Comedic genius. It's all in the delivery. That's how you do it, "jerk" (guy who water pistol'd Tom Cruise).

Very happy with The Artist deservedly taking home three big ones as well.

Have only seen snippets of 'The Dictator' - but it looks much too broad-based a parody for my tastes.  And while I was never a fan of Borat or Bruno, I am really looking forward to seeing Sacha do Freddie Mercury, one of my all time favorite singers...

(Okay, I know this response is a *bit* off topic, but wanted to chime in....)  

Quoted from Andrew Comedic genius. It's all in the delivery. That's how you do it, "jerk" (guy who water pistol'd Tom Cruise). Very happy with The Artist deservedly taking home three big ones as well.

credit to Seacrest for taking it so well....

The Artist was great - if youre a film geek (like us) or a movie critic...

but if you're part of the average viewing public?

eh.

even though i absolutely adore him, he's very hit or miss. da ali g show, borat, and sweeney todd were all f ucking amazing. da ali g movie, bruno, and probably the dictator...not so much. he's funniest when he's trolling. even though the ryan seacrest bit was a little tacky, i thought it was hilarious given seacrest's reaction.

can't wait to see him do freddie. he's a very talented actor, just did some shitty roles in the past.

if you haven't seen da ali g show season 1 and 2...it might be the funniest thing HBO has EVER aired

as far as the Artist, i'm waiting for it to pop up on netflix (which i hear should happen fairly shortly)

Quoted from Penoyer79 credit to Seacrest for taking it so well....

Penn -

Come on - you're telling me that wasn't completely staged?  

Quoted from wonkavite Come on - you're telling me that wasn't completely staged?

I didn't think so. What would Seacrest have to benefit from staging that? Plus, he really looked a loss for words after. He was trying to hold back. Such an angry little man who gets no respect.

Did watch Hugo tonight. Sacha's performance was just okay, but limited by script. I like most of his stuff, but not all.

I hope he continues to concentrate on acting. His reality stints are starting to wear off. He's made his dough and more and more people can recognize him now.

James

I thought what SBC did was on the brilliant side of things.   Not only was it funny (at least to some), it was a statement about Hollywood and awards plus he promoted his movie - all in one.

The fact that he picked Ryan Seacrest was especially interesting because if you've followed Ryan's career growth you would know that he really needed some ashes spilled on him.   He would have handled things much more graciously ten years ago.

SBC reminds me a lot of Andy Kaufman because he provokes about the same reaction in people.    

Quoted from jwent6688 I didn't think so. What would Seacrest have to benefit from staging that? Plus, he really looked a loss for words after. He was trying to hold back. Such an angry little man who gets no respect.

i totally agree with james here

plaus given Baron's penchent for doing this kind of thing (eminem anyone?) theres really nothing to lead me to believe this was staged.

This guy is a genius!   Borat has to be one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Bruno, not so much.

the eminem bit was staged. seacrest, definitely not. since he's become so popular (and recognizable), he's turned his schlock to celebs. it's like punk'd but meaner and funny.

still wish he'd go undercover a bit more and troll the general public. he needs to create another character. bring out the fat suit!

Haha, I like that comment about the meaner version of Punk'd. It's a good way of describing it. I did feel a bit for Seacrest, 'cos it would be a downer on your evening, but I think he sort of just accepted that anything goes with Sacha Baron Cohen.

Agree that he's hit and miss. I hated The Ali G movie. Horrendous, but he bounced back massively.

You know, the cinema I was at lapped up The Artist, Pen. Not sure how the average punter perceives it, but once you get past the artsy aspect, it's just a great movie. I think most people let their guard down once the story grabs them. The box office take isn't great, so maybe it's not going down well. It'd be interesting to read some reports/analysis on it. But that is geeky!

While I liked Borat, I thought this stunt was extremely lame and inappropriate for the Academy Awards.  It was just a cheap publicity stunt for this movie and didn't belong at the Oscars.


Phil

anyone else curious to see this jackass in QT's Django Unchained?

Not a big fan of Bruno or Borat, but I can't wait to see him perform as Freddie Mercury.

And yes - it will be interesting to see him in Django Unchained.

I like some of his stuff, but I can't say I'm looking forward to watching him be Freddie Mercury.

I heard a rumour once that Steven Seagal was going to play Jimi Hendrix.

