This week’s /Filmcast kicks off with Dave and Devindra’s impressions of the new handheld-shot, indie horror film Paranormal Activity. Both guys agree that the film does far more for the genre than The Blair Witch Project without having to rely on a huge marketing push to build tension. They don’t hesitate to recommend it, but with a strong suggestion of watching this movie in a packed theater to have that communal experience.
The first two segments hit on television premieres and highlight the controversy behind the Roman Polanski case, but it’s clear that the focus of this podcast is the review of Surrogates. Right off the bat, Devindra says that the exposition was poor and the film felt too much like a standard Bruce Willis cop movie. Eric D. Snider seemed to be the most positive about Surrogates, noting that it feels smarter than the average sci-fi thriller. Ultimately, the take-away is that Surrogates has a lot of solid and entertaining moments, but there’s a reason that it wasn’t released in the summer film season.
Covered films and topics: Paranormal Activity, LA Confidential, Ong-Bak 2, Dexter, Dollhouse, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Modern Family, Community, Flashforward, Roman Polanski Arrested in Zurich, Nightmare on Elm Street Trailer, Cronenberg to Remake The Fly, Universal Plans a Barbie Movie, Mamet’s Anne Frank Put Into Turnaround, Surrogates
In this week’s /Filmcast, Dave Chen, Devindra Hardawar and Adam Quigley discuss the ongoing Roman Polanski saga, praise Community and Cougar Town, reflect on the similarities between Lost and FlashForward, remind you of the greatness of LA Confidential, get freaked out by Paranormal Activity, and continue to chronicle Hollywood’s downfall through the proliferation of remakes and film adaptations based on popular brands. Special guest Eric D. Snider joins us this evening.
Runtime – 1:46:38
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