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Several years ago, before Josh and I moved to LA, we came out here for a conference. At the conference we met a friend who was trying to become a producer. His name was Rich.

Almost 3 years ago, when I decided to move to LA, I contacted Rich. He was very friendly and had some great suggestions on how to survive out here.

Then my brother Josh moved out here and the three of us went to lunch. Rich told us he was working on an idea for a documentary about a high school football team in Memphis. We liked the idea but didn’t give it much thought beyond that. He told us he was going to be out of town for a while shooting a sizzle reel to get people interested in paying for the doc.

Time went by and Rich checked in with a few links to the sizzle reel. We were impressed. The “characters” in this documentary were rich and interesting. A few months went by and we found out Rich had gotten the money he needed. And then he was gone. For over a year.

When Rich surfaced again, he was excited about the documentary. It began to play the festivals and got a lot of interest. And then The Weinstein Company picked up the documentary.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. A few weeks back, it was announced that Rich’s little football documentary, Undefeated, was nominated for an Oscar — for Best Documentary!

Rich is now an Oscar-nominated producer. It has been so much fun to watch Rich’s story play out.

You never know where your path will lead you. Rich’s story inspires us to go ahead and take that first step.

Josh and I were finally able to see a preview screening this last week. The film is incredible. Think Friday Night Lights meets The Blind Side.

Check out our reviews on the film plus a trailer over at FilmGeekTweets.com. And go see Undefeated when it releases in theaters. It opened in NY and LA Friday, February 17th, 2012.

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Today we launched a brand new website called FilmGeekTweets.com — as the banner says:  Movie Reviews in 140 Characters (or less.)  This is an idea Josh and I have been bouncing around for a while.  Finally after partnering with Ricky Brigante (of InsidetheMagic.net fame) we’re ready to go.  We bring you movie reviews of current and classic movies in real time.  As we watch them, we review them.

Here’s the basic idea —

We love movies. No doubt you do too. But life too often gets in the way, leaving precious little time to enjoy a good film. So it is our FilmGeeks’ goal to get you to watch, enjoy, and appreciate more (and better!) films by providing short, personal, film snob-free reviews of our favorites – and least favorites. Our Twitter-length movie reviews spark conversations, provoke thought, and offer spoiler-free opinions of films so you can quickly decide what to watch tonight.

The site has some great features.  Try sorting the reviews by star rating, title, reviewer, or chronologically.  Want to see more films from the 1980s?  Check out our reviews from that decade.

Also, check out the NEW IN THEATERS portion of the home page to get our thoughts on the most recent films so you don’t waste $15 at the movie theater.

One of my favorite elements of the site is the WHAT TO WATCH button.  You can “spin the reel” and get an instant movie recommendation for those times you’re just too indecisive about what film to watch next.  Plus find links to buy/rent/stream it.  Try it.

Join in the conversation.  You can post your thoughts on each one of our movie reviews.  If you agree or disagree with our take on a film, tell us about it.  We love a good movie discussion.

Follow @FilmGeekTweets on twitter for all of our FilmGeeks’ reviews and be sure to check out the site — FilmGeekTweets.com

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The Four Feathers is a glorious Technicolor example of one of the Golden Age of Hollywood’s great adventure epics. This 1939 version of a classic English tale was to the UK what Gone with the Wind was to the US. The majestic and beautifully shot cinematic masterpiece represents all that was good and right about the glory of the British Empire, and yet, at the same time, manages to show the injustices of war.

When a British army officer in the late 1800s decides to resign his commission, he soon receives three white feathers from his fellow officers. The feathers represent a vote of cowardice and he interprets his fiancée’s rebuke to be the fourth feather. Alone in the world, he sets off for Egypt and the Sudan to prove his bravery by secretly aiding his former comrades while disguised as a mute Arab. He then manages to rescue all three of his accusers and returns to England to reclaim his fiancée’s love and admiration.

I cannot overstate the beauty of this gorgeous film. In particular, the post battle scene where injured officer Ralph Richardson wanders about the sweltering desert is stunningly memorable – you can practically feel the sweat dripping from his forehead. And the interior scenes are just as carefully constructed, with every bit of pomp and majesty popping off the screen as well-dressed ladies parade about with their uniformed escorts.