I think he looks the part of Freddie Mercury and he can probably do a great job acting the part - but I hope they don't have him sing.  He's not a very good singer.  His singing was awful in Sweeny Todd.  Not that everyone in that movie didn't leave much to be desired in the singing department.  

Quoted from B.C. I heard a rumour once that Steven Seagal was going to play Jimi Hendrix.

Well, that's a stroke of brilliant casting... especially if you imagine Jimi Hendrix as an old fat white guy who can't act.


Phil

to be fair... no one goes to see a Steven Seagal movie to watch him act.

they go to watch him kick the ever loving snot out of the bad guy....

Out For Justice and Under Siege were pretty good movies.

Ahh, I forgot to mention the Freddie Mercury bit. It all depends on how the project is set up, really. With Peter Morgan writing the script and Graham King producing, the omens are certainly good.

I agree with Michael, though - he's certainly got the look. I've been listening to a bit of Queen recently, and just can't stop listening to Under Pressure. Great song. The harmonies with Bowie and Mercury are crazily good.

Quoted from Penoyer79 The Artist was great - if youre a film geek (like us) or a movie critic... but if you're part of the average viewing public? eh.

Off topic --

F*** the "average viewing public."  They're an invention of marketing departments that is an insult to actual thinking, engaging humans.  And if they do exist, their standards should be comin' up, not the other way around.

Quoted from Andrew Ahh, I forgot to mention the Freddie Mercury bit. It all depends on how the project is set up, really. With Peter Morgan writing the script and Graham King producing, the omens are certainly good. I agree with Michael, though - he's certainly got the look. I've been listening to a bit of Queen recently, and just can't stop listening to Under Pressure. Great song. The harmonies with Bowie and Mercury are crazily good.

Not to stray too much off topic - but Massive Queen fan here (I'm a collector). SBC has been trying to get the movie made for a long time and finally persuaded the Queen camp to allow a movie to be made. I think he definitely looks the part - especially the 80's Freddie - and the rumour is that the script will deal with the weeks/months leading up to Live Aid '85.

I had also heard a rumour that the script is now on the back burner over artistic differences - but we'll see.

Quoted from Penoyer79 to be fair... no one goes to see a Steven Seagal movie to watch him act. they go to watch him kick the ever loving snot out of the bad guy.... Out For Justice and Under Siege were pretty good movies.

I liked those flicks, but those were like twenty years ago.  Have you seen a Seagal flick lately?  I think he's more dangerous to a buffet table than to the bad guys.  

I thought Cohen's schtick at the Oscars was funny, although as soon as you saw him with that urn, it was only a question of who was getting dusted.  Seacrest was as good a choice as any, I suppose.  Cohen let him off pretty easy, IMO.  I'm surprised he didn't dump the entire contents on Ryan's head when he went to check Cohen's socks.

Quoted from Heretic Off topic -- F*** the "average viewing public."  They're an invention of marketing departments that is an insult to actual thinking, engaging humans.  And if they do exist, their standards should be comin' up, not the other way around.

you might be right, but unfortunately that demographic is what pays the bills  

Quoted from Ryan1 I liked those flicks, but those were like twenty years ago.  Have you seen a Seagal flick lately?  I think he's more dangerous to a buffet table than to the bad guys.  .

thats easy to say now that he's 60..... lets see how in shape you are at that age..  

we cant all be Sylvester Stallone

Quoted from Penoyer79 thats easy to say now that he's 60..... lets see how in shape you are at that age..   we cant all be Sylvester Stallone

Or Chuck Norris!

They've been speeding up the action sequences in Segal's movies for years.  I guess they think it makes him look good when he beats up the bag guys but, in reality, it just makes the action look cartoony.


Phil

this conversation is starting to depress me..

they just dont make action stars/tough guys like they used to.

it used to be chuck norris, clint eastwood...etc etc....

and we get Shia LaBloulf. *puke*

Quoted from Penoyer79 thats easy to say now that he's 60..... lets see how in shape you are at that age..   we cant all be Sylvester Stallone

It's easy to say because he's tremendously fat and out of shape and in his current movies they're asking us to believe that he can still pull off these acrobatic moves.  Have you watched those movies of his they show on USA network?  Not only do they speed up the action, as Phil said, but the overuse of the stuntmen is comical.  If Steven has to bend down to tie his shoes, they cut to an angle like fifty yards away so his 30 year old stuntman can finish the job.  Stallone I think still succeeds(at least in the action department) because you look at the guy and believe he can still pull off those fight scenes.

honestly i stopped watching Seagal after On Deadly Ground...so i wouldnt know.

haha. did see him in Machete though.

credit to him though if hes still getting work in that condition.  

