Recently, CINSSU’s Alan Jones got to take part in a round table discussion with Bradley Cooper, who was promoting his new film, The Hangover, which CINSSU screened last Monday. This is a transcription of that discussion.

Press: The only thing that concerns me, the film is hysterical, but in order to carry off the plot, the women have to be someone you can escape from. That’s my only concern. Otherwise it’s hysterical, but the woman in the film have to be considered in sort of a negative light because the men have to have reason to run.

Bradley Cooper: Oh, I see. Tracey’s (Sasha Barrese) not in a negative light, Doug’s (Justin Bartha) fiance. She’s not seen in a negative light, and nor is my wife, Phil’s wife, is not seen in a negative light. The only one is Rachel [Harris]‘s character, who plays Stu’s (Ed Helms) girlfriend. And then Heather’s not, Heather Graham’s not.

Press: Well, no. Heather Graham is terrific, with the heart of gold.

BC: So I’d say the only character that has sort of a negative aspect to her is Stu’s girlfriend.

Press: OK, because I thought I noticed a little bit of spice, but maybe I’m wrong.

BC: Spice?

Press: A little bit of heat, a little bit of anger.

BC: With who?

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Joseph McGinty Nicol, better known by his screenname McG, has been trying to make a movie for the fanboys for a while now. In 2002, he was even attached to reboot the Superman franchise. Known for directing the two mediocre Charlie’s Angels films, one can hardly blame him for attempting to prove himself to the geeks and the film buffs alike. Now, with the release of Terminator Salvation, the fourth film in the Terminator franchise (and the first not to star Arnold Schwarzenegger in a prominent role), McG finally has his chance to prove to the world that, hey, he’s a nerd too!  Unfortunately, Terminator Salvation is a bad film, and it reeks of a director trying way too hard to please the fan base by expanding upon an existing mythology rather than by making an interesting film about well-developed characters.

The film takes place in the year 2018, fifteen years after the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which took place in 2003. John Connor, who was played by Edward Furlong in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and by Nick Stahl in T3, is now played by Christian Bale, who seems to maintain the same determined facial expression for the entire film. Now, I’ve noticed a certain backlash against Bale in the press lately, partially because of an infamous viral audio clip in which Bale lashed out at the cinematographer of this film, Shane Hurlbut. I do not wish to add to this undeserved dislike, because I think Bale is a very talented actor, but his performance here is a one-note embarrasment. Bale is even outshined by his unknown co-star Sam Worthington, who, judging by his accent, can’t seem to figure out if he’s an American or an Australian. Anton Yelchin is a bit better as the teenage Kyle Reese, who was sent back in time to save John’s mother in the first Terminator, but still does little to impress beyond using a signature line from the original film “Come with me if you want to live”. Other actors include Moon Bloodgood and Common (the rapper) as resistance fighters, Bryce Dallas Howard as Kate Connor, John’s wife (ironically, Howard is two years younger than Claire Danes, the last actress to play that role, despite her character supposedly being fifteen years older), Michael Ironside as the leader of the resistance, and a cameo from an old enemy. Unfortunately, none of these actors are given anything to do but grimace and look tough. Kate Connor is especially underdeveloped; her pregnancy is never even so much as mentioned.

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From the director of Old School (Todd Phillips). The film stars Bradley Cooper (Alias, Wedding Crashers), Ed Helms (“The Office”, Evan Almighty), Zach Galifianakis (Tru Calling, Into the Wild).

Plot: A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him.

Actor Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers, Alias, He’s Just Not That Into You, Yes Man) will be in attendance of the event for a special Q and A!!1!
Shown for free by WB and CINSSU. Invite anyone you would like!

Seating is limited and not guaranteed. Passholders will be admitted first. Each pass admits two people. Non-passholders will have to wait in the rush line. Please arrive early.

**Passes will be available at our office! Office Hours will be announced soon here on our facebook page. Please DO NOT email us asking about passes, they will be first come, first serve. and we will let you know when they are available.**

Passes are now available at the CINSSU office located in Rm. 107 at 2 Sussex Ave., Toronto, ON.

Tuesday: 1-5pm
Wednesday: 12-6pm
Thursday: 4-6pm

Positioning itself at the early onset of the eighties, Hunger, is an immensely startling film. Set amongst the unsettling tension of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the suffocating prison of Hunger shares some affinity with Bresson’s A Man Escaped with the unremitting perseverance in constrained environments that are threatening both within caged corridors and the intimidating reality of the outside. Following the unseen realities of the Provisional Irish Republican Army prisoners in their caged prison protests, Hunger’s agenda is hardly just a one-sided politically polemic attack but an immensely unsettling and grim examination of human depravity in the conflict between state institutions and its citizens. The film is also a poignant remembrance of Bobby Sands, as the films main narrative is his arduous and bleak hunger strike to vie for political prisoner status.

Inciting both praise and walkouts at its screenings because of its starkly grim subject matter, Hunger provokes discussion not just for its politically-charged controversy, but also presents a bold insight into the nauseating perseverance of the human spirit.  One of the most surprising aspects of Hunger is how well paced and accessible the film is as it tells its story.  Working in an organic and unified approach to introduce the IRA prisoners, the right decisions are made when main IRA figure Sands emerges in brutal and furious fashion amongst the other supporting institutional figures such as the detached prison guard and sympathetic Riot guard who are well embedded and balanced.

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One thing that has constantly been brought up about this film over the last few months is its obvious resemblance to the recent Paul Blart: Mall Cop, which has accumulated an absurd amount of money over the last few months. Both movies feature chubby comedy stars playing inept mall security guards. But while the TV spots for Observe and Report have been doing their best to convince audiences that this is just a generic B-list star vehicle, the movie itself is a nasty piece of work. It’s really the anti-Blart. Whereas Paul Blart is about a lovable loser that rises to the occasion in order to save the day, Observe and Report is about a loser that certainly isn’t lovable and doesn’t have a day to save. Now, this film is hilarious, but it’s not for everyone; by the time it’s finished, you might feel a little bad inside just because of how incredibly damaged these characters are. There are absolutely no sympathetic characters, there are a number of extremely violent scenarios, there is no shortage of male full frontal nudity, and there is no lack of awkward, uncomfortable, cringe-inducing moments.

Director Jody Hill’s last feature was the super low-budget The Foot Fist Way, which is about an inept Tae Kwon Do instructor. I never saw that movie, but I think I might check it out now. When I saw the trailer for that film, I felt like it was an extension of the worst and most mean-spirited Will Ferrell comedy moments. But, while Observe and Report is definitely mean-spirited, it’s also an indictment of American culture and our consumer society. Seth Rogen’s Ronnie Barnhardt is a bipolar and delusional mall cop that feels the need to step up to the occasion after a pervert reveals himself to many female patrons of the mall. Ronnie is actually quite competent at his job, as he almost never loses a fight, but he suffers from some astoundingly poor judgment and delusions of grandeur.

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