edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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Peck Again

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I can't remember the last time I've taken such an instant dislike to an actor as I have to Josh Peck, star of The Wackness (Sony Classics, 7.4 in N.Y. and L.A.) It's lazy to do this, but I can't express it any better than I did last April: "Peck obviously does well at playing young urban white guys who talk in a street argot that is part imitation 'black' and part whatevuh," I wrote last April, "but in any case suggests a total inability to convey an air of refinement and higher education.

"Is there any circumstance in which any casting director, no matter how whacked, would use this guy to play a small-town cop in Oregon, an assistant to a U.S. Senator, a young suburban dad, a used-car salesmen from Cranford, New Jersey, or anything other than a what-up homie who sells tabs of ecstasy and dilaudid in Tompkins Square Park?

"In other words, Josh Peck is basically Leo Gorcey. Nothing wrong with that, exactly, except that he has one trick and one rap and thassall."

Shining Revisited<< previous | next >>Lose Your Mind

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 3, 2008 at 5:06 PM

comment #1

rockne says ...

He was actually REALLY GOOD in Mean Creek.

Posted by rockne at July 3, 2008 5:56 PM

comment #2

kingofnails says ...

I concur with rockne -- he was excellent in MEAN CREEK. Additionally, I caught an advance screening of an upcoming indie called AMERICAN PRIMITIVE, which Peck has a supporting role in. He is 100 percent believable as a Cape Cod townie in the 70s. He can do more than just inner city "whattup" posturing, and your attack against him is presumptuous and unfair.

Posted by kingofnails at July 3, 2008 6:07 PM

comment #3

Mcflyboy says ...

Wells, take it easy on the kid. From what I can gather, this "wigga" persona is what he is real life and it's obnoxious, sure. But he's got talent. From Mean Creek and the bits I've seen of his Nickelodeon show, he's got comedy chops and more range as an actor.

Posted by Mcflyboy at July 3, 2008 6:08 PM

comment #4

Arran says ...

How ridiculous to think that maybe he just played this particular part well, and he's not actually like that.

I mean, it's not like he's an ACTOR or anything.

Posted by Arran at July 3, 2008 6:14 PM

comment #5

The InSneider says ...

Wells, you are way off on this one. Peck is a really talented young actor with a bright future ahead of him. He needs a Spielberg-type to take him under his wing like Shia had. I think Peck's performance is one of the most realistic depictions o a . he teenager in quite some time. kid's going places. you are flat out wrong about him.

Posted by The InSneider at July 3, 2008 6:36 PM

comment #6

Pornotension says ...

'He needs a Spielberg-type to take him under his wing like Shia had.'

He might need this, but I sure as hell don't.

Posted by Pornotension at July 3, 2008 6:44 PM

comment #7

Pornotension says ...

'He needs a Spielberg-type to take him under his wing like Shia had.'

He might need this, but I sure as hell don't.

Posted by Pornotension at July 3, 2008 6:44 PM

comment #8

Pornotension says ...

'He needs a Spielberg-type to take him under his wing like Shia had.'

He might need this, but I sure as hell don't.

Posted by Pornotension at July 3, 2008 6:44 PM

comment #9

twilightgal says ...

I have seen alot of him because I watch Nickelodeon with my son. He is adorable. And very funny. I think you are wrong on him also.

Posted by twilightgal at July 3, 2008 6:46 PM

comment #10

MilkMan says ...

That was funny, and true, Pornotension.

Peck ain't got shit on Leo Fitzpatrick's performance in Kids, and The Wackness ain't got shit on Kids, which, incidentally, was shot in 1994, when the Wackness takes place.

Peck reminds me of pear-shaped Robbie Benson, with an addiction to Carvel.

And Ben Kingsley can't do a fucking NYC accent. He makes Tim Roth sound like Eddie Money.

Posted by MilkMan at July 3, 2008 6:51 PM

comment #11

breadlymoore says ...

It's Josh Gad for me.

Or Jacob Pitts.

They can both move back to the caves they came from.

Posted by breadlymoore at July 3, 2008 7:33 PM

comment #12

D.Z. says ...

Milkman: I think you got it the other way around, since "Kids" doesn't have anything, other than simulated underage teen porn. That might be considered bold when it came out, but in the age of fan-fiction, it's rather pathetic.

Posted by D.Z. at July 3, 2008 8:11 PM

comment #13

Rothchild says ...

Kids is bullshit.

Peck's performance in The Wackness is subtle, funny, and brilliant.

Posted by Rothchild at July 3, 2008 8:58 PM

comment #14

Pornotension says ...

'subtle, funny, and brilliant'

Funny, maybe. Subtle and brilliant? No.

Posted by Pornotension at July 3, 2008 9:00 PM

comment #15

D.Z. says ...

Addendum: "but in the age of (what I've heard about) fan-fiction, it's rather pathetic."

Posted by D.Z. at July 3, 2008 11:19 PM

comment #16

frankbooth says ...

I've never even seen him in anything, and I hate him already. Especially if he's one of those little pricks who talks like his mouth was just shot full of novocaine.

Posted by frankbooth at July 4, 2008 1:24 AM

comment #17

Rain says ...

He is such a hot guy. His photos were seen at millionaire persoanals site ******RICHLOVING.COM*****last week. It is said he is already in relationship with a young pretty girl on that site now. â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†???â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†
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Posted by Rain at July 4, 2008 4:25 AM

comment #18