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This Is Why I Worship At The Altar Of Indie Flicks

By Brian Prisco | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (20)

ben-stiller-l.jpg

I fear studio projects because to recompense their massively bloated budgets, they have to appeal to every Joe Six-Pack and Suzy Homemaker and Larry Crippling-Credit-Debt. So you don’t get daring and risky and insane plots. You get boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy fights foreigners in black, boy wins girl saves America listens to Toby Keith. You don’t get a chance to whomp ass on the crazy shit I’m about to break to you.

Mark Romanek — the music video director who was responsible for the magnificent One Hour Photo — has been slated to direct Michael R. Perry’s black list script for The Voices. The Voices follows Jerry, a household fixtures manufacturer, who accidentally murders one of his co-workers. He then starts taking advice on the murder from his pets, Mr. Whiskers and Bosco. That’s some incredibly fucked-up fun, and super dark. The best part is that Romanek is pushing for Ben Stiller to play the role of Jerry. Remember what he did for Robin Williams? Remember how nearly awesome The Cable Guy could have been? Yeah, I remember that Ben Stiller — especially indie Ben Stiller — can be fucking creepy. And I’m digging on this project big time.

If that weren’t good enough, the next project combines two of your favorite things in the world: zombies and explicitly depressing hipster romance. Jonathan Levine — director of All The Boys Love Mandy Lane and The Wackness — is taking on the script for Warm Bodies. It tells the story of a hapless zombie named R who strikes up a relationship with the human girlfriend of one of his victims. I have no fucking idea how that possibly works and frankly the logic math kind of makes my left eye start to wink and I think I smell burning cat, but Levine can handle humor, awkward ass romance, with hints of horror. It could be a lot of fun, depending on the cast.

While everyone else is going to have to try to write up the latest fucking comic book rumors, I get to write reviews about this kind of shit! So support smaller films, and you’ll get more insane stuff like this. Do it in the name of Indie Jeebus.









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Comments

"I remember that Ben Stiller — especially indie Ben Stiller — can be fucking creepy."


You are in for a world of disappointment, sport. The only Stiller you get nowadays is annoying, Meet the Parents, Stiller.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at January 20, 2010 11:07 AM

...and we pray in thy name.

Posted by: PissBoy at January 20, 2010 11:08 AM

explicitly depressing hipster romance

Maybe one o' your favorite things. I've been waiting for that maudlin shit to die. Remember when indie movies made you feel GOOD? Like...back in the 90s 'n' shit?

Posted by: Jay at January 20, 2010 11:23 AM

Wow, I can't wait to see Joe Johnston's take on The Voices! Shall we look for it in 2015?

Posted by: laredo at January 20, 2010 12:11 PM

If the director can get Ben Stiller to drop the Meet the Parents schtick, more power to him. I don't think I've watched a movie with him since... Meet the Parents, I guess. I did just get the Zero Effect, and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. Remember when he was kind of good in movies?

Posted by: Brenton at January 20, 2010 12:12 PM

One Hour Photo is far from magnificient, because there is no reason whatsoever for the characters to behave the way they do. Hence, the movie does not happen.

Posted by: FabMax at January 20, 2010 12:26 PM


explicitly depressing hipster romance
Maybe one o' your favorite things. I've been waiting for that maudlin shit to die. Remember when indie movies made you feel GOOD? Like...back in the 90s 'n' shit?

I could not agree more. Or else the movie married hipster romance with quirky-ness and humour. Singles comes to mind.

Let's just say, I may worship at the alter of Indie Jeebus but I do not worship at the altars of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Juno.

Posted by: grace b at January 20, 2010 12:27 PM

I love indie movies as much as the next gal, but not all of them automatically scratch my belly just because they were made outside the studio system. Quirky for the sake of quirkiness, depressing for the sake of depressingness are all just as stupid and contrived in indies as they are in studio flicks.

That said, both these movies do sound awesome.

Posted by: Your Mom at January 20, 2010 12:44 PM

...makes my left eye start to wink and I think I smell burning cat

I am going to use this to describe many-a thing now Prisco! The cat part cracked me up.

I will most likely be using to this to discribe what happens to me in disbelief when friends don't get movies I love.

Just becuase I worship at the Church of Indie Jeebus of Latter Day Saints does not make me a heathen!

Being a heathen in general makes me a heathen.

Posted by: ashes at January 20, 2010 12:48 PM

"black list script"?

Posted by: figgy at January 20, 2010 12:52 PM

figgy, the Black List is a yearly list of the best scripts around that are currently not in development. You can find the most recent list and their synopses at:
http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/the-black-list-to-be-posted-here-in-entirety/

Posted by: welldressed at January 20, 2010 1:27 PM

My reaction to Ben Stiller being cast in this was not the same as El Prisco's. But I admire his optimism!

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at January 20, 2010 1:27 PM

Oh and zombies die pretty quickly because of the infection and all. I don't understand any movie that has them living for more than two days, tops.

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at January 20, 2010 1:29 PM

Maybe Ben Stiller should be cast as a zombie.

Posted by: Your Mom at January 20, 2010 1:31 PM

aaah! thank you, welldressed!

Posted by: figgy at January 20, 2010 1:35 PM

Snuggiepants, when you say zombies "die" pretty quickly, what do you mean exactly?

Posted by: Alexandra at January 20, 2010 2:18 PM

You're just setting me up for disappointment, aren't you? Because you're cruel that way. I've seen what you do to puppies when you think no one's looking, seen you through the telescope I have pointed through your basement window.

Posted by: , at January 20, 2010 2:36 PM

"He then starts taking advice on the murder from his pets, Mr. Whiskers and Bosco."

Heee! On that sentence alone, I'd see this movie. I'm not so much for the Stiller, but I gotta know what his pets suggest. (The cat was the best part of that first Meet The Fockers movie.) And who doesn't like catbox humor?

Posted by: Chickaboom at January 20, 2010 2:59 PM

I must, for my sanity, temper my expectations, but I'm intrigued.

I'll watch anything zombie, so that's a given, and yes, the "Mr. Whiskers and Bosco" makes me giggle just thinking about it. Ben Stiller... eh... he's been good, he's been awful... could go either way.

In other news, I'm confused by this word "magnificent" you use in reference to One Hour Photo. I watched that movie solely to catch a glimpse of Michael Vartan's wang, and ended up being pleasantly surprised by Robin Williams' performance, but "magnificent"? You crazy, man.

Posted by: MM at January 20, 2010 6:45 PM

Ever feel that you would easily see yourself fitting into his / her life despite the age difference? http://AgelessOnly.com is a good place.

Posted by: Rose at January 21, 2010 1:13 AM