Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a couple more pieces from Toronto. The first bit is about Tarantino giving Takashi Miike the rights to direct the unfilmed portion of the KILL BILL script entitled YUKI'S REVENGE, which follows Go-Go Yubari's sister as she tracks the Bride back to the States and royally fucks her up. Even though he'd be directing it as a stage play and not a film (goddamnit!) I'm still giddy at the posibility of this happening as Yuki's Revenge was one of my favorite parts of the script. This feels too good to be true, espeically since Miike directs 2 movies a week, it seems like... I don't know when he'd find the time. But if it happens, count me there!!! I got a link for more specifics below, but Anton Sirius also has some words on that a couple stories above this one, so check both!
CLICK IT HERE AND TRY TO IMAGINE A PORTION OF THE KILL BILL UNIVERSE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE WARPED MIND THAT BROUGHT YOU "AUDITION" AND "GOZU".. AND LIVE, NO LESS!!!
And now we get a very, very early look at the newest Spike Lee joint, also from the Toronto fest... Having grown up in the Bay Area, I'm really interested to see a non-romanticized version of San Francisco and it looks like Spike has photographed just that. Sounds like Lee at the top of his game. I hope I get to see this one big, instead of direct to DVD. Here's General Zod with the rest... KNEEL!!!
Hi Harry,
Love the site, never contributed before, but have something now, blah, blah, blah.
Anyway, I live in Toronto and have been attending the festival. I was lucky enough to see 'Sucker Free City' last night. Spike Lee's new 'joint'. I haven't seen anything on your site about it yet, so I feel obligated to inform you about how amazingly good this film is. I am definitely not a writer so forgive the crappiness of this review, I just feel as though more people should know about this flick.
I knew absolutely nothing about this going in, so I really didn't know what to expect. It takes place in San Francisco. But not in the hippie love, la, la lovey dovey San Fran that is usually portrayed in films. This is the gang-ridden, nasty part of San Francisco. We follow three separate ethnic groups, A Chinese mafia gang, a black 'gangsta' gang, and a white family who have been forced out of their homes in yuppyville and move into the projects. Trouble ensues.
I won't really reveal anymore of the plot, because I don't want to spoil anything. I will say this, the acting is ridiculously perfect throughout the film. Not a single character comes off as being phony. Anthony Mackie as 'K-Luv' in particular is amazingly good as a gangster who is having issues with his choice of lifestyle. There is a scene at the end of the film with him and Jim Brown that is very powerful even though they barely say anything. Great stuff!!!
I'll also quickly comment on the violence in the film. I only feel the need to, because some people at the screening actually got up and left at one critical point in the movie. It's not the crazy gruesome gory violence for no reason type of violence. It's more the Scorsese out of nowhere shocking violence that you just don't see coming. It works perfectly with the film, and blew me away in certain points. Never saw most of it coming.
At the end of the film I will admit that while I was definitely feeling a lot of love for it, I started thinking about all the loose plot threads that weren't even close to tied up. 'Bah, whatever I still loved it', I said to myself. Then the Q&A began with Alex Tse(writer), Anthony Mackie(actor) and the producer whose name I can't recall. Apparently this wasn't intended to be a standalone film. It was actually a pilot for a propsed TV show they picthed to Showtime. Ahhhhhh, that would explain the plot threads being left untied. They were supposed to get 13 episodes. Sadly, due to the fact 98% of TV Execs are complete idiots, they passed on the show. I guess it was too good for TV or something. Showtime will be airing some other shit show about Hank Azaria as a Psychologist though! Woo! Morons...
They also told us that the likelyhood of 'Sucker Free City' being released theatrically is slim. Odds are it will just go straight to DVD. NO!!! This is probably the best thing Spike has done in years!!! Even with the huge plot points that were left open I loved this thing! So try and see it if you can! They said they would probably take it to a couple more festivals. If you can't find it, buy up the DVD when it comes out! You won't regret it.
If you use this call me, General Zod.
Thanks.
