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Indulgence Is Over
P.J.Hogan's Confessions of a Shopaholic (Disney, 2.13.09) may or may not turn out to be decent, good or even entertaining. It's based on the three known 'Shopaholic' books by Sophie Kinsella, and Lord knows there are enough sufferers of this syndrome out there to command attention.
TImes Square billboard, corner of 45th and Broadway (or something close to that).
But talk about a movie that fairly screams "yesterday," "Bush era" and "before the subprime mortgage meltdown." What reasonable person in this economic climate is even thinking about being a shopaholic these days, outside of the fairly loaded? Even the well-off are probably telling themselves to curtail the impulse. I'm not saying that lots of people don't still use shopping in the same way others use cigarettes, drugs, sex and work, but it's an activity that has lost much of its relevance in the current configuration.
Unless, that is, you're a quarter-inch-deep Sex and the City fan who refuses to let go of indulgence fantasies and your mantra is "mememememe!" In which case all bets are off.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 8, 2009 at 10:21 AM
comment #1
DeafBrownTrashPunk
says ...
Ugh, I think that movie is absolutely trite, shallow, and a huge insult for women. Another typical female-geared comedy with a female character that focuses on... clothes! shopping! shallowness!
Weak. Don't even get me started on "Bride Wars" either.
PS-- did you hear Macy's shutting down some of their stores? A lot of people are going to be flooding Macys for Going out of Business sales... aahh, American consumerism at its best!
Posted by DeafBrownTrashPunk
at January 8, 2009 10:41 AM
comment #2
Ryansi51
says ...
yeah but girls still LOVE movies like this.
and isla fisher is great, i bet this movie makes some decent coin.
Posted by Ryansi51
at January 8, 2009 10:51 AM
comment #3
Edward
says ...
Definately one to send the wife and daughter to. I'll save my $7 for a bottle of cheap vodka.
Posted by Edward
at January 8, 2009 10:53 AM
comment #4
actionman
says ...
This is the first Jerry Bruckheimer Production that I have zero interest in ever seeing. His upcoming CGI-animated summer movie G-Force will be the second.
The only reason why I was curious about that turd Kangaroo Jack was because I worked on it and I attended its premiere.
When I worked at JBF (back in 2002) they were working on the Shopaholic script with Carrie Fisher. It's taken them a long time with this one it seems.
The trailer is god-awful. But Isla is indeed smoking hot.
Posted by actionman
at January 8, 2009 10:57 AM
comment #5
Rich S.
says ...
Because all of those rich people fantasy movies released during the Great Depression tanked....
Posted by Rich S.
at January 8, 2009 10:58 AM
comment #6
arturobandini2
says ...
And this is the best gig Kristin Scott Thomas can get in a big mainstream movie? Sixth billed, behind John Goodman, Joan Cusack and Leslie Bibb? We should all move to Paris and start our careers over.
Posted by arturobandini2
at January 8, 2009 10:59 AM
comment #7
actionman
says ...
Oh, and did anyone around these parts see P.J. Hogan's take on Peter Pan, the one that didn't do very well at the box office a few years ago?Loved that film. It was a big surprise for me. Jason Isaacs was killer in dual roles and it was perverse to see Ludivine Sagnier as Tinkerbell not more than a few months after I saw her slut her way around Swimming Pool.
Posted by actionman
at January 8, 2009 11:00 AM
comment #8
lipranzer
says ...
I loved that version of PETER PAN, Actionman. And I also think Isla Fisher is a good actress, and gorgeous as well. Nevertheless, I'm staying far away from this one. Those 30's comedies may have been flights of fancy, but at least the women in them were interesting, not shallow like the roles in rom coms these days.
Posted by lipranzer
at January 8, 2009 11:08 AM
comment #9
dukedog
says ...
I was wondering when you were going to jump on this piece of s#@t! I saw the posters yesterday all over town and thought two things:
1. This is the absolute worst time to release a movie like this with people suffering.
2. I hope Jeffrey Wells jumps all over it.
As for the guys saying this is one the girls will enjoy, not this girl. Not ever. I find movies like this to be insulting.
Posted by dukedog
at January 8, 2009 11:21 AM
comment #10
DeafBrownTrashPunk
says ...
You guys are bullshitting me, right? Various female film bloggers are attacking this movie, along with "War Brides."
Spare me the fucking "girls will love this" lies.
Posted by DeafBrownTrashPunk
at January 8, 2009 11:23 AM
comment #11
DeafBrownTrashPunk
says ...
*Bride Wars, my bad.
Posted by DeafBrownTrashPunk
at January 8, 2009 11:25 AM
comment #12
Deathtongue_Groupie
says ...
"yesterday! Bush era! "
12 days out and it seems the journos need to confab to decide exactly how they going to differentiate between the two Bush eras. "Senior" and "Junior" don't seem to cut it.
