Moving day today

We’re moving our palatial offices today, so there’s no update. Well, partly that and we’re still trying to figure out how Wanted made fifty one million dollars in a benevolent universe. Seriously, fifty one million dollars for a Matrix derivative based on a second-tier Marvel comic? Chalk it up to America never growing tired of watching Angelina Jolie slink and smirk, we suppose. Oh, and weeks of relentless marketing to a demographic killing time between The Incredible Hulk and The Dark Knight.

In the meantime, we’d like to recommend you check out one of the other blogs we’ve become aquainted with over the past few months:

The Fail Blog: The chronicle of human failure, misery, and misadventure.

The Long Take: Our friend Anil Usumezbas’ intelligent, considered approach to film.

Noir of the Week: An atmospheric yet self-explanatory blog that’s been around for a while. Editor Steve-O is a standup guy.

We’ll be back Wednesday, we promise, just as soon as we unpack all these DVD’s and other less important stuff.

- Michael Kabel

Put The Summer Heat On Ice With Classic Film Noir

Five films to cool off the steamy mid-summer nights in the naked city.

These films are our "big combo."

Despite its shadowy milieu, film noir is the cinema of heat: the heat between a man and a woman, the friction between men on collision courses, the burning need for vengeance or justice or just getting a little distance from your circumstances. It’s the perfect kind of film to relax with during the summer, when nerves and patience already run short – preferably with a whirring ceiling fan overhead and a tall glass of something chilled.

We’ve grown accustomed to Warner Brothers releasing their Film Noir Classic Collection box sets each July, but it looks as if they’re not doing that again this year. So we’ve put together our own five-pack of classic and semi-classic films to get you through the night.

1. Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) This ain’t the storybook you had as a kid. When a hard-boiled detective with one too many brutality complaints accidentally kills a murder witness, he must frame an innocent man for the crime – even as he falls in love with the man’s daughter.

One of several noirs and neo-noirs by writer-director Otto Preminger and starring Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney (the others include the classic Laura), the film is noir at its most primal. Yet the story remains nuanced and memorable long after viewing, thanks to compelling performances from every cast member. Though Mitchum and Bogart are most commonly considered noir’s reigning heavyweights, Andrews’ incredible reserve and depth help make him the thinking man’s noir anti-hero. DVD: Part of Fox’s “Fox Film Noir” library.

2. Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) Though many count 1955′s Atomic Age-themed Kiss Me Deadly as the last great noir of the classic period, Odds Against Tomorrow better deserves that title, looking ahead as it does to the Civil Rights Movement while still retaining noir’s classic themes and motifs. Harry Belafonte, Ed Begley Sr. and noir titan Robert Ryan conspire to rob a small town bank. But Ryan’s ex-con is a hardbitten racist, and the tension between him and Belafonte’s gambling addict simmers into a twist ending that M. Night Shyamalan only wishes he could concoct. Noir siren Gloria Grahame and Shelley Winters glimmer and tempt as women drawn into Ryan’s self-destructive orbit. DVD: Available from MGM.

3. Black Angel (1946) When a gadabout is falsely convicted for the murder of a blackmailing nightclub singer, his loyal wife (June Vincent) teams with the singer’s alcoholic ex-husband (the underrated Dan Duryea) to prove his innocence. Together they infiltrate a nightclub run by a powerful gangster (Peter Lorre), even as the ex-husband’s alcohol-racked memory begins to reveal the killer’s true identity. Haunting and memorable without lapsing into sentimentality or melodrama, the film remains undercelebrated but a must-see nonetheless, especially for the lush cinematography and the fine performance by the all-but-forgotten Vincent. DVD: from Universal.

4. The Blue Dahlia (1946) Not to be confused with Brian De Palma’s 2006 flop The Black Dahlia, this sharp edged, brittle bit of noir reunites frequent co-stars Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in Raymond Chandler’s original screenplay about a returning World War II fighter pilot investigating the murder of his dissipated wife. Chandler’s script is reflective of his Philip Marlowe novels’ serpentine plots and crisp dialogue, while Ladd and Lake’s chemistry lights up the screen as it did in This Gun For Hire and The Glass Key.

