Adam Mast's Showest Report Days 1 & 2

"The reason I called this press conference was to let everyone know that compared to Adam Mast I'm nothin' but a spineless little twerp."

SHOWEST 2006!

Another year, another ShoWest. For those not familiar with the annual event, ShoWest is a massive convention held in Las Vegas for exhibitors (i.e. world wide movie theater personnel). While ShoWest is more of a technology and snack bar goody showcase, it's also a launching pad for big studio movie release buzz. And in fact, in years past, attendees were given advance looks at screenings (Finding Nemo, Crash) months before their scheduled release dates, as well as first time peaks at footage for highly anticipated tent pole releases (last year, we were treated to ten minutes of Revenge of the Sith nearly three months before release). What's more, the proceedings are usually handled with grand panache. I wish I could say the same for this year's event. Don't get me wrong. I had a fun time and have no plans of skipping next year's convention (it'll be my ninth), but somehow, there seemed to be a lack of magic at ShoWest 2006. It's been reported that many of the studios had plunked so much money into the Academy Awards, that they opted to go a little lighter on ShoWest. Whatever the case may be, I attended the convention for the same reason I always do-THE MOVIES!

Adding to the overall enjoyment of ShoWest 2006 was the fact that I didn't go by myself this year. I was accompanied by our very own Boneman. He'd never been before, and watching him take it all in was half the fun. He was like a kid in a candy store, particularly when we were attending parties with an open bar. Suffice it to say, he loved the experience and looks greatly forward to next year.

There was plenty to be excited about at ShoWest 2006, but for me, it was all about the Warner Brothers presentation. Too bad I would have to wait until Day 4 to experience it. Why the enthusiasm for Warner Brothers? Superman Returns of course. I'm so pumped for this movie I can barely contain myself. More on that in a later report.

Before I get to Day 1, I'd like to offer up a few hearty "Thank Yous".

Firstly, I'd like to thank Jason Padgitt and his press team for blessing the Boneman and I with credentials. There were very few press members on hand this year, so I feel lucky I even got to attend this thing. In years past, I was blessed with Passport Press which is essentially a golden ticket. It would allow me access to every event, screening, and get together with zero hassle. This year, we got Working Press (i.e. pee on press). This particular pass gets you into the trade show hall and that's about it. In other words, The Boneman and I would have to work hard to get into events this year. Thankfully, the press department did allow us entry into certain screenings if space permitted. As far as everything else, we had to make our own connections. Thankfully, we did end up getting into everything during the four day convention.

This brings me to my next thanks. I have to give major props to Lois Blackburn of Jordan Commons Megaplex Theaters in Salt Lake City, UT. We've been friends for years, and she's always been gracious enough to step up to the plate for me. If it hadn't been for Lois and Jordan Commons Megaplex manager Cal Gundersen, The Boneman and I probably would have been shut out of a couple of key events at ShoWest 2006. Thanks guys. We love you and are forever in your debt.

Props to Judy and Stephen Thorburn of theflickchicks.com and trippervision.com. We enjoyed the endless conversations and I look forward to hanging with you guys each and every year.

I'd also like to give a shout out to Michael Dequina of moviepoopshoot.com and movie-report.com. I owe him a lot as he showed me the ropes the first couple of years. Michael hasn't attended since 2004, but hopefully, he'll be back in 2007. His reports are always extremely informative.

Another special shout out to Quint of Aint-it-cool-news.com fame. I quite often bump into him at events (Comic-Con, Cinevegas etc.). We had a pleasant conversation about Pixar's Cars as well as numerous other films. He told the Boneman and I he's having a special screening of Monster Squad at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX. He even managed to round up some of the cast to appear at the screening. What I wouldn't do to attend that. For those who haven't seen it, Monster Squad is a wonderful little gem from the 80's. Terrific entertainment. A must see. Anyway, Quint was good enough to take a copy of The Boneman's "Fan Club" screenplay back to Coolsville with him. Bone has put his heart and soul into this thing. He's been working on it for years. We figured if anyone would appreciate it, it would be the guys at aint-it-cool. Thanks again Quint.

Finally, we had the honor of meeting Binh Ngo and Senh V. Duong, Director of Operations and Vice President of Rotten Tomatoes. What a couple of cool guys. We at Zboneman.com have always been huge fans of their site, so it was an unexpected treat getting to meet the guys that put that whole thing together. What's more they were both unassuming, friendly and gracious and didn't mind hanging out with a couple of nobodys like us. It was a pleasure guys.

On with the Report!

