Well ol Howard the Duck here moved from Cleveland to Virginia, and is the last to report on how HOME FRIES went. He also was able to speak to the screenwriter for a bit after the screening, and got a couple of neat tidbits here and there. But it seems like I'll be helping myself to an order of Home Fries. (ugh)
I too saw "Home Fries" at the VA film festival, and I wanted to share some info about it. Due to be released in April by Warner Brothers, this movie is one of the best I've seen in a long while, especially from a major studio. First-time director Dean Parisot (who has done some television directing) does a fantastic job... he's one of the best new director's to come out of Hollywood. After the screening we had a chance to speak to screen writer Vince Gilligan (X-Files, "Wilder Napalm") and producer Mark Johnson ("Donnie Brasco," "Mouse Hunt," "A Little Princess"). They told many amusing anecdotes about the film taht would spoil it. But I can tell you that it was filmed in Austin Texas, and that Robin Williams was supposed to have a cameo but he could not do it. This, it turns out, is a good thing, because it would have been very distracting and thrown the whole movie off. Luke Wilson ("Bottle Rocket") does a wonderful job, as does Drew Barrymore (who doesn't really need film credits). Anyone who doesn't believe that Ms. Barrymore is a good actress should see this movie.
Vince Gilligan writes some very funny stuff, and I think Mark Johnson (along with co-producers Lawrence Kasdan, Barry Levinson, and Charles Newirth) made some very good choices. Anyway, the bottom line on this is that it is very, very good. It should be a very big hit and I suggest that everybody go out and see it. Thanks.