In real life, a bartender gave Hollywood starlet Elizabeth Short the nickname “The Black Dahlia” because the movie was playing at a theatre down the street. Short liked the name, keeping it until her gruesome murder the following year. DVD: Somehow, The Blue Dahlia is yet to come to DVD. Just the same, it’s still widely available on VHS.

5. Kiss of Death (1947) An imprisoned jewel thief (Victor Mature) testifies against his cohorts to get early release after his wife’s suicide leaves their children indigent. Once on the outside, he works undercover to help the District Attorney (Brian Donlevy) bring down psychotic killer Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark).

The film belongs to Widmark, who plays the well-named Udo with such wide-eyed glee that Mature’s straight-jawed line delivery is almost completely overshadowed. You probably won’t ever forget the scene where Udo giddily throws a wheelchair-bound old woman down a flight of stairs. DVD: Also part of Fox’s “Fox Film Noir” library.

- Michael Kabel

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Review: Get Smart

How many studio executives does it take to save the world?

A movie seemingly born, workshopped to within an inch of its life and yet revised again during studio executive meetings, the long-simmering adaptation of 1960s spy spoof Get Smart arrives in cineplexes feeling simultaneously dated both to the Cold War era and to the 1990s, when such pre-packaged and meticulously built “updates” of “classic” television shows (Charlie’s Angels, The Flintstones, ad nauseam) were marched like robots upon the summertime theatregoing public. That pervading feeling of moviemaking-by-committee leaves fingering a single guilty party almost impossible, but there’s plenty of fault to go around.

Lifelessly directed by frequent Adam Sandler collaborator Peter Segal (The Longest Yard, 50 First Dates) and including more ringers in its expansive cast than a state fair, Get Smart flails between the crisp slapstick of the original and the puerile locker room humor typical of Sandler’s more lowbrow efforts. Many of the jokes bear the unmistakable hint of Sandler project cast-offs: there’s a bare-ass gag, and there’s jokes about urinating and at least one built on homophobia; Agent Smart refers to a KAOS henchman as “a douche.” That’s a far cry from the original, which mocked the ultra-serious tone of the James Bond and Man from UNCLE  films and television shows by playing everything painfully straight-faced. But such subtlety is lost on broad performers like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and the inescapable David Koechner, and to studios terrified of confusing their audiences even for a minute. It’s also hard to be subtle when the plot is loaded with skydiving, car chases, plane chases, explosions, ad nauseam. It’s an “action comedy” meant to be taken lightly – except the leaden jokes and story never really allow it to fly.

Because in these kinds of films any kind of flaw or limitation is worthy of ridicule, the modern Maxwell Smart (Steve Carrell, playing Smart not that much different from The Office’s Michael Scott) has overcome years of obesity in order to move from his analyst position at the top-secret CONTROL to field agent status: fat people are funny and worthy of disrepect, in a theme the film revisits at least once more. When a bomb attack renders the agency’s headquarters devastated, Smart’s boss (Alan Arkin) agrees to move the hapless analyst into the field alongside the impatient, patronizing Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway.) The two must stop terrorist organization KAOS’ ringleader Siegried (Terrence Stamp) from blowing up Los Angeles. As you can imagine, races against time and races between cars and planes play a big part of their rescue.

Moving the Cold War shennanigans of CONTROL versus KAOS to the present day presents its own problems, as does attempting a satire of Bush administration cluelessness. It also feels like a cheap shot to make fun of Dubya now – or at least craven, considering his frigid approval ratings. The film is lazy in other ways: the initial attack on CONTROL headquarters is an ill-structured blur in the script; a weird third-act plot twist explaining Smart’s whereabouts gets pre-empted by a gag involving vomit in close spaces. The gratuitous cameo by a former comedic and dramatic actor is glaring both for its lack of any kind of point and for making said actor look sad and small (echoing his recent legal troubles.)

Get Smart is sort of a thumbnail sketch of a big problem in mainstream American film: by wanting to pay homage to a classic work by changing the very things that made it work in the first place, Hollywood creates something that is neither classic nor an homage. It’s just a commercial product, meant to be consumed and then discarded once you walk out of the theatre. But using something that’s stood the test of time as a springboard for something eminently disposable isn’t smart; it’s actually just plain dumb.

- Michael Kabel

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Ten Lessons Learned In Fifty Posts

Wisdom gleaned from 50 blog entries.