DAY 1

ShoWest 2006 actually began early on Monday, March 13th, but the Boneman and I weren't able to make it to Las Vegas until the early evening. Zboeman.com usually opens the con with A Night of Independent Film at the Century Orleans Theater in the Orleans Hotel and Casino, so we figured why buck a trend. Due to horrendous traffic conditions, we made it to the Orleans about ten minutes before show time. We didn't even have time to pick up our credentials. Thankfully, the Orleans staff was accommodating. Upon arrival, we bumped into a couple of local pals (hi Megan and Jeff) and invited them to come along with us.

The way A Night Of Independent Film works is they show six different films. There's a 6 P.M. screening and a 9 P.M. screening meaning you can pick two films to check out. Since I had The Boneman with me this year, we were able to split screening duties. Our film choices were Kinky Boots, Friends With Money, On a Clear Day, Confetti, Hard Candy, and An Inconvenient Truth. We had already seen Kinky Boots and Friends With Money at Sundance so that made our choices a little easier. I opted to start with Confetti while The Boneman went with On a Clear Day. You can read The Boneman's On a Clear Day review over in his report. Here's my take on Confetti.

CONFETTI (R)
Starring Martin Freeman, Olivia Coleman, Jimmy Carr, and Meredith MacNeill
Released by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Director: Debbie Isitt

Confetti is a British mockumentary that takes a chapter out of the Christopher Guest book of film making. As was the case with Waiting For Guffman and A Mighty Wind, Confetti is a mostly improvised comedy that coasts along on the considerable talents of an up to the challenge cast. The Chris Guest film Confetti most resembles is Best in Show with it's zany glimpse into offbeat characters and intense competition.

Confetti's premise is a simple one. Three couples compete for the title of "Most Original Wedding of the Year". The winner will find themselves on the cover of Confetti, a legendary magazine with a - you guessed it - wedding theme.

The three couples are extremely diverse. The first pair consist of a selfish (but ultimately, insecure) and extremely competitive tennis player and his flighty, wide-nostriled fiancee. The second couple are bonafide music lovers who struggle to keep meddling relatives from ruining their big day. The final couple are a pair of naturalists who become agitated when they're told they can't appear nude at their own wedding.

Through the help of a kooky pair of wedding planners these three couples plan their respective weddings as they're followed around by a camera crew.

Confetti is sweet enough and it isn't without it's charms. It also deserves extra props for pushing the boundaries of nudity in film. I don't think I've ever seen this much male genitalia in an R rated flick - what a thrill. What's more, these actors have rapport and keen comic timing.

Writer/director (I use the term writer loosely-after all, most of this film is improvised) Debbie Isitt makes an earnest attempt at being equal parts funny and endearing. There are some truly inspired moments here. From the wedding competition set pieces, to the hilarious tunes sang by one of the grooms' brothers, to a nudist de-robing during a corporate magazine meeting (prompting my buddy Jeff to make a hilarious bubble gum reference), to a nose job gone horribly wrong. On the other side of the coin, Confetti has an undeniable charm. I really enjoyed watching these nutty wedding planners put it all on the line, and their little moment at the end of the picture is particularly delightful without feeling stereotypical. What's more, I really bought into one of the couples' plight. I won't reveal which one, because it would give too much away, but the pair in question truly do appear to be in love.

While we're on the topic of giving things away, that's a big issue I have with Confetti. Unlike Christopher Guest's Best in Show - in which the winner of the competition not only feels right but completely unpredictable - this movie all but telegraphs who's going to win. It's completely evident within the first thirty minutes of the film. The proceedings would have been far more effective had Confetti been more balanced.

As it stands though, there's quite a bit to enjoy here. Confetti is light and breezy, and the cast do seem to be enjoying themselves. I wouldn't put this in the same league as Guest's films, but it's still worth a look.

Grade: B-

Following the screening, Megan, Jeff, and I met up with the Boneman and indulged in the feast waiting for us in the lobby. It was a Mexican themed buffet complete with open bar. Great food. While eating, we bumped into Judy Thorburn of theflickchicks.com. She was hanging with her husband Stephen. After chatting it up for a while, we ran into my good friend Lois Blackburn of Jordan Commons Megaplex Theaters. She introduced us to her boss Cal Gundersen. I tried to convince them both to come and watch Hard Candy with me, but they declined. Not their type of movie I suppose. I did manage to get The Boneman and Jeff to come along, and we had a great time. The Boneman reviewed Hard Candy in his report, but I liked the film so nuch I decided to throw together a review as well.

HARD CANDY (R)
Starring Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh, and Jennifer Holmes
Released by Lions Gate

Hard Candy played the Sundance Film Festival a couple of years back, but due to a hectic schedule, I was unable to take in a screening. About a month ago, I got a look at the trailer and I was instantly compelled.

