GLOBAL EDITION - TOP 10 FILMS of 2008 and more

Happy Holidays, ya’ll! Click on headlines for full articles…

WORLDWIDE VERY BEST OF 2008

Joseph Fahim:

Without a doubt, 2008 has been the year of American films. The new wave of neo-westerns, allegorical epics and corporate thrillers that have miraculously arrived to our shores after taking the US by storm at the backend of last year, have ushered a new age for American film.

All American films included in this list reflect the growing moral uncertainty, not only in the US, but in the world in general. With the election of Barack Obama and the contagious new-found hope taking over the world in such troubled times, critics are wondering if the foreboding ambiance of “No Country for Old Men” and “The Dark Knight” will preside or whether these pictures, like their 70s counterparts, might soon be regarded as period pieces of the Bush era.

Elsewhere, the French continued to dazzle, although fewer productions than usual managed to make it to the capital, Italians reclaimed their neo-realism throne, the Spanish astonished with their eclectic mix of melodrama, comedy and horror, while the Arabs carefully used the blessings of co-funding to churn out their own unique stories.

As for Egyptian movies, none of the mainstream big-productions came close to match the sublimity of one small film that might eventually break the dominance of major autocratic film producers. So, without any further ado, I present Daily News Egypt’s pick of 2008’s 10 best films…

 

Foreign-language Oscar a magnet for controversy

 

 

Kumbaya in the Mid-East:

Hollywood, Bollywood and Arab stars open Dubai film fest

Saudi religious police says some movies possibly OK

 

Nuclear Mango:

Mumbai crowds flow back to their beloved Bollywood

King of Bollywood listed among the 50 Most Powerful People in the world by Newsweek

Muslim cast and crew members working for King of Bollywood denied US visas

 

From the Far(Left) East:

WB shrouds ‘Dark Knight’ from Chinese Commie audiences

 

Welcome to Nollywood:

The low budget populist success of Nollywood

 

Kazakhstan and beyond:

Kremlin greenlights patriotic epic

Like a bad movie: Beautiful films and ugly theaters in Romania

 

Unregulated capitalism:

Economic slump takes its toll on the entertainment industry

Despite these serious challenges, the global and local entertainment industry is not likely to be hit as hard as other industries, simply because people aren’t going to stop watching films, reading books or listening to music. Choices will be more limited though and numerous novelists and filmmakers might temporarily pull back their works until the crisis ends.

The people responsible for all sectors in the industry will survive the storm if they make the right decisions. Yet, and like the companies that have closed shop this year, the recession could signal the end of an era for some.

What Crisis? Fundraising during an economic meltdown

 

Hollywood gears up for more tough times in 2009

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The economic crisis and the threat of another labor strike are creating a “perfect storm” for Hollywood as major studios to brace for further layoffs early next year, according to studio executives and analysts.

 

 

Spin Magazine’s Top 20 Music Videos Of 2008

 

Who made the worst movie of the year?

 

 

Defamer:

‘It Doesn’t Matter What People Think’: Meet Your Oscar Publicists!

 

Fun for the whole family:

Worst of the Internet in 2008

 

Best, but treated worst:

IndieWire’s 2008 Best Undistributed List of 250 Films

 

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Aimee Mann’s ‘Christmas Carol’

 

Fake Thundercats Trailer

 

Jib-Jab Year In Review

THE WEEK THAT WUZ - CHRISTMAS EDITION

 Click headlines for articles…

More ‘GRRRREAT in ‘08′:

-Top Buzzwords 2008

-The year that broke the rules

Female fare, 3-D made box office gains

Despite the dismal state of the economy, domestic B.O. revenues are running even with last year’s record-breaking pace . Apparently the truism about the movie biz being recession-proof is holding, at least for now.

 

I concur, Peter Bart!:

Hollywood Needs its own Car Czar

 

Another one bites the dust:

Yari distribution unit forced into bankruptcy

Yari blamed the tightening credit markets and the earlier bankruptcy of payroll company Axium, which according to Yari swept millions of dollars from its payroll accounts, as a “perfect storm” that sunk the company financially.

 

Here comes the big musical number:

Hugh Jackman Hosts the Oscars

Hugh Jackman will host this year’s Oscars. Apparently the Academy has decided sexiness is the most important quality in a host. - Buzzfeed

 

Harvey Scissorhands will not be stopped:

Harvey Weinstein’s back in the hunt

Weinstein Co. Gets 8 Golden Globe Nominations

Golden Globes Noms Announced… FULL LIST

 

 

One of the reasons why he’s the biggest star in the world:

Will Smith: It’s all about helping others

“It’s cool to have the goal of being the biggest movie star in the world. But why? It’s been revealed to me that the question is: Whose life is better because you woke up today?”

 

A few reasons why he’s the epitome of ‘indie cool’:

Philip Seymour Hoffman On “The Daily Show”: His Kids, The Golden Globes And The Catholic Church

 

Everyone’s a critic:

Young reviewers put passion over profit

Even as the professional ranks implode, young writers are expressing their passion by any means necessary.