Since the middle of March or so, we’ve kept our promise to update at least every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with more updates whenever we could. In that time, we think (and hope) we’ve all gotten better about our reviewing skills and posting content of value and entertainment to the public. We’ve certainly built a small but loyal audience, and if we haven’t thanked them lately we’d like to do so now.

So, here’s 10 things we’ve learned about film, the Internet, and blogging itself in those fifty posts. In no particular order of importance:

10. If you want traffic, you’re going to have to use social bookmarks. There’s really no way around it.

9. It’s unbelievable how personally some people take the term “forgotten.”

8. Never underestimate the ferocious loyalty of Skeet Ulrich’s fan base.

7. Most people online are genuinely considerate and gracious, especially at LAMB and at sfsignal.com. But a few people elsewhere are neither.

6. We like WordPress’ old publishing controls better.

5. If you try to debate film with Anil Usumezbas, make sure you bring your A game.

4. Our most positive review: The Visitor. Our most negative review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

 

 2. When pressed for content, post a funny YouTube clip.

 1. It’s a great shame that the talent and the money in the entertainment industry almost never seem to find each other. That seems so simple, but it’s true.

Thanks for reading, and please keep checking back to see what we’ve got going. We might surprise you. We’ll probaby surprise ourselves.

best,

The Screaming Blue Reviews Staff

Settle on your weekend movie with these previews

Trailers for Threat Level: Midnight and Just Like Austin Powers, Only Indian This Time help you narrow down your weekend movie choices.

It’s possible that Get Smart and The Love Guru are actually really good, but it’s also unlikely. Especially for Mike Myers’ Guru, already the target of scathing reviews, the future looks dim. Get Smart would seem to have slightly better chances, but despite Mel Brooks’ blessings it’s still got some poor advance word to overcome itself.

For fans of The Office, the movie stars Steve Carrell as Agent Michael Scarns, Anne Hathaway as Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Masi Oka as Samuel L. Chang. The Love Guru stars Myers as a thousand pounds of schtick, Jessica Alba as whomever she always plays, and Vern Troyer as usual. Trailers for both are presented below to help you choose what to see this weekend. Or, just flip a coin.

Threat Level: Midnight:

Just Like Austin Powers, Only Indian This Time:

 We’ll have reviews of both next week.

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Review: The Visitor

The Writer-Director of The Station Agent Returns With Another Fine Ensemble Drama.

In his second stab at writing and directing, veteran character actor Thomas McCarthy continues to demonstrate the same potential for subtle brilliance that he revealed with the little seen but masterfully executed The Station Agent.

The Visitor centers around Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins), a distinguished but disaffected college professor left thoroughly broken by the death of his wife.  When ordered to present a paper in New York City, Walter discovers two illegal immigrants living in his perennially empty apartment in the city – Tarek (Haaz Sleiman), a vivacious Syrian musician, and his Senegalese girlfriend Zainab (Danai Gurira). Despite the initial awkwardness, the two men bond easily, as Tarek instructs the professor in playing the djembe drum. When Tarek is arrested for an innocent misunderstanding, the young man is confined to a detention center for illegal aliens. As Walter struggles to secure the release of his new friend, he finds himself falling for Tarek’s heartsick mother Mouna (Hiam Abbass).

While the film deals with weighty and timely subject matter, to his credit McCarthy mostly (but not always) eschews delving into agitprop. Instead, the immediacy of the immigration problem is primarily conveyed through the very personal interactions between the characters without removing the action to an extraordinary setting (like Gavin Hood’s similarly themed and otherwise excellent film Rendition). McCarthy also wisely avoids a potential (and predictable) plot twist, in the process forsaking a contrived and irresponsible happy ending in favor of a poignant conclusion with no definite resolution. This approach may be inconclusive from a narrative standpoint, but it underscores the realism of the plot itself as well as the seemingly interminable nature of the issues addressed.

Its undeniable political bent aside, The Visitor also operates successfully as an interpersonal drama about overcoming the inertia of loneliness and depression.  Admittedly, the friendship between the loner Walter and the outgoing Tarek superficially resembles the relationship between Peter Dinklage and Bobby Cannavale in The Station Agent, but the decidedly dark turn of events in The Visitor quickly juxtaposes the standing of the two films’ analogues.  When Walter suddenly finds himself thrust into the role of caretaker, he rediscovers something invaluable that he’d lost - purpose.  His subsequent evolution into an impassioned father figure becomes all the more heartbreaking as that purpose is unceremoniously stripped from him at the film’s climax. 