We do like them roman numeral sequels, so I guess we are probably going to get stuck with "the Bush I" and "the Bush II" eras.
Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie
at January 8, 2009 11:28 AM
comment #13
Ryansi51
says ...
"Various female film bloggers are attacking this movie"
okay, but i'll say again, a lot of girls will eat this shit up like Pinkberry.
Posted by Ryansi51
at January 8, 2009 11:32 AM
comment #14
Ryansi51
says ...
and actionman, after 4 interviews to be his 4th asst i finally had the final interview with Bruckheimer himself. he just stared at me for 5 minutes and i tried to stay composed while withering under his glare.
needless to say i didnt get the job.
Posted by Ryansi51
at January 8, 2009 11:35 AM
comment #15
Jonah
says ...
"Ugh, I think that movie is absolutely trite, shallow, and a huge insult for women. "
"Spare me the fucking "girls will love this" lies. "
They don't make this shit because they know nobody will go see it. Women will see it. Just like they saw Sex in the City. And all the women I know loved Twilight, so all bets are off regarding their taste.
Posted by Jonah
at January 8, 2009 11:35 AM
comment #16
dukedog
says ...
Jonah: By "their taste", you mean your friends specifically, right?
Again, wouldn't see this or Bride Wars, ever. Didn't see Mama Mia, Twilight or Sex and the City, either. There is the rare "chick flick" that is good, but they are rare. You are right, these movies will and do make money. So I know that I don't speak for all women, but I think I do speak for a lot more women than you might think.
Also, hate the pinkberry.
Posted by dukedog
at January 8, 2009 12:03 PM
comment #17
actionman
says ...
Interesting, Ryansi51. When was this? I was there for a year, from 2002-2003.
Posted by actionman
at January 8, 2009 12:04 PM
comment #18
K. Bowen
says ...
"Because all of those rich people fantasy movies released during the Great Depression tanked...."
Exactly.
Posted by K. Bowen
at January 8, 2009 12:04 PM
comment #19
actionman
says ...
Red Mango is a million times better than the overrated Pinkberry
Posted by actionman
at January 8, 2009 12:04 PM
comment #20
MikeSchaeferSF
says ...
Ditto on Peter Pan, and especially Jason Isaacs; when I figured out who he was several years later (after the Potter films and several other very different roles) he became one of my favorite actors (and I don't have Showtime and haven't even seen Brotherhood).
Posted by MikeSchaeferSF
at January 8, 2009 12:06 PM
comment #21
Rothchild
says ...
You're all missing the point. This is a comedy about being in debt. People don't want to pay money to be reminded that they're never going to be able to retire and might have to file for bankruptcy. This isn't a wish fulfillment movie, unless someone wished to be in more debt.
Posted by Rothchild
at January 8, 2009 12:43 PM
comment #22
Jonah
says ...
"Jonah: By "their taste", you mean your friends specifically, right? "
Who said anything about my friends? I'm talking about the women I work with, my mom and sisters, my wife and her friends and her mom and sister.
Most of these women, at least my wife and my family, have good taste normally. But when they feel a movie has been made specifically for women, they all go apeshit for it.
Posted by Jonah
at January 8, 2009 12:53 PM
comment #23
Calraigh Bracken
says ...
ADULT WOMEN don't go to see these movies, very young girls and women do. And saying that, none that I know. But it seems, lots that Jonah and Ryan do. Who are these young girls and women?
No women I know want to see this, Bride Wars , went to see 27 Dresses or Sex and the City .
And never will. And why the insistence on making films for women which revolve around wedding-related/shopping themes? Nobody wants to get married anymore. NOONE. And the stereotype that women are obsessed with shopping , buying and more shopping may be true in some demographics ( and Wells is right when he singles out those in the population who are a quarter inch deep) but who among them want to pay to see a film about it? Sex and the City was a huge phenomenon, hate it or not and it made financial sense to launch a film franchise, but it was a phenomenon because of the dearth of any female-led productions. I despise everything about it but, you have to say it sold tickets.
However everything else is just bollox. Another year, another ''chick flick'' about a wedding. Another reason not to go to the cinema.
Posted by Calraigh Bracken
at January 8, 2009 12:55 PM
comment #24
Jonah
says ...
Okay. What's the difference between an ADULT WOMAN and just a woman? It wasn't tweeners lining up for Sex and the City, no matter what anybody says.
I don't think it's even insulting for women to like this stuff. Or that it's being made for them. Enjoy. Hollywood makes brain dead action movies and idiotic comedies full of "kick in the nuts" jokes that are aimed toward men. I don't feel insulted. I just see something else.
Posted by Jonah
at January 8, 2009 1:06 PM
comment #25
dukedog
says ...
