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NYTimes whiff:

[quote]October 25, 2006
Director Puts New Jersey Town on Film, and on the Map
By Cara Buckley

PASSAIC, N.J., Oct. 22 — Vincent Oliver stood firm on the gray slab of sidewalk where he has become a fixture much of the past two months. Peering through wire-frame glasses, he finally saw what he was waiting for, and broke into a gleeful metal-mouthed grin.

“Look at Danny Glover, he's right there — there,â€

Oh - this was filming near my apartment a few days ago - on 82nd between York and 1st, if I remember correctly. Didn't realize it was a Gondry project.

Here's the trailer. And it looks absolutely great.

This looks really fun!

I really hope the movie is as funny as the trailer promises. Could be a real treat for film geeks like us.

Agreed. I read the premise of it earlier today, strangely enough. I was hoping it would have more trademarks of Gondry's style, but I didn't get that vibe from the trailer. I hope I'm wrong.

it does look fun, but I hope the film explains better than the trailer why they felt compelled to recreate a video when it would have taken far less time and energy to just buy another copy of the video...? I mean, as I understand it, the premise doesn't even kind of make sense enough for me to give it a by, but then again, this is just the trailer, surely the motivations are more fleshed out in the actual film.

domino harvey wrote:it does look fun, but I hope the film explains better than the trailer why they felt compelled to recreate a video when it would have taken far less time and energy to just buy another copy of the video

I imagine it's because they're idiots. The old comedy stand-by.

And ultimately who really cares? Let's just hope that the dialogue in the films doesn't sound like it was written by a second-rate English translating software like in The Science of Sleep. Or maybe that's what he was going for....

Anyway, it looks like it could simultaneously play to both Jack Black's and Michel Gondry's strengths - parody and insanity.

Hrossa wrote:And ultimately who really cares?

being funny and having that humor spring forth organically from within the internal comedic logic of the situation makes all the difference

Good to see Jack Black with a new persona.

Barring a major screw up, this will probably be my favorite film of 2007.

CSM126 wrote:

domino harvey wrote:it does look fun, but I hope the film explains better than the trailer why they felt compelled to recreate a video when it would have taken far less time and energy to just buy another copy of the video

I imagine it's because they're idiots. The old comedy stand-by.

You know, last night I was thinking of an intelligent reason why they recreated the videos (maybe it's the last VHS store in the NY/NJ/PA tri-state area, or maybe in the world), but when I read what you said, CSM126, I felt rather stupid afterwards lol.

I hope they don't explain it, Larry Cohen style.

domino harvey wrote:it does look fun, but I hope the film explains better than the trailer why they felt compelled to recreate a video when it would have taken far less time and energy to just buy another copy of the video...? I mean, as I understand it, the premise doesn't even kind of make sense enough for me to give it a by, but then again, this is just the trailer, surely the motivations are more fleshed out in the actual film.

Even if they were restocking only 80s movies, that would still add up. The impression that I got was that they decided to remake every movie in the store. So basically, they're poor and idiots.

I can't remember the last time a trailer got me enthused but I'm really looking forward to this. As concepts go, this is only second to Dawn of the Dead in terms of movies I'd like to live.

Doctor Sunshine wrote:Even if they were restocking only 80s movies, that would still add up. The impression that I got was that they decided to remake every movie in the store. So basically, they're poor and idiots.

I get the impression, that not only do they have to restock the whole store but that also they can't afford to re-buy the videos so the only way to keep afloat is to remake the videos, I don't think film needs to give any further explanation.

Doctor Sunshine wrote:As concepts go, this is only second to Dawn of the Dead in terms of movies I'd like to live.

I'm with you on that one Doctor! Plus maybe Back to the Future.

FSimeoni wrote:

Doctor Sunshine wrote:Even if they were restocking only 80s movies, that would still add up. The impression that I got was that they decided to remake every movie in the store. So basically, they're poor and idiots.

I get the impression, that not only do they have to restock the whole store but that also they can't afford to re-buy the videos so the only way to keep afloat is to remake the videos, I don't think film needs to give any further explanation.

I wonder if they are that poor how they manage to produce even crappy costumes and edit their films! The stupidity reason seems more plausible! Jack Black's characters line "I've got a better idea" suggests his character's insanity is the main reason they go down the road of making their own films! But I'm more than willing to overlook how they get there as being a pretext for letting Gondry do handmade riffs on loads of classic films.

Anyway, kudos for finally making a Jack Black film I'm interested in seeing!

As concepts go, this is only second to Dawn of the Dead in terms of movies I'd like to live.

I'm with you on that one Doctor! Plus maybe Back to the Future.

It would have to be a Carry On film for me...no, wait that's my normal life!

I thought the trailer made it pretty clear that they remade one or more films, and people liked them better, so they just kept remaking everything,

Mr Pixies wrote:I thought the trailer made it pretty clear that they remade one or more films, and people liked them better, so they just kept remaking everything,

No, based on the trailer I understand completely why they'd continue to make the films, I just couldn't figure out what would prompt them to begin. I do like the idea mentioned earlier in the thread that maybe they're "the last" store to sell VHS in their area... I mean, it's not bulletproof but at least it would offer an answer. Of course this is all purely speculative, hopefully the film itself makes it clear immediately and credibly their initial actions.

Yahoo explains and it makes enough sense for me, I'm ready for a good time!

Jerry, a junkyard worker who attempts to sabotage a power plant that he believes is melting his brain. But when his plan goes awry, the magnetic field that he creates accidentally erases all of the videotapes in a local video store where his best friend Mike works. Fearing that the mishap will cost Mike his job, the two friends team up to keep the store's only loyal customer - a little old lady with a tenuous grasp on reality - from realizing what has happened by recreating and re-filming every movie that she decides to rent.

I like how the above not only supplies a logical explanation, but ALSO allows for Jack Black to be an insane dude. Everyone in this thread just won.

Alright

I am not convinced by the trailer. This could be stupendously brilliant or downright terrible. The film's premise feels like a student film. Time will tell if it's any good.

pushed to January 25, 2008

If you can deal with the crappy interface, the official website has fake trailers for the films spoofed in the movie.