Since McCarthy himself is primarily known as an actor in character-driven dramas such as The Wire and Good Night and Good Luck, it’s no surprise the film is littered with compelling and nuanced performances. Jenkins’s stoic awkwardness aptly belies the timid Walter’s eagerness to help. Abbass provides a perfect counterbalance by concealing her intense frustration through layers of quiet dignity, while Gurira’s perpetual discomfort subtly reveals a degree of trauma that is only hinted at rather than played for pathos. Perhaps the most difficult role belongs to Sleiman, whose infectious charisma and warmth convincingly earn the distress of the other characters. And Jenkins’s longstanding role on Six Feet Under aside, the comparative “unknown” status of the ensemble promotes a sense of authenticity to the story that becomes positively engrossing as the story develops.

Patiently relevant and moving, The Visitor is a welcome alternative to much of the loud popcorn fare currently dominating theatres. Time will tell if McCarthy will make the same mistakes as other young directors of his generation like Wes Anderson or P.T. Anderson, but with two accomplished, craftsman-like films already to his credit, his future looks promising indeed.

- Steve Kabel

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Review: The Incredible Hulk

A focus on action works for and against the Green Goliath’s return to the screen.

It’s possibly a milestone of sorts – a small, dubious one – that the superhero film canon is now large enough that we have precedents for some comic book properties making their way back and forth between comics and theatres. The Incredible Hulk, the latest and once-again Marvel Comics hero to make the leap, is a re-imagining of the same characters that populated Ang Lee’s little-loved 2003 “thinking person’s action film” Hulk. Five years can be a long while in Hollywood, and this time director Louis Leterrier (The Transporter) emphasizes amazement rather than thought-provocation. That creates a different kind of film, but not necessarily an altogether successful one, either.  

Lee’s film is acknowledged briefly, elliptically, as a kind of opening credits prologue and then dropped altogether. Dr. Bruce Banner (Edward Norton), the Hulk’s human alter-ego, has fled to a nondescript existence in Brazil, working at a soda bottling plant and practicing martial arts to help control his anger. But when a small accident inadvertently alerts the domineering Army General “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) to his whereabouts, Banner must flee a team of commandos led by snarling black-ops expert Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) and head back to the States. There he’s reunited with his true love Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), the general’s daughter, and seeks the assistance of scientist Internet buddy Dr. Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) in finding a cure.

Events come to a head in New York – where there’s plenty of stuff for Hulk to smash – after Blonsky takes a derivative of a long buried super-soldier serum as well as receives a transfusion of Banner’s blood. The two treatments combined warp him into, as Sterns explains in typical Marvel comics hyperbole, “an abomination!” And in the kind of chain of events of which three-act action movie screenplays are made, Banner must unleash his Hulk persona to stop Blonsky from killing Betty and her father.  In fact Zak Penn’s script hits all the right tones on time, creating a well-plotted, easy to follow, and approachable summer movie to bring the kids to or just to give the brain a siesta.

But for a movie built on action, the action sequences themselves are less than breathtaking. Leterrier wants to build thrills around prolonged set pieces as he has in his other works, but there’s a difference in suspense watching Jason Statham attempt to jump between roofs and watching a 20-foot tall green CGI effect accomplish the same feat (though to be fair, the CGI is all top-notch, especially the Hulk himself). While a subsequent battle on a college campus is gripping for its use of military overkill, the initial firefight and ensuing chase sequence in Brazil has a loose, drawn-out quality that never feels compelling.

The final Hulk-Abomination smackdown should play like a literal clash of the titans, but comes across as no more visceral than combatants in any of a hundred fighting video games.  It doesn’t help that aside from the defeat of the marginally sociopathic Blonsky and the salvation of Betty (her jeopardy depicted in rote perfunctory closeups), there’s little at stake to make the battle royale meaningful. Lee’s version, ironically, was drenched in its humanity to a fault, but this film goes too far the other way.

