Synecdoche, New York (2008)

[Sycophant]

So Marty doesn't get all his thunder stolen out of his thread, here's a thread for Charlie Kaufman's directorial. As a reminder, the cast list looks a little something like this:

Michelle Williams
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Emily Watson
Catherine Keener
Hope Davis
Samantha Morton
Dianne Wiest

And it's in post-production with an ambiguous 2008 release date. Hurray!

[Sven]

I hope the movie ends up being better than the screenplay. I understand that it's senseless, more or less, to judge a movie by its screenplay, and screenplay reviewers are pretty annoying. And I'm certainly no expert. But if I were a producer and was given the Synecdoche screenplay, I would've thrown it against the wall, into the wastebasket (which I would place right underneath where I would throw it against the wall).

Plus, no more PSH please. He was the best dumpy loser 'til Giamatti came around, sure, but he completely lost me the moment he started whining about his bowel movements in Cold Mountain (a motif, coincidentally, central to Synecdoche). Now I can barely tolerate his slovenly presence.

Still, he was pretty awesome in Punch-Drunk Love.

[Sycophant]

I'm as curious to see what kind of directorial vision Kaufman is going to make apart from Gondry and Jonze as I am to see how Jonze works without Kaufman. I've read a couple of Kaufman's unproduced screenplays (his pilot script for "Rambling Pants" was amazing), but have always felt that having the right director behind the material was always crucial.

Aww... I like PSH.

[Sven]

Aww... I like PSH.

You and half the world, for some reason. To which I say "Psh!"

[Rowland]

Yeah, Hoffman rocks.

You've read the screenplay for this, iosos?

[Milky Joe]

Plus, no more PSH please. He was the best dumpy loser 'til Giamatti came around, sure, but he completely lost me the moment he started whining about his bowel movements in Cold Mountain (a motif, coincidentally, central to Synecdoche). Now I can barely tolerate his slovenly presence.

Still, he was pretty awesome in Punch-Drunk Love.

Has anyone ever told you you're insane? PSH is one of the greatest actors we have. To just brush him off that way is crazy! I didn't even know he was in Cold Mountain.

[DavidSeven]

You and half the world, for some reason. To which I say "Psh!"

It has to be done...

:|

[Sven]

You've read the screenplay for this, iosos?

Yessir.

[Sven]

Has anyone ever told you you're insane?

Yessir.

[Rowland]

It's not so unorthodox to dislike Hoffman. I noted a bit of a backlash brewing last year, especially between the Slant and RS crowds.

[Raiders]

You and half the world, for some reason. To which I say "Psh!"

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[MadMan]

Yessir.

:lol:

I sort of eagerly await this. Although I want a trailer. Soon.

[Sycophant]

Eff trailers. I wanna go into this one (and most any film anymore) thoroughly blind.

[ledfloyd]

Eff trailers. I wanna go into this one (and most any film anymore) thoroughly blind.

how will you see the screen?

[EvilShoe]

how will you see the screen?

He'll steal your eyes.

I'm trying to avoid trailers of movies as of late as well. It's hard not to watch the Indy 4 one.

[Horbgorbler]

He'll steal your eyes.

Sycophant is the Corinthian?

*whimper*

[Horbgorbler]

Oy, that is such a white-guy joke. :P

Uh-oh, was "Neil Gaiman" the most recent entry on "Things White People Like?"

EDIT: Uh, the post I was responding to disappeared. Eerie.

[Rowland]

Uh-oh, was "Neil Gaiman" the most recent entry on "Things White People Like?"

Ahh, you caught me.

No, but it struck me as something that should be. At least, on the alternative Nerd version.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I have to concur with iosos. My roommate got his hands on the script, and I couldn't resist reading it.

But it was a terrible struggle to finish the thing. I thought it was messy and meaningless.

Which no doubt means the film will be hailed as a masterpiece.

[Velocipedist]

I don't want to read the script (I don't like any of this: reading script before seeing movie. Huh.) but are there trailers out for this?

[Sycophant]

Which no doubt means the film will be hailed as a masterpiece.

[Velocipedist]

Which no doubt means the film will be hailed as a masterpiece.

It will be hailed as a masterpiece by some, but I'm sure it will be the kind of thing that generates strong backlash.

So strong, in fact, that Nicolas Cage will be forced to appear in public pretending to be Charlie Kaufman for press & interviews.

[ledfloyd]

I have to concur with iosos. My roommate got his hands on the script, and I couldn't resist reading it.

But it was a terrible struggle to finish the thing. I thought it was messy and meaningless.

Which no doubt means the film will be hailed as a masterpiece.

eh, have you read early drafts of kaufman's other stuff? always ends up being great on the screen.

[Boner M]

Pretty sweet promo poster:



Also...

But if I were a producer and was given the Synecdoche screenplay, I would've thrown it against the wall, into the wastebasket (which I would place right underneath where I would throw it against the wall).

Gold.

[Qrazy]

It's not so unorthodox to dislike Hoffman. I noted a bit of a backlash brewing last year, especially between the Slant and RS crowds.

Oh snap! He's becoming too popular! Ditch the guy!