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Thursday, April 3, 2008

No American Profits for Paranoid Park

posted by on April 3 at 13:16 PM

The best American film of the year, Paranoid Park, is doing bad business in America.
insl05_younghollywood.jpg
In Europe, however, it’s doing excellent business. This must not be a surprise to Gus Van Sant. He knows what we all should know by now: Great art is homeless in the land of junkspace.

On the much brighter side of things, there’s this being, this Lebanese, this wonder woman: Nadine Labaki.
nadine%20labaki%20cannes%20film%20festival.jpg
Her film, Caramel, opens today. I will say no more.


RSS icon Comments

1

Oh, if only we Americans can be as enlightened as those noble Europeans.

Posted by Rotten666 | April 3, 2008 1:48 PM
2

gross mudede. i can always tell your posts without looking at who wrote them. the photos. of the women. yuck.

Posted by onion | April 3, 2008 1:52 PM
3

I don't mind the ladies, Charles.

Posted by Rotten666 | April 3, 2008 2:02 PM
4

Europeans love boring movies. News at 11.

Posted by keshmeshi | April 3, 2008 2:03 PM
5

Chaz lives a lie every day by staying in the United States.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | April 3, 2008 2:11 PM
6

europeans also love jerry lewis.

Posted by SeMe | April 3, 2008 2:12 PM
7

@6 And David Hasselhoffs music!!! What does that say?

@2 I was just thinking the exact same thing, barf.

Posted by D | April 3, 2008 2:17 PM
8

Oh, and Nadines skin looks like Caramel. OMG, am I a racist????!!?!?!
Double barf.

Posted by D | April 3, 2008 2:18 PM
9

"I will say no more."

Ever?

Posted by levide | April 3, 2008 2:21 PM
10

I think non-Americans are deeply interested by humanizing insights into America.

Posted by WuDee | April 3, 2008 2:21 PM
11

Gus Van Sant fucking sucks.

Posted by Mr. Poe | April 3, 2008 2:22 PM
12

with the exception of the brits, europeans also think theyre down when they listen to the black eyed peas.

for years, the most popular show in italy was mike bon giorno a donny and marie style variety show that made don francisco look edgy.

italians think michael moore is the greatest documentary film maker of all time.

italians think roberto benigni is funny.

Posted by SeMe | April 3, 2008 2:24 PM
13

I like all of his crushes. Except the bald ones.

Posted by w7ngman | April 3, 2008 2:31 PM
14

I think you need to get a grip on when American culture is being laughed AT not with... and MeSe - almost all Micheal Moore's awards come from adoring Americans - none come from Italy.

Posted by Woody | April 3, 2008 2:35 PM
15

i liked some of moores' films. people liked his themes here, but trust me he is loved in italy. he is fine, and as a progressive i appreciate the themes. i just dont think he is the greatest documentary film maker. besides im sure he has gotten some silly award in italy.

Posted by SeMe | April 3, 2008 2:39 PM
16

the whole "Europeans/Americans are dumb cause they like _____" thing is older and tireder than Jerry Lewis's truss.

i think this movie bombed here because people were worried it might have had something to do with the worst song ever, "MacArthur Park"

Posted by michael strangeways | April 3, 2008 3:09 PM
17

Drugstore Cowboy is entertaining and I love Elephant, despite its pretensions but the rest is either awful, or overrated.

But I still want to see Milk.

Posted by michael strangeways | April 3, 2008 3:13 PM
18

Nicely said SeMe - I agree with you - I prefer documentaries that expose a scenario and leave more room for interpretation than Michael Moore does - but I agree his themes are spot on. That Michael Moore and Gus Van Sant are both liked in EU is interesting then - Moore being in yer face with healthcare stereotypes and Gus on the other hand being very subtle on skate-punk.

Posted by Woody | April 3, 2008 3:14 PM
19

Elephant was SOOOOOOO bad! SOOOOOOOOOOOO fucking bad! Holy shit, michaelstrangeways, I didn't know you smoke opium. Hook me up.

Posted by Mr. Poe | April 3, 2008 3:32 PM
20

I loved this movie. You should all go see it in the theater. It's a beautiful use of the big screen.

It has grossed more overseas because it was released in Europe last October, 5 months ago. It was released in the US three weeks ago.

Posted by Matthew Stadler | April 3, 2008 3:58 PM
21

noooooooo!!!!! it was deliciously pretentious!

and you could dance to it.

and who doesn't love gay, teen, sociopaths taking showers together?

Posted by michael strangeways | April 3, 2008 4:00 PM
22

Drugstore Cowboy was good, but it was very illuminating to find out that the main character was supposed to be in his 40s. Casting Matt Dillon in that role (only slightly older than Heather Graham and younger than Eric what's-his-face) made no sense whatsoever. The TV generation? Matt is part of the TV generation.

And his hopelessness was inappropriate for a young 20-something.

Posted by keshmeshi | April 3, 2008 4:02 PM
23

Uh, me. Twinks are sick.

Posted by Mr. Poe | April 3, 2008 4:03 PM
24

@23 !

Posted by pot kettle black | April 3, 2008 4:45 PM
25

The best part about Caramel opening is that its preview will finally be removed from the Landmark trailer reel. I swear that thing has been showing up in previews since last autumn.

-

Paranoid Park is really good, too. I saw it last night; attendance was sparse, but I just chalked that up to it being a weekday.

Posted by josh | April 3, 2008 4:47 PM
26

I saw it last night too, theater was pretty empty. I thought it was ok but kind of boring.

Posted by twee | April 3, 2008 5:56 PM
27

@24

I know. It's sickening.

Posted by Mr. Poe | April 3, 2008 8:16 PM

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