Thanks Calraigh Bracken! Well said!!!
Posted by dukedog
at January 8, 2009 1:09 PM
comment #26
Ryansi51
says ...
actionman, think it was about 2004 or so- great office space, cool people there, just Bruckheimer freaked me the f out. how was he when you worked for him?
Posted by Ryansi51
at January 8, 2009 1:09 PM
comment #27
hunterd
says ...
Loved PETER PAN.
Would like to have sex with Isla Fisher.
Would not see this movie, even if she came with the ticket.
Posted by hunterd
at January 8, 2009 1:32 PM
comment #28
actionman
says ...
Ryansi51 -- he was very calm, very collected, very quiet, and very professional. He would slither in and out of the office; you'd never know if he was there or not unless the sound system from his office was blasting. One time I was loading up his jet with food for one of his trips and he noticed that we had the same sneakers on and we had a funny chat about comfortable footwear. I was never his direct assistant, but I filled in in the 4th assistant slot over the holidays and it was quite a trip to be walking around his house and office and driving his cars and whatnot. He and his wife also gave me a $250 gift certificate to Best Buy for the holidays which was pretty sweet.
And yes, that office is fucking SICK. Great people over there, great perks, great pay. I had a lot of fun.
Posted by actionman
at January 8, 2009 1:42 PM
comment #29
Doug
says ...
Lots of slamming on a film no one has seen.
The books are terrific. Clever and funny. And Isla is a joy to watch onscreen.
Posted by Doug
at January 8, 2009 3:15 PM
comment #30
George Prager
says ...
Calraigh Bracken is out of her mind. Even gray-haired aging hippie women with adopted Korean children are going to see this, if not in the theater, then when they make their bi-annual trip to the video store with their hen-pecked, hunch-backed woman-hipped husband. Husband will want to rent CHANGELING, and wife will quickly veto it, grabbing SHOPAHOLIC at first glance. Meanwhile, MAMMA MIA is the #1 box office film of all time in the UK. Fuckin' international white trash!
Posted by George Prager
at January 8, 2009 3:40 PM
comment #31
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
says ...
"So I know that I don't speak for all women, but I think I do speak for a lot more women than you might think."
Do you run a sorority?
Calraigh - plenty of ADULT WOMEN will go to see this, just like plenty (okay maybe not plenty, but definitely SOME) of ADULT MEN went to see Punisher: War Zone.
Sad truth: people who admire good cinema, whether they be male or female, are overwhelmingly in the minority in this society.
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at January 8, 2009 4:08 PM
comment #32
DeafBrownTrashPunk
says ...
"Sad truth: people who admire good cinema, whether they be male or female, are overwhelmingly in the minority in this society."
Yep.
Posted by DeafBrownTrashPunk
at January 8, 2009 7:06 PM
comment #33
hunterd
says ...
Dude, Punsher was epic. He punched a hole in a guys face! Actually, Punisher was a lot of fun in a, I-can't-believe-anyone-ever-thought-this-was-a-good-idea kind of way. A list production value, some talented stars, solid cinematography and all in the service of the most idiotic content imaginable.
Posted by hunterd
at January 8, 2009 7:33 PM
comment #34
Calraigh Bracken
says ...
George- I'm out of my mind? And your hate-filled rant is evidence of.. what?
Of course, the excellence that was Beverly Hills Chihuahua is further evidence of the exquisite taste of the American public. You Yanks have of course, no experience of this ''white trash'' phenomenon you speak of. Nonsense!
Posted by Calraigh Bracken
at January 8, 2009 8:55 PM
comment #35
Calraigh Bracken
says ...
CitizenKaned- ''Adult women''. That better?
Posted by Calraigh Bracken
at January 8, 2009 8:56 PM
comment #36
D.Z.
says ...
Rich: All those rich people fantasies in the Depression had the characters on actual adventures and/or regular Joe experiences they couldn't do on their own. You can go to a mall for free; and if you live close enough, you don't even have to drive.
As for that Peter Pan flick, it looks like it at least broke even. Idiots running AICN got in a tizzy, because it was "darker" than the cartoon, even though it was trying to be more faithful to the original story. Anyway, I'm hopin' that sucker plays at a midnight show around here one of these days, I guess.
Ryan: I really don't know anyone who eats at Pinkberry. It's like Starbucks: too many of them, and I can get cheaper and better-tasting food and drinks elsewhere.
These kinds of places just amount to gathering spots for hipsters who can't afford to drive anywhere nice.
Posted by D.Z.
at January 8, 2009 9:42 PM
comment #37
BurmaShave
says ...
I love the "This was before Madoff" line in Ebert's BRIDE WARS review. Actually the whole thing is great, Roger at his bitchy best.
Posted by BurmaShave
at January 9, 2009 5:59 AM
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