Norton delivers as the tormented Banner, finding the slight scientist’s heroism in never succumbing to self-terror or allowing himself a moment’s indulgence. Tyler, playing a cellular biologist, isn’t that far removed from her performance as Arwen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy – another lovestruck daughter of a hardass military leader. Hurt’s lines are delivered with a dialtone in front, though Nelson plays Dr. Sterns with the same pop-eyed energy he brought to the role of Delmar in O Brother, Where Art Thou?  Only Roth falls flat as Blonsky, giving another in a line of tedious bad guy performances that neither reveals the root of his character’s evil nor hints at the ultimate extent of same.

Finally, there’s a tradition in Marvel films of paying homage to previous versions of the character portrayed in subtle allusions and references. It’s a sweet counterpoint to the sturm and drang of the films’ other elements, and here they’re especially welcome. Lou Ferrigno of the 70s television series has a short role as a security guard, while his co-star the late Bill Bixby is ingeniously shown on a Portugese-language episode of The Courtshp of Eddie’s Father. Even the show’s haunting theme music is briefly used. But to make a small gripe, amid such tribute the inclusion of Stan Lee’s inevitable cameo feels forced and egregious. Lee has perhaps received recognition enough for his work buidling the Marvel pantheon, and it’s time to give his frequent (and dearly missed) collaborator Jack Kirby his just props, as well.

- Michael Kabel

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A Field Guide to the Thinking Woman’s Sex Symbol

No pretty boys here – how to spot the modern sex symbol for today’s educated woman.

There are obvious Hollywood hunks, and then there are those that stray from the typical tall, dark (or blonde), and handsome stereotype. While the list that follows is by no means exhaustive, it attempts to shed a little light on some of the types favored by the “Thinking Woman,” one who is generally college-educated, in her thirties or beyond, and who likes her men with a little edge. 

The (Gracefully) Aging Intellectual: A man “of a certain age,” known for his razor wit and social savvy. Generally plays authority figures or characters much like himself – critics of the social and political scenes. Often sighted signing copies of his latest book or playing with his jazz ensemble between seasons of filming his basic cable television show. Why he’s so appealing: There’s something incredibly sexy about a smart man. And it doesn’t hurt that men of this type have some of the best voices in the industry. Classical Exemplar: Peter Lawford Modern Exemplars: Eric Bogosian, Anthony Bourdain, Peter Weller

The Human Teddy Bear: A man with a few extra pounds and a congenially self-deprecating attitude. Routinely plays the underdog whose dedication to his family or team carries him through intense trials. Sometimes sighted answering questions about his struggles with weight. Why he’s so appealing: The Human Teddy Bear is the Average Joe, but what makes these actors (via their characters) appealing is that they show such devotion, either to their loved ones or to an idealistic cause. Classical Exemplar: It’s a recent phenomenon; no example available. Modern Exemplars: Greg Grunberg, Aaron Douglas, John C. Reilly

The Lovable Dork: A man with perpetually odd haircuts, whose combination of doe-eyed innocence and awkward charm tempers his obvious genius. Generally plays the geek, who saves the day with his intelligence or dogged determination, or the goofball who harbors a crush on the girl next door. Often sighted wearing much nicer outfits in real life than he’s allowed to wear on television. Why he’s so appealing: Every Thinking Woman that grew up on “Pretty In Pink” wants her own Duckie. Classical Exemplar: John Cryer Modern Exemplars: Masi Oka, John Krasinski, Kadeem Hardison, Eric Szmanda

The Method Man: A man devoted to his craft, inhabiting his characters with a palpable intensity. Generally plays characters who are battling demons (literally as well as figuratively). Often sighted engaging in one of his many other artistic pursuits – photography, music, poetry… Why he’s so appealing: Artists are sexy. And these men see their acting craft as art. Plus, many of them are just downright good looking. Classical Exemplar: Marlon Brando Modern Exemplars: Viggo Mortensen, Don Cheadle, Gary Sinise, Paul Giamatti

The Badass with a Heart of Gold: A man, often foreign, whose ability to beat the living crap out of someone is matched only by the tenderness he can display with a single look. Generally plays hit men, kung-fu masters, and guys who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Often sighted wearing black suits and looking debonair. Why he’s so appealing: In addition to the sheer thrill of watching their combat prowess, these men have more charisma than most actors. Put one of these men in a room with a chair, and there will be chemistry. Classical Exemplar: Robert Mitchum Modern Exemplars: Chow Yun Fat, Jean Reno, Jason Statham

- Jennifer Vasil

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The Incredible Hulk: 1966

Get stoked for the new film – or just get weirded out – by this “classic” cartoon.