As Hard Candy opens, we're introduced to Hayley Stark (a mesmerizing Ellen Page). She's your average, every day precocious young teenager. More than anything, she just wants to be noticed. After a brief courtship with a gentleman on line, she decides that she wants to meet the guy in person. This is a dangerous proposition to be sure, and anyone will tell you, that this sort of thing will usually lead to disaster.

That would be in another movie, for Hard Candy is freakishly deceptive. Lets just say that in this picture, the hunter is the hunted.

Ellen Page is a revelation as fourteen year old Hayley Stark, and after doing some research, I discovered that this terrific actress is actually eighteen. Regardless of her age, she gives a compelling performance as a young woman on a mission. Likewise, Patrick Wilson (Angels in America) is equally effective as a man in his thirties who harbors many disturbing secrets. As a team, Page and Wilson play off each other in expert fashion recalling a similar bond that James Caan and Kathy Bates shared in Misery.

Hard Candy is frightening and gruesome, but it isn't in a gore fest like Saw. If anything, Hard Candy is sort of the anti-Saw. It's extremely talkie, and much of it felt like a David Mamet play (think Oleanna).

I don't want to give a false impression here. Hard Candy is gripping and even brutal in it's approach. The film contains, among all things, a castration sequence that is so nauseating and so gut wrenching, that I actually reached for my own testicles to make sure they were still in tact. What sets this film apart from the likes of Saw (aside from great acting I mean) is a lack of blood. There is very little to speak of. Hard Candy is more about conversation and imagination.

What's more, Hard Candy has a sense of humor. Albeit a wicked sense of humor. Watch Page spew playful but serious verbal attacks at everything from European retro musical outfit Goldfrapp to legendary film maker Roman Polanski..

Technically, Hard Candy is an absolute marvel. Shot in digital, the film has the same kind of look as Michael Mann's Collateral. Skilled cinematographer Jo Willems does an expert job of teasing the audience. Just as he leads us to believe he's going to deliver the money shot with his lens, he slyly pulls the camera away opting to show us expressions of horror on the characters faces. Credit gifted director David Slade for delivering the power of suggestion in a big way. He truly believes what we don't see is far more powerful than what we do see, and this particular theory works perfect in this film.

Unfortunately, Hard Candy doesn't come up all roses. The final act is incredibly implausible. From the moment Sandra Oh appears on screen, the movie takes a detour into "bullshitland". Quickly, I began questioning how a certain character was so perfectly able to anticipate another character's every move. What's more, the traps set are a little too elaborate and unrealistic. Similar problems plagued David Fincher's entertaining but far fetched The Game.

Still, the first three quarters of Hard Candy are extremely effective. This a truly intense film experience with explosive performances and smart writing. I guess you might consider this a cautionary tale. Pedophiles best beware. The hero in Hard Candy means business.

Grade: B

DAY 2

OPENING REMARKS

After what seemed like very little sleep, The Boneman and I headed over to the Paris Hotel and Casino to get our credentials so that we might make the Opening Remarks ceremony. After picking up our creds, we made our way to the Theater of the Arts only to be told that we couldn't get in without Passports. While I was irritated by this, I was hardly surprised. Again, ShoWest isn't really an event for Press or even for film fans for that matter. It's for exhibitors. Anyway, after a little bit of finagling (as well as creating a minor distraction), I did manage to insure that The Boneman got in. I waited in the lobby for a few minutes, and thankfully, Jason Padgitt did allow us admittance.

As I entered the already darkened theater, I quickly found a seat.

First up-Paula Wagner of Paramount Pictures (and a longtime Producing partner of Tom Cruise). She was on hand for "A Salute to the $100 Million Films of 2005". After a few brief comments about her career in the business, the lights dimmed and we were presented an exciting montage of clips from some of the biggest hits of 2005.

Chicken Little, The Longest Yard, Robots, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Wedding Crashers, Walk the Line, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, King Kong, Madagascar, Hitch, Batman Begins, The Pacifier, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 40 Year Old Virgin, Fun With Dick and Jane, Fantastic Four, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and War of the Worlds.

The presentation was simply astonishing if for no other reason than the sound and visual technology on display.

Once again, Paula Wagner hit the stage with a little surprise. Firstly, she went on and on about Tom Cruise's top notch professionalism, then she proceeded to discuss Mission Impossible III which she produced with Mr. Cruise. Then, she introduced a special guest-J.J. Abrams, the director of Mission Impossible 3 and the creator of ABC's breathtaking Lost.

