Discland
edited by Jonathan Doyle
Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

Upcoming

November 12

Slumdog Millionaire

November 14

A Christmas Tale

B.O.H.I.C.A.

Dostana

The Dukes

Eden

House of the Sleeping Beauties

How About You

Quantum of Solace

We are Wizards

November 21

The Betrayal

Bolt

Special

Twilight

November 30

Badland








No more Queen Latifah

A statement of general policy, effective now and locked for the indefinite future: I hereby refuse to see any movie starring Queen Latifah, and I'm going to really and truly think twice about any film in which she plays a supporting role. As far as I'm concerned every film she's in carries the Mummy's curse, and that includes the mostly insipid Hairspray.

Q.L.'s track record is worse than Cuba Gooding's even, and that's saying something. The Perfect Holiday, Life Support, Stranger Than Fiction, Last Holiday, Beauty Shop, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Chicago, etc. No reflection on her person or personality. She may be a great and generous human being, but her taste in movies seems to be primarily based on the concept of getting paid.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 28, 2007 at 3:49 PM

comment #1

bmcintire Author Profile Page says ...

She was the weakest part of STRANGER THAN FICTION (which I actually enjoyed tremendously) and I will continue to ignore your flat dismissal of CHICAGO, but the rest of that list. . .ecccch! Of course, you are omitting her worst offense - BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE. That piece of shit put Eugene Levy in the no-flyover zone for me as well.

Posted by bmcintire Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:08 PM

comment #2

Mgmax Author Profile Page says ...

Aren't we forgetting Living Out Loud? She's actually good in that. But I agree, she's like a can of Campbell's Instant Soul that lazy filmmakers add to very white movies to add a thin flavor of black.

Posted by Mgmax Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:12 PM

comment #3

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

Set It Off

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:15 PM

comment #4

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

Mad Money

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:16 PM

comment #5

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

Beauty Shop, Taxi, The Country Bears...

damn...didn't realize just how much TOTAL SHIT the Queen has been in.

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:18 PM

comment #6

thatmovieguy Author Profile Page says ...

Worse than Cuba Gooding? Give me a break! I'd gladly sit through a marathon of Latifah's films again before I'd endure a second viewing of CHILL FACTOR, SNOW DOGS, RADIO or BOAT TRIP. Did anyone survive DADDY DAY CAMP? Even in her weaker pictures Latifah has a vibrant personality, lots of spirit and good humor; Gooding generally mugs, squeals, purses his lips and aims to be as obnoxious as possible. Did you see HAIRSPRAY? Latifah's solo "I Know Where I've Been" brought down the house. I certainly haven't loved all of her movies (and I've never forgotten the sight of her being attacked by mutant jellyfish in the camp catastrophe SPHERE), but she deserves her place on the screen. What a silly choice of targets.

Posted by thatmovieguy Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:27 PM

comment #7

bmcintire Author Profile Page says ...

I almost forgot her excruciating narration in AN ARCTIC TALE.
Sassy!

Posted by bmcintire Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:30 PM

comment #8

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

Chill Factor! Ha! An action movie inside of an ice-cream truck! I still remember seeing that trailer on the big screen and thinking...what the fuck?!

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:35 PM

comment #9

D.Z. Author Profile Page says ...

She was decent on "Living Single" and, as actionman pointed out, "Set It Off", but she started to not care around the time of "Bringing Down the House".

Posted by D.Z. Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:39 PM

comment #10

Joe Leydon Author Profile Page says ...

Last Holiday, not Perfect Holiday. And, really, how could anyone not enjoy Beauty Shop as a guilty pleasure, if only because of Kevin Bacon as the fey Eurotrash?

Posted by Joe Leydon Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:42 PM

comment #11

thezipper Author Profile Page says ...

Bringing Down the House was spectacularly racist. I still cringe when I think about it. Whither Steve Martin?

Posted by thezipper Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 4:43 PM

comment #12

Rob Author Profile Page says ...

Actually, she's in Last Holiday AND Perfect Holiday (which opens 12/14). Shudder.

Posted by Rob Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 5:54 PM

comment #13

Mike Schaefer Author Profile Page says ...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Get Latifah into a Pearl Bailey biopic, posthaste. Instant Oscar! After which she can finally come out of the closet.

Posted by Mike Schaefer Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 8:56 PM

comment #14

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE is still one of the most insane movies I've seen in the theater, specifically her insanely violent fight with Missy Pyle. I give it points for that. But I hereby swear to never watch another movie with Joan Plowright!

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 9:31 PM

comment #15

erniesouchak Author Profile Page says ...

She's terrific in "Living Out Loud," an underrated movie if ever there was one, and I would never blame her for "Life Support," a well-intentioned attempt to focus on some people you NEVER see in American movie: the urban working class and people living with HIV.

Posted by erniesouchak Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 9:36 PM

comment #16

Terry McCarty Author Profile Page says ...

Re the remark about Steve Martin:
As we all know, Steve probably makes most of his recent movies to buy more Art to go on the walls of his house (or to make contributions to LACMA perhaps). And it's safe to say that his more "personal" film projects have devolved from the heights of ROXANNE to the depths of SHOPGIRL.

But to be fair, I've been reading BORN STANDING UP and it seems to be a sincere attempt to reconnect with a past he's sometimes tried ferociously hard to distance himself from.

Posted by Terry McCarty Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 10:39 PM

comment #17

Terry McCarty Author Profile Page says ...

Re Queen Latifah:
Doesn't she see herself as a businessperson now? This can also explain Chris Rock's film career.

Posted by Terry McCarty Author Profile Page at November 28, 2007 10:41 PM

comment #18

otownroger Author Profile Page says ...

Latifah, Ice Cube, "business-people," critics be damned.
Some of us liked her in Hairspray. Last Holiday? Beauty Shop? Most everything else she's done recently? Not so much.
Perfect Holiday opens Dec. 12, not 14.

Posted by otownroger Author Profile Page at November 29, 2007 5:35 AM

comment #19

Krazy Eyes Author Profile Page says ...

That's too bad because we've been trying to get her attached to our hip-hop/western comedy "Westward Ho" for a while now. She's be perfect for the lead role. We might be a little too respectible now so maybe someone like Mo'Nique would be better.

Posted by Krazy Eyes Author Profile Page at November 29, 2007 8:08 AM

comment #20

Spicer Author Profile Page says ...

Hairspray was great fun, though the real star of it is Marc Shaiman's score. Are we not allowed to have fun at the movies anymore?

Posted by Spicer Author Profile Page at November 29, 2007 10:37 AM

comment #21

fartballs Author Profile Page says ...

While I personally am not the biggest fan of her work, I can respect her for being a strong and independent lesbian who is not ashamed of her sexuality. Its refreshing in the face of cowards like Jodie Foster.

Posted by fartballs Author Profile Page at November 29, 2007 11:17 AM

comment #22

TheLongshot Author Profile Page says ...

I'd gladly see her in any film where she sings. any other type of film, not so much.

Posted by TheLongshot Author Profile Page at November 30, 2007 5:53 AM

comment #23

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

fartballs (your name definetly tells us where you're coming from), if we're supposed to believe that gay marriage/lifestyle makes no impact on the way we straights live our lives (something I agree with), why does it make any difference to your life how Jodie Foster chooses to live hers? It seems she has a partner, they raise children. She's under no obligation to be an advocate. Be happy for her, and yourself.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at December 1, 2007 1:31 AM

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