Quoted from Ryan1 Stallone I think still succeeds(at least in the action department) because you look at the guy and believe he can still pull off those fight scenes.

Stallone is very short however, so they use a different kind of movie magic on him.  I met him in person when I lived in Malibu.  He's definitely small.

I only watched Under Siege to watch that baywatch chick jump out of the birthday cake

Mark

Quoted from irish eyes I only watched Under Siege to watch that baywatch chick jump out of the birthday cake Mark

damn how did i forget about that?

but in all seriousness....what made Under Siese work was watching Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones turn the movie into their own personal "scene stealing competition"

Quoted from Penoyer what made Under Siese work was watching Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones turn the movie into their own personal "scene stealing competition"

Gary Busey`s teeth usually steal the scenes for me

Mark

Under Siege rocks!  The knife fight is up there with The Man From Nowhere and that other knife-fight-is-the-best-part Tommy Lee Jones actioner, The Hunted.

To be perfectly honest, my money's on Seagal in a real-life fight with, say, any two people from Simply.  I've trained with a couple fat old guys in my friend's karate dojo and I assure you ain't nothin' fat or old about them when it comes to throwing a punch.

I mean, consider fat ol' Sammo Hung (at 55): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-zE2YFp7lU

...I'm an action junkie...

Quoted Text To be perfectly honest, my money's on Seagal in a real-life fight with, say, any two people from Simply.

Surely there's a script to be written there!

Quoted from Heretic I mean, consider fat ol' Sammo Hung (at 55): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-zE2YFp7lU ...I'm an action junkie...

Now you went and done it...
Referenced someone I can resist going all tangential about!

I had the distinct honor of being Sammo Hung's assistant during a U.S. visit.
At the time, I was the Operations Manager for a retail company in Boston.
We specialized in J-pop culture and Hong Kong media rights acquisition.
Keep in mind, this was back in the late 90s before this stuff was "cool" here.

To help promote some movies we acquired, we got the MFA involved.
They put together a film retrospective.
http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/movies/97/08/14/SAMMO_HUNG.html

While we organized a meet and greet in Harvard Square for the man and his wife.
God, Mina was so beautiful. She was Miss Philippines back in the 80s.
She met Sammo on the set of Eastern Condors.
She played the leader of the female hit squad.  And they got married.
We were also cross promoting the HK home release of Mr. Nice Guy.

People lined up around two blocks meet the man.
He was late for the retrospective opening at the museum.
Sammo and Mina didn't want to leave.
He was moved to tears in our store and was so gracious...

Later I learned that this was the first time EVER, he had this during his career.
All those decades of jaw dropping awesome films... not one meet and greet.
So, I'm grateful for the small part I played in giving that man some overdue fan love.

Forgive the geek tangent on the thread...
Couldn't resist after Sammo came up!

Regards,
E.D.

Quoted from Penoyer79 this conversation is starting to depress me.. they just dont make action stars/tough guys like they used to. it used to be chuck norris, clint eastwood...etc etc.... and we get Shia LaBloulf. *puke*

Well, not so true.
Jason Statham seemed to fill those shoes. Still does for the most part.
Ray Park's kind of around, but usually has to cover his face.
Jeremry Renner could be the next big action star. and it looks like he's going in that direction.

And now, in the past month, Gina Carano.
Rampage Jackson has had supporting roles...

Now someone give Jason Mayhem Miller a contract.

Quoted from Penoyer79 honestly i stopped watching Seagal after On Deadly Ground...so i wouldnt know.

Wonderful! Maybe noe someone could explain to me what the dream sequence with the topless cave eskimos was all about- especially when Seagal's character dismisses it in a later scene, and it's never mentioned again.

I still watched Seagal, there was one flick he did that had Vinnie Jones in it and B-action star Gary Daniels (The 'Brit' from Expendables')...I think Bob Sapp also showed up..but Seagal was badly dubbed. Submerged, I think the film was.

I kind of liked Into The Sun, where it cloe to 'Hard To Kill' type action...

Maybe Cohen (who I don't care much for) can be in an action-comedy film with Seagal. Seagal was good at poking fun at himself in Machete.

Quoted from DarrenJamesSeeley Jason Statham seemed to fill those shoes. Still does for the most part.

You gotta love the Stath! Has come a long way since Lock, Stock.