The Incredible Hulk opens today, and we’ll have a review up this weekend. In the meantime, here’s a Hulk cartoon from 1966, part of the wave of Marvel animation that flooded the syndicated airwaves in the mid-60s.

To be honest, the polite term for this 6:42 second clip is “bizarre,” and that’s not even counting the surreal theme song and opening credit montage that kicks things off. It’s really got to be seen to be believed.

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Mad Towns and Swing Men

Presenting five more concepts for sexy dramas set in other eras.

Mad Men may be the best drama on television, and last week’s Swingtown pilot was intriguing enough to merit watching the next episode tomorrow night. But it seems like they’ve both struck on a golden idea for our troubled times that isn’t so startling: show us how people loved and made love and lived in other time periods. Because the present sucks, there’s a natural impulse to look back to a golden past soft-focused by nostalgia. Ironically, that same desire to go back to the “good ole days” really originated in the 1970s, when Happy Days and its 1950s-set spinoffs ruled prime-time television. Now we look back to that time period as simpler and more liberated by comparison.

Of course Mad Men and presumably Swingtown offer more than just a trip in the Wayback machine – there’s incredible writing and acting, as well. In other words, they’re what every television show should be, no matter when it’s set. Still, we have to wonder if this “the way it was” concept can’t be taken a little further, or at least exploited a bit more. For example:

Suffragette City: The story of a group of women reaching a sexual awakening and finding their political voice in the years leading up to and during World War I, when women couldn’t vote and only men were elected to public office or served in the military. Gretchen Mol stars as a middle-class woman determined to obtain the right to vote, partly because her British-born husband is off fighting the war in Europe. Subplots include the prohibition movement, an Italian immigrant family moving into the neighborhood, and the aftermath of Reconstruction. Also starring Stuart Townsend as her husband and Deadwood‘s Timothy Olyphant as the temptingly sexy local party organizer.

Victory Radio: A young married couple (Connor Trinneer and Sophia Myles) moves to Los Angeles shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, taking work at an aircraft plant manufacturing bombers while volunteering nights with the Citizens’ Patrol. The rapidly growing city of Los Angeles forms a vivid backdrop for love and the search for identity, with its itinerant migrant workers from Oklahoma, waves of Mexican immigrants, and old California money all mixed together – even while the threat of Japanese invasion seems certain. As the war years drag on, the young couple encounters romance, temptation, and violence. Also starring Michael Moriarty as the plant foreman and Gena Rowlands as the wife’s mother.

St. Elmo’s Fire: Chronicling the further adventures of the characters from the 1985 Brat Pack melodrama as they enter their adult lives at the tail end of the 1980s. The group encounters stalled careers and the responsibilities of parenthood while also coping with the effect of AIDS on dating, the divorce epidemic, and the after effects of years of substance abuse. Chad Michael Murray revives the part played by Emilio Estevez, while Adam Brody takes over for Rob Lowe. Arcade Fire updates the John Parr theme song.

Melrose Place: To be honest, we’re only suggesting reruns of the 1990s prime time soap. Its attention to style and fashion was so cynically precise during its time that when viewed now it seems almost larger than life as a period piece. The Desperate Housewives audience gets to see a lot of that show’s cast, only younger, while those of us who remember the ‘90s (most of it, anyway) get to enjoy a window into an actually simpler time. Speaking of which…

The Low Unknown: Generation X becomes thirty-somethings in this black comedy set during the years between 9/11 and the election of 2008. While hoping to someday start families, a group of eight men and women who work two jobs each must first confront skyrocketing energy costs, dwindling standards of living, crippling student loan debt, a shrinking job marketplace, foreign outsourcing, and even a global climate crisis – all without losing their minds but while keeping their values in the age of “truthiness.” The cast of 90s-era Next Big Things includes Skeet Ulrich, Julia Stiles, Rachael Leigh Cook, Monica Potter, Alicia Witt, Edward Furlong, Giovanni Ribisi, and Sean Patrick Flannery.

- Michael Kabel

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