The entire cast is quiet good, particularly the little known John Clements as the demoralized ex-soldier. Clements gives a fine performance as the young man with unpopular ideas of how best to serve God and country and is surprisingly convincing when disguised as a native, unrecognizable to even his closest friends. But the real standout for me is Richardson as the blinded soldier who returns home to find what he thinks is love from his friend’s ex-fiancé. The moment he discovers the object of his devotion only feels pity for him is one that will break your heart as it simultaneously fills you with admiration for a man who suddenly realizes where he stands and what he must do about it. I get teary-eyed just thinking about it.

The Four Feathers airs Thursday, February 16 at 9:15AM on TCM

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A few months ago, I took a trip up the coast of California to see a place I’d heard about but have never seen: the mountain home of newspaper magnate and movie mogul William Randolph Hearst.  The official name for it is La Cuesta Encantada but it was referred to by Hearst and others as “the ranch” or “San Simeon.”  Today it is simply and most appropriately called Hearst Castle.

As a Film Geek, my desire to see the Castle came from my love for the film Citizen Kane.  It is common knowledge that Orson Welles based the character of Charles Foster Kane partly on William Randolph Hearst.  (Some would argue that the character of Kane has many elements of Welles’ own personality and history as well.)

In the film, Kane built a lavish mansion on a mountain and filled it with antiques and sculptures from all over the world.  He called this mountain paradise Xanadu.  But Kane never finished the house because he ran out of money.  He died with it still under construction.

And that’s exactly what happened to Hearst.

Picture for a second growing up watching a movie like Star Wars and seeing the Death Star on screen, being incredibly fascinated by such an amazing location.  Then someone says to you “Hey, you know the Death Star was based on a real place” and you are able to go and visit it.  This was my experience going to see Hearst Castle.  It was like stepping into a movie.

We were shown where Hearst partied with friends and movie stars.  Where he played tennis with Charlie Chaplin.  Where a young animator named Walt Disney screened the first feature length animated film so Hearst could give his blessing.

The whole mountain top villa had an extremely creepy aura about it.  The art was amazing but thrown together in a hodge-podge.  Hearst didn’t care about keeping baroque elements separate from gothic.  And because of this, the entire decor had a schizophrenic feel.  Amidst all of this wealth there was something tacky about it.

In the end, I was saddened by all of the extravagance.  Here was a living testament to a man who had so much wealth and was never satisfied.  Just like in the movie Citizen Kane.

When I first watched Citizen Kane as a child, I didn’t get it.  “Rosebud?  What does that mean?”  But now having walked in the footsteps of Hearst (and to some extent Kane), I get it more than ever.

Watch a clip of Citizen Kane that features Xanadu here.

To read more about the history of the Castle check out the Wikipedia page or go to the official site – www.hearstcastle.org.

And check out the pics I snapped with my iPhone:

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Last month, after the final Harry Potter film was released on DVD/Blu Ray, my sister and I watched all 8 films over the course of a week and then took a road trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida. Technically, it’s part of Universal Studios Orlando in the Islands of Adventure park but the Wizarding World is a destination in itself.

My sister had never seen past the second film and has never read the books. Watching all 8 with a newbie was definitely an enjoyable experience but it does point out some of the flaws in the movies. There are parts that make absolutely no sense to those who haven’t read the books. Overall though, the movies are an incredible achievement with every single character played by the same cast member (except Dumbledore) over the course of 8 movies.

I don’t necessarily think all of the Harry Potter movies are great but there is one thing you can not deny: the world is amazingly creative and rich. That’s what I love about them and that’s what you experience by going to the Wizarding World.

The Wizarding World is a place for fans of Harry Potter. It’s very much like Comic-Con. People from all over the world congregate there and share their unashamed love of all things Potter. It is not uncommon to see people dressed up as their favorite characters. In line for the rides you’ll hear debates about various things relevant to the Potter mythos.

