TheWarrenReport Daily

TheWarrenReport Daily http://www.thewarrenreport.com/blog Opinions and views from the man himself.en Copyright 2008 The Warren Report. All Rights Reserved. 11/19/2008 11/19/2008 20 Everyone's a winner... PUNISHER: WAR ZONE http://www.thewarrenreport.com/blog/default.asp?blogID=50 Dolph Lundgren didn't believe in positive reinforcement. Neither did Thomas Jane. Maybe Ray Stevenson will prove to be a kinder, gentler PUNISHER. Then again, he may decide while you can draw more flies with honey than vinegar, you can lure even more flies with the bloody, stinkin', rotting corpses of bad guys. Ummmm, Justice! Share your favorite (real or imagined) tale of sweet or sour reprimand and you may win one of several <a href="http://www.punisherwarzonemovie.com/" target="_blank">PUNISHER: WAR ZONE</a> prize packages that include t-shirts, posters and big screen "run-of-engagement" passes to see if revenge is a dish best served cold, hot or buffet style. Entries must be posted/attached to this blog entry on The Warren Report by Noon, Monday, December 1st, 2008. Winners will be determined in accordance with my whim and the wit and/or wisdom of your prose. <div align="center"><a href="http://www.punisherwarzonemovie.com/" target="_blank">PUNISHER: WAR ZONE</a></div> Starring Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, and Julie Benz Directed by Lexi Alexander Written by Nick Santora, Art Marcum and Matthew Holloway Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss, Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished. Starring Ray Stevenson (HBO’s “Rome”) as The Punisher, PUNISHER: WAR ZONE is directed by Lexi Alexander and produced by Gale Anne Hurd. The film’s executive producers are Kevin Feige, Jeremy Latcham, Oliver Hengst, Bill Johnson, Ari Arad, and Ogden Gavanski. PUNISHER: WAR ZONE is a Lionsgate presentation in Association with Marvel Studios, a Valhalla Motion Pictures, MHF Zweite Academy Film, Lionsgate Production, In Association with SGF Entertainment Inc. <a href="http://www.punisherwarzonemovie.com/" target="_blank">PUNISHER: WAR ZONE</a> opens nationwide on December 5, 2008! The film is rated R and its running time is 107 minutes 11/17/2008 8:24:30 PM For smarter audiences... BOOGIE MAN http://www.thewarrenreport.com/blog/default.asp?blogID=49 Karl Rove did not crawl out from under a rock, he crawled out from under (the tutelage of) Lee Atwater. A political operative so unscrupulous, his friends refer to him as a “wolf,” “a killer” and… a “marsupial,” the <a href="http://www.BoogieManFilm.com/" target="_blank">BOOGIE MAN</a>’s notoriously aggressive (amoral?) tactics — rumor-mongering and race-baiting amongst his favorites — have informed the tenor and base instincts of every campaign since, even Dino Rossi’s. (Rossi’s “sex offender” spots aired in Eastern Washington are as disgraceful as the Willie Horton commercials most credit Atwater with having masterminded.) Filmmaker Stefan Forbes presents a remarkably balanced portrait of the ferret-faced Southerner whose first triumph (and harbinger) was his contribution to Strom Thurmond’s incumbent dominance of South Carolina. Ed Rollins, Robert Novak and Tom DeLay rep the right-wingers on camera. The left is fronted by Sam Donaldson, Eric Alterman and Lee’s whipping boy, Michael Dukakis. (Fighting back was Greek to him!) All admire Atwater even if they loath his ethics; further proof as General George S. Patton declared: “America loves a winner and will not tolerate a loser, for the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.” And to the petulant Atwater, as well. To the spoiled went the victories 11/3/2008 8:36:41 PM For smarter audiences... I.O.U.S.A. http://www.thewarrenreport.com/blog/default.asp?blogID=48 A penny saved is a penny earned. Common sense, right? Tell that to the United States government. On a national level, we’re not saving. We’re spending. And spending. And drowning in debt. The pennies that were supposed to allow the dollars take care of themselves are irrelevant now. As of October 1st, 2008, our national debt surpassed 10 trillion dollars. In 2009, our annual budget deficit will top 1.2 trillion dollars. (That’s a lot of Bridges To Nowhere!) The numbers are staggering, yet <a href="http://www.iousathemovie.com/" target="_blank">I.O.U.S.A.</a> crunches them efficiently, entertainingly, thanks to Patrick (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HLDFR2?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000HLDFR2">WORDPLAY</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000HLDFR2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />) Creadon’s non-partisan direction and Brian Oakes’ populist title design and motion graphics that play like a pop-up video version of Alan Greenspan’s American (wet) dream. However, the fantasy is souring… if you have the patience to track multi-volume editions of the US Budget… or listen to Robert Bixby and David Walker who tour the country on their <a href="http://www.concordcoalition.org/act/fiscal-wake-tour" target="_blank">Fiscal Wake-Up Tour</a> that forms the narrative backbone of this alarming documentary. Walker, the revered former Comptroller General, head of the GAO (Government Accountability Office) is <a href="http://www.iousathemovie.com/" target="_blank">I.O.U.S.A.