Let me just say that in addition to being the creative force that he is, Mr. Abrams is also extremely funny and very accessible. While it's clear that this film maker is very assured, he's also incredibly humble and that was quite refreshing. After discussing how amazed he was that Paramount would even allow him to direct Mission Impossible 3, he graced us with a couple of scenes from the movie. A big thrill as the film isn't slated to open for a couple of months.

I hate spoilers so I'll briefly talk about what Abrams showed the crowd.

The first scene features an angered Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) interrogating villain Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Hoffman is less than accommodating and when he threatens to find Hunt's girlfriend and kill her, the special agent doesn't take to it kindly. What he does to Hoffman in retaliation would make 24's Jack Bauer proud.

The second scene was a big, loud action piece. As Hunt transports Hoffman across a lengthy bridge, his cavalcade is attacked by the villain's crew. Before you can say "Your mission, should you choose to accept it...", all hell breaks lose. Gunfire, explosions, flipping cars etc. It's all there in a big way. The sequence sort of reminded me of the climax of James Cameron's True Lies.

Abrams then returned to the stage and thanked everyone for being there. As he exited he received enormous applause.

Then, we were introduced to one time Dreamworks partner Jeffrey Katzenberg. He was on hand to talk about the increasingly popular computer animated feature trend. What I liked most about his speech was his conscious effort to talk about films from all the studios and not just the one he used to work for. He then went on to tell us that the footage reel from the upcoming film "Over the Hedge" that he was going to show us was scrapped. Why? Because Dreamworks decided to show us the whole completed film instead. We'd have to wait until Thursday to see it, but this would be a nice added bonus.

After Mr. Katzenberg left the stage, it was time for ShoWest to announce the "Rising Star of Tomorrow" award. The honor went to Keke Palmer who you may remember from the TV movie The Wool Cap. Following a brief acceptance speech, the twelve year old actress spoke about her new film Akeelah and the Bee, which, as fate would have it, screened shortly thereafter.

AKEELAH AND THE BEE (PG)
Starring Keke Palmer, Lawrence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, and Curtis Armstrong
Released by Lions Gate Films

Akeelah and the Bee isn't the kind of movie I like to criticize. It is, after all, well intentioned but ultimately, I didn't buy into it. Regardless of it's sweetness and it's earnest attempt at being the quintessential family film, it really isn't a very good movie. Why? I'll get to that in a moment.

Taking a cue from the infinitely more entertaining (and dramatic) documentary Spellbound, Akeelah and the Bee tells the story of Akeelah, a twelve year old spelling protégé who spends most of her time struggling to fit in at her Crenshaw middle school. Eventually, she sees a spelling bee on ESPN and realizes that such competitions might be her ticket. After winning a local bee, she is encouraged by her school principal to push her talent further. Sadly, Akeelah's mom isn't entirely sold on this notion, granted she's a overworked single mother spending most of her extra time making sure her teenage son steers clear of gang culture. Akeelah soon finds aid in the form of Joshua Larabee (hey-Akeelah and the Lara-Bee), a one time college professor and spelling bee champ who has since been humbled by that harsh thing called life.

Where to begin? Akeelah and the Bee is plagued by fake sentiment. It often pulls at the heartstrings so hard that I found myself with a bad case of heart burn. And those who've ever experienced heart burn know, it doesn't feel very good.

Young Keke Palmer does an admirable job here expressing attitude, tenacity, and emotion, and had she been given a stronger screenplay, this could have been huge for her. As it stands, her performance is hindered because of weak writing and direction. Lawrence Fishburne is all too quiet as the lonely Dr. Larabee. His internal pain is evident because the screenplay dictates it, but I never truly felt it. Angela Bassett is spunky as an assertive mother doing the best she can with what she has. Having said that, Fishburne and Basset fared much better as co-stars in Boyz in the Hood and What's Love Got to Do With It, because those films were fueled by real drama, instead of paint-by-numbers sentiment.

Of the entire cast, I enjoyed young George Hornedo best. He plays Akeelah's new bee buddy Roman. This energetic actor has some wonderful, genuine moments with Palmer's Akeelah, and he's able to lend the film truly inspired humor.

As a spelling bee drama this picture bares a striking resemblance to another Lawrence Fishburne film, the vastly superior Searching For Bobby Fisher. Both movies feature child protégés with an amazing gift for their craft (in "Bobby Fisher" it was chess), and both movies feature young protagonists out to make their parents proud. Sadly though, Akeelah and the Bee ditches the subtle nuances that made Searching For Bobby Fisher so effective, and trades them in for numerous clichés that, on more than one occasion, had the Boneman giggling aloud.