I must admit, I got caught up in the excitement. I spent way too much money on Butterbeer (a rich butterscotch/cream soda drink), Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, and Chocolate Frogs.

The unique element that the Wizarding World has that most Theme Parks do not have is that the designers chose to fully immerse you into the world as much as they could. The shops in Hogsmeade have regular doors rather than the double wide automatic doors that most theme parks have. They want you to feel like you are actually in a shop that Harry and his friends would visit. And you won’t find merchandise that says ‘Harry Potter’ in the shops. It’s all about the reality of the world — you aren’t in a theme park.

My favorite shop is Olivander’s Wand Shop. They sell all of the movie wands as well as wands that are specific to your birthday. The show in the wand shop is amazing, recreating the scene from Sorcerer’s Stone for one lucky park guest. This always has a long line so be sure to see it first thing in the morning. It’s a short show but it is NOT to be missed.

And yes, I did buy a wand. How could I not?

(Thanks to Ricky Brigante of Inside the Magic for taking this picture.)

By far the coolest thing to see is the attraction Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. It combines the animatronics and sets of a dark ride with a great simulator ride. I won’t say anything more than that — I don’t want to spoil the experience. It is definitely my favorite theme park ride — and that’s saying a lot considering I’m a huge Disneyland/Disney World fan. Watch out for Dementors!

I had a great two days immersing myself into everything Potter casting spells and drinking Butterbeer. I felt like I was 11 years old.

Check out the pictures we took and go plan your trip today! You won’t regret it. If you want to know more about the Wizarding World, head on over to InsidetheMagic.net and see their comprehensive coverage.

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The best TV sitcom ever to grace the small screen is The Dick Van Dyke show.  Created by Carl Reiner, it starred a cast of brilliant comedians including Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, and Carl Reiner himself.  Garry Marshall (of Happy Days fame) was a writer for the show.

If you aren’t familiar with the show: it’s about a TV writer who uses his experiences at home with his wife and son to inspire the comedy scripts he writes for the show.  Dick Van Dyke stars as the writer, Rob Petrie, with Mary Tyler Moore as his wife, Laura.  This show is important to me for two reasons — it’s partly to blame for my desire to write for TV/Film.  It looks like so much fun.  The other reason — Laura was my first crush.  Those capri pants and that 60’s hair… wow.

A few weeks ago, Josh and I had the pleasure of attending the 50th Anniversary of the show held at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.  Carl Reiner, Dick Van Dyke, and Garry Marshall spoke for about an hour and they showed 3 classic episodes on the big screen.  (That was a rare treat.)

As we waited for the show to begin, a woman was wheeled into the auditorium and an applause errupted.  It took Josh and myself just a few seconds to realize who the woman was.  Rose Marie.  This woman is a living legend.  She’s been performing since she was Baby Rose Marie when she was three years old.  She always had a trademark bow in her hair, always on one side.

There were also a ton of guest stars and relatives of the cast and crew.  One of the most prolific directors of the show and cast member Jerry Paris’ sons were in attendance and sat a few feet from us.

The entire night was just another reminder that these shows and films we love aren’t made by the superhuman – they’re made by people.  And Josh and I are people.  There’s no reason why we couldn’t do what they do.

We recorded the hour long discussion and I’ve uploaded it for you all to listen to.  There’s a rare treat about 15 minutes in when Dick Van Dyke performs the theme song to the show with his a cappella group, The Vantastix.

Check it out.

And to show you how star struck we were, here’s a terrible picture of Carl Reiner leaving the men’s bathroom after the show.

One side note — my parents introduced us to this show when Nick at Nite ran a marathon of the entire show in the early 90s.  My family was camping that week — we had set the timer on our VCR to record the shows.  But the tapes always ran out with 2 hours left each night.  So, we’d pack the family up and drive all the way back to our home, pop in a fresh tape, and drive back to the camp site.  Every night.  At the time, we thought our parents were a little strange.  But after watching those tapes till they wore out, we now know why this was so important.  Thank God for DVDs.