</a>’s unanticipated star, the Al Gore of INCONVENIENT red ink. Unable to critique policy while serving, he left office to enlighten/terrify the general public about the dire consequences of America’s reckless spending, increasingly imbalanced global trading and ostrich-like political “leading.” By Walker’s estimates and per the film’s warning, by 2040, America will be unable to pay much of anything, not education, not defense…. not even the operation of the government itself. Bottom line: our children are screwed. Their only asset: <a href="http://www.iousathemovie.com/" target="_blank">I.O.U.S.A.</a>; a clarion call for all to balance their checkbooks and eliminate debt and insist our elected representatives do the same. I caught up with director Patrick Creadon and bought him a drink. Unwisely, I put it on my credit card. WARREN: Why make <a href="http://www.iousathemovie.com/" target="_blank">I.O.U.S.A.</a>? You don’t make a movie about finance to pick up chicks. PATRICK: We made the movie because we had read a book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047198048X?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=047198048X">Empire of Debt: The Rise of an Epic Financial Crisis</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=047198048X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />, by William Bonner and Addison Wiggins… we really liked it… we knew it would be hard to make this movie and that was appealing to us… A friend told us we were crazy to make <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HLDFR2?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000HLDFR2">WORDPLAY</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000HLDFR2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />, a doc about crossword puzzles. He thought we were crazier when we told him about <a href="http://www.iousathemovie.com/" target="_blank">I.O.U.S.A.</a> WARREN: In your film, George W. Bush confesses he got a B in Econ. What did you get? PATRICK: But Bush adds he got “an A in keeping taxes low and being fis-cal-ly responsible.” It’s sort of a cringe-worthy moment. I dropped out of business school… I was going to be a business major but I didn’t like it… I went to Notre Dame… I fantasized about making documentary films when I was younger… and have been doing it ever since... So, this is not something I am an expert in, but that’s something that makes me a very good person to make this film. I can relate to an audience who doesn’t know this stuff much better than an economist… In fact, if you ever just want to have a miserable night, go out with about five economists to a bar… you’ll get ten different opinions. Because Economics is a dismal science. WARREN: David Walker bucks that trend and, almost steals the movie… PATRICK: David is a very good communicator. He’s a CPA and an auditor. He had thirty-two employees at the GAO (Government Accountability Office). He was there for nine and a half years… With five and a half years to go on his terms, walked away. When he resigned, that was a real bombshell that went off. He’s a political independent, he does not have an axe to grind… He was very much like the head referee in a football game… It’s his job to blow a whistle when he sees a penalty… and not to root for either team… And both parties were sad to see him go. He was a voice of reason in this blizzard of financial insanity. WARREN: This is a political film, but the budget is non-partisan, yes? PATRICK: We didn’t want to talk about whether the Iraq war was the right thing to do or not. We didn’t want to talk about Medicare D and whether we should have signed that into law. What was primary was, let’s open the checkbook of the United States and see what kind of shape we’re in… and put politics aside… The numbers don’t lie. This is a boring topic for about five seconds. And before you know it, the gloves are off and people want to kill each other because you’re talking about tax policy, entitlement programs… it’s a very emotional topic. **To hear my complete interview with Patrick Creadon, please download The Warren Report podcast via <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=289227137" target="_blank">iTunes</a> or <a href="http://thewarrenreport.libsyn.com/" target="_blank">Libsyn</a>.