 

Eastward, Ho!: 

DISPATCH FROM DUBAI | Puttin’ on the Ritz: 5th DIFF Dazzles and Spotlights the Downtrodden

Q&A: Shivani Pandya

The managing director of the Dubai International Film Festival discusses the logistics involved in the planning and operation of such a huge event in the Dubai calendar.

 

More Indie from the Wire (ok, from Indiewire):

HONOR ROLL ‘08 | “Make The Film For The World You Want To Live In”

What general advice would you impart to emerging filmmakers? Umm… Make the film for the world you want to live in - try to think of who is going to flake out on you before shooting, and if you are really honest with yourself you will see, then get rid of them, they’ll just slow you down and do their best to cripple you later. Keep the drama on screen.

Fest Organizers Look to Online Options and Each Other While Anticipating Recession’s Effects

The three-day event drew festival organizers from all over the U.S., as well as a few international colleagues as a professional forum to discuss a wide range of issues relevant to this small but specialized subset of the film industry, from practical considerations of sponsorship, marketing, ticketing, board development, and programming, to more far-reaching philosophical explorations of the role of film festivals for audiences and for the film industry as a whole.

 

The best thing the French have done for the US since that liberty statue?:

France approves international tax rebates

Submit to the music of Serge Gainsbourg!: 

Lucy Gordon boards Gainsbourg pic

 

 

From the “my friends in high places” dept:

‘Deadgirl’ duo to update Danish thriller 

 

Consider this a last hurrah:
Economy shouldn’t dampen Sundance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indian-givers?: 

Is DreamWorks’ deal stalling?

 

Madoff “made-off” with all his Jewish friends manna: 

Jewish blog tracks Madoff news

 

 

Another sign of the Apocalypse:  

Las Vegas Snow Sets Record At 3.6 Inches

 

Hoverground Vidz:

1930s Parkour

Amazing stunts from back in the day. This guy looks like he is just having so much fun almost dying all the time. - Buzzfeed

 

OBAMA’S YOUTUBE BOOB ADDRESS

INDIE FILM CONVENTIONAL WISDOM Vol.1

The Business of Film. Running a Limited Liability Company (LLC), dealmaking, attaching talent, getting funding, foreign pre-sales, chain-of-title, etc, etc, on and on up to number 661 on the production checklist. I have a copy if you want it. All for the low, low recession-era price of  $14.95. But wait, there’s more: Get that extra edge over the other guy or gal who really knows how-to bullshit and/or sell ice to an eskimo…  PayPal and Google Checkout accepted. Free Bonus Features with Purchase now:

Don’t be boring.

Don’t be desperate.

Don’t lie. (Hollywood hates liars.)

Don’t get excited. (At least until the deal is done.)

Always be nice to assistants… (…Without faking it. They’ll be agents someday. Shirley MacLaine once said to me, “If they weren’t agents, they’d be mobsters.”)

Always return calls and emails. (Karma.)

Know your ABCs. (Always Be Cool.)

If you can’t get a good, living mentor — settle for a good, dead role model.  (Preferably, one who had a happy ending:)

…and if ya reeeeally wanna be able to navigate the shark-infested waters of the biz and make some super-duper new friends while you’re at it, refer to:

The 10 Paradoxical Commandments

 

TEOTWAWKI & ATTACK OF THE YEAR-END ‘BEST-OF’ LISTS

 Eye Spy: Filmmaker Plans to Install Camera in His Eye Socket

 Click on headlines to read full stories…

What you get when you mix gambling, Hollywood and a bad economy:

 

HOLLYWOOD STOCK EXCHANGE parent eyes real-world trading

 

WORST IDEA EVER? Wall Street Plans Futures Exchange Tied To Box Office

 

With the weight of all Tinseltown on his shoulders:

 

Relativity financier Ryan Kavanaugh arrested again

 

 

 

Relativity, Atlas pact on film six pack

 

The insurgents continue to terrorize:

Slamdance unveils lineup

 

In Praise Of Hollywood’s PoetKnowIt

 

It’s the economy again, stupid:

 

No Depression in Beverly Hills?

 Tribune Company Files For Bankruptcy Protection

 Sony to cut $1.1 billion from costs

 Thousands of workers to be pinkslipped

The End of Year As We Know It:

2008: A Year Of Has-Beens Turned Hot

 

The Best Viral Videos of 2008

 

The top 10 political films of ‘08

 

THE BLACK LIST 2008: Top Screenplays

 

 Other fun stuff:

Awards Season Snubs

 

Google’s Top Search Terms 2008

 

Credit Crunch Casting

 

Sexting

 

‘Erotic Man’ attracts funding

 

YouTube Videos Pull In Real Money

 

 

And from the personal propaganda dept:

Every so often I get “back on the boards” to perform my special brand of performance-art stunt-comedy. Satsang Lounge is a monthly event produced by a fellow NYC ex-pat. C’mon down to Theater/Theatre this Tuesday night and see some Lower East Side-style entertainment, if you dare:)

 

THE END OF WEEK AS WE KNOW IT

 ”I’ve been getting indie movies made for 20 years,” he said. “But I take a good look around and what I see is a barren, barren place — in terms of the financial community, in terms of audiences, in terms of distribution. It’s cold out there.”                 - Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, American Gigolo) 

Some headlines below, in case ya missed’em; (click’em for full articles)

From the “They Love To Hate Us Department“:

World Falls for American Media, Even as It Sours on America

From our newly nominated “Secretary of Outsourcing“:

Paul Schrader: Bollywood, here I come

Bollywood worries about attack impact

Will Smith tackles Mideast mission

Robert De Niro Launches Tribecca Film Festival in Qatar

“Hong Kong Film: New Action” project launched (With photo)

 

From the “They Are Absolutely Insane To Go On Strike Right Now” wire service:

SAG Vs. Studios Getting Nearly As Ugly As Waxman Vs. Finke

From the You Can Dance If You Want To RSS feed:

It’s nervous-making time at Sundance

Sundance competition lineup unveiled

From the “Inbox” (is “Full“):

IndieVest Attracts Indie-Film Investors With Reduced-Risk Model

 

From the Popular Kids side of the classroom:

Three-way tie at top of Spirit Award noms

From the “Here They Go Again” desk:

Studios ogle future of 3-D

From the “Gotcha Journalism” pap-on-the-scene:

Time to Call Bullshit on Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Retirement’

 

Hoverground Vidz of the Veek:

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Once You Go Bat

 

Nick Swardson’s Hollywood

 

And finally, the I Dare You to Click Here and Wait For iiiiiiit… link.

Curb Your Crash

 

‘HOT CHICKS WITH DOUCHEBAGS’ CREATOR SUCCOMBS TO MY ADVANCES

Recently, there’s been a steady stream of stories about ‘bloggers making good’ or ‘hitting the big time’.

Take, for instance, “I Can Has Cheeseburger” or “Stuff White People Like.” Both are very popular blogs whose creators recently got book deals on top of their site’s insane advertising revenue. To them, I say: Continued success! But let’s face it, the brand can only go so far: website, t-shirts, books… what else?  Yes, the site can remain in perpetuity, and Engrish and ‘lol talk‘ can eventually become household terms, but where else can they go? ( OK, fine- the “I Can Has” people have created a virtual empire. And don’t get me wrong, I looove those sites and probably visit them more than I should; they make people happy and serve a purpose, and so by the law of universal success they should do well and their creators should benefit.)  But, really, can they go any further, as in transcend the medium?

Now, take “Hot Chicks With Douchebags.” Already an extremely popular site (especially with the Hollywood types,) its creator Jay Louis (aka ‘Douchebag 1′) got the book deal, then a pilot for a TV show, and now development with some VIPs on a film– all centered around the site’s original premise:  For some crazy reason, really hot girls always hang out with the biggest douchebags on the planet. I mean, seriously, there’s a million ways to slice that turkey, and Jay Louis is doing just that. Like what Malcom Gladwell or that Freakonomics guy do with economic theory, Jay writes intelligent commentary around scant info (in this case, pics) that become stories in themselves. Endless content, I tell you.

Now, lucky me, I just happen to know Jay Louis. He’s an old friend from college who started his blog a few years ago. In fact, I remember a very special weekend with him in Vegas right after he launched the site, excited when he broke a few thousand page views. Instinctively, I knew his idea would take off if he kept at it– and he sure did:)

Soon, Hollywood agents were calling, saying they were huge fans and you guessed it– they signed his ass up. The rest, as they say, is history. My boi hit the big time. (And it started as a hobby! Ya see, Jay’s the kind of guy that loves the ladies sooooo much he never got comfortable with the idea of a certain kind of girl who would never willingly choose to be with him, for whatever reason, and instead hook up with some douchebag.) Because Jay’s a super-smart and talented writer who recently got his master’s degree in Critical Thinking, he was able to add high-brow ridicule to low-brow pics and voila!: Geeks all over the world were like, “You go, Jay!!!!”

Which leads me to my coup: A few months back a partner and I commissioned Jay to write a script for us… And it’s good. Genius of us, right?  (To quote Sarah Palin, “You betcha!“) Here’s a guy who’s on the rise, already a famous cewebrity for his writing skillz, and we nabbed him to pen a screenplay just at the right time! It’s all very top-secret at the moment, so I can’t go into details as the project’s in very early development… but I will tell you the script has nothing to do with Jay’s famous blog.  The concept is an hilarious modern-day take on a favorite established comedic subject. So yeah, I just wanted to brag/blog about our bagging a popular blogger, which will give our project that extra something special when we’re selling/pitching/producing/what-have-you.

Any other ideas about popular blogs whose creators might have the goods? Promote them in the comments if you dare…