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Ryan Gosling is an extremely busy man. This summer he’s appeared in the rom-com, Crazy, Stupid, Love, he has a film coming out in October in which he co-stars with George Clooney, and according to imdb.com he has at least three more films either in production, or in pre-production. But before you see Ryan with George, you’ll have the chance to see him in the stylish heist film, Drive, which opens Friday, September 16^th.

If you’ve been following his career at all, you may have noticed that Gosling is a bit of a chameleon on the silver screen. He first came to notoriety for playing the romantic lead in The Notebook. Then the hot young actor did something unusual and starred in the low budget indie, Half Nelson, only to follow that up with the oddball role of Lars in Lars and the Real Girl. Now the handsome, blonde, and blue-eyed fresh face of Hollywood has yet again done something completely different – he’s playing the man of mystery in his latest film, a Neo-Noir, or should I say Neon Noir (it’ll make since when you listen to the recording).

Just the other day, I was among a small group of press with whom Gosling sat down and talked about Drive, his approach to acting, his emphasis on change, and his career plans for the future. Let’s just say it’s not a fluke that he decided to work with Clooney who’s an actor who became a director, but it’s better if you hear it for yourself. The reporters who surrounded me were very bright and asked some great questions that allowed for a great flow of conversation, and a nice bit of insight into a rising star that’s obviously in the game for the long haul.

Listen Now

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I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with John Sayles about his latest film Amigo. Amigo is an historical drama that opened August 19th. It’s a beautifully shot film set on a small, occupied island during the Philippine-American War.

Although the cast is mostly unknown to American audiences, the performances are exceptional, performed by an appealing cast led by Filipino actor, Joel Torre. With a story that centers on a small village thrust into a war they understand very little about, the film’s theme holds a striking significance for the modern audience given the events happening all over the world today.

When I first arrived at Du-Par’s at the Farmers Market in LA I had intended to ask Sayles about his filmmaking process, from the point in which he becomes interested in a project to the development and producing of the final product. I was particularly interested in this because Amigo, like most of Sayles’ films (Brother From Another Planet, Matewan, Lone Star) has a certain degree of social consciousness, and yet manages to maintain a high level of entertainment throughout the picture. I had my list of questions carefully planned out, but you know what they say about best-laid plans.

As you will hear from the recording below, I didn’t get around to hardly any of the questions I had in mind. Instead, the conversation took on a life of its’ own. And well, I was enjoying listening to Sayles so much I just let the topic go where it wanted. As you’ll soon hear that’s the best thing to do when interviewing a master storyteller, because what they have to say is far more interesting than anything you may want them to say. And man, can Sayles talk. From observations about bicycling in LA, to the use of locals in his films, to memories of going to the drive-in as a kid, and more, Sayles can tell a fascinating tale.

What you’re about to hear starts off with Sayles mid sentence reacting to the fact I rode a bicycle to the interview, and it just flows in all directions from there. If you like Sayles (or even just listening to an intelligent director) you’re going to like listening to him as much as I did. And if you don’t know Sayles, you’re going to want to after listening to this recording. I recommend starting out with Amigo since it’s in theaters now, and follow up with putting Lone Star and Eight Men Out on your NetFlix list. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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As I posted earlier, on June 2-3, Josh and I were invited to cover the Grand Re-Opening of Star Tours at Disneyland as well as the Grand Opening of the new The Little Mermaid attraction at Disney California Adventure.

Today, I wanted to share with you about The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.  We were there for the opening ceremonies where none other than the voice of Ariel, Jodi Benson, was on hand to perform a medley of songs from the film.  This was an experience that I’ll never forget.  She’s still got it!  Check out the video:

This new attraction is the next generation “dark ride.”  Picture any of the attractions in Fantasyland injected with steroids.  It’s the same idea — floating through various scenes like you would in Peter Pan, Snow White, or Pinnochio.  But instead of small rooms, with half size figures, The Little Mermaid ride is MASSIVE with life-size characters.  The Ursula is especially large and foreboding.

If you are a fan of The Little Mermaid, you’ll love the ride.  If not, it may not be your thing.  No thrills.  What you see is what you get.  But I liked it very much.  And I was excited to see how the Imagineers used new technologies to achieve the same “dark ride” experience on a bigger scale.