** 10/31/2008 12:46:49 PM Everyone's a winner... SAW V http://www.thewarrenreport.com/blog/default.asp?blogID=46 With election day nearing, politicians are out for blood. Yet no matter how brutally they slander and slime one another, they'll never tap body sap like that puzzling madman Jigsaw. (Take that, Dino Rossi!) If you'd like to see SAW's sanguinary psycho on the big screen and your home screen, too, just respond to The Warren Report's red-hued head-scratcher: What is the most gruesome, awful death you have ever witnessed... at the movies? (Bonus points for graphic, descriptive powers!) Entries must be posted attached to this blog entry on The Warren Report by Noon, Monday, October 27th, 2008. Our Grand Prizer winner will receive a box set of SAW dvds (films 1-4) and a pair of passes to see the latest slaughterfest, SAW V, after its theatrical opening this weekend. Five other winners will receive a pair of "run of engagement" tickets, too. Be afraid. Be very afraid. SAW V Directed by David Hacki, starring Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson In the fifth installment of the SAW franchise, Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, Hoffman must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends. Rated R. Congratulations to our Grand Prize winner: Jeffrey Vann! Jenni, Lucy and Tony also won prizes as runners-up. 10/23/2008 3:54:07 PM Make better movies.... W. http://www.thewarrenreport.com/blog/default.asp?blogID=45 Chalk up <a href="http://Wthefilm.com/" target="_blank">W.</a> in the L column. Sorry, Ollie, they can’t all be winners. Still love <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F1IQJG?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000F1IQJG">PLATOON</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000F1IQJG" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005AUJR?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00005AUJR">SALVADOR</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00005AUJR" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />; both remain thrilling works of ambiguous morality and palpable veracity. <a href="http://Wthefilm.com/" target="_blank">W.</a>, however, is impeachable; facts and alleged truths ripped from yesterday’s headlines play out as if this were some odd, cinema verite version of a rejected made-for-HBO movie based on a Bob Woodward book. No doubt Josh (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1558908323?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1558908323">MIMIC</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1558908323" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />) Brolin exceeds expectations, embodying our lame duck leader convincingly without stooping to Ferrellian caricature. Elizabeth (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GYI3B8?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000GYI3B8">SLITHER</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000GYI3B8" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />) Banks is a fine Laura, Richard (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000065K9A?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000065K9A">APPRENTICESHIP OF DUDDY KRAVITZ</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000065K9A" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />) Dreyfuss is a caustic Cheney and James (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AK7AB?ie=UTF8&tag=thewarrep0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000AK7AB">BABE</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewarrep0d-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000AK7AB" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />) Cromwell is an upstanding Bush Sr. willing to draw the line with his otiose son. (That’ll do, pig.) Best of all is Toby (THE SICKIE) Jones who re-imagines Karl Rove as the Commander-In-Chief’s devilish, diminutive Mini Me, not so much Bush’s Brain as much as Bush’s conjoined twin ego. Less impressive — often due to limited screen time and sketchier screenwriting — are Scott Glenn as Rumsfeld, Rob Corrdry as Ari Fleischer and Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice. (The fine-boned actress is slathered under enough reconstructive make-up as to make her appear a second cousin to Joseph Merrick. That’s the Elephant Man for those who don’t frequent the freak shows.) What cannot be disguised are the script’s haphazard chronological jumps; in an effort to depict the entire trajectory of W’s rise-fall-rise-fall-rebirth-and-rise story, nuance is lost in short-handed overviews of pivotal moments in this half-baked bio-pic of the mis-edu-muh-cated leader of the free world. Is George junior a simpleton, a born again or a prodigal son? Is he a zealot, an idiot or a glad-handing savant? Stone seems unwilling to commit. Is he scared of a righteous Christian backlash or uncertain of his leftist judgments? <a href="http://Wthefilm.com/" target="_blank">W.</a> is neither the last letter nor the last word in this Presidential debate of intended and extended legacies. But, it does serve as an opening argument, presenting enough evidence to make a solid case for either side. Only problem is, this is a case in which most would prefer a more partisan presentation. The verdict is in your hands. Duby’all.10/21/2008 11:07:41 PM