The common bond that Akeelah and Larabee share in this film is extremely heavy handed and before everyone paints me a cynic, know that I am extremely susceptible to such business when handled in a less obvious fashion. For instance, I'm an unabashed fan of the Sean Astin film Rudy. That movie features a bond of sorts between Daniel Ruettiger and his grizzled boss Fortune (played by Charles S. Dutton), but the film makers kept this stuff in check in Rudy. In Akeelah and the Bee, the proceedings are far too manipulative making for cheesy and contrived melodrama.

In fact, most of Akeelah and the Bee's numerous shortcomings lie in the mechanical screenplay. Structurally, the picture is all over the map. It doesn't know when to quit. At one point, Akeelah becomes a local celebrity. We're talking big time. Autograph signings, television appearances etc. I can buy into the TV interviews, but autograph signings? It's a bit ridiculous. As for the dialogue, most of it feels like dialogue. This is to say that much of the time, when characters are speaking in this film, the conversations don't really flow. Again, it's all too mechanical. Granted it should be duly noted that Fishburne and Palmer have a few inspired bits of word play, and I'm willing to bet that these particular moments were improvised.

Writer Doug Atchison also serves as director, and his instincts as a film maker don't serve him too well. In addition to being heavy handed, the movie also features some stereotypical moments that are down right offensive. Watch as an angry Asian man criticizes his son for nearly letting a young black girl beat him in a game of Scrabble. This sort of thing might be funny on an episode of King of the Hill (Kahn pulls such business on the Mike Judge show all the time), but in Akeelah and the Bee, it makes the proceedings all the more ridiculous. It's quite simply a one dimensional (and cliched) scenario, something that Paul Haggis took extra pride in avoiding in his stellar Crash.

As for the spelling bee sequences themselves, they're pretty good, although they don't quite lend that sense of tension that you might expect, save for the climactic bee battle between Akeelah and her spelling wiz adversary. The movie takes the safe route where the climax is concerned, but it does so in a way I wasn't really expecting. I suppose one unpredictable moment is better than no unpredictable moment.

In the end, Akeelah and the Bee is a feel good family film that tries far too hard to be a feel good family film. I liken the experience to watching a flick like Patch Adams, although, thankfully, this movie doesn't sink that deep. Unlike pictures such as the previously mentioned Searching For Bobby Fisher, Akeelah and the Bee tries so hard to warm the heart that it loses it's sense of realism. What's left is a cliché buffet with a few effective moments and a cast that is capable of much, much more. Spell mediocre-M.e.d.i.o.c.r.e.

Grade: C

Following the Akeelah and the Bee screening, it was off to the Lions Gate luncheon. While I was less than impressed by Akeelah and the Bee, I still applaud Lions Gate. They take chances with pictures like Crash and I'm particularly impressed by their ability to distribute terrific horror films (i.e. Hostel and the upcoming The Descent). Plus, they really know how to throw a party. Their luncheon was, as Will Ferrell would put it; "Scrumtrelescent!"

After the luncheon, The Boneman and I made our way to The Theater of the Arts to try and get into Pixar's Cars screening. We knew it wouldn't be easy, but we gave it a try nevertheless. While waiting at the press table, we bumped into the Rotten Tomatoes guys. As I stated in the previous report, it was quite an honor to meet them. In very little time, they're site has become one of the most known and reliable film sources on the net. We had a lengthy discussion about films as we waited for Cars tickets.

Around twenty minutes before show time, in walks Quint of Aint-it-cool-news.com. This was his first year at ShoWest so he wasn't sure how everything worked. Lucky for him, he's with the most famous movie buzz site ever. That buys you a lot of credibility at such functions. He already had a seat saved. Off he went.

Finally, after what felt like hours, we got tickets. Granted, we had to go to Ballys and see the film in another screening facility. Whatever. We were just happy enough to get in. As we entered the theater, we were stunned to see quite a few seats up front. We took a seat and took a load off.

I was extremely pumped for the film we were about to see. While reactions to the Cars trailers have been mixed, I'm a huge fan of director John Lasseter. He has an enormously solid track record, so I had a feeling we were in for a pretty good time.

CARS
So here's the deal. Cars doesn't open until June. If we put up a review, it might destroy any relationship we're trying to build with Pixar and Disney. Sadly, we can't run our review just yet. I will say that I really, really, really liked the film a lot. Watch for our review in the near future.

Following the Cars screening, we were invited to Disney's reception. It was awesome. Free food and open bar. I could get used to this. What a great time.

Believe it or not, The Boneman and I decided that we'd go hit a movie after our second long day at ShoWest. We decided to go take in a screening of Dave Chappelle's Block Party. What an outstanding film. You can read The Boneman's review on the site