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We teamed up with Ricky Brigante of Inside the Magic to cover the event.  Head on over to InsidetheMagic.net to view full coverage of the events including video and pictures.

The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure

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A few weeks ago, Josh and I attended Comic-Con in San Diego.  Thankfully, because of our status as filmmakers, we were able to score Producers Passes — free.

We had a wonderful time both inside the convention hall and outside roaming the streets of beautiful San Diego.  I thought I’d share a little bit of our experience.

I started each morning riding the San Diego Trolley along with several hundred other geeks.  The sense of community is thick.  We’re all there because we love elements of pop culture.  Sometimes those things overlap and sometimes they don’t.  But we can all respect each other.

The convention is held at the San Diego Convention Center right on the water and adjacent to the Gas Lamp district.

Advertisements can be found everywhere.    They were really pushing Cowboys & Aliens hard.

Part of the fun of Comic-Con is seeing geeks dressed up as their favorite characters.  Here’s someone dressed as my favorite character – Marty McFly.

But I’d have to say the best costumes I saw were The Frogg Brothers (played by two teen girls) from the movie Lost Boys.

Another fun element of Comic-Con are the random promotional stunts that are pulled.  As we were walking the streets, we saw a long line of people at an ice-cream truck.  Upon further investigation, we found that Seth Green was giving out free Ben & Jerry’s Ice-cream to promote Robot Chicken and Adult Swim.  I snapped this photo.

With so much going on in the streets and on the convention floor (seems like MILES of booths to peruse,) it is easy to get distracted.  But once I focused, I set about getting into the mythical Hall H.  This is where they have all the biggest panels.  It’s fairly tough to get into because once you are in, you’re in all day.  The catch is, if you leave, you can’t get back in without waiting for hours and hours.

On Thursday night, I saw a discussion between Jon Favreau and Guillermo Del Toro.  It was fascinating.  And for any Disney fans, be sure to listen to the audio — they talk about their future projects based on Disney Theme Park attractions.  You can listen to that audio here: Jon Favreau and Guillermo Del Toro.

But by far, the most amazing part of Comic-Con was seeing Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson live.  They spoke about Tintin among other things.  Here’s a picture of them with a fan who wore a shirt that said something like “It would make my day to shake Steven Spielberg’s hand.”  So they invited him on stage and took photos with him.  It was very sweet.

You can here the audio from their talk here:  Spielberg and Jackson

I attended for 2 days.  The con went on for another 2 but I had had enough.  The crowds were almost unbearable.  But looking back, I wish I had stayed longer.  It’s incredibly fun.  I highly recommend getting tickets… though getting tickets seems to be extremely difficult nowadays.

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On June 2-3 of this year, Josh and I were invited to cover the Grand Re-Opening of Star Tours at Disneyland as well as the Grand Opening of the new The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure attraction at Disney California Adventure.  And let me tell ya, Disney sure knows how to throw a party.  We had such a fun weekend.

Today, I’ll give my review of Star Tours.  Check back soon for my review of Little Mermaid.

The opening Ceremony for Star Tours wasn’t as impressive as I’d hoped it would be — George Lucas did not show up.  But it was cute, including the Disneyland Resort president, Tom Staggs in the theatrics.

My thoughts:

The day the original Star Tours closed last year, I drove down from Santa Monica specifically to ride one last time.  I waited in line for an hour along with many other like-minded geeks.  I stood in line in silence saying goodbye to an old friend.  To be honest, I didn’t trust George Lucas to reopen this classic attraction with anything that would live up to the original.  I took my last trip to Endor and left the park, grieving.  (I know – pathetic.  But there is something so final about extinct Disney attractions.)

I can honestly say, I am blown away by “Star Tours 2.”  I love it.  The geniuses at ILM and Imagineering lovingly updated this attraction.  They kept the traditional Star Tours jingle and even found a place for the original pilot, Rex.

The Queue – I was afraid they’d take away the giant Star Speeder, R2-D2, and C-3P0 but thankfully, they didn’t.  Just spruced them up.  The second room, the Robot Room, makes more sense — it’s more of a baggage handling area rather than some weird trash conveyor belt area from the original.  I never quite got what was going on in that room — or why we were seeing behind the veil of Star Tours.  The new security scanner at the end of the queue is hilarious.

The Ride – AMAZING.  And so many variables.  Over 50 different ride variations?  Wow.  I was a little worried about the 3D aspect but I am very impressed with it.  Probably the best 3D and the best use of 3D I’ve ever seen.  The destinations are great, even those revolving around the prequels.  And making C-3PO the pilot actually works really well.

My only minor complaint is how the story exists in this strange in-between — there are elements of the prequels and the original trilogy in the ride.  The timeline doesn’t quite work but I don’t mind.

The bottom line:  Head on down to Disneyland or Walt Disney World and get in the two hour+ line to ride Star Tours: The Adventure Continues.  You’ll love it.

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We teamed up with Ricky Brigante of Inside the Magic to cover the event.  Head on over to InsidetheMagic.net to view full coverage of the events including video and pictures.

Star Tours: The Adventure Continues

Some of you email us from time to time asking how to break into the industry. Here is a pretty cool way to try. Brett Ratner is holding a short film contest. The winner gets to work as a PA on his next production.

No matter what your opinion of Brett Ratner and his films, you have to respect the fact that he is working in the business and doing extremely well. I recommend anyone who is just starting out on their path to give it a try. Working on a big-budget blockbuster film would be a GREAT experience.

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Saturday, July 2nd at 1:45 in the morning Turner Classic Movies will be airing an Ernst Lubitsch comedy classic, “To Be or Not To Be”. I don’t expect anyone to stay up late for this one, but I highly encourage you to set your recording devices for one of the funniest films ever made.

This 1942 classic stars Jack Benny and Carol Lombard as the husband and wife leads of a theater troupe in Warsaw. He’s incredibly vain and insecure while she is likely the biggest flirt in Poland. After Germany invades their country, they and their company of actors use their collective talents to dupe the Nazi’s and rescue a Polish flyer as well as their own skins.

Both Benny and Lombard are at their comedic best as they skillfully handle Lubitsch’s well-crafted words like dueling weapons, first as the playful banter of a husband and wife and later as loyalists armed with sharpened wits against their enemies. Particularly notable is Benny’s famous ability to comically affect indignation, and Lombard’s deadpan delivery of one straight line after another – no one should be that beautiful and that funny. Of course, as they improvise themselves out of one situation they only find themselves getting stuck in something even more difficult, requiring them to be more and more clever every step of the way. Benny’s near escape from being discovered as an imposter is comedy brilliance at its best, matched only by Lombard’s reaction to being trapped in a corner you don’t think she can possibly escape.

Much like a thriller or complicated espionage film you’re going to want to watch this film again and again just so you can go back and figure out exactly how they managed to resolve everything. Lubitsch keeps the pace that quick and snappy. And even though he never lingers on the political aspects for too long, Hitler himself plays a major part in a significant and hilarious plot development. Only Lubitsch could pull that off.

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About a month ago, a friend asked me to act in an online commercial he was directing. He wanted me to play the role of a comic book nerd. If you know me, that’s a huge stretch.

(Sarcasm.)

Though I’m not a comic book fan, I do like all things nerdy — and my glasses and skinny frame help sell the part.

I’ve acted a little in college in student films. I even took an acting class. But I don’t consider myself to be an actor. Thankfully, I had only one word of dialogue.

I thought I’d do the video, get paid, and forget about it. I don’t really enjoy being in front of the camera. But instead, the commercial went VIRAL. At the time of this writing, it has 78,000 views. Insane.

Within a view days of posting, it was picked up by various comic book websites, each with its own opinion on the message of the video. Some appreciated the commercial’s portrayal of comic book nerds and others didn’t. My favorite review is found on ToplessRobot.com. I am called “reasonably attractive.” I’ll take it.
(Beware – That site is sometimes NSFW)

Check out the video here:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx-409qji2I[/youtube]